Two towering, abandoned skyscrapers in the heart of Los Angeles are about to receive a much-needed facelift, after years of being marred by graffiti that turned them into a stark emblem of urban deterioration.

The saga of these neglected high-rises began over a decade ago. It all started when Oceanwide Holdings, a Chinese corporation, invested a staggering $1.2 billion to acquire a vast parcel of land opposite the renowned Crypto.com Arena.

Ambitious from the outset, the company aimed to bring luxury living and hospitality to life with upscale condos and a hotel. However, their grand vision screeched to a halt in 2019. The interruption was caused by the Chinese government’s decision to curtail overseas investment, leaving Oceanwide financially stranded.

For years, the city has battled to address this urban blunder through the bankruptcy court as these three forlorn towers stood, empty and silent.

In their abandoned state, the structures earned the nickname ‘graffiti towers,’ as vandals clambered up the buildings, plastering them with sprawling street art.

The site also became a hotspot for thrillseekers who filmed stunts like base jumping and tightrope walking there, resulting in dozens of arrests. 

Mayor Karen Bass enhanced a police presence in the area and blocked off access to the towers in 2024, but the development stood as a visual reminder of LA’s economic woes. 

Signs of hope for an end to the madness came earlier this month when the city withdrew its objections to a modified bankruptcy plan proposed by a new buyer. Although the site was initially bought for $1.2 billion, the new buyer purchased the towers for $470 million. 

‘Oceanwide Plaza sits at the center of one of Downtown Los Angeles’ most important economic corridors, linking the Convention Center, Crypto.com Arena, LA LIVE, and the broader South Park district,’ Bass said in a statement on Monday. 

‘Completing this project is about far more than finishing a building. It’s about restoring confidence, reconnecting a vital commercial corridor, and unlocking the economic potential of one of the city’s most strategic destinations ahead of a transformative decade for Los Angeles.

‘I look forward to an expedited closing and the proposed buyer delivering on their commitments.’ 

The news is a much-needed win for Bass’s administration amid heightened concerns about crime. 

City officials have also been under pressure to clean up the streets ahead of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.  

KPC Development Co emerged as a potential buyer in February. The company has previously erected commercial properties in California and India. 

A spokesperson for the parties involved said one of the towers will be designed for an 11-story luxury Park Hyatt hotel above residential floors. 

KPC is also building a $300 million hotel next to SoFi Stadium. CEO Kali P Chaudhuri told the Los Angeles Times in February that he was ‘very excited’ about the project. 

‘I’ll try my very best to turn it around and make it the jewel of downtown LA,’ he said. Chaudhuri added that his first priority would be to remove the graffiti. 

Bass said at the time that she looked forward to working with KPC to revitalize the plaza, writing in a statement, ‘Right in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, the blighted Oceanwide Plaza has been an eyesore for too long due to failed ownership.’

‘With the resurgence of our Downtown and as we prepare to host Olympic and Paralympic events right across the street, I look forward to working with the new ownership to transform this plaza into something that spurs further investment — and that Angelenos can be proud of.’

Despite KPC’s interest, the sale had been caught up in bankruptcy court since April as the city struggled to agree on terms. 

City attorneys withdrew their objections on Monday, conceding that KPC had agreed to ‘meaningful improvements’ that serve the interests of downtown residents. 

‘Today’s ruling reflects months of coordinated work across every stakeholder in this case,’ Sharon Weiss, an attorney representing the buyer, said in a statement. 

‘The withdrawal of objections from the City and County, combined with the court’s confirmation, paves the way for the sale to move toward closing.’

Among the terms of the agreement was the immediate removal of graffiti within 30 days. 

‘Our team is ready to move from planning to implementation, beginning with graffiti abatement and site cleanup, and ultimately delivering meaningful economic investment, jobs, hospitality and long-term community benefits for Los Angeles,’ Chaudhuri said in a statement to Bloomberg. 

A man clad in tactical gear emerged from a Queens residence shortly after a fiery explosion shook the neighborhood on Saturday. This dramatic turn of events unfolded as officers from the New York City Police Department (NYPD) responded to an urgent 911 call reporting gunshots and a man ominously shouting, “kill them, kill them.”

The suspect, identified as 33-year-old Keegan Thompson, was taken into custody after being shot by police in the chaotic aftermath of the explosion, as confirmed by NYPD Assistant Chief Christopher McIntosh. Inside the home, authorities tragically discovered the bodies of two family members.

Police officers were dispatched to the scene on Ocean Crest Boulevard in Far Rockaway just after noon. The 911 call was made by a caller reporting her husband was armed, McIntosh explained.

Upon their arrival, officers were met outside by a woman who recounted hearing gunshots coming from inside the house. She described entering a room where she found a body lying motionless on a bed, prompting her hasty exit to call for help.

The woman also alerted officers that her husband was likely armed with a shotgun, adding to the urgency and sense of danger surrounding the situation, according to officials.

Officers established a perimeter, requested the NYPD Emergency Service Unit (ESU) and repeatedly attempted to contact the suspect, but were unable to establish communication.

At about 12:15 p.m., as ESU officers prepared to enter, a large explosion erupted from inside the home, McIntosh said.

Fifteen to 20 seconds later, the suspect emerged from the burning home carrying a shotgun while wearing a tactical vest loaded with additional ammunition.

Officers repeatedly ordered the suspect to raise his hands and drop the weapon, police said. When he failed to comply and continued holding the shotgun, an officer fired, striking him.

He was taken into custody, and officers rendered aid before he was taken to Jamaica Hospital, where he remains in critical but stable condition.

McIntosh said Thompson has no criminal history or history of mental illness documented by the NYPD.

Officers later found two dead family members inside the home. The victims have not been identified, and investigators are working to determine their causes of death.

As flames engulfed the house, responding officers evacuated neighboring homes to protect nearby residents.

Investigators have not determined what caused the explosion. When asked whether explosives were involved, McIntosh said the investigation remains ongoing.

The shooting was captured on officers’ body-worn cameras and is being investigated by the NYPD’s Force Investigation Division.

“The bravery of the officers who responded today cannot be overstated,” McIntosh said. “They responded to a 911 call not knowing what was waiting for them, and they ran toward the danger with no hesitation.”

This story begins with a simple premise: boy meets girl.

A rather unusual meteorological event is currently unfolding in the Atlantic Ocean, and it might just slow down the pace of this year’s hurricane season, according to experts. This phenomenon is occurring despite the powerful El Niño that is stirring the waters in the Pacific.

Meteorologists are paying close attention to what is known as an Atlantic Niña, an infrequent drop in sea-surface temperatures across the equatorial Atlantic. This cooling trend tends to create an environment that is unfavorable for the formation of hurricanes.

“With an Atlantic Niña, we usually see reduced tropical activity during the Atlantic hurricane season. It creates conditions that are less favorable for the development of tropical storms,” explained Alan Reppert, a meteorologist with Accuweather, in an interview with The Post.

The onset of the Atlantic Niña has led to a significant decrease in sea temperatures, dropping them by 2 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit below the average levels.

If the cooling continues, this would be only the sixth summer Atlantic Niña in the last 40 years of data, according to analysis from Severe Weather Europe.

Meanwhile, a Super El Niño has been warming ocean temperatures in the Pacific since June and is projected to be the largest one in at least 150 years, according to Nature.

Peak temps in the Pacific Ocean are currently 3-4 degrees Fahrenheit above normal, according to National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration data.

Studies suggest Atlantic Niñas are associated with about 50% fewer tropical cyclones than normal, including fewer storms that make landfall in the US.

But this storm season will still be busy.

“We expect 11-16 storms, 4-7 hurricanes and 2-4 major hurricanes,” said Reppert. “Of those, 3-5 US impacts are expected. The highest risk areas for the additional impacts include the eastern Gulf of America coastline and coastal North and South Carolina.

“The El Niño typically has a greater impact on the tropical Atlantic season than Atlantic Nina,” he added.

“The next few weeks appear to be pretty quiet with limited chance for development, especially for the beaches along the Northeast US coastline,” Reppert said.

“But, if a storm develops and moves through a highly populated area or forms and moves just right, it can be a big season with just one storm.”

A prominent attorney from New York City was recently spotted locked in an intimate kiss with a significantly younger colleague on a Central Park bench. This romantic encounter unfolded not far from the posh $2.3 million apartment he shares with his wife, who is also a lawyer.

At 45, Nathaniel D Cullerton was captured on video engaging in the passionate exchange with 29-year-old Kelsey Borenzweig. This moment took place in the area known as Billionaires’ Row and was filmed by TikTok comedian Jay Guapo. With a following of 3.5 million, Guapo shared the now-popular clip on Thursday.

The Daily Mail has since identified the pair involved in the clandestine romance.

Cullerton, who holds a partnership at the prestigious law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, appeared utterly engrossed as he kissed Borenzweig, who is an associate at the same firm. Their display of affection became quite the spectacle.

Both attorneys are part of the firm’s litigation team and recently collaborated on a high-profile case this spring, successfully defending OpenAI leader Sam Altman in a civil lawsuit instigated by none other than Elon Musk.

Clad in a pale blue suit and tan Oxford shoes, Cullerton gave a dazed-looking smile as he turned to face Guapo when the comedian strutted up to the couple and told them: ‘Get a room.’

Borenzweig, who wore a smart pair of beige pants and brown-patterned bolero jacket, looked just as enamored with Cullerton and rubbed his neck during the steamy clinch. 

Guapo appears to have stumbled on the pair by chance, filming them to mock their public display of affection. It is unclear exactly when the video was filmed.

The kiss took place on the western edge of Central Park, about 30 blocks south of the co-op Cullerton is listed as living in with wife Moira Penza, 42, along an ultra-exclusive stretch of Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue.

Guapo could be seen scolding the pair and hissing: ‘Get a room. There’s kids watching.’

Borenzweig and Cullerton tried to shoo him away and cover his camera on realizing that their tryst was being filmed. He walked towards Guapo and forcefully demanded: ‘Put the phone down,’ but to no avail.

The loved-up couple were quickly identified by commenters when Guapo uploaded the clip to his TikTok. It spread like wildfire across social media and set elite New York City law circles ablaze with gossip.  

Cullerton’s wife Penza is a partner at another top law firm, Wilkinson Stekloff.

They married in February 2016. Before moving into private practice, Penza worked as a federal prosecutor and led the case against NXIVM sex cult leader Keith Raniere. 

She appeared on an episode of HBO series The Vow, which investigated the secretive cult.

On Friday, a stressed-looking Cullerton was seen arriving at the second home that he shares with Penza in Wilton, Connecticut, where he is from.

The primrose-colored clapboard property was built in 1818 and has immaculately manicured gardens surrounded by a stone wall and white picket fence.

Cullerton spent around two hours inside the house, with multiple cars seen coming and going while he was there.

Later on Friday, he drove back to Manhattan, returning to his Upper East Side apartment in a badly creased linen shirt shortly after 4pm.  

Cullerton emerged from his dark gray Range Rover looking intensely at his iPhone, which he then kept pressed to his ear while remaining silent when asked by the Daily Mail for comment on the video and whether his wife had seen it.

A doorman then stepped out and ushered him into the building. 

Borenzweig is in a relationship with Adam Littlestone-Luria, a 35-year-old judicial law clerk with the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York.

Littlestone-Luria, who enjoys ballroom dancing in his free time, is the only figure connected to the scandal who has responded so far.

Asked about the video by telephone on Friday, he told a Daily Mail reporter: ‘I am not comfortable talking about this, but I am aware of it.’

Asked if he was still with Borenzweig, Littlestone-Luria repeated: ‘I am not comfortable talking about this,’ and ended the call. 

Meanwhile, Borenzweig appears to have called in the cavalry – her parents Tracy and Matt were flown in from California to New York.

The brunette, dressed in a blue cap and sunglasses, cut a low-key figure as she left her luxury Flatiron apartment in a taxi to meet her parents for coffee at the upscale Crosby Street Hotel in Soho on Saturday morning.

Sources told the Daily Mail that they discussed an upcoming trip to South Africa, telling workers at the hotel they were in town to visit Kelsey.

But the conversation then appeared to sour, with Borenzweig sitting silent as her parents spoke, although it is unclear if they are aware of the situation.

The Daily Mail has repeatedly contacted Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz for comment on Cullerton and Borenzweig’s relationship, without receiving any response. 

Top law firms strongly discourage romances between superiors and subordinates over potential conflicts of interest and favoritism. 

Workers are generally warned that they must promptly disclose any romantic relationships with co-workers to human resources. 

It is unclear when Cullerton and Borenzweig’s romance started or whether it has been disclosed to human resources, but the pair worked closely together to win the Altman case against Elon Musk. Musk claimed Altman had broken a founding agreement to keep OpenAI a nonprofit. 

A photo taken during the trial in May 2026 showed Cullerton smiling as he walked into the federal court building in Oakland, California, with Borenzweig just a few steps behind him. 

Cullerton’s meteoric rise to success saw him obtain his JD from Georgetown University in 2013, before clerking on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. 

Borenzweig’s legal pedigree is just as impressive. 

She received her JD from New York University School of Law in 2022 and also spent time clerking, before joining Wachtell. 

She grew up in Malibu, California, in a sizable $2.7 million midcentury home moments from the Pacific Ocean.

The pair’s kiss has drawn comparisons online to an infamous clinch caught on a kiss cam at a Coldplay concert near Boston in July 2025.

Andy Byron, then CEO of data software firm Astronomer, was filmed cuddling the firm’s HR executive Kristin Cabot, with the moment becoming a global sensation.  

Byron was married at the time, while Cabot was reportedly separated from her husband. Both left Astronomer in the ensuing scandal over their affair. 

The Daily Mail has also contacted Borenzweig and Penza for comment.