LOS ANGELES — A pre-trial hearing was held on Thursday for Dawud Abdulwali, 56, the man who is accused of being the arsonist responsible for the massive conflagration that rendered the Da Vinci Building in downtown Los Angeles a complete loss. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Upinder S. Kalra denied a request from Abdulwali’s public defender, Lowynn Young, to reduce his $1 million bail.
In the midst of a heated lawsuit alleging Harvard holds Asian students to a much higher standard during its admissions process, some college admissions counselors in California and elsewhere are coaching Asian American students to appear “less Asian” in an attempt to help them be accepted into the nation’s most elite schools.
Gay marriage is illegal in China, but this past Tuesday in West Hollywood, seven gay and lesbian Chinese couples–winners of an all-expenses-paid trip to the United States and an American dream wedding–were able to exchange vows. Although their marriages are legal in the United States, they won’t be recognized in their home country.
An Anaheim resident is one of 10 finalists who could win a $10,000 grand prize and a chance to have his Charmin toilet paper wedding dress produced and sold in fabric by New York-based, world-renowned bridal shop Kleinfeld.
Two Boko Haram terrorist suspects escaped a pending arrest after a raid on the home they were residing in resulted in a bloody gun battle between them and a team of joint security operatives, which lasted for hours, leaving one of the security personnel dead.
The cell phone industry sued Berkeley this week over a new ordinance it issued requiring that consumers be warned that carrying a switched-on phone in their pockets or bra might exceed federal radiation safety standards.
Oracle’s billionaire guru Larry Ellison will be hosting a $2,700 per-person fundraiser for 2016 presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) on Tuesday at his mansion in Woodside, California.
Global outrage and criticism from the United States, United Nations, European Union and Canada was not enough to keep Saudi Arabia’s supreme court from upholding their extreme sentencing of 10 years in prison and 1,000 blood-curdling lashes as punishment for liberal blogger Raif Badawi, 31, on charges for insulting the religion of Islam.
Pistachios are undoubtedly one of America’s favorite nuts, and a staple export for the Golden State. However, the pending nuclear deal with Iran has created growing concern within the industry that the crop’s otherwise relentless expansion and success in the marketplace could be stifled, should the United Nations end trade sanctions against Iran.
BEVERLY HILLS — Oscar-award winning actor Jon Voight was the guest of honor on Sunday evening at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s Summer Gala, where he was given the unprecedented honor of the “Hollywood Visionary Award.”
The Islamic State beheaded at least 10 Taliban militants in Afghanistan this week in a remote area in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar region, where the jihadist groups are locked in an intense battle for control over many of the surrounding provinces.
Thieves raided and stole hundreds of pounds of food meant for needy children and families last week from Garden Grove-based charity Grandma’s House of Hope. But thanks to a public outpouring of support, all of that food was recovered and those in need walked away with bags of nourishment to fill their otherwise empty stomachs.
On Tuesday, President of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s lobbyist group Fwd.US, Todd Schulte, said the United States needs to allow more “unskilled” immigrants into the workforce and falsely suggested that “for every H1B visa that is granted, nearly two jobs are created for native-born Americans.”
Stacks of bills aimed at helping the poor appear to be piling up on Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk as the deadline to pass legislative measures nears. Whether or not Brown will veto or approve them remains yet to be seen.
Fresno’s Republican Mayor Ashley Swearengin delivered her annual State of the City address on Wednesday, accepting accolades for her role in leading the city out of socio-economic blight.
A highly controversial California State Senate bill that would allow doctors to provide lethal, life-ending drugs to terminally ill patients with less than six months to live passed in a 23-14 vote on Thursday.
On Tuesday, California’s Democrat-majority Assembly approved two major pieces of legislation, together known as “motor voter” bills, that could automatically turn prospective drivers into voters by registering visitors to the Department of Motor Vehicles who are either obtaining or renewing their drivers’ licenses.
Democrat Ro Khanna has appointed Joe Trippi, a Fox News Channel contributor, to help him lead his second attempt to unseat eight-time incumbent Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA) in 2016.
Yoga is not just for women. A new, less intimidating and more straightforward version of the ancient practice has arrived on the scene and is growing in popularity, particularly with men. It’s called “Broga.” Broga creator and co-founder Robert Sidoti
Senate Bill 4, known as the Health for All Act, passed in California’s Senate on Tuesday, 28-11, taking illegal immigrants residing in the Golden State one step closer to attaining health insurance coverage.
The same day that former Olympian Bruce Jenner made his world debut as “Caitlyn,” a group of drag queens from San Francisco–decked out in dresses, wigs and sparkling makeup–made their way to Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park to protest against the tech giant’s rule requiring users to prove their true identities.
Curiosity–perhaps stemming from fear–helped earthquake disaster film San Andreas make a killing at the box office, scoring it a seismic $52.3 million on opening weekend. Nineteen of the 20 top-grossing movie theaters were located in California’s Bay Area and the greater Los Angeles region, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Those two areas are the most earthquake-prone in the country.
Malfunctions in the United States Geological Survey’s (USGS) earthquake detection system in Northern California resulted in three false earthquake alarms in the past few days.
California scientists have recently begun speaking of a nightmare double earthquake scenario where the Hayward and Calaveras faults would trigger each other to make for a combined shaker that would devastate the Golden State. The estimated costs in damages are approximately $300 billion.
Bay Area employees are trading in their caffeine for dancing with a new trend that has hit San Francisco: early morning dance parties, minus the booze.
