After the 2024 elections, there was a panic among Democrats about the absence of a liberal Joe Rogan. Could one be found? Could one be created? It was an epic exercise in missing the point. You cannot have a liberal Joe Rogan because Rogan is not particularly political. His audience...
Are More Thunderstorms Heading Fresno’s Way?
Fresno received nearly a fifth of an inch of rain in a 20-minute thunderstorm Sunday afternoon that flooded some streets. Thunderstorms also doused Fresno and other nearby communities Saturday night and early Sunday morning. The bursts pushed the city's total for the Oct. 1 to Sept. 30 water season to...
NATO Allies Refuse to Join Trump’s Strait of Hormuz Blockade
NATO allies said on Monday they would not get involved in U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to blockade Iranian ports, proposing to intervene only once fighting ends, in a move likely to anger Trump and increase strains in the alliance. Trump said the U.S. military would eliminate any Iranian ships that came near...
Trump Attacks Pope Leo as Too Liberal and ‘Weak on Crime’
Pope Leo XIV is one of the world’s most powerful critics of the U.S. war with Iran. In recent days, he has condemned the worship of mortals and money, the pitfalls of arrogance, and the “absurd and inhuman violence” unleashed by fighting that has further destabilized the Middle East. His...
Amy Tan Returns to Fresno Roots to Close San Joaquin Valley Town Hall
Amy Tan closes out the San Joaquin Valley Town Hall lecture series Wednesday in what is a homecoming. The day after she was born in Oakland, she moved to Fresno, where her parents lived. Her father was a minister at the First Chinese Baptist Church. She lived in Fresno for...
After Criticizing Pope, Trump Posts Image of Himself as a Jesus-Like Figure
Shortly after criticizing Pope Leo XIV in a lengthy social media post Sunday, President Donald Trump shared an apparently artificial intelligence-generated image depicting him as a Jesus-like figure. The image, which was posted on the president’s account on his social media platform, Truth Social, shows Trump dressed in white and...
Swalwell Suspends Campaign for California Governor Amid Sexual Assault Allegations
New York — U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell on Sunday said he was suspending his campaign for governor of California, as he faces calls from fellow Democratic lawmakers and dozens of his former staffers to leave Congress following accusations of sexual assault. "To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry...
Oil Jumps Nearly 7% to Above $100 Ahead of US Blockade on Iran
Oil prices jumped back above $100 a barrel on Monday as the U.S. Navy prepared to block ships to and from Iran via the Strait of Hormuz in a move that could restrict Iranian oil exports after Washington and Tehran failed to reach a deal to end the war. Brent...
Defeat of Orban Removes Ukraine’s Biggest Nemesis in Europe
KYIV, Ukraine — For much of the past four years, Hungary was a persistent source of irritation for Ukraine. An outlier in Europe, Hungary maintained friendly relations with Russia while blocking critical European Union funding for Ukraine and stalling Ukraine’s path toward integration into the bloc. After the election defeat...
3 Men Arrested in $1 Million Lego Theft in California
Three California men accused of stealing $1 million worth of Lego toys face cargo theft charges after they were stopped while fleeing in two box trucks Wednesday, authorities said. When deputies from the Kern County Sheriff’s Office Mojave Substation searched the trucks, they discovered “a large amount of Lego products,”...