Metro D Line will be closed for 70 days, starting May 17
The Metro D line, also known as the Purple Line, will soon be closed for 70 days as construction continues on the rail expansion project beneath Wilshire Boulevard.
Service on the route will be suspended at all stops from Union Station to Wilshire/Western from May 17 to July 25. B Line service — which shares stops from Union Station to Wilshire/Vermont — will increase from North Hollywood to downtown to accommodate riders.
Shuttle service will be provided for the last leg of the line to connect riders to Koreatown from Wilshire/Vermont to Wilshire/Normandie and Wilshire/Western stations.
The $2.4-billion project to add seven stations and expand service on the line from Koreatown to Hancock Park, Beverly Hills, Westwood and West L.A. broke ground more than a decade ago. It's faced delays over safety concerns and received pushback from some Westside residents.
Metro's goal is to finish the project by the 2028 Olympics, but hundreds of millions of dollars promised by the federal government for the project have not yet been delivered. Rep. Laura Friedman (D-Glendale), who sits on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and recently toured the rail project, also warned that tariffs affecting the cost of materials could pose new obstacles to infrastructure projects.
The current route is one of Metro's most heavily used. Ridership numbers for the B Line and D Line, which Metro combines, were more than 1.8 million in March.
The first phase of the extension under Wilshire Boulevard will include three stations — Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax and Wilshire/La Cienega. Those are expected to open by the end of 2025.
Tunneling is complete for that section, according to Metro. Tracks have been laid and lighting has been installed. The transit agency will next work on connecting communication and power systems between the existing line and new sections during the upcoming service interruption.
The next phase of the project will include Wilshire/Rodeo and Century City/Constellation stations, which are expected to open in 2026. The final section to create the Westwood/UCLA and Westwood/VA Hospital stations are planned for a 2027 opening.
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Fox News
2 hours ago
- Fox News
USA Gymnastics' transgender policy pages offline, as Riley Gaines-Simone Biles feud rocks the sport
USA Gymnastics appeared to delete its transgender eligibility policy pages on its website. When the pages were officially taken offline is currently unknown. The organization has come under heavy public scrutiny since Friday after Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles ignited a feud with former NCAA swimmer and conservative activist Riley Gaines on social media over the issue of trans athlete inclusion. Previous links to three of the organization's pages outlining its transgender eligibility policies are currently offline. One link previously led to a November 2020 announcement that the organization no longer required trans athletes to undergo sex reassignment, legal gender recognition, and hormone therapy in order to compete in the gender category of their choosing, as seen in an archive by the Wayback Machine. That page still shows up in search results, but the link now goes to a 404 error page. Another link previously went to a three-page PDF pamphlet of USA Gymnastics guidelines for transgender and non-binary athletes, as seen in a Wayback Machine archive. That link is now inaccessible, but is still a top result on search engines. Another link previously went to a nine-page PDF USA Gymnastics pamphlet titled "Transgender Athlete Inclusion Resources: Supporting Transgender and Non-Binary Athletes," as seen in a Wayback Machine archive. That link is also no longer accessible. The official USA Gymnastics website's governance documents page featured the transgender and non-binary guidelines and resources pages as recently as April, as seen in a Wayback Machine archive. But now those links are absent from the governance documents page. The Wayback Machine is unable to pinpoint exactly when a web page was deleted or changed. Fox News Digital has reached out USA Gymnastics for comment. The feud between Biles and Gaines has become one of the most viral topics on social media in the last three days, dominating the top trending section on X, while prompting heated debates and controversial media coverage of the issue. Gaines said in a social media video on Saturday that multiple Team USA athletes have reached out to her to say she agrees with her stance against allowing males in women's sports. The feud started when Biles took issue with Gaines calling out a Minnesota high school whose softball team won a state championship Friday with a transgender pitcher. Marissa Rothenberger, a transgender athlete, threw a shutout to help Champlin Park High School win a state title. Gaines, the host of OutKick's "Gaines for Girls" podcast, noted that comments on X were turned off on the Minnesota State High School League's post with a photo of the team on social media. "To be expected when your star player is a boy," Gaines wrote. Biles responded, calling Gaines "truly sick" for her comment and saying Gaines should be "uplifting" transgender athletes. Biles sent a second post on X telling Gaines to "bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male." Biles has been the subject of widespread criticism by conservatives and women's sports rights activists alike. President Donald Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. even joined in on the criticism with a pair of posts on X. Other major Team USA sport governing bodies have quietly amended their transgender policies amid rising opposition to trans inclusion in women's and girls' sports. USA Track and Field (USATF) official transgender eligibility policy now references the World Athletics guidelines on its official webpage. USATF previously referenced the International Olympic Committee (IOC)'s policy, as seen in an archive via Wayback Machine. The IOC allows biological males to compete in the women's category, while World Athletics bans any athlete who has undergone male puberty from competing as a woman. USA Fencing announced in April that it is preparing to change its gender-eligibility policy, after a viral protest by women's fencer Stephanie Turner sparked mass backlash and federal intervention by protesting a trans opponent. The organization said it is preparing to amend its current policies that allow biological males to compete with women and girls in the event that it is "forced" to change it. "In the event that USA Fencing is forced to change its current stance in accordance with oversight bodies or federal legislation, the new policy states athletes competing in USA Fencing-sanctioned tournaments must compete according to their biological sex," the announcement read. The proposed updated policy ensures that the women's category "will be open exclusively to athletes of the female sex." The men's category "will be open to all other athletes who are otherwise eligible for competition." Trump signed an executive order in February to ban trans athletes from women's and girls' sports, as the majority of Americans proved to oppose biological males being allowed to compete and share locker rooms with females. A New York Times/Ipsos survey found the vast majority of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, don't think transgender athletes should be permitted to compete in women's sports. Of the 2,128 people who participated, 79% said biological males who identify as women should not be allowed to participate in women's sports. Of the 1,025 people who identified as Democrats or leaning Democratic, 67% said transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete with women. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Chicago Tribune
6 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Will visa delays and border fears keep international fans away from the Club World Cup in the US?
As the United States readies for the FIFA Club World Cup, concern over such things as international travel, fan safety and even economic uncertainty threaten to diminish enthusiasm for the tournament. The United States will see the arrival of 32 professional club teams from around the globe to 11 cities for the tournament. There's a $1 billion prize pool. The Club World Cup is considered in many ways to be a dress rehearsal for the big event, the 2026 World Cup to be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. But there seems to be little buzz for the Club World Cup at home or abroad. The expansion of the field from seven to 32 teams has diminished the exclusivity of the event, and ticket sales appear slow. At the same time, the tournament is being played amid reports of foreign tourists being detained and visa processing delays. Chaotic U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities and President Donald Trump's travel bans aren't exactly reassuring international fans, either. Trump's policies appear to have already impacted travelers. The National Travel and Tourism Office released data showing visitors to the U.S. from foreign countries fell 9.7% in March compared to the same month last year. The travel forecasting company Tourism Economics has predicted that international arrivals would decline 9.4% this year. The U.S. Travel Association, a nonprofit group that represents the travel industry, has urged the Trump administration to improve such things as visa processing and customs wait times ahead of a series of big sporting events on U.S. soil, including the Club World Cup beginning June 14, the Ryder Cup later this year, next summer's World Cup, and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Association President Geoff Freeman said, for example, that the wait in Colombia for a visa interview appointment is upwards of 18 months — already putting the 2026 World Cup out of reach for some travelers. He said his organization is working with the White House's World Cup Task Force to address issues. 'They (the task force) recognize how important this event is: success is the only option. So we're eager to work with them to do whatever it is we need to do to ensure that we can welcome the millions of incremental visitors that we think are possible,' Freeman said. 'But these underlying issues of visa and customs, we've got to address.' Column: Pride and community at Chicago White Sox's Mexican Heritage Night game amid immigration crackdownsSecretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking at a House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing last month, suggested consular staff could be put on longer shifts and that artificial intelligence could be used to process visas. 'We want it to be a success. It's a priority for the president,' said Rubio. But the Trump administration may have added to the concerns for international visitors by issuing a ban on travelers from 12 countries, with restrictions on travel from nine more countries. Iran, one of the countries named, has qualified for the World Cup. The proclamation included an exemption for 'any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting event as determined by the secretary of state.' It did not mention fans. There are signs current immigration policies were already impacting soccer fans and spurring worries over safety. A Latin American supporters group in Nashville stayed away from a recent Major League Soccer game because of ICE activity in the city. The city's Geodis Park is set to host three Club World Cup matches. Danny Navarro, who offers travel advice to followers on his social media platforms under the moniker TravelFutbolFan, said the World Cup Task Force announcement did not allay fears about travel, especially when Vice President JD Vance said, 'We want them to come. We want them to celebrate. We want them to watch the game. But when the time is up, they'll have to go home. Otherwise, they'll have to talk to (Homeland Security) Secretary (Kristi) Noem.' That insinuated fans visiting the United States for the World Cup could use it to stay in the country, which is nonsensical, Navarro maintained. For many countries, fans traveling to the World Cup — an expensive travel plan with hiked flight and hotel prices — are broadly viewed as higher-spending and lower-risk for host nation security planning. Navarro put the onus on FIFA. 'They must know that there is an anxiety among international travelers wanting to come in. They must know there's an anxiety among the U.S. fan base that is multicultural and wanting to go to all these places. Are they going to? Are they going to be harassed by ICE?' Navarro said. 'There is just a lot of uncertainty, I would say, too much uncertainty, that the fan base doesn't want to think about.' It remains to be seen how outside factors will ultimately impact the Club World Cup, which is not the global spectacle or draw that the World Cup is. Ticket sales, which were based on a dynamic pricing model, appear to be slow, with lowered prices from earlier this year and a slew of recent promotions. For a match between Paris Saint-Germain and Botafogo at the Rose Bowl on June 19, there were wide swaths of available seats going for $33.45. FIFA created an incentive program that says fans who buy two or more tickets to the Club World Cup 'may' be guaranteed the right to purchase one ticket to the World Cup next summer. Navarro said economic uncertainty and fears of inflation may make fans hesitant to spend their money on the Club World Cup — when the more desirable World Cup is looming. What the Trump travel ban means for the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics in the USIn some host cities, there's little sign the Club World Cup is happening. A light rail station in Seattle had a lone sign advertising the event. The Seattle Sounders are among the teams playing in the tournament. Hans Hobson, executive director of the Tennessee State Soccer Association, suggested part of the problem is that, unlike the national teams that play in the World Cup, some of the club teams playing in Nashville are just not known to U.S. fans. 'It's not leagues that they watch. If it was the Premier League or the Bundesliga or something like that, then they'd go, 'Oh, I know players there. Let's go check it out,' Hobson said. There were tickets available to LAFC's match against Esperance Sportive de Tunisie in Nashville on June 20 for $24.45. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has traveled to several host cities to gin up enthusiasm. He has promised 'the world will be welcomed.' But some say the United States isn't exactly rolling out the red carpet for visitors in the current climate. 'I could see trepidation for anyone looking to travel to the U.S. at this current political climate,' said Canadian national team coach Jesse Marsch. 'So it's a sad thing, I think, that we have to talk about visiting the U.S. in this way but I think everybody has to make decisions that are best for them and that fit best with what's going on in their life and their lifestyle.'
San Francisco Chronicle
7 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
How much has World Cup's global party been spoiled already by Trump's tantrums, threats?
Last month, when President Donald Trump was asked about growing tension between the United States and our 2026 World Cup co-hosts, Canada and Mexico, he said with a smile, 'Tensions are a good thing. It'll make it more exciting.' Apparently there is so much tension that it has become plural. Tensions. Hey, the more the merrier. The excitement has ramped up since Trump made that comment. Back then, the tensions involved just those three countries, and just the World Cup. Trump's recently announced travel ban on visitors from 19 countries has added more tensions/excitements. Now we can also tense up excitedly about the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028 and even the Super Bowl in Santa Clara next year! Events like the Olympics and World Cup are world parties, and what we're doing is rearrange the schedule a bit. We're going to have the hangovers before the parties. Here's an interesting headline from Marca, Spain's daily sports newspaper: 'Trump, FIFA scandals spark movement planning to boycott 2026 World Cup.' Don't mind Spain. They're just cranky because of Trump's 20% tariffs on their exports of olive oil, auto parts and other goods. If only Spain would take a deep breath and remember that Trump's tariff policies change by the hour, so maybe better deals are ahead. Same with the new travel ban. Its effect on fans coming to America for the World Cup and the Olympics, and its implementation, are so vague and unknown that visitors from, say, Spain or Iraq might just have to get on the plane to America and hope for the best. American roulette: Maybe you come and go easily, maybe you accidentally wind up behind bars on Alcatraz. The Marca story says, 'As anger (at Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino) mounts, fan groups and some national associations are considering bold measures to demand change — including refusing to play or attend matches hosted in the U.S. unless FIFA addresses governance concerns and Trump's immigration policy is clarified.' Spain might not be the only whiny country. China doesn't seem thrilled with Trump's tariffs. Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin are slow dancing one day, mud wrestling the next. Canada is steamed about Trump's tariffs and bluster over Canada becoming the 51st state. Will future Olympics and World Cup host countries slap reciprocal travel bans and restrictions on U.S. fans? The tariffs, the travel ban, the broken alliances, the global political and financial chaos, all cast a pall over America's place in global sports. The Super Bowl at Levi's Stadium in February, the World Cup games in California next summer and the L.A. Olympics in 2028 could all be negatively impacted by Trump, who threatens to withhold billions in federal funding, and to levy high fines, because of the state following its own rules to let a high school trans athlete compete in the CIF state track meet. As for the more distant future? The host of the 2038 World Cup likely will be chosen later this year. One actual scenario that has been given credibility is that FIFA could name another set of tri-hosts: New Zealand, Fiji and the U.S. Considering recent developments, what FIFA voter in his/her right mind would send Trump another World Cup? Why would tariff-squeezed New Zealand agree to join hands with America? Crazy stuff, but you have to admit, it's exciting. Tensions up the wazoo. Deeper thoughts and cheaper shots • Rick Carlisle is on his way to NBA sainthood, assuming the requirement is the performance of two miracles. His Pacers' win in the first game of the NBA Finals on Thursday night put Carlisle three wins away from his second miracle. Carlisle coached the Mavericks to a title in 2011 over the heavily favored, LeBron-led Miami Heat superteam, after the Heat took a 2-1 lead. That Mavericks title got Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd their rings. Going into this season, the Pacers had the 15th best odds to win it all (per Basketball Reference). Just saying, maybe the guy's a good coach. • Still the worst idea in basketball since the invention of the Eurostep: The Commissioner's Cup in-season tournament. The WNBA one-ups the NBA by using a different ball for Cup games, a ball with alternating black and white panels instead of the regular fire orange and white. At least they didn't embed blinking lights in the seams. How about: Cut through the gimmicks and make each tournament game win count as 1½ wins? • Let's all thank Brock Purdy for signing that low-ish contract, quickly, thus sparing the San Francisco 49ers the ghastly task of sifting through the pile of discarded quarterbacks, and maybe plucking out Aaron Rodgers. The tinfoil-helmeted veteran agreed to sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers about two weeks after Purdy inked his deal, so it's possible Rodgers was the 49ers' Plan B. But Rodgers is only 41, so maybe he'll stick around the game long enough to get a third shot at a 49ers' job. • Commissioner Adam Silver is starting to talk about NBA expansion. He's not naming names, but others are, and Las Vegas is at the top of most lists. That puts more pressure on A's owner John Fisher to get his ballpark built ASAP, because MLB really wants to beat the NBA to Vegas. The A's say actual construction will begin this month. A's fans in Vegas must be heartened by the fact that the team isn't squandering all its winning luck in West Sacramento.
