SAN DIEGO — Sirhan Sirhan faces his 16th parole hearing Friday for fatally shooting U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy in 1968, and for the first time no prosecutor will be there to argue he should be kept behind bars. Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, a former police officer...
Ida Aims to Hit New Orleans on Hurricane Katrina Anniversary
NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell wants everyone who lives or works outside the city's levee protection system to evacuate well ahead of an expected hit by Hurricane Ida on Sunday. “I am calling for a mandatory evacuation of all areas outside of our levee protection system,” the...
Supreme Court Allows Evictions to Resume During Pandemic
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court's conservative majority is allowing evictions to resume across the United States, blocking the Biden administration from enforcing a temporary ban that was put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic. The court's action late Thursday ends protections for roughly 3.5 million people in the United...
Lake Tahoe Prepares for Emergency as Wildfire Threatens
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE — Some 14,000 firefighters facing changing weather conditions battled more than a dozen large wildfires across California, including a growing blaze that was slowly pushing toward the Lake Tahoe resort region. Winds and temperatures were expected to pick up in coming days while humidity drops, adding to...
Biden Vows to Finish Kabul Evacuation, Avenge Deaths of 13 US Troops
Two suicide bombers and gunmen attacked crowds of Afghans flocking to Kabul's airport Thursday, transforming a scene of desperation into one of horror in the waning days of an airlift for those fleeing the Taliban takeover. The attacks killed at least 60 Afghans and 13 U.S. troops, Afghan and U.S....
Dilemma for Fed Chief: High Inflation and a Surging Virus
WASHINGTON — Not long ago, anticipation was high that Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell might begin to sketch out a plan this week for the Fed to start pulling back on its support for an economy that has been steadily strengthening. That was before COVID-19 cases began accelerating across the...
2 Congressmen Face Questions, Criticism Over Secret Kabul Trip
WASHINGTON — Two members of Congress are facing criticism and questions following their surprise visit to Afghanistan this week, which diverted resources from the U.S.'s chaotic withdrawal, enraged military leaders and led House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to declare it not “a good idea.” Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., and Rep. Peter...
New to Recall Debate Stage, Democrat Paffrath Blasts Rivals
SACRAMENTO — Democrat Kevin Paffrath shook up the recall debate stage Wednesday in his first appearance alongside three Republican rivals, accusing them of lacking bold plans and pitching himself as the best option to lead California should voters remove Gov. Gavin Newsom from office. “A vote for any Republican, including...
Biden Monitors Afghan Violence, Delays New Israel PM Meeting
WASHINGTON — The White House hurriedly put off President Joe Biden's first in-person meeting with Israel's new prime minister and a phone call with governors on incoming Afghan refugees Thursday after more than a dozen people were killed in explosions outside the airport in the Afghan capital, where throngs of...
Russia: 2 Suicide Attacks Outside Kabul Airport; 13 Dead
KABUL, Afghanistan — Two suicide bombers and gunmen targeted crowds massing near the Kabul airport Thursday, in the waning days of a massive airlift that has drawn thousands of people seeking to flee the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. At least 13 people were killed and 15 wounded, Russian officials said....