Wall Street was mostly flat in shortened Christmas Eve trading on Wednesday, as traders wait to see whether stocks can extend record gains in a seasonally strong stretch for markets. The benchmark S&P 500 sat about 0.1% away from its intraday all-time high after hitting a record close on Tuesday,...
Democrats Urge Trump to Reverse Mass Ambassador Recalls
Democratic senators urged President Donald Trump on Wednesday to reverse a recall of nearly 30 career ambassadors, warning the move leaves a dangerous leadership vacuum that allows adversaries like Russia and China to expand their reach. The Trump administration in recent days has ordered more than two dozen career diplomats...
Gold, Silver and Platinum Take a Breather After Record Rally
Gold prices edged lower on Wednesday, taking a breather after surging past the key $4,500-an-ounce mark earlier in the session, while silver and platinum trimmed some gains following their record-breaking rally. Spot gold was down 0.4% at $4,468.96 per ounce at 10:04 a.m. ET (1504 GMT), after marking a record...
Fresno County Authorities Seek Relatives of Deceased Man Found in Home
The Fresno County Sheriff–Coroner’s Office is asking for the public’s help locating relatives of a man presumed to be Alfred Perez Ochoa, 81, authorities said. Ochoa, born Feb. 11, 1944, was recently found dead inside a home near the intersection of McKenzie Avenue and Second Street in Fresno. He was...
Man Sentenced to Life Without Parole in Tulare County Murder
A Tulare County Superior Court judge sentenced a 32-year-old man to life in prison without the possibility of parole for murder Tuesday, following a jury’s guilty verdict earlier this month, the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office said. Douglas Paul was convicted of premeditated first-degree murder with special allegations that he...
Oil up as Market Weighs Strong Us Economic Growth, Supply Risks
Oil prices settled higher on Tuesday as investors assessed stronger-than-expected U.S. economic growth and the risk of disruptions to oil supply from Venezuela and Russia. Brent crude futures settled 31 cents, or 0.5%, higher at $62.38 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was up 37 cents, or 0.64%, at...
US, Iran Spar Over Nuclear Talks at UN
The United States and Iran traded barbs at the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday over conditions for reviving nuclear talks, with the U.S. saying it remains ready for direct negotiations and Iran rejecting Washington's terms. The two countries held five rounds of nuclear talks prior to a 12-day war...
Vince Zampella, Formative Designer of Call of Duty Games, Dies at 55
Vince Zampella, a key figure in the creation of Call of Duty, the bestselling video game franchise that has reproduced World War II battles, riffed on modern global conflicts, and imagined the technology future soldiers will wield, has died. He was 55. His death was confirmed by Electronic Arts, which...
Delaware State Trooper Killed in Shooting, Suspect in Custody
A suspect is in custody after a police officer was killed in a shooting in Wilmington, Delaware, on Tuesday, police said. Delaware State Police reported an active shooter at the Department of Motor Vehicles building in Wilmington just after 2 p.m. EST (1900 GMT). Shortly after, police said there was...
Half-Inch, 2 Inches, or 8 Inches of Rain? They’re All Possible, Fresno
Heavy rain will begin in earnest over Fresno and surrounding communities on Tuesday night and continue until tapering off late Friday, the National Weather Service in Hanford predicts. Exactly much rain will fall isn't known because weather forecasting is both an art and a science, not to mention Mother Nature...