FAIRFAX, Va. — It was the odd-looking locker handles that caught their eye. Investigators spent hours poring over graphic images of little boys changing in and out of their swimsuits at what looked like a YMCA. They were hunting for any clue to help them identify the location — and...
Risks, Rewards, and Robots: The Future of Work in California
Are robots coming for California’s jobs? In today’s increasingly automated economy, that’s certainly the fear. Technology has always generated economic churn, destroying some jobs and creating others. Already advances have generated a whole new sector of “gig” employment, and deeply disrupted other workplaces, from brick-and-mortar bookstores to newspapers to travel...
Iran Awards Prestigious Prize to 2 US-Educated Scientists
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran on Monday awarded a top prize in the study of science and technology to two U.S.-educated scientists. Vice President Sourena Sattari granted the Mustafa award to five scientists, three Iranians and two Turks, during a ceremony. Among the recipients was UCLA professor Ali Khademhosseini, for his...
Digital Wallets Like Apple Cash Can't Help if You're Scammed
NEW YORK — My desperation to see Ariana Grande in concert created the perfect trap. Instead of seeing her sing about love and loss, I got sucked into an online ticket scheme that cost me $75 and a big chunk of my pride. Con artists often get away with scams...
Stocks Wobble in Early Trading on Latest Batch of Earnings
NEW YORK — U.S. stocks wobbled between small gains and losses in early trading on Wall Street Thursday as investors reviewed a mixed batch of corporate profits and financial forecasts. Technology stocks made the strongest gains. Microsoft rose 1.5% after handily beating Wall Street's quarterly profit forecast, and PayPal soared...
Google Touts Quantum Computing Milestone
SAN FRANCISCO — Google said it has achieved a breakthrough in quantum computing research, saying an experimental quantum processor has completed a calculation in just a few minutes that would take a traditional supercomputer thousands of years. The findings, published Wednesday in the scientific journal Nature, show that “quantum speedup is achievable...
Police ID Prime Suspect in 1996 Dorian Cold Case Murder
Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer says his department has identified the prime suspect in the 1996 rape and murder of Debbie Dorian. It is the same suspect that Visalia police arrested Wednesday in four cold-case sexual assaults: 52-year old Nickey Duane Stane. "Nickey Stane is every woman's nightmare," Fresno County...
Stocks Edge Higher; S&P 500 Heads for Another Week of Gains
NEW YORK — U.S. stocks edged higher in midday trading on Friday as solid gains from health care companies offset a sliding technology sector. The S&P 500 rose 0.1% to 3,006 and is within 20 points of its all-time high. The index is headed for a fourth straight weekly gain,...
Program to Erase Old Pot Charges Aids 58 California Counties
SACRAMENTO — Every California county prosecutor can now use new technology to erase or reduce an estimated 220,000 old marijuana convictions after voters broadly legalized the drug in 2016. Code for America, a San Francisco-based nonprofit tech organization, announced Thursday it is making its computer algorithms available for free to...
US Stocks Fall After 3 Straight Days of Gains
Stocks edged lower in midday trading Tuesday, weighed down by a mixed batch of company earnings and another decline in bond yields. Financial sector stocks accounted for much of the selling as investors reacted to the decline in yields. The 10-year Treasury note slipped to 1.55% from 1.59% late Monday....