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Today: January 24, 2025
Today: January 24, 2025
The Los Angeles Post

The Los Angeles Post

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World

A look at some Americans who crossed into North Korea over the past years

The U.S.-led United Nations Command is trying to secure the release of an unidentified American soldier who entered North Korea from the South Korean side of a border village. It’s not immediately clear what motivated the soldier to cross into North Korea during a time of high tensions as the pace of both the North’s weapons demonstrations and U.S.-South Korean joint military training have intensified in a cycle of tit-for-tat. There have been cases of Americans crossing into North Korea over the past years, including a small number of U.S. soldiers. Some of the Americans

A look at some Americans who crossed into North Korea over the past years
World

Rescued Australian man and dog who were adrift 3 months in Pacific set to arrive in Mexican port

An Australian sailor who was rescued by a Mexican tuna boat after being adrift at sea with his dog for three months will step foot on dry land Tuesday for the first time since their ordeal began. Timothy Lyndsay Shaddock, 54, was aboard his crippled catamaran Aloha Toa in the Pacific Ocean about 1,200 miles (1,930 kilometers) from land when the crew of the fishing boat from the Grupomar fleet spotted them, the company said in a statement. Shaddock and his dog, Bella, were in a “precarious” state when found, lacking provisions and shelter, and the

Rescued Australian man and dog who were adrift 3 months in Pacific set to arrive in Mexican port
World

Panama Ex-President Martinelli is sentenced to 10 years in prison for money laundering

Former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli was sentenced Tuesday to more than 10 years in prison for money laundering. Martinelli, 71, had been trying to mount a political comeback in next year’s general elections, but a judge sentenced him to 128 months in prison in a case that revolved around the purchase of a media company. Martinelli’s lawyers said they would appeal, arguing again that the media company was purchased with the president’s own legally obtained funds. Martinelli is the first former president convicted of a crime in Panama. The supermarket magnate who governed Panama from 2009

Panama Ex-President Martinelli is sentenced to 10 years in prison for money laundering
Science

Mammals may have hunted down dinosaurs for dinner, rare fossil suggests

An unusual find in China suggests some early mammals may have hunted dinosaur for dinner. The fossil shows a badgerlike creature chomping down on a small, beaked dinosaur, their skeletons intertwined. The find comes from a site known as “China’s Pompeii,” where mud and debris from long-ago volcanoes buried creatures in their tracks. “It does seem like this is a prehistoric hunt, captured in stone, like a freeze frame,” University of Edinburgh paleontologist Steve Brusatte, who was not involved with the study, said in an email. The fossil, described Tuesday in the journal Scientific Reports, shows

Mammals may have hunted down dinosaurs for dinner, rare fossil suggests
World

G20 finance chiefs end their meeting in India without consensus on the war in Ukraine

A meeting of finance chiefs and central bank governors of the Group of 20 leading economies ended on Tuesday in India without a consensus because of differences between countries over the war in Ukraine. Following two days of talks, there was no final communique. Instead, India, as the host nation, was forced to issue the G20 Chair’s summary and an outcome document. Speaking to reporters after the meeting concluded in Gandhinagar, a city in the western state of Gujarat, India’s finance minister said the reason for the chair statement was “because we still don’t have a

G20 finance chiefs end their meeting in India without consensus on the war in Ukraine
World

Spain fines Apple and Amazon $218 million for elbowing out small retailers

Amazon and Apple were fined a total of 194 million euros ($218 million) Tuesday for colluding to box out competitors by favoring sales of Apple products directly from the online retail giant, Spain’s antitrust watchdog said. Amazon and Apple reached agreements in 2018 that limited the free competition of third-party sellers who hawk Apple goods through Amazon’s platform for smaller retailers, according to Spain’s National Markets and Competition Commission, which oversees Spanish markets for antitrust violations. “The investigated behaviors could be restricting competition in the sectors of the Internet sale of electronic products, and the provision of

Spain fines Apple and Amazon $218 million for elbowing out small retailers
World

As the planet warms, increasing worry about the impact that may have on infectious diseases

People around the world are living longer, healthier lives than they were just half a century ago. Climate change threatens to undo that progress. Across the planet, animals — and the diseases they carry — are shifting to accommodate a globe on the fritz. And they’re not alone: Ticks, mosquitos, bacteria, algae, even fungi are on the move, shifting or expanding their historical ranges to adapt to climatic conditions that are evolving at an unprecedented pace. These changes are not happening in a vacuum. Deforestation, mining, agriculture, and urban sprawl are taking bites out of the

As the planet warms, increasing worry about the impact that may have on infectious diseases
World

A closer look at Panmunjom, the famous border town where a US soldier crossed into North Korea

Low-slung buildings, blue huts and somber soldiers dot the border village of Panmunjom inside the DMZ, or demilitarized zone, the swath of land between North and South Korea where a U.S. soldier on a tour crossed into the North under circumstances that remain unclear. The soldier was on a tour of the storied border town, inside the heavily fortified 154-mile-long (248-kilometer-long) DMZ, when the crossing happened, U.S. officials said Tuesday. It remained unknown what prompted the soldier’s actions or what the motivations might have been. The soldier was believed to be in North Korean custody. The DMZ is lined with

A closer look at Panmunjom, the famous border town where a US soldier crossed into North Korea
World

Marcus Rashford commits to 5 more years at Man United after most prolific season of career

After the most prolific season of his career, Marcus Rashford committed himself to five more years at Manchester United on Tuesday. The England forward ended speculation about his future by signing a new long-term deal that will keep him at Old Trafford through to 2028. Rashford scored 30 goals in all competitions last season, with his form helping fill the void left by Cristiano Ronaldo’s exit in November as he established himself as a key part of a United team which qualified for the Champions League and won the English League Cup. “I joined Manchester United

Marcus Rashford commits to 5 more years at Man United after most prolific season of career
World

Gas leaked from bad fitting at Pennsylvania chocolate factory where 7 died in blast, report says

Natural gas leaked from a defective fitting at a Pennsylvania chocolate factory where a powerful explosion leveled one building, heavily damaged another and killed seven people, federal safety investigators said Tuesday, while noting they have yet to determine the cause of the blast. The leak at the R.M. Palmer Co. plant in West Reading was traced to a gas fitting that was installed in 1982 and was determined to have fractured, according to an investigative update released by the National Transportation Safety Board. The fitting, made by DuPont, had a known tendency to crack, and was added to a federal

Gas leaked from bad fitting at Pennsylvania chocolate factory where 7 died in blast, report says
World

Martin Truex Jr. 'bad at making big decisions' as he ponders NASCAR retirement

With three wins, a lead in the points standings, and a NASCAR championship push ahead, the good times are rolling again for Martin Truex Jr. So why quit now? Joe Gibbs asked himself the same question about Truex as the Hall of Fame owner tries to keep Monday’s winner at New Hampshire in the fold of his eponymous race team for one more season. The 82-year-old Gibbs playfully nudged Truex to make the call soon: Retire or give it another run at JGR. “He tells me the same thing every year, that I’m right in the

Martin Truex Jr. 'bad at making big decisions' as he ponders NASCAR retirement
Political

House Republicans tee up a vote on support for Israel after Democrat's comments about 'racist' state

The House will vote Tuesday on a Republican-led resolution reaffirming support for Israel, an implicit rebuke of a leading Democrat who, over the weekend, called the country a “racist state” but later apologized. The resolution, introduced by Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, does not mention Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., by name, but is clearly a response to her recent remarks about the Jewish state. The measure was drafted soon after she criticized Israel and its treatment of Palestinians at a conference on Saturday. Jayapal, the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, walked back the comments the next day,

House Republicans tee up a vote on support for Israel after Democrat's comments about 'racist' state
Political

House Republicans tee up a vote on support for Israel after Democrat's comments about 'racist' state

The House will vote Tuesday on a Republican-led resolution reaffirming support for Israel, an implicit rebuke of a leading Democrat who, over the weekend, called the country a “racist state” but later apologized. The resolution, introduced by Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, does not mention Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., by name, but is clearly a response to her recent remarks about the Jewish state. The measure was drafted soon after she criticized Israel and its treatment of Palestinians at a conference on Saturday. Jayapal, the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, walked back the comments the next day,

House Republicans tee up a vote on support for Israel after Democrat's comments about 'racist' state
World

TikTok needs to do more to comply with Europe's new digital rules, official says

TikTok needs to do more to get ready for new European Union digital rules designed to keep users safe online, a top official said Tuesday. The results of a “stress test” that the popular video-sharing platform carried out at its Dublin office showed that “more work is needed to be fully ready” for when the Digital Services Act takes effect next month, European Commissioner Thierry Breton said in a statement. Breton, who oversees the 27-nation bloc’s digital policy, tweeted a silent video of himself discussing the results by video call with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew. “TikTok

TikTok needs to do more to comply with Europe's new digital rules, official says
World

Facebook parent Meta makes public its ChatGPT rival LLaMA

Facebook parent company Meta Platforms has built an artificial intelligence system that rivals the likes of ChatGPT and Google’s Bard but it’s taking a different approach: releasing it for free. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Tuesday that the company is partnering with Microsoft to introduce the next generation of its AI large language model and making the technology, known as LLaMA 2, free for research and commercial use. Much like tech peers Google and Microsoft, the social media company has long had a big research team of computer scientists devoted to advancing AI technology. But

Facebook parent Meta makes public its ChatGPT rival LLaMA
World

Hornets' Miles Bridges apologizes for 'pain and embarrassment' from domestic violence investigation

Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges apologized Tuesday for “the pain and embarrassment” caused by the domestic violence investigation that kept him out of the league last season. Bridges, speaking publicly for the first time since signing a one-year, $7.9 million contract to return to the Hornets, vowed to rebuild relationships with teammates and become more active in the Charlotte community. He pleaded no contest in November to a felony charge that stemmed from accusations that he assaulted the mother of his children in front of them. The 25-year-old was sentenced to three years of probation. “I

Hornets' Miles Bridges apologizes for 'pain and embarrassment' from domestic violence investigation
World

In Ukraine, a family's ordeal to identify and honor a veteran killed in Bucha ends after 16 months

The Ukrainian veteran’s gravestone carries his photograph and birthday, but the date Roman Shadlovskyi died is a broad estimate: March 2022, the month Russian forces brutally killed both civilians and military personnel before ending their occupation of Bucha. Shadlovskyi’s body was found about three months later in a mass grave along with the remains of six other people in a forest outside the city near Ukraine’s capital. Residents and relatives gathered at a Bucha cemetery on Tuesday to give him a proper burial. “They took him on the fourth of March, but we don’t know when

In Ukraine, a family's ordeal to identify and honor a veteran killed in Bucha ends after 16 months
Political

Pennsylvania woman who used bullhorn to direct Capitol rioters is convicted of Jan. 6 charges

A Pennsylvania woman who used a bullhorn to direct rioters attacking the U.S. Capitol was convicted on Tuesday of charges that she joined the mob in an attempt to keep President Joe Biden out of the White House. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth heard testimony without a jury before he convicted Rachel Marie Powell of felony charges stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, siege. Powell, who was convicted of all nine counts in her indictment, is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 17, according to court records. Powell, wearing a distinctive pink hat and fur-lined jacket hoodie, joined a mob

Pennsylvania woman who used bullhorn to direct Capitol rioters is convicted of Jan. 6 charges
Science

Alaska volcano's week-long eruption spews another massive ash cloud

An ongoing eruption of a remote volcano in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands produced an ash cloud so large Tuesday warnings were sent to pilots about potentially dangerous conditions. The ash cloud with an initial height of around 5.5 miles (8.9 kilometers) was drifting south-southeast from Shishaldin Volcano, the Alaska Volcano Observatory said in a statement. The eruption was described as moderate with ashfall drifting toward the Pacific Ocean, creating a potential concern for air traffic or boats, said Matt Loewen, a research geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey at the observatory. The volcano is about 700 miles

Alaska volcano's week-long eruption spews another massive ash cloud
Political

Targeting Trump for prosecution - 4 essential reads on how the Jan. 6 investigation laid the groundwork for the special counsel

Donald Trump, left, may yet face off again in federal court against Jack Smith. Associated Press With the news on July 18, 2023, that Special Counsel Jack Smith had informed former President Donald Trump that he was a target of the federal investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and the related Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, speculation began immediately among political analysts and pundits about what charges the former president might face. But criminal investigations are not public, so drawing conclusions about what charges Smith might bring would have to rely on indications from

Targeting Trump for prosecution - 4 essential reads on how the Jan. 6 investigation laid the groundwork for the special counsel
World

After devastating 2022 hurricane season, AAA not renewing some insurance policies in Florida

AAA won’t renew “a very small percentage” of homeowners and auto insurance policies in hurricane-wracked Florida, joining other insurers in limiting their exposure in the Sunshine State despite efforts by lawmakers to calm the volatile insurance market, the company said Tuesday. AAA said in a statement that it wasn’t leaving Florida, but that last year’s devastating hurricane season had led to an “unprecedented” rise in reinsurance rates, making it more costly to operate. Officials with the company refused to say how many policies in Florida wouldn’t be renewed but said that they were “higher exposure” package

After devastating 2022 hurricane season, AAA not renewing some insurance policies in Florida
World

CLIMATE GLIMPSE: Here's what you need to see and know today

Water: important always, but a life-or-death substance at this moment as the planet grapples with extreme heat. In this arresting image from Phoenix, the sun beats down on the parched earth as Associated Press photographer Ross Franklin captures Tony Berastegui Jr., 15, right, and his sister Giselle Berastegui, 12, drinking bottled water in temperatures that soared to 115 degrees. It’s a week of extremes across the world as midsummer heat and bad rain buffet parts of the planet. Here’s what’s happening related to extreme weather and the climate right now: — Whether you live in the Mediterranean or are just

CLIMATE GLIMPSE: Here's what you need to see and know today
Arts

This isn't the first time Hollywood's been on strike. Here's how past strikes turned out

The common refrain is that there’s nothing Hollywood loves so much as its own history — but that’s a history inextricable from its labor movements. As the industry comes to a momentous halt courtesy of dual strikes by its actors and screenwriters, it’s worth looking back at the effects of past protests, walkouts and other actions. The Screen Actors Guild and the Screen Writers Guild, the forerunner to today’s Writers Guild of America, were each founded in 1933, though threads of collective action and solidarity run to the very beginnings of the motion picture industry. At

This isn't the first time Hollywood's been on strike. Here's how past strikes turned out
World

IOC's Bach says key to Russian decision for Paris Olympics is athletes' respectful conduct

The key factor in weighing the IOC’s ultimate decision on letting Russians participate at the 2024 Paris Games is how well athletes behave in international competitions, the Olympic body’s president Thomas Bach said Tuesday. “It’s too soon to draw final conclusions,” Bach said, adding “we have the responsibility not to punish athletes for the acts of their government.” The International Olympic Committee has pushed sports governing bodies this year to approve some athletes from Russia and its military ally Belarus competing as neutrals for international competitions including Paris qualifying events. Bach has previously said the IOC can

IOC's Bach says key to Russian decision for Paris Olympics is athletes' respectful conduct
Political

In backlash over their expulsions, 2 Tennessee Democratic lawmakers raised $2M combined

Tennessee state Reps. Justin Pearson and Justin Jones have raised more than $2 million combined through about 70,400 campaign donations after Republican lawmakers abruptly expelled the Democrats this spring for their gun control protest on the House floor. The vast majority of those small donations came over just a few days when the two had been kicked out, but not yet reinstated. If Republicans kept the two young Black House members in office, they would not have been allowed to fundraise as sitting lawmakers while a legislative session was ongoing. Instead, each of the two lawmakers

In backlash over their expulsions, 2 Tennessee Democratic lawmakers raised $2M combined

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