Three political ads meant to break through our collective indifference caught my eye this week, as we come down to the wire on the June 2 primary election. Each one says less about the candidates involved, and more about this moment in politics and where the races for California governor and L.A. mayor may be … Read more
If you ask Sean Baker which honor he cherishes the most — the four Oscars he won for writing, directing, producing and editing the 2025 best picture winner “Anora” or the Palme d’Or he took at the Cannes film festival 10 months earlier — you’d need to have a considerable amount of patience as you … Read more
A Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher and two of the top jockeys in horse racing were allegedly linked to illegal cockfighting in Puerto Rico through social media posts, according to reporting from USA Today. The article, published Thursday, highlights social media posts advertising cockfighting tournaments that picture three-time All-Star closer Edwin Díaz in his Dodgers uniform … Read more
Friends, motorists, fellow Americans: The road ahead is far from straight. But it will take us through eight states and dozens of small towns, past Muffler Men and Patel motels, beneath the bright lights of Tulsa and Tucumcari, up close to Edward Hopper’s “Nighthawks” and Angel Delgadillo’s barber chair. In other words, it’s Route 66, … Read more
A top Pizza Hut franchisee says the chain’s rollout of an AI-powered delivery system turned once-speedy pizza orders into a cold, late-arriving mess — and cratered a business that had been outperforming nearly every other operator in the system. Loading audio narration… In a lawsuit filed on May 6 in Texas Business Court, franchisee Chaac … Read more
Netflix picked up the rights to three more NFL contests amid government scrutiny over the migration of games from free TV to streaming. The NFL’s first-ever regular season game in Melbourne, featuring the Los Angeles Rams and the San Francisco 49ers, will stream Sept. 10 on Netflix, the company announced Wednesday at its upfront presentation … Read more
BEIJING — A conciliatory President Trump on Friday hailed success in his state visit to China, claiming a tonal reset with Xi Jinping despite departing Beijing with few concrete achievements. The visual spectacle around Trump’s visit was itself considered a breakthrough by the two sides, who expressed an eagerness entering the talks to move on from a … Read more
Eugène Ionesco’s “Exit the King,” now in revival at A Noise Within under the direction of Michael Michetti, revolves around a centuries-old king whose health is in as dire a state as his kingdom. A doctor (Ralph Cole Jr.) has pronounced that he has 90 minutes left to live — not coincidentally the length of … Read more
The Rams will begin the season by traveling about 8,000 air miles to play against the San Francisco 49ers in Australia. They aim to end the season playing in Super Bowl LXI on their home turf at SoFi Stadium. The Sept. 10 opener — a Thursday night in the United States and the morning of … Read more
As a kid, I wanted to be an astronaut or a baseball player. When I realized I was prone to motion sickness, I backed off the astronaut plan. Later, I learned I couldn’t hit a curveball. Today, at 65, after a career in media, I have a new plan: to be among the first to … Read more
A regional Coca-Cola manufacturer will shut down a distribution center in Ventura after over 100 years in production. Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling will close the location on July 10, the company announced in a recent state filing. The decision was made following regular assessment of the company’s locations and services to ensure sustainable business growth, said … Read more
DAKAR, Senegal — It’s an existence that Congo’s president has described as “living the Congolese dream.” For the 15 Latin Americans deported to the African nation under the Trump administration’s widely criticized crackdown on migrants, it feels more like a nightmare. The Associated Press spoke with one, a 29-year old Colombian woman who confirmed what people deported … Read more
As young men flinched and gasped around me at the Los Angeles premiere of “Obsession,” I almost had to laugh. A slight head tilt, creepy smile or strange movement from star Inde Navarrette was enough to make them jump, and I had the realization that the most terrifying thing for a young man these days … Read more
The Chargers essentially lived on an airplane last season, traveling more miles than any other NFL team. This season, they will have a long runway followed by a dramatically sharp ascent. They open against three first-time head coaches in succession, then face four Super Bowl-winning head coaches in a row. Their first three games are … Read more
WASHINGTON — The head of the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Marty Makary, is resigning after a rocky tenure that drew months of complaints from health industry executives, anti-abortion activists, vaping lobbyists and other allies of President Trump. He steps down after just over a year leading the powerful health regulatory agency, according to a White House … Read more