There are so many things to say in the wake of the U.S. bombing of three key Iranian nuclear facilities that it is easy to get lost in the gripping details. So for now, let me try to step back and explore the global, regional and local forces shaping this...
UK to Ban Campaign Group Palestine Action Under Anti-Terrorism Laws
LONDON - Britain said on Monday it would use anti-terrorism laws to ban the campaign organisation Palestine Action, making it a criminal offence to belong to the group after its activists damaged two UK military planes in protest at London's support for Israel. The proscription would put the pro-Palestinian group...
US Existing Home Sales Rise in May, Mortgage Rates Still a Constraint
WASHINGTON - U.S. existing home sales unexpectedly increased in May, but the trend remained weak amid high mortgage rates. Home sales climbed 0.8% last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.03 million units, the National Association of Realtors said on Monday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast home...
Wall Street Indexes Open Muted as Investors Await Tehran’s Response to US Strikes
Wall Street's main indexes opened subdued on Monday as investors awaited Iran's possible response to U.S. airstrikes on its nuclear facilities over the weekend, sparking fears of a broader conflict in the Middle East. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 28.3 points, or 0.07%, at the open to 42178.55. The...
Iranian Retaliation Against US Forces Could Come Soon, Officials Say
WASHINGTON - The United States believes Iran could carry out retaliatory attacks targeting American forces in the Middle East soon, although the U.S. is still seeking a diplomatic resolution that would see Tehran forgo any attack, two U.S. officials said on Monday. One of the officials, who spoke to Reuters...
Advisory Warns of ‘Heightened Threat Environment’ in US After Iran Strikes
WASHINGTON -An advisory from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security warned on Sunday of a "heightened threat environment in the United States" following overnight U.S. military strikes on Iran's nuclear sites. Rights advocates have already noted heightened Islamophobia and antisemitism in the U.S. since the start of U.S. ally Israel's...
Muslim Countries to Set up Contact Group to Seek Israel-Iran De-Escalation
ANKARA - The Organization of Islamic Cooperation said on Sunday it would set up a ministerial contact group to establish regular contact with international and regional parties to support de-escalation efforts after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear sites. In a joint declaration following a meeting of the 57-member...
Visalia Police Seek Public’s Help in Sexual Assault Investigation
Police in Visalia are asking for the public’s help identifying a suspect believed to be connected to multiple sexual assaults reported early Saturday morning. Officers were dispatched around dawn to the area of Locust Street and Northwest 1st Avenue for a medical aid call requiring police assistance. They discovered a...
Despite Clashes With US Presidents, Israel’s Netanyahu Usually Gets His Way
JERUSALEM - A little over a month ago, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to have been shunted to the shadows by U.S. President Donald Trump, who hopscotched the Middle East without visiting Israel, traditionally Washington's closest regional ally. Worse still, from Netanyahu's perspective, Trump lifted sanctions on neighboring Syria -...
Pope Leo Urges International Diplomacy to Prevent ‘Irreparable Abyss’
VATICAN CITY - Pope Leo on Sunday said the international community must strive to avoid war that risks opening an "irreparable abyss", and that diplomacy should take the place of conflict. U.S. forces struck Iran's three main nuclear sites overnight, joining an Israeli assault in a major new escalation of...