JERUSALEM — The mother of a young Israeli woman held by Hamas appealed for her release on Tuesday, calling the seizure of around 200 hostages by the Palestinian militant group “a crime against humanity.” Hamas' Hostage Video Hamas’ military wing released a video on Monday showing a dazed Mia Schem,...
Retail Sales Rise Solid 0.7% in September, Reflecting US Shoppers’ Resilience Despite Higher Prices
NEW YORK — Americans showed their steadfast resilience and kept spending online, at restaurants and other outlets in September even as they grappled with higher prices, rising interest rates and a host of other headwinds piling up. Retail Sales Overview Retail sales rose 0.7% in September, more than twice what...
Blast Kills Hundreds at Gaza Hospital, Hamas and Israel Trade Blame
KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — A massive blast rocked a Gaza City hospital packed with wounded and other Palestinians seeking shelter Tuesday, killing hundreds of people, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said. Hamas blamed an Israeli airstrike, while the Israeli military said the hospital was hit by a rocket misfired by...
Green Energy Has Nowhere to Go Because of Huge Power Line Shortage
FRANKFURT, Germany — Stalled spending on electrical grids worldwide is slowing the rollout of renewable energy and could put efforts to limit climate change at risk if millions of miles of power lines are not added or refurbished in the next few years, the International Energy Agency said. The Paris-based...
Israeli Bombings Kill Dozens of People in the Gaza Region Where Civilians Were Told to Seek Refuge
KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — Israel bombed areas of southern Gaza where it had told Palestinians to flee to ahead of an expected ground invasion, killing dozens of people on Tuesday in retaliatory attacks it says are targeted at Hamas militants that rule the besieged territory. Dozens of injured were...
PG&E’s Plan to Bury Power Lines Faces Opposition Over Soaring Effect on Rates
VACAVILLE — Pacific Gas & Electric wants to bury power lines in some of its most at-risk areas to prevent destructive blazes like the 2018 Paradise fire that killed 85 people. But state regulators are balking at the utility's plan because it would take too long and cost $5.9 billion. The...
Police Shoot Dead Suspected Extremist Accused of Killing 2 Swedish Soccer Fans on a Brussels Street
BRUSSELS — Police on Tuesday shot dead a suspected Tunisian extremist accused of gunning down two Swedish soccer fans in a brazen assault on a Brussels street that sent shockwaves through Belgium and Sweden. Hours after the suspect disappeared into the night and a manhunt was launched in the Belgian...
Biden Didn’t Make Israeli-Palestinian Talks a Priority. Arab Leaders Say Region Now Paying the Price
WASHINGTON — From its first months in office, the Biden administration made a distinctive decision on its Middle East policy: It would deprioritize a half-century of high-profile efforts by past U.S. presidents, particularly Democratic ones, to broker a broad and lasting peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians. Since Richard Nixon, successive U.S. administrations have tried...
Republicans Will Try to Elect Trump Ally Rep. Jim Jordan as House Speaker but GOP Holdouts Remain
WASHINGTON — Republicans will try to elect a firebrand Rep. Jim Jordan as the new House speaker, elevating a chief ally of Donald Trump to a center-seat of U.S. power and showing just how far the hard-right flank has moved into the GOP mainstream. On Tuesday, the House is scheduled to start voting...
Sacramento Brothers, Mom Plead Guilty in $600 Million Catalytic Converter Theft Scheme
SACRAMENTO — Three members of a California family pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy for their role in a ring that shipped $600 million worth of stolen catalytic converters from California to New Jersey, federal prosecutors said. Brothers Tou Sue Vang, 32, and Andrew Vang, 28, along with their mother, Monica...