The good times might soon be over for California's government. The nation's most populous state has had so much cash lately that lawmakers have spent freely — handing out free health care to low-income immigrants, paying for every 4-year-old to attend kindergarten and sending more than $21 billion in stimulus checks to taxpayers over the...
Elon Musk Takes Over Twitter but Where Will He Take It?
Elon Musk has taken control of Twitter after a protracted legal battle and months of uncertainty. The question now is what the billionaire Tesla CEO will actually do with the social media platform. Musk gave one indication of where he's headed in a tweet Friday, saying no decisions on content or...
Auto Prices Finally Begin to Creep Down From Inflated Highs
All summer long, Aleen Hudson kept looking for a new minivan or SUV for her growing passenger shuttle service. She had a good credit rating and enough cash for a down payment. Yet dealerships in the Detroit area didn't have any suitable vehicles. Or they'd demand she pay $3,000 to...
At San Francisco Restaurant, Pups Chow on Filet Mignon
San Francisco is a foodie heaven with plenty of Michelin-starred restaurants. And San Franciscans love dogs. So it might come as no surprise that an entrepreneur has decided to combine the two passions, creating what’s believed to be the first restaurant exclusively for man’s best friend. Dogue, which rhymes with...
Assailant Shouted ‘Where Is Nancy?’ in Hammer Attack: AP Source
WASHINGTON — The intruder who attacked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband in their San Francisco home was searching for the Democratic leader, shouting "Where is Nancy, where is Nancy?" before assaulting Paul Pelosi with a hammer. That was a chilling echo of the chants during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection...
US Sanctions Iranian Group That Put Bounty on Rushdie’s Life
The U.S. is imposing financial penalties on an Iranian-based organization that raised money to target British-American author Salman Rushdie, who was violently attacked in August at a literary event. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned the 15 Khordad Foundation, which issued a multimillion-dollar bounty for the killing of Rushdie....
Oil Giants Rake in Steep Profits Amid High Energy Prices
Oil companies brought in staggering profits once again as people worldwide struggled with high gasoline and energy prices. Exxon Mobil broke records with its profits in the third quarter, raking in $19.66 billion in net income. The Irving, Texas company said Friday that it booked $112.07 billion in quarterly...
Valley Judge Censured for DUI, Lying to Police
A Central Valley judge has been publicly censured for misconduct after he crashed his SUV while driving under the influence of alcohol, attempted to leave the scene of the crash, and lied to bystanders and police officers, the state Commission on Judicial Performance announced Thursday. The commission said Judge...
UK Says New PM Rishi Sunak Won’t Go to UN Climate Conference
LONDON — British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will not attend a major United Nations climate conference next month, the government said Thursday. Sunak’s office said the decision was made because of “pressing domestic commitments” including preparations for an emergency budget on Nov. 17 and does not reflect a downgrade in...
Republican Wave Tested by Competitive Senate Race in Ohio
GROVEPORT, Ohio — Ruth and Boyd Boone are longtime Ohio Republican voters, eager to reelect their GOP governor. But when it comes to the Senate, they’re not so sure. Both are skeptical of JD Vance, the venture capitalist and author-turned-first time candidate who won the Republican nomination with former President Donald Trump's backing. “I...