U.S. companies had trillions of dollars in value wiped out Thursday after President Donald Trump slapped sweeping tariffs on foreign imports. Virtually every sector suffered big losses as U.S. financial markets closed with their biggest one-day drop since COVID-19 flattened the global economy five years ago. Banks, retailers, clothing, airlines...
Startup Offers Controversial Microplastic Blood Cleansing Treatment
A London-based startup, Clarify Clinics, is offering a service designed to cleanse blood of microplastics and other toxins, according to an article in Wired. The treatment, which starts at £9,750 ($12,636), involves drawing blood, separating the plasma, filtering it through a specialized column intended to trap microplastics and undesirable chemicals,...
Senate Confirms Mehmet Oz to Take Lead of Medicare and Medicaid Agency
WASHINGTON — Former heart surgeon and TV pitchman Dr. Mehmet Oz was confirmed Thursday to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Oz became the agency's administrator in a party line 53-45 vote. The 64-year-old will manage health insurance programs for roughly half the country, with oversight of Medicare,...
First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close
California's effort to have no new gas-powered vehicles sold in the state by 2035 is beginning, and it requires 35% of all 2026 models sold this year to be zero-emission. Dealers say they aren't close to fulfilling the mandate for zero-emission vehicles and are nervously wondering what the future holds...
Pence Will Receive the Profile in Courage Award From the JFK Library for His Actions on Jan. 6
Former Vice President Mike Pence will receive the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for his refusal to go along with President Donald Trump's efforts to remain in office after losing the 2020 election, Kennedy's family announced Thursday. The award recognizes Pence “for putting his life and career on...
Politics Turns Ugly for a Conservative Running for Fresno State Student Body President
Update, Friday, April 4, 2025: The controversial Fresno State student elections concluded Thursday with Camalah Saleh winning the president’s post by a wide margin. Guadalupe Zamudio Telles finished second with 894 votes, and Carlie Hall, the current Senator of Veteran Affairs, had 636 votes. Original Story Carlie Hall, a candidate...
Pentagon’s Watchdog to Review Hegseth’s Use of Signal App to Convey Plans for Houthi Strike
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon’s acting inspector general announced Thursday that he would review Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s use of the Signal messaging app to convey plans for a military strike against Houthi militants in Yemen. The review will also look at other defense officials' use of the publicly available encrypted...
President Trump’s Tariffs Could Be the Political Tipping Point
President Donald Trump called it "Liberation Day" on Wednesday as he unveiled reciprocal tariffs, but experts warn the move could create political challenges and economic hardships for his supporters if his promises to overhaul the economy fall short, Reuters reported. Trump and his allies argue the tariffs will rejuvenate U.S....
Order That Kept Water in the Kern River Reversed by 5th District Court of Appeal
In a wide-ranging ruling that could have larger implications for public interest lawsuits throughout California, the 5th District Court of Appeal reversed a preliminary injunction that had required water in the Kern River through the heart of Bakersfield. “It was a gut punch,” said Kelly Damian, spokesperson for Bring Back...
As Dem Candidates for Governor Increase, They Wait for Harris to Decide
This commentary was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Irish playwright Samuel Beckett’s tragicomedy “Waiting for Godot” centers on two men, Vladimir and Estragon, who hope, in vain, that the arrival of a mysterious man named Godot will bring meaning to their otherwise miserable lives. It’s considered...