Iran-Backed Plot Targeted LA Jewish Site

Federal prosecutors say a Los Angeles Jewish institution was among three U.S. targets in a foiled firebombing plot allegedly directed by an Iranian-backed Iraqi militia commander now in U.S. custody.

Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, 32, a commander with the terrorist group Kata’ib Hizballah, was charged Friday in Manhattan federal court with six terrorism-related offenses.

According to the federal complaint, Al-Saadi sent an undercover officer photos and maps of Jewish institutions in New York, Los Angeles, and Scottsdale, Arizona. Prosecutors say he offered $10,000 for an attack targeting a New York synagogue.

Prosecutors say Al-Saadi began urging attacks on Americans after the conflict involving Iran began Feb. 28. In a social media post cited in the complaint, he wrote: “Kill everyone who supports America and Israel.”

Through counsel, Al-Saadi told the court he is being persecuted for his ties to Qasem Soleimani, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander killed in a 2020 U.S. airstrike.

Death Cap Outbreak Now Largest Ever

California’s death cap mushroom outbreak has killed four people, required four liver transplants, and sickened 47, making it the largest such outbreak in U.S. history, experts say.

Three new cases last week involved a single Napa County family hospitalized at Stanford Medical Center, well past the normal peak season for the toxic fungus. Cases span 12 counties across the Bay Area and Central Coast.

The state Department of Public Health is urging residents not to forage wild mushrooms, since death caps closely resemble safe varieties. As little as a sugar cube’s worth can be fatal.

State health officials have translated warnings into Spanish, Mandarin, and Mixteco, an Indigenous Mexican language spoken by some affected communities. Most clusters have been reported in the Monterey and San Francisco Bay areas.

Kars4Kids Jingle Banned in California

An Orange County judge has permanently banned the Kars4Kids jingle from California airwaves, ruling the 30-year-old ad misled donors about where their money actually goes.

Judge Gassia Apkarian found the charity violated California’s False Advertising Law because the ad’s child actors and repeated jingle implied funds helped underprivileged kids. Trial testimony showed more than 60% of Kars4Kids funds flow to Oorah, an Orthodox Jewish nonprofit in New Jersey.

Oorah’s spending included gap-year trips to Israel for teenagers, adult matchmaking services, and a $16.5 million building purchase in Israel. The charity’s COO admitted “Jewish” appears nowhere in the jingle.

Kars4Kids has 30 days from the May 8 ruling to pull noncompliant ads or add an audible disclosure. A separate federal class action pending in San Francisco could carry $400 million to $500 million in damages, according to a plaintiff attorney.

Communications director Wendy Kirwan called the ruling “deeply flawed“ and said the charity expects to win on appeal.

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➤ East Oakland: Three pedestrians were killed and several others injured late Saturday night when an SUV jumped the curb near International Boulevard and 85th Avenue. Witnesses said the crash followed a collision outside a liquor store. Bystanders detained the juvenile driver as he tried to flee before police arrived. (More)

➤ Lassen County: Sheriff John McGarva declared mountain lions in the Gold Run area an “imminent threat to public safety” after months of close encounters and videos showing up to five lions roaming near homes. (See Details)

➤ San Francisco: A 41-year-old man was charged with multiple felonies after allegedly posting threats about “shooting people” at a Pacific Heights school and making additional threats at a Richmond District campus over a three-day span, briefly putting one school on lockdown. (More)

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➤ Fresno: Police launched a major SWAT search after a 56-year-old man allegedly shot a police officer during a domestic violence response Saturday night. The officer is expected to recover, and officers rescued a woman and 8-year-old girl from the home. (More)

➤ Bakersfield: Overnight closures and lane reductions are underway on Stockdale Highway between Old River Road and Buena Vista Road as Bakersfield begins a pavement rehabilitation project. Work is scheduled from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Sunday through Thursday through July 16. (See Details)

➤ Central Valley: Petaluma-based Straus Family Creamery voluntarily recalled five flavors of its organic ice cream over potential metal fragments. Affected pints and quarts were distributed in California after hitting shelves May 4. No injuries have been reported. (See Details)

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➤ Los Angeles: Councilwoman Nithya Raman’s proposal to restrict backyard barbecues, fire pits, and open-flame restaurant cooking on Red Flag Warning days drew backlash last week after Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez called it “tone-deaf” and warned it would punish neighborhood traditions like carne asadas. Raman is running for mayor. (More)

➤ Hollywood: A man fled on foot when Hollywood Vice officers approached him for parading exotic snakes around the Walk of Fame to collect money from tourists, leaving the snakes behind. Officers placed the reptiles in a bin and turned them over to L.A. Animal Control. (More)

➤ San Diego: Police are investigating six suspicious fires reported early Sunday near Sharp Memorial Hospital, including burning bushes, trash, and oil fires. Officers detained a man after a witness reported seeing someone in dark clothing set a tree on fire. (More)

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➤ UCLA baseball earned the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten baseball tournament bracket released Saturday after capturing the conference regular-season title, while USC secured the No. 4 seed. Both teams received first- and second-round byes. (See Bracket)

➤ Stanford and California baseball will meet in the first round of the ACC baseball tournament on Tuesday, with Stanford entering as the No. 12 seed and California as the No. 13 seed. (See Bracket)

➤ Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell is sidelined indefinitely after doctors discovered loose bodies in his left elbow. Manager Dave Roberts said “anything is on the table” for the two-time Cy Young Award winner, who has made just one start this season. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NBA | MLB | WNBA | NCAAB | Soccer | PGA Championship | NASCAR

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➤ California’s housing affordability hit a four-year high in Q1 2026, with 22% of households able to afford a median-priced existing single-family home, up from 19% a year earlier, according to the California Association of Realtors. The median home price fell 0.5% year over year to $843,390 as lower mortgage rates eased borrowing costs. (See Report)

➤ Waymo will expand driverless service to Cupertino, Campbell, and the Willow Glen and Vista Park neighborhoods of San Jose, adding about 60 square miles and bringing its Bay Area footprint to more than 300 square miles. (More)

➤ Hotels along California’s Central Coast saw occupancy rates between 80% and 96% in February and March, while local shops and restaurants reported a 40% surge in business since Highway 1 fully reopened in mid-January. Northbound traffic at Ragged Point is up more than 900%, Visit California said. (More)

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➤ Hundreds lined up outside Westfield Topanga in Canoga Park on Friday night for a Swatch and Audemars Piguet collaboration featuring eight colorful Royal Pop pocket watches priced between $400 and $420. Police capped the line at 200 people after more than 300 gathered for the limited release. (See Details)

➤ A classic red Volkswagen Beetle was stolen this week from Wagenmasters, an auto restoration shop on East 8th Street in Rancho Cucamonga. Surveillance video shows a white pickup truck towing the custom Beetle from the property. The business later shared a high-resolution image of a person of interest as it asks the public for help locating the vehicle. (See Video)

➤ A Santa Clarita family thought their Ring doorbell notification was a package delivery Friday morning, but the visitor at their front door was a black bear. The bear was tagged and wearing a tracking collar. Deputies received several sighting calls throughout the day but reported no injuries. (See Video)

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Waymo is rolling out driverless service across more of California. Would you hop in?

1. Already a regular
2. Sure, why not?
3. Maybe down the road
4. Human driver, thanks
5. Other

Yesterday’s Results:

Did you grow up going to Chuck E. Cheese?

1. No: 52%
2. Yes: 27%
3. Chuck E. Who?: 21%

Rogers Dry Lake at Edwards Air Force Base was closely associated with which iconic NASA program?

Show me the answer