WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he would appoint John Ratcliffe to serve as CIA director in his new administration. Here are five things to know about the Republican tapped to lead the U.S. government's premier spy agency: Stint No. 2 in the Trump Administration Ratcliffe served as...
Here Are the People Trump Has Picked for Key Positions So Far
President-elect Donald Trump is starting to fill key posts in his second administration, putting an emphasis so far on aides and allies who were his strongest backers during the 2024 campaign. Here's a look at whom he has selected so far. William McGinley Named White House Counsel Trump says William...
Waymo’s Robotaxis Now Open to Anyone Who Wants a Driverless Ride in Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES - Waymo on Tuesday opened its robotaxi service to anyone who wants a ride around Los Angeles, marking another milestone in the evolution of self-driving car technology since the company began as a secret project at Google 15 years ago. The expansion comes eight months after Waymo began...
Fresno County Man Accused of Filing Fake Disability Claims in $300K Fraud Scheme
Leonel Hernandez, 51, of Parlier, faces serious charges in what prosecutors say was a years-long scheme to defraud the California Employment Development Department by submitting false disability claims using the names of deceased and active farm laborers, the Department of Justice reported in a Tuesday news release. The DOJ said...
Trump Nominates Fox News Host Pete Hegseth for Defense Secretary
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President-elect Donald Trump said Tuesday that he is nominating Fox News host and Army veteran Pete Hegseth to serve as his defense secretary. Hegseth deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and unsuccessfully ran for Senate in Minnesota in 2012 before joining Fox News. “With Pete at...
Economists Warn of Inflation and Debt Risks in Trump’s Second Term Plans
A second Trump administration could significantly reshape the U.S. economy through various policy proposals. The former president's plans include extending and expanding tax cuts, imposing tariffs on imports, and implementing strict immigration policies. Trump has proposed extending portions of the 2017 tax cuts and introducing new reductions, including exemptions for...
How Many Smoke Shops Is Too Many? Fresno Plan Would Allow Only 49
After pulling its ordinance in 2023 to be reworked, the Fresno City Council now has a plan to limit smoke shops — one that still calls for eliminating many of the businesses. The new rules would increase the number allowed in the city but also give business owners a chance...
US Says It Will Not Limit Israel Arms Transfers After Some Improvements in Flow of Aid to Gaza
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration said Tuesday that Israel has made some good but limited progress in increasing the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza and will not limit arms transfers to Israel as it had threatened to a month ago if the situation had not improved. Relief groups...
Who With Valley Ties Could Land Spots in the Trump Administration?
With President-elect Donald Trump's intention to nominate John Ratcliffe as CIA director, it appears Devin Nunes will remain heading Trump's media company. The original version of this story published earlier on Tuesday — before Trump's announcement — spoke with GOP insiders about the possibility that the former Central Valley congressmember...
Tulare Gang Member Gets Life Without Parole for 2022 Murders
Nathaniel Lujano, 23, of Tulare, was sentenced to life without parole for two murders the Tulare County District Attorney's Office announced in a news release on Tuesday. The Nov. 8 sentencing in Tulare County Superior Court of Lujano, who is a validated gang member, marked the end of a case...