A California candidate for Congress has blamed an aide for sending out an email saying that he was quitting the race in Orange County out of a “lack of joy” - but admitted that he did write it. “Life is short. I believe one should enjoy their work. For the past four months, I have not enjoyed mine,” Aditya Pai wrote in the email, before announcing that he was in fact quitting. In the second email titled “Apologies for the scare. I am not going anywhere” Mr Pai, 31, said the first email was sent by a now-former aide accidentally. He, however, said he had written the email. “I wrote that letter as an emotional processing exercise after an exhausting glimpse into the political machine,” Mr Pai wrote in the second email. “I sent it to some mentors and staff for perspective before getting back to work; it was never supposed to be shared. Now that it was, I see a silver lining in your seeing it.” Mr Pai, who is trying to unseat, Rep Michelle Steel, told the Orange County Register that he was at the gym when the first email was sent. He initially thought it was a test email. But, when he realised the email had gone to “literally everyone” he called his parents and mentors for advice, who told him that he had to get through the campaign “to be in a position to serve and serve as I’ve always enjoyed it.” “In that first email, the only thing that was inaccurate was the resulting decision,” he told the newspaper. Now, with the mask off, Mr Pai said he can run an authentic campaign. “There was a bit of catharsis in that letter coming out,” he told The Hill. “There was a silver lining. I feel free in being myself.” “Rest assured: I am here to run, win, and serve you to the absolute best of my ability,” he wrote in the second email. Mr Pai and three other Democratic candidates are vying for the seat held by Rep Steel which covers California’s 45th congressional district or much of northwestern Orange County. While historically Orange County has mostly voted Republican, demographic shifts have turned the county purple and Ms Steel’s district is regarded as a swing district. Read More CLIMATE GLIMPSE: Here's what you need to see and know today Union leader urges PM to return ‘to real world’ to settle doctors’ pay dispute Prosecutors say a California judge charged in his wife's killing had 47 weapons in his house A brief history of natural disasters in Hawaii, from tsunamis to wildfires Summer camp in California gives Jewish children of color a haven to be different together Maui residents had little warning before flames overtook town. At least 53 people died.

"Civilians of Gaza City, evacuate south for your own safety and the safety of your families," Israel's military

Leg muscle strains outrank all other NFL injuries in cumulative absences from practices and games

The 113,561-ton Ruby Princess "made unexpected contact with the dock at Pier 27" at the port of San Francisco, Princess Cruises said. But the cruise line was still hoping to embark on another voyage with the same ship.

Legal challenges are continuing to target some of President Joe Biden's student loan policies. While his major student loan forgiveness program was blocked by the Supreme Court, the Biden administration is also facing lawsuits over some of its other policy changes aimed at making it easier for borrowers to pay back their loans.

Casamigos Margarita, the tequila company was co-founded by Cindy Crawford's husband, Rande Gerber, along with George Clooney and Mike Meldman

Like many horrors before it, bad reviews didn’t scare off moviegoers from buying tickets for “The Nun II.”

A Texas court has ruled that embattled Attorney General Ken Paxton’s long-delayed trial on securities fraud charges from 2015 will take place in Houston

A man charged with attempted murder who escaped from a psychiatric hospital in Oregon while fully shackled was arrested after he was found floundering in a muddy pond

Harrison Floyd, one of President Donald Trump's 18 co-defendants in the Georgia 2020 election subversion case, was charged in May for assaulting an FBI agent who came to serve him a subpoena to testify before a federal grand jury in Washington, DC.

By pulling out of a landmark deal that allowed Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea, Russian President Vladimir Putin has taken a gamble that could badly damage Moscow’s relations with many of its partners that have stayed neutral or even been supportive of the Kremlin’s invasion of its neighbor

By Gabriella Borter ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico The day Alan Braid opened his abortion clinic for business in Albuquerque,