Eric Lawson, who played the rugged Marlboro Man in cigarette ads in the late 1970s, has died in California. He was 72.

A former Charles Manson follower imprisoned for 40 years is hoping that his 27th parole hearing will provide his key to freedom.

California’s blistering autumn heatwave sent temperatures to an all-time record high of 113 degrees Fahrenheit (45 Celsius) in central Los Angeles, with many seeking refuge at the beach or in the shade.

Bruce Davis, a member of Charles Manson’s murderous cult who participated in two killings, was recommended for parole.

A massive marijuana garden – 61,000 plants worth nearly £100m (€148m) – was discovered in a remote area in Southern California.

The family of a woman who died two years ago is suing Michael Jackson and a California hospital, claiming the gravely-ill patient was moved from her two-bed trauma unit to make room for the pop star when he arrived with flu symptoms.

More aftershocks rattled central California today following a magnitude 6.5 earthquake that killed two people, injuring dozens and wrecked a landmark clock tower.

An earthquake rocked the central coast region of California tonight and sent tremors across a wide area in the south of the state.

LABOUR disputes struck hard across southern California yesterday, leaving hundreds of thousands of commuters stranded, grocery shoppers inconvenienced and county jails and courts threatened with closure.