ARN Stories

California's first, and seemingly only, governor debate took place at CNN's studio in Burbank yesterday. Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton sparred on topics ranging from affordable housing to the AI regulation. Annenberg Media center director Christina Bellantoni talks about her biggest takeaways.

Last week, a Mississippi jury found zero evidence of criminal conduct in the death of Nolan Wells on July 4th this year. The verdict ignited backlash across the U.S. People have taken to the streets and to social media to voice their frustrations. Annenberg Media reporter Gracen Fling has been covering this story.

Yesterday, the U.S pulled its last troops from Iraq after 23 years of military involvement. Since then the U.S. has deployed more than 1.5 million troops and nearly $2 trillion have been spent. Has the U.S. learned any lessons from this forever war? Anahita Saxena has the story.

California Assembly Bill 32 just hit its 20th birthday. The bill capped greenhouse gas emissions and targeted a reduction in total emissions to below 1990 levels by 2020, which California met and exceeded. Now, the 2016 Senate Bill 32 targets emissions to be 40% below 1990 levels by 2030. Jackson Sneeringer has the story.

Yesterday, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill to help local news outlets hire more journalists.

Emma Moccia has the story.

Californians will be voting on a measure that require voters to show government-issued identification at polling places, including an identification number on mail-in ballot envelopes.

The changes may sound small, but how could Proposition 39 affect California voters?

Emma Moccia has the story

The California job market isn’t looking the prettiest in 2026. A recent UCLA study showed that California has the highest unemployment rate out of every state in the nation.

Liam Wady has more.

USC Surplus Sales hosted a pop-up selling used furniture and other secondhand equipment at the Trojan Farmer's Market Wednesday. The event is part of USC's Green Week, a series of events focused on sustainability.

On Tuesday, Governor Gavin Newsom signed 21 bills targeting immigration enforcement in California. The bills are aimed at limiting how federal agents can detain immigrants. Among the bills he signed are a ban on electroshock gloves used by agents, a 25% tax on private immigrant detention facilities and the people's power to sue federal agents for violating their constitutional rights.

President Donald Trump launched a new artificial intelligence chatbot Tuesday that tells visitors they can get "whatever they need from the government." ARN found that the bot gave responses that contradict what Trump has said in the past.

USC named David Madigan as its next provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. He will replace the current provost, Andrew Guzman, in October. Madigan previously served as provost at Northeastern University from 2020 to 2025. USC will be the fifth university where he has worked in a leadership role.

Just weeks before election day, CNN is hosting a gubernatorial debate between democrat Xavier Becerra and republican Steve Hilton. Voters will decide in November who is best fit to follow Governor Gavin Newsom.

A collision between USC junior linebacker Desman Stephens II and Oregon senior quarterback Dante Moore has garnered heavy media attention since the USC vs. Oregon game on Saturday. Stephens has faced criticism for making a "fly away" celebration gesture and smiling on the sidelines after making a hit that incapacitated Moore. Talk of Troy host Dash Istafanous shares his view on the incident and where the USC football season is headed next.

We recap the debate around a foul from this weekend's football game.

Two pandas arrived in Atlanta yesterday, as a gift from the Chinese government. We explore "panda diplomacy", its history, and their evolution.

A large cyclone hit the East Coast this weekend, causing flooding in parts of New Jersey and New York, power outages across the Northeast US, and thousands of flights were delayed or cancelled as the storm traveled across the Northeast.

We explore USC Green Week's offerings on campus, including how to save the environment by mending your clothes, bikes, and boards.

Yesterday, the Senate voted to pass the Protect College Sports Act. This bill would create a “national framework” for name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals in college sports. This gives student-athletes the right to make money while regulating money in college sports. Currently the House is out of session so we won't see a vote until after election.

Jazmine Ramirez is here with some answers.

Yesterday U-S-C kicked off green week to celebrate the University's efforts in sustainability. Today, Allison Agsten, the director of Annenberg's Center for Climate Journalism and Communication hosted a conversation at the sustainability hub about lizards and biodiversity. She was joined by a very special guest...

Here's Bia Machain, with the help of Miranda Huang, with the story

Cornell University is under fire for an alleged gang rape that occurred in 2024. Authorities announced this week that they will reopen a criminal investigation in light of a lawsuit filed by a former student, identified only as Jane Doe.

As Bia Machain reports, sexual assault on campus is a systemic issue that goes far beyond Cornell.

Today is national coffee day, perhaps the most celebrated holiday in the country! Annenberg reporter Audrey Im spoke with students in the U-S-C village about their go-to orders... and weekly coffee budgets. Here are some of their responses;

Bryn Hogan has the story....

he LA City Council seat for District 9 is up for grabs. District 9 happens to encompass the U-S-C campus, along with Historic South Central, and parts of South Park in Downtown LA. Jose Ugarte and Estuardo Mazariegos are running for the seat.

In a two-part series, we’ll be interviewing both candidates to get a sense of how each plans to work with U-S-C and the South Central community. Today we sat down with Estuardo Mazariegos right here in Studio B.

Mazariegos prides himself on his role as a long-time community organizer here in Hi...

NASA held a press conference today to discuss their Boeing Starliner spacecraft. The spacecraft was last seen in headlines in 2024 when NASA declared their launch a type A mishap. The astronauts aboard were stuck on the International Space Station for a year. USC astronautical engineering professor David Barnhart shares his expectations for future space missions.

President Donald Trump is hosting Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the White House for a state dinner. The meeting comes as artificial intelligence leaders call for a global slowdown and as Trump imposes high tariffs on China and other nations. ARN spoke with Chenggang Xu, a senior research scholar at Stanford's Center on China's Economy and Institutions.

California's proposed Billionaire Tax is one of the most controversial ballot measures in the November general election. But what is Prop 40, and why are Californian's do divided?

Liam Wady has the story.

A new study from the Keck School of Medicine reveals surprising findings on alcohol consumption. Researchers found that adults as a whole have been drinking less, but trends vary for different demographics across age groups.

Nicholas Corral has more.

The MTV Video Music Awards take place this Sunday at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles. Artists including Madonna and Shaboozey are set to perform. But, are young people even watching music videos as much as they used to?

Jackson Sneeringer has the story

Nolan Xavier Wells went with his friends to celebrate the fourth of July off the coast of Mississippi at Horn Island. His friends came back to the mainland without him. His body was found two days later, kickstarting an investigation.

This morning, attorneys and experts provided additional details about the contents of Nolan Wells’ phone… and the findings surrounding his death.

Gracen Fling has the story.

Annenberg Media reporter Anahita Saxena went to downtown Los Angeles, where groups supporting Tibetan Americans and human rights protested Chinese leader Xi Jinping's White House visit.

A judge ruled that outlets recently banned from the White House are being given their press badges back. Emma Moccia has the story.

As of today, the USC Keck School of Medicine is ending its cadaver contract with the U.S. Navy for medical training using donated bodies. The medical school shared these details with Annenberg Media in an emailed statement. Marina Yazbek has the story.

At USC today, students were able to get flu shots at a tent in the farmer's market -- and donate blood during a mobile drive in the Village. Hawa Yusuf reports on how bringing these services to directly students on campus can make it easier for them to take part.

Bovard Auditorium will host a one-night-only concert on Thursday honoring the legacy of Stevie Wonder.

The Supreme Court declined to hear a case Tuesday to pause a California ruling that named a couple the legal parents of the baby born to their surrogate.

President Trump said at the U.N. that he wants to rename AI to "superintelligence."

The recent deaths of two students at the University of Mississippi has lead to nationwide drug safety concerns. At USC, students reflect on the importance of drug safety and overdose prevention in their community.

Countries around the world are debating who should keep AI in check, and not everyone agrees. This week a group on nations made a push for global oversight of AI, but some of the world's biggest AI powers stayed on the sidelines.

We sit down with guest Elizabeth Rothman to discuss where global AI regulation is headed.

The final major legal hurdle for the merger plans between Paramount and Warner Bros. was resolved yesterday following California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s disclosure of a proposed settlement. The deal is expected to close imminently. Actors and entertainment workers who oppose the settlement protested today in front of Paramount Pictures’ studio in Hollywood.

Dymond Walker discusses the merger and how it’ll affect USC’s film school.

The Los Angeles Board of Supervisors held a public hearing this morning on an updated plan for the County's Department of Homeless Services and Housing, The department officially launched on January 1, 2026.

Jazmine Ramirez has the story.

After over eight years of construction, George Lucas's Museum of Narrative Art finally opened its doors to the public. The billion-dollar institution sits right outside of USC.

Miranda Huang went to the grand opening to talk to the first visitors.