LOS ANGELES — Richard Roundtree, the trailblazing actor who starred as the ultra-smooth private detective in several “Shaft” films beginning in the early 1970s, has died. He was 81. Roundtree’s longtime manager, Patrick McMinn, said the actor had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and died at his home in Los...
States Sue Meta Claiming Its Social Platforms Are Addictive and Harm Children’s Mental Health
Dozens of U.S. states, including California and New York, are suing Meta Platforms Inc. for harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms. A lawsuit filed by 33 states in federal...
AI-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Images Could Flood the Internet. A Watchdog Is Calling for Action
NEW YORK — The already-alarming proliferation of child sexual abuse images on the internet could become much worse if something is not done to put controls on artificial intelligence tools that generate deepfake photos, a watchdog agency warned on Tuesday. In a written report, the U.K.-based Internet Watch Foundation urges...
Newsom Has Surprise Meeting With China’s Leader Amid Warm Welcome in Beijing
BANGKOK — Gov. Gavin Newsom had a surprise meeting with China's leader Xi Jinping in Beijing on Wednesday after being warmly welcomed by other senior leaders in a display of friendliness that stands in sharp contrast to the dialogue between the United States and China in recent years. The governor...
Israeli Airstrikes Surge in Gaza, Destroying Homes and Killing Dozens at a Time
RAFAH, Gaza Strip — Israel escalated airstrikes across the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, crushing families in the rubble of residential buildings, as health officials said hundreds of Palestinians were killed in the past day and medical facilities were shut down because of bomb damage and lack of power. The massive...
Latest Nominee for House Speaker Rallied GOP Around Overturning Election
WASHINGTON — Republicans chose Rep. Mike Johnson as their latest nominee for House speaker desperate to unite their fractious majority and end the chaos, just hours after an earlier pick abruptly withdrew in the face of opposition from Donald Trump. Johnson of Louisiana, a lower-ranked member of the House GOP leadership...
US Works on Plans to Evacuate Americans if Israel-Hamas War Spreads
WASHINGTON — The White House said Tuesday that “prudent contingency planning” is underway to evacuate Americans from the Middle East in case the Israel-Hamas war spreads into a broad regional conflict. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby stressed there are currently no “active efforts” to evacuate Americans from...
That Didn’t Take Long: GOP Speaker Nominee Emmer Withdraws Bid
WASHINGTON — Republican Tom Emmer abruptly abandoned his bid to become House speaker Tuesday, withdrawing hours after winning the internal party nomination once it became clear he would not have enough support from GOP colleagues for the gavel. Emmer, the GOP Whip, reversed course after Donald Trump objected to his...
Bob Melvin Bolts Padres to Become SF Giants Manager: AP Sources
SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Giants have hired manager Bob Melvin away from the division rival San Diego Padres, three people with direct knowledge of the situation said Tuesday. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the move...
World’s Oldest Dog Dies. Can You Guess His Astounding Age?
LISBON, Portugal — A 31-year-old dog in Portugal that had been ranked as the world’s oldest dog ever has died, his owner said Monday. The guard dog, called Bobi, died over the weekend in a veterinary hospital, Leonel Costa told The Associated Press. Bobi was a purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo, a...