PHILLIPS STATION — California is beginning 2025 with a solid start to the winter snowpack, officials said Thursday, but they cautioned that more storms are needed to keep the state's water supplies on track. Officials at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada, a mountain range that covers the eastern part...
Biden Will Visit New Orleans on Monday in Wake of Deadly Bourbon Street Attack
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden will visit New Orleans next week, with the city still reeling from the deadly New Year's rampage in which an Army veteran plowed a truck into revelers. The White House says the president and first lady will travel to New Orleans on Monday to "grieve...
Biden Blocks Nippon Steel’s Proposed Deal to Acquire US Steel
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden has blocked the nearly $15 billion proposed deal for Nippon Steel of Japan to purchase Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel — affirming his earlier vow on the presidential campaign trail to prevent the acquisition of Steeltown USA's most storied steel company. The proposed deal kicked up an...
Israeli Strikes Kill at Least 30 in Gaza as Ceasefire Talks Set to Resume in Qatar
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli strikes killed at least 30 people in Gaza, including children, overnight and into Friday, hospital staff said, as often-stalled ceasefire talks to end the Israel-Hamas war were set to resume in Qatar. Sirens sounded across Israel for missiles fired from Yemen. Staff at the...
Surgeon General Calls for New Label on Drinks to Warn Americans of Alcohol’s Cancer Risk
WASHINGTON — Alcohol is a leading cause of cancer, a risk that should be clearly labeled on drinks Americans consume, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy proposed on Friday. Murthy's advisory comes as research and evidence mounts about the bad effects that alcohol has on human health, but his proposal for...
LeBron James, Max Christie Carry Lakers Past Blazers for Their 6th Win in 8 Games
LOS ANGELES — LeBron James scored 38 points, Max Christie had a career-high 28 and the Los Angeles Lakers overcame Anthony Davis' absence for a 114-106 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night. James and Christie Lead Lakers' Offensive Charge James hit a season-high seven 3-pointers and Christie...
Fresno Police Arrest Nine at DUI Checkpoint in Year-End Operation
Fresno police arrested nine drivers on suspicion of driving under the influence during a New Year’s Eve enforcement operation, authorities said in a news release. Authorities said first-time DUI offenders face steep consequences, including an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended driver’s license. Fresno...
Stephen Curry Scores 30 Points, Makes All 8 3-Point Attempts in Warriors’ Win Over 76ers
SAN FRANCISCO — Stephen Curry had 30 points and made all eight of his 3-point attempts, and the Golden State Warriors beat the Philadelphia 76ers 139-105 on Thursday night. Warriors Take Early Lead Golden State led 35-19 after the first quarter and extended a 16-point halftime lead to 25 at...
Stock Market Today: S&P 500 Heads Toward Its First Gain Since Christmas Eve
NEW YORK — The S&P 500 may be heading for its first gain since Christmas on Friday. The main gauge of Wall Street’s health rose 0.6% in morning trading and was on track to break a five-day losing streak, its longest since April. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up...
Army Veteran’s Path to Radicalization Followed Divorces, Struggling Businesses in Texas
BEAUMONT — Shamsud-Din Jabbar grew up in Texas, joined the U.S. Army and eventually settled in Houston, where he spun up a real estate business and made $120,000 a year for one of the world's largest consulting firms. But the 42-year-old U.S. citizen, who authorities say plowed a rented truck...