Breaking News

Pet hotel safety alert: Wag Hotels pays $150K for neglect

A pet hotel chain with facilities in the Bay Area and Southern California will pay $150,000 to settle allegations that it mistreated animals and failed to report dog bites as required by law. Wag Hotels, which operates day care and boarding facilities, faced a consumer protection lawsuit filed in August by district attorneys from San Francisco, San Mateo County, and Santa Clara County. The complaint alleged the business neglected pets in its care, according to officials. The lawsuit followed a San Francisco Chronicle investigation that uncovered allegations of inadequate animal care and

America’s grid is under strain — can rooftop solar panels be the solution?

Migrant student success programs halted, leaving futures in limbo

Lifestyle

Itchy skin? Try this instead of scratching

Scientists have found that rubbing or gently stroking itchy skin provides better relief than scratching, according to recent research that could change how people respond to this common irritation. A 2020 study led by Tasuku Akiyama, an associate professor of dermatology and cutaneous surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, demonstrated that stroking the skin of mice prevented itch signals from reaching the brain. The research showed that stroking sent a counter-signal that inhibited the uncomfortable sensation. "Once you start scratching, sometimes you can’t sto

Lights, camera, Newport! Film festival returns for its 26th year

Anxiety grows among residents still unsure of post fire contamination risks

Lifestyle

Why everyone is talking about retinol — and you should too

Retinol, a vitamin A-based compound, has emerged as one of the most versatile ingredients in skincare, offering benefits that range from reducing acne to minimizing the appearance of wrinkles. New York-based dermatologist Rachel Nazarian describes retinol as a "multitasking superhero" supported by decades of scientific research. The ingredient works by accelerating cell turnover to reveal smoother skin beneath the surface, which can help reduce fine lines and wrinkles while enhancing collagen and elastin production. While many associate retinol with anti-aging, Nazarian recommends it to

Tourist arrivals plunge in Los Angeles after wildfires, raids, and tariffs

Newsom navigates political pressure with major climate and energy reforms

US News

See all »

Political|US|World

Supreme Court lets Trump block transgender and nonbinary people from choosing passport sex markers

The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed President Donald Trump’s administration to enforce a policy blocking transgender and nonbinary people from choosing passport sex markers that align with their gender identity. The decision is Trump’s latest win on the court's emergency docket, and allows the administration to enforce the policy while a lawsuit over it plays out. It halts a lower-court order requiring the government to keep letting people choose male, female or X on their passport to correspond with their gender identity on new or renewed passports. The court’s three l

Supreme Court allows Trump to limit passport sex markers for trans and nonbinary Americans

The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed the Trump administration to require the sex designation on US passports to align with a traveler’s biological sex, a blow to transgender and nonbinary Americans who have argued the policy is unconstitutional.The order represented another win for President Donald Trump on the court’s emergency docket and another setback for LGBTQ rights at a time when the justices are considering multiple cases involving state laws aimed at trans Americans.“Displaying passport holders’ sex at birth no more offends equal protection principles than displaying their co

Zohran Mamdani’s historic NYC win, in three maps

Man who threw sandwich at federal agent in Washington is found not guilty of assault charge

Crime|Political|US

DC sandwich thrower found not guilty of assault

The man who threw a Subway sandwich at a federal officer in the early days of the Trump administration’s law enforcement surge in Washington, DC, earlier this summer has been found not guilty of assault.The incident quickly became a symbol – somewhat in jest – for resistance in DC against the Trump takeover of law enforcement and ramp up in deportation efforts, with spray painted posters and internet jokes spreading as an homage to the incident popping up in its wake.“As always, we accept a jury’s verdict; that is the system within which we function. However, law enforcement should n

Crime|Political|US|Videos

US Border Patrol chief accused of violating judge’s order

A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction restricting the use of force by federal agents in Chicago, finding the Trump administration’s version of recent events involving agents was not credible.One of the incidents in question was a confrontation between federal agents and protestors, where Gregory Bovino, a top Border Patrol official charged with the immigration crackdown in Chicago deployed tear gas.Judge Ellis found that Bovino wasn’t hit in the head with a rock prior to deploying tear gas despite claims from the Department of Homeland Security justifying the use of force. “Def

Federal judge says border patrol chief admitted he lied, in ruling limiting federal agents’ use of force in Chicago

'Rest easy king': See the messages ChatGPT sent a young man who took his own life

World News

See all »

Crime|Education|World

Jury’s $10 million award to teacher shot by 6-year-old could weigh on school administrator’s criminal case

A civil jury’s decision this week to award $10 million to a former teacher shot and wounded by a 6-year-old student could weigh against the ex-assistant principal who now faces a criminal trial over the 2023 incident, legal experts said.Teacher Abby Zwerner sued then-administrator Ebony Parker for not doing enough to prevent the shooting at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia. Zwerner still feels the effects of bullet wounds to her chest and hand, she testified in the civil trial at which her pain and suffering took center stage.Parker’s criminal trial, due to start Novemb

Business|Environment|Science|Travel|World

Homes are collapsing in North Carolina. It could spell trouble for other coastal areas, too

When Stacy Morgan and her husband, Brandon Dodick, bought their beach house in Buxton, North Carolina, in May, they imagined one day spending their retirement there.Five months later, the house was gone.Theirs was one of 27 beachfront homes in Buxton and Rodanthe, two villages on Hatteras Island, part of North Carolina’s barrier islands, that have collapsed into the ocean since 2020. Rising sea levels and relentless storms are erasing land faster than locals – or officials – can respond.The collapses are happening on a thin, sparsely populated stretch of coast. But some experts warn that

Virginia Giuffre's sister-in-law urges King Charles to use his influence to push global leaders to act on Epstein scandal

The FAA is slashing flights because of the shutdown. Here's what travelers can expect

Business|Science|Technology|World

China’s latest aircraft carrier enters fleet as naval competition with the US heats up

China’s latest and most capable aircraft carrier has officially entered service, a significant step forward for Beijing as it seeks to catch up with the United States on naval supremacy.Chinese leader Xi Jinping attended the commissioning ceremony for the Fujian at a military port in Sanya on Hainan island earlier this week, China’s state broadcaster CCTV reported on Friday.The Fujian is China’s third and most advanced aircraft carrier, featuring electromagnetic catapults that can launch three aircraft types, according to Chinese state media.The new tech, known as EMALS, allows planes to

World

US Supreme Court allows Trump's passport policy targeting transgender people

The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed Donald Trump's administration to bar applicants for U.S. passports from designating the sex reflecting their gender identities on the document, part of the Republican president's crackdown on the rights of transgender Americans.The court granted the Justice Department's request to lift a judge's order that had blocked the policy requiring passports to correspond only to a person's sex assigned at birth, while a class action lawsuit challenging the administration's action plays out. "Displaying passport holders' sex at birth no more offends equal protection