CARACAS, Venezuela — Even before American forces blasted their way into Venezuela’s capital and seized President Nicolás Maduro on Saturday, the nation was already facing dire economic prospects. The partial blockade imposed by the United States on Venezuela’s energy exports was expected to shutter more than 70% of the country’s...
Wall Street Opens Muted After Financials-Driven Rally
Wall Street's main indexes opened subdued on Tuesday, as investors took a breather after the main indexes posted their biggest intraday gains in weeks in the previous session, while markets braced for a data-heavy week of labor reports. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 10.2 points, or 0.02%, at the...
Health Dept. to Freeze $10 Billion in Funding to 5 Democratic States
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration plans to freeze $10 billion in funding for child care subsidies, social services and cash support for low-income families in five states controlled by Democrats, claiming widespread fraud throughout those states, without citing evidence, after a major welfare fraud scheme in one of them. Minnesota,...
Maduro Opponent Machado Vows to Return to Venezuela, Wants an Election
Venezuela's main opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has vowed to return home quickly, praising U.S. President Donald Trump for toppling her enemy Nicolas Maduro and declaring her movement ready to win a free election. Trump appears, however, to hope for now to work with interim President Delcy Rodriguez and other...
Colombian Military Must Defend Against Potential US Invasion, Minister Says
Colombia's foreign minister on Tuesday said the country's military must defend the country's territory and sovereignty in the event of a hypothetical U.S. invasion. U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday threatened Colombia with military action similar to the one carried out in neighboring Venezuela that ended with the capture of...
Russia Slams ‘Neocolonial Threats’ Against Venezuela, Backs New Interim Leader
Russia on Tuesday welcomed the appointment of Delcy Rodriguez as Venezuela's interim president, calling it a step to ensure peace and stability in the face of "blatant neocolonial threats and foreign armed aggression". "We firmly insist that Venezuela must be guaranteed the right to determine its own destiny without any...
Doug LaMalfa, a California Republican Congressman, Dies at 65. How Will He Be Replaced?
Update: 10:35 a.m., Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026 The Sacramento Bee reports that Doug LaMalfa, a Republican member of Congress from northern California, died during surgery early Tuesday at a Chico hospital. Citing the Butte County Sheriff's Office, The Bee said that dispatchers received a 911 call from LaMalfa's home in...
Plenty of Sun and Dry Skies Ahead for Fresno
The skies have cleared, soggy ground is drying, and sunshine dominates the forecast for the next two weeks in Fresno and surrounding communities. Recent rains raised Fresno's rainfall total to 7.05 inches for the 2025-26 water year. That amount is 201% of normal and also more than twice what the...
High Prices Threaten to Push US Auto Sales Into Decline in 2026
U.S. auto sales are expected to decline this year as high vehicle prices push many middle-class buyers out of the new-car market, according to Bloomberg. Major carmakers including General Motors, Honda and Hyundai reported weaker sales in the final quarter of last year. While total U.S. vehicle sales likely topped...
Where Do Valley Congressmembers Stand on Arrest of Venezuela’s Maduro?
Republican Congressmember Vince Fong of Bakersfield justified the Trump administration’s capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in comments made Monday. "This is a law enforcement action. There is an active indictment against Maduro. He’s an illegitimate president, and it was necessary to hold him accountable and bring him to justice,"...