A federal appeals court ruled on Friday that a provision of U.S. President Donald Trump's signature tax and domestic policy bill that deprives Planned Parenthood and local affiliates that perform abortions of Medicaid funding is not an unconstitutional punishment. The Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a preliminary...
Wall Street Ends Lower. Fears of AI Bubble and Inflation Send Investors Away
The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq closed down more than 1% on Friday with investors leaving technology for other sectors as Broadcom and Oracle fueled concerns about an AI bubble and rising U.S. Treasury yields added pressure after some policymakers spoke out against easing monetary policy. Treasury yields rose after a...
Americans Skeptical of Trump on Epstein, but Republican Doubts Ease, Reuters/Ipsos Poll Finds
Americans are deeply skeptical of President Donald Trump's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, though he is shoring up support among his core Republican followers who have long focused on the case, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll found. The poll, completed on Monday, found that most Americans believe Trump's administration is...
Taylor Swift’s ‘The End of an Era’: 5 Takeaways
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concluded a year ago in Vancouver, British Columbia, but the pop superstar isn’t done with her record-breaking live show just yet. On Friday, she dropped the concert film “The Eras Tour: The Final Show” on Disney+ along with the first two episodes of a behind-the-scenes six-part...
Measure C Steering Committee Finishes Delayed Plan as County Officials Push Back
Three months behind schedule — and absorbing several bumps along the way — a Measure C advisory group finished its work Thursday. The group, which started meeting in April, was tasked with shaping the plan for Fresno County’s $7 billion transportation sales tax renewal. Fresno Council of Governments staff provided...
Fresno Drivers Warned of Downtown Closures for Saturday’s Christmas Parade
Several downtown Fresno streets will be closed Saturday as the city prepares for its first evening Christmas Parade, the city said in a statement. The 96th annual Downtown Fresno Christmas Parade, presented by Mid Valley Disposal, kicks off at 6:30 p.m. Saturday on Fulton Street from Inyo to Calaveras. Spectators...
Madera County Authorities Warn Public About Surge in Phone Scams
The Madera County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents, especially seniors, about a recent spike in phone scams in which callers pose as law enforcement, claim a loved one has been arrested, or seek bank information under the guise of processing gift cards. According to the sheriff’s office, scammers have recently...
US Invalidates Union Contract Covering 47,000 TSA Officers
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Friday terminated the collective bargaining agreement covering 47,000 Transportation Security Administration officers. The American Federation of Government Employees, which represents the airport screening officers, said it will file suit to challenge the decision. In June, a U.S. judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking...
Flood-Stricken Towns in Washington State Brace for Potential Levee Failures
Residents and emergency crews in towns along the rain-engorged Skagit River in western Washington state braced on Friday for potential levee failures while National Guard troops assisted in evacuations after days of severe flooding in the Pacific Northwest. The entire town of Burlington, a community of about 9,200 people near...
UN Agency Warns Displaced Gazans Face Floods, as Emergency Supplies Blocked
Hundreds of thousands of displaced Gazans face flooding of their tents and shelters by heavy rains, and materials for shelters and sandbags are not being allowed to enter the enclave, the U.N. International Organization for Migration said on Friday. Torrential rain swept across the Gaza Strip on Thursday, flooding tents...