The stock market fell from its records Friday and joined a worldwide drop for stocks after higher oil prices sent a shiver through the bond market. Stocks that had been caught up in the euphoria around artificial-intelligence technology led the way lower. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index fell 1.2% from its all-time high set … Read more
SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom’s revised $349.9-billion budget proposal largely relies on a tax windfall to erase California’s deficit over the next two fiscal years, allowing the Democratic governor to end his term with a surplus and say he’s providing a cushion for his successor. The budget, which Newsom presented Thursday, showcases the governor’s desire to leave … Read more
At a time when AI is reshaping classrooms and raising questions about the future of work, some young people are questioning the value of pursuing higher education at all. While some founders encourage promising students to go into ambitious startups and forgo traditional education, high-earning tech execs continue to champion the value of a college … Read more
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — To Fidel Castro and Cuba’s communist elite, private businesses were totems of capitalist evil. Now, with the country running out of food and fuel, the regime on the brink and anger spreading in the streets, it’s those private businesses — run by once-persecuted, small-scale capitalists — that hold the key to salvaging … Read more
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Thousands of people rallied Saturday in the cradle of the modern civil rights movement to mobilize a new voting rights era as conservative states dismantle congressional districts that helped secure Black political representation. U.S. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey called Montgomery “sacred soil” in the fight for civil rights. “If we in our … Read more
MEXICO CITY — The highway from the Guadalajara city airport to downtown is newly paved and the city’s famous roundabout has gotten a $4-million facelift. The city is abuzz with renovation projects as Guadalajara prepares to host four World Cup soccer matches in June. But there’s one thing the 3 million fans expected to flock to the … Read more
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Tse Hao Guang, a 38-year-old researcher and writer based in Singapore. It has been edited for length and clarity. Loading audio narration… I started a creative publishing project to spotlight emerging writers, with the goal of not losing money doing it. My journey in literature began … Read more
On a recent weekday morning inside a studio in the heart of Hollywood, Rachel Lindsay and Van Lathan, co-hosts of The Ringer’s “Higher Learning,” were getting ready to roll. By the time the podcasters came into the Spotify Sycamore Studios for their show, which covers all things in Black culture and politics, the overhead lights … Read more
Eddie Martinez can’t stand Donald Trump. So when Eric Swalwell entered the race for California governor, Martinez had his candidate. “I liked the way he took Trump on, the impeachment thing in Congress,” Martinez said of the former Bay Area congressman, a Trump nemesis who served as one of the House prosecutors in 2021 when … Read more
Kiki Rice dribbled to the hoop, deked and then put up a shot over the Toronto Tempo practice squad, crisp ombre blue-and-burgundy nails releasing the ball into the basket. Just over a month ago and just about 10 miles away, Rice‘s blue-and-yellow nails grasped the NCAA championship trophy in celebration at Pauley Pavilion. That’s when … Read more
Hundreds of spectators gathered along Ocean Boulevard dressed in rainbow tutus, dresses and shirts, whooping and waving as the Long Beach Pride parade rolled past Sunday morning. Mayor Rex Richardson, wearing a rainbow lei and holding a Pride flag, marched down the street with gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra as Bad Bunny’s “BAILE INoLVIDABLE” rang out. … Read more
When Kevin Elliott’s job in Qatar ended, he and his wife, Camille, had to decide quickly where to retire. Loading audio narration… The couple had spent nearly eight years in Doha after moving from South Carolina in 2018 for Kevin’s job. Life in the Middle East took some getting used to, especially the heat and … Read more
It’s a Friday night happy hour at Distrito Catorce bar in Boyle Heights, and the regulars note that the crowd listening to Spanish-language jams has a few more unfamiliar faces than usual. The reason quickly becomes clear, as Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman arrives for a hora feliz con Nithya, sipping a Tajin-rimmed drink … Read more
HARRISBURG, Pa. — The artificial intelligence boom is leading to fights in some states over growing utility profits, as governors, attorneys general and others protesting rising electricity bills say cash-strapped residents are stuck in a broken system. Officials and lawmakers in at least six states — Arizona, Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania — are … Read more
CANNES, France — The movies of Na Hong-jin aren’t hard to love — they’re as obsession-worthy as the stylish rigor with which they are made. His 2008 debut, “The Chaser,” found new febrility in the post-Fincher serial killer thriller. “The Wailing” somehow added ghosts, demon-possessed children and inky black crows to the mix with a near-crazed sense … Read more