To save the imperiled spotted owl from potential extinction, U.S. wildlife officials are embracing a contentious plan to deploy trained shooters into dense West Coast forests to kill almost a half-million barred owls that are crowding out their smaller cousins. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service strategy released Wednesday is...
New Zealand Tourist Killed in Southern California Mall Robbery Attempt
LOS ANGELES — A 68-year-old tourist from New Zealand was struck and killed by a car during a botched robbery at an upscale mall in a popular Southern California beach city south of Los Angeles, police said. Violence broke out Tuesday afternoon at Newport Beach's Fashion Island mall when two...
Biden Commits to Continue Despite Declining Congressional Support
WASHINGTON — A defiant President Joe Biden vowed on Wednesday to keep running for reelection, rejecting growing pressure from Democrats to withdraw after a disastrous debate performance raised questions about his readiness. But in an ominous sign for the president, a leading ally publicly suggested a way that the party might choose someone else. Top Aide...
Robert Towne, Oscar-Winning Writer of ‘Chinatown,’ Dies at 89
NEW YORK — Robert Towne, the Oscar-winning screenplay writer of "Shampoo," "The Last Detail" and other acclaimed films whose work on "Chinatown" became a model of the art form and helped define the jaded allure of his native Los Angeles, has died. He was 89. Towne died Monday surrounded by...
Coco Gauff Advances to 3rd Round at Wimbledon
LONDON — Coco Gauff likes No. 1 Court at Wimbledon. It's where she beat Venus Williams back in 2019 when Gauff made her Wimbledon debut at age 15. On Wednesday, Gauff beat qualifier Anca Todoni 6-2, 6-1 to advance to the third round at the All England Club. “This is...
LeBron James Agrees to a 2-Year Extension With the Los Angeles Lakers
LeBron James is making it official: He's coming back for a record-tying 22nd season in the NBA, one where the league's all-time scoring leader could share the floor with his son Bronny as teammates with the Los Angeles Lakers. James has agreed to a two-year contract to remain with the...
Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese Headline WNBA All-Star Team That Will Face US Olympic Squad
NEW YORK — Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese will team up on the WNBA All-Star team to play against the U.S. Olympic team led by A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. The pair of remarkable rookies were selected Tuesday by a combination of votes from the media, players and fans as...
Shohei Ohtani Declines Participation in Home Run Derby
LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani won’t participate in the Home Run Derby on July 15 despite the Japanese superstar ranking second in the majors with 27 homers for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ohtani has taken part in the Derby just once, exiting in the first round in 2021 at Coors...
Strike Kills Family as Israeli Evacuation Order Sparks Panicked Flight from Southern Gaza City
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — An Israeli airstrike killed a prominent Palestinian doctor and eight members of his extended family on Tuesday after they complied with military orders to evacuate their home and moved into an Israeli-designated safe zone. The Hamdan family — around a dozen people from three generations...
Israeli Strike Kills Another Senior Hezbollah Commander as Diplomats Scramble for Calm in Lebanon
BEIRUT — An Israeli strike in southern Lebanon on Wednesday killed a senior Hezbollah commander as tensions between the two sides continue to boil, a Hezbollah official told The Associated Press. The strike near the southern coastal city of Tyre took place as global diplomatic efforts have intensified in recent...