Rep. James Gallagher (R-Calif.) was officially sworn into Congress on Wednesday afternoon, slightly broadening the GOP’s slim majority in the House.  Gallagher won the special election on June 2 for the seat for California’s 1st Congressional District, following Rep. Doug LaMalfa’s (R) death in January. The former state assemblymember, who was backed by President Trump,…

Rep. James Gallagher (R-Calif.) was officially sworn into Congress on Wednesday afternoon, slightly broadening the GOP’s slim majority in the House.  Gallagher won the special election on June 2 for the seat for California’s 1st Congressional District, following Rep. Doug LaMalfa’s (R) death in January. The former state assemblymember, who was backed by President Trump,…

Chemical tank overheated in May and forced evacuation of 50,000 nearby residents due to danger of explosion

The FBI is searching a southern California aerospace facility where an overheated chemical tank forced 50,000 residents to evacuate last month, after federal authorities served a search warrant there on Wednesday.

Signed by a federal judge last week, the warrant approved the seizure of records related to the “storage, use or disposal” of methyl methacrylate, the chemical stored inside the tank that authorities feared could explode.

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© Photograph: Ethan Swope/AP

© Photograph: Ethan Swope/AP

© Photograph: Ethan Swope/AP

The warrant signed by a federal judge last week approved the seizure of documents and records related to the "storage, use, or disposal" of methyl methacrylate, the chemical inside the affected tank.

Taking a week to count votes is doing it wrong.

© Illustration by Rebecca Chew/The New York Times

Hilton has worn many hats since he arrived in the US 14 years ago, and now faces steep odds of defeating Democratic Xavier Becerra in November

After years of working in the background of Conservative party politics in Britain, Steve Hilton has passed the first major test as his own front man: clinching a spot in the November run-off to become California’s next governor.

The outcome was far from a given under California’s open primary system, which rewards the top two vote winners regardless of party, and the particular challenge of running as a Republican in one of the most solidly blue states in the country.

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© Photograph: Rich Pedroncelli/AP

© Photograph: Rich Pedroncelli/AP

© Photograph: Rich Pedroncelli/AP

Randy Villegas will face the incumbent, David Valadao, a Republican who has survived numerous challenges in a competitive district.

© Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images For Connor Treacy

Rep. Kevin Kiley (I-Calif.), a former Republican, is set for a showdown in November against a Democratic challenger, Decision Desk HQ has projected. Shortly before 8 p.m. EDT, Kiley had garnered 24.53 percent of the vote, while Democrat Richard Pan, a doctor and small business owner, had garnered 23.21 percent, per DDHQ. Pan and Kiley…

Rep. Kevin Kiley (I-Calif.), a former Republican, is set for a showdown in November against a Democratic challenger, Decision Desk HQ has projected. Shortly before 8 p.m. EDT, Kiley had garnered 24.53 percent of the vote, while Democrat Richard Pan, a doctor and small business owner, had garnered 23.21 percent, per DDHQ. Pan and Kiley…

The ex-reality TV star, who lost his home in the Pacific Palisades fire, cast himself as the antidote to the city’s woes

Spencer Pratt, an ex-reality TV star, cast himself as the antidote to Los Angeles’s woes as he campaigned to be the city’s next mayor.

He curried favor with swaths of disillusioned voters who related to his diatribes against city leadership. His fervent social media posts, including re-shares of AI-generated campaign ads showing LA in an apocalyptic light, garnered national attention.

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© Photograph: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

© Photograph: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

© Photograph: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Mr. Kiley dropped his Republican affiliation earlier this year. The newly drawn Sixth Congressional District is widely considered to be favorable for Democrats.

© Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times, Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press

Former UK political operative endorsed by Trump will face off against Democrat Xavier Becerra in November election

Republican Steve Hilton, the former UK political operative turned Fox News personality, has advanced to the November general election in the race to become California’s next governor, facing off against Democrat Xavier Becerra, a former congressman, state attorney general and US health secretary.

Hilton’s success, a remarkable achievement for a recent immigrant, came after he was endorsed by Donald Trump.

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© Photograph: Rich Pedroncelli/AP

© Photograph: Rich Pedroncelli/AP

© Photograph: Rich Pedroncelli/AP

California Rep. Ted Lieu (D) on Tuesday criticized Republican concerns about the progression of his state’s elections by making a sports comparison.  “In California, I ask people to simply listen to the words of the Republican nominee for governor, Steve Hilton, who said that they’ve been vigilant and they’ve seen no cause to intervene in…

California Rep. Ted Lieu (D) on Tuesday criticized Republican concerns about the progression of his state’s elections by making a sports comparison.  “In California, I ask people to simply listen to the words of the Republican nominee for governor, Steve Hilton, who said that they’ve been vigilant and they’ve seen no cause to intervene in…

The election will test whether voters in the heavily Democratic city want to move further to the political left to address long-running problems of homelessness, buckled streets and sidewalks and climbing rent and home prices.

Pratt, a reality television personality, was not able to pull off his latest venture — an improbable bid to become mayor of Los Angeles.

Esteban had never heard of the prison gang Los Paisas until he was held at the Adelanto immigrant detention center in California. As soon as he passed through the bars of his housing unit, other detainees made it clear he had to choose: join them or join another group made up of Russians, Indians, Chinese, and Armenians. He understood that doing neither would leave him defenseless, so he accepted. There was no initiation ritual and he was not asked to swear allegiance. The rules were simple: protect your own from violent people, settle internal disputes, and keep a measure of order in a place where authority often seemed insufficient. Over the months, deportations and transfers took away people he knew. They were replaced by newcomers, some of whom did not understand the dynamics of detention. He had to teach them. Before he knew it, Esteban was among the most long-standing members and, without seeking the role, he became one of the leaders of the gang.

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Critics say president using well-worn playbook – with loyalists in key positions ready to amplify his message

Donald Trump is “inventing fraud” in California’s primary elections, and likely to ramp up unfounded allegations when more races go against him, pro-democracy experts have warned.

While the US president has used this playbook for years – from his loss at the Emmys as a reality TV star to his defeat in the 2020 presidential election – election integrity campaigners fear this time could be different.

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© Photograph: Samuel Corum/Getty Images

© Photograph: Samuel Corum/Getty Images

© Photograph: Samuel Corum/Getty Images

Denim giant claims trademarked design has been copied by S-Double, which was founded in 2008 by Shawn Stussy and is owned by the Melbourne-based clothing company

Global jeans giant Levi’s has launched legal action against Australian clothing company Globe and one of its brands for sewing tags on to pockets – which it says is “blatant copying” of its trademark design.

The US denim giant made the same claim 15 years ago against the same brand, S-Double, founded by Shawn Stussy and owned by Melbourne-headquartered Globe.

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© Photograph: Sean Gallup/Getty Images

© Photograph: Sean Gallup/Getty Images

© Photograph: Sean Gallup/Getty Images

The proposal was seen as a possible measure of how residents felt about the recent flood of money into the city as a result of the A.I. boom.

© Loren Elliott for The New York Times