JULIE WATSON

Migrants stranded when thousands of appointments to enter the US are canceled as Trump takes office

The Trump administration has ended use of the border app called CBP One that allowed nearly 1 million people to legally enter the United States.

Windy, flame-fanning weather eases up as progress made on LA-area fires

Windy, flame-fanning weather in Southern California has eased up as firefighters report significant gains against the two massive wildfires burning around Los Angeles.

Dire fire warning for LA area pushed back as winds ease

Easing winds have delivered a brief but much-needed reprieve to firefighters as they battle two massive blazes in the Los Angeles area. The National Weather Service has pushed back its dire warning of critical fire weather until early Wednesday.

Strong winds forecast to return and threaten Los Angeles area’s fight against fires

A growing force of firefighters and equipment has moved into the Los Angeles area. Another round of powerful winds is threatening to trigger new wildfires and set back recent progress in containing two massive blazes.

Families in shock begin to visit their charred homes in the Los Angeles area

Some Los Angeles area residents have begun returning to their still smoldering neighborhoods to search for memories even as the threat of new fires persists. For many it has been a first look at the staggering reality of what was lost.

New LA-area fire prompts more evacuations while over 10,000 structures lost to the 2 biggest blazes

Officials say the two biggest wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area this week have burned at least 10,000 homes, buildings and other structures. Officials urged more people to heed evacuation orders Thursday after a new blaze ignited.

Hollywood Hills fire breaks out as deadly wildfires burn out of control across Los Angeles area

California governor says Pacific Palisades wildfire has destroyed many structures as winds kick up

A wildfire whipped up by extreme winds is sweeping through a Los Angeles hillside dotted with celebrity residences.

Wood pellets production boomed to feed EU demand. It’s come at a cost for Black people in the South

Wood pellet production has skyrocketed across the U.S. South to feed the European Union’s push for renewable energy to replace fossil fuels. But many people who live near manufacturing plants believe they make air dustier and residents sicker.

Judge dismisses felony convictions of 5 retired military officers in US Navy bribery case

A federal judge has dismissed the felony convictions of five retired military officers who had admitted to accepting bribes from a Malaysian contractor nicknamed “Fat Leonard” in one of the Navy’s biggest corruption cases.

Botanists are scouring the US-Mexico border to document a forgotten ecosystem split by a giant wall

Botanists and citizen scientists armed with the iNaturalist app on their smartphones are recording the biodiversity along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Major agricultural firm sues California over farmworker unionization law

One of California’s most influential agricultural companies has filed a lawsuit against the state to stop a contentious law that was meant to make it easier for farmworkers to unionize.

More than 2,100 people have been arrested during pro-Palestinian protests on US college campuses

Police have arrested more than 2,100 people during pro-Palestinian protests at college campuses across the United States in recent weeks.

Class of 2024 reflects on college years marked by COVID-19, protests and life’s lost milestones

For many in the graduating class of 2024, the unrest at campuses across the country over the Israel-Hamas war has marked an emotional end to their college experiences that started amid a pandemic.

Citing safety, USC makes rare cancellation of speech by valedictorian who supported Palestinians

The University of Southern California has canceled a commencement speech by its 2024 valedictorian, a Muslim student who has expressed support for Palestinians.

California tribe that lost 90% of land during Gold Rush to get site to serve as gateway to redwoods

The Yurok Tribe will be getting back a slice of its ancestral land dotted with majestic redwoods and a key creek for salmon spawning.

California ski resort workers tunnel their way into the office after getting 10 feet of snow

A powerful blizzard has dumped more than 10 feet of snow on at least one California ski resort, where the marketing team had to dig a tunnel to get to their office door. The storm closed highways and most lifts at ski resorts over the weekend.

Atlanta is the only place in US to see pandas for now. But dozens of spots abroad have them

Only four pandas remain in the United States. But many zoos around the globe still have the iconic black-and-white bears on loan from China. On Thursday, China announced it will be sending a pair of pandas to the San Diego Zoo.

Black and white and adored all over. China pledges pair of pandas for San Diego Zoo

China is again sending pandas to the United States to the delight of the San Diego Zoo, which is preparing to get a new pair by the end of summer.

A 4.6-magnitude earthquake shakes greater Los Angeles. No reports of significant damage

An magnitude 4.6 earthquake has struck the Southern California coast near Malibu. But there have been no reports of damage or injuries. The U.S. Geological Survey says it hit at 1:47 p.m. Friday at a depth of about 8 miles.

Marine Corps confirms the worst: All 5 troops killed in helicopter crash in California mountains

The military says efforts are underway to recover the remains of five U.S. Marines who were killed when their helicopter went down during stormy weather in the mountains outside of San Diego. The military confirmed the five deaths Thursday.

Rescue of Marine helicopter with 5 aboard is challenged by snowy California mountains

Rescuers were battling heavy snow to reach a Marine Corps helicopter carrying five troops that went down in a mountainous area outside San Diego.

Los Angeles records 475 mudslides during historic storm that has drenched Southern California

Los Angeles officials says crews had responded to at least 475 mudslides and that seven buildings had been deemed uninhabitable since an atmospheric river-fueled storm moved into the region over the weekend.

Record-setting storm that killed 3 dumps rain on Los Angeles; flash flood alerts still in effect

A storm of historic proportions has unleashed record levels of rain over parts of Los Angeles. The weather is sending mud and boulders down hillsides dotted with multimillion-dollar homes, endangering the city’s large homeless population and knocking out power for about 830,000 people in California.

‘Pineapple Expresses’ and rising seas are battering California’s piers, threatening iconic landmarks

Rising seas and frequent storms are taking their toll on California’s iconic public piers and raising questions about the future of the landmarks.

San Diegans cry, hug outside damaged homes after stunning flash floods in normally balmy city

Flash floods that raged through parts of San Diego were spawned by a torrential storm that produced the city’s fourth-wettest day on record, in stark contrast to its image as a balmy seaside playground.

US Navy sailor sentenced to over 2 years in prison for accepting bribes from Chinese officer

A U.S. Navy sailor has been sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for transmitting sensitive U.S. military information to a Chinese government’s intelligence officer.

Guards hired by California keep eye on sites deemed risky under Los Angeles freeway damaged by fire

Since an arson fire damaged a key Los Angeles freeway, the state has hired security guards to watch out for smoke and other trouble at three other sites deemed equally risky under Interstate 10.

‘Fat Leonard’ seeks new attorneys ahead of sentencing in Navy bribery case, causing another delay

Convicted Malaysian defense contractor Leonard Francis who led a daring escape weeks before he was scheduled to be sentenced in 2022 is seeking new defense attorneys now that he is back in U.S. custody after the Venezuelan prisoner swap last month.

‘Fat Leonard,’ a fugitive now returning to the US, was behind one of the military’s biggest scandals

Convicted defense contractor Leonard “Fat Leonard” Francis is being returned to U.S. custody as part of the Venezuelan prisoner swap. It’s the latest twist in a decade-long salacious saga and bribery scheme that swept up dozens of Navy officers.