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President Donald Trump is expected to travel to Southern California on Friday to see firsthand the devastation caused by wildfires that have rippled through Los Angeles County over the past two-and-a-half weeks.As of Thursday afternoon, details of the president’s visit remain scant. What we do know is that the trip will come during Trump’s first week back in office.And it appears to be a short trip. Trump will first stop in Asheville, North Carolina, which is still rebounding from the devastation brought by Hurricane Helene in the fall. The president is then expected to head to Southern California before he…

LOS ANGELES — Lakers star LeBron James already held the record for most NBA All-Star appearances.And on Thursday, the league’s career scoring leader added more distance between himself and the rest of the field.James was named an NBA All-Star for a record-extending 21st consecutive time on Thursday.James, a four-time league MVP who is in his 22nd NBA season, entered Thursday averaging 23.7 points, nine assists and 7.5 rebounds per game.James is a three-time NBA All-Star Game MVP (2006, ’08, ’18) and is the game’s all-time leading scorer (434 points).He will start a record 20th consecutive All-Star Game.James has averaged 21.7…

By TARA COPPWASHINGTON (AP) — Pete Hegseth, President Donald Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, paid $50,000 to the woman who accused him of sexual assault in 2017, according to answers he provided to a senator during his confirmation process that The Associated Press has obtained.The answers were provided to Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren in response to additional questions she had for Hegseth as part of the vetting process.Hegseth attorney Timothy Parlatore declined to comment on the dollar figure Thursday. Hegseth told police at the time that the encounter had been consensual and denied any wrongdoing. He told senators during…

CARSON — In Major League Soccer there really is no rest for the champion.The Galaxy hoisted their sixth MLS Cup trophy on Dec. 7. This week, the club opened preseason training camp. In one month, the 2025 regular season kicks off. Until then, there are big decisions that need to be made and a few that have already been made.“The goal going into the offseason was to run it back,” General Manager Will Kuntz said Thursday. “We obviously want to win again and do it with as much continuity as possible. The reality is, in MLS, it’s really difficult to…

The new Trump administration has been nothing if not a flurry of early activity.President Donald Trump, on Day 1, signed hundreds of executive actions. Some were mostly symbolic. Some will have implications yet to be fully determined.But others have a direct and almost immediate impact on the Southern California region, from the slew of immigration policy changes to the pardons of dozens of local people who were part of the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. “Executive orders are a familiar tool in the presidential toolbox, but not all executive orders (and comparable tools) serve the same purpose,”…

LOS ANGELES — Tanner Scott arrived at Dodger Stadium on Thursday with his wife, Maddie, and son, Bo – the latter sporting a toddler-sized No. 66 Dodger onesie with “SCOTT” across the back and greater interest in the trucks crawling all over Dodger Stadium this winter than anything dad had to say on stage.It hardly looked like the final straw in the ruination of baseball.“We’re solely focused on the Dodgers and making this team as good as we possibly can,” Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said when asked about the prevalence of sky-is-falling commentary after the latest acquisition in possibly the…

As smoke, dust and harmful ash continue to hit areas throughout Los Angeles County amidst several wildfires, burn scars and wind, two air quality advisories have been issued. Smoke from the Hughes fire, which began on Wednesday, Jan. 22, has resulted in unhealthy air quality, the South Coast Air Quality Management District announced. The areas surrounding the wildfire, including the San Gabriel Mountains, the 5 Freeway corridor near Castaic Lake and Santa Clarita, are expected to be the most impacted by the Hughes fire, which started near Castaic in the Antelope Valley and exploded to 10,176 acres. The smoke advisory…

By JAMIE STENGLE, Associated PressDALLAS (AP) — President Donald Trump has ordered the release of thousands of classified governmental documents about the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy, which has fueled conspiracy theories for decades.The executive order Trump signed Thursday also aims to declassify the remaining federal records relating to the assassinations of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. The order is among a flurry of executive actions Trump has quickly taken the first week of his second term.Speaking to reporters, Trump said, “everything will be revealed.”Trump had promised during his reelection campaign to…

By MATT OTT | The Associated PressJobless claims applications ticked up modestly last week, but the total number of Americans collecting unemployment benefits rose to their highest level in more than three years.Applications for jobless benefits rose by 6,000 to 223,000 for the week ending January 18, the Labor Department said Thursday. Analysts were expecting 219,000 new applications.Weekly applications for jobless benefits are considered a proxy for layoffs.The total number of Americans receiving unemployment benefits for the week of January 11 climbed by 46,000 to 1.9 million, the most since November of 2021.The rising level of continuing claims, the total…

By LISA MASCARO and MARY CLARE JALONICK, Associated PressWASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate advanced the nomination of Pete Hegseth as President Donald Trump’s defense secretary Thursday on a largely party-line vote, despite grave objections from Democrats and stirring unease among Republicans over his behavior and qualifications to lead the U.S. military.Two Republicans, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, broke ranks with Trump and his allies who have mounted an extensive public campaign to push Hegseth toward confirmation. The former combat veteran and Fox News host faces allegations of excessive drinking and aggressive actions toward women, which he has denied. The…