JERUSALEM - A religious party has quit Israel's ruling coalition in a dispute over military service, leaving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a razor-thin majority in parliament but still enough political support to secure a potential Gaza ceasefire. Six members of United Torah Judaism (UTJ) handed in resignation letters overnight...
Fresno County Budget: Supes Talk How ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Will Cut SNAP, Medi-Cal
With two new Fresno County supervisors comes a more public budget process. Last year, the board approved a $5.2 billion spending plan. And, when the county's biggest departments present their individual budgets to the supervisors in September, top of mind will be how federal benefit cuts will affect food programs...
US Strikes Trade Deal With Indonesia, Trump Says, Without Providing Details
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the United States had struck a trade deal with Indonesia. "Great deal, for everybody, just made with Indonesia. I dealt directly with their highly respected President. DETAILS TO FOLLOW!!!" Trump said in a post on Truth Social. Trump had threatened the...
Wall Street Opens Higher After Inflation, Bank Results
LONDON - U.S. shares opened higher on Tuesday, and Treasury yields inched down, as investors digested an expected slight pick-up in inflation alongside a raft of moderately positive quarterly results from big banks. The S&P 500 opened up 0.5% with the Nasdaq up 0.9% after the data that showed U.S....
Heinous, Heartbreaking, Expensive: California Schools Face Avalanche of Sex Abuse Claims
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. When Samantha Muñoz was a second grader at Fancher Creek Elementary in Clovis, her teacher told her she “wasn’t that bright” and needed extra help with schoolwork. He’d make her stay in the classroom at recess, or tell...
Israel Strikes Syrian City, Vows to Protect Druze From Government Forces
SWEIDA - Israel carried out strikes against Syrian government forces in southwestern Syria for a second day on Tuesday, vowing to keep the area demilitarized and to protect the Druze minority as deadly clashes continued in the region at the Israeli frontier. A Reuters reporter heard at least four strikes...
Max Fire Near Pine Flat Lake Grows to 426 Acres. Evacuations Remain in Place
A wildfire burning near Pine Flat Lake has scorched 426 acres and remains just 5% contained as of Monday, according to CalFire. Dubbed the Max Fire, the blaze was first reported shortly after 1 p.m. Sunday in the Blue Canyon area, near Big Creek Road and Vomac Road, according to...
Vendors Demand Arias Resign Over False ICE Raid Warning. He Says Trump Is the Culprit
Swap meet vendors say Fresno City Councilmember Miguel Arias' comments about an immigration raid that never occurred cost them business. Now, they want the council to sanction their colleague while also calling for Arias to resign. During the June 12 council meeting, Arias said from the dais that a "massive...
Fresno Unified Rewards Incompetence? Ex-Comms Chief Could Get Huge Severance
Fresno Unified could pay former communications chief Nikki Henry $162,000 after it was revealed she created a dossier of fabricated attacks against Superintendent Misty Her from the Fresno Teachers Association, the district confirmed Monday. Director of Communications Diana Diaz called the package a "strategic decision based on fiscal responsibility which...
Elmo’s X Account Gets Hacked, Posts Antisemitic and Racist Messages
WASHINGTON - Hackers broke into the X account of Sesame Street character Elmo and posted antisemitic and racist messages, the makers of the children's TV show said on Monday. The Sunday posts, which have been deleted, called for violence against Jews, insulted President Donald Trump and demanded the release of...