NEW YORK — Tony Bennett, the eminent and timeless stylist whose devotion to classic American songs and knack for creating new standards such as "I Left My Heart In San Francisco" graced a decadeslong career that brought him admirers from Frank Sinatra to Lady Gaga, died Friday. He was 96, just...
Solar Panels on Water Canals Seem Like a No-Brainer. So Why Aren’t They Widespread?
Back in 2015, California's dry earth was crunching under a fourth year of drought. Then-Governor Jerry Brown ordered an unprecedented 25% reduction in home water use. Farmers, who use the most water, volunteered too to avoid deeper, mandatory cuts. Brown also set a goal for the state to get half...
Cracks Emerging in Israeli Military. Reservists Threaten Not to Serve if Government Plan Passes
JERUSALEM — Cracks are emerging in Israel’s military. The Middle East’s best equipped and most powerful force is under one of the worst assaults it has encountered — a battle within its own ranks. A contentious government plan to overhaul the country’s judiciary has cleaved deep rifts within Israeli society....
Average Long-Term US Mortgage Rate at Four-Week Low 6.78%
LOS ANGELES — The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate slipped this week to the lowest level in four weeks, a boost for house hunters facing a market held back by persistently high prices and a near-historic low number of homes for sale. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the...
Women’s World Cup Security Heightened After Deadly Shooting in New Zealand
AUCKLAND, New Zealand — Security was heightened ahead of Thursday night's opening Women's World Cup game after a gunman killed two people at a downtown construction site in Auckland, roughly 12 hours ahead of co-host New Zealand's match against Norway. Norway's team hotel was located within a short distance of the shooting, which occurred...
Home Sales Plunge to Slowest Pace Since January Amid Skyrocketing Mortgage Rates, Low Inventory
LOS ANGELES — Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell in June to the slowest pace since January, as a near-historic low number of homes for sale and rising mortgage rates kept many would-be homebuyers on the sidelines. The national median sales price fell on an annual basis for the...
RFK Jr. Defends Himself Against Complaints of Racist and Antisemitic Online Misinformation
WASHINGTON — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. worked to defend himself Thursday against accusations that he traffics in racist and hateful online conspiracy theories, testifying at a House hearing on government censorship despite requests from outside groups to disinvite the Democratic presidential candidate after his recent antisemitic remarks. The Republican-led Select Subcommittee on the...
Sen. Feinstein Claims Being Stiffed on Payments for ‘Significant’ Medical Bills
LOS ANGELES — Attorneys for California U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the oldest member of Congress who has been beset with serious health problems, assert in a court filing that she is being stiffed on payments for “significant” medical bills by a trust created for her benefit by her wealthy late...
Conservatives Voice Support for Jason Aldean After Music Video, Shot at Lynching Site, is Pulled
Country music star Jason Aldean 's latest music video for “Try That In A Small Town," lasted just one weekend on Country Music Television before the network pulled it in response to an outcry over its setting and lyrics. In the video, Aldean — who has been awarded country music artist of the...
The Wait Is Over as Powerball Finally Has a Winner for Its Jackpot Worth Over $1 Billion
LOS ANGELES — A winning ticket has been sold in California for the Powerball jackpot worth an estimated $1.08 billion, the sixth largest in U.S. history and the third largest in the history of the game. The winning numbers for Wednesday night’s drawing were: white balls 7, 10, 11, 13, 24 and red...