California

Two Pacific hurricanes are prompting warnings on opposite sides of the ocean. Hurricane Nolo remains a threat to Hawaii, with officials watching its track toward the islands, while Mexico's Baja California peninsula is bracing for a major landfall from Hurricane Polo. Residents in both regions are being urged to monitor forecasts and prepare for strong winds, heavy rain and coastal flooding.

Mexico's Baja California peninsula is preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Polo, with residents and authorities bracing for heavy rain, strong winds and coastal damage. Meanwhile, Hurricane Nolo is threatening Hawaii, putting the Pacific basin on alert with two simultaneous storm threats. Emergency preparations are underway on both sides of the ocean.

California is examining results from projects that place solar panels over irrigation canals, an approach meant to generate clean power while reducing water evaporation. The state is learning how the panels perform in practice and whether covering canals at scale could cut both water loss and emissions, drawing attention to a idea piloted in the Turlock Irrigation District's Project Nexus.

SpaceX carried out a classified mission for the US Space Force, lifting off from California. The payload and mission details were not disclosed, consistent with national security launches, and footage and photographs of the liftoff were released. It is the latest in a series of military space missions flown by the company for the Pentagon.

Mexico's Baja California peninsula is preparing for the arrival of major Hurricane Polo, with residents and authorities bracing for strong winds, heavy rain and coastal damage. At the same time, Hurricane Nolo remains a threat to Hawaii in the Pacific. Two simultaneous Pacific storms have drawn attention to the region's hurricane activity.

California is preparing for flooding and landslides as forecasters expect a super El Niño this year, a warming of equatorial Pacific waters that disrupts weather patterns worldwide. After years of coastal erosion, communities such as Pacifica, south of San Francisco, are already showing strain, and officials worry heavy winter storms could worsen damage to weakened cliffs and hillsides.

SpaceX launched a classified payload for the US Space Force from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, then landed the Falcon 9 booster on a droneship at sea. Multiple US local news outlets carried the report. The mission's cargo and purpose remain undisclosed, consistent with the military's practice of keeping national security payloads secret.

Rising seas are reshaping a California beach town, eroding shoreline and putting a key coastal rail line at risk. The situation highlights the growing pressure climate change is placing on coastal infrastructure and communities, with local officials facing hard choices about protecting homes, beaches and the threatened rail corridor.

California has declared a state of emergency covering the entire state as officials brace for a strong El Niño forecast. The move allows state agencies to mobilise resources, equipment and personnel ahead of what is expected to be a period of heavy storms and flooding risk. The announcement has drawn wide attention as residents prepare for severe weather across the region.

SpaceX launched a classified U.S. Space Force payload from California, with few details released about the mission's purpose or cargo. The secrecy surrounding the launch is drawing attention, as observers speculate about what the military is sending to space and why information is being withheld.

A California sheriff who seized ballots as part of an election investigation has been stopped by a court ruling ending the probe. Legal observers say the decision could set a precedent that resonates nationwide, as it addresses the limits of local law enforcement power over election materials and the handling of ballots by election officials.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a package of new laws aimed at expanding reproductive freedom and care in the state, which California positions as a national leader on the issue. The measures broaden access to reproductive health services and reinforce the state's protections as other states restrict such care.

California is looking to turn a potentially wet El Niño winter into an opportunity, pursuing efforts to capture stormwater from the big storms expected to hit the state. Officials want to store runoff to recharge groundwater supplies and boost reservoirs, rather than letting it flow out to sea, as drought-strained water systems seek any advantage from the pattern.

Sea level rise is reshaping a California beach town, with encroaching ocean waters now threatening a key rail line serving the community. Erosion and flooding are forcing residents and officials to confront hard choices about how to protect infrastructure and homes along the coast. The story has drawn attention to the wider challenge coastal California faces as climate change accelerates erosion and sea level rise.

California's Supreme Court has ruled that a county sheriff violated state election law by seizing ballots. The decision establishes that ballot seizure by law enforcement breaches legal protections for voters' ballots. The ruling is drawing attention as officials and election watchers assess its implications for the handling of ballots and the limits of sheriffs' authority during elections.

SpaceX is scheduled to launch a U.S. Space Force mission early Saturday from Vandenberg Space Force Base on California's central coast. Local outlets including the Santa Maria Times and Santa Ynez Valley News report on the planned liftoff, which adds to the company's growing slate of national security launches from the West Coast pad.

The California Supreme Court has ordered the Riverside County sheriff to return roughly 650,000 ballots that were seized during an investigation. The ruling, reported by San Diego's 10 News, requires the sheriff's department to hand the ballots back. The case is drawing attention because of the scale of the seizure and questions over law enforcement's handling of election materials in the county.

Tropical Storm Polo is moving up the Pacific off Mexico's coast, and forecasters in Southern California are monitoring its trajectory. While direct landfall is unlikely, the storm's remnants could pull moisture toward the region, raising the possibility of rain, surf, and increased thunderstorm risk. Residents are being urged to follow updated forecasts as the system evolves.

California colleges and universities are rolling out new policies and programs to respond to artificial intelligence's growing role in higher education. The Sacramento Bee reports on how campuses are adjusting teaching, coursework and academic integrity rules as AI tools become widespread among students and faculty across the state's large public and private college systems.

SpaceX launched a rocket from California carrying a classified payload whose contents and purpose were not disclosed. Missions of this kind are usually tied to US government or military contracts, with details kept secret. The launch drew attention because little beyond the fact of liftoff has been made public, and observers are speculating about what was aboard.

California is preparing for a series of storms linked to the developing El Niño pattern, which typically brings wetter conditions to the state. Officials and residents are watching forecasts closely, with concerns focused on heavy rain, flooding, and mudslides in areas recently affected by wildfires. Weather agencies are urging people to get ready for potential disruptions.

The University of Southern California has ended its practice of selling donated cadavers to the US Navy, which reportedly used them for training connected to the Israeli military. The decision follows scrutiny of the arrangement and its ethical implications regarding consent and the use of donated bodies. Critics had called the programme inappropriate, and the university's move is being discussed as part of wider debates over institutional ties to Israel's war effort.

A report cited in Fox Business coverage claims California has spent at least $11 billion in welfare benefits for immigrants living in the United States illegally. The figure is fueling debate over state spending priorities, with critics calling it evidence of misplaced funds and defenders arguing California's policies reflect its commitment to supporting all residents regardless of immigration status.

SpaceX carried out a classified rocket launch from the California coast, with few details released about the mission's payload or purpose. The secrecy surrounding the launch has drawn public attention and speculation, as classified missions typically involve national security or military payloads whose details remain undisclosed by the company and government agencies.

SpaceX launched a secretive mission for the US Space Force from California. Details about the payload and purpose have not been disclosed, consistent with classified military spaceflight. Photos released from the launch show the rocket lifting off from the West Coast, and the mission is drawing attention for the lack of public information about what was carried into orbit.

Two earthquakes struck California on Sunday morning with little warning, according to early reports. Details on the magnitude, epicenter and any damage or injuries remain limited, but the back-to-back quakes have drawn attention as residents report feeling the ground shake. Authorities are likely monitoring the area for aftershocks as more information emerges.

Mexico issued hurricane warnings for portions of both coasts of Baja California Sur on September 27 as Major Hurricane Polo moved north-northwest toward the peninsula. Authorities in the state are making preparations ahead of an expected landfall on Monday, with the US National Hurricane Center tracking the storm's approach toward the popular tourist region.