A small plane has crashed into a backyard of a residential neighbourhood in southern California, killing two people onboard and damaging homes, local authorities said.

The Ventura County Fire Department said firefighters received reports Saturday afternoon of a single-engine aircraft that had crashed into two houses in Simi Valley, northwest of Los Angeles.

Police and the medical examiner’s office “verified there were two passengers in the aircraft, both of whom were fatally injured in the accident,” the county fire department wrote on X.

The two homes were occupied at the time of the crash, but no injuries to residents were reported, the fire department said.

Photo and video images posted by the department showed firefighters on top of a house with holes in the roof, a fence and brick wall between residences knocked down, and the tops of trees sheared off.

The Simi Valley Police Department said officers had located the plane “in the backyard of a residence.”

Police told CBS News that the pilot, a passenger, and a dog were aboard when the plane crashed at around 2:00 pm.

The Federal Aviation Administration said, according to CBS, that the plane was a Van’s RV-10, which had taken off from William J. Fox Airfield in Los Angeles County and was heading to Camarillo Airport in neighbouring Ventura County.

In January, a Van’s RV-10, a small plane with four seats, crashed into a commercial building near Fullerton Municipal Airport southeast of Los Angeles, killing at least two people and injuring 18 others.

AFP

A former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris has launched a critique of Donald Trump’s administration, accusing the former president and his allies of executing a decades-old conservative plan to reshape America through fear, division, and unchecked power.

Speaking on Wednesday in San Francisco at an event organized by Emerge; a political group dedicated to training Democratic women for public office, Harris delivered her first major address since her party’s defeat in the November election.

“What we are, in fact, witnessing is a high velocity event, where a vessel is being used for the swift implementation of an agenda that has been decades in the making,” Harris told the audience.

She argued that the chaotic and aggressive start to Trump’s presidency is not random but rather a calculated effort to serve a narrow group of elites.

“An agenda to slash public education. An agenda to shrink government and then privatize its services. All while giving tax breaks to the wealthiest,” she said.

Harris accused Trump’s administration of fostering a dangerous political climate.

She said, “A narrow, self-serving vision of America where they punish truth-tellers, favor loyalists, cash in on their power, and leave everyone to fend for themselves.”

Since taking office, Trump’s presidency has been defined by a flurry of executive orders, touching on immigration, foreign aid, and even everyday regulations such as water pressure in showerheads.

While his supporters have welcomed the rapid changes, critics warn the administration is bypassing democratic norms and institutions.

Recent opinion polls reflect growing public unease with Trump’s policies, particularly his shifting stance on tariffs and international trade, which have caused economic uncertainty.

Harris, who has largely kept a low profile since leaving Washington in January, used the platform to warn about the administration’s efforts to intimidate opposition voices.

“President Trump, his administration, and their allies are counting on the notion that fear can be contagious. They are counting on the notion that, if they can make some people afraid, it will have a chilling effect on others,” she said.

But she also struck a hopeful tone, saying resistance is growing across the country.

“Fear isn’t the only thing that’s contagious. Courage is contagious. The courage of all these Americans inspires me,” Harris told the crowd.

Though she has yet to confirm any future political ambitions, Harris is widely believed to be considering a run for governor of California in 2026 or even a White House bid in 2028.

Her forceful speech suggests she may be preparing to return to frontline politics, and positioning herself as a leading voice in the fight against Trump-era conservatism.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday, at the White House, offered to extend Elon Musk’s advisory role within his administration.

The 53-year-old tech billionaire attended the first Cabinet meeting since President Trump marked his first 100 days in office.

In what resembled a farewell message, Musk said the American people “voted for secure borders, safe cities, and sensible spending, and that’s what they’ve gotten.”

Musk observed that “a tremendous amount” had been accomplished in the first 100 days—more, he claimed, than any previous administration.

He stated that this achievement “portends very well for what will happen for the rest of the administration,” and opined that it could be the “greatest administration” in America’s history.

Musk, a senior presidential adviser who heads the Department of Government Efficiency, confirmed that $160 billion had been saved since January.

The Tesla CEO, however, expressed concern about the attacks on his company, adding: “They do like to burn my cars, which is not great.”

In response, President Trump thanked Musk for his contributions, noting that he has “sacrificed a lot” and has also been “treated unfairly.”

Trump added that the vast majority of people respect and appreciate Musk for opening “a lot of eyes to what could be done.”

“We just want to thank you very much, and you are invited to stay as long as you want,” the President added.

Musk reportedly no longer operates from the West Wing, but his DOGE team continues to work from the Eisenhower Executive Office Building within the White House complex.