News from California, across the nation and world - Los Angeles Times

Swalwell suspends campaign for governor amid allegations of sexual assault, nude photos

Dakota Smith, Seema Mehta, Melody Gutierrez — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:50:59 GMT

Rep. Eric Swalwell suspended his campaign for California governor but denied accusations of sexual assault and misconduct. He faces calls to step down.

Homeland Security to review allegation that Swalwell employed undocumented nanny

Noah Haggerty — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 01:29:54 GMT

The Department of Homeland Security said it would investigate allegations that Rep. Eric Swalwell hired an undocumented nanny. The announcement came hours before Swalwell suspended his campaign for California governor.

LAUSD reaches deal with second of three unions, talks continue with third to avert strike

Howard Blume, Karen Garcia — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 14:59:42 GMT

Tentative agreements announced Sunday between LAUSD and two major unions mean that a Tuesday strike could be prevented if a deal also is reached with Local 99.

News Analysis: Trump's Strait of Hormuz blockade risks clash with China

Michael Wilner — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 17:37:39 GMT

It is a high-stakes moment ahead of a closely watched summit between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing next month.

California Republicans rejoice over Swalwell scandal, but split on best GOP candidate for governor

Nicole Nixon, Seema Mehta — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 21:46:26 GMT

Republican candidates for governor Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco court delegates in San Diego as they battle for the party's endorsement for the June primary.

Britney Spears voluntarily checks into rehab following DUI arrest

Noah Haggerty — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 04:03:14 GMT

Britney Spears checked into a treatment facility after being arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. Fans and close friends have expressed concern for her well-being since she was released from a conservatorship.

Two pedestrians killed in alleged DUI crash in North Hollywood

Noah Haggerty — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 02:33:34 GMT

A driver, who LAPD said was traveling at unsafe speeds and under the influence of alcohol, struck and killed two pedestrians in North Hollywood before careening into vacant parked cars.

Predawn Rosemead street takeover ends with four hospitalized with gunshots

Karen Garcia — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 23:37:04 GMT

Four people were struck by bullets at a street takeover in Rosemead.

Commercial salmon fishing set to resume along California coast after 3-year shutdown

Ian James — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Commercial salmon fishing is set to resume along the California coast this spring for the first time since 2022. Fishery regulators plan to allow a fishing season with strict catch limits.

Scattered showers expected Sunday through Monday in L.A.

Queenie Wong, Karen Garcia — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 02:58:19 GMT

Weather forecasts for Los Angeles and Southern California predict rain this weekend, which could linger through Monday. There's also a 15% to 25% chance of thunderstorms.

How to have the best Sunday in L.A, according to Halle Bailey

Kailyn Brown — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

For the 'You, Me & Tuscany' star, the agenda includes a sunset hike, Caribbean food at Lucia and a live show at the Blue Note.

John Nolan, 'Batman' and 'Person of Interest' actor, dies at 87

Yvonne Villarreal — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 16:43:51 GMT

John Nolan, a veteran British stage and screen actor and the paternal uncle of filmmakers Christopher Nolan and Jonathan Nolan, has died at 87.

A guide to surviving LAUSD strike: Where families can find childcare, other help

Karen Garcia — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Here is a guide of resources that includes food distribution, childcare and student devices for families during the LAUSD strike.

Sheriff's lieutenant with million-pound fireworks stash led to deadly blast, prosecutors say

Clara Harter — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 04:14:21 GMT

Samuel Machado is accused of illegally having 1 million pounds of fireworks on his property at the time of the blast and using his law enforcement position to shield the illicit operation from scrutiny for years, according to the Yolo County district attorney's office.

CSU professor acquitted of assaulting U.S. agents during immigration protest

Cierra Morgan — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 22:43:50 GMT

A federal jury acquitted CSU Channel Islands professor Jonathan Caravello of an assault charge stemming from a 2025 immigration raid protest in Camarillo.

ICE detains three men outside SoCal courthouse, raising concerns for local immigration advocates

Hannah Fry — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 22:32:23 GMT

At least 3 men were taken into custody by federal agents outside a courthouse in San Bernardino County Thursday, leaving advocates concerned.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's San Francisco home attacked with Molotov cocktail

Summer Lin — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 19:49:28 GMT

An attacker threw a firebomb at Sam Altman's home in San Francisco. OpenAI also said someone had made a threat regarding the company's headquarters.

BAFTA says review of racial slur scandal found 'structural weaknesses' but no malicious intent

Alexandra Del Rosario — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 19:29:24 GMT

BAFTA Board of Trustees says it is 'determined to learn from what happened' in the racial slur scandal that overshadowed its annual awards celebration in February.

NBA, college football announcer Mark Jones is leaving ESPN after 36 years: 'Time to move on'

Chuck Schilken — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 18:12:59 GMT

Veteran play-by-play announcer Mark Jones has been a staple on ESPN since 1990. His final broadcast on the network will be Sunday for the Orlando Magic-Boston Celtics game.

Tell us: What's the best book you've ever read in a book club?

Brittany Levine Beckman — Thu, 9 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

After surveying more than 200 authors, publishers, journalists and book club enthusiasts, we named the 101 best book club picks. But our list may not reflect your favorites. What did we miss?

Essay: Book club skeptic? So was Roxane Gay. Here's what converted her

Roxane Gay — Thu, 9 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

They are often dismissed as a punch line, but Roxane Gay explains why women's book clubs are the backbone of a passionate literary culture.

Why this Octavia Butler page-turner is the ultimate book club pick

Thu, 9 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Octavia E. Butler's 'Parable of the Sower' topped our 101 Best Book Club Picks survey. The owner of Octavia's Bookshelf, Nikki High, discusses why this prophetic novel is more vital than ever.

Essay: Why rich women pay me to tell them what to read

Amy Silverberg — Thu, 9 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

It's a job that requires a doctorate, a love of Gouda and the diplomacy of a hostage negotiator. Inside the world of professional book club facilitating, where the wine flows, the opinions are fierce and the 'bad mothers' in fiction are never welcome.

There's a Thomas Pynchon book for everyone. Here's which one to read next

David Kipen — Thu, 9 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

From 'The Crying of Lot 49' to 'Vineland,' discover why Thomas Pynchon's famously 'difficult' novels can actually be for any type of reader

Coachella 2026: The best photos from the festival

Christina House, Kayla Bartkowski — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 14:59:40 GMT

The 2026 festival celebrates 25 years of music and art, having evolved into a massive global cultural phenomenon.

What it takes to build Coachella's most recognizable icon

Vanessa Franko — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 20:26:10 GMT

You've seen Coachella's Ferris wheel throughout your social media feeds. We talked to the operators about what it takes to put together La Grande XL.

Orange County dental assistant sentenced for sexually assaulting 3 girl patients

Suhauna Hussain — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 18:12:36 GMT

An Orange County dental assistant, Tommy Medina, was sentenced for sexually assaulting three girls who were patients.

Coachella 2026: Violent winds disrupt festival, campgrounds

Vanessa Franko, August Brown — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 20:00:51 GMT

High winds in the Coachella Valley caused the cancellation of Anyma's set Friday night with more gusts on the way.

Riverside cop seemingly on dating app amid standoff sparks investigation

Noah Haggerty — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 03:39:45 GMT

After a suspect crashed during a high-speed chase, CBS Los Angeles spotted a Riverside deputy scrolling through what appeared to be a woman's dating app profile during the ensuing standoff.

After an L.A. windstorm, he used fallen trees to make furniture with a story behind it

Lisa Boone — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Following a 2011 windstorm that devastated Pasadena trees, architect Chris Speck started Keita Design to make sure that trees were utilized and not wasted.

Lead still haunts yards in Exide battery recycler cleanup zone

Tony Briscoe — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

A recycler in Vernon melted down pallets of lead-acid car batteries for a century and there is still lead in people's yards after a decade of cleanup.

L.A. Affairs: I told my husband that something had to change. I just didn't know what would come next

Mary Kay Holmes — Fri, 3 Apr 2026 12:00:00 GMT

We kept showing up to our life together in Los Angeles as best we could. Yet somewhere along the way, large pieces of ourselves went missing.

Here's how to have the most fun at the L.A. Renaissance Faire

Jaclyn Cosgrove — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

At the Renaissance Pleasure Faire in Irwindale, guests can enjoy medieval-era music, clowning, stunts, joust competitions and so much more.

Joseph Baena, son of Arnold Schwarzenegger, wins Iron Gladiator bodybuilding competition

Emily St. Martin — Thu, 9 Apr 2026 21:30:10 GMT

Arnold Schwarzenegger's son Joseph Baena won big at the Iron Gladiator bodybuilding competition last weekend. The recent amateur can now compete as a pro bodybuilder.

On a 'difficult day,' Jason Segel and Harrison Ford found 'Shrinking' finale together

Amy Amatangelo — Thu, 9 Apr 2026 21:10:49 GMT

If the Season 3 finale of 'Shrinking' feels like a series finale, that's on purpose. Jason Segel breaks down his emotional concluding scene with Harrison Ford.

Bruce Springsteen's comeback at Kia Forum is no victory lap. It's a battle against Trump

Mikael Wood — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 19:19:19 GMT

The 76-year-old rock legend brought a politically inspired tour to the Forum on Tuesday for the first of two shows.

Trump is burning every bridge America had left

Jonah Goldberg — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 18:15:00 GMT

The president's antics may work domestically, but he's now loathed among elected allied leaders across Western Europe.

Contributor: Why the 38 million Americans who live alone need a 'buddy system'

Rebecca Edmisten — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Those who reside on their own should check in with the same someone every day, rain or shine, no matter what.

Contributor: It's not just you. Being a consumer really has become hellacious

Diane Negra — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 10:19:00 GMT

'Customer service' has all but eliminated on-site staff with decision-making power and has normalized elaborate, time-consuming dispute-resolution practices that put the onus on the customer.

Contributor: Women aren't too picky to date. They just don't need men to feel fulfilled

Amy Getubig — Thu, 9 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The baseline for dating and relationships in Los Angeles has shifted in ways many people haven't fully caught up to yet.

Blank Street lands on the West Coast

Iris Kwok — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 18:47:07 GMT

The $500-million coffee chain from New York City will start its California expansion in Beverly Hills.

Hiltzik: Trump wants you to invest your 401(k) in crypto and private equity. Should you bite?

Michael Hiltzik — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Trump is opening the door to risky 'alternative investments' such as crypto and private equity in 401(k) plans. But employers have had good reasons to keep them out of their plans.

Disney plans extensive round of layoffs in the coming weeks

Samantha Masunaga, Meg James — Thu, 9 Apr 2026 01:28:16 GMT

Walt Disney Co. is planning an extensive round of layoffs as Hollywood continues to cut jobs.

David Zaslav's golden parachute reaches new heights

Meg James — Thu, 9 Apr 2026 21:14:29 GMT

The handsomely paid CEO could receive a $886-million golden parachute after Warner Bros. Discovery's sale, including as much as $335 million to reimburse Zaslav for his taxes.

As the cable business ebbs, AMC Networks takes a new name

Stephen Battaglio — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 21:48:08 GMT

The New York-based company wants to emphasize production instead of its traditional TV business.

Billionaire investor launches $65-billion Universal Music takeover bid

Cerys Davies — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 16:33:44 GMT

Pershing Square's Bill Ackman is offering over $65 billion to purchase one of music's largest labels, Universal Music Group. The label represents Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar and Bad Bunny.

Lakers defeat Jazz, will open playoffs at home against Houston

Broderick Turner — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 03:08:22 GMT

The Lakers are the fourth-seeded team and will have home-court advantage over the Houston Rockets in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

Rory McIlroy shakes off setbacks, wins rare back-to-back Masters titles

Sam Farmer — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 23:06:02 GMT

Rory McIlroy avoided a meltdown on the 18th hole on Sunday, joining Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo as the only back-to-back Masters winners.

Loving retired farm life, Rogie Vachon reminisces about being L.A.'s first hockey star

Kevin Baxter — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 11:00:00 GMT

Rogie Vachon helped transform the Kings in the 1970s as the franchise established a presence in L.A. that would he would help build and nurture well beyond his playing days.

The restaurant inside L.A.'s best new food hall is a triumph. It could be a revelation

Bill Addison — Thu, 9 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Fueled by live-fire cooking in its explorations of the cuisines of Southwest Asia, North Africa and the Caucasus, Rose Previte's Maydan L.A. is the heart of Maydan Market.

How a revolutionary L.A. pastry chef is reshaping the way we bake

Betty Hallock — Thu, 9 Apr 2026 10:30:00 GMT

Roxana Jullapat left behind a career as a fine-dining pastry chef to open Friends & Family bakery. Her new cookbook, "Morning Baker," pays tribute to the life flip.

L.A.'s history-making wolf lands in Eastern Sierra. Miles pile up as she seeks forever home

Lila Seidman — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 02:19:46 GMT

A wolf arrived in Inyo County on Sunday morning, marking the first of her kind in the area in at least 100 years. It was the same wolf that had visited L.A. County.

Hollywood rallies around former L.A. Zoo elephants Billy and Tina as they reportedly suffer in Tulsa

Lila Seidman — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Samuel L. Jackson has joined animal rights activists in a renewed push to move Billy and Tina from the Tulsa Zoo to a sanctuary, as Tina suffers from a serious infection.

Barabak: Eric Swalwell's bid for California governor is over. Let the political scrambling begin

Mark Z. Barabak — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 22:26:33 GMT

The Democrat has yet to own up to the obvious end of his campaign. The implosion of Swalwell's candidacy, amid allegations of sexual assault, makes an unsettled contest even more wide open.

Did you feel it? As Artemis II nears reentry, scientists want to know how far the sonic boom travels

Noah Haggerty — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 20:04:53 GMT

Southern Californians might hear a sonic boom as NASA's Artemis II moon mission reenters the atmosphere off the coast of San Diego Friday evening, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

War has turned this African capital into a city of graves

Nabih Bulos — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

With cemeteries inaccessible during Sudan's bloody civil war, residents of Khartoum resorted to burying their dead in just about any spare plot of land.

Are you truly infatuated with your co-worker, or do you just see them 40 hours a week?

Goth Shakira — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Our columnist holds court in a starry place to answer your heart's questions about love.

At Santee Alley, come ready to shed rigid assumptions and play

Lilliam Rivera — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Santee Alley has become a place for me to bring closer the family I left, a space where I can unabashedly experiment with my style through their selection of menswear.

The fraught and elaborate hunt to finding beautiful and functional flatware

Liz Raiss — Tue, 14 Oct 2025 10:00:00 GMT

There is a lot out there. Everyone I talk to seems to have an opinion. I am almost immediately overwhelmed.

'A slow indulgence.' L.A. newsstands are no longer regular; they're remarkable

Katerina Portela — Mon, 9 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Once a morning tradition, newsstands have become rare gems we stumble upon to remind us about the power of connection.

He swapped his lawn for native plants after asking, 'What was meant to be here?'

Lisa Boone — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

'It's really been a joy to reunite the soil with the plants that belong here,' Christopher Smee says of removing his lawn and planting California natives.

Get ideas for your home garden at these 19 spring garden tours around L.A.

Lisa Boone — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

From California native wildflowers to historic Midcentury Modern design, this guide offers details about spring garden tours in Southern California.

Two ex-New Yorkers embrace more-is-more style in their maximalist Pasadena home

Lisa Boone — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 11:00:00 GMT

Brent Poer and Beau Quillian's historic home is an exuberant collage of Hermès plates, Black Forest antlers, Staffordshire porcelain figurines, majolica plates and art that has been lovingly curated.

'It's still a great year for wildflowers': Where to catch colorful blooms around SoCal

Jessie Schiewe — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 10:00:00 GMT

It wasn't a superbloom year, and that's OK. Here are the best spots to see an abundance of colorful wildflowers in Southern California.

East L.A. Women's Day Fest celebrates two storied legacies of advocacy on the Eastside

Carlos De Loera — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 02:35:58 GMT

Saturday's East L.A. Women's Day Fest will celebrate the legacy of two Latina-run advocacy organizations on the Eastside.

Olvera Street's iconic burro stand to be evicted after judge's ruling

Carlos De Loera — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 02:02:52 GMT

Olvera Street's famous burro photo stand faces eviction after an L.A. judge's ruling. Owner Richard Hernandez has fought a long legal battle since his mother died in 2024.

U.S. Postal Service honors lowrider community in new forever stamp collection

Andrea Flores — Mon, 9 Mar 2026 23:25:54 GMT

The new stamps, out Friday, will celebrate the lowrider culture that is rooted in the 1940s working-class Mexican American/Chicano communities throughout the American Southwest, which began as a counterculture to fast cars of that time.

Afrika Bambaataa, hip-hop pioneer and 'Planet Rock' rapper, dies at 68

Alexandra Del Rosario — Thu, 9 Apr 2026 23:31:50 GMT

Afrika Bambaataa, the influential rapper and DJ who helped shape the culture of hip-hop with his legendary Zulu Nation block parties in the South Bronx, has died. He was 68.

Malibu race car driver and Porsche fanatic Doug Baron killed in Camarillo car accident

Clara Harter — Thu, 9 Apr 2026 23:16:02 GMT

Doug Baron, a Malibu resident, Porsche racer and longtime fixture in the Los Angeles classic car community, was killed at age 66 in a car accident in Camarillo.

Jim Whittaker, first American climber to scale Mt. Everest, dies at 97

David Colker — Thu, 9 Apr 2026 03:46:30 GMT

West Coast climber Jim Whittaker reached the highest point on Earth on May 1, 1963. He later turned recreation co-op REI into a business success story.