California

FBI warned California law enforcement of potential Iranian drone attacks before U.S. strikes, as Trump, Newsom play down imminent threat The FBI warned law enforcement agencies last month that Tehran could attempt surprise drone attacks in California if the United States struck Iran, according to a security bulletin seen by Reuters. The alert surfaced publicly Wednesday as U.S. and Israeli bombardments of Iran, which began Feb. 28, drove the conflict into a 12th day and rattled energy markets. The confidential bulletin,…

Rescuers in California have recovered the ninth and final victim of the Castle Peak avalanche in the Sierra Nevada, bringing closure to a dayslong search after one of the deadliest avalanches in modern U.S. history. The slide struck Tuesday near Lake Tahoe, engulfing a guided backcountry group and leaving nine dead and six survivors, authorities said. “Nine individuals who lost their lives in the Castle Peak avalanche on 17 February have been safely recovered from the mountain,” the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said in a…

Investigators are examining whether criminal negligence played a role in the avalanche that killed at least eight people during a guided backcountry ski trip in California, but emphasized it is too early to determine whether any charges are warranted, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said. The slide, which struck a group near Castle Peak outside Truckee, was the deadliest U.S. avalanche in 45 years. The sheriff’s office said in a written statement that, in addition to the coroner’s death investigations, it is conducting a…

California avalanche search to continue into weekend as storms halt recovery on Castle Peak Authorities in Northern California said Friday the search for a ninth person believed killed in a massive Sierra Nevada avalanche will extend into the weekend, as relentless storms and unstable snow continue to thwart efforts to recover victims on Castle Peak near Lake Tahoe. The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said eight victims of the backcountry avalanche have been located but cannot be safely moved. “Due to hazardous weather…

Search crews in California’s Sierra Nevada were racing against fading light and relentless snowfall to find 10 missing skiers after an avalanche swept a guided group on Castle Peak in the Tahoe area, officials said. The slide struck late yesterday morning as a powerful storm pummeled the mountains with heavy snow and high winds. The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said 16 people — four guides and 12 clients — were caught up in the avalanche near the summit west of Truckee. Six have been accounted for, but mountain rescue…

Rescuers launched a frantic search for 10 missing backcountry skiers after an avalanche swept a guided group on California’s Castle Peak in the Tahoe area, as a powerful Sierra Nevada storm continued dumping heavy snow and driving winds. Authorities said 16 people — four guides and 12 clients — were caught up in the slide late yesterday morning. Six have been accounted for, and mountain rescue teams were attempting to reach them while also combing the area for the others amid whiteout conditions and fresh snowfall. “Highly…

LOS ANGELES — California braced for further downpours and high winds after a series of powerful Pacific storms drenched the state, unleashing flash floods, mud and debris flows, and prompting emergency declarations from Los Angeles County to the San Francisco Bay Area. Fueled by an atmospheric river known as the Pineapple Express — a plume that channels deep tropical moisture from near Hawaii to the U.S. West Coast — the storms were forecast to drop roughly a month’s worth of rain on parts of the state, according to the…

Authorities have reported the arrest of a man at a security checkpoint near a rally for Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump in California. He faces serious gun-related charges after officers discovered two firearms and a high-capacity magazine in his possession. The suspect, identified as Vem Miller and hailing from Las Vegas, was pulled over in his black SUV by deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff's Office this past Saturday. The situation was resolved without any violence, according to the department's…