Los Angeles County launches an investigation after a sanitation tunnel collapse traps 31 workers underground. Governor Gavin Newsom tours South Carolina, drawing both praise and criticism over his national ambitions. Meanwhile, Hollywood’s soundstage operators hope new state tax credits will revive production after a historic slowdown. Plus, a watchdog warns of a 400% surge in AI-generated child abuse imagery, calling for urgent regulation. Stay tuned for these stories and more from the LA Times newsroom.

Protesters in Santa Monica rally against Trump’s immigration raids and question the legacy of hometown figure Stephen Miller. California farmers dismiss claims that machines or Medicaid recipients can replace undocumented workers and urge legalization for essential labor. Homicides in Los Angeles fall 20%, setting the city on pace for its lowest total since 1968 despite LAPD budget concerns. Officials failed to act on federal disaster warnings before fires in L.A. and floods in Texas, delaying evacuation orders. Mattel debuts its first Barbie with Type 1 diabetes to reflect more children’s experiences. Linda Yaccarino steps down as CEO of Elon Musk’s X amid advertiser exits and controversy over antisemitic posts by the platform’s AI chatbot.

The Supreme Court allows Trump to move forward with mass federal layoffs, while L.A. cracks down on “renovictions” to protect tenants. In tech, Meta poaches a top AI executive from Apple. Governor Newsom demands long-term disaster aid as a new lawsuit threatens funding for Latino and low-income college students. And Amazon’s Prime Day sees slower sales and fewer discounts amid rising tariffs.