News Articles

The Daily Californian • 13th December 2025

10 most impactful Berkeley policies from 2025

During its final meeting of the year, the Berkeley City Council capped off a packed legislative calendar that included developments on housing, public safety, infrastructure and immigrant protections. At the same time, the council navigated a projected $18 million budget deficit. Here’s a look at 10 of the most impactful city policies in 2025 — and what to expect in the new year.

The Daily Californian • 4th December 2025

Berkeley City Council focuses on economic development, public safety at last 2025 meeting

During its final meeting of 2025, the Berkeley City Council advanced policies to bolster downtown revitalization, adopted updates to the city’s fire code and approved new zoning rules for alcohol sales on Telegraph Avenue.

The Daily Californian • 19th November 2025

Construction begins on Bakar Labs incubator for energy-efficient startups

UC Berkeley has begun construction on the Bakar Labs for Energy and Materials, or BLEAM, facility, which will be designed as a business incubator for startups working on innovating the energy and materials science industries.

The Daily Californian • 13th November 2025

Berkeley City Council approves BPD technology report amid ALPR concerns, works to change landmarking process

In Berkeley City Council’s recent meeting, members approved the Berkeley Police Department’s report regarding surveillance technology and discussed issues related to landmark petitions.

The Daily Californian • 30th October 2025

Council passes BPD radio encryption amid concerns over transparency

The Berkeley City Council approved a proposal to encrypt the Berkeley Police Department’s radio communications after the item faced backlash from the public at Tuesday’s regular meeting.

The Daily Californian • 20th October 2025

Mayor Ishii to address Berkeley’s pressing issues in first State of the City Address

Mayor Adena Ishii plans to address what she considers to be the biggest issues impacting Berkeley at the State of the City Address on Wednesday. A year into her term, this will be Ishii’s first address. She plans to highlight community resilience, public safety and bold housing efforts as the city navigates a growing structural deficit and federal pressure.

The Daily Californian • 17th October 2025

City Auditor commends progress on several audits, ROBOCOP resolution gets approved

District 5 Councilmember Shoshana O’Keefe saw her “ROBOCOP” resolution passed at last night’s Berkeley City Council meeting alongside several other resolutions. Council members also received updates on audit implementations from City Auditor Jenny Wong.

The Daily Californian • 8th October 2025

Berkeley City Council violates open meetings law, appeals court rules

A state appeals court ruled that the Berkeley City Council violated California’s open meetings law, concluding a nearly two-year legal dispute over the city’s closed-door discussions in November 2023 and January 2024.

The Daily Californian • 2nd October 2025

City Council passes Sanctuary City Ordinance, $8 million for “post-arrest diversion initiative”

The Berkeley City Council codified its Sanctuary City Ordinance, accepted $8 million for the CareBridge Program and passed several items to support vulnerable residents at its Tuesday meeting. Here are some key takeaways.

The Daily Californian • 25th September 2025

Council to vote Tuesday on $8 million for Berkeley CareBridge Program

The Berkeley City Council is scheduled to vote Tuesday on whether to use $8 million in state funding to launch the Berkeley CareBridge Program, a reentry plan for unhoused residents with behavioral health needs.

The Daily Californian • 18th September 2025

City Council approves rezoning to allow retail alcohol on Telegraph

It was all smiles and good feelings from council members at the conclusion of Berkeley’s regular City Council meeting Tuesday. Compared to the previous week's protests around Flock Safety and the earlier special council meeting on the city’s homelessness response, this City Council meeting was a mild affair that saw  council members sharing discretionary funds and enthusiasm with one another.

The Daily Californian • 11th September 2025

Berkeley City Council unanimously passes sanctuary city ordinance

In a unanimous vote Tuesday night, the Berkeley City Council passed a Sanctuary City Ordinance, formally strengthening Berkeley’s protections for undocumented residents.

www.dailycal.org • 3rd September 2025

Trump administration proposes four-year limit on international student visas

A proposed rule from President Donald Trump’s administration could limit how long international students and scholars are permitted to stay in the U.S., according to an Aug. 27 announcement.

The Daily Californian • 1st September 2025

Berkeley invests in street safety amid hundreds of vehicle, pedestrian collisions

The City of Berkeley is countering high collision rates with street safety technology and updated safety plans.According to the Berkeley Police Department, or BPD, 2024 Annual Report, the city recorded 877 collisions last year,including four fatal crashes and 559 injury-related incidents.

The Daily Californian • 21st August 2025

Central Street mural to ‘beautify’ Downtown Berkeley vacancies

Artist Ferran Torras’ mural along Center Street in Downtown Berkeley was completed Wednesday, bringing life, color and energy to a mostly vacant corridor.

The Daily Californian • 31st July 2025

Federal loan caps may deter students from pursuing professional degrees

Caps on federal student loans contained in President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful” bill could deter aspiring lawyers and doctors from earning professional degrees. Borrowers earning a professional degree — including medical or law degrees — may loan up to $50,000 annually and $200,000 over a lifetime.

The Daily Californian • 10th July 2025

Father of modern surface chemistry Gabor Somorjai dies at 90

UC Berkeley professor Gabor Somorjai, widely considered the “father of modern surface chemistry” according to the campus College of Chemistry, died July 7 at the age of 90, leaving behind a far-reaching scientific legacy. But beyond his many titles, Somorjai is remembered as a pioneer, a mentor and a friend.

The Daily Californian • 4th July 2025

Council reaffirms Berkeley’s sanctuary status, initiates task force supporting immigrant community

On January 21, City Council reaffirmed its status as a sanctuary city amid the Trump administration’s wave of immigration efforts.Following that, Mayor Adena Ishii created the Berkeley Sanctuary City Task Forceto assess threats facing immigrant communities and help codify local protections into law. In April, she proposed an ordinance reaffirming the city’s sanctuary policies.

The Daily Californian • 26th June 2025

City Council approves fee hikes to address $18M-plus budget deficit, strains community

The Berkeley City Council approved a broad set of fee changes within the last week in response to growing operational costs and a projected budget deficit. The fees will impact businesses, residents, homeowners, developers and more.

The Daily Californian • 19th June 2025

East Bay Blue Bottle Coffee plans to unionize

On Tuesday, workers at four East Bay locations of Blue Bottle Coffee announced plans to unionize, becoming the first in California to join the Blue Bottle Independent Union, or BBIU...

Muslim Climate Watch • 17th January 2025

The Islamic Charities Battling the LA Fires

On January 7th, a series of unrelenting wildfires erupted across Los Angeles. As the flames burned, a wave of compassion and action rose to meet the challenge—led by organizations like Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA), the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California, and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).


Entire communities were engulfed, homes reduced to ashes, and over 150,000 residents were told to evacuate. In just one week, the estimated damage was 12,000 structures. IRUSA’s Di...

Build a Water Project • 14th January 2025

AI Water Consumption & What You Can Do

Who doesn’t love AI? In today’s world, artificial intelligence has become an indispensable tool, assisting in everything from free math tutoring and comprehensive document summaries to even generating grocery lists. Over the last quarter century, we have grown increasingly reliant on machines for support. As a result, AI has seamlessly woven itself into nearly every aspect of our lives—so much so that imagining a world without it feels impossible.But where does AI receive its intelligence? The a...

The Borgen Project • 30th August 2024

Tackling Poverty Through Education in the Middle East

Education is a key determinant of economic stability and growth. In the Middle East, where poverty levels are high, access to education can significantly affect an individual’s economic prospects. According to Maher Hamoud, a professor of political economy at the University of Leuven, Belgium, “People tend to be easily manipulated when the level of education is low.” However, the relationship between education and poverty is not merely about individual empowerment; it also affects broader sociop...

The Borgen Project • 11th August 2024

Singapore’s Social Safety Net: A Blueprint for Reducing Poverty

Singapore, often hailed as an economic miracle, boasts a diverse economy that has propelled the nation to high-income status. Additionally, the country’s financial landscape is distinguished by a blend of globally leading industries, including manufacturing, services and emerging sectors. Manufacturing, a cornerstone of Singapore’s economy, spans electronics, chemicals and biomedical sciences. Furthermore, it contributes significantly to gross domestic product (GDP) and employment.
Meanwhile, th...