JERUSALEM — Christians in the Holy Land are marking Good Friday this year amid signs the coronavirus crisis is winding down, with religious sites open to limited numbers of faithful but none of the mass pilgrimages usually seen in the Holy Week leading up to Easter. The virus is still...
Car Rams Capitol Barricade, Injuring 2 Officers; Driver Shot
WASHINGTON — A car rammed a barricade outside the U.S. Capitol on Friday afternoon, injuring two Capitol Police officers and leading to the driver being shot, two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press. At least one officer was in serious condition, while the driver was in critical condition, the...
US Capitol on Lockdown After Report of Gunfire Nearby
WASHINGTON — Police locked down the U.S. Capitol on Friday afternoon after a report of gunshots in the area. U.S. Capitol Police say all Capitol buildings were being locked down “due to an external security threat” and staff members were told they could not enter or exit the buildings. A...
US, Iran Say They’ll Begin Indirect Talks on Nuclear Program
The United States and Iran said Friday that they would begin negotiations through intermediaries next week to try to get both countries back into an accord limiting Iran’s nuclear program, nearly three years after President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the deal. The announcement marked the first major...
March Hiring Accelerated to 916K, Yet Many Jobs Remain Lost
WASHINGTON — America’s employers unleashed a burst of hiring in March, adding 916,000 jobs in a sign that a sustained recovery from the pandemic recession is taking hold as vaccinations accelerate, stimulus checks flow through the economy and businesses increasingly reopen. The March increase — the most since August —...
Visalia Police Shoot and Kill Man They Say Charged Them
VISALIA — Police shot and killed a 27-year-old man accused of attacking a Visalia officer after an officer who arrived at the scene said the man charged him. Family members called 911 on Wednesday afternoon to report that Ivan Cuevas was trying to break into a home and that he...
This is California’s Third-Driest Year on Record
The water content of California’s Sierra Nevada snowpack was measured at 59% of the April 1 average, when it historically is at its peak, the state’s chief of snow surveys and water supply forecasting said Thursday. The unsurprising result follows the second consecutive dry winter and comes amid indicators that...
Biden Aims to Juice EV Sales, But Would His Plan Work?
DETROIT — Dangling tax credits and rebates in his drive to fight climate change, President Joe Biden wants you to trade your gas-burning car, truck or SUV for a zero-emissions electric vehicle. Some buyers would find his offer persuasive. Yet Biden's goal is a daunting one: Even if Congress approves...
The Latest: Germany Reports 24,000 Daily Coronavirus Cases
BERLIN — German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called on citizens to help ease the strain on nurses and doctors caring for the rising number of COVID-19 patients by respecting pandemic rules over Easter. Germany’s disease control agency reported 24,300 newly confirmed cases in the past day, and 201 deaths. The...
Newsom Gets J&J Shot as State’s Vaccine Eligibility Expands
Governor Gavin Newsom received his “one and done” shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine Thursday, the same day that people 50 and older became eligible for inoculations across California. The masked-up governor kept the mood of the on-air vaccination light, bantering as he pulled up the sleeve of his...