CANNES, France — Greeting from the Croisette, where the 79th Cannes Film Festival is underway — and where the Envelope has its inaugural Cannes issue. I’ve been hard at work since before the Oscars assigning and editing stories about the global film industry and this storied event’s role in it, albeit with an L.A. twist. And with … Read more
SACRAMENTO — As Los Angeles prepares to host the 2028 Olympics, state lawmakers are raising concerns that potential clashes with President Trump could cause chaos. State Sen. Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park), speaking at a legislative hearing this week on the 2028 Games, expressed concern about Trump’s animosity toward California and questioned whether that could affect the federal … Read more
In last week’s mayoral debate, candidate Spencer Pratt said “super meth” was driving homelessness in Los Angeles. After several years reporting and writing a book on this topic, I can say that Los Angeles, indeed the United States, doesn’t necessarily have a “super meth” problem. Meth is meth. Like aspirin is aspirin. What matters is … Read more
Jim Thompson became a billionaire by building Crown Worldwide from scratch into a global logistics giant. Loading audio narration… His daughter, Jennifer Harvey, was appointed CEO in 2023. Read our interview with her here. Thompson recently told Business Insider how he balanced the demands of building a business and raising his children, how he felt … Read more
Shoppers pulled back on spending in April as higher gas prices fueled by the Iran war meant less money left over for some nonessentials like clothing and furniture. But economists noted that consumer spending, propped up by generous income tax refunds, is still healthy. Still, they worry that spending will fall off as benefits from … Read more
WASHINGTON — In recent weeks, several social media influencers have popped up in online feeds touting the California gubernatorial campaign of billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer. Some complain about the price of gasoline. Others mention environmental concerns. One cites her newfound sobriety as evidence that people can change — a nod to Steyer’s self-proclaimed metamorphosis from hedge fund … Read more
On Friday, OpenAI launched a new set of personal finance tools in preview for ChatGPT Pro subscribers in the U.S., letting them connect their accounts and ask questions ranging from spending analysis to future financial planning. OpenAI has partnered with the financial connection service Plaid to manage the account connections. Users can connect to over … Read more
Not every summer movie needs to be a mystery that unfolds hallway after hallway, with a creature hiding around every corner ready to pop out. But maybe the best one is: “Backrooms,” opening May 29 and directed by 20-year-old phenom Kane Parsons. We chatted with him about how he got to make his big debut … Read more
Didn’t hit. Didn’t pitch. But that didn’t make Shohei Ohtani not the story. On the contrary. Seeing him chillin’ in a Dodger-blue hoodie — and not dressed for success in his white home uniform top — was the most striking part of the Dodgers’ 5-2 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Thursday at Dodger … Read more
NEW YORK — About 70,000 Americans died of drug overdoses last year — about 14% fewer than in the previous year, according to preliminary government data. It was the third straight annual drop, making it the longest decline in decades, according to federal data released Wednesday. The 2025 total is about the same as the tally in … Read more
Mike Tyson, 59, says one piece of advice from his mentor, Cus D’Amato, helped shape the mindset that made him a boxing champion. Loading audio narration… “When I had my mentor, he told me not to ever say anything negative about myself. But to say beautiful things about myself,” Tyson told host Theo Von on … Read more
Investors are growing increasingly optimistic about Amazon.com Inc.’s position in artificial intelligence, lighting a fire under the stock and sending the company’s market capitalization soaring toward the rarefied $3-trillion level. “We have a lot of confidence that Amazon’s AI strategy is working, and that it will continue to pay dividends in the form of strong … Read more
As Eileen Wang and her supporters tell it, the former Arcadia mayor was led astray by a man she trusted and loved. After chasing her political ambitions in the San Gabriel Valley suburb, Wang, 58, won a City Council seat in 2022 with the help of a campaign advisor who was also her romantic partner. … Read more
Tesla Robotaxis have crashed at least twice since July 2025 while a teleoperator was remotely driving the vehicles, according to newly unredacted information submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Both crashes happened in Austin, Texas, and occurred at low speeds. In each case, there was a safety monitor behind the wheel and … Read more
Yoko Ono is bringing her message of peace to Los Angeles as part of her upcoming exhibition at the Broad museum. Nearly 57 years after she and her husband John Lennon erected a billboard near the Chateau Marmont emblazoned with the words, “WAR IS OVER! If You Want It,” the 93-year-old artist will place a … Read more