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Today: March 07, 2025
Today: March 07, 2025
The Los Angeles Post

The Los Angeles Post

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Arts

'Challengers,' starring Zendaya, will skip Venice premiere due to actors strike, moves to 2024

Luca Guadagnino’s “Challengers,” starring Zendaya, has been pulled from the Venice Film Festival, where it was to be the opening night film, due to the actors strike. The R-rated “Challengers,” in which Zendaya stars as a tennis coach involved in a love triangle, had been planned to kick off the Venice Film Festival on Aug. 30 before opening in theaters Sept. 15. But with actors striking from working or promoting their films — including walking any red carpets — distributor MGM, which is owned by Amazon Studios, will instead open “Challengers” in theaters April 26 next

'Challengers,' starring Zendaya, will skip Venice premiere due to actors strike, moves to 2024
World

Prosecutors say FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried is harassing a key witness at his upcoming trial

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried is harassing a key witness against him at his upcoming trial by giving a newspaper personal things she wrote while she was the chief executive of his cryptocurrency hedge fund trading firm, prosecutors say. They asked a judge late Thursday to order trial participants not to make statements that might taint the yet-to-be-chosen jury in a criminal case over allegations that Bankman-Fried and other top executives cheated investors and looted FTX customer deposits, in part to fund lavish lifestyles. In a letter to Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, prosecutors said Bankman-Fried gave some

Prosecutors say FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried is harassing a key witness at his upcoming trial
World

Phillies slide star Bryce Harper over to first base as team evaluates trade deadline options

Bryce Harper has another career first. Philadelphia’s star slugger is making his first start at first base Friday night for the Phillies, who want to see if Harper can handle the position before they make any moves ahead of the trade deadline. Manager Rob Thomson said the initial plan is for the two-time MVP to play in the field every other game. Harper will be the designated hitter when he’s not at first. Harper, who has made a quick recovery from Tommy John surgery last year, has played 1,258 games __ mostly in the outfield. He had

Phillies slide star Bryce Harper over to first base as team evaluates trade deadline options
World

Russia comes under pressure at UN to avoid global food crisis and revive Ukrainian grain shipments

Russia came under pressure at the U.N. Security Council on Friday from its ally China and developing countries as well as Western nations to avert a global food crisis and quickly revive Ukrainian grain shipments. Moscow was criticized by the U.N. and council members for attacking Ukrainian ports after pulling out of the year-old grain deal on Monday and destroying port infrastructure — a violation of international humanitarian law banning attacks on civilian infrastructure. In response to Russia declaring wide areas in the Black Sea dangerous for shipping, the U.N. warned that a military incident in

Russia comes under pressure at UN to avoid global food crisis and revive Ukrainian grain shipments
Political

Biden names CIA Director William Burns to his Cabinet

President Joe Biden elevated CIA Director William Burns to his Cabinet on Friday, a symbolic move that underscores the intelligence chief’s influence and his work in U.S. support for Ukraine. In a statement, Biden said Burns had “harnessed intelligence to give our country a critical strategic advantage” and credited his “clear, straightforward analysis that prioritizes the safety and security of the American people.” Burns has been a central figure in the Biden administration, particularly in the White House strategy to declassify intelligence findings that Russia was intending to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. A career diplomat

Biden names CIA Director William Burns to his Cabinet
Arts

AI is the wild card in Hollywood's strikes. Here's an explanation of its unsettling role

Artificial intelligence has surged to the forefront of Hollywood’s labor fights. Standing alongside more traditional disputes over pay models, benefits and job protections, AI technology is the wild card in the contract breakdowns that have led actors and writers unions to go on strike. The technology has pushed negotiations into unknown territory, and the language used can sound utopian or dystopian depending on the side of the table. Here’s a look at what the unions and their employers each say they want. WHY IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SUCH A HOT-BUTTON ISSUE? As the technology to create without

AI is the wild card in Hollywood's strikes. Here's an explanation of its unsettling role
Political

DeSantis downplays Jan. 6, says it wasn't an insurrection but a 'protest' that 'ended up devolving'

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday downplayed the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, attack at the U.S. Capitol, saying it was not an insurrection but rather a “protest” that “ended up devolving, you know, in a way that was unfortunate, of course.” DeSantis, speaking in an interview on the podcast of comedian Russell Brand, said the idea that Jan. 6 “was a plan to somehow overthrow the government of the United States is not true, and it’s something that the media had spun up.” The violent attack by a mob of supporters loyal to then-President Donald Trump

DeSantis downplays Jan. 6, says it wasn't an insurrection but a 'protest' that 'ended up devolving'
Political

Justice Department tells Texas that floating barrier on Rio Grande raises humanitarian concerns

The Justice Department has told Texas that a floating barrier of wrecking ball-sized buoys the state put on the Rio Grande violates federal law and raises humanitarian concerns for migrants crossing into the U.S. from Mexico. President Joe Biden’s administration told Republican Gov. Greg Abbott that the barrier installed this month near the border town of Eagle Pass, Texas, was “unlawful” in a letter dated Thursday and obtained by The Associated Press. “The floating barrier poses a risk to navigation, as well as public safety, in the Rio Grande River, and it presents humanitarian concerns,” reads

Justice Department tells Texas that floating barrier on Rio Grande raises humanitarian concerns
World

Wedding photographers adapt to couples who want instant images and less tradition on their big day

More and more couples are throwing out the playbook for a traditional wedding — and posing new challenges for the people they hire to create the perfect images of their big day. Getting married has traditionally involved a large reception, and rituals like cake cutting, multiple toasts and time for dancing. A wedding photographer would capture it all — and the newly hitched couple would then wait weeks or months for the pictures. The pandemic and social media have upended those traditions. During the pandemic, many weddings turned into elopements. Social media images and videos took

Wedding photographers adapt to couples who want instant images and less tradition on their big day
World

Bryce Young agrees to 4-year fully guaranteed deal with Panthers worth nearly $38M, AP source says

The Carolina Panthers and No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young agreed to a four-year contract, the team announced Friday. A person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press the fully guaranteed deal is worth $37.9 million. The person spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to disclose the terms publicly. The deal comes just four days before the Panthers are to report to training camp in Spartanburg, South Carolina. All of Carolina’s draft picks are now under contract heading to camp. The Panthers traded up with the Chicago Bears

Bryce Young agrees to 4-year fully guaranteed deal with Panthers worth nearly $38M, AP source says
World

Seattle climate activists roost in old cedar tree to prevent it from being cut down for new housing

With ropes, a harness, a hammock and a bucket pulley system, masked activists in Seattle have taken residence in the branches of an old, thick cedar tree to prevent it from being cut down to make way for new homes. The protest on a private lot is the latest episode highlighting tensions behind tree policy in Seattle as climate change increases temperatures and urban canopy decreases. The Western red cedar, dubbed “Luma,” is about 80 feet (24.4 meters) tall, with two trunks that are each about 4 feet (1.2 meters) in diameter. Its age is not known,

Seattle climate activists roost in old cedar tree to prevent it from being cut down for new housing
Political

Capitol riot defendant gets probation after rare setback for prosecutors at Oath Keepers trial

A security operations leader hired by the far-right Oath Keepers group — whose acquittal of conspiracy charges in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot marked a rare setback for prosecutors — was sentenced Friday to two years of probation. Michael Greene, of Indianapolis, was convicted on a misdemeanor trespassing offense after a trial in March, but cleared of more serious charges after telling jurors on the witness stand that he was not a member and didn’t tell anyone to go into the Capitol. Prosecutors had sought one year behind bars for Greene, but U.S. District Judge Amit

Capitol riot defendant gets probation after rare setback for prosecutors at Oath Keepers trial
World

Tar balls are being found 100 miles downstream from Yellowstone River train derailment

Tar balls have shown up 100 miles (161 kilometers) downstream of a railroad bridge collapse last month that sent numerous tank cars carrying petroleum products plummeting into Montana’s Yellowstone River, officials said Friday, as dropping water levels and rising temperatures hinder cleanup work. More than 66 tons (60 metric tonnes) of the black, gooey stuff have been removed from the river since the June 24 accident, officials said. Most of the spilled material — a binder for asphalt that sticks to river rocks and gets harder to handle as it warms — is expected to get

Tar balls are being found 100 miles downstream from Yellowstone River train derailment
World

Pardoned Egypt activist says he plans to travel to Italy, continue human rights work

A high-profile Egyptian activist who was released from prison this week said Friday he plans to travel to Italy, where his case garnered significant attention. He said he will continue to work in the field of human rights and live between the two countries. In an interview with The Associated Press, Patrick George Zaki, who received a presidential pardon on Wednesday, said he hopes that other prominent jailed dissidents would be let go soon, including one of the most famous, Alaa Abdel Fattah. “We hope that in the coming period there will be a presidential pardon for

Pardoned Egypt activist says he plans to travel to Italy, continue human rights work
World

DeSantis seeks review of Florida's holdings in Bud Light maker over transgender influencer backlash

Presidential candidate and Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis wants Florida to investigate its investments in the company that makes Bud Light because of conservative backlash over a transgender social media influencer marketing the beverage. DeSantis said Thursday in a letter to the State Board of Administration that “all options are on the table” in its response to Dylan Mulvaney’s Instagram post of a video of her opening a Bud Light with her face on the can. The governor said that due to the the backlash over the post, Anheuser-Busch InBev has suffered sales losses that could affect

DeSantis seeks review of Florida's holdings in Bud Light maker over transgender influencer backlash
World

For the Washington Commanders and their fans, new owner Josh Harris represents hope

Josh Harris kept his remarks brief when he took the stage at a pep rally at FedEx Field. He didn’t have to say much. Eventually, the crowd of Washington Commanders fans began chanting: “Thank you Josh! Thank you Josh!” They used to have parades around here for Super Bowl titles, but for now this cathartic scene Friday will suffice. After a quarter-century of ineptitude on the field and embarrassment off it under owner Dan Snyder, Harris and his group offer Washington a chance at a fresh start. Few football towns have ever needed one more. “We’re

For the Washington Commanders and their fans, new owner Josh Harris represents hope
World

The Fargo shooter used a binary trigger. Here's what to know about the device that's worrying police

Sitting in a parked car with an arsenal of weapons and ammunition, the man who fired on police officers in North Dakota earlier this month chose to use the one gun in his vehicle that was modified with a binary trigger. The device allowed the gun to fire so rapidly that it sounded like an automatic weapon. The July 14 shooting in Fargo, which killed one officer and wounded two others and a civilian, has put a spotlight on the device and other trigger modifications that are a growing concern for law enforcement. Mohamad Barakat, 37, opened fire on the

The Fargo shooter used a binary trigger. Here's what to know about the device that's worrying police
Science

No children's remains found in Nebraska dig near former Native American boarding school

An archeological dig for a lost children’s cemetery near the Nebraska site of a former Native American boarding school has ended after two weeks — and no remains were found. Dave Williams, the state’s archeologist, said the team searching near the former Genoa Indian Industrial School plans to meet on Zoom with representatives of 40 tribes across the U.S. next week to determine next steps. “I would have preferred that we found the children,” said Judi gaiashkibos, a member of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska and the executive director of the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs. “But we have to

No children's remains found in Nebraska dig near former Native American boarding school
World

North Korea fires cruise missiles, stays mum on US soldier who crossed into country

North Korea fired several cruise missiles toward its western sea Saturday, South Korea’s military said, marking the second launch event this week apparently in protest of the docking of a nuclear-armed U.S. submarine in South Korea. While adding to its barrage of missile launches in recent months, North Korea remained publicly silent for a fifth day on the fate of an American soldier who bolted into the North across the heavily armed Korean border this week. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the launches were detected beginning around 4 a.m. but did not immediately

North Korea fires cruise missiles, stays mum on US soldier who crossed into country
Arts

Tony Bennett: the timeless visionary who, with a nod to America's musical heritage, embraced the future

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga in 2015. Charles Sykes/Invision/AP In the history of American popular music, there have been few luminaries as enduring and innovative as Tony Bennett. With a career that spanned almost 80 years, Bennett’s smooth tones, unique phrasing and visionary musical collaborations left an indelible mark on vocal jazz and the recording industry as a whole. That his death at the age of 96 on July 21, 2023, was mourned by artists as varied as Keith Urban, Ozzy Osbourne and Harry Connick Jr. should come as no surprise. Yes, Bennett was a jazz crooner. But if his

Tony Bennett: the timeless visionary who, with a nod to America's musical heritage, embraced the future
Health

Tornado damage to Pfizer plant unlikely to cause major drug supply shortages, FDA says

Most of the destruction from a tornado that tore through eastern North Carolina Wednesday and struck a large Pfizer pharmaceutical plant affected its storage facility, rather than its medicine production areas, the company said Friday. The drugmaker’s ability to salvage production equipment and other essential materials could mitigate what experts feared would be a major blow to an already strained system as the United States grapples with existing drug shortages. “We do not expect there to be any immediate significant impacts on supply given the products are currently at hospitals and in the distribution system,” U.S.

Tornado damage to Pfizer plant unlikely to cause major drug supply shortages, FDA says
World

He came face to face with an alleged serial killer. 12 years later, his tip helped crack the case

In the winter of 2010, shortly after police discovered the remains of his roommate and three other women buried on a remote stretch of Long Island shoreline, Dave Schaller provided detectives with a description of the person he believed to be the killer. More crucially, Schaller told them about his truck. The man they were looking for was a towering, Frankenstein-like figure with an “empty gaze” who drove a first-generation Chrysler Avalanche, Schaller recalled telling investigators. The man’s size stuck out, as did his unusual pick-up truck, which he’d used to flee the house Schaller shared

He came face to face with an alleged serial killer. 12 years later, his tip helped crack the case
World

Eflin gets 11th win, Rays beat Orioles 3-0 in 2nd game of 4-game series between AL leaders

Zach Eflin pitched seven strong innings to become the AL’s third 11-game winner, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Baltimore Orioles 3-0 on Friday night in a matchup of the top teams in the American League. Baltimore, which won 4-3 in 10 innings on Thursday night in the opener of the four-game set, leads the AL East with a .608 winning percentage compared to Tampa Bay’s .604. The Orioles trailed the Rays by 6 1/2 games at the beginning of July. Eflin (11-5) allowed two hits, struck out eight and walked one, improving to

Eflin gets 11th win, Rays beat Orioles 3-0 in 2nd game of 4-game series between AL leaders
World

Eflin gets 11th win, Rays beat Orioles 3-0 in 2nd game of 4-game series between AL leaders

Zach Eflin pitched seven strong innings to become the AL’s third 11-game winner, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Baltimore Orioles 3-0 on Friday night in a matchup of the top teams in the American League. Baltimore, which won 4-3 in 10 innings on Thursday night in the opener of the four-game set, leads the AL East with a .608 winning percentage compared to Tampa Bay’s .604. The Orioles trailed the Rays by 6 1/2 games at the beginning of July. Eflin (11-5) allowed two hits, struck out eight and walked one, improving to

Eflin gets 11th win, Rays beat Orioles 3-0 in 2nd game of 4-game series between AL leaders
World

Body of girl found in river believed to be that of 2-year-old lost in Pennsylvania flash flood

The body of a young girl was recovered Friday in the Delaware River and was believed to be a 2-year-old who was one of two children swept away from their family’s vehicle by a flash flood last weekend, authorities said. The body was found in the early evening near a Philadelphia wastewater treatment plant about 30 miles (50 kilometers) from where Matilda Sheils was carried away, authorities said in a nighttime news conference. By physical description, authorities believe the body to be Matilda’s. The Philadelphia coroner will conduct an autopsy Saturday. The search continues for

Body of girl found in river believed to be that of 2-year-old lost in Pennsylvania flash flood

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