Sea otters are proving to be Mother Nature's solution to the prevention of coastal erosion, a recent discovery that further demonstrates how conservation efforts can help to restore an ecosystem as a whole.
Sea otters were nearly hunted to extinction in the 18th and 19th centuries for their pelts. But as populations begin to recover in California after decades of conservation efforts there, the marine mammals are helping to fortify the environment as they expand their range, according to a paper published in the journal Nature on Wednesday. READ MORE...
Paul Pelosi, husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was "violently assaulted" by someone who broke into his San Francisco home early Friday, according to her spokesperson.The suspect is in custody, her spokesperson, Drew Hammill, said in a statement.Paul Pelosi, 82, is in the hospital and "is expected to make a full recovery," Hammill said.Nancy Pelosi was in Washington, D.C., with her protective detail at the time, according to the Capitol Police.The motive is under investigation, Hammill said.The Capitol Police, FBI and San Francisco Police Department are all involved in the investigation. The San Francisco District Attorney's Office said the case will be handled locally. Charges are forthcoming but have not yet been filed, the district attorney's office said."The Speaker and her family are grateful to the first responders and medical professionals involved, and request privacy at this time," Hammill added.This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
The Federal Reserve escalated its fight against inflation this week, instituting a major rate increase and saying more will likely follow. The moves will cause a jump in the number of unemployed Americans by the end of next year, the central bank said.
The Fed has put forward a series of aggressive interest rate hikes in recent months as it tries to slash price increases by slowing the economy and choking off demand. But the approach risks tipping the United States into a recession and causing widespread joblessness.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell on Wednesday acknowledged that rate hikes would cause pain for the U.S. economy, as growth slows and unemployment rises. He added, however, that "a failure to restore price stability would mean far greater pain later on."
The job losses forecasted by the Fed this week would by the end of 2023 raise the unemployment rate from its current level of 3.7% to 4.4%. That outcome would add an estimated 1.2 million unemployed people, according to Omair Sharif, the founder of research firm Inflation Insights. READ MORE...
LOS ANGELES -- The descendants of Native American tribes on the Northern California coast are reclaiming a bit of their heritage that includes ancient redwoods that have stood since their ancestors walked the land.
Save the Redwoods League planned to announce Tuesday that it is transferring more than 500 acres (202 hectares) on the Lost Coast to the InterTribal Sinkyone Wilderness Council.
The group of 10 tribes that have inhabited the area for thousands of years will be responsible for protecting the land dubbed Tc’ih-Léh-Dûñ, or “Fish Run Place,” in the Sinkyone language.
Priscilla Hunter, chairwoman of the Sinkyone Council, said it’s fitting they will be caretakers of the land where her people were removed or forced to flee before the forest was largely stripped for timber.
“It’s a real blessing,” said Hunter, of the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians. “It’s like a healing for our ancestors. I know our ancestors are happy. This was given to us to protect.”
The transfer marks a step in the growing Land Back movement to return Indigenous homelands to the descendants of those who lived there for millennia before European settlers arrived. READ MORE...
Like many across the world, millions in Asia have been shocked by the scenes of desperation coming out of Afghanistan - with some asking if America can still be trusted.
Last Sunday evening - just a week after the Afghan capital Kabul fell to the Taliban - US vice-president Kamala Harris landed in Singapore for the start of a whirlwind Asian tour.
She has since sought to smooth ruffled feathers by saying the region is a "top priority" for the US.
But is it enough to reassure those concerned in Asia? And can America fend off China's attempts to seize on what some say is a golden opportunity for anti-US propaganda?
Anxious murmurings
On Monday, Singapore's prime minister Lee Hsien Loong warned that many in the region were watching how the US repositions itself in the fallout of Afghanistan.
For two of America's biggest regional allies in particular, South Korea and Japan, public confidence in the US has largely been unaffected - but there have been anxious murmurings from some quarters.
Some conservatives have called for their militaries to be beefed up, arguing that they cannot fully trust in America's promise to back them up in a conflict.
The US presently has tens of thousands of troops stationed in both countries, but former president Donald Trump's America First foreign policy had strained relationships.
In an interview with ABC News last week, US President Joe Biden insisted there was a "fundamental difference" between Afghanistan and allies like South Korea, Japan and Taiwan, saying it was "not even comparable". READ MORE
The United States Navy charged a sailor Thursday for starting a fire last year that destroyed the USS Bonhomme Richard while docked at Naval Base San Diego.
The sailor was a crewmember at the time and was charged with aggravated arson and the willful hazarding of a vessel, Cmdr. Sean Robertson, a U.S. 3rd Fleet spokesperson, said according to ABC News.
Robertson did not give any details as to what evidence was found or what the motive was. The name of the sailor has also not been disclosed.
The amphibious assault ship was nearing the end of its two-year $250 million upgrade when the fire broke out on July 12, 2020. More than 60 sailors and civilians were treated for relatively minor injuries resulting from the fire.
The ship, which can act as a mini aircraft carrier, burned for more than four days. The fire left the ship with extensive structural damage and was later scrapped with estimates that it will cost up to $4 Billion to replace it. READ MORE
