‘We need change’: Voters deliver stark verdict on California’s political leadership

There was one word on the lips of most voters in Los Angeles on election day. Change. “We need a change,” said Alex Escobar, a teacher, who voted in Van Nuys early Tuesday for Republican Steve Hilton for governor. Escobar has voted Democrat in previous elections. “There’s been eight consecutive years of the same. Nothing has changed. There’s always promises made from the Democratic Party, and nothing is ever changed.” “They always talk back on the statements that they do,” he said. “The state of California has got to change. The city of Los Angeles has got to change.” Photographer…

California restaurant known for fine Italian dining to close after 17-year run

It’s arrivederci for a Napa Valley dining institution. Oenotri, a celebrated downtown Napa hotspot known for its upscale Italian fare, house-made salumi, and extensive wine list, announced it will shut its doors permanently after 17 years, leaving longtime customers heartbroken. The Italian eatery, which became a go-to destination for locals…

Meta responds as women in politics demand action against online abuse

The owner of Facebook and Instagram is “reviewing a range of enforcement actions” to combat threats and harassment targeting female parliamentarians on its platforms, as the attack on independent MP Helen Haines last month casts a spotlight on the risks women in politics face. “Women should be able to represent…

.6M hypercar wrecked in brutal test crash — and the driver survived

Footage of a multimillion-dollar hypercar crashing in a high-speed test has been released by car manufacturer BYD. The video, which has been widely circulated on social media, shows the YANGWANG U9 Xtreme hitting a fence while on a closed circuit. According to BYD, the car was travelling between 420-450km/h when…

What is a ‘Wolverine shot’? The biohacking booster athletes love

It’s a beast of a shot. With the Trump administration easing access to unproven peptide drugs favored by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the small molecules with big buzz are popping up everywhere. And two particularly popular peptides make up a combo that fans have nicknamed the “Wolverine shot”…

MLB owners offer up salary cap twist in latest CBA proposal

MLB owners are willing to wait an additional year on a key proposed element of the next collective bargaining agreement. The league has proposed postponing a salary cap and floor until the 2028 season, as the CBA nears expiration on Dec. 1. “Starting in 2028 would allow a smoother transition…

Anthropic investors are getting skittish over sky-high valuation: report

Wall Street is getting skittish about Anthropic’s eye-watering valuation – with key investors pushing the artificial-intelligence giant to temper its expectations ahead of its blockbuster stock-market listing, expected in the coming weeks. Institutional investors have told the San Francisco-based Claude chatbot maker and its advisers that shooting for a valuation…

Mark Walter’s Chelsea sale raises more Dodgers sale red flags

Mark Walter is looking to sell another piece of his sports portfolio. For now, however, there remain no indications that the Dodgers could be next. Days after Walter’s stunning sale of the Lakers last week, the longtime Dodgers owner was back in the news Monday, when the Financial Times reported…

Do you think social media bans will protect children?

Concerns about young people’s social media use are growing, with governments, parents and schools looking for ways to protect children from potential harms, such as stalking, cyberbullying or sexual harassment. Experts also cite concerns about misleading health and medical content online, including posts that may glamorize or oversimplify conditions such…

NYC synagogue attack witness blasts New York Times as downplaying rampage

An outraged witness ripped the New York Times for downplaying Friday night’s attack on Central Synagogue, “perverting the reality that an extremely violent and frightening incident” took place inside a place of worship, and “diluting the true story and subtext.” Harry Zimmerman fired off a lengthy Facebook screed condemning the…

NFL insider reveals why Aaron Donald keeps having Rams workouts

On Sunday, Aaron Donald had his second workout of the summer with the Los Angeles Rams, which has added to speculation that he will come out of retirement in the near future. On Monday, NFL Insider Ian Rapoport revealed on “Good Morning Football” the reason why Donald keeps having workouts…

Hollywood cuts first-ever AI copyright deal with TikTok’s ByteDance

Hollywood’s top copyright cops and TikTok’s parent company have called a truce in their war over artificial intelligence. The Motion Picture Association (MPA) and ByteDance announced a surprise deal Monday to slap tough safety guardrails on the Chinese tech giant’s powerful AI video and image generators, including Seedance and Seedream.…

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