Southern California's extreme heat is triggering dangerous conditions and raising fire concerns Thursday.

Carlos Herrera reports for the KTLA 5 Morning News on Aug. 21, 2025.

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday signed legislation calling a Nov. 4 special election that will let Californians decide whether lawmakers should temporarily take control of drawing the state’s congressional maps that would heavily favor Democrats. KTLA's Gavin Newsom reports on Aug. 21, 2025.

Details: https://ktla.com/news/california/newsom-signs-bill-putting-redistricting-measure-before-voters-in-november/

A man was arrested for allegedly shooting a woman outside a Cheesecake Factory at the Westfield Topanga mall on Thursday afternoon, police confirmed. KTLA's Carlos Saucedo reports on Aug. 21, 2025.

Details: https://ktla.com/news/local-news/woman-shot-outside-topanga-westfield-cheesecake-factory-suspect-arrested/

Eric Menendez was denied parole on Thursday after spending 30 years in prison for the murder of his parents. He and his brother Lyle were scheduled to face separate parole hearings beginning Thursday in California. KTLA's Mary Beth McDade reports on Aug. 21, 2025.

Details: https://apnews.com/article/menendez-brothers-update-parole-hearing-b19be69cd41953f07d3fcf84413ce4c8

Eric Menendez was denied parole on Thursday after spending 30 years in prison for the murder of his parents. He and his brother Lyle were scheduled to face separate parole hearings beginning Thursday in California.

Details: https://apnews.com/article/menendez-brothers-update-parole-hearing-b19be69cd41953f07d3fcf84413ce4c8

Camille Anderson, best known for hosting the show “Selling Mega Mansions,” recalls the frightening moment she was knocked to the ground and mugged while walking in Beverly Hills. KTLA's Kimberly Cheng reports on Aug. 21, 2025.

Changes to California’s ACA-8 would allow lawmakers to redraw congressional districts in ways that would heavily favor Democrats, regardless of redistricting efforts in Texas or other GOP-led states, should voters approve the measure in November.

In this exclusive interview, the lead researchers behind the discovery explain how NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope spotted what could be the first planet ever found around our closest “solar twin." Co-first authors Charles Beichman of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Caltech Ph.D. student Aniket Sanghi share why this Saturn-like world — just four light-years away — matters for science, how they confirmed it wasn’t a false signal, and the surprising sci-fi connections. Details: https://ktla.com/news/local-news/avatar-star-alpha-centauri-planet-discovery/

A man was arrested for allegedly shooting a woman outside a Cheesecake Factory at the Westfield Topanga mall on Thursday afternoon, police confirmed. Details: https://ktla.com/news/local-news/woman-shot-outside-topanga-westfield-cheesecake-factory-suspect-arrested/

A grass fire is burning in the Sepulveda Basin Thursday afternoon.

Rich Prickett reports for the KTLA 5 News at 1 on Aug. 21, 2025.

Details: https://ktla.com/news/local-news/blaze-burns-in-sepulveda-basin/

A man was arrested for allegedly shooting a woman outside a Cheesecake Factory at the Westfield Topanga mall on Thursday afternoon, police confirmed. Details: https://ktla.com/news/local-news/woman-shot-outside-topanga-westfield-cheesecake-factory-suspect-arrested/

Authorities are searching for two missing brothers, ages 2 and 10, who are possibly searching for their birth parents in South Los Angeles early Thursday morning. KTLA's Megan Telles reports live from the scene on Aug. 21, 2025. Details: https://ktla.com/news/local-news/two-missing-boys-ages-2-and-10-might-be-looking-for-birth-parents-in-south-l-a/

A longstanding church in Los Angeles' Echo Park neighborhood, which is currently vacant due to needed repairs, caught fire Thursday morning.

This video aired on the KTLA 5 Morning News on Aug. 21, 2025.