With flames advancing toward the signature grove of ancient massive trees in Sequoia National Park, firefighters on Thursday fought fire with fire. Using firing operations to burn out flammable vegetation and other matter before the wildfire arrives in the Giant Forest is one of several ways firefighters can use their...
Feds Charge 55 in ‘Takedown’ of California Prison-Based Gang
SAN JOSE — Fifty-five people were charged with conspiracy and racketeering-related crimes as part of a sweeping “takedown” of a California prison-based gang that federal authorities said was responsible for brutal street violence in northern and central parts of the state. One of the 17 charging documents unsealed Thursday focuses...
Thousands of Haitian Migrants Converge on Texas Border Town
DEL RIO, Texas — Thousands of Haitian migrants have assembled under and around a bridge in a small Texas border town, presenting the Biden administration with a fresh and immediate challenge as it tries to manage large numbers of asylum-seekers who have been reaching U.S. soil. Images showed Haitians crossing...
Organizer of Saturday D.C. Rally Looks to Rewrite Jan. 6 History
WASHINGTON — The architect of a Washington protest planned for Saturday that aims to rewrite history about the violent January assault on the U.S. Capitol is hardly a household name. Matt Braynard worked as an analyst for the Republican Party, crunched data for a small election firm and later started...
Biden Booster Shot Plan Faces First Key Test
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration’s embattled plan to dispense COVID-19 booster shots to most Americans faced its first major hurdle Friday as a government advisory panel met to decide whether to endorse extra doses of the Pfizer vaccine. Scientists inside and outside the government have been divided in recent days...
Over City Objections, Newsom Signs Laws to Slice Through Local Zoning Rules
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday approved two measures to slice through local zoning ordinances as California struggles with soaring home prices, an affordable housing shortage and stubborn homelessness. He signed the most prominent legislation despite nearly 250 cities objecting that it will, by design, undermine local planning and control. The...
Sheriff: Michigan Lawmaker in Jail Had Hidden Handcuff Key
HOWELL, Mich. — A Michigan lawmaker ordered to jail in a drunken driving case is accused of taping a handcuff key to his foot. The key was discovered when state Rep. Jewell Jones, a Detroit-area Democrat, was placed in jail Tuesday for violating bond conditions, authorities said. "He truly believes...
Hezbollah Brings Iran Fuel to Lebanon Despite US Sanctions
AL-AIN, Lebanon — Dozens of trucks carrying Iranian diesel arrived in Lebanon on Thursday, the first in a series of deliveries organized by the militant Hezbollah. The powerful group operates independently from Lebanese authorities, which are struggling to deal with a crippling energy crisis. The overland delivery through neighboring Syria...
Dutch Foreign Minister Quits Over Afghanistan Evacuations
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The Dutch foreign minister, Sigrid Kaag, resigned Thursday after the lower house of parliament passed a motion of censure against the government over its handling of evacuations from Afghanistan amid the Taliban takeover. In a parliamentary debate Wednesday night, Kaag acknowledged that the government's slow or...
US Unemployment Claims Rise After Hitting Pandemic Low
WASHINGTON — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits moved up last week to 332,000 from a pandemic low, a sign that the spread of the delta variant may have slightly increased layoffs. Applications for jobless aid rose from 312,000 the week before, the Labor Department said Thursday. That was...