Wall Street's main indexes closed higher on Thursday as a soft inflation report fed expectations for interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, while chipmaker Micron's blowout forecast signaled strong AI demand. The Consumer Price Index report showed that consumer prices increased less than expected in the year to November. The...
Trump Expected to Sign $1 Trillion Annual Defense Bill
President Donald Trump on Thursday plans to sign into law a nearly $1 trillion annual defense policy bill, despite its provisions providing new aid to Ukraine and reining in his ability to dial down U.S. involvement in the defense of Europe. The fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA,...
Stephen King: What Rob Reiner Saw in Me
In this case, I prefer to trust my feelings more than my memory. The only thing I’m positive about is how I felt when I heard Rob Reiner was dead: a combination of sadness and disbelief. As for the rest … Robert Stone had it right when he said “the...
Trump Moves to Ease Cannabis Restrictions. What Does It Mean for Consumers?
President Donald Trump said he will direct the U.S. Department of Justice to reclassify cannabis as a less dangerous drug. Here’s a look at what that would mean for people shopping at dispensaries across the country. What Does Rescheduling Cannabis Actually Mean? Rescheduling cannabis from a Schedule I to a...
Trump Says ‘Getting Close to Something’ Ahead of US, Russia Talks on Ukraine
WASHINGTON, Dec 18 - President Donald Trump on Thursday said he believes talks toward ending the war in Ukraine are "getting close to something" ahead of a U.S. meeting with Russian officials this weekend. During an Oval Office event, Trump told reporters, "I hope Ukraine moves quickly." Trump envoys Steve...
Westlands Study Captures Bad Water Year Impact: Lost Jobs and Revenue, More Valley Fever
A study from Westlands Water District lays out the difference on the local economy between when farmers have water and when they don't. The district's third economic impact report, which was released Wednesday, compares 2022 , a year following scant rainfall and a 0% water allocation — later marginally increased...
Instacart to Pay $60 Million to Settle FTC Claims It Deceived Shoppers
Instacart has agreed to pay $60 million to settle the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's allegations that the online grocery delivery platform deceived consumers about its Instacart+ membership and free delivery offers, according to court documents filed in San Francisco on Thursday. Instacart's offer of "free delivery" for first orders was...
The Kennedy Center Is Adding ‘Trump’ to Its Name, White House Says
The board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which President Donald Trump filled with allies during a broad takeover earlier this year, has decided to rename the institution the Trump-Kennedy Center, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday. "I have just been informed that the...
Pope Leo Replaces New York’s Cardinal Dolan in Shake-up of US Church
Pope Leo replaced Cardinal Timothy Dolan as leader of the Catholic Church in New York, the Vatican announced on Thursday, sidelining a prominent U.S. Church figure in a major shake-up of the country's Catholic leadership. Leo, the first U.S. pope, appointed a relatively unknown cleric from Illinois, Bishop Ronald Hicks,...
Fresno Mother, 2-Year-Old Daughter Identified in Fatal Crash
A 2-year-old child and a 28-year-old woman were killed in a two-vehicle crash Wednesday morning at the intersection of Jefferson and Walnut avenues in Fresno County, the California Highway Patrol said. The Fresno County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office identified them as Samantha Kellogg, 28, and Elena Kellogg, 2, both of Fresno. The...