LOS ANGELES, July 31, 2008 (AFP) - California said Thursday it planned to sue the US government for failing to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from ships, aircraft, construction and agricultural equipment.

LOS ANGELES, July 25, 2008 (AFP) - Californian environmental regulators have approved stringent guidelines aimed at forcing ocean-going vessels visiting the state's ports to use cleaner fuel, a statement said Friday.

LOS ANGELES, July 21, 2008 (AFP) - A member of a radical Islamic group accused of plotting to bomb Israeli and US military facilities in California was on Monday jailed for 12 years and seven months, justice officials said.

LOS ANGELES, June 30, 2008 (AFP) - California's death penalty system is close to collapse, an independent commission said Monday in a report that calls for judicial reform in the most populous US state.

LOS ANGELES, June 30, 2008 (AFP) - California's death penalty system is close to collapse, an independent commission said Monday in a report that calls for judicial reform in the most populous US state.

LOS ANGELES, June 9, 2008 (AFP) - Police in Los Angeles played down fears of a crime wave on Monday after an an unusually violent weekend saw more than a dozen people killed across the city.

Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief Earl Paysinger described the spike in violent deaths that left 14 people dead as a 'blip.'

LOS ANGELES, June 9, 2008 (AFP) - Leading results here on Sunday at the Janet Evans Invitational swimming meeting (USA unless noted):

200m breaststroke: 1. John Criste 2:14.29, 2. Miguel Molina (PHI) 2:16.62, 3. Vanni Mangoni (Italy) 2:17.93

100m backstroke: 1. Peter Marshall 54.62, 2. Derya Buyukuncu (TUR) 55.67, 3. David Russell 56.29

LOS ANGELES, June 9, 2008 (AFP) - Natalie Coughlin narrowly missed out on a world record Sunday, clocking a blistering 59.27sec to win the 100m backstroke on the final day of the Janet Evans Invitational swimming meeting.

LOS ANGELES, June 8, 2008 (AFP) - Leading results here on Saturday at the Janet Evans Invitational swimming meeting (USA unless noted):

1. Dominik Meichtry (SUI) 1:48.31, 2. Daniel Beal 1:49.19, 3. Brian Johns (CAN) 1:49.52

400m individual medley: 1. Vanni Mangoni (Italy) 4:19.28, 2. Tamas Kerekjarto (HUN) 4:20.54, 3. Meir Hasbani 4:21.57

LOS ANGELES, June 8, 2008 (AFP) - Pan American gold medallist Julia Smit won three gold medals Saturday at the Janet Evans Invitational swimming meeting.

Smit won the 200m freestyle, 400m individual medley and 200m backstroke to take home all but one of the individual women's golds on offer on the night.