City and County of San Francisco — California’s fourth-largest city and a global hub
Two back-to-back earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 have struck northern Venezuela since Wednesday evening, flattening buildings in La Guaira and Caracas, cutting power and closing the main international airport. Authorities have declared a state of emergency, rescue operations are continuing and international teams and aid offers have begun to arrive as the death toll and reports of missing people climb.
Galleries have been shrinking and business models have been under sustained pressure at Art Basel this month, while major players have been narrowing investments and reshaping portfolios across regions. SoftBank has reduced deal activity in Latin America; Pace has cut artists and staff; recruitment firm Hays has sold operations; and community art projects and private collectors are adapting their approaches.
The Home Secretary and Immigration Minister are in a public clash over care-worker visa rules. A Times op-ed by Mike Tapp has sparked calls for his sacking, while Downing Street says decisions will follow the ministerial code. The government is pushing a wide reform package on migration as opposition voices push back.
Prologis has made an all-share approach worth 925p a Segro share, valuing Segro at about 3.6bn. Segro’s board has rejected the bid as “a long way short” of value, arguing the US bid undervalues the business. Shares have rallied on the news, while broader property stocks are buoyed by falling gilt yields and hopes of cheaper financing.
California has launched Golden State Start, a statewide program delivering 400 free diapers to all newborns discharged from participating hospitals. The initiative, run in partnership with Baby2Baby, is funded with about $20 million over current and next year and aims to ease early parenting costs. Critics question cost, governance, and potential ties to political networks.
Several firms have announced expansion plans and new measures that will accelerate commercial robotaxi rollouts. Mobileye has announced a 2027 U.S. launch with an initial 100-vehicle fleet and a five-year target of 17,000; Wayve and Uber are preparing a supervised London service in the coming months; Tesla and Waymo are expanding U.S. coverage; and new indices show Chinese robotaxi players are scaling faster than many expected.
Steven Soderbergh’s Cannes debut of John Lennon: The Last Interview has sparked debate over its use of AI visuals and the film’s focus on Lennon and Yoko Ono, with critics split on how the interview is presented against the era’s context.
A busy bank holiday and Memorial Day weekend are driving record travel demand. UK and US transport bodies warn of heavy traffic, with millions on the roads, rail and air. High fuel prices persist, and border checks at Dover and long border queues are expected due to EES implementation and airport uncertainty.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has said the department is drawing up plans to halt customs processing at international airports in sanctuary cities, signaling a potential disruption to major hubs including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. He has also argued that sanctuary jurisdictions hinder immigration enforcement and may prompt changes to travel safety procedures.
Yes Make and partners have opened Tipping Point East, a 20,000 sq m hub in Newham for reusing demolition and refurbishment materials. It aims to cut waste and provide affordable timber and cultural objects, creating a regenerative supply chain for the city.
The OUT Museum, created by Chen in San Francisco’s Chinatown, has opened with a small exhibit of Chinese queer art, as activists and artists push for broader recognition of LGBTQ+ voices in China and the diaspora. The project began in China via Kickstarter and now thrives in a city navigating policy changes around LGBTQ+ rights.
Apple TV’s Cape Fear reimagines the 1962 and 1991 thrillers for today, with Javier Bardem as Max Cady and Amy Adams and Patrick Wilson as the Bowdens. The 10-part series leans into modern anxieties, preserving key scenes while intensifying the nightmare. Director Nick Antosca aims for a nightmare remix rather than a straight remake.
The Guardian’s Grace Dent reviews The Golden Tooth in north London, praising chef Matthew Scott and wine merchant Charlie Carr for maturing a pub dining concept with a refined menu, low-intervention wines and a focus on bold, comforting dishes.
OpenAI has submitted a confidential S‑1 to the US Securities and Exchange Commission for a potential IPO, joining Anthropic and SpaceX in what could become a wave of blockbuster listings. The company has not set timing or deal terms and says it may remain private while it completes plans that are easier offline.
In California’s open primary, State Sen. Scott Wiener and San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan have advanced to the November general election; Saikat Chakrabarti trails and is not on the ballot. Wiener has embraced housing, immigration, AI safeguards, and healthcare while Chan benefits from Pelosi’s endorsement. Chakrabarti has campaigned with Hasan Piker and criticized Wiener over Israel policy.
A San Francisco business theft involving a Waymo driverless car remains unsolved months after a January incident. Police obtained video and account data but have not identified a suspect. The company says it does not use facial recognition and reviews requests for legal validity.
San Francisco's moderate leadership has secured reelection gains and pushed a rezoning plan, while a widening housing crisis and the AI industry’s growth test the city’s political balance. Voters have backed centrist candidates and policies, even as pro-labor and progressive voices push back on policing, taxation, and neighborhood preservation.
GM is expanding vehicle‑to‑grid capabilities and developing sodium‑ion batteries for grid storage, aiming to cut costs and support rising electricity demand driven by AI data centers. Pilots with PG&E and DTE Energy are underway, with Scale and timelines focused on energy storage rather than cars.
Airlines are expanding premium cabins and adding routes to host World Cup cities as bookings rise in June and July. United, Delta and others are boosting capacity with larger aircraft and special routes, while some markets see premium pricing and strategic network adjustments.
Zoopla finds a widening gap between house and flat prices since 2016, with houses up 43% and flats 10%, widening the house-to-flat ratio from 1.3x to 1.7x. Regional disparities are strongest in the Midlands and North, while Scotland remains stable. London shows a different pattern, with slower price growth.
OpenAI, Anthropic and SpaceX are pursuing mega IPOs, with Perplexity outlining a slower path. The race to public markets signals shifting investor appetite for frontier AI, while highlighting how valuations and open-source options may influence corporate AI budgets.
Cities hosting major events are using outreach and housing programs to address homelessness. Atlanta reports progress under Downtown Rising, housing nearly 500 people, while critics cite ongoing encampments and questions about funding and effectiveness.
The article reports that Early Bird pricing for TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 ends tonight. Tickets are discounted by up to $410, with group passes offering up to 30% off. The event runs October 13–15 in San Francisco, featuring hundreds of startups, sessions, and networking opportunities that connect founders, investors, and operators.
Visa and OpenAI are integrating payments tools into OpenAI’s agent system, enabling AI agents to complete purchases on behalf of users. The move follows OpenAI’s earlier Instant Checkout trial and aims to create trusted, secure transactions with guardrails. Mastercard and other players are pursuing similar AI-shopping capabilities.
Microsoft’s CEO has warned that a future where a few AI providers capture most value could hollow out entire industries unless companies retain control of their learning systems. He calls for a broad AI ecosystem where businesses maintain ownership of knowledge and invest in governance and identity controls.
A wave of recent reporting shows graduates face a shifting labor market as AI reshapes entry-level work. Universities strike deals with AI firms while students push back against discussions of automation. Experts urge focusing on skill-building and AI literacy to navigate the coming changes.
Waymo has launched Waymo Premier, a $29.99-per-month membership offering priority pickups, up to five free cancellations monthly, and 10% Waymo Cash back for trips. The program is initially invite-only in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoenix, with plans to broaden to additional cities as it presses expansion and pursues higher-value riders.
A wave of lawsuits alleges OpenAI’s ChatGPT mishandled conversations involving self-harm and mental health crises, with plaintiffs seeking automatic termination of dangerous chats and warnings. Cases reference conversations dating back to 2023–2025 and involve OpenAI’s safety systems and responses.
A massive Medline warehouse fire in Tracy continues to burn, with smoke impacting air quality. Authorities confirm sprinkler and hydrant failures contributed to the blaze as crews fight hotspots and assess damages. Evacuations occurred; no injuries reported. Officials say this will keep firefighters on scene for days.
Two college-age women from Fremont were swept from Panther Beach’s keyhole by sneaker waves in Santa Cruz County. One died at the scene; the other died days later in hospital. Rescue crews performed multiple water rescues along a one-mile stretch amid dangerous surf and rising tides.
Meta will invest $900 million in Cred as Kunal Shah steps down as Cred CEO to lead WhatsApp, with Miten Sampat becoming interim WhatsApp chief strategy officer. The move highlights Meta's push to expand WhatsApp into payments, business services, and AI-enabled products while Cred scales toward an IPO.
NFL star Aldon Smith has died after delivering pizzas for a homeless charity in the San Francisco Bay Area. Attorneys say his brain will be examined for CTE as part of ongoing family-initiated investigations into the death.
California governor Gavin Newsom has said federal agents have contacted friends, former staff and donors connected to him and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and has accused President Donald Trump of ordering a politically motivated Justice Department inquiry as he weighs a 2028 presidential run. Multiple outlets report the probes began after California whistleblower complaints and are being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.
Waymo, Wayve, Baidu and Uber-backed ventures have pushed robotaxi testing and commercial rollouts in London, San Francisco and Houston, while Uber has announced Houston as its next market after San Francisco. Companies have recalled vehicles and limited freeway operations after construction-zone incidents, and unions and regulators are blocking some US rollout plans.
JetBlue has expanded its Mint premium cabin and cross‑country flying from Fort Lauderdale, with plans to add more Mint flights to San Diego, San Francisco and Los Angeles. The moves come as the airline shifts focus from New York–area bases to Florida growth, following Spirit’s collapse and ongoing cost‑control efforts. The company faces quarterly losses even as revenue grows.
Judith Sheldon, 84, daughter of filmmaker William Wyler, and her husband Wylie Sheldon, 86, have died after being found unresponsive in their running red Jeep Compass on the shoulder of Interstate 5 near Redding, California. Authorities say no foul play is suspected and a heat-related factor is being considered, with autopsy to follow.
Waymo is recalling nearly 3,900 robotaxis to fix software that can drive into freeway construction zones, after 13 incidents in Phoenix and the San Francisco Bay Area. The company has limited freeway driving during the fix and notes it continues to operate on surface streets.
The Giants-Braves three-game series was washed out by a tropical storm, with games postponed and a makeup date set for Aug. 31 in Atlanta. The Giants face a heavy travel and pitching load as they adjust rotations and weather the stormy stretch.
ABC has launched on-air appeals to viewers to weigh in with the FCC as the commission reviews The View’s status and ABC’s broadcast licenses amid broader diversity probes. The network argues the case centers on political speech rules and public-interest licensing.
Santander targets over €1bn in AI-led value by 2028; Higgsfield eyes $1bn run rate as AI media tools expand; Databricks reports rising costs amid rapid AI-driven revenue growth.
Investors from Moloco, Google, Meta and Unity have taken minority stakes in AppsFlyer, as AI reshapes attribution and measurement in advertising. AppsFlyer plans to use the funds to accelerate omnichannel measurement and prepare for a potential public listing.
The Giants have faced backlash over Pride Night after pitchers wore Bible verses on rainbow caps. Posey has declined to revisit the topic, stating the focus remains on team matters while a broader controversy surrounding rights and identity swirls around MLB.
The Supreme Court and federal courts have issued rulings shaping how the government can enforce immigration policy. Major decisions limit asylum processing at the border, define when someone “arrives” in the U.S., and curb court-based arrests, with implications for executive authority and due process.
Zoox has unveiled interior and interface improvements to its bidirectional robotaxi as it eyes a wider rollout later this year, including a lighter interior, new seating, larger cupholders, improved touchscreens, and two-way audio for riders and first responders. Production is planned at the Hayward facility with up to 100 vehicles weekly pending regulatory approval.
A federal judge has blocked President Trump’s executive order on mail-in voting, preventing it from taking effect before November elections. The ruling follows lawsuits from Democratic-led states arguing the order oversteps presidential authority and intrudes on states’ election administration.
OpenAI has won a portion of the Musk v. Altman litigation, with a judge dismissing xAI’s trade secrets case against OpenAI with prejudice. The ruling reaffirms OpenAI’s legal position, while Musk has signaled intent to appeal. The case underscores ongoing tensions in AI development and corporate governance.
Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold has been arrested in Florida on kidnapping and robbery charges. Police allege he was the “primary conspirator” in an incident at a Tampa-area apartment in February, involving the kidnapping and assault of three men and the theft of items linked to a prior Airbnb theft. Multiple associates have pleaded guilty or face charges; Arnold has pleaded not guilty and remains jailed ahead of a detention hearing.
Apple has raised prices for multiple Mac and iPad models, citing an "unprecedented" surge in memory and storage costs driven by the AI data‑centre buildout. The company has said it can no longer absorb component increases; the moves have already knocked Apple shares lower and prompted similar price actions from console makers and other device vendors.
The CFL has refused to register Brendan Sorsby’s contract and will not place him on any negotiation lists. Sorsby has admitted to placing thousands of bets totaling nearly $90,000 during college, including 40 bets on Indiana in 2022. The NFL has declined a supplemental draft for him and directs him to pursue the 2027 regular draft. His path to professional football now centers on the 2027 NFL draft.