Headlines From The Times

UCLA settles a $6.45 million lawsuit from Jewish students over pro-Palestinian protests they say excluded them from campus life. California and other states sue the Trump administration to keep Planned Parenthood’s Medicaid funding for essential health services. A January wildfire in Los Angeles could cost as much as $51.7 billion in home damages alone. And an El Segundo startup unveils a robot that blends AI and Japanese tradition to make sashimi more humanely and affordably.

Wallis Annenberg, whose decades of giving transformed Los Angeles’ cultural and civic life, has died at 86, leaving behind a profound legacy across education, healthcare, and the arts. Meanwhile, President Trump escalates pressure on Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine, cutting a 50-day peace deadline to less than two weeks after renewed Russian attacks.Lawyers sue Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz” detention center over detainees held without charges. California and other states take on the USDA for demanding personal data from SNAP recipients. Thousands of Stater Bros. grocery workers authorize a strike across Southern California stores over labor disputes. And a dating safety app suffers a major data breach, exposing tens of thousands of user images and IDs.

California moves to fill a critical gap in disaster research after the Trump administration slashes EPA funding. State Democrats then weigh redrawing congressional maps to challenge GOP efforts in Texas. Lyft plans to roll out autonomous shuttles next year, aiming to catch up in the robotaxi race. And Activision Blizzard takes cheat developers to court worldwide, hoping to curb rampant hacking in Call of Duty. Four stories showing how policy, technology, and the courts shape life and business today.

UCLA researchers install sensors to protect Palisades residents from post-fire air pollution. A federal appeals court strikes down California’s voter-approved background checks for ammunition, citing Second Amendment rights. Food delivery robots roll out across Los Angeles, sparking debate over convenience and jobs. And despite Amazon’s extended Prime Day, shoppers turn to Walmart for better deals on everyday essentials. Four stories tracking health, law, technology, and shifting consumer habits across California.

President Trump imposes a 15% tariff on Japanese goods as part of a new trade deal he claims will create hundreds of thousands of jobs, while warning the EU of more tariffs ahead. Meanwhile, a Times investigation into January’s deadly West Altadena fire reveals critical delays and misallocated resources left residents largely unprotected during the worst hours. A judge blocks the Trump administration’s effort to unseal Jeffrey Epstein’s grand jury records in Florida. Another court stops ICE from immediately detaining Kilmar Abrego Garcia after a wrongful deportation. Uber tests a women-only ride option in California aimed at safer travel. And the White House launches an AI plan to cut regulations and speed development, drawing support from tech leaders and criticism from civil rights and environmental groups. Four stories shaping law, policy, and technology in the U.S. today.