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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

German woman voices remorse over enslaved Yazidi girl's death at new court hearing

A German woman convicted on charges that she and her husband allowed the death by thirst of a 5-year-old Yazidi girl she and her husband kept as a slave when they were members of the Islamic State group in Iraq expressed remorse as a new sentencing hearing opened on Wednesday. A federal court in March ordered judges in Munich to reconsider the sentence of the 32-year-old, who has been identified only as Jennifer W. in line with German privacy rules. She risks a more severe sentence than the 10 years she was given at her original trial.

German woman voices remorse over enslaved Yazidi girl's death at new court hearing
World

German woman voices remorse over enslaved Yazidi girl's death at new court hearing

A German woman convicted on charges that she and her husband allowed the death by thirst of a 5-year-old Yazidi girl she and her husband kept as a slave when they were members of the Islamic State group in Iraq expressed remorse as a new sentencing hearing opened on Wednesday. A federal court in March ordered judges in Munich to reconsider the sentence of the 32-year-old, who has been identified only as Jennifer W. in line with German privacy rules. She risks a more severe sentence than the 10 years she was given at her original trial.

German woman voices remorse over enslaved Yazidi girl's death at new court hearing
World

British political candidate uses artificial intelligence to draw up election manifesto

British voters face a crowded field of 13 candidates in an upcoming special election for a Parliament seat. One, independent Andrew Gray, used artificial intelligence to come up with campaign promises that he says reflect what residents want. Gray, who says he has no policies of his own, crowdsourced constituents’ sentiments and used machine learning to come up with his political manifesto. He calls the technology a faster and fairer way for politicians to widely reflect views of the people they represent. “We can interact with our constituents in a whole new way,” Gray said. “It doesn’t

British political candidate uses artificial intelligence to draw up election manifesto
World

Masks are out at In-N-Out after burger chain bans employees from wearing them in five states

The In-N-Out burger chain will bar employees in five states from wearing masks unless they have a doctor’s note, according to internal company emails leaked on social media. In the memo announcing new guidelines for Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Texas and Utah workers, the fast food chain pointed to “the importance of customer service and the ability to show our Associates’ smiles and other facial features while considering the health and well-being of all individuals.” The policy, which goes into effect August 14, applies to all In-N-Out employees in those states, except for those who need to

Masks are out at In-N-Out after burger chain bans employees from wearing them in five states
Health

A feline virus mutation in Cyprus caused far fewer cat deaths than claimed, veterinary leader says

The head of the Cyprus veterinarians association on Wednesday dismissed as greatly exaggerated the claims that a local mutation of a feline virus has killed as many as 300,000 cats on the small Mediterranean island. The director of the Pancyprian Veterinary Association, Nektaria Ioannou Arsenoglou, said the group’s survey of 35 veterinary clinics indicate an island-wide total of only about 8,000 deaths. Arsenoglou said numbers that have been presented by local animal activists and amplified by foreign media outlets “simply don’t add up.” Arsenoglou told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the local mutation of a

A feline virus mutation in Cyprus caused far fewer cat deaths than claimed, veterinary leader says
Political

Judge upholds $5 million jury verdict against Trump, rejecting the ex-president's vindication claim

A federal judge on Wednesday upheld a $5 million jury verdict against Donald Trump, rejecting the former president’s claim that the award was excessive and that the jury vindicated him by failing to conclude in the civil case that he raped a columnist in a luxury department store dressing room in the 1990s. Judge Lewis A. Kaplan said the jury’s May award of compensatory and punitive damages to writer E. Jean Carroll for sexual abuse and defamation was reasonable. Trump’s lawyers had asked Kaplan to reduce the jury award to less than $1 million or order

Judge upholds $5 million jury verdict against Trump, rejecting the ex-president's vindication claim
Health

Maine governor expands access to abortion later in pregnancy

Democratic Gov. Janet Mills signed a bill into law Wednesday that expands access to abortions later in pregnancy in Maine, joining a half-dozen states that leave it to doctors and patients to make the decision without restrictions on timing. The new law allows abortions at any time if deemed medically necessary by a doctor, making the law one of the nation’s least restrictive. The old law banned abortions after a fetus becomes viable outside the womb, at roughly 24 weeks, but allowed an exception if the patient’s life is at risk. Mills said during her reelection

Maine governor expands access to abortion later in pregnancy
World

Cracks are emerging in Israel's military. Reservists threaten not to serve if government plan passes

Cracks are emerging in Israel’s military. The Middle East’s best equipped and most powerful force is under one of the worst assaults it has encountered — a battle within its own ranks. A contentious government plan to overhaul the country’s judiciary has cleaved deep rifts within Israeli society. Those rifts have infiltrated the military, where reservists in key units have pledged not to show up for duty if the legislative changes are pushed through. The letters, signed by thousands of reservists over the last seven months, have up to now mostly remained threats. But this week, 161

Cracks are emerging in Israel's military. Reservists threaten not to serve if government plan passes
World

IndyCar introduces stronger retaining nut to keep wheels attached during wrecks

IndyCar will implement a new, stronger piece of hardware designed to keep rear wheels attached to the car during a wreck after a tire flew off Kyle Kirkwood’s car and narrowly missed a packed grandstand during the Indianapolis 500. The series said Wednesday that chassis manufacturer Dallara had designed a retaining nut that is more than 60% stronger than the previous design. The updated retaining nut will be mandatory beginning with this weekend’s races at Iowa Speedway. “Their thorough review process of the incident between the No. 6 and No. 27 (cars) at Indianapolis Motor Speedway began immediately and included

IndyCar introduces stronger retaining nut to keep wheels attached during wrecks
Environment

As heat records fall, how hot is too hot for the human body?

Outdoor workers face higher risks on hot, humid days. AP Photo/Swoan Parker Extreme heat has been breaking records across Europe, Asia and North America, with millions of people sweltering in heat and humidity well above “normal” for days on end. Death Valley hit 128 degrees Fahrenheit (53.3 degrees Celsius) on July 16, 2023 – not quite the world’s hottest day on record, but close. Phoenix broke a record heat streak with 19 straight days with temperatures above 110 F (43.3 C), accompanied by a long string of nights that never got below 90 F (32.2 C), leaving little opportunity for

As heat records fall, how hot is too hot for the human body?
Political

Israeli president seeks to reassure Congress on his country's democracy, U.S. ties

Israeli President Isaac Herzog sought to reassure Congress on Wednesday about the state of Israel’s democracy and the strength of the U.S.-Israel relationship, acknowledging “intense and painful debate” at home over actions of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hardline government. Herzog, whose post in Israel is largely symbolic, became the second Israeli president, after his father, Chaim Herzog, to address Congress. While his speech officially marked modern Israel’s celebration of its 75th year, he also indirectly addressed deep unease in the Biden administration and among Democratic lawmakers over the Netanyahu government’s controversial overhaul of Israel’s judicial system, expanded

Israeli president seeks to reassure Congress on his country's democracy, U.S. ties
Political

Top progressives are backing Joe Biden's 2024 campaign. But some activists have reservations

President Joe Biden would seem an unnatural fit for the activists at Netroots Nation, an annual gathering of progressives that was created to harness online rage over George W. Bush’s administration. More recently, it has championed the message of economic populism from Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, two of Biden’s rivals for the Democratic nomination in 2020. But the antipathy toward Democrats seen as too mainstream or moderate did not largely extend to Biden at the group’s recent conference in Chicago. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, leader of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, even concluded the event by recounting

Top progressives are backing Joe Biden's 2024 campaign. But some activists have reservations
Arts

American model Gigi Hadid and friend don't let marijuana arrest spoil Cayman Islands vacation

American model Gigi Hadid and a friend went ahead with a vacation in the Cayman Islands after local authorities arrested the pair for marijuana possession and later released them. Hadid, who arrived on a private aircraft from the U.S., was arrested after Customs and Border Control agents searched her luggage and found a small amount of cannabis, the agency said in a statement Tuesday. Officials identified her as Jelena Noura Hadid, which is the 28-year-old model’s legal name. Hadid and her friend arrived in the Cayman Islands on July 10 and pleaded guilty on

American model Gigi Hadid and friend don't let marijuana arrest spoil Cayman Islands vacation
Political

New Hampshire Republican Gov. Chris Sununu won't seek reelection in 2024

New Hampshire Republican Gov. Chris Sununu, who considered but decided against runs for president and the U.S. Senate, said Wednesday he will not seek reelection in 2024. Sununu, who has been governor since 2017, said in an email that he will not seek a fifth, two-year term. “This was no easy decision as I truly love serving as Governor,” he stated. “Public service should never be a career, and the time is right for another Republican to lead our great state.” Sununu, 48, did not say what his immediate plans were and did not endorse anyone

New Hampshire Republican Gov. Chris Sununu won't seek reelection in 2024
World

British Open goes from brown grass to green. Silver is the color that matters.

Scottie Scheffler’s first look at Royal Liverpool was courtesy of video. He watched replays of the last two British Opens on these links and saw what looked to be two courses — Tiger Woods won when the grass was brown in 2006, Rory McIlroy when it was green in 2014. That describes the last five weeks at Royal Liverpool. Martin Slumbers, the CEO of the R&A, was delighted by a heat wave last month that made these century-old links dry and crusty, the most testing conditions because of how far the golf ball goes once it

British Open goes from brown grass to green. Silver is the color that matters.
Science

Two planets sharing same orbit around their star? Astronomers find strongest evidence yet

Astronomers reported Wednesday the discovery of what could be two planets sharing the same orbit around their star. They said it’s the strongest evidence yet of this bizarre cosmic pairing, long suspected but never proven. Using a telescope in Chile, the Spanish-led team spotted a cloud of debris in the same orbit as an already confirmed planet circling this star, 370 light-years away in the constellation Centaurus. They suspect it’s either a planet in formation or remnants of a planet that once was. Asteroids are known to accompany planets around their star — for example,

Two planets sharing same orbit around their star? Astronomers find strongest evidence yet
World

Gunman toting heavy ammo and explosives cased scene before fatal 'ambush' shooting on Fargo police

A man armed with 1,800 rounds of ammunition, a grenade and other explosives in his car ambushed officers who were investigating a crash, killing one and wounding two before a fourth stopped him, thwarting what authorities described as plans for further mayhem, officials said Wednesday. Mohamad Barakat, 37, shot Officers Jake Wallin, Andrew Dotas and Tyler Hawes from inside his car on Friday before they could even draw their guns, North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley said at a news conference. Wallin was killed while Dotas and Hawes remain hospitalized in critical condition. Wrigley said Barakat also shot and injured

Gunman toting heavy ammo and explosives cased scene before fatal 'ambush' shooting on Fargo police
World

Some LIV Golf players at the British Open in danger of making their last appearance in a major

With the future of LIV Golf still uncertain, Joaquin Niemann was among players who arrived for the British Open facing the prospect of no more majors in his immediate future. LIV Golf still doesn’t get world ranking points, and players have been dropping. With the next major not until April in the Masters, some of them might not have a way back except through qualifying for the U.S. Open or British Open. It remains unclear when — or if — the recent proposal of a partnership with the PGA Tour would change anything. “This might be

Some LIV Golf players at the British Open in danger of making their last appearance in a major
Political

Military veteran who stormed Capitol with loaded pistol is sentenced to 7 years in prison

A military veteran who stormed the U.S. Capitol with a loaded pistol, metal-plated body armor and a gas mask was sentenced on Wednesday to seven years in prison, one of the longest among hundreds of Jan. 6 riot cases. Christopher Michael Alberts isn’t accused of brandishing his concealed gun during the riot on Jan. 6, 2021. But he used a wooden pallet as a makeshift battering ram against police officers who were guarding a stairwell outside the Capitol, according to federal prosecutors. Alberts told U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper that he was trying to protect others outside

Military veteran who stormed Capitol with loaded pistol is sentenced to 7 years in prison
World

Dreams spurred by $1B Powerball, $720M Mega Millions jackpots, but expert warns: Take it slow

With lottery jackpots for Powerball and Mega Millions cumulatively approaching $2 billion for this week’s drawings, millions of people across the country will be lining up at convenience store, grocery and gas station counters hoping to hit it big. HOW DOES THIS LATEST POWERBALL JACKPOT STACK UP? The new jackpot for Wednesday’s Powerball drawing would be the seventh highest in U.S. history and the third largest for the game. If a sole player picks all five numbers plus the Powerball number drawn, they have the option of taking the $1 billion prize in yearly increments paid

Dreams spurred by $1B Powerball, $720M Mega Millions jackpots, but expert warns: Take it slow
World

Stanford University president announces resignation over concerns about his research

The president of Stanford University said Wednesday he would resign, citing an independent review that cleared him of research misconduct but found flaws in some papers he authored. Marc Tessier-Lavigne said in a statement to students and staff that he would step down Aug. 31. The resignation comes after the board of trustees launched a review in December following allegations he engaged in fraud and other unethical conduct related to his research and papers. Tessier-Lavigne, a neuroscientist, says he “never submitted a scientific paper without firmly believing that the data were correct and accurately presented.” But

Stanford University president announces resignation over concerns about his research
Political

State Department sanctions 2 former Salvadoran leaders, dozens of officials in Central America

The State Department announced Wednesday it was imposing sanctions on two former Salvadoran presidents and dozens of other officials and judges in Central America. The report said that those sanctioned “have knowingly engaged in actions that undermine democratic processes or institutions, significant corruption or obstruction of investigations” into corruption in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. The extensive list, which also includes heads of banks, judges and high ranking officials, underscores the depth of corruption across the region. Chief among the names on the list was Mauricio Funes, president of El Salvador between 2009 and 2014

State Department sanctions 2 former Salvadoran leaders, dozens of officials in Central America
Political

Jan. 6 charges against Trump would add to his mounting legal peril as he campaigns for 2024

Hush-money payments. Classified records. And now, his efforts to overturn the 2020 election that led to the Capitol attack. Already facing criminal cases in New York and Florida, Donald Trump faces increasing legal peril as investigations into his struggle to cling to power after his election loss appear to be coming to a head. A target letter sent to Trump by special counsel Jack Smith suggests he may soon be indicted on new federal charges, adding to the remarkable situation of a former president up against possible prison time while vying to reclaim the White House as

Jan. 6 charges against Trump would add to his mounting legal peril as he campaigns for 2024
World

Video appears to show Russian mercenary chief Prigozhin for first time since short-lived mutiny

A video released Wednesday appears to show Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin for the first time since he led a short-lived rebellion last month, and he is seen telling his troops they will spend some time in Belarus training its military before deploying to Africa. Messaging app channels linked to Prigozhin’s Wagner private military company said he spoke at a field camp in Belarus and ran a blurry video purported to show him there, his silhouette seen against the sky at dusk. His gravelly voice was clearly distinguishable. “Welcome guys! I am happy to greet you all.

Video appears to show Russian mercenary chief Prigozhin for first time since short-lived mutiny
Political

Jill Biden welcomes proposal for Medicare to pay for navigation services for cancer patients

First lady Jill Biden on Wednesday welcomed a new proposal to have Medicare pay for navigation services for cancer patients, saying it will make “an enormous difference in people’s lives.” She joined other Biden administration officials on a conference call to discuss a proposal by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to pay for “principal illness navigation services,” which help patients make decisions about treatment for cancer and other serious illnesses and overcome barriers to quality care. Biden spoke about her sister Jan, who underwent six weeks of stem cell transplant therapy several years ago to

Jill Biden welcomes proposal for Medicare to pay for navigation services for cancer patients

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