RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — It was rather hard to parse why Hillary Clinton, the former Democratic presidential candidate, and Tucker Carlson, the contrarian right-wing commentator, had been invited to speak at a real estate conference in Saudi Arabia. Neither had much to say about real estate. Yet, on Wednesday, they...
US Senate Democrats Demand Immigration Reforms to Avert Shutdown
U.S. Senate Democrats called for new restrictions on immigration agents on Wednesday, setting up a confrontation with the Trump administration that could lead to a partial government shutdown. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said agents with the Department of Homeland Security, including ICE, must stop wearing face masks, use body cameras,...
Prosecutors Seek July Trial for Mangione in State Murder Case
NEW YORK — State prosecutors in New York asked a judge Wednesday to set a July trial date for the murder case against Luigi Mangione, months before a parallel federal trial in which he is charged with killing a health care executive in New York City. The proposed start date...
Teachers Assail Fresno Unified Trustees for Doubling Their Own Pay
The Fresno Unified School Board adopted a state-approved stipend change, more than doubling trustees' monthly pay and generating barbs from the teachers union. Earlier this month, trustees voted, 6-1, to increase their monthly stipend from $2,110 to $4,500, or $54,000 annually, starting Feb. 1. “I don't really see it as...
Gold Extends Record Run, Races Past $5,400/Oz
Spot gold extended its record‑setting rally on Thursday, marching above the $5,400 per ounce mark as investors sought safety amid deepening economic and geopolitical uncertainty. Spot gold XAU= was up 0.3% at $5,413.67 an ounce at 2209 GMT after hitting a record high at $5,418.39 earlier in the session. Geopolitical...
Fresno and Madera Homelessness Rises Again in Annual Count
As hundreds of trained volunteers spread across Fresno and Madera counties this week, officials conducting the area's annual Point-in-Time (PIT) count reported a familiar trend: Homelessness is up again. Preliminary estimates from the Fresno Madera Continuum of Care indicate homelessness has increased from last year, continuing a rise that has...
Madera Police Seek Public Help Identifying Housing Authority Vandalism Suspect
The Madera Police Department is asking for the public’s help identifying a man captured on surveillance video vandalizing the Housing Authority building, the department said on Wednesday. Got a Tip? Authorities said anyone with information about the suspect should call the Madera Police Department at (559) 675-4220 or Crime Stoppers...
Madera Registered Sex Offender Arrested on Multiple Child Exploitation Charges
The Madera County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a 41-year-old Madera man on multiple child exploitation charges following a parole compliance check, authorities said. Sheriff’s officials said Tommy Raymond Aguilar, a parolee and registered sex offender, was arrested Wednesday after detectives conducted a compliance check in the area of Ellis and...
Bruce Springsteen Releases Protest Song Condemning ICE Violence in Minneapolis
Bruce Springsteen on Wednesday released a protest song condemning the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minneapolis and memorializing two people fatally shot by federal officers this month, NPR reported. The song, titled “Streets of Minneapolis,” honors Renee Macklin Good and Alex Pretti, who were killed in separate...
Ecuador Says ICE Agent Tried to Enter Consulate in Minneapolis
A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent tried to get into Ecuador's consulate in Minneapolis on Tuesday but was prevented from entering the premises by consulate staffers, the country's Foreign Ministry said. The attempted entry prompted the Foreign Ministry to send a "note of protest" to the U.S. Embassy in...