CAIRO — Talks to end the war in Gaza were taken up a notch on Wednesday with the expected arrival of senior figures from Israel, the U.S. and regional counties, after Hamas handed over its lists of hostages and Palestinian prisoners to be freed in a swap. With U.S. President...
Ex-FBI Chief Comey Pleads Not Guilty to Charges Brought Under Pressure From Trump
ALEXANDRIA, Virginia — Former FBI Director James Comey pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to criminal charges accusing him of making false statements and obstructing a congressional investigation, U.S. media reported, in the first prosecution by the Justice Department against one of President Donald Trump's political enemies. The charges were brought...
Trump Calls for Jailing Democratic Leaders as Troops Prepare for Chicago Deployment
CHICAGO/WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Wednesday called for jailing Chicago's mayor and the governor of Illinois, both Democrats, as his administration prepared to deploy military troops to the streets of the third-largest U.S. city. Neither Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson nor Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has been accused of criminal wrongdoing,...
Newsom Approves Caballero-Backed Plan for Fusion Energy
A new statewide fund will push research into the elusive energy source that, if successful, could nearly provide power rivaling that of the sun. Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday signed into law Assembly Bill 80 from Sens. Anna Caballero, D-Merced, and Jerry McNerney, D-Stockton, providing $100 million annually to labs...
Ex-NFL Star Herschel Walker Confirmed as First US Bahamas Ambassador in Nearly 15 Years
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed former NFL star and political candidate Herschel Walker to serve as the United States' next ambassador to the Bahamas, filling a position that has been vacant for nearly 15 years. Walker was one of more than 100 nominees confirmed in a single...
Trump Transportation Department Pulls Back Grants for Trails and Bike Lanes
The Trump administration is rescinding federal grants for recreational trails and bicycle projects awarded under the $1.1 trillion infrastructure law signed by President Joe Biden, citing a focus on road capacity and opposition to projects “hostile to motor vehicles," AP reported. Letters sent to local governments in at least six...
Fresno Unified Allowed Registered Sex Offender to Coach at High School, Claim Alleges
Fresno Unified School District allowed a registered sex offender to become a volunteer sports coach and failed to investigate complaints made by student-athletes about the coach's inappropriate conduct while he was coaching at Fresno High School, according to a recent claim. The coach, Dusty William Lewis, was convicted of rape...
Madera County Supervisors Promote Development Chief to CAO
Madera County's new Chief Administrative Officer is Matthew Treber, who has had a big hand in spurring economic development there. The Board of Supervisors promoted Treber to CAO in a unanimous vote on Tuesday morning. He succeeds Jay Varney, who announced his retirement in August and left the position on...
Comedian Bobby Lee to Perform at Fresno’s Tower Theatre in January
Comedian, actor and podcaster Bobby Lee is bringing his stand-up tour to Fresno next year. Lee is scheduled to perform at the Tower Theatre on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, following a show at the Fox Theater in Bakersfield on Jan. 9, 2026. Tickets go on sale Friday at 12 p.m....
Guy Fieri’s Tequila Targeted in $1 Million Highway Heist
Thieves made off with 24,000 bottles of Guy Fieri and Sammy Hagar’s Santo Tequila last November in what investigators say was a sophisticated, high-tech highway heist, 60 Minutes reports. The two semi-trucks, carrying more than $1 million worth of tequila from Texas to Pennsylvania, vanished after criminals used fake trucking...