The Los Angeles Post
California & Local U.S. World Business Lifestyle
Today: January 24, 2025
Today: January 24, 2025
The Los Angeles Post

The Los Angeles Post

Staff Writer

Latest From The Los Angeles Post

World

Russia targets key Ukraine Black Sea port of Odesa, a day after halting grain export deal

Ukrainian forces shot down scores of exploding drones and six cruise missiles from a pre-dawn Russian attack on the port of Odesa on Tuesday, Ukrainian authorities said, a day after Moscow broke off a deal that had allowed Kyiv to ship vital grain supplies from the Black Sea city during the war. The Russians first sought to wear down Ukraine’s air defenses with the drones and then targeted Odesa with six Kalibr cruise missiles, the Ukrainian military’s Southern Command said. All six missiles and 25 drones were shot down by air defenses in the Odesa region

Russia targets key Ukraine Black Sea port of Odesa, a day after halting grain export deal
Political

The Biden administration announces a cybersecurity labeling program for smart devices

The Biden administration and major consumer technology players on Tuesday launched an effort to put a nationwide cybersecurity certification and labeling program in place to help consumers choose smart devices that are less vulnerable to hacking. Officials likened the new U.S. Cyber Trust Mark initiative — to be overseen by the Federal Communications Commission, with industry participation voluntary — to the Energy Star program, which rates appliances’ energy efficiency. “It will allow Americans to confidently identify which internet- and Bluetooth-connected devices are cybersecure,” deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger told reporters in a pre-announcement briefing. Amazon, Best

The Biden administration announces a cybersecurity labeling program for smart devices
World

American national crosses inter-Korean border into North Korea

An American has crossed the heavily fortified border from South Korea into North Korea, the American-led U.N. Command overseeing the area said Tuesday. The U.N. Command tweeted that the U.S. citizen was on a tour to the Korean border village of Panmunjom and crossed the border into the North without authorization. It said he is currently in North Korean custody and that the U.N. Command is working with its North Korean counterparts to resolve the incident. It gave no further details on who the person is or why he crossed the border. Cases of Americans

American national crosses inter-Korean border into North Korea
World

Bank of America 2Q net income jumps 19%, extending the rally for big banks

Bank of America said its profits grew 19% in its most recent quarter, the latest of the big banks to see its bottom line boosted by higher interest rates. The nation’s second-largest bank by assets said Tuesday that it posted a profit of $7.4 billion in the three months ended June 30, up from $6.2 billion in the same period a year earlier. On a per-share basis, BofA earned 88 cents, compared with 73 cents one year ago. Analysts were expecting profit of 84 cents per share, according to a poll by FactSet. Revenue of $25.2 billion came in just

Bank of America 2Q net income jumps 19%, extending the rally for big banks
World

Second heat wave in as many weeks grips Mediterranean while fires hit Spain, Switzerland and Greece

Officials warned residents and tourists packing Mediterranean destinations on Tuesday to stay indoors as a second heat wave in as many weeks hit the region and Greece, Spain and Switzerland battled wildfires. In Italy, Red Cross teams checked on the elderly by phone while in Portugal they took to social media to warn people not to leave pets or children in parked cars. In Greece, volunteers handed out drinking water, while in Spain they reminded people to protect themselves from breathing in smoke from fires. Several countries in southern Europe are sweating through a new heat wave,

Second heat wave in as many weeks grips Mediterranean while fires hit Spain, Switzerland and Greece
World

Romanian court rules to keep Andrew Tate under house arrest as human trafficking case continues

A court in Romania’s capital on Tuesday ruled to extend by another 30 days the house arrest of Andrew Tate, the divisive social media influencer who is charged with rape, human trafficking and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. The decision at the Bucharest Tribunal comes a month after prosecutors formally indicted the 36-year-old social media star along with his brother Tristan and two Romanian women in the same case. All four defendants — who were arrested in late December near Bucharest and have denied the allegations against them — will remain under house

Romanian court rules to keep Andrew Tate under house arrest as human trafficking case continues
World

Barge to house asylum-seekers arrives in UK as Parliament passes controversial migration bill

A barge that will house up to 500 asylum-seekers arrived Tuesday in England after Parliament passed its long-debated bill to curb migration. The Bibby Stockholm was pulled by a tug into Portland after the government’s controversial legislation won passage after overcoming resistance in the House of Lords. The boat and the bill are both parts of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s strategy to stop migrants from making risky English Channel crossings in small boats. The legislation will become law after receiving the assent of King Charles III. The Conservative government has pledged to “stop the boats” — overcrowded

Barge to house asylum-seekers arrives in UK as Parliament passes controversial migration bill
World

Bankruptcy slams the brakes on Dutch e-bike manufacturer VanMoof

Dutch bicycle maker VanMoof has been declared bankrupt, slamming the brakes on a company that won design awards for its stylish, minimalist electric bikes but struggled to meet soaring demand and fix glitches with the app powering its service. The Amsterdam-based company, started in 2009 by brothers Taco and Ties Carlier, posted a statement on its website informing clients that an Amsterdam court declared VanMoof bankrupt on Monday. The company headquarters in Amsterdam was closed Tuesday. One man parked his VanMoof outside the building to take a picture of the bike with the company logo in the

Bankruptcy slams the brakes on Dutch e-bike manufacturer VanMoof
World

Kenya doomsday cult deaths top 400 as detectives exhume 12 more bodies, with the pastor in custody

The number of people who died in connection with Kenya’s doomsday cult has crossed the 400 mark as detectives exhumed 12 more bodies on Monday believed to be followers of a pastor who ordered them to fast to death in order to meet Jesus. Pastor Paul Mackenzie, who is linked to the cult based in a forested area in Malindi, coastal Kenya, is in police custody, along with 36 other suspects. All have yet to be charged. Coast Regional Commissioner Rhoda Onyancha on Monday said the number of those who died has risen to 403, with

Kenya doomsday cult deaths top 400 as detectives exhume 12 more bodies, with the pastor in custody
Political

DeSantis becomes first major party candidate to enter South Carolina's 2024 presidential primary

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis filed paperwork on Tuesday for South Carolina’s Republican primary, becoming the first major party presidential candidate officially on the ballot for the first-in-the-South contest. DeSantis signed his filing documents during a stop at the South Carolina Republican Party headquarters in Columbia, flanked by supporters including state legislators who have endorsed his bid. The filing comes at a consequential moment for DeSantis and his campaign as the governor makes his third swing through South Carolina as a White House hopeful. He entered the race in May with expectations that he would become the

DeSantis becomes first major party candidate to enter South Carolina's 2024 presidential primary
Political

FTC probe of OpenAI: Consumer protection is the opening salvo of US AI regulation

The FTC probe of ChatGPT maker OpenAI aligns with concerns that members of Congress have expressed. AP Photo/Michael Dwyer The Federal Trade Commission has launched an investigation of ChatGPT maker OpenAI for potential violations of consumer protection laws. The FTC sent the company a 20-page demand for information in the week of July 10, 2023. The move comes as European regulators have begun to take action, and Congress is working on legislation to regulate the artificial intelligence industry. The FTC has asked OpenAI to provide details of all complaints the company has received from users regarding “false, misleading, disparaging, or

FTC probe of OpenAI: Consumer protection is the opening salvo of US AI regulation
Environment

'Zombie fires' in the Arctic: Canada's extreme wildfire season offers a glimpse of new risks in a warmer, drier future

Thick smoke rises from a peat bog fire in June 2023. Bernd Wüstneck/picture alliance via Getty Images The blanket of wildfire smoke that spread across large parts of the U.S. and Canada in 2023 was a wake-up call, showing what climate change could feel like in the near future for millions of people. Apocalyptic orange skies and air pollution levels that force people indoors only tell part of the story, though. As global temperatures rise, fires are also spreading farther north and into the Arctic. These fires aren’t just burning in trees and grasses. New research on the exceptional Arctic

'Zombie fires' in the Arctic: Canada's extreme wildfire season offers a glimpse of new risks in a warmer, drier future
Political

China needs immigrants

Too few children means China needs to look outside the country for new blood. Zhang Peng/LightRocket via Getty Images China is entering a severe demographic crisis. For several centuries, the Asian nation has been the most populous country in the world. But it is now shrinking. In 2022, the country registered more deaths than births, and it will soon be surpassed by India in total population size – indeed, many demographers believe this has already occurred. As a scholar who has studied China’s demography for almost 40 years, I know the likelihood is this falling population will lead to an

China needs immigrants
Political

Registering refugees using personal information has become the norm – but cybersecurity breaches pose risks to people giving sensitive biometric data

A refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo registers his fingerprints on a biometric machine in Uganda in 2022. Badru Katumba/AFP via Getty Images The number of refugees worldwide reached record high levels in 2022. More than 108.4 million people have been forced to flee their homes because of violence or persecution. Meanwhile, governments and aid agencies are increasingly using a controversial method of effectively identifying and tracking many refugees. This method, known as biometrics, involves collecting someone’s physical or behavioral characteristics, ranging from fingerprints to voice. Organizations that collect the personal physical data can store it to instantly recognize

Registering refugees using personal information has become the norm – but cybersecurity breaches pose risks to people giving sensitive biometric data
Environment

Using green banks to solve America’s affordable housing crisis – and climate change at the same time

Retrofitting apartment buildings for energy efficiency and solar power can boost affordable housing and climate protection. AP Photo/Steven Senne Green banks are starting to draw attention in the U.S., particularly since the federal government announced its first grant competitions under a national green bank program to bring clean technology and more affordable energy to low-income communities. But installing more solar and wind electricity generation isn’t the only way green banks can help. Massachusetts is launching an innovative new green bank that could become a model as states try to manage two crises at once: lack of affordable housing and climate

Using green banks to solve America’s affordable housing crisis – and climate change at the same time
World

Americans increase spending modestly in June as inflation eases and the job market remains strong

Americans increased their spending modestly last month as inflation eased in many areas and the job market remains remarkably strong. Retail sales rose 0.2% from May to June, a bit smaller than what analysts were expected. The gain followed a revised 0.5% increase the previous month, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday. Excluding autos and gas, sales rose a modest 0.3%. Sales at grocery stores fell 0.7%, while business at clothing stores rose 0.6%. At restaurants, sales rose 0.1%. Online sales rose 1.9%. The uptick in sales follows an increase in May that pointed to an economy

Americans increase spending modestly in June as inflation eases and the job market remains strong
Political

Crowded GOP field vies for the Christian Zionist vote as Israel's rightward shift spurs protests

When John McCain was the Republican presidential nominee in 2008, he was forced to reject megachurch pastor John Hagee’s endorsement after a sermon surfaced that was derided as antisemitic. But as the 2024 campaign for the White House intensifies, Hagee and his organization, Christians United for Israel, are welcome presences within the GOP. Hagee and CUFI hosted several presidential contenders at their annual summit in suburban Washington this week, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley and former Vice President Mike Pence. They all pledged fierce loyalty to Israel and were unified

Crowded GOP field vies for the Christian Zionist vote as Israel's rightward shift spurs protests
Political

Trump says he's been advised he's target of US investigation into efforts to overturn 2020 election

Former President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he has received a letter informing him that he is a target of the Justice Department’s investigation into efforts to undo the results of the 2020 presidential election. Trump made the claim in a post on his Truth Social platform, saying he received the target letter on Sunday night. Such a letter can precede an indictment; Trump got one ahead of being charged last month in a separate investigation into the mishandling of classified documents. A spokesman for special counsel Jack Smith, whose office is leading the investigation, did not

Trump says he's been advised he's target of US investigation into efforts to overturn 2020 election
World

1st lawsuit filed against Pat Fitzgerald and Northwestern leaders stemming from a hazing scandal

A former Northwestern football player filed the first lawsuit against Pat Fitzgerald and members of the school’s leadership, seeking damages stemming from a hazing scandal that cost the former football coach his job. The player, identified in the lawsuit as John Doe, alleged Tuesday in the Cook County Court in Chicago that Fitzgerald, Northwestern University President Michael Schill, the board of trustees and athletic director Derrick Gragg enabled and concealed sexual misconduct and racial discrimination. The player, who was on the football team from 2018 to 2022, had his filing submitted by the Chicago-based Salvi Law Firm. “It wasn’t just

1st lawsuit filed against Pat Fitzgerald and Northwestern leaders stemming from a hazing scandal
Arts

Marilyn Manson to plead no contest to blowing his nose on videographer

Marilyn Manson will plead no contest to blowing his nose on a videographer at a 2019 concert in New Hampshire, according to a filing by his attorney. The rocker, whose legal name is Brian Warner, was charged with two misdemeanor counts of simple assault stemming from the encounter at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion in Gilford on Aug. 19, 2019. A notice of intent filed Monday says that Manson is expected to plead no contest to only one charge, and that prosecutors would dismiss the other in the fully negotiated plea. A no contest plea

Marilyn Manson to plead no contest to blowing his nose on videographer
Arts

Craig Robinson continues underdog storyline on Peacock's 'Killing It' with new season

Craig Robinson and his kind-hearted, python-hunting character on “Killing It” are returning to television next month. Season two, which Peacock said Tuesday will return on Aug. 17, will continue the quest by Robinson’s character to climb out of poverty while avoiding sketchy characters like his brother. “Capitalism is very real. Greed is very real. Shysters and scam artists are very real,” the actor-comedian told The Associated Press in a recent interview before the actors strike. In the first season, Robinson’s character (also named Craig) is a father who loses his job and becomes homeless. Craig decides

Craig Robinson continues underdog storyline on Peacock's 'Killing It' with new season
World

Lionel Messi takes to the practice field for 1st time since signing with Inter Miami

Lionel Messi jogged a lap with his new teammates, took part in a warmup drill of players making short passes in a tight circle and before long tapped his left foot at a ball that wound up in the back of an open net. Inter Miami’s new star wasted no time fitting right in. The World Cup winner and seven-time Ballon d’Or recipient as the world’s best player took part in a training session with his new Major League Soccer club for the first time on Tuesday, three days after signing a 2 1/2 year

Lionel Messi takes to the practice field for 1st time since signing with Inter Miami
World

Effort to find 2 children lost in a Pennsylvania flash flood may soon pivot to an underwater search

A broad effort to find two young siblings who were swept away from their car during flash flooding in the Philadelphia suburbs over the weekend may soon pivot to underwater searching, authorities said Tuesday. Upper Makefield Fire Chief Tim Brewer provided an update near the search area, saying the team was still looking for Matilda Sheils, 2, and her 9-month-old brother Conrad Sheils. If the children are not located by day’s end, Brewer said, the focus will be on the water, using dive teams. With the search in a fourth day, officials acknowledged the many

Effort to find 2 children lost in a Pennsylvania flash flood may soon pivot to an underwater search
World

Illinois is first state to eliminate cash bail, a penalty affecting low-income communities most

Illinois became the first state in the nation to eliminate cash bail as a condition of pretrial release from jail on Tuesday when the state Supreme Court upheld the constitutionally of the law abolishing it. The 5-2 ruling overturns a Kankakee County judge’s opinion in December that the law violated the constitution’s provision that “all persons shall be bailable by sufficient sureties.” Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis, writing for the majority, decreed that the law honors the constitution’s balance between the rights of victims and defendants. Proponents of eliminating cash bail describe it as a penalty

Illinois is first state to eliminate cash bail, a penalty affecting low-income communities most
World

Rory McIlroy is laying low ahead of the British Open as he tries to end his major drought

The most telling comment from Rory McIlroy about this British Open, and his hopes of ending an astonishing nine-year drought in the majors, is that he said nothing at all. For the second straight major, McIlroy removed himself from the lineup of pre-tournament news conferences, instead offering a few vague quotes through the R&A and random interviews. The attention on him is greater than ever, on and off the golf course. He has been the strongest voice for the PGA Tour in its battle with LIV Golf, now shockingly a proposed partnership. Inside the ropes, he

Rory McIlroy is laying low ahead of the British Open as he tries to end his major drought

Follow