California's governor declared a statewide emergency on Sunday as a huge blaze, fanned by strong winds, forced mass evacuations and power blackouts as it bore down on towns in the famed Sonoma wine region.

The so-called Kincade Fire, north of San Francisco, has spread to 30,000 acres (12,000 hectares) and was only 10 per cent contained by Sunday evening, state fire authorities said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/firefighters-struggle-against-massive-wind-whipped-california-wildfire-258443">Firefighters struggle against massive, wind-whipped California wildfire</a>

The blaze, the largest of more than a dozen wildfires burning throughout the state, has destroyed dozens of homes and vineyards, including the renowned 150-year-old Soda Rock Winery.

"We've seen the news. We are devastated," the owners said in a Facebook message, adding that all staff at the winery -- located in the town of Healdsburg, 70 miles north of San Francisco -- are safe.

At least two hospitals in Santa Rosa evacuated patients over the weekend to other facilities.&nbsp;

The Kincade Fire -- the most devastating in California this year -- ignited Wednesday and spread quickly thanks to powerful gusts of up to 90 miles (145 kilometers) per hour.

"Over 3,000 people are working on the fire as we speak, making sure the evacuation is going smoothly and people are taking it seriously," said state governor Gavin Newsom.

An estimated 180,000 people were under mandatory evacuation orders, including in parts of Santa Rosa and a large swath of Sonoma County all the way to the Pacific Ocean. &nbsp;

'Largest evacuation in memory'

"This is the largest evacuation that any of us at the Sheriff's Office can remember. Take care of each other," the Sonoma County sheriff's office tweeted.

Authorities said the area would remain under dangerous red flag conditions until Monday morning.

"Things will improve as we head into Monday and Tuesday but we need to be resilient," a spokesman for the National Weather Service told a news conference.

A fire official warned that should the flames continue spreading west and jump over a major freeway -- the 101 -- that could prove even more catastrophic, as that region hasn't had any fires since the 1940s.

"The fuels in that area are extremely dense, they are extremely old and decadent, and they are extremely dry," he said, referring to the combustible materials including shrubs and trees feeding the fire.

More than 3,000 firefighters backed by air tankers and helicopters were battling to control the blaze, which was not expected to be contained before November 7, fire officials said.

Police to prevent looting

Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick told a news conference that hundreds of police officers backed by the National Guard had been deployed in regions under evacuation orders to check property and prevent looting.&nbsp;

Several other fires have erupted throughout the state in the last week, fueled by high winds, bone-dry conditions and temperatures in the 80s and 90s Fahrenheit (26-32 Celsius).&nbsp;

One major fire -- the Tick Fire -- in the southern part of the state, north of Los Angeles, also prompted evacuations and destroyed a number of homes near Santa Clarita.

But on Sunday, most evacuation orders were lifted as some 1,000 firefighters worked to contain the fire that burned more than 4,500 acres.

In a bid to reduce the risk of fire, California's largest utility, Pacific Gas &amp; Electric Co., said it expected to turn off power to nearly one million customers across northern and central California.

"Winds of this magnitude pose a higher risk of damage and sparks on the electric system and rapid wildfire spread," the company said in a statement. "The fire risk is even higher because vegetation on the ground has been dried out by recent wind events."

PG&amp;E has come under intense scrutiny after it emerged that one of its transmission lines may have played a role in the Kincade Fire.

The same type of line was responsible for California's deadliest-ever wildfire -- last year's Camp Fire, which killed 86 people.

PG&amp;E, which filed for bankruptcy protection earlier this year, has been blamed for several other fires in the state in recent years.

Newsom hit out at the utility earlier this week, saying he was infuriated that a state such as California -- which boasts the fifth-largest economy in the world -- had to endure blackouts.

California's governor declared a statewide emergency on Sunday as a huge blaze, fanned by strong winds, forced mass evacuations and power blackouts as it bore down on towns in the famed Sonoma wine region.

California's governor declared a statewide emergency on Sunday as a huge blaze, fanned by strong winds, forced mass evacuations and power blackouts as it bore down on towns in the famed Sonoma wine region. The so-called Kincade Fire, north of San Francisco, has spread to 30,000 acres (12,000 hectares) and was only 10 per cent contained by Sunday evening, state fire authorities said. Also read: Firefighters struggle against massive, wind-whipped California wildfire The blaze, the largest of more than a dozen wildfires burning throughout the state, has destroyed dozens of homes and vineyards, including the renowned 150-year-old Soda Rock Winery. "We've seen the news. We are devastated," the owners said in a Facebook message, adding that all staff at the winery -- located in the town of Healdsburg, 70 miles north of San Francisco -- are safe. At least two hospitals in Santa Rosa evacuated patients over the weekend to other facilities. The Kincade Fire -- the most devastating in California this year -- ignited Wednesday and spread quickly thanks to powerful gusts of up to 90 miles (145 kilometers) per hour. "Over 3,000 people are working on the fire as we speak, making sure the evacuation is going smoothly and people are taking it seriously," said state governor Gavin Newsom. An estimated 180,000 people were under mandatory evacuation orders, including in parts of Santa Rosa and a large swath of Sonoma County all the way to the Pacific Ocean. 'Largest evacuation in memory' "This is the largest evacuation that any of us at the Sheriff's Office can remember. Take care of each other," the Sonoma County sheriff's office tweeted. Authorities said the area would remain under dangerous red flag conditions until Monday morning. "Things will improve as we head into Monday and Tuesday but we need to be resilient," a spokesman for the National Weather Service told a news conference. A fire official warned that should the flames continue spreading west and jump over a major freeway -- the 101 -- that could prove even more catastrophic, as that region hasn't had any fires since the 1940s. "The fuels in that area are extremely dense, they are extremely old and decadent, and they are extremely dry," he said, referring to the combustible materials including shrubs and trees feeding the fire. More than 3,000 firefighters backed by air tankers and helicopters were battling to control the blaze, which was not expected to be contained before November 7, fire officials said. Police to prevent looting Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick told a news conference that hundreds of police officers backed by the National Guard had been deployed in regions under evacuation orders to check property and prevent looting. Several other fires have erupted throughout the state in the last week, fueled by high winds, bone-dry conditions and temperatures in the 80s and 90s Fahrenheit (26-32 Celsius). One major fire -- the Tick Fire -- in the southern part of the state, north of Los Angeles, also prompted evacuations and destroyed a number of homes near Santa Clarita. But on Sunday, most evacuation orders were lifted as some 1,000 firefighters worked to contain the fire that burned more than 4,500 acres. In a bid to reduce the risk of fire, California's largest utility, Pacific Gas & Electric Co., said it expected to turn off power to nearly one million customers across northern and central California. "Winds of this magnitude pose a higher risk of damage and sparks on the electric system and rapid wildfire spread," the company said in a statement. "The fire risk is even higher because vegetation on the ground has been dried out by recent wind events." PG&E has come under intense scrutiny after it emerged that one of its transmission lines may have played a role in the Kincade Fire. The same type of line was responsible for California's deadliest-ever wildfire -- last year's Camp Fire, which killed 86 people. PG&E, which filed for bankruptcy protection earlier this year, has been blamed for several other fires in the state in recent years. Newsom hit out at the utility earlier this week, saying he was infuriated that a state such as California -- which boasts the fifth-largest economy in the world -- had to endure blackouts.

State of emergency declared as California wildfires rage

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/millions-face-power-cuts-as-california-fires-spread-258303">California firefighters</a> raced against time on Saturday&nbsp;as they cut defensive lines against a wildfire in Sonoma County's famed wine country and authorities ordered 50,000 people to evacuate, ahead of winds that are forecast to pick up at night and spread the flames.

The 25,000-acre&nbsp;Kincade Fire in rugged and steep terrain north of San Francisco was one of two major wildfires burning in California, with the other, the Tick Fire, raging in suburban Los Angeles where it has charred 4,600 acres.

The more than 2,000 firefighters battling the Kincade Fire, which officials said was 10 per cent contained and had destroyed nearly 50 structures, faced a more immediate threat from weather than crews battling the Tick Fire.

The National Weather Service has issued a "red flag" warning for areas around the Kincade Fire, with low-humidity drying out plants and trees and leaving the flames with plenty of combustible fuel. And conditions were only expected to worsen.

The cause of the Kincade Fire is still under investigation, but officials have said it erupted on Wednesday near the base of a damaged high-voltage transmission tower owned by the troubled utility Pacific Gas and Electric Corporation.

Earlier in the week, authorities had ordered 2,000 people to evacuate their homes, with Sonoma County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Karen Hancock describing the flames as having come closest to the community of Geyserville.

On Saturday, authorities <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/california-firefighters-tackle-blazes-in-suburbs-of-los-angeles-258238">expanded evacuation orders in the nearby communities</a> of Windsor and Healdsburg, with more than 50,000 people told to leave home by 4 pm&nbsp;local time when power was expected to be shut off in those areas.

California firefighters raced against time on Saturday as they cut defensive lines against a wildfire in Sonoma County's famed wine country and authorities ordered 50,000 people to evacuate, ahead of winds that are forecast to pick up at night and spread the flames.

California firefighters raced against time on Saturday as they cut defensive lines against a wildfire in Sonoma County's famed wine country and authorities ordered 50,000 people to evacuate, ahead of winds that are forecast to pick up at night and spread the flames. The 25,000-acre Kincade Fire in rugged and steep terrain north of San Francisco was one of two major wildfires burning in California, with the other, the Tick Fire, raging in suburban Los Angeles where it has charred 4,600 acres. The more than 2,000 firefighters battling the Kincade Fire, which officials said was 10 per cent contained and had destroyed nearly 50 structures, faced a more immediate threat from weather than crews battling the Tick Fire. The National Weather Service has issued a "red flag" warning for areas around the Kincade Fire, with low-humidity drying out plants and trees and leaving the flames with plenty of combustible fuel. And conditions were only expected to worsen. The cause of the Kincade Fire is still under investigation, but officials have said it erupted on Wednesday near the base of a damaged high-voltage transmission tower owned by the troubled utility Pacific Gas and Electric Corporation. Earlier in the week, authorities had ordered 2,000 people to evacuate their homes, with Sonoma County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Karen Hancock describing the flames as having come closest to the community of Geyserville. On Saturday, authorities expanded evacuation orders in the nearby communities of Windsor and Healdsburg, with more than 50,000 people told to leave home by 4 pm local time when power was expected to be shut off in those areas.

Bracing for winds, authorities order thousands to flee California wine country fire

In California, power supply to be cut off after tick fire flames erupt. Around 50,000 people have been displaced after this drastic fire. Watch this video to know more.

California: Power supply to be cut off after tick fire flames erupt

California firefighters aided by subsiding winds took the offensive on Friday against two <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-wildfires-rage-in-california-about-50000-get-evacuated-258037">major wildfires</a> at opposite ends of the state, one displacing 50,000 suburban Los Angeles residents and another roaring through Sonoma County's famed wine country.

Governor Gavin Newsom declared an emergency for both blazes, which erupted hours apart amid fierce winds this week that put emergency managers on high alert and prompted utilities to impose wide-scale power outages to curtail wildfire risks.

No injuries have been reported from either the Kincade fire in Sonoma County, about 130 km&nbsp;north of San Francisco or the Tick fire in the Santa Clarita Valley about 65 km&nbsp;north of Los Angeles.

But the two blazes, the worst of several large wildfires across the state this week, have destroyed dozens of homes and other structures while prompting air-quality alerts in parts of Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area.

The dry, hot desert winds, gusting to 112 kph, gave way to light breezes on Thursday night, slowing the fires' advance and presenting crews with a chance to make significant headway against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tens-of-thousands-evacuated-as-california-wildfires-rage-255379">the flames</a>.

The lull was expected to be short-lived. Forecasts called for heavy winds to return late on Saturday and persist through the weekend, leaving fire crews a narrow window to tamp down the blazes in Los Angeles and Sonoma counties.

Power companies, led by the state's largest investor-owned utility, Pacific Gas and Electric Co, also were bracing for a renewal of gale-force winds.

Even as PG&amp;E worked to restore electricity to nearly 200,000 homes and businesses switched off ahead of this week's earlier bout of severe winds, the utility announced plans for a new round of precautionary blackouts expected to leave 850,000 customers without power across 36 counties in northern and central California.

The utility cited weather data showing the expected windstorm "could be the most powerful in California in decades."

Adding to PG&amp;E's difficulties, the utility acknowledged on Thursday that the Kincade fire, which forced the evacuation of 2,000 people in Sonoma County after erupting on Wednesday night, began near the base of a damaged high-voltage transmission tower the utility owns.

Lights on and off

A power shutdown of that scale, affecting millions of people, would surpass even the record outage imposed by PG&amp;E on some 730,000 of its customers in anticipation of a previous windstorm two weeks ago.

That precautionary blackout drew sharp criticism from the governor and regulators as being too widespread as well as poorly managed and communicated to the public.

Newsom has said PG&amp;E is largely to blame for its own predicament, arguing corporate greed and mismanagement kept the utility from upgrading its infrastructure while wildfire hazards have steadily worsened over the past decade, a function of climate change.

PG&amp;E, which filed for bankruptcy in January citing billions of dollars in civil liabilities from deadly wildfires sparked by its equipment in 2017 and 2018, says it has since remedied problems experienced with its website and customer call centre.

It has also arranged for extra personnel from affiliated energy companies and the state to assist with the spot inspections required of its de-energised power lines before electricity that has been turned off is allowed to be restored, the company said.

By Friday, the Kincade fire had charred nearly 8,900 hectares&nbsp;in a wine-growing region whose better-known vintners include "The Godfather" director Francis Ford Coppola, and destroyed at least 49 dwellings and other structures, officials said.

Evacuation orders included the entire town of Geyserville, an historic enclave that is home to about 900 residents and is named for geothermal features in the vicinity.

Fire crews, backed by helicopters and aeroplane tankers dumping loads of water and flame-retardant on the blaze, had managed to carve containment lines around just 5 per cent&nbsp;of the blaze as of Friday.

Hundreds of miles to the south, crews battled to suppress the Tick fire, which erupted on Thursday and by Friday had scorched 4,300 acres&nbsp;and was <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/firefighters-battle-southern-california-wildfires-100000-evacuated-255548">threatening 15,000 homes</a> and businesses, officials said.

An estimated 50,000 people were displaced by evacuation orders in and around Santa Clarita. Poor air quality from thick smoke drifting south prompted the Los Angeles School District to cancel classes for all students in the San Fernando Valley.

"Scary, crazy. We've lived here 37 years and never had to evacuate. So, you know, you always hear about it, you always think, maybe this time. But, yeah, this is the first time," evacuee Terri Egar said.

The fire has destroyed at least six structures, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl Osby said, adding that figure was expected to rise.

"This is the largest evacuation that we've had in Santa Clarita," Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger told a news conference.

California firefighters aided by subsiding winds took the offensive on Friday against two major wildfires at opposite ends of the state, one displacing 50,000 suburban Los Angeles residents and another roaring through Sonoma County's famed wine country.

California firefighters aided by subsiding winds took the offensive on Friday against two major wildfires at opposite ends of the state, one displacing 50,000 suburban Los Angeles residents and another roaring through Sonoma County's famed wine country. Governor Gavin Newsom declared an emergency for both blazes, which erupted hours apart amid fierce winds this week that put emergency managers on high alert and prompted utilities to impose wide-scale power outages to curtail wildfire risks. No injuries have been reported from either the Kincade fire in Sonoma County, about 130 km north of San Francisco or the Tick fire in the Santa Clarita Valley about 65 km north of Los Angeles. But the two blazes, the worst of several large wildfires across the state this week, have destroyed dozens of homes and other structures while prompting air-quality alerts in parts of Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area. The dry, hot desert winds, gusting to 112 kph, gave way to light breezes on Thursday night, slowing the fires' advance and presenting crews with a chance to make significant headway against the flames. The lull was expected to be short-lived. Forecasts called for heavy winds to return late on Saturday and persist through the weekend, leaving fire crews a narrow window to tamp down the blazes in Los Angeles and Sonoma counties. Power companies, led by the state's largest investor-owned utility, Pacific Gas and Electric Co, also were bracing for a renewal of gale-force winds. Even as PG&E worked to restore electricity to nearly 200,000 homes and businesses switched off ahead of this week's earlier bout of severe winds, the utility announced plans for a new round of precautionary blackouts expected to leave 850,000 customers without power across 36 counties in northern and central California. The utility cited weather data showing the expected windstorm "could be the most powerful in California in decades." Adding to PG&E's difficulties, the utility acknowledged on Thursday that the Kincade fire, which forced the evacuation of 2,000 people in Sonoma County after erupting on Wednesday night, began near the base of a damaged high-voltage transmission tower the utility owns. Lights on and off A power shutdown of that scale, affecting millions of people, would surpass even the record outage imposed by PG&E on some 730,000 of its customers in anticipation of a previous windstorm two weeks ago. That precautionary blackout drew sharp criticism from the governor and regulators as being too widespread as well as poorly managed and communicated to the public. Newsom has said PG&E is largely to blame for its own predicament, arguing corporate greed and mismanagement kept the utility from upgrading its infrastructure while wildfire hazards have steadily worsened over the past decade, a function of climate change. PG&E, which filed for bankruptcy in January citing billions of dollars in civil liabilities from deadly wildfires sparked by its equipment in 2017 and 2018, says it has since remedied problems experienced with its website and customer call centre. It has also arranged for extra personnel from affiliated energy companies and the state to assist with the spot inspections required of its de-energised power lines before electricity that has been turned off is allowed to be restored, the company said. By Friday, the Kincade fire had charred nearly 8,900 hectares in a wine-growing region whose better-known vintners include "The Godfather" director Francis Ford Coppola, and destroyed at least 49 dwellings and other structures, officials said. Evacuation orders included the entire town of Geyserville, an historic enclave that is home to about 900 residents and is named for geothermal features in the vicinity. Fire crews, backed by helicopters and aeroplane tankers dumping loads of water and flame-retardant on the blaze, had managed to carve containment lines around just 5 per cent of the blaze as of Friday. Hundreds of miles to the south, crews battled to suppress the Tick fire, which erupted on Thursday and by Friday had scorched 4,300 acres and was threatening 15,000 homes and businesses, officials said. An estimated 50,000 people were displaced by evacuation orders in and around Santa Clarita. Poor air quality from thick smoke drifting south prompted the Los Angeles School District to cancel classes for all students in the San Fernando Valley. "Scary, crazy. We've lived here 37 years and never had to evacuate. So, you know, you always hear about it, you always think, maybe this time. But, yeah, this is the first time," evacuee Terri Egar said. The fire has destroyed at least six structures, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl Osby said, adding that figure was expected to rise. "This is the largest evacuation that we've had in Santa Clarita," Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger told a news conference.

California firefighters tackle blazes in suburbs of Los Angeles

Drastic fire in California consumes almost 4000 acres of land, firefighter struggling to get control. Evacuation has been ordered for almost about 2000 people. Watch this video to know more.

Drastic fire in California consumes almost 4000 acres of land, firefighter struggling to get control

Some 50,000 people were ordered to flee their homes north of Los Angeles on Thursday as a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/firefighters-battle-southern-california-wildfires-100000-evacuated-255548">fast-moving wildfire</a> driven by high winds erupted and raged out of control.

The so-called Tick Fire near Santa Clarita, about 40 miles (65 kilometres) north of Los Angeles, broke out in the early afternoon and quickly consumed 5,000 acres (2,023 hectares), fire officials said.

The blaze burned several homes and structures and forced the closure of a major highway and a number of roads, as some 500 firefighters backed by air tankers and helicopters battled the flames.

There were no immediate reports of injury.

"We are urging everybody to evacuate at this time," a spokesman for the fire department said.

The fire erupted as much of the state was under a red flag warning because of gusty winds, high temperatures and low humidity which make for perfect conditions for wildfires.

In northern California wine country, some 2,000 people were ordered to evacuate after a brush fire erupted late Wednesday, quickly growing from a blaze of a few hundred acres into a 16,000-acre inferno, California fire officials said.

About 500 responders battled the fire fed by wind gusts topping 70 miles per hour (113 kilometres per hour).

Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for the community of Geyserville and nearby vineyards after the fire started in a mountainous area and quickly spread, crossing a highway and moving toward homes, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said.

"If you're in Geyserville, leave now," the sheriff's office advised, citing an extraordinary threat to life and property.

Winds out of the north were driving the fire as firefighters struggled to save homes.

By early evening, the fire was five per cent contained and several structures had burned, fire officials said.&nbsp;

The blaze -- 75 miles (120 kilometres) north of San Francisco -- came amid official warnings that much of northern California and parts of the south were under imminent threat of fires into Friday because of blustery, dry weather and high temperatures.

Another brush fire in San Bernardino County, about 60 miles east of Los Angeles, also prompted evacuation orders as it quickly burned 75 acres.

Hurried departures

Power was cut to some 180,000 customers in the northern part of the state Thursday and similar preemptive shutoffs affected thousands of customers further south due to conditions that are ripe for wildfires.

Power companies warned that additional power cuts could be ordered to reduce the risk of accidental fires.

The strong winds in the north were expected to subside Friday but are forecast to pick up again on Sunday, the National Weather Service warned.&nbsp;

Many residents of Geyserville said they barely had time to gather their belongings as the monster fire quickly approached the town, with embers igniting fires throughout the region.

"We thought we were a couple of miles from the fire," Dwight Monson, 68, told the Los Angeles Times. "But guess what -- the winds."

He said by the time his family got in their cars and escaped to the valley below, the flames were on the edge of their ranch.

PG&amp;E, the state's biggest utility, said in a statement that it had informed regulators that a jumper on a transmission tower near where officials said the fire had started was broken.

The company -- which has been held responsible for numerous wildfires in the state -- said that even though the power to nearly 28,000 customers in Sonoma County, including Geyserville, had been shut down on Wednesday, some of the high-voltage transmission lines were still operating when the fire broke out.

"We relied on the protocol and we still, at this point, do not know what exactly happened," PG&amp;E CEO and president Bill Johnson told a news conference.

This week's fires have erupted as the state is still recovering from deadly wildfires in 2017 and 2018 that killed more than 100 people.

The fires have been fueled by years of drought and dry vegetation.

"This is an emotional time for many people," Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick told a news conference Thursday. "It's only been two years since the fires that devastated our community. For many, this will be a very stressful and anxious time."

Some 50,000 people were ordered to flee their homes north of Los Angeles on Thursday as a fast-moving wildfire driven by high winds erupted and raged out of control.

Some 50,000 people were ordered to flee their homes north of Los Angeles on Thursday as a fast-moving wildfire driven by high winds erupted and raged out of control. The so-called Tick Fire near Santa Clarita, about 40 miles (65 kilometres) north of Los Angeles, broke out in the early afternoon and quickly consumed 5,000 acres (2,023 hectares), fire officials said. The blaze burned several homes and structures and forced the closure of a major highway and a number of roads, as some 500 firefighters backed by air tankers and helicopters battled the flames. There were no immediate reports of injury. "We are urging everybody to evacuate at this time," a spokesman for the fire department said. The fire erupted as much of the state was under a red flag warning because of gusty winds, high temperatures and low humidity which make for perfect conditions for wildfires. In northern California wine country, some 2,000 people were ordered to evacuate after a brush fire erupted late Wednesday, quickly growing from a blaze of a few hundred acres into a 16,000-acre inferno, California fire officials said. About 500 responders battled the fire fed by wind gusts topping 70 miles per hour (113 kilometres per hour). Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for the community of Geyserville and nearby vineyards after the fire started in a mountainous area and quickly spread, crossing a highway and moving toward homes, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said. "If you're in Geyserville, leave now," the sheriff's office advised, citing an extraordinary threat to life and property. Winds out of the north were driving the fire as firefighters struggled to save homes. By early evening, the fire was five per cent contained and several structures had burned, fire officials said. The blaze -- 75 miles (120 kilometres) north of San Francisco -- came amid official warnings that much of northern California and parts of the south were under imminent threat of fires into Friday because of blustery, dry weather and high temperatures. Another brush fire in San Bernardino County, about 60 miles east of Los Angeles, also prompted evacuation orders as it quickly burned 75 acres. Hurried departures Power was cut to some 180,000 customers in the northern part of the state Thursday and similar preemptive shutoffs affected thousands of customers further south due to conditions that are ripe for wildfires. Power companies warned that additional power cuts could be ordered to reduce the risk of accidental fires. The strong winds in the north were expected to subside Friday but are forecast to pick up again on Sunday, the National Weather Service warned. Many residents of Geyserville said they barely had time to gather their belongings as the monster fire quickly approached the town, with embers igniting fires throughout the region. "We thought we were a couple of miles from the fire," Dwight Monson, 68, told the Los Angeles Times. "But guess what -- the winds." He said by the time his family got in their cars and escaped to the valley below, the flames were on the edge of their ranch. PG&E, the state's biggest utility, said in a statement that it had informed regulators that a jumper on a transmission tower near where officials said the fire had started was broken. The company -- which has been held responsible for numerous wildfires in the state -- said that even though the power to nearly 28,000 customers in Sonoma County, including Geyserville, had been shut down on Wednesday, some of the high-voltage transmission lines were still operating when the fire broke out. "We relied on the protocol and we still, at this point, do not know what exactly happened," PG&E CEO and president Bill Johnson told a news conference. This week's fires have erupted as the state is still recovering from deadly wildfires in 2017 and 2018 that killed more than 100 people. The fires have been fueled by years of drought and dry vegetation. "This is an emotional time for many people," Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick told a news conference Thursday. "It's only been two years since the fires that devastated our community. For many, this will be a very stressful and anxious time."

As wildfires rage in California, about 50,000 get evacuated

California on Thursday launched the country's first earthquake warning system in the hope that residents will be alerted within seconds of a possible impending disaster and can "drop, cover and hold on."

The app, created by the University of California, Berkeley, and unveiled on the 30th anniversary of the deadly Loma Prieta quake, uses ground motion sensors located across the state to detect the start of earthquakes before humans can feel them.

"Nothing can replace families having a plan for earthquakes and other emergencies," Governor Gavin Newsom said in unveiling the warning system.&nbsp;

"And we know the Big One might be around the corner. I encourage every Californian to download this app and ensure your family is earthquake ready."

The cellphone app called MyShake can provide potentially life-saving seconds of warning before the ground starts to shake from a nearby quake -- enough time to drop, cover and hold on to help prevent injury, Newsom's office said in a statement.

"Warnings delivered through the system are based on a computerized program called ShakeAlert operated by the US Geological Survey that analyses data from seismic networks in California, calculates preliminary magnitudes, and then estimates which areas will feel shaking," the statement said.

The new app was put to the test this week before its official launch when two earthquakes struck in the San Francisco area and central California, measuring 4.5 and 4.7 respectively.

Residents who had the app were alerted within an average of 2.1 seconds in the first case and 1.6 seconds in the latter.

Newsom said that the system was not perfect but would improve over time.

Officials warned that in rare circumstances, residents may receive a ShakeAlert when there is no quake taking place.

Seismologists say that California is long overdue for a huge earthquake, dubbed the Big One, as the state straddles one of the country's most dangerous fault lines -- the San Andreas fault.

California on Thursday launched the country's first earthquake warning system in the hope that residents will be alerted within seconds of a possible impending disaster and can "drop, cover and hold on.

California on Thursday launched the country's first earthquake warning system in the hope that residents will be alerted within seconds of a possible impending disaster and can "drop, cover and hold on." The app, created by the University of California, Berkeley, and unveiled on the 30th anniversary of the deadly Loma Prieta quake, uses ground motion sensors located across the state to detect the start of earthquakes before humans can feel them. "Nothing can replace families having a plan for earthquakes and other emergencies," Governor Gavin Newsom said in unveiling the warning system. "And we know the Big One might be around the corner. I encourage every Californian to download this app and ensure your family is earthquake ready." The cellphone app called MyShake can provide potentially life-saving seconds of warning before the ground starts to shake from a nearby quake -- enough time to drop, cover and hold on to help prevent injury, Newsom's office said in a statement. "Warnings delivered through the system are based on a computerized program called ShakeAlert operated by the US Geological Survey that analyses data from seismic networks in California, calculates preliminary magnitudes, and then estimates which areas will feel shaking," the statement said. The new app was put to the test this week before its official launch when two earthquakes struck in the San Francisco area and central California, measuring 4.5 and 4.7 respectively. Residents who had the app were alerted within an average of 2.1 seconds in the first case and 1.6 seconds in the latter. Newsom said that the system was not perfect but would improve over time. Officials warned that in rare circumstances, residents may receive a ShakeAlert when there is no quake taking place. Seismologists say that California is long overdue for a huge earthquake, dubbed the Big One, as the state straddles one of the country's most dangerous fault lines -- the San Andreas fault.

California unveils early warning earthquake app

California: Wildfire's hotspot

Wind-driven wildfires forced the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/unacceptable-power-cuts-blasted-as-california-fire-risk-spreads-south-255202">evacuation of about 100,000 people</a> in southern California Friday and destroyed dozens of structures and homes as authorities warned it could take days to extinguish the flames.

By Friday evening, the strongest blaze, dubbed the Saddleridge Fire, had consumed 7,542 acres in areas of the San Fernando Valley, about 32 kilometres&nbsp;north of downtown Los Angeles, fire officials said.

They added that it had damaged or destroyed at least 31 structures and was 13 per cent contained as of Friday evening.

One man in his 50s died of a heart attack as he struggled to save his home in the Porter Ranch area, fire officials said.

The fire quickly got out of control after it erupted late Thursday for unknown reasons in the city of Sylmar, driven by low humidity and gusts known as the Santa Ana winds.

"This is a very dynamic fire," Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Ralph Terrazas told a news conference.

"Do not wait to leave," he urged residents. "If we ask you to evacuate, please evacuate."

He said some 1,000 firefighters, backed by water-dropping helicopters and planes releasing fire retardants, were battling the blaze that forced the shutdown of several major highways. The metro line in the area was also closed as were schools and businesses.

"We've calculated that the fire is moving at a rate of 800 acres per hour," Terrazas said, adding that it would probably take days to get it under control.

Some 200 firefighters were meanwhile battling several other blazes in Riverside County, east of Los Angeles, including one that tore through a trailer park and was started by burning trash. That blaze, dubbed the Sandalwood fire, destroyed 76 homes and buildings and killed an 89-year-old woman who was unable to escape the flames.&nbsp;

There were no immediate reports of injuries, but authorities ordered several hundred homes in the area be evacuated.

The National Weather Service said it expects the high winds fanning the flames to subside by Friday evening, making it easier for firefighters to do their work.

A red flag warning -- which indicates ripe conditions for wildfires -- remains in effect through Saturday.

In the dark

"That seems to be the new normal in California," lamented Sylmar resident Oscar Mancillas, as he helplessly watched the flames spread in the hillside near his home.

"I mean the vegetation is so dry... but we're kind of lucky because it didn't grow back from the last fire," he told AFP. "In California you have to be earthquake ready and you have to be fire ready... and for those of us who have a family, it's a little daunting sometimes."&nbsp;

The wildfires in the south erupted as California's largest utility, Pacific Gas &amp; Electric (PG&amp;E), implemented rolling power blackouts that affected some two million people in northern California this week.

About 312,000 customers remained in the dark Friday as a result of the shutoffs designed to reduce the threat of wildfire that can be sparked by lines downed in heavy winds.

Many schools and universities were also closed in northern parts of the state as people stocked up on gasoline, water, batteries and other basics, with frustration mounting at the blackouts condemned by some as "third world."

"We're seeing a scale and scope of something that no state in the 21st century should experience," Governor Gavin Newsom said Thursday, blaming decades of what he called neglect and mismanagement by PG&amp;E.

"This is not, from my perspective, a climate change story as much as a story about greed and mismanagement over the course of decades," Newsom said. "Neglect, a desire to advance not public safety but profits."

PG&amp;E has defended the outages as necessary for safety reasons and has said it will take days before power is restored to all customers as inspections must be conducted on all power lines and equipment before the lights can be turned back on.

"This is not how we want to serve you but blackouts can happen again," Bill Johnson, the CEO of the company said Thursday.

Last November, PG&amp;E's faulty power lines were determined to have sparked the deadliest wildfire in the state's modern history, which killed 86 and destroyed the town of Paradise.

Wind-driven wildfires forced the evacuation of about 100,000 people in southern California Friday and destroyed dozens of structures and homes as authorities warned it could take days to extinguish the flames.

Wind-driven wildfires forced the evacuation of about 100,000 people in southern California Friday and destroyed dozens of structures and homes as authorities warned it could take days to extinguish the flames. By Friday evening, the strongest blaze, dubbed the Saddleridge Fire, had consumed 7,542 acres in areas of the San Fernando Valley, about 32 kilometres north of downtown Los Angeles, fire officials said. They added that it had damaged or destroyed at least 31 structures and was 13 per cent contained as of Friday evening. One man in his 50s died of a heart attack as he struggled to save his home in the Porter Ranch area, fire officials said. The fire quickly got out of control after it erupted late Thursday for unknown reasons in the city of Sylmar, driven by low humidity and gusts known as the Santa Ana winds. "This is a very dynamic fire," Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Ralph Terrazas told a news conference. "Do not wait to leave," he urged residents. "If we ask you to evacuate, please evacuate." He said some 1,000 firefighters, backed by water-dropping helicopters and planes releasing fire retardants, were battling the blaze that forced the shutdown of several major highways. The metro line in the area was also closed as were schools and businesses. "We've calculated that the fire is moving at a rate of 800 acres per hour," Terrazas said, adding that it would probably take days to get it under control. Some 200 firefighters were meanwhile battling several other blazes in Riverside County, east of Los Angeles, including one that tore through a trailer park and was started by burning trash. That blaze, dubbed the Sandalwood fire, destroyed 76 homes and buildings and killed an 89-year-old woman who was unable to escape the flames. There were no immediate reports of injuries, but authorities ordered several hundred homes in the area be evacuated. The National Weather Service said it expects the high winds fanning the flames to subside by Friday evening, making it easier for firefighters to do their work. A red flag warning -- which indicates ripe conditions for wildfires -- remains in effect through Saturday. In the dark "That seems to be the new normal in California," lamented Sylmar resident Oscar Mancillas, as he helplessly watched the flames spread in the hillside near his home. "I mean the vegetation is so dry... but we're kind of lucky because it didn't grow back from the last fire," he told AFP. "In California you have to be earthquake ready and you have to be fire ready... and for those of us who have a family, it's a little daunting sometimes." The wildfires in the south erupted as California's largest utility, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), implemented rolling power blackouts that affected some two million people in northern California this week. About 312,000 customers remained in the dark Friday as a result of the shutoffs designed to reduce the threat of wildfire that can be sparked by lines downed in heavy winds. Many schools and universities were also closed in northern parts of the state as people stocked up on gasoline, water, batteries and other basics, with frustration mounting at the blackouts condemned by some as "third world." "We're seeing a scale and scope of something that no state in the 21st century should experience," Governor Gavin Newsom said Thursday, blaming decades of what he called neglect and mismanagement by PG&E. "This is not, from my perspective, a climate change story as much as a story about greed and mismanagement over the course of decades," Newsom said. "Neglect, a desire to advance not public safety but profits." PG&E has defended the outages as necessary for safety reasons and has said it will take days before power is restored to all customers as inspections must be conducted on all power lines and equipment before the lights can be turned back on. "This is not how we want to serve you but blackouts can happen again," Bill Johnson, the CEO of the company said Thursday. Last November, PG&E's faulty power lines were determined to have sparked the deadliest wildfire in the state's modern history, which killed 86 and destroyed the town of Paradise.

Tens of thousands evacuated as California wildfires rage

Hundreds of thousands of Californians were still without electricity due to pre-emptive blackouts Thursday as hot, windy conditions causing wildfires spread south toward Los Angeles, in a situation blasted as "unacceptable" by the state's governor.

Some 540,000 customers in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/power-cut-to-millions-as-california-faces-heightened-wildfire-risks-254853">California remained in the dark </a>Thursday afternoon after Pacific Gas &amp; Electric began switching off power the previous day, in a bid to prevent a repeat of last year's catastrophic infernos which killed around 90 people.

Many schools and universities have closed in northern parts of the state and people stocked up on gasoline, water, batteries and other basics, with frustration mounting at blackouts condemned by some as "third world."

"We're seeing a scale and scope of something that no state in the 21st century should experience," Governor Gavin Newsom said Thursday, blaming decades of "neglect" and "mismanagement" by PG&amp;E.

"What has occurred in the last 48 hours is kids staying home from school, parents that can't bathe their kids," he added. "Folks that come home from work, can't even find a way to get into their garage. You've got people that can't even access water, or medical supplies.

"This can't be, respectfully, the new normal," Newsom said, noting that the current weather conditions were certain to return.

The power cuts enable utility companies to inspect high-voltage lines for damage during particularly flammable conditions caused by high winds and dry vegetation.

Newsom said blackouts were "an industry best practice" under dangerous conditions, but blamed PG&amp;E's failure to modernize its network for the current scale of power cuts.

PG&amp;E defended the shutoffs, telling a press conference that inspections Thursday had found multiple cases of damage that could have caused wildfires had the lines been live.

"We faced the choice here between hardship on everyone or safety -- and we chose safety," said CEO Bill Johnson. "And I do apologize for the hardship this has caused. I think we made the right call."

With high-risk "red flag" winds spreading to the Los Angeles area further south, around 13,000 customers of Southern California Edison had their electricity cut Thursday.

"A number of fires... are burning and there have been structures that have been lost," said Mark Ghilarducci, emergency services director at the governor's office.

Fire-fighting planes and helicopters were called in to tackle two fires east of Los Angeles which spread to a combined 900 acres (360 hectares), and were described by officials as "zero percent contained."

The local fire department said multiple structures were destroyed and "numerous medical emergencies" occurred at one of the fires.

In the far south of the state, San Diego Gas &amp; Electric warned 30,000 customers living in high-risk areas they could potentially lose their power if conditions worsen.

Urban Los Angeles itself was not expected to be at-risk, although police Wednesday night said they would clear some vulnerable homeless camps.

Several other small fires were reported further north but quickly tackled by firefighters.

PG&amp;E on Thursday had completed inspections on some power lines in its blackout regions, and had restored electricity to more than 228,000 customers by late afternoon.

But others may have to wait several days for inspections before normal service can be restored.

Last November, PG&amp;E's faulty power lines were determined to have sparked the deadliest wildfire in the state's modern history, which killed 86 and destroyed the town of Paradise.

Outdated facilities including vulnerable wooden poles and failure to deforest land surrounding high-voltage transmission lines were blamed for the inferno, causing PG&amp;E to go bankrupt in January.

The company agreed to pay an $11 billion settlement over the devastating wildfires in northern California.

"Those were decisions that were made by Pacific Gas and Electric -- they chose not to modernize their grid," said Newsom. "Over the course of many, many years, it led to their own demise, it led to bankruptcy."

The cost of 48 hours of power cuts could reach $2.6 billion, Michael Wara, an expert in energy and climate policy at Stanford University, told CNN.

Hundreds of thousands of Californians were still without electricity due to pre-emptive blackouts Thursday as hot, windy conditions causing wildfires spread south toward Los Angeles, in a situation blasted as "unacceptable" by the state's governor.

Hundreds of thousands of Californians were still without electricity due to pre-emptive blackouts Thursday as hot, windy conditions causing wildfires spread south toward Los Angeles, in a situation blasted as "unacceptable" by the state's governor. Some 540,000 customers in California remained in the dark Thursday afternoon after Pacific Gas & Electric began switching off power the previous day, in a bid to prevent a repeat of last year's catastrophic infernos which killed around 90 people. Many schools and universities have closed in northern parts of the state and people stocked up on gasoline, water, batteries and other basics, with frustration mounting at blackouts condemned by some as "third world." "We're seeing a scale and scope of something that no state in the 21st century should experience," Governor Gavin Newsom said Thursday, blaming decades of "neglect" and "mismanagement" by PG&E. "What has occurred in the last 48 hours is kids staying home from school, parents that can't bathe their kids," he added. "Folks that come home from work, can't even find a way to get into their garage. You've got people that can't even access water, or medical supplies. "This can't be, respectfully, the new normal," Newsom said, noting that the current weather conditions were certain to return. The power cuts enable utility companies to inspect high-voltage lines for damage during particularly flammable conditions caused by high winds and dry vegetation. Newsom said blackouts were "an industry best practice" under dangerous conditions, but blamed PG&E's failure to modernize its network for the current scale of power cuts. PG&E defended the shutoffs, telling a press conference that inspections Thursday had found multiple cases of damage that could have caused wildfires had the lines been live. "We faced the choice here between hardship on everyone or safety -- and we chose safety," said CEO Bill Johnson. "And I do apologize for the hardship this has caused. I think we made the right call." With high-risk "red flag" winds spreading to the Los Angeles area further south, around 13,000 customers of Southern California Edison had their electricity cut Thursday. "A number of fires... are burning and there have been structures that have been lost," said Mark Ghilarducci, emergency services director at the governor's office. Fire-fighting planes and helicopters were called in to tackle two fires east of Los Angeles which spread to a combined 900 acres (360 hectares), and were described by officials as "zero percent contained." The local fire department said multiple structures were destroyed and "numerous medical emergencies" occurred at one of the fires. In the far south of the state, San Diego Gas & Electric warned 30,000 customers living in high-risk areas they could potentially lose their power if conditions worsen. Urban Los Angeles itself was not expected to be at-risk, although police Wednesday night said they would clear some vulnerable homeless camps. Several other small fires were reported further north but quickly tackled by firefighters. PG&E on Thursday had completed inspections on some power lines in its blackout regions, and had restored electricity to more than 228,000 customers by late afternoon. But others may have to wait several days for inspections before normal service can be restored. Last November, PG&E's faulty power lines were determined to have sparked the deadliest wildfire in the state's modern history, which killed 86 and destroyed the town of Paradise. Outdated facilities including vulnerable wooden poles and failure to deforest land surrounding high-voltage transmission lines were blamed for the inferno, causing PG&E to go bankrupt in January. The company agreed to pay an $11 billion settlement over the devastating wildfires in northern California. "Those were decisions that were made by Pacific Gas and Electric -- they chose not to modernize their grid," said Newsom. "Over the course of many, many years, it led to their own demise, it led to bankruptcy." The cost of 48 hours of power cuts could reach $2.6 billion, Michael Wara, an expert in energy and climate policy at Stanford University, told CNN.

'Unacceptable' power cuts blasted as California fire risk spreads south

Electricity was shut off to more than 500,000 California homes and workplaces on Wednesday as Pacific Gas and Electric Co (PG&amp;E) imposed a planned power outage of unprecedented scale to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/california-lawmakers-approve-legislation-for-21-billion-wildfire-fund-235193">reduce wildfire risks</a> posed by extremely windy, dry weather.

The power cut knocked out traffic signals, forced school closures and shut businesses and government offices across northern and central California, according to Brian Ferguson, a spokesman for the state Office of Emergency Services.

One of the more noteworthy disruptions occurred at the University of California at Berkeley, which cancelled classes on Wednesday.

A second phase of the "public safety power shutoff," delayed until the evening, was due to extend power cuts to another 234,000 customers, the utility said, and it was considering a third phase for 42,000 more dwellings and businesses.

The action ultimately could leave nearly 800,000 homes and businesses, comprising millions of people, without electricity - the largest precautionary electricity shutoff undertaken by PG&amp;E, California's biggest investor-owned utility.

"It's too bad that it is such a large area to be turned off," said Matthew Gallagher, a resident of Vacaville, a rural town 60 miles northeast of San Francisco where everything from the local Walmart retail outlet to gasoline service stations were closed for lack of power.

A similar cutoff was under consideration by neighbouring utility Southern California Edison for nearly 174,000 of its customers, about 50,000 of them in Los Angeles County, should severe winds hit Southern California on Thursday as forecast, SoCal Edison spokeswoman Taelor Bakewell said.

Some of California's most devastating wildfires were sparked in recent years by damage to electrical transmission lines from recurring bouts of high winds that then spread the flames through tinder-dry vegetation into populated areas.

"We are entering into a two-, three- or four-day period of extreme fire danger in California," Governor Gavin Newsom said at an event in San Diego on Wednesday.

'Red flag'

Gale-force wind gusts, mostly in higher elevations, were expected to intensify late on Wednesday across northern and central California before gradually migrating into Southern California overnight and Thursday, National Weather Service meteorologist Steve Anderson said. He said extremely low humidity levels added to the fire threat.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said "red-flag" warnings were posted across the state for what was shaping up to be the strongest wind event so far this season.

PG&amp;E warned residents to prepare for outages that could last several days. But spokeswoman Kristi Jourdan said the utility expected to restore electricity to most customers within 24 to 48 hours after high winds abate, once power lines were inspected and any damage repaired.

Many customers live in areas where breezes were light on Wednesday, but some are served by transmission lines hit by high winds elsewhere and thus were part of a larger portion of the grid that was turned off, PG&amp;E spokesman Jeff Smith said.

Customers were urged to stock up on flashlights, fresh batteries, first-aid supplies and cash, and to plan for healthcare needs requiring refrigerated medications or electrical devices.

The utility said it opened 28 community centres across the planned outage zone to furnish restrooms, bottled water, battery charging and air-conditioned seating during daytime hours.

PG&amp;E has come under increased scrutiny in recent years over maintenance of transmission wires and other equipment implicated in major wildfires.

In May, state fire investigators determined that PG&amp;E transmission lines caused the deadliest and most destructive wildfire on record in California, last year's wind-driven Camp Fire that killed 85 people in and around the town of Paradise.

Cal Fire likewise concluded that PG&amp;E power lines had sparked a separate flurry of wildfires that swept California's wine country north of San Francisco Bay in 2017.

PG&amp;E filed for bankruptcy in January 2019, citing potential civil liabilities in excess of $30 billion from the fires.

Electricity was shut off to more than 500,000 California homes and workplaces on Wednesday as Pacific Gas and Electric Co (PG&E) imposed a planned power outage of unprecedented scale to reduce wildfire risks posed by extremely windy, dry weather.

Electricity was shut off to more than 500,000 California homes and workplaces on Wednesday as Pacific Gas and Electric Co (PG&E) imposed a planned power outage of unprecedented scale to reduce wildfire risks posed by extremely windy, dry weather. The power cut knocked out traffic signals, forced school closures and shut businesses and government offices across northern and central California, according to Brian Ferguson, a spokesman for the state Office of Emergency Services. One of the more noteworthy disruptions occurred at the University of California at Berkeley, which cancelled classes on Wednesday. A second phase of the "public safety power shutoff," delayed until the evening, was due to extend power cuts to another 234,000 customers, the utility said, and it was considering a third phase for 42,000 more dwellings and businesses. The action ultimately could leave nearly 800,000 homes and businesses, comprising millions of people, without electricity - the largest precautionary electricity shutoff undertaken by PG&E, California's biggest investor-owned utility. "It's too bad that it is such a large area to be turned off," said Matthew Gallagher, a resident of Vacaville, a rural town 60 miles northeast of San Francisco where everything from the local Walmart retail outlet to gasoline service stations were closed for lack of power. A similar cutoff was under consideration by neighbouring utility Southern California Edison for nearly 174,000 of its customers, about 50,000 of them in Los Angeles County, should severe winds hit Southern California on Thursday as forecast, SoCal Edison spokeswoman Taelor Bakewell said. Some of California's most devastating wildfires were sparked in recent years by damage to electrical transmission lines from recurring bouts of high winds that then spread the flames through tinder-dry vegetation into populated areas. "We are entering into a two-, three- or four-day period of extreme fire danger in California," Governor Gavin Newsom said at an event in San Diego on Wednesday. 'Red flag' Gale-force wind gusts, mostly in higher elevations, were expected to intensify late on Wednesday across northern and central California before gradually migrating into Southern California overnight and Thursday, National Weather Service meteorologist Steve Anderson said. He said extremely low humidity levels added to the fire threat. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said "red-flag" warnings were posted across the state for what was shaping up to be the strongest wind event so far this season. PG&E warned residents to prepare for outages that could last several days. But spokeswoman Kristi Jourdan said the utility expected to restore electricity to most customers within 24 to 48 hours after high winds abate, once power lines were inspected and any damage repaired. Many customers live in areas where breezes were light on Wednesday, but some are served by transmission lines hit by high winds elsewhere and thus were part of a larger portion of the grid that was turned off, PG&E spokesman Jeff Smith said. Customers were urged to stock up on flashlights, fresh batteries, first-aid supplies and cash, and to plan for healthcare needs requiring refrigerated medications or electrical devices. The utility said it opened 28 community centres across the planned outage zone to furnish restrooms, bottled water, battery charging and air-conditioned seating during daytime hours. PG&E has come under increased scrutiny in recent years over maintenance of transmission wires and other equipment implicated in major wildfires. In May, state fire investigators determined that PG&E transmission lines caused the deadliest and most destructive wildfire on record in California, last year's wind-driven Camp Fire that killed 85 people in and around the town of Paradise. Cal Fire likewise concluded that PG&E power lines had sparked a separate flurry of wildfires that swept California's wine country north of San Francisco Bay in 2017. PG&E filed for bankruptcy in January 2019, citing potential civil liabilities in excess of $30 billion from the fires.

Power cut to millions as California faces heightened wildfire risks

Twitter on Tuesday apologised after "inadvertently" using phone numbers and email addresses for advertising even though the personal data was provided for account security.

Twitter users' phone numbers and email addresses,&nbsp;submitted to allow for account authentication,&nbsp;were matched with advertisers' own data to enable targeted ads.

"When you provided an email address or phone number for safety or security purposes this data may have inadvertently been used for advertising purposes," Twitter said in an online post.

"This was an error and we apologise."

None of the user data was shared with partners outside the company, and it was unclear how many people were affected, the San Francisco-based company said.

The issue was fixed in mid-September, Twitter said.

"We're very sorry this happened and are taking steps to make sure we don’t make a mistake like this again," Twitter said.

Privacy and internet data are hot political topics worldwide, with tech giants such as Twitter and Facebook in the crosshairs of regulators.

Twitter on Tuesday apologised after "inadvertently" using phone numbers and email addresses for advertising even though the personal data was provided for account security.

Twitter on Tuesday apologised after "inadvertently" using phone numbers and email addresses for advertising even though the personal data was provided for account security. Twitter users' phone numbers and email addresses, submitted to allow for account authentication, were matched with advertisers' own data to enable targeted ads. "When you provided an email address or phone number for safety or security purposes this data may have inadvertently been used for advertising purposes," Twitter said in an online post. "This was an error and we apologise." None of the user data was shared with partners outside the company, and it was unclear how many people were affected, the San Francisco-based company said. The issue was fixed in mid-September, Twitter said. "We're very sorry this happened and are taking steps to make sure we don’t make a mistake like this again," Twitter said. Privacy and internet data are hot political topics worldwide, with tech giants such as Twitter and Facebook in the crosshairs of regulators.

Twitter admits phone numbers meant for security used for ads

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-vaping-related-deaths-rise-to-18-illnesses-surpass-1000-253605">US </a>National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on Friday it is reviewing a defect petition that claims Tesla Inc failed to issue a recall when it issued a software upgrade in 2,000 Model S and Model X vehicles in May.

The vehicles from 2012 through 2019 model years received a battery management software upgrade in response to a potential defect that could result in non-crash fires, the petition said, adding it believes the update reduces the driving range of the affected vehicles. NHTSA said Friday it had opened a formal review to evaluate the petition's claims.

Tesla did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

In August, a proposed class-action lawsuit was filed in California claiming Tesla knew batteries of some vehicles were defective and "pushed out software updates despite knowing that the class vehicles would suffer from loss in range and performance." The suit added it believes Tesla's aim is "to avoid providing warranty battery replacements to rightful customers."

The suit says Tesla has placed a software-induced limitation on the total number of usable kilo-watt hours and is limiting the ability of owners "to charge the battery cells up to the natural and normal amount of approximately 4.2 volts, by placing battery capacity limitations, by decreasing the charging speed &nbsp;and by reducing the performance in terms of speed."

The suit cites over a dozen reports of Tesla's vehicles catching fire over the past six years. Tesla has not yet responded to the lawsuit.

Tesla's May 15 software update changed some settings in the cars’ battery management software related to charging and thermal controls, the suit said.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating several battery fires in Tesla vehicles.

On Wednesday, NHTSA said it was looking into parking lot crashes involving Tesla cars driving themselves to their owners using the company’s Smart Summon feature.

Several users have posted videos on social media of Tesla vehicles that appear to have been in near accidents. One posted a video of a Tesla striking a garage wall and another of a Tesla being struck by a vehicle backing up.

A Tesla software update last week added its Smart Summon feature for some customers. When the car is within 200 feet and in their line of sight, they use a phone app to summon the vehicle in a parking lot.

Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk on Wednesday tweeted that there were more than 550,000 Smart Summon uses in the first few days.

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on Friday it is reviewing a defect petition that claims Tesla Inc failed to issue a recall when it issued a software upgrade in 2,000 Model S and Model X vehicles in May.

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on Friday it is reviewing a defect petition that claims Tesla Inc failed to issue a recall when it issued a software upgrade in 2,000 Model S and Model X vehicles in May. The vehicles from 2012 through 2019 model years received a battery management software upgrade in response to a potential defect that could result in non-crash fires, the petition said, adding it believes the update reduces the driving range of the affected vehicles. NHTSA said Friday it had opened a formal review to evaluate the petition's claims. Tesla did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In August, a proposed class-action lawsuit was filed in California claiming Tesla knew batteries of some vehicles were defective and "pushed out software updates despite knowing that the class vehicles would suffer from loss in range and performance." The suit added it believes Tesla's aim is "to avoid providing warranty battery replacements to rightful customers." The suit says Tesla has placed a software-induced limitation on the total number of usable kilo-watt hours and is limiting the ability of owners "to charge the battery cells up to the natural and normal amount of approximately 4.2 volts, by placing battery capacity limitations, by decreasing the charging speed and by reducing the performance in terms of speed." The suit cites over a dozen reports of Tesla's vehicles catching fire over the past six years. Tesla has not yet responded to the lawsuit. Tesla's May 15 software update changed some settings in the cars’ battery management software related to charging and thermal controls, the suit said. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating several battery fires in Tesla vehicles. On Wednesday, NHTSA said it was looking into parking lot crashes involving Tesla cars driving themselves to their owners using the company’s Smart Summon feature. Several users have posted videos on social media of Tesla vehicles that appear to have been in near accidents. One posted a video of a Tesla striking a garage wall and another of a Tesla being struck by a vehicle backing up. A Tesla software update last week added its Smart Summon feature for some customers. When the car is within 200 feet and in their line of sight, they use a phone app to summon the vehicle in a parking lot. Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk on Wednesday tweeted that there were more than 550,000 Smart Summon uses in the first few days.

United States NHTSA reviewing claims 2,000 Tesla vehicles should have been recalled

Who will set emission standards in United States? Watch video to know more.

Who will set emission standards in United States?

A lower price tag and new features may not be enough for Apple Inc to win customers for its <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/new-iphones-to-share-limelight-as-apple-revs-up-services-248911">newly-launched iPhone 11</a> series in China, the world's largest smartphone market that is already crowded with cheaper and feature-packed rival handsets.

Apple's unveiling of three new iPhones in California met with a limp reaction on Wednesday from analysts and on social media in China, where the US&nbsp;giant has been losing ground to competitors in recent years.

"More competitive aggressive pricing and a better camera would be its selling points, but the market is still full of challenges, both market competition and macroeconomic factors," said Will Wong, who tracks China's phone market at research firm IDC.

The iPhone 11 will have two back cameras, including an ultra-wide-angle lens and the next generation of microchips, the A13.

Prices start at $699, down from last year's new iPhone that started at $749. Apple also dropped the price of last year's equivalent model iPhone XR by $150.

The more expensive iPhone 11 Pro will have three cameras on the back and starts at $999. The bigger screen iPhone 11 Pro Max starts at $1,099.

As anticipated, none will be fifth generation-enabled, which puts the phones a step behind 5G models already released by Huawei Technologies and smaller rival Vivo.

"Since we still have to wait a year for 5G, why not just buy Huawei on Monday," said one user on China's Twitter-like service Weibo.

One meme doing the rounds on social media featured Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook bragging about the new features and Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei's consumer business group, shutting him down by pointing out that Huawei has had those features for years.

When it came to features, one of the main draws of the new launch for US&nbsp;buyers,&nbsp;a $5 per month Netflix-like streaming service&nbsp;will not be available in China.

Price competition&nbsp;

Apple's share of the China market in the June quarter fell to 5.8 per cent&nbsp;from 6.4 per cent&nbsp;in the year-earlier period, according to research firm Canalys, as Huawei experienced a surge in support from Chinese consumers after the brand was caught up in a trade war between the United States and China.

Counterpoint analyst Neil Shah said the entry price, while lower by Apple, remains high compared to local rivals.

Combined with the lack of 5G, which made the new iPhones "less attractive and future-proof" for Chinese consumers, Shah said, forecasting that Apple will sell 30-35 million iPhones in China this year, down from 63 million phones in 2015.

Still, some analysts said that Apple's decision to lower the entry price for the new iPhone, one of the most discussed topics on Weibo on Wednesday, was a positive sign.

"We think the lower iPhone 11 price point and trade-in program will help promote upgrades, specifically in China, while the Apple Arcade and TV+ offerings will hep accelerate services growth," CFRA analyst Angelo Zino said in a research note.

The new phones will be available to order on Friday and start shipping September 20.

A lower price tag and new features may not be enough for Apple Inc to win customers for its newly-launched iPhone 11 series in China, the world's largest smartphone market that is already crowded with cheaper and feature-packed rival handsets.

A lower price tag and new features may not be enough for Apple Inc to win customers for its newly-launched iPhone 11 series in China, the world's largest smartphone market that is already crowded with cheaper and feature-packed rival handsets. Apple's unveiling of three new iPhones in California met with a limp reaction on Wednesday from analysts and on social media in China, where the US giant has been losing ground to competitors in recent years. "More competitive aggressive pricing and a better camera would be its selling points, but the market is still full of challenges, both market competition and macroeconomic factors," said Will Wong, who tracks China's phone market at research firm IDC. The iPhone 11 will have two back cameras, including an ultra-wide-angle lens and the next generation of microchips, the A13. Prices start at $699, down from last year's new iPhone that started at $749. Apple also dropped the price of last year's equivalent model iPhone XR by $150. The more expensive iPhone 11 Pro will have three cameras on the back and starts at $999. The bigger screen iPhone 11 Pro Max starts at $1,099. As anticipated, none will be fifth generation-enabled, which puts the phones a step behind 5G models already released by Huawei Technologies and smaller rival Vivo. "Since we still have to wait a year for 5G, why not just buy Huawei on Monday," said one user on China's Twitter-like service Weibo. One meme doing the rounds on social media featured Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook bragging about the new features and Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei's consumer business group, shutting him down by pointing out that Huawei has had those features for years. When it came to features, one of the main draws of the new launch for US buyers, a $5 per month Netflix-like streaming service will not be available in China. Price competition Apple's share of the China market in the June quarter fell to 5.8 per cent from 6.4 per cent in the year-earlier period, according to research firm Canalys, as Huawei experienced a surge in support from Chinese consumers after the brand was caught up in a trade war between the United States and China. Counterpoint analyst Neil Shah said the entry price, while lower by Apple, remains high compared to local rivals. Combined with the lack of 5G, which made the new iPhones "less attractive and future-proof" for Chinese consumers, Shah said, forecasting that Apple will sell 30-35 million iPhones in China this year, down from 63 million phones in 2015. Still, some analysts said that Apple's decision to lower the entry price for the new iPhone, one of the most discussed topics on Weibo on Wednesday, was a positive sign. "We think the lower iPhone 11 price point and trade-in program will help promote upgrades, specifically in China, while the Apple Arcade and TV+ offerings will hep accelerate services growth," CFRA analyst Angelo Zino said in a research note. The new phones will be available to order on Friday and start shipping September 20.

Tepid reaction for Apple's new iPhones in China amid tough competition

The 34 people killed when a dive boat caught fire and sank off the California coast likely died from smoke inhalation and may have been dead before flames consumed their bunk area, the local sheriff said on Friday.

The disclosure raises questions over whether crew members, who told investigators they tried desperately to rescue the passengers in their below-decks sleeping quarters, were already too late to save them by the time they were alerted to the blaze.

Divers have so far recovered the burned remains of 33 victims, Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown told a news conference. Crews hoped to find the final body when the 75-foot (23-meter) Conception was raised from the floor of the Pacific Ocean as early as Friday.

"We will continue working tenaciously to recover all the victims, to determine how they died and investigate the cause of this terrible fire and loss of life with the hope that future such tragedies can be prevented," Brown said.

The Conception erupted in flames at about 3:15 am (1015 GMT) on Monday off Santa Cruz Island, killing 33 passengers and a crew member in one of California’s worst maritime disasters.

The five surviving crew members, who were above deck when the fire broke out, have told investigators the flames kept them from climbing down a narrow ladder into the bunk room or gaining access through a window.

A coroner's pathologist was "convinced" the victims died due to smoke inhalation, Brown said, but his analysis was considered preliminary pending toxicology tests.

The sheriff stopped short of saying the findings meant the crew's efforts would have been too late to save the victims, cautioning that more investigation was required.

Families in Singapore, Japan

Officials have decided against conducting autopsies on the victims, a move aimed at more quickly releasing the remains to family members, some of whom had travelled to California from as far away as India.

The coroner's office has identified 18 of the recovered bodies and officials released the names of nine victims, saying the rest awaited notifications of next of kin, who have been asked to provide DNA samples.

The FBI had been assisting in contacting loved ones of the dead. One victim's mother was notified in Japan and another family was found in Singapore, Brown said.

The passengers had signed up for a three-day scuba diving trip aboard the Conception and were sleeping below deck along with one crew member when the fire erupted. That crew member, who perished in the accident, was identified on Friday as 26-year-old Alexandra Kurtz.

The eight deceased passengers whose names were released on Friday were: Raymond "Scott" Chan, 59; Justin Carroll Dignam, 58; Daniel Garcia, 46; Marybeth Guiney, 51; Yulia Krashennaya, 40; Caroline McLaughlin, 35; Ted Strom, 62; and Wei Tan, 26.

The owner of the dive ship, Truth Aquatics, filed a petition in US District Court in Los Angeles on Thursday seeking to avoid liability in the incident by invoking a 19th-century law that has been used in such disasters as the 1915 sinking of the Titanic.

That action appears to be pre-emptive as no lawsuits have yet been filed against Truth Aquatics over the accident.

The Los Angeles Times, citing unnamed sources, reported that investigators had already found safety issues on the Conception, including the lack of a night watchman who was assigned to be on duty while the rest of the crew and passengers were sleeping.

Officials declined to comment on that report at the news briefing, but US Coast Guard Captain Monica Rochester confirmed that a night watchman or "rover" was stipulated by the boat's inspection certificate.

The Conception, which rests upside down on the ocean floor some 65 feet (20 meters) below the surface, could be raised as early as Friday depending on weather conditions, Rochester said

The 34 people killed when a dive boat caught fire and sank off the California coast likely died from smoke inhalation and may have been dead before flames consumed their bunk area, the local sheriff said on Friday.

The 34 people killed when a dive boat caught fire and sank off the California coast likely died from smoke inhalation and may have been dead before flames consumed their bunk area, the local sheriff said on Friday. The disclosure raises questions over whether crew members, who told investigators they tried desperately to rescue the passengers in their below-decks sleeping quarters, were already too late to save them by the time they were alerted to the blaze. Divers have so far recovered the burned remains of 33 victims, Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown told a news conference. Crews hoped to find the final body when the 75-foot (23-meter) Conception was raised from the floor of the Pacific Ocean as early as Friday. "We will continue working tenaciously to recover all the victims, to determine how they died and investigate the cause of this terrible fire and loss of life with the hope that future such tragedies can be prevented," Brown said. The Conception erupted in flames at about 3:15 am (1015 GMT) on Monday off Santa Cruz Island, killing 33 passengers and a crew member in one of California’s worst maritime disasters. The five surviving crew members, who were above deck when the fire broke out, have told investigators the flames kept them from climbing down a narrow ladder into the bunk room or gaining access through a window. A coroner's pathologist was "convinced" the victims died due to smoke inhalation, Brown said, but his analysis was considered preliminary pending toxicology tests. The sheriff stopped short of saying the findings meant the crew's efforts would have been too late to save the victims, cautioning that more investigation was required. Families in Singapore, Japan Officials have decided against conducting autopsies on the victims, a move aimed at more quickly releasing the remains to family members, some of whom had travelled to California from as far away as India. The coroner's office has identified 18 of the recovered bodies and officials released the names of nine victims, saying the rest awaited notifications of next of kin, who have been asked to provide DNA samples. The FBI had been assisting in contacting loved ones of the dead. One victim's mother was notified in Japan and another family was found in Singapore, Brown said. The passengers had signed up for a three-day scuba diving trip aboard the Conception and were sleeping below deck along with one crew member when the fire erupted. That crew member, who perished in the accident, was identified on Friday as 26-year-old Alexandra Kurtz. The eight deceased passengers whose names were released on Friday were: Raymond "Scott" Chan, 59; Justin Carroll Dignam, 58; Daniel Garcia, 46; Marybeth Guiney, 51; Yulia Krashennaya, 40; Caroline McLaughlin, 35; Ted Strom, 62; and Wei Tan, 26. The owner of the dive ship, Truth Aquatics, filed a petition in US District Court in Los Angeles on Thursday seeking to avoid liability in the incident by invoking a 19th-century law that has been used in such disasters as the 1915 sinking of the Titanic. That action appears to be pre-emptive as no lawsuits have yet been filed against Truth Aquatics over the accident. The Los Angeles Times, citing unnamed sources, reported that investigators had already found safety issues on the Conception, including the lack of a night watchman who was assigned to be on duty while the rest of the crew and passengers were sleeping. Officials declined to comment on that report at the news briefing, but US Coast Guard Captain Monica Rochester confirmed that a night watchman or "rover" was stipulated by the boat's inspection certificate. The Conception, which rests upside down on the ocean floor some 65 feet (20 meters) below the surface, could be raised as early as Friday depending on weather conditions, Rochester said

California boat fire victims likely died of smoke inhalation

The trial of two men charged with deadly negligence over a 2016 fire that killed 36 people in the US state of California ended with an acquittal for one and a mistrial for the other.

Derick Almena, the leaseholder of the building known locally as the "Ghost Ship," a warehouse he had turned into a public space dedicated to music and art, and Max Harris, who helped him manage it, was tried for manslaughter and had faced nearly 40 years in prison.

The prosecution and the families of the victims, most people between the ages of 20 and 30, accused the two men of a series of criminal failures and negligence that they said resulted in the deaths during an electronic music concert in December 2016.

After several years of proceedings and two lawsuits, the jury acquitted Harris of all charges and was deadlocked over those against Almena.

The prosecution is to appear in court next month to say if they want to initiate a new trial against him.

Almena had rented the warehouse in Oakland, California three years before the fire and turned it into a collective for artists.

He also received rent from at least 25 tenants, according to the prosecution, without having equipped the structure with smoke detectors, alarms or fire-fighting systems.

The "Ghost Ship" was also packed floor to ceiling with sculptures, musical instruments, and furniture, all dotted with multiple electrical connections a flammable labyrinth that turned into a death trap for occupants when the fire broke out, prosecutors said.

The damage from the blaze was so severe that investigators could never determine the cause of the fire, which could have been triggered by a power failure, cigarette or candles.

Last year, Almena and Harris pleaded no contest to charges of involuntary manslaughter over the fire, which was expected to see the former serve nine years in prison and the latter six.

But a judge rejected the agreement, which was deemed unacceptable by many relatives of victims, and the case went to trial.

The trial of two men charged with deadly negligence over a 2016 fire that killed 36 people in the US state of California ended with an acquittal for one and a mistrial for the other.

The trial of two men charged with deadly negligence over a 2016 fire that killed 36 people in the US state of California ended with an acquittal for one and a mistrial for the other. Derick Almena, the leaseholder of the building known locally as the "Ghost Ship," a warehouse he had turned into a public space dedicated to music and art, and Max Harris, who helped him manage it, was tried for manslaughter and had faced nearly 40 years in prison. The prosecution and the families of the victims, most people between the ages of 20 and 30, accused the two men of a series of criminal failures and negligence that they said resulted in the deaths during an electronic music concert in December 2016. After several years of proceedings and two lawsuits, the jury acquitted Harris of all charges and was deadlocked over those against Almena. The prosecution is to appear in court next month to say if they want to initiate a new trial against him. Almena had rented the warehouse in Oakland, California three years before the fire and turned it into a collective for artists. He also received rent from at least 25 tenants, according to the prosecution, without having equipped the structure with smoke detectors, alarms or fire-fighting systems. The "Ghost Ship" was also packed floor to ceiling with sculptures, musical instruments, and furniture, all dotted with multiple electrical connections a flammable labyrinth that turned into a death trap for occupants when the fire broke out, prosecutors said. The damage from the blaze was so severe that investigators could never determine the cause of the fire, which could have been triggered by a power failure, cigarette or candles. Last year, Almena and Harris pleaded no contest to charges of involuntary manslaughter over the fire, which was expected to see the former serve nine years in prison and the latter six. But a judge rejected the agreement, which was deemed unacceptable by many relatives of victims, and the case went to trial.

No convictions in trial for deadly California 'Ghost Ship' fire

American comedian and actor Kevin Hart successfully underwent surgery following a late-night car crash that left him with "major back injuries." 
 
A source told People that the actor is now in recovery after surgery which dealt with his back injuries. The comedian is expected to stay in the hospital for a few days as he recovers.&nbsp; 
 
The 40-year-old star was left injured when his vintage Plymouth Barracuda veered off the road in California on Sunday morning. 
&nbsp; 
The actor was a passenger in his car when its driver, friend Jared Black, lost control and crashed through wooden fencing just before 1 am on Mulholland Highway in Malibu, a spokesperson for the California Highway Patrol shared. 
 
The car crashed about 10 feet off the road and into a ditch, leaving Black and Hart with "major back injuries," TMZ reported on Sunday. A third occupant, Black`s fiance Rebecca Broxterman, was unharmed.&nbsp; 
 
Hart left the scene and headed to his home nearby, but was later treated for his injuries at a local hospital. 
 
Photos of the accident which were obtained by a website show that the blue car`s roof was completely crushed by the impact of the crash, with the rest of the vehicle appearing as a mangled wreck with a totally shattered windshield. 
 
Authorities said that Black was "determined not to be under the influence of alcohol."Hart bought himself the Barracuda in July as a birthday present, and showed it off on Instagram shortly after making the big purchase, noting he`d nicknamed it "Menace."

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BzqBmpnFamu/" data-instgrm-version="12" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:16px;">
<div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 19% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BzqBmpnFamu/" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div>

<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BzqBmpnFamu/" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BzqBmpnFamu/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">I added some more muscle to the family for my 40th....welcome home "Menace" #MuscleCarLover</a>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kevinhart4real/" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Kevin Hart</a> (@kevinhart4real) on <time datetime="2019-07-08T12:59:28+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Jul 8, 2019 at 5:59am PDT</time>
</div>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The `Night School` actor`s famous friends have been sending him well wishes since news of the accident broke, including close friend and frequent co-star Dwayne Johnson. The actor posted a still of the two shooting for the new `Jumanji` movie series together with a sweet caption."Stop messing with my emotions brother @kevinhart4real. We have a lot more laughing to do together. Love you man. Stay strong," Johnson wrote."I am praying for my friend @KevinHart4real. Please join me," actor Yvette Nicole Brown tweeted.

Many other celebrities sent uplifting messages to Hart, including his fellow comedians like Arsenio Hall, Gabriel Iglesias, Jeff Ross, and Ron Funches.On the work front, Hart is set to appear in `Jumanji: The Next Level` later this year, and he will also feature in 2020 drama film, `Fatherhood.` 
&nbsp;

American comedian and actor Kevin Hart successfully underwent surgery following a late-night car crash that left him with "major back injuries." A source told People that the actor is now in recovery after surgery which dealt with his back injuries.

American comedian and actor Kevin Hart successfully underwent surgery following a late-night car crash that left him with "major back injuries." A source told People that the actor is now in recovery after surgery which dealt with his back injuries. The comedian is expected to stay in the hospital for a few days as he recovers. The 40-year-old star was left injured when his vintage Plymouth Barracuda veered off the road in California on Sunday morning. The actor was a passenger in his car when its driver, friend Jared Black, lost control and crashed through wooden fencing just before 1 am on Mulholland Highway in Malibu, a spokesperson for the California Highway Patrol shared. The car crashed about 10 feet off the road and into a ditch, leaving Black and Hart with "major back injuries," TMZ reported on Sunday. A third occupant, Black`s fiance Rebecca Broxterman, was unharmed. Hart left the scene and headed to his home nearby, but was later treated for his injuries at a local hospital. Photos of the accident which were obtained by a website show that the blue car`s roof was completely crushed by the impact of the crash, with the rest of the vehicle appearing as a mangled wreck with a totally shattered windshield. Authorities said that Black was "determined not to be under the influence of alcohol."Hart bought himself the Barracuda in July as a birthday present, and showed it off on Instagram shortly after making the big purchase, noting he`d nicknamed it "Menace." View this post on Instagram I added some more muscle to the family for my 40th....welcome home "Menace" #MuscleCarLover A post shared by Kevin Hart (@kevinhart4real) on Jul 8, 2019 at 5:59am PDT × The `Night School` actor`s famous friends have been sending him well wishes since news of the accident broke, including close friend and frequent co-star Dwayne Johnson. The actor posted a still of the two shooting for the new `Jumanji` movie series together with a sweet caption."Stop messing with my emotions brother @kevinhart4real. We have a lot more laughing to do together. Love you man. Stay strong," Johnson wrote."I am praying for my friend @KevinHart4real. Please join me," actor Yvette Nicole Brown tweeted. Many other celebrities sent uplifting messages to Hart, including his fellow comedians like Arsenio Hall, Gabriel Iglesias, Jeff Ross, and Ron Funches.On the work front, Hart is set to appear in `Jumanji: The Next Level` later this year, and he will also feature in 2020 drama film, `Fatherhood.`

Kevin Hart undergoes major surgeries following a late-night car crash

A search was underway on Monday for 34 missing in a pre-dawn fire that sank a commercial diving boat off a Southern California island, authorities said, and some local media outlets reported that some passengers were killed.

Five crew members were rescued by a "good Samaritan pleasure craft" after the fire was reported at 3:15am local time as the 75-foot (23-meter) vessel sat about 20 yards (18 meters) off of Santa Cruz Island, the US Coast Guard said in a statement.

"The crew was already awake and on the bridge and jumped off" Coast Guard Captain Monica Rochester told a news conference.

Some local news outlets reported that rescuers said several people were dead, but the Coast Guard has not confirmed any fatalities in the fire which engulfed the Conception, a pleasured craft used by scuba divers.

The passengers had were all asleep below decks, according to the information the coast guard received, Rochester said.

A search was underway on Monday for 34 missing in a pre-dawn fire that sank a commercial diving boat off a Southern California island, authorities said, and some local media outlets reported that some passengers were killed.

A search was underway on Monday for 34 missing in a pre-dawn fire that sank a commercial diving boat off a Southern California island, authorities said, and some local media outlets reported that some passengers were killed. Five crew members were rescued by a "good Samaritan pleasure craft" after the fire was reported at 3:15am local time as the 75-foot (23-meter) vessel sat about 20 yards (18 meters) off of Santa Cruz Island, the US Coast Guard said in a statement. "The crew was already awake and on the bridge and jumped off" Coast Guard Captain Monica Rochester told a news conference. Some local news outlets reported that rescuers said several people were dead, but the Coast Guard has not confirmed any fatalities in the fire which engulfed the Conception, a pleasured craft used by scuba divers. The passengers had were all asleep below decks, according to the information the coast guard received, Rochester said.

At least 34 missing in California boat fire; five rescued: US Coast Guard

President Donald Trump's decision to slap 10% tariffs on imported surfboards convinced surf executive Sue Bowers to move factory jobs out of China - but not back to the United States, which was one goal of Trump's tariffs.

U.S. surfboard makers not so stoked about China tariffs

A gunman armed with an assault rifle killed 20 people Saturday when he opened fire on shoppers at a packed Walmart store in the latest mass shooting in the United States.

As residents of the southern border town of El Paso in Texas tried to absorb the full horror of what is being treated as a potential "hate crime," fresh calls rang out to end the nationwide "epidemic" of gun violence.

It was the second fatal shooting in less than a week at a Walmart store in the US and comes after a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/california-shooting-suspected-gunman-killed-death-toll-rises-to-4-239150">mass shooting in California</a> last weekend.&nbsp;

One suspect was taken into custody while authorities were studying an extremist manifesto purportedly written by the gunman.

Footage shot on camera phones appeared to show multiple bodies lying on the ground in the store's parking lot while El Paso authorities made a desperate appeal for blood donations.&nbsp;

Other footage showed terrified shoppers running out of the store as gunfire echoed.

Two to 82 years&nbsp;

"Twenty innocent people from El Paso have lost their lives," Texas Governor Greg Abbott told a press conference.

"We as a state unite in support of these victims and their family members... We pray that God can be with those who have been harmed in any way and bind up their wounds."

Police chief Greg Allen confirmed that in addition to the 20 confirmed fatalities, there were 26 wounded.

Various news reports said the ages of victims being treated at hospitals ranged from two to 82 years.

Police said that Walmart was "at capacity" at the time of the shooting, with 1,000-3,000 customers inside.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
....Melania and I send our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to the great people of Texas.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1157825763326013440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 4, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

After officials initially said three people had been detained, police confirmed that a 21-year-old from Allen, Texas, was the only person in custody.

"Right now we have a manifesto from this individual that indicates to some degree, it has a nexus to potential hate crime," Allen said.

US media named the suspect as 21-year-old Patrick Crusius, who is white.

The "manifesto" purportedly written by Crusius that was circulated online includes passages railing against the "Hispanic invasion" of Texas and the author makes clear that he expected to be killed during his attack.

Witnesses said the gunman appeared to be shooting at random when he opened fire around 10:30 am.

One woman, who gave her name as Vanessa, said she had just pulled into the Walmart parking lot when the shooting began.

"You could hear the pops, one right after another and at that point as I was turning, I saw a lady, seemed she was coming out of Walmart, headed to her car. She had her groceries in her cart and I saw her just fall," she told Fox News.

The witness said the gunman wore black t-shirt, combat trousers and was wearing ear muffs.

"He was just shooting randomly. It wasn't to any particular person. It was any that would cross paths."

Another shopper described how he managed to avoid being hit by hiding along with his mother between two vending machines just outside the store.

"That's where the individual tried to shoot at me, which he missed cause I kind of ducked down," Robert Curado told the El Paso Times.

'How you doing, brother'&nbsp;

Video captured by a witness in the parking lot in the immediate aftermath of the shooting showed three people lying motionless on the ground.

One had fallen next to a truck, while two were on the sidewalk outside the store entrance. " Ambulance! Help!" people cried as they rushed to the victims.

"How you doing, brother, how you doing," one man was heard saying on the recording.

A still captured from CCTV showed the gunman carrying what appeared to be an AK-47.

President Donald Trump, who is spending the weekend at his golf club in New Jersey, condemned the "terrible" shooting after being briefed by Attorney General Bill Barr and Abbott.

It has been a particularly bad week for gun violence in the United States.

Two people died and a police officer was wounded Tuesday at a Walmart in Mississippi.

Last Sunday a 19-year-old gunman opened fire at a food festival in northern California, killing three, including two children.

Beto O'Rourke, a former US congressman for El Paso who is now running for president, cut off his campaigning in the wake of the shooting.

"I'm incredibly saddened and it's very hard to think about this. But I tell you El Paso is the strongest place in the world, this community is going to come together," he told supporters.

Elizabeth Warren, a senator who is among the frontrunners for the Democratic party's presidential nomination, said "far too many communities have suffered through tragedies like this already.

"We must act now to end our country's gun violence epidemic," she said. 
Another presidential hopeful Cory Booker said the US had "to end this national nightmare" and "find the moral courage to take action to end this carnage."

A gunman armed with an assault rifle killed 20 people Saturday when he opened fire on shoppers at a packed Walmart store in the latest mass shooting in the United States.

A gunman armed with an assault rifle killed 20 people Saturday when he opened fire on shoppers at a packed Walmart store in the latest mass shooting in the United States. As residents of the southern border town of El Paso in Texas tried to absorb the full horror of what is being treated as a potential "hate crime," fresh calls rang out to end the nationwide "epidemic" of gun violence. It was the second fatal shooting in less than a week at a Walmart store in the US and comes after a mass shooting in California last weekend. One suspect was taken into custody while authorities were studying an extremist manifesto purportedly written by the gunman. Footage shot on camera phones appeared to show multiple bodies lying on the ground in the store's parking lot while El Paso authorities made a desperate appeal for blood donations. Other footage showed terrified shoppers running out of the store as gunfire echoed. Two to 82 years "Twenty innocent people from El Paso have lost their lives," Texas Governor Greg Abbott told a press conference. "We as a state unite in support of these victims and their family members... We pray that God can be with those who have been harmed in any way and bind up their wounds." Police chief Greg Allen confirmed that in addition to the 20 confirmed fatalities, there were 26 wounded. Various news reports said the ages of victims being treated at hospitals ranged from two to 82 years. Police said that Walmart was "at capacity" at the time of the shooting, with 1,000-3,000 customers inside. ....Melania and I send our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to the great people of Texas. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 4, 2019 × After officials initially said three people had been detained, police confirmed that a 21-year-old from Allen, Texas, was the only person in custody. "Right now we have a manifesto from this individual that indicates to some degree, it has a nexus to potential hate crime," Allen said. US media named the suspect as 21-year-old Patrick Crusius, who is white. The "manifesto" purportedly written by Crusius that was circulated online includes passages railing against the "Hispanic invasion" of Texas and the author makes clear that he expected to be killed during his attack. Witnesses said the gunman appeared to be shooting at random when he opened fire around 10:30 am. One woman, who gave her name as Vanessa, said she had just pulled into the Walmart parking lot when the shooting began. "You could hear the pops, one right after another and at that point as I was turning, I saw a lady, seemed she was coming out of Walmart, headed to her car. She had her groceries in her cart and I saw her just fall," she told Fox News. The witness said the gunman wore black t-shirt, combat trousers and was wearing ear muffs. "He was just shooting randomly. It wasn't to any particular person. It was any that would cross paths." Another shopper described how he managed to avoid being hit by hiding along with his mother between two vending machines just outside the store. "That's where the individual tried to shoot at me, which he missed cause I kind of ducked down," Robert Curado told the El Paso Times. 'How you doing, brother' Video captured by a witness in the parking lot in the immediate aftermath of the shooting showed three people lying motionless on the ground. One had fallen next to a truck, while two were on the sidewalk outside the store entrance. " Ambulance! Help!" people cried as they rushed to the victims. "How you doing, brother, how you doing," one man was heard saying on the recording. A still captured from CCTV showed the gunman carrying what appeared to be an AK-47. President Donald Trump, who is spending the weekend at his golf club in New Jersey, condemned the "terrible" shooting after being briefed by Attorney General Bill Barr and Abbott. It has been a particularly bad week for gun violence in the United States. Two people died and a police officer was wounded Tuesday at a Walmart in Mississippi. Last Sunday a 19-year-old gunman opened fire at a food festival in northern California, killing three, including two children. Beto O'Rourke, a former US congressman for El Paso who is now running for president, cut off his campaigning in the wake of the shooting. "I'm incredibly saddened and it's very hard to think about this. But I tell you El Paso is the strongest place in the world, this community is going to come together," he told supporters. Elizabeth Warren, a senator who is among the frontrunners for the Democratic party's presidential nomination, said "far too many communities have suffered through tragedies like this already. "We must act now to end our country's gun violence epidemic," she said. Another presidential hopeful Cory Booker said the US had "to end this national nightmare" and "find the moral courage to take action to end this carnage."

Gunman kills 20 at Texas Walmart store in US mass shooting

With its latest financial results, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/apple-woos-investors-with-china-gain-market-value-nears-1-trillion-239747">Apple </a>is showing it can move beyond the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/apples-services-wearables-shore-up-results-as-iphone-drops-below-half-of-sales-239681"> iPhone</a> with gadgets and services that can help the California tech giant weather the slumping smartphone market.

In the just-ended quarter, Apple took in less than half its revenue from the iPhone, the longtime cash and profit driver for the company, representing a milestone for the company.

Apple managed to grow its overall revenues, albeit by a modest one per cent, to $53.8 billion, even as iPhone revenues plunged nearly 12 per cent in the April-June period.

The company delivered strong growth from digital content and services that include its Apply Pay and Apple Music, along with wearables and accessories like the Apple Watch and Air Pods.

Apple is preparing to launch its branded credit card in August that ties into its digital wallet, as well as its own streaming television service to compete with Netflix and others, with at least $1 billion invested in original content.

The results show Apple is lessening its dependence on the iPhone, analysts said.

"As the smartphone market matures Apple can no longer rely on iPhones alone to power the company forward," said Avi Greengart of the consultancy Techsponential.

"Apple has been signaling for a while that its plan was to diversify into services and we've seen from the latest results that this strategy is working quite well."

- Apple's roadmap -

Apple's update should allay investor concerns that the company's growth could be hobbled by a sputtering smartphone market, said a research note from Gene Munster and Will Thompson of the equity firm Loup Ventures.

"We believe the Street is systematically undervaluing Apple's ecosystem by focusing on hardware sales instead of revenue and earnings growth plus optionality," Munster and Thompson wrote.

"We believe this quarter's results and the roadmap for the next two years will prove to be a turning point for investors to begin valuing Apple with a more appropriate multiple."&nbsp;

- Challenges ahead -

But some analysts warn that Apple still faces challenges as rivals chip away at the smartphone market, in which the iPhone's share is less than 12 per cent.

Daniel Newman of Futurum Research said it was "an impressively unimpressive quarter" for Apple highlighted by weak iPhone sales.

"I believe the iPhone success is a double-edged sword for Apple, because it has become such a dependency for the company to achieve its growth targets, yet the market is clearly showing a stabilizing or even shrinking demand," Newman said in a research note.

Newman said Apple has no other product as lucrative as the iPhone, which has seen problems in China and has failed to gain traction in low-income countries.

"I believe Apple is floundering a bit more than people want to believe," Newman said.

"The company's strategy seems to be lacking vision. Apple's growth is coming from accessories and services, rather than iPhones and iPads. While diversification is a step forward, the company will need more of it, and fast."

Richard Windsor of the research firm Radio Free Mobile said Apple "is still a one-product company" because its ecosystem revolves around the iPhone.

"I still think that ending its dependence on the iPhone is a very distant dream meaning Apple will continue to live and die with the success of this product," Windsor said in a blog post.

While Apple is showing gains in these new services, Windsor said Apple's trajectory remains somewhat murky.

"If the Apple iPhone suddenly loses its mojo then these businesses which are being dressed up as iPhone independent are also likely to crater."

Greengart said the fears are overblown, pointing out that Apple has a large and loyal base of iPhone users which allows the company to sell more accessories and services.

"They're keeping their existing customers and there's still more switching to iPhone than away from iPhone," he said.

Greengart said Apple has the potential to lead in mobile augmented and virtual reality, health and wellness services through its smartwatch, which has been dominating the segment.

"Satisfaction with the Apple Watch is very high," the analyst said.

"If you want a smartwatch and you have an iPhone the Apple Watch is compelling, and once you have the Apple Watch, you're not going to switch to Android."

With its latest financial results, Apple is showing it can move beyond the iPhone with gadgets and services that can help the California tech giant weather the slumping smartphone market.

With its latest financial results, Apple is showing it can move beyond the iPhone with gadgets and services that can help the California tech giant weather the slumping smartphone market. In the just-ended quarter, Apple took in less than half its revenue from the iPhone, the longtime cash and profit driver for the company, representing a milestone for the company. Apple managed to grow its overall revenues, albeit by a modest one per cent, to $53.8 billion, even as iPhone revenues plunged nearly 12 per cent in the April-June period. The company delivered strong growth from digital content and services that include its Apply Pay and Apple Music, along with wearables and accessories like the Apple Watch and Air Pods. Apple is preparing to launch its branded credit card in August that ties into its digital wallet, as well as its own streaming television service to compete with Netflix and others, with at least $1 billion invested in original content. The results show Apple is lessening its dependence on the iPhone, analysts said. "As the smartphone market matures Apple can no longer rely on iPhones alone to power the company forward," said Avi Greengart of the consultancy Techsponential. "Apple has been signaling for a while that its plan was to diversify into services and we've seen from the latest results that this strategy is working quite well." - Apple's roadmap - Apple's update should allay investor concerns that the company's growth could be hobbled by a sputtering smartphone market, said a research note from Gene Munster and Will Thompson of the equity firm Loup Ventures. "We believe the Street is systematically undervaluing Apple's ecosystem by focusing on hardware sales instead of revenue and earnings growth plus optionality," Munster and Thompson wrote. "We believe this quarter's results and the roadmap for the next two years will prove to be a turning point for investors to begin valuing Apple with a more appropriate multiple." - Challenges ahead - But some analysts warn that Apple still faces challenges as rivals chip away at the smartphone market, in which the iPhone's share is less than 12 per cent. Daniel Newman of Futurum Research said it was "an impressively unimpressive quarter" for Apple highlighted by weak iPhone sales. "I believe the iPhone success is a double-edged sword for Apple, because it has become such a dependency for the company to achieve its growth targets, yet the market is clearly showing a stabilizing or even shrinking demand," Newman said in a research note. Newman said Apple has no other product as lucrative as the iPhone, which has seen problems in China and has failed to gain traction in low-income countries. "I believe Apple is floundering a bit more than people want to believe," Newman said. "The company's strategy seems to be lacking vision. Apple's growth is coming from accessories and services, rather than iPhones and iPads. While diversification is a step forward, the company will need more of it, and fast." Richard Windsor of the research firm Radio Free Mobile said Apple "is still a one-product company" because its ecosystem revolves around the iPhone. "I still think that ending its dependence on the iPhone is a very distant dream meaning Apple will continue to live and die with the success of this product," Windsor said in a blog post. While Apple is showing gains in these new services, Windsor said Apple's trajectory remains somewhat murky. "If the Apple iPhone suddenly loses its mojo then these businesses which are being dressed up as iPhone independent are also likely to crater." Greengart said the fears are overblown, pointing out that Apple has a large and loyal base of iPhone users which allows the company to sell more accessories and services. "They're keeping their existing customers and there's still more switching to iPhone than away from iPhone," he said. Greengart said Apple has the potential to lead in mobile augmented and virtual reality, health and wellness services through its smartwatch, which has been dominating the segment. "Satisfaction with the Apple Watch is very high," the analyst said. "If you want a smartwatch and you have an iPhone the Apple Watch is compelling, and once you have the Apple Watch, you're not going to switch to Android."

As iPhone sales sputter, Apple moves toward reinvention, again

Gilroy Garlic Festival in California was wrapping up and that was the last day of the festival when the mass shooting took place. On the final day, the venue was full of people. 3 are dead and 15 have been injured in this massacre. A suspect has been detained.

Gilroy Garlic Festival Shooting: Shooter identified as a teen named Santini William Legan

A mass shooting at a food festival in California has once again raised questions over gun culture in the United States.

San Jose shooting puts focus back on gun culture in US

Police and ambulances raced to a shooting at a food festival in California on Sunday, with four people reported dead and several injured, and video posted on social media showing people at the event running for cover as shots rang out.

Gilroy Garlic Festival Shooting: Trump tweets 'be careful and safe'

Local police said one suspect had been shot and killed by police but warned the scene was “still active” as a manhunt was under way for a second suspect.

Gilroy Garlic Festival Shooting: Motive of attack not clear yet

Police said the suspected gunman involved in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/shooting-at-california-food-festival-at-least-3-killed-several-injured-gunman-still-active-239130">Gilroy food festival shooting</a> at California was shot and killed. &nbsp;

Authorities said at least four people were killed with several injured in the shooting on Sunday evening. Reports said that the casualty toll could be higher.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/first-pics-from-the-scene-of-california-shooting-239142">Also See:&nbsp;First pics from the scene of California shooting</a>

"It is believed that the shooter cut through the fence to gain access to the festival," Gilroy police chief&nbsp;Scot Smithee said, adding that police engaged with the gunman in less than a minute after gunshots were heard.

Watch Video:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/several-injured-in-shooting-at-california-food-festival-239132/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Police said witnesses reported a "second gunman"&nbsp;may have been involved which was being investigated. People were seen running for cover after gunshots rang out amid the confusion at the food festival.

NBC News had reported that a white man in his 30s carried out the shooting with a rifle, however, authorities still haven't confirmed the identity of the shooter.&nbsp;

Founded in 1979, the Gilroy Garlic Festival features food, drink, live entertainment and cooking competitions. It says it is hosted by volunteers and describes itself as the world’s greatest summer food festival.

The festival was being held at outdoor Christmas Hill Park where the shooting took place. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump in a tweet said: "Be careful and safe!"

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Law Enforcement is at the scene of shootings in Gilroy, California. Reports are that shooter has not yet been apprehended. Be careful and safe!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1155676540631506944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Gilroy is located 48 kilometres southeast of San Jose.

Police said the suspected gunman involved in the Gilroy food festival shooting at California was shot and killed. Authorities said at least four people were killed with several injured in the shooting on Sunday evening.

Police said the suspected gunman involved in the Gilroy food festival shooting at California was shot and killed. Authorities said at least four people were killed with several injured in the shooting on Sunday evening. Reports said that the casualty toll could be higher. Also See: First pics from the scene of California shooting "It is believed that the shooter cut through the fence to gain access to the festival," Gilroy police chief Scot Smithee said, adding that police engaged with the gunman in less than a minute after gunshots were heard. Watch Video: Police said witnesses reported a "second gunman" may have been involved which was being investigated. People were seen running for cover after gunshots rang out amid the confusion at the food festival. NBC News had reported that a white man in his 30s carried out the shooting with a rifle, however, authorities still haven't confirmed the identity of the shooter. Founded in 1979, the Gilroy Garlic Festival features food, drink, live entertainment and cooking competitions. It says it is hosted by volunteers and describes itself as the world’s greatest summer food festival. The festival was being held at outdoor Christmas Hill Park where the shooting took place. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump in a tweet said: "Be careful and safe!" Law Enforcement is at the scene of shootings in Gilroy, California. Reports are that shooter has not yet been apprehended. Be careful and safe! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 29, 2019 × Gilroy is located 48 kilometres southeast of San Jose.

California shooting: Suspected gunman killed; death toll rises to 4

Gilroy Garlic Festival Shooting: 4 dead, 15 injured as police kill one suspect

At least five people have been hospitalised after a shooting at an annual food festival in northern California.

Several injured in shooting at California Food Festival

First pics from the scene of California shooting

An active shooter was reported at a food festival in California on Sunday (July 28) and a police spokesman said there were casualties. Few other details were immediately available. NBC Bay Area reported that ambulance crews were told 11 people "were down" after shots rang out on the last day of the Gilroy Garlic Festival, an annual three-day event south of San Jose. Videos posted on social media appeared to show festival attendees scattering in confusion as at least one loud popping sound could be heard in the background.

Active shooter reported at food festival in California

california

California, News on California, stories on California, articles on California, California stories at Wion, California news, California latest news