BEIJING — China’s government banned effeminate men on TV and told broadcasters Thursday to promote “revolutionary culture,” broadening a campaign to tighten control over business and society and enforce official morality. President Xi Jinping has called for a “national rejuvenation,” with tighter Communist Party control of business, education, culture and...
Changing Winds Provide Hope in Lake Tahoe Wildfire Battle
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE — With winds finally turning in their favor, firefighters are throwing all their resources into boxing a California blaze that was scant miles from Lake Tahoe and neighboring Nevada. Three days of fiercely gusting winds had driven the Caldor Fire east through the rugged Sierra Nevada, forcing...
Trails Closed Where Mariposa Family Mysteriously Died
Federal officials closed a portion of trails at a national forest in Mariposa County where a family and their dog mysteriously died last month, citing pending toxicology reports on nearby water. There was no clear cause of death, prompting authorities to treat the area in the Sierra National Forest as...
Strong Winds Push Wildfire Closer to Lake Tahoe
Favorable weather helped firefighters trying to save communities on the south end of Lake Tahoe from an approaching wildfire, but officials warned Wednesday that stiff winds and dry conditions mean that homes in the California-Nevada alpine region are still in danger. “We lucked out a little bit yesterday with some...
More Than 30 California Children Still Stuck in Afghanistan
More than 30 California children are stuck in Afghanistan after they traveled to the country to see their relatives weeks before the Taliban seized power and were unable to get out before U.S. forces left, according to school districts where the kids are enrolled. Officials with three school districts —...
Official Reports Progress in Defending Lake Tahoe from Fire
Firefighters reported progress Wednesday in the battle to save communities on the south end of Lake Tahoe from an approaching forest fire after the stiff winds and searing temperatures they had feared failed to materialize in the California-Nevada alpine region. “We lucked out a little bit yesterday with some of...
‘Brooksie’ Comment to DeChambeau Could Lead to Fan Ejection
ATLANTA — Fans who yell “Brooksie!” to Bryson DeChambeau might be removed from the tournament and have their tickets or badges confiscated. That also goes for vulgar or rude comments and gestures, or harassment of anyone involved with the tournament or other disruptive behavior. Left unclear is whether shouting “mashed...
Growth in US Manufacturing Up in August Despite Problems
WASHINGTON — Growth in U.S. manufacturing accelerated in August despite the fact that companies were still struggling with supply chain problems. The Institute for Supply Management, a trade group of purchasing managers, said Wednesday that its index of manufacturing activity rose 0.4 percentage point in August to 59.9. Manufacturing had...
Hezbollah Hammered with Criticism Amid Lebanon’s Crises
BEIRUT — Driving back to base after firing rockets toward Israeli positions from a border area last month, a group of Hezbollah fighters was accosted by angry villagers who smashed their vehicles' windshields and held them up briefly. It was a rare incident of defiance that suggested many in Lebanon...
Afghans Face Hunger Crisis, Adding to Taliban’s Challenges
KABUL, Afghanistan — Food could run out this month in Afghanistan, a senior U.N. official warned Wednesday, threatening to add a hunger crisis to the challenges facing the country's new Taliban rulers as they endeavor to restore stability after decades of war. About one third of the country's population of...