California

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- The first in a series of winter storms swept through Southern California on Friday, trigging heavy rain, mudslides and lighting strikes.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Trump administration on Tuesday quietly launched an effort to make asylum seekers wait in Mexico while their cases wind through U.S. immigration courts, despite clear reservations and conflicting messages from the Mexican government.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — San Diego County elected officials have agreed to provide a government-owned building to shelter asylum seekers.

The Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 on Tuesday to allow an unused courthouse to temporarily house asylum seekers.

Since late October, the U.S. has been releasing asylum seekers from detention without giving them time to make travel arrangements. Many were dropped off at bus stations or on the streets with no money.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris, standing outside of Oakland’s city hall, formally kicked off her campaign for the White House by presenting herself as the leader who can best unite an America that is at an “inflection point” and facing a critical question.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Teachers in the nation’s second-largest school district are expected to strike for a sixth school day Tuesday as talks between Los Angeles Unified and United Teachers Los Angeles continue.

The union said Monday that teachers are due back at picket lines Tuesday morning even if an agreement is reached Monday, saying it takes time to mobilize a ratification vote of a deal.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti remained upbeat as he mediated the fifth day of marathon negotiations at City Hall on Monday.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The storm that pummeled much of California for three days began moving east Thursday after causing at least six deaths, forcing wildfire victims threatened by floods to flee their homes and plunging nearly 300,000 utility customers into darkness.

The winter storm is forecast to unleash heavy rain, snow and wind in Colorado and “will be slamming the East Coast by Sunday,” National Weather Service forecaster Steve Anderson said. “From Maine to Florida.”

Anderson said most of California should be dry and sunny by Friday.

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- U.S. space technology firm SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, will lay off about 10 percent of its more than 6,000 employees, according to media reports.

The cuts were cited in an email sent to employees.

In a statement, a company spokesman confirmed the layoff without specifying how many employees will be released.

"To continue delivering for our customers and to succeed in developing interplanetary spacecraft and a global space-based Internet, SpaceX must become a leaner company," said the statement of the company.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Green Book” co-writer Nick Vallelonga has apologized for a 2015 tweet about Muslims and 9/11 that has resurfaced a few days after the film won a Golden Globe Award.

In the tweet, he said then-presidential-candidate Donald Trump was “100% correct” that local television news in New York on 9/11 showed Muslims in Jersey City cheering when the towers came down, and he had seen it.

There is no evidence such celebrations occurred.

Police in California on Saturday said three people were killed and four were injured in a shooting at a bowling alley near Los Angeles.

Sergeant Ronald Harris of the Torrance Police Department confirmed to AFP that officers responded at 11:54 pm on Friday to reports of gunfire at Gable House Bowl.

He added all seven victims were male. Three were pronounced dead at the scene, with two others taken to hospital.

Witnesses told The Los Angeles Times there had been a fight at the gaming complex.

Police in Torrance, California has confirmed shooting at Gable House Bowl. The number of victims and the nature of their injuries are not yet known. Also not known is the identity and motive of the shooter.