In the days since a fragile ceasefire took hold in the Gaza Strip, Israel has launched a major military operation in the occupied West Bank and suspected Jewish settlers have rampaged through two Palestinian towns. The violence comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces domestic pressure from his far-right allies after agreeing to the truce and hostage-prisoner exchange with the Hamas militant group. U.S. President Donald Trump has, meanwhile, rescinded the Biden administration’s sanctions against Israelis accused of violence in the territory. It’s a volatile mix that could undermine the ceasefire, which is set to last for at least…
Author: MAK Gojar
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department is directing its federal prosecutors to investigate any state or local officials who stand in the way of beefed-up enforcement of immigration laws under the Trump administration, according to a memo to the entire workforce obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday. Written by Emil Bove, the acting deputy attorney general, the memo also says the department will return to the principle of charging defendants with the most serious crime it can prove, a staple position of Republican-led departments meant to remove a prosecutor’s discretion to charge a lower-level offense. Much of the memo is…
A U.S. Border Patrol agent who was killed in Vermont during a traffic stop near the Canadian border was a military veteran who worked security duty at the Pentagon during the time of the Sept. 11 attacks, his family said. “He was a devoted agent who served with honor and bravery,” a family statement provided to The Associated Press late Tuesday said. “He had a tremendous respect and pride for the work he did; he truly embodied service over self.” Agent David Maland, 44, was killed Monday afternoon following a traffic stop, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson said…
A robber was taken into custody after he implied he had a weapon during a robbery overnight at a restaurant in the Loop neighborhood, Chicago police said. Shortly after midnight Wednesday, a male entered a restaurant in the 100 block of North Wabash Avenue with his hand inside a bag and implied he had a weapon. An argument ensued between the robber and another person before the robber made off with property and fled the scene, police said. Officers responding to the robbery caught a male suspect nearby and arrested him. Charges are pending as detectives continue to investigate. …
Chicago police reported about six residents of a Lower West Side apartment building were displaced Tuesday due to a fire. Shortly before 8 p.m., officers and fire officials were called to a fire at a building in the 1600 block of West Cullerton Street where six people exited safely, police said. The Red Cross also was called to the scene to assist the residents who are now displaced, officials said. No injuries were reported in the fire, and fire officials were investigating the cause of the fire. Chicago police reported about six residents of a Lower West Side apartment…
George Clinton, The Doobie Brothers, Ashley Gorley, Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, The Beach Boys’ Mike Love and Tony Macaulay make up the 2025 Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees — an inspiring mix of funk, rock, R&B, country and beyond. Is there funk without George Clinton? Is there groove? From Parliament/Funkadelic to his solo work, Clinton is an innovator of American popular music — a long overdue inductee heard on timeless hits (like “Atomic Dog” and “Give Up The Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)”) but also across the songs of Kendrick Lamar, Tupac, OutKast, Dr. Dre, Busta Rhymes, Missy Elliot,…
Many U.S. adults are on board with the idea of beefing up security at the southern border and undertaking some targeted deportations, according to a new poll. But as President Donald Trump begins his second term with a series of sweeping executive orders on immigration, the findings suggest his actions may quickly push the country beyond the limited consensus that exists on the issue. There is a clear desire for some kind of action on U.S.-Mexico border security, according to the survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Half of U.S. adults think increasing security at the…
Once a year, Edmunds’ car experts gather to decide on the best new vehicles on sale. The annual Edmunds Top Rated Awards are given to the cars, trucks and SUVs that beat out the rest of the competition according to Edmunds’ rigorous vehicle testing program. To win, each vehicle must have been tested at the Edmunds test track and thoroughly evaluated in real-world use as well. There are six main categories: best car, SUV and truck, and electric versions in the same categories. This year, there are some new champions, while others are repeat winners. The starting prices listed below…
A major winter storm that slammed Texas and blanketed the northern Gulf Coast with record-breaking snow moved east Wednesday, spreading heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain across parts of the Florida Panhandle, Georgia and eastern Carolinas. The weather warning areas included big cities like Jacksonville, Florida, which expected to see snow, sleet and accumulating ice into Wednesday. The Jacksonville International Airport closed because of the weather Tuesday evening and said it planned to reopen at midday Wednesday. Schools canceled classes, and government offices were closed Wednesday. Tallahassee woke to snow-dusted palms and icy streets Wednesday. Lina Rojas and her dachshund…
Hours after returning to the White House, President Donald Trump made a symbolic mark on the future of artificial intelligence by repealing former President Joe Biden’s guardrails for the fast-developing technology. But what comes next from Trump and how it will diverge from how his predecessor sought to safeguard AI technology remains unclear. The new administration didn’t respond to requests for comment about the repealed Biden policy and even some of Trump’s most enthusiastic tech industry supporters aren’t so sure. “I think that the previous order had a lot in it,” said Alexandr Wang, the CEO of AI company Scale,…
A solitary sunfish at an aquarium in southwestern Japan lost its appetite, began banging into the side of the fishtank and appeared unwell days after the facility closed last month for renovations. As a last-ditch measure to save the popular fish, its keepers hung their uniforms and set up human cutouts outside the tank. The next morning, the sunfish ate for the first time in about a week and has been steadily recovering, said Moe Miyazawa, an aquarist at the Kaikyokan aquarium in Shimonoseki. The large sunfish arrived at the aquarium in February 2024 from the southern coast of Kochi…
Democratic lawmakers are seeking more gun control measures after banning assault weapons and “high-capacity” magazines recently. Here’s what they’re proposing. Democratic lawmakers are seeking more gun control measures after banning assault weapons and “high-capacity” magazines recently. Here’s what they’re proposing. Democratic lawmakers in Olympia are once again considering a sweeping package of gun control measures — this time, a trio of bills that would enhance gun storage, limit bulk purchases of guns and ammunition and possibly require gun buyers to get permits. Public hearings held by the House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee on Tuesday drew many to the Capitol,…
An art installation in Nihonmachi Alley commemorating the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II was smeared with black ink over the weekend. An art installation in Nihonmachi Alley commemorating the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II was smeared with black ink over the weekend. The ink that blacked out the faces of a Japanese American woman and the sleeping toddler in her arms was the kind of hateful vandalism seemingly aimed at defacing not just public art but history itself. That’s how it felt to Jeff Jiang, the interim director of the Chinatown-International District Business Improvement…
With so much federal backtracking already underway, all eyes now turn toward states like ours to lead the effort against climate change. With so much federal backtracking already underway, all eyes now turn toward states like ours to lead the effort against climate change. Climate Lab is a Seattle Times initiative that explores the effects of climate change in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. The project is funded in part by The Bullitt Foundation, Jim and Birte Falconer, Mike and Becky Hughes, Henry M. Jackson Foundation, University of Washington and Walker Family Foundation, and its fiscal sponsor is the Seattle…
New survey data shows the Seattle area only ranks sixth for pickleball participation among the nation’s 25 largest market areas, writes FYI Guy. New survey data shows the Seattle area only ranks sixth for pickleball participation among the nation’s 25 largest market areas, writes FYI Guy. For decades, pickleball was a quirky local pastime, and not well known outside Western Washington. The game, which combines aspects of tennis, pingpong and badminton, was invented on Bainbridge Island in 1965. Fast forward to today, pickleball is having its moment. The game has surged in popularity across the nation, and pickleball courts are…
The checklist calls for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight and controlling cholesterol, blood pressure and blood glucose levels. The checklist calls for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight and controlling cholesterol, blood pressure and blood glucose levels. Much attention has been paid in recent years to life expectancy in the U.S., which remains lower than in many other industrialized nations that spend less on health care. But with data suggesting 79% of adults 60 and older have two or more chronic illnesses — such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure — and more than half of young…
Insurance providers could charge policyholders a “supplemental fee” if the state’s insurer of last resort runs out of money. Homes destroyed by the Eaton Fire on McNally Ave in Altadena on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. How will all the tons of debris left behind by Los Angeles County’s unprecedented wildfires be dealt with? (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG) Once debris from the Los Angeles County wildfires is cleared and rebuilding begins, attention will likely shift to the financial health of a small, but growing California fire insurance provider. The California FAIR Plan has an outsized share of…
The Vallejo-born left-hander was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on the first ballot with 86.8% of the vote. NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 16: CC Sabathia #52 of the New York Yankees reacts against the Houston Astros during the sixth inning in Game Three of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on October 16, 2017 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) VALLEJO — Even though he has laid his roots in retirement elsewhere, the rough-and-tumble place CC Sabathia grew up and its characters who helped him along the way were…
NHL; San Jose Sharks end road trip, face Nashville Predators again on Thursday Nashville Predators center Steven Stamkos (91) falls to the ice after teammate Nick Blankenburg, not shown, scored the winning goal against San Jose Sharks goaltender Alexandar Georgiev (40) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey) The San Jose Sharks’ season hit rock bottom Tuesday night. Related Articles San Jose Sharks | Sharks takeaways: Season-long problem crops up again. Can this team fix it? San Jose Sharks | Smith, Askarov shine, but Sharks’ frustrations against Boston…
Darneko Yates, 30, of Richmond, was found guilty last week of being a felon in possession of a firearm. SAN FRANCISCO – An East Bay man who tried to hide a loaded handgun in his 6-year-old nephew’s pants was convicted last week of being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to prosecutors. Related Articles Crime and Public Safety | Man fatally shot in East Oakland Crime and Public Safety | State court affirms Bay Area man’s conviction for killing work supervisor Crime and Public Safety | City Hall official: Ex-Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao pushed to promote staffer courted…