Page 2 - California

California governor signs law to protect kids from risks of AI chatbots

California Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday signed legislation to regulate artificial intelligence chatbots and protect children and teens from the potential dangers of the technology. The law requires platforms to remind users they are interacting with a chatbot and not a human. The notification would pop up every three hours for users who are minors. Companies will also have to maintain a protocol to prevent self-harm content and refer users to crisis service providers if they express suicidal ideation. Newsom, who has four children under 18, said California has a responsibility to protect kids and teens who are increasingly turning to AI chatbots for everything from homework help to emotional support and personal advice. "Emerging technology like chatbots and social media can inspire, educate, and connect but without real guardrails, technology can also exploit, mislead, and endanger our kids," the Democrat said. We've seen some truly horrific and tragic examples of young people

Judge halts Trump admin from sending National Guard troops to Oregon

President Donald Trump is sending 300 California National Guard members to Oregon after a judge blocked the administration from deploying that state's guard to Portland, according to California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Newsom pledged Sunday to fight the move in court. There was no official announcement from Washington that the California National Guard was being called up and sent to Oregon, just as was the case when Illinois' governor made a similar announcement Saturday about troops in his state being activated. Newsom, a Democrat, said in a statement that California personnel were on their way Sunday and called the deployment a breathtaking abuse of the law and power. The commander-in-chief is using the US military as a political weapon against American citizens, Newsom said in the statement. We will take this fight to court, but the public cannot stay silent in the face of such reckless and authoritarian conduct by the president of the United States. A Trump-appointed federal judge

Trump deploys California Guard to Oregon despite setback from court

The troops arrived Saturday night with no prior notice to state officials, and more troops are on the way, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek said in a statement Sunday

California Guv Newsom to sue Trump over sending National Guard to Oregon

The move marked another dramatic escalation in President Donald Trump's campaign to federalise law enforcement in Democratic states

Indian techie shot dead in California, Vodafone Idea shares, Trump media crackdown

A 30-year-old Indian techie was shot dead by Santa Clara police in California on 3rd September. His family was informed about his death only 15 days later. The family has now appealed to India’s Minis

Indian techie shot by US police; family seeks MEA's help to bring back body

In a statement, the Santa Clara Police Department in the US identified the deceased as Mohammed Nizamuddin, who hailed from Mahabubnagar in Telangana

University of California students, professors, staff sue Trump admin

The Trump administration is using civil rights laws to wage a campaign against the University of California in an attempt to curtail academic freedom and undermine free speech, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday by faculty, staff, student organisations and every labour union representing UC workers. The lawsuit comes weeks after the Trump administration fined the University of California, Los Angeles $1.2 billion and froze research funding after accusing the school of allowing antisemitism on campus and other civil rights violations. It was the first public university to be targeted with a widespread funding freeze. The administration has frozen or paused federal funding over similar allegations against elite private colleges, including Harvard, Brown and Columbia. According to the lawsuit, the Trump administration has made several demands in its proposed settlement offer to UCLA, including giving government access to faculty, student, and staff data, releasing admissions and hirin

US heatwave smothers Pacific Northwest, poses risk in California, Arizona

Residents of the western US are sweltering in a heat wave that's already hospitalized some as temperatures will continue to hit dangerous levels throughout the weekend in Washington, Oregon, Southern California, Nevada and Arizona. Around 1.2 million people were under extreme heat risk Saturday, meaning temperatures are expected to stay dangerously high with no relief overnight. The largest area under the warning is around Tucson, Arizona, where the National Weather Service forecast dangerous highs between 102 and 107 degrees Fahrenheit (39 and 42 degrees Celsius). Areas of inland Southern California also faced extreme risk. Another 18.6 million are under major heat risk, affecting workers and anyone without regular cooling and hydration, including in Miami. Portland, Oregon, reported a record high for August 22, according to preliminary data. Struggling through the smothering heat were long-distance runners who were passing a baton in a relay race from inland Mt. Hood to the Pacifi

Trump admin seeks $1 bn settlement from UCLA, says White House official

The Trump administration is seeking a $1 billion settlement from the University of California, Los Angeles, a White House official said Friday. The person was not authorised to speak publicly about the request and spoke on condition of anonymity. The Trump administration has suspended $584 million in federal grants, the university said this week. In recent weeks, the Department of Justice has accused UCLA of antisemitism. UCLA is the first public university whose federal grants have been targeted by the administration over allegations of civil rights violations related to antisemitism and affirmative action. The Trump administration has frozen or paused federal funding over similar allegations against private colleges. The new UC president, James B Milliken, said in a statement Friday that it had received notice from the Department of Justice and is reviewing it. Earlier this week, we offered to engage in good faith dialogue with the Department to protect the University and its .

Trump admin freezes $584 mn UCLA grants, research projects at risk

The Trump administration has suspended USD 584 million in federal grants for the University of California, Los Angeles, nearly double the amount that was previously thought, the school's chancellor announced on Wednesday. UCLA is the first public university whose federal grants have been targeted by the administration over allegations of civil rights violations related to antisemitism and affirmative action. The Trump administration has frozen or paused federal funding over similar allegations against private colleges. "If these funds remain suspended, it will be devastating for UCLA and for Americans across the nation," Chancellor Julio Frenk said on Wednesday in a statement, noting the groundbreaking research that has come out of the university. The departments affected rely on funding from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Energy, Frenk said. The US Department of Education did not immediately respond to an email from The ...

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