County

• The Orange County Business Journal's "Technology 2026" report examines the evolving intersection of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity risks for local businesses. • The analysis highlights how cybercriminals are leveraging AI to execute faster and more sophisticated attacks, increasing the vulnerability of organizational data and operations. • This shift matters because traditional security measures are becoming insufficient, forcing companies to fundamentally rethink their protection strategies for employees and digital assets.

• Montgomery County leaders have condemned a series of Supreme Court rulings issued on Thursday that roll back Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for migrants. • James Percival, general counsel at the Department of Homeland Security, praised the rulings as victories for the rule of law, asserting that TPS was always intended to be temporary. • The court's decisions also make it easier to remove lawful permanent residents who commit crimes and bar individuals from applying for asylum if they have not entered the U.S.

Council says it has so far spent £15,000 removing flags put up under campaign linked to anti-immigration protestsOxfordshire county council is seeking an injunction against the Raise the Colours campaign group after England flags were tied to lamp-posts across the county.The campaign has been putting up flags across the country since August last year, and there is a particular proliferation of them in and around Oxford. Though the campaign has said it is motivated by pride and patriotism, the flag raising has been linked to anti-immigration protests. Continue reading...

Shasta county passes measure requiring elections to be held in person on one day and limiting absentee ballotsUS politics live – latest updatesNorthern California’s Shasta county, best known for its radical conservative politics and thriving election-skeptic movement, appears on track for another clash with the state over a newly approved ballot measure that would transform local elections.In last Tuesday’s election, the majority of voters in the rural county backed Measure B, which requires elections to be held in person on a single day and limits who can cast an absentee ballot – effectively putting an end to vote by mail – while also requiring photo ID and a hand count. Continue reading...

Altadena group pans report as ‘pages of deflection’ and cites reliance on ‘department insiders’ rather than residentsLos Angeles county fire officials did not discriminate on the basis of race or socioeconomic status and did not delay in their evacuation orders during last year’s deadly Eaton fire in Altadena, a consulting firm found on Monday.At the behest of the county and its fire department, the California-based firm Citygate Associates conducted an investigation into how evacuation alerts were deployed last January, after emergency response officials came under fierce scrutiny for reported delays. Continue reading...

Actor says Ensemble 84 in Horden, employing local talent, is how a professional repertory company should beIt’s a chilly spring evening in what was once a Catholic church in a left-behind County Durham pit village, and Ian McKellen admits he is feeling emotional.“This is the only company of actors in the United Kingdom and it’s in … Horden?” he says. “I’m feeling very emotional. This fulfils all my romantic dreams I’ve had ever since I discovered the joys of theatre-going and acting.” Continue reading...

Santa Clara county claims Meta Platforms violated the state’s false advertising and unfair business practices lawsCalifornia’s Santa Clara county has sued Meta Platforms, alleging it has profited from Facebook and Instagram ads promoting scams in violation of California’s false advertising and unfair business practices laws.The lawsuit – filed on Monday in Santa Clara county superior court on behalf of all California residents – accuses the social media giant of tolerating fraudulent advertising on a global basis. The suit seeks restitution, civil damages and an order prohibiting Meta from engaging in unfair business practices. Continue reading...