Olympic boxer Richard Torrez Jr. from Tulare got off to a strong start early in his gold medal bout against Bakhodir Jalolov of Uzbekistan on Saturday night but ultimately could not overcome his opponent's advantages in his Tokyo Olympics finale. Jalolov won gold in the super heavyweight division in the...
California Republicans Just Say No to Endorsements in Newsom Recall
The California Republican Party voted overwhelmingly Saturday not to endorse any candidate in the looming recall election that could remove Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom from office, sidestepping a potentially nasty fight over a GOP favorite that threatened to divide Republicans and depress turnout in the nationally watched race. The lopsided...
GOP Leaders Reverse Push for California Recall Endorsement
LOS ANGELES — Two powerful California Republicans urged members of the state GOP Friday to withhold an endorsement in the upcoming recall election that could remove Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom from office. The California Republican Party has been squabbling over whether to anoint a single candidate with its stamp of...
‘There Are Only So Many Beds’: COVID-19 Surge Hits Hospitals
Hospitals slammed with COVID-19 patients are suspending elective surgeries and putting beds in conference rooms, an auditorium and a cafeteria in Florida. As of midweek, Mississippi had just six open intensive care beds in the entire state. Georgia medical centers are turning people away. And in Louisiana, an organ transplant...
Taliban Kill Afghan Media Chief in Kabul, Take Southern City
KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban ambushed and killed the director of Afghanistan's government media center on Friday in the capital, Kabul, the latest killing of a government official just days after an assassination attempt on the country's acting defense minister. The slaying comes amid significant Taliban advances. In a major...
Escalation Danger Rises in Mideast as Hezbollah, Israel Trade Fire
BEIRUT — The militant Hezbollah group fired a barrage of rockets toward Israel on Friday, and Israel hit back with artillery in a significant escalation between the two sides. It was the third day of attacks along the volatile border with Lebanon, a major Middle East flashpoint where tensions between...
‘To Each His Own’ — Masks Optional in Many Classrooms as Schools Reopen
MCDONOUGH — As Tussahaw Elementary opened this week for a new school year, teary-eyed mothers led in kindergartners dwarfed by backpacks and buses dropped off fifth graders looking forward to ruling their school. The biggest clue to the lingering COVID-19 crisis was the masks worn by students and teachers —...
Senators Struggle to Amend, Finish $1T Infrastructure Bill
WASHINGTON — Nearing decision time, senators were struggling to wrap up work on the bipartisan infrastructure plan despite hopes to expedite consideration and voting on the nearly $1 trillion proposal. The package had appeared on track for eventual Senate passage, a rare accord between Republicans and Democrats joining on a...
US Hiring Surges in July, Unemployment Rate Drops to 5.4%
WASHINGTON — Hiring surged in July as American employers added 943,000 jobs and the unemployment rate dropped to 5.4%, another sign that the U.S. economy continues to bounce back with surprising vigor from last year’s shutdown. The July numbers exceeded economists’ forecast for more than 860,000 new jobs. The Labor...
Historic Low Water Level Prompts Sierra Hydro Plant Shutdown
Drought-stricken California on Thursday shut down one of its largest hydroelectric plants because there's not enough water to power it. The six-turbine Edward Hyatt Power Plant was taken off-line after the water level in the Oroville Dam reservoir that feeds it sank to an historic low of less than 642...