This is an LA Times Studios podcast.

Hi, I'm Angelica Cornado at LA Times Studios.

Here are some of today's headlines from the Los Angeles Times.

A Chinese scientist smuggled a toxic fungus into the U.S. and is now facing federal charges.

Ed White reports Unchin Jian and her boyfriend Zunyanlu are accused of bringing a dangerous pathogen into a University of Michigan lab without permits.

The fungus, called fucerium Graminorum, can damage crops and even

make livestock and humans sick. The FBI says it's considered a potential agro-terrorism weapon

and found messages between the two suggesting they knew exactly what they were doing. Lou was caught

with the material at a Detroit airport and sent back to China.

GN remains in U.S. custody and denies involvement,

even though evidence shows she handled the fungus without proper clearance.

Federal officials call the case a serious national security concern.

California's high-speed rail project could lose $4 billion in federal funding in a little over a month.

Colleen Shelby reports the Trump administration found no viable path to complete the train after a lengthy investigation.

A federal review points to spending deficits, missed deadlines, and questionable ridership estimates.

State officials called the findings misguided and say they're ultimately committed to

finishing the San Francisco to Los Angeles train line. With an estimated budget that's over $100 billion,

critics say it's a failure and want to shift funds to other

transit projects. With federal money on the line, the future of America's first high-speed

rail could come down to the next 37 days. California lawmakers are targeting AI companion chatbots

after parents voiced concerns about teen mental health.

Queenie Wong reports the state Senate just passed a bill that would mandate chatbot platforms

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