DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli strikes pounded the Gaza Strip overnight and into Wednesday, with one attack ripping through a home where displaced people were sheltering in the isolated north. The strikes killed at least 33 people including children, Palestinian health officials said. The Israel-Hamas war has no end...
After Voters Back Fresno Unified to the Hilt, There Can Be No More Excuses
Fresno Unified School District received one of the biggest mandates I've seen in my nearly 50 years of covering local news. It's a mandate that Donald Trump would envy. Three trustees won reelection — two against challengers backed with endorsements and major funding from the teacher's union. Voters also overwhelmingly...
Former Fresno Congressman Pleads Guilty to Two Fraud Counts
At a hearing Wednesday before federal judge Barbara McAuliffe, attorneys for former U.S. Congressman TJ Cox said he and the U.S. Attorneys Office had reached a deal. Cox faced 28 counts of fraud, money laundering, and campaign contribution violations. He agreed to plead guilty to two counts. McAuliffe set Jan....
Stock Market Today: Wall Street Gets Back to Climbing
NEW YORK — U.S. stock indexes are rising Wednesday after the latest update on inflation appeared to clear the way for more help for the economy from the Federal Reserve. The S&P 500 gained 0.9% and is on track to break its first two-day losing streak in nearly a month....
Fresno Police Arrest Man with Felony Warrant and Loaded Firearm
Central Division officers responded to multiple 911 calls reporting a fight in a parking lot at Clinton Avenue and Angus Street, the Fresno Police Department said in a Wednesday statement. Officers detained two females and two males, who were involved in the altercation. During a safety pat-down search of one...
Is the Trump Administration Planning a Massive Increase in Legal Immigration?
President-elect Donald Trump has promised a mass deportation effort that will remove all undocumented immigrants from the country. However, is he planning on dramatically increasing legal immigration simultaneously? Some pundits expressed surprise when Trump told “Meet the Press” that he was open to an immigration deal with Democrats on “The...
Is Luigi Mangione a Hero? This Argument Shows a Glimpse Into an Unusual American Moment
Is he a hero? A killer? Both? About the same time the #FreeLuigi memes featuring the mustachioed plumber from “Super Mario Brothers” mushroomed online this week, commenters shared memes showing Tony Soprano pronouncing Luigi Mangione, the man charged with murdering the UnitedHealthcare CEO in Manhattan, a hero. There were the posts lionizing...
FBI Director Wray Says He Intends to Resign at End of Biden’s Term in January
WASHINGTON — FBI Director Christopher Wray said Wednesday he plans to resign at the end of President Joe Biden's term in January, an announcement that came a week and a half after President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate loyalist Kash Patel for the job. At a town hall...
Will Resistant Marin County Change After a Pro-Housing Gov. Newsom Just Moved In?
Gavin Newsom has just two years remaining of his governorship. As it winds down, he is stepping up efforts to build a national profile toward what many pundits assume will be a 2028 presidential campaign. That apparently includes writing his autobiography. As he prepares for whatever follows his 16 years...
Montana Supreme Court Upholds Lower Court Ruling That Allows Gender-Affirming Care for Minors
HELENA, Mont. — A Montana law banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors will remain temporarily blocked, the state Supreme Court ruled Wednesday, after justices agreed with a lower court judge who found the law likely violates the state's constitutional right to privacy. The case against the Montana law now...