Page 2 - California

Massive California wildfire grows, becomes state's largest in 2025

Rising temperatures on Wednesday posed new challenges for firefighters who have made incremental progress against a massive wildfire in central California that has injured four people as it has become the biggest blaze in the state so far this year. More than 870 remote homes and other structures at the northern edge of Los Padres National Forest are threatened by the Gifford Fire, which grew only slightly overnight after burning out of control for days. The fire has scorched at least 339 square kilometres of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, with just 9 per cent containment. It surpassed the 326-square-kilometer Madre Fire, which erupted last month in southeastern San Luis Obispo County, as the state's largest fire of 2025. Crews working in steep, inaccessible terrain will be dealing with temperatures in the mid-90s (35 Celsius) on Wednesday and above 100 (38 Celsius) on Thursday, said Capt. Scott Safechuck with the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. We have hot weath

Kamala Harris says she will not run for California governor in 2026

Former Vice President Kamala Harris will not run for California governor next year, leaving open the possibility that she could mount a third run for the White House in 2028. Over the past six months, I have spent time reflecting on this moment in our nation's history and the best way for me to continue fighting for the American people and advancing the values and ideals I hold dear, Harris said in a statement released by her office Wednesday. I have given serious thought to asking the people of California for the privilege to serve as their governor. I love this state, its people and its promise. It is my home. But after deep reflection, I've decided that I will not run for Governor in this election, she said. Harris' decision extends a guessing game about her political future that started after she lost last year's presidential election to Donald Trump. Harris spent months privately considering whether to run for governor, stage another run for the White House or step away from ..

Tesla's California EV sales fall for 7th straight quarter amid weak demand

A total of 41,138 Teslas were registered in the state last quarter, a 21 per cent drop year over year for the company's seventh straight quarterly decline

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla stable after 20-day space mission: Isro

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Thursday said initial health assessments of astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, who returned to earth after a 20-day space mission, indicated that he was in stable condition with no immediate concerns. Shukla returned to earth on June 15 when the Dragon Grace spacecraft carrying him and three other astronauts of the Axiom-4 mission splashed down off San Diego coast in California. Preliminary health checks were carried out on the astronauts on the recovery ship soon after they exited the spacecraft. Later, the astronauts were airlifted by helicopter from the recovery ship to the mainland for further medical evaluations and debriefing sessions. Later, Shukla was flown to Houston for a week-long rehabilitation program to mitigate any adverse effect of microgravity. "This is being administered by Axiom's flight surgeon and ISRO's flight surgeon is also participating in this program," ISRO said. The rehabilitation programme includes a series of

Trump admin pulls $4 bn federal funding for California bullet train project

The Trump administration has revoked federal funding for California's high-speed rail project, intensifying uncertainty about how the state will make good on its long-delayed promise of building a bullet train to shuttle riders between San Francisco and Los Angeles. The US Transportation Department announced it was pulling back USD 4 billion in funding for the project, weeks after signalling it would do so. Overall, a little less than a quarter of the project's funding has come from the federal government. The rest has come from the state, mainly through a voter-approved bond and money from its cap-and-trade programme. President Donald Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy both have slammed the project as a "train to nowhere". "The Railroad we were promised still does not exist, and never will," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "This project was Severely Overpriced, Overregulated, and NEVER DELIVERED." The loss marks the latest blow to California by the Trump administration, wh

PM Modi hails Shubhanshu Shukla's return after historic space mission

Shubhanshu Shukla and three other astronauts returned aboard the Dragon 'Grace' spacecraft, which splashed down off the coast of San Diego, California, after a 22.5-hour journey from space

Trump admin defends immigration policies after California worker's death

Trump has vowed to deport millions of people in the country illegally and has executed raids at work sites including farms that were largely exempted from enforcement during his first term

Trump administration sues California over transgender athlete policies

President Donald Trump's administration sued the California Department of Education on Wednesday for allowing transgender girls to compete on girls sports teams, alleging the policy violates federal law. The move escalates a battle between the Republican administration in Washington and Democratic-led California over trans athletes. The lawsuit filed by the Justice Department says California's transgender athlete policies violate Title IX, the federal law that bans discrimination in education based on sex. The department says California's rules are not only illegal and unfair but also demeaning, signalling to girls that their opportunities and achievements are secondary to accommodating boys. US Attorney General Pam Bondi warned other states that allow trans girls to compete in female athletics that they could also face challenges by the federal government. If you do not comply, you're next, she said in a video posted on social media. We will protect girls in girls sports. The st

California National Guard troops protect immigration officers in LA raid

About 90 members of the California National Guard and over a dozen military vehicles like Humvees are helping protect immigration officers Monday as they carry out a raid in a Los Angeles park, defence officials said. The operation in MacArthur Park, which is in a neighbourhood with a large immigrant population about 2 miles west of downtown LA, includes 17 Humvees, four tactical vehicles, two ambulances and the armed soldiers. It comes after President Donald Trump deployed thousands of Guard members and active duty Marines to the city last month following protests over previous immigration raids. Trump has stepped up efforts to realize his campaign pledge of deporting millions of immigrants in the United States illegally and shown a willingness to use the nation's military might in ways other US presidents have typically avoided. The officials told reporters that it was not a military operation but acknowledged that the size and scope of the Guard's participation could make it look

7 missing in California after warehouse explosion sets off massive blaze

Seven people were missing Wednesday following an explosion at a fireworks warehouse in rural Northern California that caused a massive fire that spread to farm fields and forced evacuations in the surrounding community, authorities said. Emergency crews and investigators were working with the property's owner and monitoring the area using drones to find the individuals, said the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. It was not immediately clear if those missing worked at the warehouse or lived nearby. People were urged to avoid the area after the Tuesday night blast, which set off a barrage of fireworks and caused a huge blaze that led to other spot fires and collapsed the building near Esparto in Yolo County about 64 kilometres northwest of Sacramento. The cause of the explosion was under investigation. The fire will take time to cool, and once it does, explosive experts must safely enter the site to assess and secure the area, the Yolo County Sheriff's Office sa

Vance blames California Democrats for protests, mocks Sen Padilla as 'Jose'

Vice President JD Vance on Friday accused California Gov Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass of encouraging violent immigration protests as he used his appearance in Los Angeles to rebut criticism from state and local officials that the Trump administration fuelled the unrest by sending in federal officers. Vance also referred to US Sen Alex Padilla, the state's first Latino senator, as Jose Padilla, a week after the Democrat was forcibly taken to the ground by officers and handcuffed after speaking out during a Los Angeles news conference by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on immigration raids. I was hoping Jose Padilla would be here to ask a question, Vance said, in an apparent reference to the altercation at Noem's event. I guess he decided not to show up because there wasn't a theater. And that's all it is. They want to be able to go back to their far-left groups and to say, Look, me, I stood up against border enforcement. I stood up against Donald Trump,' Vanc

US court lets Trump control National Guards deployed to LA during protests

Appeals court ruled that even if the federal government did not notify California's governor before taking control of the National Guard, Newsom had no authority to veto the President's order

Trump signs measure blocking California's ban on gas-powered car sales

President Donald Trump signed a resolution on Thursday that blocks California's first-in-the-nation rule banning the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035. The state quickly announced it was challenging the move in court, with California's attorney general holding a news conference to discuss the lawsuit before Trump's signing ceremony ended at the White House. The resolution was approved by Congress last month and aims to quash the country's most aggressive attempt to phase out gas-powered cars. Trump also signed measures to overturn state policies curbing tailpipe emissions in certain vehicles and smog-forming nitrogen oxide pollution from trucks. Trump called California's regulations crazy at a White House ceremony where he signed the resolutions. It's been a disaster for this country, he said. It comes as the Republican president is mired in a clash with California's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, over Trump's move to deploy troops to Los Angeles in response to immigration

Trump likely to block California's nation-leading vehicle emissions rules

President Donald Trump is expected to sign a measure on Thursday that blocks California's first-in-the-nation rule banning the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035, a White House official told The Associated Press. The resolution Trump plans to sign, which Congress approved last month, aims to quash the country's most aggressive attempt to phase out gas-powered cars. He also plans to approve measures to overturn state policies curbing tailpipe emissions in certain vehicles and smog-forming nitrogen oxide pollution from trucks. The timing of the signing was confirmed on Wednesday by a White House official who spoke on condition of anonymity to share plans not yet public. The development comes as the Republican president is mired in a clash with California's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, over Trump's move to deploy troops to Los Angeles in response to immigration protests. It is the latest in an ongoing battle between the Trump administration and heavily Democratic California ove

New York backs California in opposing Trump's troop deployment in LA

The Trump administration deployed thousands of National Guard troops in recent days to respond to protests in Los Angeles, over the objections of state and city officials

Raids in California rattle immigrants, including those in US legally

Jacob Vasquez began working at a clothing warehouse in Los Angeles soon after arriving from Mexico less than three years ago. He is among dozens of workers detained by federal immigration authorities in a series of raids in LA's fashion district and at Home Depot parking lots in Southern California. More than 100 people have been detained. The raids have triggered days of turbulent protests across the city and beyond and led President Donald Trump to deploy National Guard troops and Marines to the LA area, the latest development in the administration's immigration crackdown. Protests in the city's downtown have ranged from peaceful to raucous, with demonstrators blocking a major freeway and setting cars on fire over the weekend. Immigrant advocates say the workers who were detained do not have criminal histories and are being denied their due process rights. Vasquez has a three-month-old baby, according to his family who spoke to reporters outside the Ambiance Apparel warehouse, a

Judge denies California's request to block Trump's military deployment

Trump administration deployed thousands of National Guard troops to California, casting it as a necessary move to quell protests in Los Angeles

California Guv asks court to block Trump admin's use of troops in ICE raids

California Gov. Gavin Newsom filed an emergency request in federal court Tuesday to block the Trump administration from using the National Guard and Marines to assist with immigration raids in Los Angeles. Newsom's move comes after President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of roughly 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines to Los Angles following four days of protests driven by anger over the president's stepped-up enforcement of immigration laws. The governor's request said it was in response to a change in orders for the Guard. The filing includes a declaration from Paul Eck, deputy general counsel in the California Military Department. Eck said the department has been informed that the Pentagon plans to direct the California National Guard to start providing support for immigration operations. That support would include holding secure perimeters around areas where raids are taking place and securing streets for immigration agents. The Guard members were originally depl

California moves court to block Trump's LA National Guard deployment

The move to block the deployment of National Guard troops follows tensions over anti-deportation protests in Los Angeles

California labour leader charged with impeding officer in ICE crackdown

A California union leader has been charged with conspiring to impede an officer during a demonstration over President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, authorities said on Monday. David Huerta, 58, is currently being held in federal custody in downtown Los Angeles and expected to appear in court later on Monday for a bond hearing, federal prosecutors said. Huerta is president of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California, which represents thousands of janitors, security officers and other workers in the state. The SEIU was holding a rally in downtown Los Angeles on Monday to show support for Huerta and stand up for his right to observe and document law enforcement activity. Demonstrations were also planned in at least a dozen cities from Boston to Denver. The union has been a strong Democratic supporter, and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and California's two Democratic senators wrote a letter to federal officials demanding answers regarding Huerta's ...