DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The tiny, energy-rich Arab nation of Qatar announced Monday it will withdraw from OPEC in January, a rebuke of the Saudi-dominated cartel as the kingdom's boycott of Doha continues unabated and a crucial meeting of the group looms this week. The surprise declaration could make...
Nothing Certain on the Eve of First Trump-Era Elections
WASHINGTON — The day of reckoning for American politics has nearly arrived. Voters on Tuesday will decide the $5 billion debate between President Donald Trump's take-no-prisoner politics and the Democratic Party's super-charged campaign to end the GOP's monopoly in Washington and statehouses across the nation. There are indications that an oft-discussed "blue...
California and Texas Aren't Enemies. They're the USA's Future.
Think about the great rivalries involving California. San Francisco vs. Los Angeles. California vs. President Donald Trump. And, of course, California vs. Texas. If there wasn't a Golden State-Longhorn State rivalry before, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry created one — and got a rise out of Gov. Jerry Brown — by...
Kanye West Delivers Jaw-Dropping Performance in Oval Office
WASHINGTON — Live from the Oval Office, it's Kanye West with a jaw-dropping performance. The rapper didn't rap. But, seated across from President Donald Trump at the Resolute Desk, the musician delivered a rambling, multipart monologue Thursday that touched on social issues, hydrogen planes, mental health, endorsement deals, politics and...
Facebook Uncovers 'Sophisticated' Efforts To Disrupt US Elections
NEW YORK — Facebook said it has uncovered "sophisticated" efforts, possibly linked to Russia, to influence U.S. politics on its platforms. The company said it removed 32 accounts from Facebook and Instagram because they were involved in "coordinated" political behavior and appeared to be fake. Facebook stopped short of saying...
Father & Son Who Argue About Trump Run For Same Office
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A father and son in Rhode Island who disagree about President Donald Trump are running for the same office, one as a Republican, the other as an independent. David Quiroa Sr., 47, and David Quiroa Jr., 22, both filed Tuesday to run for a state House seat...
Letter to the Editor: Young People Should Run for Office
Often, I think that young people feel discouraged from getting involved in our political process. When I first started college, I was intimidated by all of the noise and big names thrown around Fresno who were involved in politics. But I cared. I wanted to make a difference, so I...
Who Runs California? A Baker's Dozen of Movers, Shakers & Blockers
One vote can make all the difference, we are told. But in California there are people and forces that wield a thousand — if not a billion — times the power of the voter. That influence flows from talent, persistence and, most of all, money. In the last election cycle,...
That NRA Boycott? Here's Why It's Working So Quickly.
Car rental companies, airlines, trucking businesses, tech firms, insurers and a bank that issued an NRA-branded credit card all severed their relationships with the gun advocacy group within days of the shooting that left 17 dead. Predictably, companies that cut ties – such as Atlanta-based Delta – faced their own...
Billy Graham's Legacy of Faith, Freedom and Free Enterprise
On Feb. 21, Billy Graham, the evangelical Christian minister who was widely regarded as “America’s pastor,” died at the age of 99. Graham is best known for his global “crusades” – rallies that attracted crowds in the millions – and for the spiritual counsel he provided to American presidents for...