U.S. retail sales increased by the most in seven months in February as motor vehicle purchases rebounded and temperatures warmed up, but surging gasoline prices because of war in the Middle East were expected to crimp spending in the months ahead. The Commerce Department's delayed report on Wednesday suggested that...
In South Dakota, Neighbors Feel Sorry for Kristi Noem’s Husband
CASTLEWOOD, S.D. — That couldn’t be him, could it? The cartoonishly large breasts. The pink spandex. The come-hither stare. “Must be AI,” a burly cattle rancher named Kevin Ruesink said as he inspected pictures of his neighbor Bryon Noem that had been published by The Daily Mail on Tuesday morning....
Trump Says He Is Working With Johnson, Thune to Fund Immigration Agents
President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he was working with U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate majority leader John Thune to fund immigration agents through a process that bypasses the Senate filibuster. "We are going to work as fast, and as focused, as possible to replenish funding for our...
Chime Goes Down for Thousands of Users, Downdetector Shows
Chime experienced a possible outage Wednesday, according to Downdetector.com. More than 3,100 users had reported problems with the platform as of 9:56 a.m. PT, according to Downdetector, which tracks outages by collecting status reports from multiple sources. Most users who reported an issue to Downdetector said that they had issues...
California, States Seek $10.3 Million for Helping Block Kroger-Albertsons Merger
California and a group of states are seeking $10.3 million in fees and costs for helping block the Kroger-Albertsons merger, a bid that would refill the state's coffers as it emerges as a major player in U.S. antitrust enforcement. Of that amount, California would recoup $5.1 million as it forges...
Could Clovis Be the First City in Fresno County to Get a 7 Brew Coffee?
Clovis could soon get a new coffee and beverage dealer as the city's planning commission clears the way for 7 Brew Coffee to land at Clovis and Shaw avenues. The Arkansas-based coffee chain that caught the attention of private equity investors proposed adding a drive-thru location between McDonald's and El...
Democrats Start to Hammer Vulnerable Republicans Over the War in Iran
A new ad campaign from a Democratic-aligned group is slamming a vulnerable Republican member of Congress over his support for the war in Iran, a sign that Democrats view the conflict as a political liability for Republicans in the midterm elections. The group, VoteVets Action Fund, supports military veterans running...
Fresno Police to Hold DUI Checkpoint Friday Night
The Fresno Police Department will conduct a DUI checkpoint Friday from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. at an undisclosed location aimed at removing impaired drivers from the road, the department said. Checkpoint locations are selected based on data showing higher incidents of impaired driving-related crashes. Police stressed that impairment isn’t...
US Financial Advisors Brace for Growing Array of Risks in Second Quarter
Investment advisors say a buildup of problems is weighing on clients, who are entering the second quarter of the year struggling with trying to predict the outcome of war, the direction of energy prices and the repercussions of problems stemming from private credit. An exuberant rally that turned the final trading...
Placing US Troops in Middle East Hotels May Violate Laws of War
The U.S. military’s decision to move troops away from bases under Iranian attack to hotels and office spaces in civilian areas may amount to violations of international humanitarian law and the U.S. military’s own laws of war, human rights officials and experts say. The constellation of U.S. bases in the...