U.S. soldiers were fighting in Korea when President Harry S. Truman signed a congressional resolution calling for an annual National Day of Prayer. The purpose was for people to gather in houses of worship to pray for world peace, according to an Associated Press report from April 17, 1952. Since...
Giant California Condors Trash Tehachapi Woman’s Home
TEHACHAPI — Giant California condors are rare — but not at Cinda Mickols’ home. About 15 to 20 of the giant endangered birds have recently taken a liking to the house in the city of Tehachapi and have made quite a mess. Mickols’ daughter, Seana Quintero of San Francisco, began...
Chance to Shoot Bison at Grand Canyon Draws 45K Applicants
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — More than 45,000 people are vying for one of a dozen spots to help thin a herd of bison at Grand Canyon National Park. The odds aren't as good as drawing a state tag to hunt the massive animals beyond the boundaries of the Grand Canyon, but...
Rome Jury Convicts 2 Vacationers from Bay Area in Slaying of Police Officer
ROME — A jury in Rome on Wednesday convicted two American friends in the 2019 slaying of a police officer in a tragic unraveling of a small time drug deal gone bad, sentencing them to life in prison. The jury deliberated more than 12 hours before delivering the verdicts against...
Donors Race to Aid India During COVID-19 Surge
The catastrophic wave of Covid-19 in India has prompted donors to send millions of dollars to the country, which Tuesday crossed the grim mark of more than 20 million cases of the killer disease. “The situation is desperate,” says Ashish Shah, senior director for philanthropy and community engagement at Indiaspora,...
Federal Judge Strikes Down CDC Eviction Moratorium
BOSTON — A federal judge ruled Wednesday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention exceeded its authority when it imposed a federal eviction moratorium. The Justice Department said it would appeal the ruling from the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., meaning there won't likely be any immediate impact...
Court Upholds Newsom’s Use of Emergency Powers
SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom’s use of emergency powers to make far-reaching policies during the pandemic was upheld Wednesday by state appellate judges who rejected a lower court finding that Newsom had done too much unilaterally. Three judges from the 3rd District Court of Appeal in Sacramento ruled unanimously that...
Tree Still Smoldering From 2020 Sequoia National Park Fire
A giant sequoia has been found smoldering and smoking in an area of Sequoia National Park burned by one of the huge wildfires that scorched California last year, the National Park Service said Wednesday. The cause of the tree fire appears to be the 2020 Castle Fire, the service said...
Israeli Opposition Leader Tapped to Form New Government
JERUSALEM — Israel’s president on Wednesday tapped opposition leader Yair Lapid to form a new government — a step that could lead to the end of the lengthy rule of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. President Reuven Rivlin announced his decision on live television a day after Netanyahu failed to cobble...
San Diego County Will Provide Detained Immigrants With Lawyers
SAN DIEGO — San Diego County will provide attorneys to immigrants facing deportation proceedings under a pilot program approved Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors. The 3-2 vote orders work to begin on a $5 million, one-year pilot program administered through the county's public defender's office. It would provide lawyers...