The Justice Department unit that ensures compliance with voting rights laws will switch its focus to investigating voter fraud and ensuring elections are not marred by "suspicion," according to an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press. The new mission statement for the voting section makes a passing reference to...
Newsom Jabs at Trump and Musk, but Will AI Make California More Efficient?
This commentary was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Gov. Gavin Newsom staged a news conference in Los Angeles this week to tout the adoption of artificial intelligence to improve the efficiency of state government. That’s pretty dull stuff, so Newsom goosed its news value by contrasting...
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Trial to Delve Into the Seediest Side of Rap’s ‘Bad Boy’
NEW YORK — Hip-hop impresario Sean "Diddy" Combs once presided like a prince over his White Parties in the Hamptons, attracting A-list celebrities, gossip columnists and photographers. But at a trial starting Monday, prosecutors will cast the entertainer as a criminal sexual deviant who exploited his fame to abuse women...
Robbie Ray’s Gem Leads the Giants Over the Rockies
SAN FRANCISCO — Robbie Ray held the Colorado Rockies to two singles over seven innings and the San Francisco Giants ended a three-game losing streak with a 4-0 victory Friday night. Coming off its first consecutive wins this season, Colorado lost for the 17th time in 20 games, dropped to...
Voters to Decide if Home of Elon Musk’s SpaceX Should Become an Official City: Starbase
McALLEN, Texas — Voters are set to decide Saturday if the South Texas home of Elon Musk's SpaceX rocket company should become an official city known as Starbase, fulfilling the billionaire's dream of a galactic dateline for a program he hopes will someday blast astronauts to Mars. Approval of the...
World’s Tallest and Smallest Dogs Meet Up for a Playdate
A playdate between the world's tallest and smallest living dogs went the way of most dog park encounters despite the 3-foot height difference — lots of tail wagging, sniffing and scampering. Reginald, a 7-year-old Great Dane from Idaho, and Pearl, a chihuahua from Florida, are both certified winners in their...
Yamamoto Allows Only 1 Hit in 6 Scoreless Innings and Betts Homers as Dodgers Hold Off Braves 2-1
ATLANTA — Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed only one hit through six scoreless innings, Mookie Betts hit a home run and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 2-1 on Friday night for their sixth consecutive win. Austin Riley doubled with two outs in the sixth inning for Atlanta's first hit...
Tennessee Police Release Video of Kilmar Abrego Garcia Traffic Stop in 2022
NASHVILLE — Authorities in Tennessee have released video of a 2022 traffic stop involving Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland construction worker who became the face of U.S. immigration policy after his erroneous deportation to El Salvador. The body-camera footage shows a calm and friendly exchange between officers with the Tennessee...
University of Texas Chancellor Is Named President of the University of California
SACRAMENTO — James B. Milliken, who has led major public university systems in New York and Texas, was named president of the University of California on Friday. Milliken comes to the role from the University of Texas, where he has served as chancellor since 2018. He has also held leadership...
Here’s Why May the 4th Is Celebrated as Star Wars Day Across the Galaxy
It didn't begin a long time ago or in a galaxy far far away, but every May 4 it feels like images, memes and promotional deals involving "Star Wars" have an inescapable gravity. May 4 — or May the 4th, as fans say — has evolved over the years into...