https://probablynews.org Breaking news and analysis for a new generation. Independent journalism built on facts. en-us Wed, 29 Apr 2026 03:08:06 GMT Copyright 2026 Probably News editorial@probablynews.org (Editorial Team) tech@probablynews.org (Tech Team) 60 https://probablynews.org/story/third-swatting-call-this-month-forced-costco-to-evacuate-not-a-single-arrest-has-been-made-1777431351564 https://probablynews.org/story/third-swatting-call-this-month-forced-costco-to-evacuate-not-a-single-arrest-has-been-made-1777431351564 Wed, 29 Apr 2026 02:56:05 GMT An anonymous caller's shooting threat emptied the Washington Boulevard Costco on Saturday, the third hoax emergency to strike in or near Culver City since early April, raising urgent questions about strained police resources and a community still raw from a deadly parking-lot shooting in February. Local Nancy M https://probablynews.org/story/yes-teenagers-are-actually-storming-scientology-buildings-in-a-new-viral-speedrun-challenge-1777407219951 https://probablynews.org/story/yes-teenagers-are-actually-storming-scientology-buildings-in-a-new-viral-speedrun-challenge-1777407219951 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 20:14:01 GMT A teenager's 60 second prank pulled 90 million views. Two weeks later, there's felony charges, a hate crime investigation, and critics of the Church are pleading for an end to the out of control trend. Culture James F https://probablynews.org/story/spotted-camouflaged-bmw-7-series-prototype-caught-cruising-the-10-west-in-los-angeles-1777339908543 https://probablynews.org/story/spotted-camouflaged-bmw-7-series-prototype-caught-cruising-the-10-west-in-los-angeles-1777339908543 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 02:31:43 GMT Bavaria's flagship sedan was spotted mid test run on the Santa Monica Freeway, swirly camo wrap and all. U.S. Tripp https://probablynews.org/story/park-campaign-offers-replacement-lawn-signs-after-cd11-yard-signs-go-missing-1777334805196 https://probablynews.org/story/park-campaign-offers-replacement-lawn-signs-after-cd11-yard-signs-go-missing-1777334805196 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 00:06:59 GMT Councilmember Traci Park has the largest war chest in the race, but somebody keeps taking her signs off Westside lawns. Now her campaign is offering replacements. Local Susan A https://probablynews.org/story/how-prediction-markets-like-kalshi-and-polymarket-are-falling-apart-behind-the-scenes-1777304883651 https://probablynews.org/story/how-prediction-markets-like-kalshi-and-polymarket-are-falling-apart-behind-the-scenes-1777304883651 Mon, 27 Apr 2026 15:48:12 GMT Prediction markets promised to replace punditry with probability. Instead, they delivered thin liquidity, rampant manipulation, and confident-looking numbers backed by little more than organized speculation and good branding. Business Daniel K https://probablynews.org/story/a-string-of-brazen-robberies-rattles-mar-vista-centered-on-maplewood-avenue-and-marco-place-1777304599999 https://probablynews.org/story/a-string-of-brazen-robberies-rattles-mar-vista-centered-on-maplewood-avenue-and-marco-place-1777304599999 Mon, 27 Apr 2026 15:43:39 GMT Masked crews working in minutes have hit roughly a dozen Westside Village homes, taking jewelry and designer goods while leaving electronics behind, as LAPD eyes ties to organized burglary rings. Local Susan A https://probablynews.org/story/3-years-later-the-revitalize-rose-avenue-project-has-started-1777256750919 https://probablynews.org/story/3-years-later-the-revitalize-rose-avenue-project-has-started-1777256750919 Mon, 27 Apr 2026 07:31:35 GMT A pedestrian project finally broke ground in April after three years of political musical chairs. The story of what got built, what got cut, and what still hasn't happened. Local Susan A https://probablynews.org/story/why-are-angelenos-paying-for-streetlights-they-already-paid-for-1777265530892 https://probablynews.org/story/why-are-angelenos-paying-for-streetlights-they-already-paid-for-1777265530892 Mon, 27 Apr 2026 04:53:47 GMT After 30 years of frozen fees, City Hall wants property owners to nearly triple what they pay to keep the streetlights on. Ballots are due June 2, and a blank one counts as a yes. Local Susan A https://probablynews.org/story/at-least-we-still-have-music-festivals-1777257807987 https://probablynews.org/story/at-least-we-still-have-music-festivals-1777257807987 Mon, 27 Apr 2026 02:44:23 GMT From Coachella to Stagecoach in Indio, they make $700 million in regional impact, and for three days the world's problems stayed politely outside the gates. Culture James F https://probablynews.org/story/125-cameras-and-zero-lessons-learned-why-los-angeles-is-about-to-repeat-its-2011-mistake-1777243373602 https://probablynews.org/story/125-cameras-and-zero-lessons-learned-why-los-angeles-is-about-to-repeat-its-2011-mistake-1777243373602 Sun, 26 Apr 2026 23:02:08 GMT Fifteen years ago, Los Angeles killed its automated traffic camera program because it was wasteful, legally shaky, and nearly impossible to enforce. In March, the City Council unanimously voted to do it all over again. Local Francis D https://probablynews.org/story/beethoven-market-what-mar-vista-is-really-fighting-about-1777171401159 https://probablynews.org/story/beethoven-market-what-mar-vista-is-really-fighting-about-1777171401159 Sun, 26 Apr 2026 02:43:29 GMT A beloved Mar Vista restaurant got its liquor license revoked after a small group of opponents filed 49 complaints. The majority of them went nowhere. Local Susan A https://probablynews.org/story/who-is-faizah-malik-the-housing-attorney-on-the-june-ballot-for-cd11-1777082734902 https://probablynews.org/story/who-is-faizah-malik-the-housing-attorney-on-the-june-ballot-for-cd11-1777082734902 Sat, 25 Apr 2026 02:06:10 GMT A closer look at the first-time candidate challenging Councilmember Traci Park on Los Angeles' Westside Local Susan A https://probablynews.org/story/pentagon-drops-mandatory-flu-shots-for-us-troops-ending-a-requirement-that-stood-for-decades-1776885529213 https://probablynews.org/story/pentagon-drops-mandatory-flu-shots-for-us-troops-ending-a-requirement-that-stood-for-decades-1776885529213 Wed, 22 Apr 2026 19:19:05 GMT Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made the annual vaccine voluntary for active duty, reserve and civilian personnel, calling the longstanding mandate "overly broad" and invoking medical autonomy and religious freedom. Public health officials warned the move could erode force readiness. U.S. James F https://probablynews.org/story/lausd-votes-to-curb-classroom-screen-time-becoming-first-major-us-district-to-set-device-limits-1776885179881 https://probablynews.org/story/lausd-votes-to-curb-classroom-screen-time-becoming-first-major-us-district-to-set-device-limits-1776885179881 Wed, 22 Apr 2026 19:13:31 GMT Board members directed the superintendent to deliver a plan by June that eliminates devices in preschool through first grade, caps daily screen time for every other grade, and blocks student access to YouTube on district hardware. Local Susan A https://probablynews.org/story/how-the-return-of-the-rose-avenue-encampment-is-reshaping-the-2026-la-mayors-race-1776868110382 https://probablynews.org/story/how-the-return-of-the-rose-avenue-encampment-is-reshaping-the-2026-la-mayors-race-1776868110382 Wed, 22 Apr 2026 14:28:55 GMT A Westside sidewalk that was Mayor Karen Bass's first Inside Safe success story is now her first Inside Safe failure. An 11-to-4 council vote on April 14 forced challenger Nithya Raman onto the record, and gave Councilwoman Traci Park a contrast she is ready to run on. Local Susan A https://probablynews.org/story/the-dark-blocks-of-mar-vista-why-solar-streetlights-cant-come-fast-enough-1776824272955 https://probablynews.org/story/the-dark-blocks-of-mar-vista-why-solar-streetlights-cant-come-fast-enough-1776824272955 Wed, 22 Apr 2026 02:18:08 GMT One in ten LA streetlights is out, the average repair takes a year, and the city wants homeowners to pay $147 more to keep rebuilding the same copper that thieves keep ripping back out. There is a better answer on the table. The Council should stop moving slowly toward it. Local Tripp https://probablynews.org/story/the-mar-vista-farmers-market-is-the-civic-heart-of-the-westside-lets-act-like-it-1776823556705 https://probablynews.org/story/the-mar-vista-farmers-market-is-the-civic-heart-of-the-westside-lets-act-like-it-1776823556705 Wed, 22 Apr 2026 02:06:19 GMT The one weekly ritual that still pulls Mar Vista together deserves permanent infrastructure, protected farmer slots, and expanded CalFresh matching, not another grant cycle of benign neglect. Local Susan A https://probablynews.org/story/lapd-escalates-dui-enforcement-in-hollywood-and-central-la-as-city-confronts-wave-of-impaired-drivin-1776822402953 https://probablynews.org/story/lapd-escalates-dui-enforcement-in-hollywood-and-central-la-as-city-confronts-wave-of-impaired-drivin-1776822402953 Wed, 22 Apr 2026 01:47:13 GMT Saturation patrols and a Friday night checkpoint are part of a $960,276 grant-funded campaign underwritten by the state. Local Susan A https://probablynews.org/story/mar-vista-community-votes-to-oppose-flock-surveillance-cameras-joining-growing-national-backlash-1776820591507 https://probablynews.org/story/mar-vista-community-votes-to-oppose-flock-surveillance-cameras-joining-growing-national-backlash-1776820591507 Wed, 22 Apr 2026 01:16:58 GMT Residents and elected representatives of Mar Vista have formally voted to oppose the deployment of Flock Safety license plate reader cameras in their community, and to demand the removal of those already installed. Local Susan A https://probablynews.org/story/420-the-culture-history-and-future-of-weed-1776724379412 https://probablynews.org/story/420-the-culture-history-and-future-of-weed-1776724379412 Mon, 20 Apr 2026 22:33:50 GMT The secret code five California teenagers invented in 1971 is now a billion-dollar global holiday. Here's how weed went from contraband to culture. Culture Stacey A https://probablynews.org/story/claviculars-overdose-and-the-drugs-hiding-under-the-aesthetic-1776709779263 https://probablynews.org/story/claviculars-overdose-and-the-drugs-hiding-under-the-aesthetic-1776709779263 Mon, 20 Apr 2026 18:29:59 GMT An influencer economy built on "optimization" is quietly mainstreaming hard drug use among young men — and it took a near-death livestream for the conversation to start. Culture James F https://probablynews.org/story/claude-vs-chatgpt-vs-grok-vs-minimax-does-any-of-this-actually-matter-to-you-1776702717357 https://probablynews.org/story/claude-vs-chatgpt-vs-grok-vs-minimax-does-any-of-this-actually-matter-to-you-1776702717357 Mon, 20 Apr 2026 16:33:33 GMT Tech Twitter is having a meltdown over benchmark scores. Your mom just wants to know how to write a sick-day email. Tech Rachel B https://probablynews.org/story/inside-the-youtube-economy-of-first-amendment-auditors-1776655403370 https://probablynews.org/story/inside-the-youtube-economy-of-first-amendment-auditors-1776655403370 Mon, 20 Apr 2026 03:23:56 GMT An American social movement armed with smartphones, lawsuits, and ad revenue is reshaping what "citizen journalism" looks like at your local post office. Culture Anakin https://probablynews.org/story/your-favorite-youtuber-works-for-blackstone-now-1776649302845 https://probablynews.org/story/your-favorite-youtuber-works-for-blackstone-now-1776649302845 Mon, 20 Apr 2026 01:42:52 GMT The last "independent" medium on Earth is being quietly rolled up by the same firms that gutted Toys R Us. You should be furious. Tech Anakin https://probablynews.org/story/the-terminable-vocabulary-of-23000-students-1767298693038 https://probablynews.org/story/the-terminable-vocabulary-of-23000-students-1767298693038 Thu, 01 Jan 2026 20:16:46 GMT A clinical evaluation of the December 2025 North Carolina DOJ lawsuit against the Department of Education reveals that $50 million in federal education grants were terminated through manual digital searches for disfavored terminology rather than standard metrics of school performance. The funding cuts disproportionately target rural districts recovering from disaster and eliminate support for approximately 23,000 low-income students. U.S. Rachel B https://probablynews.org/story/52-million-pages-left-and-the-clock-is-ticking-1767298291429 https://probablynews.org/story/52-million-pages-left-and-the-clock-is-ticking-1767298291429 Thu, 01 Jan 2026 20:09:26 GMT DOJ says 5.2 million Epstein-file pages remain under review as the release slips past a Dec. 19 deadline, raising questions about transparency theater, redactions, and what real accountability would actually look like. U.S. Anakin https://probablynews.org/story/minnesotas-fraud-reckoning-just-escalated-again-1767050295423 https://probablynews.org/story/minnesotas-fraud-reckoning-just-escalated-again-1767050295423 Mon, 29 Dec 2025 23:13:45 GMT Federal agents are expanding a sweeping fraud probe in Minneapolis as Minnesota’s biggest public money scandals collide: Feeding Our Future, Medicaid billing schemes, and a viral daycare narrative. Here’s what’s confirmed in court filings, what officials are alleging, and what comes next. U.S. Anakin https://probablynews.org/story/swiss-gdp-growth-stalls-amidst-us-tarrifs-1766695506134 https://probablynews.org/story/swiss-gdp-growth-stalls-amidst-us-tarrifs-1766695506134 Thu, 25 Dec 2025 22:06:39 GMT A first-quarter stockpiling surge masked underlying fragility. Now, with a 39% duty on Swiss goods, the bill is coming due. Business Declan Meyer https://probablynews.org/story/epstein-files-transparency-fully-redacted-1765863090892 https://probablynews.org/story/epstein-files-transparency-fully-redacted-1765863090892 Tue, 16 Dec 2025 05:31:31 GMT Congress votes 427–1 to “release everything,” confident that the only thing making it out is the black ink. U.S. Rachel B https://probablynews.org/story/who-was-rob-reiner https://probablynews.org/story/who-was-rob-reiner Mon, 15 Dec 2025 23:59:17 GMT Rob Reiner, director of "The Princess Bride," "When Harry Met Sally," and "A Few Good Men," found dead at 78 with wife Michele in apparent homicide. LAPD investigating deaths of acclaimed filmmaker and Emmy-winning actor from "All in the Family." Local Anakin https://probablynews.org/story/salvation-requires-a-private-airstrip-1765769870898 https://probablynews.org/story/salvation-requires-a-private-airstrip-1765769870898 Mon, 15 Dec 2025 03:37:51 GMT The tax-exempt wealth of America’s richest televangelists, contrasting Kenneth Copeland’s $760 million empire and Creflo Dollar’s private jet fundraising with the financial reality of their congregations Culture Rachel B https://probablynews.org/story/how-we-automated-education-until-only-the-tuition-bill-remained-human-1765761764383 https://probablynews.org/story/how-we-automated-education-until-only-the-tuition-bill-remained-human-1765761764383 Mon, 15 Dec 2025 01:25:42 GMT An investigation into how artificial intelligence has transformed education into a closed loop where neither students nor teachers engage with actual learning. Examining AI detection failures, the $300 billion EdTech industry, and the absurd case of a Texas professor who failed an entire class based on ChatGPT hallucinations. U.S. Rachel B https://probablynews.org/story/we-are-safeguarded-by-illusion-1765760674319 https://probablynews.org/story/we-are-safeguarded-by-illusion-1765760674319 Mon, 15 Dec 2025 01:25:36 GMT An examination of America's security paradox: why barbers need 40x more training than armed guards, TSA fails 95% of weapon tests, hundreds of officers stood outside Uvalde for 77 minutes, and we've convinced ourselves that expensive, visible security measures equal actual protection. U.S. Rachel B https://probablynews.org/story/perfect-machines-imperfect-standards-1765758746331 https://probablynews.org/story/perfect-machines-imperfect-standards-1765758746331 Mon, 15 Dec 2025 01:25:30 GMT Autonomous vehicles crash 85% less than humans, yet we reject them after one mistake. Why we trust fallible humans over superior algorithms, and what it costs us. Tech Rachel B https://probablynews.org/story/the-liquidation-of-a-brand-1765678890964 https://probablynews.org/story/the-liquidation-of-a-brand-1765678890964 Sun, 14 Dec 2025 06:47:56 GMT An evidence-based analysis of Donald Trump’s declining brand power, using financial data, real estate performance, digital asset failures, and audience behavior to show how the Trump name has shifted from a value multiplier to a measurable liability. Business Rachel B https://probablynews.org/story/a-town-in-mourning-a-community-still-standing-pacific-palisades-ca https://probablynews.org/story/a-town-in-mourning-a-community-still-standing-pacific-palisades-ca Sat, 13 Dec 2025 17:28:29 GMT The closure of the Palisadian-Post marks a painful moment for Pacific Palisades, arriving in the aftermath of a devastating fire that reshaped the town and displaced much of its community. For nearly a century, the paper served as a shared civic voice, documenting everyday life and anchoring residents to a sense of place. As rebuilding slowly begins, many have followed recovery through accounts like palisadesrecoveryhq, finding both comfort and heartbreak in each update. Local Anakin https://probablynews.org/story/epstein-photo-drop-trump-no-big-deal https://probablynews.org/story/epstein-photo-drop-trump-no-big-deal Sat, 13 Dec 2025 08:25:32 GMT House Democrats Release Epstein Photos, Renew Pressure on DOJ to Disclose Files Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released 19 photographs connected to Jeffrey Epstein, drawn from a collection of more than 95,000 images obtained from his estate. The undated photos show Epstein socializing with prominent figures including Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Steve Bannon, Woody Allen, and Prince Andrew, with the faces of women redacted. U.S. Anakin https://probablynews.org/story/top-20-memes-of-the-year https://probablynews.org/story/top-20-memes-of-the-year Sat, 13 Dec 2025 04:43:42 GMT This article breaks down 20 viral memes circulating across TikTok, Discord, and Instagram, from number-based inside jokes and AI-generated absurdism to looks discourse and “brainrot” humor. It explains each meme’s origin, usage, and cultural function, showing how irony, randomness, and shock have become defining features of Gen Z internet language. Culture Anakin https://probablynews.org/story/the-blackpill-effect-how-determinism-rebranded-self-improvement-online https://probablynews.org/story/the-blackpill-effect-how-determinism-rebranded-self-improvement-online Sat, 13 Dec 2025 04:19:46 GMT This article examines the rise of blackpill (BP) ideology and looksmaxxing culture across social media platforms like TikTok, Reddit, and Discord. It explains how blackpill thinking promotes genetic determinism in dating and social success, while looksmaxxing reframes self-improvement as aesthetic optimization. Culture James F https://probablynews.org/story/probably-news-release https://probablynews.org/story/probably-news-release Fri, 12 Dec 2025 23:07:55 GMT Today - December 12, 2025 - marks the creation of probably news. Local Executive Editor https://probablynews.org/story/startup-funding-rebound-2024 https://probablynews.org/story/startup-funding-rebound-2024 Fri, 12 Dec 2025 21:41:24 GMT Venture capital investment in startups has rebounded sharply in the second half of 2024, driven almost entirely by massive bets on artificial intelligence companies. Business Sarah Martinez https://probablynews.org/story/congress-infrastructure-bill-breakthrough https://probablynews.org/story/congress-infrastructure-bill-breakthrough Fri, 12 Dec 2025 20:11:51 GMT After months of gridlock, congressional leaders announced a bipartisan infrastructure deal that would invest $2 trillion in American roads, bridges, public transit, and broadband internet. U.S. Maya Chen https://probablynews.org/story/global-climate-summit-agreement https://probablynews.org/story/global-climate-summit-agreement Fri, 12 Dec 2025 19:55:47 GMT After two weeks of negotiations, world leaders emerged with a binding agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60% by 2035. World James Okonkwo https://probablynews.org/story/ai-agents-workplace-revolution https://probablynews.org/story/ai-agents-workplace-revolution Fri, 12 Dec 2025 16:26:00 GMT A new generation of AI "agents" that can autonomously perform complex tasks is beginning to transform white-collar work, with major implications for employment. Tech Alex Kim https://probablynews.org/story/opinion-college-admissions-meritocracy https://probablynews.org/story/opinion-college-admissions-meritocracy Fri, 12 Dec 2025 16:25:38 GMT Elite college admissions purport to reward merit, but the definition of merit has always been shaped by those already in power. Opinion Jordan Ellis https://probablynews.org/story/streaming-wars-new-chapter https://probablynews.org/story/streaming-wars-new-chapter Fri, 12 Dec 2025 14:40:08 GMT Major streaming services are pursuing mergers and partnerships as subscriber growth plateaus and the economics of streaming come under pressure. Culture Jordan Ellis https://probablynews.org/story/european-union-ai-regulation https://probablynews.org/story/european-union-ai-regulation Fri, 12 Dec 2025 11:44:30 GMT The European Union has finalized its landmark AI Act, establishing the world's most comprehensive regulations for artificial intelligence. World James Okonkwo https://probablynews.org/story/music-industry-ai-licensing https://probablynews.org/story/music-industry-ai-licensing Fri, 12 Dec 2025 08:37:09 GMT Major record labels have reached an agreement with AI companies to license music catalogs for model training, establishing a new revenue stream for artists. Culture Jordan Ellis https://probablynews.org/story/fed-interest-rate-decision https://probablynews.org/story/fed-interest-rate-decision Fri, 12 Dec 2025 08:21:56 GMT The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady but signaled that rate cuts could begin as early as March if inflation continues to moderate. Business Sarah Martinez https://probablynews.org/story/supreme-court-tech-antitrust-case https://probablynews.org/story/supreme-court-tech-antitrust-case Fri, 12 Dec 2025 06:34:56 GMT The Supreme Court agreed to hear a case that could fundamentally alter how antitrust law applies to technology platforms. U.S. Maya Chen