SACRAMENTO — Facing mounting pressure to crack down on a retail theft crisis, California lawmakers are split on how best to tackle the problem that some say has caused major store closures and products like deodorants to be locked behind plexiglass. Top Democratic leaders have already ruled out reforming progressive...
California Wants to Pay Doctors More Money to See Medicaid Patients
SACRAMENTO — When Hunter Morgan bought an optometry practice in Southern California three years ago, one of the first things he did was start seeing patients who use Medicaid, the government-funded health insurance program for low-income people. The previous owners had not accepted patients on Medicaid, which covers roughly a...
How TikTok Trends Change the Way You Eat
Thanks to its short-form, video-focused content, TikTok has become home to an endless buffet of mouth-watering food clips dished up by a clever algorithm. Creators of all kinds, from home cooks to professional chefs, have flocked to the platform to share their culinary creations. But TikTok's impact on food isn't...
Trump’s Social Media Company Approved to Go Public, Potentially Netting Former President Billions
NEW YORK — Donald Trump is returning to the stock market, and the former president stands to reap a sizeable payout in the process. Shareholders of Digital World Acquisition Corp., a publicly traded shell company, approved a deal to merge with the Trump’s media business in a Friday vote. That...
Israel’s Netanyahu Rebuffs US Plea to Halt Rafah Offensive. Tensions Rise Ahead of Washington Talks
TEL AVIV, Israel — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday once again left the Middle East empty-handed as Israel’s prime minister rejected American appeals to call off a promised ground invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah, which is overflowing with displaced civilians. The tough message from...
Speaker Mike Johnson Faces Threat of Ouster from Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene
WASHINGTON — Speaker Mike Johnson is at risk of being ousted after hard-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene filed a motion to vacate Friday, his leadership abruptly challenged in the middle of a House vote on a $1.2 trillion package to keep the government open. It’s the same political dynamic that...
House Approves $1.2 Trillion Package of Spending Bills Before Shutdown Deadline, Senate Up Next
WASHINGTON — The House approved a $1.2 trillion package of spending bills on Friday just a few hours before funding for some key federal agencies is set to expire, a long overdue action nearly six months into the budget year that will push any threats of a government shutdown to...
Kentucky’s Loss to Unheralded Oakland Crushes Millions of March Madness Brackets
LAS VEGAS — Kentucky's 80-76 loss to Oakland on Thursday night didn't just end a bunch of perfect brackets. It all but ruined many when it comes to the big picture. Impact on ESPN Tournament Challenge The third-seeded Wildcats were picked in 95% of brackets in the ESPN Tournament Challenge...
Russia and China Veto US Resolution Calling for Immediate Cease-Fire in Gaza
UNITED NATIONS — Russia and China on Friday vetoed a U.S.-sponsored U.N. resolution supporting “an immediate and sustained cease-fire” in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, calling the measure ambiguous and saying it was not the direct demand to end the fighting that much of the world seeks. The vote became another...
State Farm Won’t Be There. It’s Dropping 72,000 Home Policies in California
SACRAMENTO — State Farm will discontinue coverage for 72,000 houses and apartments in California starting this summer, the insurance giant said this week, nine months after announcing it would not issue new home policies in the state The Illinois-based company, California's largest insurer, cited soaring costs, the increasing risk of catastrophes...