UAW’s acting president aims to root out corruption and dodge a federal takeover
Job one for acting United Auto Workers President Rory Gamble is rooting out rot in the union to steer clear of federal oversight. Gamble took over leadership of the country’s largest auto labor group on an interim basis on Saturday when his predecessor stepped aside amid a Justice Department probe that has metastasized over the…
Fixer-Uppers: What $650,000 buys right now in three L.A. County communities
Here’s a look at fixer-upper homes you can buy right now for $650,000 in Altadena, Sylmar and Long Beach in L.A. County. ALTADENA: One of the 160 historic “Janes Cottages” built by E.P. Janes in the 1920s, this architectural gem could use an exterior renovation to restore its former glory. Address: 198 W. Altadena Drive,…
At SoftBank, blind spots threaten Masayoshi Son’s $100-billion Vision Fund
One year ago, the global business elite deserted a Saudi Arabian investment summit in droves after the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents. But the founder of Japan’s SoftBank slipped into Riyadh for a discreet meeting. Masayoshi Son and his chief lieutenant, Rajeev Misra, were there to see Mohammed bin Salman, the crown…
One-Step Makeover: The transformational power of wallpaper
In its five-century history, wallpaper has come and gone from the spotlight too many times to count. But whether loved or loathed, it always inspires strong emotions. The Victorians were so obsessed they covered every wall and ceiling with wallpaper — to such an extreme that it occasionally poisoned them. (Color-enhancing arsenic was an unfortunate…
Back-seat confidential: How ride hailing is changing the social lives of L.A.’s millennials
A few weeks ago, Sam Lim, the cofounder of Hipdot, a vegan makeup line, ordered an UberPool to get from her home in West Hollywood to a meeting in Venice. She found herself sharing the ride with not one but two companions. “It was crazy,” she recalled. “I was in the car with two other…
Barneys New York's store-closing sale: What you need to know before you go
Five days after Authentic Brands Group won bankruptcy court approval to become Barneys New York’s new owner, the store-closing sale at the storied retailer’s Beverly Hills flagship was well under way, with huge signs in the windows fronting Wilshire Boulevard that read, “Everything MUST be sold!, Goodbuys then good goodbye!” and smaller signs posted throughout…
Chris Erskine: It'd be nice to be in love again by Christmas. But what's the rush?
SAN FRANCISCO — I don’t want to be our village’s lonely monk forever. Been almost a year since we lost my wife, and there are whispers that maybe I should get out there and date a little. Gasp! Bartender!! Medic!!! I come with more baggage than a failed French king: gobs of grief, a snarky and…
China sentences 9 in fentanyl trafficking case after U.S. tip
XINGTAI, China — A Chinese court sentenced nine fentanyl traffickers Thursday in a case that was a culmination of a rare collaboration between Chinese and U.S. law enforcement to crack down on global networks that manufacture and distribute lethal synthetic opioids. Liu Yong was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve, while Jiang Juhua and Wang…
South Korea deports two North Koreans after finding they had killed 16 fishermen
SEOUL — South Korea deported two North Koreans on Thursday after finding they had killed 16 fellow fishermen on a boat and fled to South Korea across the sea border over the weekend. The two North Koreans, both men in their 20s, were found aboard a boat south of the eastern sea border last Saturday, according…
North Korea calls Japan's Shinzo Abe an 'idiot' over criticism of weapons test
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea on Thursday called Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe an “idiot” after he criticized a recent weapons test by the North. In a statement attributed to a foreign ministry official, Song Il Ho, North Korea described Abe as an “idiot and villain” who was overreacting to what the North described as…