BATON ROUGE, La. — Civil liberties groups filed a lawsuit Monday to block Louisiana's new law that requires the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public school classroom, a measure they contend is unconstitutional. Plaintiffs in the suit include parents of Louisiana public school children with various religious backgrounds,...
UN-backed Contingent of Foreign Police Arrives in Haiti as Kenya-led Force Prepares to Face Gangs
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — The first U.N.-backed contingent of foreign police arrived in Haiti on Tuesday, nearly two years after the troubled Caribbean country urgently requested help to quell a surge in gang violence. A couple hundred police officers from Kenya landed in the capital of Port-au-Prince, whose main international airport...
International Court Seeks Arrest of Russian Officials Over Attacks on Ukrainian Power Plants
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The International Criminal Court said Tuesday it issued arrest warrants for Russia's former defense minister and its military chief of staff for attacks on Ukraine's power plants, the third time the global court has accused senior Russian leaders of war crimes. There is no immediate likelihood...
Medical Center in Porterville Graduates First Class of Internal Medicine Residents
Sierra View Medical Center in Porterville graduated its inaugural class of internal medicine residents this month at a festive ceremony attended by the 13 graduates, their families and friends, and medical center officials. The ceremony marked not only a milestone in their medical training but also in the hospital's history....
Israel’s High Court Orders the Army to Draft Ultra-Orthodox Men, Rattling Netanyahu’s Government
JERUSALEM — Israel's Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled unanimously that the military must begin drafting ultra-Orthodox men for compulsory service, a landmark decision that could lead to the collapse of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's governing coalition as Israel continues to wage war in Gaza. The historic ruling effectively puts an...
Which Fresno Unified High School Is Getting a Second Gym?
Fresno's oldest high school, Fresno High, is getting a second gymnasium as well as other sports-related campus improvements. The district will celebrate the start of construction with a groundbreaking ceremony at 2 p.m. Wednesday. The high school is at 1839 N. Echo Ave. The new gym, which will be built...
Embattled Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama Resigns: ‘Right Time for Me to Step Away’
Fresno City Manger Georgeanne White said at a Tuesday morning news conference that Police Chief Paco Balderrama has resigned. Mayor Jerry Dyer praised Balderrama for his accomplishments in Fresno while also saying that the chief's resignation was in the best interests of the city and the police department. The city...
Newsom’s Proposed PAGA Changes Could Limit Employee Claims, Reduce Penalties
Gov. Gavin Newsom has introduced proposed legislation to overhaul the California Private Attorneys’ General Act and provide significant relief for employers, Fisher Phillips' Insight System reports. If passed, the reform will limit the types of employees who can bring claims, allow employers more opportunities to correct mistakes, reduce penalties, and...
Which Last-Minute Bond Measures Will Make California’s November Ballot?
The most recent measure to let the state borrow billions barely passed in March. In a poll out this month, nearly two-thirds of Californians said it’s a bad time to issue more IOUs. But that isn’t stopping supporters of climate action and school construction from trying to get bond issues on the...
NHRA Great John Force Remains in Intensive Care After 300-MPH Fiery Crash
RICHMOND — NHRA great John Force remained hospitalized in intensive care Monday, one day after a fiery, 300-mph crash in the Virginia Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park. John Force Racing said in a statement Monday night that the 75-year-old Force was still in a Virginia hospital and that doctors “were...