Gaza City and surrounding areas are officially suffering from famine, and it will likely spread, a global hunger monitor determined on Friday, an assessment that will escalate pressure on Israel to allow more aid into the Palestinian territory. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) system said 514,000 people -...
Gavin Newsom’s Redistricting Plan Is on Its Way to Voters. What You Need to Know
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to counter President Donald Trump’s election gerrymander in Texas with his own redistricting play in California is on its way to voters. The California Legislature on Thursday approved his proposal calling for a special...
Singer Lil Nas X Arrested After Charging at Officers, Police Say
Grammy-winning American singer Lil Nas X was arrested early on Thursday morning after charging at law enforcement officers, a Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson said. The reported assault occurred after the "Old Town Road" rapper was spotted walking in his underwear in Studio City, California, the spokesperson said. Lil Nas...
Fresno Doctor on Bubonic Plague: It’s Rare But It’s Out There. Prevention Is Key
A reported plague infection in South Lake Tahoe raised alarms as the disease known for the devastation it caused in Medieval Europe returned to the news. Today, bubonic plague, known as Yersinia pestis, can be found in fleas clinging to wildlife throughout California's mountains. The difference, however, is how treatable...
My Friend Joseph Castro, Former Fresno State President and CSU Chancellor, Is Receiving Hospice Care
Update: Joe Castro died Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025, after battling cancer at the UC Irvine Medical Center. Read more at this link and this link. Original Article My dear friend Joseph Castro is ill and receiving hospice care. Joe, a one-of-a-kind leader with exceptional qualities, led Fresno State, my alma...
More Americans Applying for Refugee Status in Canada, Data Shows
More Americans applied for refugee status in Canada in the first half of 2025 than in all of 2024, and more than in any full year since 2019, according to data published on Thursday by Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board. Their share of total refugee claims - 245 of about...
US Supreme Court Lets Trump Cut Diversity-Related NIH Grants
The U.S. Supreme Court let President Donald Trump's administration on Thursday proceed with sweeping cuts to National Institutes of Health grants for research related to racial minorities or LGBT people, part of his crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and transgender identity. The justices granted the Justice Department's request...
CARB Executive Leader Rips Trump’s EPA for Seeking to Kill Proven Climate Science
Dr. Steven Cliff, executive officer of the California Air Resources Board, didn't mince words when testifying Thursday before the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in opposition to the agency’s proposal to reject its 2009 endangerment finding. Cliff spoke plainly, saying the Trump administration's EPA is a "laughingstock," the rejection of proven...
California Lawmakers Advance First Two Bills in Democrats’ Redistricting Plan
The California Senate on Thursday approved a redrawn political map aimed at giving Democrats five more seats in the U.S. Congress, countering the partisan advantage President Donald Trump hopes to gain from a Republican redistricting plan in Texas. California Democrats, led by Governor Gavin Newsom, are pushing for fast-track passage...
US State Department Says Continuous Vetting Covers 55 Million Visa Holders
The U.S. State Department's continuous vetting applies to "all of the more than 55 million foreigners who currently hold valid U.S. visas," a department official said on Thursday, including those who have already been admitted to enter the country. "The State Department revokes visas any time there are indications of...