SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Proposition 50 could give Democrats in the southern Central Valley the boost they need to finally oust Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, for good.

But in oil-rich and water-poor Kern County, where big industries align with Republicans and many working-class Latinos stay out of politics to preserve their livelihoods, local ...Read more

Argentine President Javier Milei announced late Friday that his former spokesman Manuel Adorni will be his new Cabinet chief, as the libertarian leader seeks improved ties with Congress.

The move marks the first shake-up of his senior aides following a decisive victory in midterm elections last Sunday. Adorni replaces Guillermo Francos, who ...Read more

This autumn brought something that isn’t always common for much of California — a decent amount of rain in October. Rather than heat waves, there have been umbrellas.

After years in which some of the worst wildfires in state history happened in the fall, a lot of people are wondering: Is fire season over?

It depends on where you live, fire...Read more

MIAMI — Miami’s top Catholic leader Archbishop Thomas Wenski, who turned 75 this month, will be submitting a retirement letter to the Vatican.

But that doesn’t mean he plans to go anywhere — at least just yet.

Sending the letter of intent to retire is “regular protocol” for all Catholic bishops and archbishops when they turn 75, ...Read more

A federal judge in Oregon said she’ll rule this weekend on whether President Donald Trump can legally deploy National Guard troops to Portland to quell protests outside a federal immigration facility.

During a three-day trial, U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut heard conflicting descriptions from federal and local law enforcement officials of...Read more

WASHINGTON — The White House restricted the ability of members of the media to access the part of the building that includes press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s office, unless they first make an appointment to do so.

The move is the latest in a series of efforts to tighten control on journalists covering the administration. Earlier this year...Read more

Wall Street’s bull market got fresh fuel at end of a month that’s lived up to its volatile reputation, with optimism about earnings outweighing worries about a rally that’s heavily concentrated on tech giants.

Following a pause in the S&P 500’s roughly $17 trillion surge, the gauge climbed on solid outlooks from Amazon.com Inc. and ...Read more

SEATTLE — The city of Seattle will direct $4 million per month in food assistance toward food banks in response to the halt of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits because of the ongoing partial federal government shutdown.

Mayor Bruce Harrell declared a limited civil emergency Thursday to free up city resources and staff as ...Read more

President Donald Trump’s efforts to remodel the White House in his image continued on Friday with the unveiling of a shiny new Lincoln Bathroom.

The president’s social media accounts shared photos of the renovated restroom in the Lincoln Bedroom — and true to form, the makeover leans heavily on marble and gold, reflecting the aesthetics ...Read more

CHICAGO — In Albany Park, they fired pepper-spray balls to disperse an angry crowd and arrested two U.S. citizens. In Evanston, one repeatedly pointed his weapon at protesters while another knelt on a man’s back and punched him in the head.

They grabbed workers at an apartment complex in Hoffman Estates, landscapers, house painters and ...Read more

The Republican chairman of the House oversight committee on Friday asked Alex Acosta, the former U.S. attorney who signed off on disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein’s controversial 2007 plea deal, if he wanted to clarify his recent testimony to the panel.

Representative James Comer’s request follows a report by Bloomberg News that cited ...Read more

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois stands to become the next state that would permit doctors to help terminally ill people end their lives after the controversial measure cleared its final legislative hurdle early Friday in a narrow state Senate vote in which opponents questioned the bill’s morality and one said it could bring “a culture of ...Read more

The Trump administration has made the decision to attack military installations inside Venezuela and the strikes could come at any moment, sources with knowledge of the situation told The Miami Herald, as the U.S. prepares to initiate the next stage of its campaign against the Soles drug cartel.

Sources told the Herald that the targets — ...Read more

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina Rep. Cecil Brockman, facing criminal charges for alleged sex crimes involving a minor, resigned his seat on Friday, the same day a House committee formed to investigate and potentially expel him.

Brockman, a Democrat, submitted his letter of resignation to the principal clerk of the N.C. House of Representatives...Read more

MIAMI — U.S. Coast Guard investigators Thursday recommended the Justice Department charge the operators of the push tug and barge that rammed into a Miami Yacht Club summer camp sailboat, killing three young girls, with manslaughter.

But with the Coast Guard’s detailed Rules of Navigation, which dictate maritime law, prosecuting that charge...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Firefighters mopping up a small brush fire that authorities say reignited as the Palisades fire five days later were ordered to leave the original burn scene even though they complained the ground was still smoldering and rocks remained hot to the touch, according to firefighter text messages reviewed by the Los Angeles Times.

...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The six armed federal agents loomed around their detained suspect, Carlitos Ricardo Parias, who was handcuffed and sitting on the sidewalk, moaning as he held his right leg.

A small crowd had gathered around them on that day in June, according to video of the incident. Three civilians are seen helping Parias, 44, a well-known ...Read more

Almost a year after being arrested in his federal sex crimes trial, Sean “Diddy” Combs is getting a change of scenery, TMZ first reported.

In July, Combs was convicted on two prostitution-related charges and acquitted on the more serious charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking.

Combs will serve the remainder of his 50-month...Read more

DETROIT — The man who attacked Grand Blanc Township churchgoers last month, leaving four dead, was acting on anti-Mormon beliefs, federal authorities announced Friday.

"Based upon the facts, circumstances and information obtained in this case, I am confirming that this is a targeted act of violence believed to be motivated by the assailant's ...Read more