AP News Summary at 11:51 p.m. EDT
With humanitarian aid blocked at Egyptian border, Gaza draws closer to total collapse
RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hospitals in Gaza faced collapse Monday as water, power and medicine neared depletion, and hundreds of thousands of Palestinians searched for dwindling food supplies while Israel maintained punishing airstrikes in retaliation for last week’s deadly rampage by Hamas. Thousands of patients’ lives were at risk, U.N. officials said, and mediators struggled for a cease-fire to let in aid waiting at the Egyptian border. All eyes were on the Rafah crossing聽between Gaza and Egypt, where trucks carrying aid have waited for days unable to pass through. As Israel prepared a likely ground offensive into Gaza, fears rose over the conflict spreading along Israel’s border with Lebanon.
Biden will head to Israel and Jordan as concerns mount that Israel-Hamas conflict will spread
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — President Joe Biden will travel to Israel and Jordan Wednesday to meet with both Israeli and Arab leadership, as concerns increase that the raging Israel-Hamas war could expand into a larger regional conflict. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Biden’s travel to Israel as the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip grows more dire and as Israel prepares for a possible ground attack on the territory to root out Hamas militants. Later, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby announced that Biden would also go to Jordan to meet with King Abdullah, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Mourners in heavily Palestinian Chicago suburb remember Muslim boy killed as kind, energetic
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. (AP) — Crowds of mourners in a heavily Palestinian Chicago suburb paid respects to a 6-year-old Muslim boy killed in an alleged hate crime. Authorities revealed new details earlier Monday about the evidence used to charge the family’s landlord with stabbing the child and his mother. Wadea Al-Fayoume died Saturday after being stabbed dozens of times in a brutal attack that drew condemnation from local elected officials to the White House. He had just turned 6. Authorities say the family’s landlord, Joseph Czuba, was upset over the Israel-Hamas war and attacked them after the boy’s mother proposed they “pray for peace.”
Gunman kills 2 Swedes in Brussels, prompting terror alert and halt of Belgium-Sweden soccer match
BRUSSELS (AP) — Police in Belgium are searching for a gunman with suspected extremist motives who killed two Swedes with stunning viciousness in Brussels before disappearing into the night. The attack Monday night created such fear that authorities shut down a Belgium-Sweden soccer match in the nearby national stadium and held 35,000 fans inside for several hours as a precaution. A spokesman for the federal prosecutor’s office says the investigation is centering on “a possible terrorist motivation for the shooting” after a claim of responsibility was posted on social media by someone who claimed to be inspired by the Islamic State group. The terror alert in Brussels was raised to its highest level after the shooting.
GOP’s Jim Jordan is shoring up support and peeling off detractors ahead of a House speaker vote
WASHINGTON (AP) — Hard-charging right-wing Republican Rep. Jim Jordan is shoring up support to win the House speaker’s gavel. One by one Jordan, has been peeling off detractors who view the Ohio Republican as too extreme. He’s not home yet, with some lawmakers holding out. After a late night meeting Monday at the Capitol, Jordan acknowledged he still has “a few more people to talk to, listen to.” A pressure campaign from Donald Trump allies including Fox News’ Sean Hannity is helping to round up support. A floor vote that could turn into a showdown is set for midday Tuesday. It’s been two weeks for the House without a speaker after hardline Republicans ousted Kevin McCarthy.
How China’s Belt and Road Initiative is changing after a decade of big projects and big debts
BEIJING (AP) — China’s Belt and Road Initiative looks to become smaller and greener after a decade of big projects that boosted trade but left big debts and raised environmental concerns. The shift comes as leaders from across the developing world descend on Beijing this week for a government-organized forum on what is known as BRI for short. The initiative has built power plants, roads, railroads and ports around the world and deepened China’s relations with Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Mideast. It is a major part of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s push for China to play a larger role in global affairs.
Trump has narrow gag order imposed on him by federal judge overseeing 2020 election subversion case
WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump says in a social media post he’ll appeal a narrow gag order imposed on him in his 2020 election interference case in Washington. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan’s Monday order bars the Republican presidential candidate from making statements targeting prosecutors, possible witnesses and the judge’s staff. The judge says the former president can’t mount a “smear campaign” against prosecutors. Monday’s order marks a milestone moment in the federal case that accuses Trump of illegally conspiring to overturn his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden. During a campaign appearance in Iowa later Monday, Trump decried the order as unconstitutional, and claimed it would only help him in the polls.
Tim Scott praises ‘restraint’ of Israel’s Netanyahu, says US should move more firepower to region
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina is praising Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for showing what he calls “restraint” after Hamas attacked Israel over a week ago. The Republican presidential candidate says Netanyahu “waited” and showed “patience” and “humanity” in response to the Oct. 7 attack. He says the U.S. should move more firepower into the region to “be responsive” and says that U.S. special forces should be prepared to help rescue American hostages in Gaza. Scott made the remarks Monday at an event co-hosted by The Associated Press and Georgetown’s Institute of Politics and Public Service.
600 days into the war, Russia’s assault on a key eastern Ukraine city appears to be weakening
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian officials say a dayslong attempt by Russian forces to storm a strategically important city in eastern Ukraine appears to be running out of steam. The Ukrainian General Staff said Monday that Ukrainian forces repelled 15 Russian attacks from four directions on Avdiivka over the previous 24 hours. That compared with what another official were up to 60 attacks a day in the middle of last week, suggesting the Russian push was weakening. A Washington-based think tank broadly concurred with that assessment. As the Kremlin’s war entered its 600th day and with the looming onset of winter that will limit military operations, both sides have been seeking battlefield breakthroughs that could invigorate their efforts and raise morale.
Rangers build big early lead off Valdez, hold on for 5-4 win over Astros to take 2-0 lead in ALCS
HOUSTON (AP) — Jonah Heim homered, Nathan Eovaldi pitched six effective innings and the Texas Rangers beat Framber Valdez and Houston Astros 5-4 for a 2-0 lead in the AL Championship Series. Adolis Garc铆a, Mitch Garver and Nathaniel Lowe each hit an RBI single during Texas’ four-run first inning against Valdez, and Jos茅 Leclerc closed it out for the Rangers after Yordan Alvarez powered an Astros rally. Eovaldi struck out nine, including two in a row after Houston loaded the bases with none out in the fifth. He was charged with three runs and five hits in his third win this postseason. The Rangers improved to 7-0 in the playoffs, including six wins on the road.