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Today: January 20, 2025
Today: January 20, 2025
The Los Angeles Post

The Los Angeles Post

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Political

Modi to start US visit with yoga on the UN lawn, a savvy and symbolic choice for India's leader

There will be plenty of time to discuss global tensions during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the U.S. this week. But he’s starting his day Wednesday by highlighting a pursuit of inner tranquility. After arriving in New York on Tuesday afternoon and holding private meetings, the leader of the world’s most populous nation kicks off his public schedule Wednesday with a group yoga session on the United Nations’ north lawn. U.N. General Assembly President Csaba Kőrösi, Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed and many other diplomats and U.N. officials are expected to attend the event. It

Modi to start US visit with yoga on the UN lawn, a savvy and symbolic choice for India's leader
Political

Biden-Modi relationship built around mutual admiration of scrappy pasts, pragmatic needs

No one would mistake them for best of friends. But U.S. President Joe Biden, the son of blue-collar Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who rose from tea seller’s son to premier, have developed a relationship based on mutual respect of their scrappy backgrounds and a pragmatism about the shared challenges their two countries face. Biden is hosting Modi for a state visit this week as he looks to tighten his relationship with the leader of a nation of 1.4 billion that the U.S. administration sees as a pivotal force in Asia for decades to

Biden-Modi relationship built around mutual admiration of scrappy pasts, pragmatic needs
Political

With Trump under indictment, House GOP calls on Trump-era special counsel who studied Russia probe

As Donald Trump faces a 37-count federal indictment and the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence if convicted, House Republicans are using a special counsel’s report to renew their argument that federal law enforcement is tainted by political bias. John Durham, who recently completed his report on the FBI’s investigation of Trump’s 2016 campaign, will testify Wednesday before the House Judiciary Committee. That’s one day after Durham met behind closed doors with members of the House Intelligence Committee. While Durham produced just three prosecutions — with two acquittals — in a four-year investigation, his report highlighted FBI

With Trump under indictment, House GOP calls on Trump-era special counsel who studied Russia probe
World

Kershaw deals, and Dodgers get 2 big breaks in 2-0 win over Angels

Miguel Rojas doubled and scored on Michael Busch’s high-bouncing single in the eighth after Clayton Kershaw and Reid Detmers dueled through seven scoreless innings, and the Los Angeles Dodgers opened the Freeway Series with a 2-0 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night. Will Smith added an RBI single in the eighth for the Dodgers, who snapped their three-game skid with two fortunate breaks for a team that hasn’t had many lately. Four innings after the Angels’ Brandon Drury was ruled out at the plate on a call overturned by video review, Busch’s chopper

Kershaw deals, and Dodgers get 2 big breaks in 2-0 win over Angels
World

Underwater noises heard in frantic search for submersible with 5 aboard missing near Titanic

A Canadian military surveillance aircraft has detected underwater noises as a massive search continued early Wednesday in a remote part of the North Atlantic for a submersible that vanished while taking five people down to the wreck of the Titanic. A statement from the U.S. Coast Guard did not elaborate on what rescuers believed the noises could be, though it offered a glimmer of hope for those lost abroad the Titan as estimates suggest as little as a day’s worth of oxygen could be left if the vessel is still functioning. Meanwhile, questions remain about how teams could reach the

Underwater noises heard in frantic search for submersible with 5 aboard missing near Titanic
World

Gang behind slaughter of 41 women at Honduran prison, officials say

Inmates had complained for weeks they were being threatened by gang members at a women’s prison in Honduras. The gang fulfilled those threats, slaughtering 41 women, many of them burned, shot or stabbed to death. President Xiomara Castro said Tuesday’s riot at the prison in the town of Tamara, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) northwest of Honduras’ capital, was “planned by maras (street gangs) with the knowledge and acquiescence of security authorities.” Castro pledged to take “drastic measures,” but did not explain how inmates identified as members of the Barrio 18 gang were able to get

Gang behind slaughter of 41 women at Honduran prison, officials say
World

Allies seek big-business investment to rebuild Ukraine at London conference

Diplomats from dozens of countries are meeting Wednesday in London to drum up funds to rebuild Ukraine, a mammoth task whose cost is estimated by the World Bank at more than $400 billion – a figure rising daily alongside the human toll of the 16-month war. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is due to announce a new package of U.S. assistance at the Ukraine Recovery Conference, which is both a fundraising forum and a message to Russia that Ukraine’s allies are in it for the long haul. Blinken, U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission

Allies seek big-business investment to rebuild Ukraine at London conference
World

Planned Israeli settlement threatens West Bank UNESCO site ecosystem

Generations of Palestinians have worked the terraced hillsides of this West Bank farming village southwest of Jerusalem, growing olives, fruits, beans and exquisite eggplants renowned across the region in a valley linked to the biblical King David. But residents fear their ancient way of life could soon be in danger as Israel’s far-right government moves ahead with a settlement project on a nearby hilltop. Environmental groups say the construction could devastate already strained water sources supplying the agricultural terraces and cause extensive damage to an already precarious ecosystem. Battir’s plight shines a light on how

Planned Israeli settlement threatens West Bank UNESCO site ecosystem
World

Lawsuit: Company's insufficient testing of Titanic sub put passengers in 'potential extreme danger'

The company whose submersible vanished in the North Atlantic on a tourist dive to the wreck of the Titanic was repeatedly warned that there might be catastrophic safety problems posed by the way it was developed, documents show. With five people aboard a vessel that if still functioning would have a dwindling amount of oxygen remaining, an expanding international fleet of ships and airplanes is searching for the Titan, operated by OceanGate Expeditions. The undersea exploration company based in Everett, Washington, has been making yearly voyages to the Titanic since 2021. In the first piece of good

Lawsuit: Company's insufficient testing of Titanic sub put passengers in 'potential extreme danger'
World

Campus assault suspect eludes arrest for 2 years, after 'So I raped you' Facebook message

Two years after a former Gettysburg College student finally saw charges filed over her 2013 campus sexual assault, the man suspected of sending her a Facebook message that said, “ So I raped you,” remains on the run. Shannon Keeler, 28, and her attorneys question how Ian T. Cleary has avoided capture in an age when people are tracked by their cellphones, internet connections, security cameras and credit card purchases. Investigators, led by the U.S. Marshals Service, believe the 30-year-old from Silicon Valley is likely overseas and on the move. “How is he financially supporting himself? How

Campus assault suspect eludes arrest for 2 years, after 'So I raped you' Facebook message
Science

Paris summit aims to shake up the financial system. It will test leaders' resolve on climate

Heads of state, finance leaders and activists from around the world will converge in Paris this week to seek ways to overhaul the world’s development banks — like the International Monetary Fund and World Bank — and help them weather a warmer and stormier world. While restructuring debt and reducing poverty will be part of the summit Thursday and Friday, climate will be the main driver, with representatives from developing nations in Africa, Asia and elsewhere having a prominent seat at the table. The World Bank and IMF have been criticized for not factoring climate change into

Paris summit aims to shake up the financial system. It will test leaders' resolve on climate
Political

China calls Biden comments calling leader Xi a dictator 'extremely absurd and irresponsible'

China has called comments by President Joe Biden describing Chinese leader Xi Jinping as a dictator “extremely absurd and irresponsible.” The new clash of words comes just over a day after Secretary of State Antony Blinken concluded a visit to Beijing that sought to break the ice in a relationship that has hit a historical low. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning on Wednesday said Biden’s comments at a fundraiser in California “go totally against facts and seriously violate diplomatic protocol, and severely infringe on China’s political dignity.” “It is a blatant political provocation. China expresses strong dissatisfaction

China calls Biden comments calling leader Xi a dictator 'extremely absurd and irresponsible'
World

Stock market today: Asian shares mostly lower, tracking Wall Street retreat

Shares were mostly lower Wednesday in Asia after Wall Street benchmarks retreated following the S&P 500’s rise to its highest level since the spring of last year. U.S. futures were little changed and oil prices rose. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 advanced 0.3% to 33,575.14, while the Hang Seng in Hong Kong sank 2% to 19,217.66. The Shanghai Composite index gave up 1.3% to 3,197.90 and the Kospi in Seoul slipped 0.9% to 2,582.63. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 shed 0.6% to 7,314.90. Bangkok’s SET lost 0.8% while India’s Sensex was up 0.3%. This week has few potentially market-moving

Stock market today: Asian shares mostly lower, tracking Wall Street retreat
World

Russia says it downed 3 drones outside Moscow, suspects it was attack by Ukraine

Two drones were brought down outside Moscow as they approached the warehouses of a local military unit, Moscow region Gov. Andrei Vorobyov said Wednesday, in what could be the latest attempt by Ukraine to strike targets inside Russia during the early stages of Kyiv’s most recent counteroffensive. The wreckage of a third drone was found about 20 kilometers (12 miles) away from the site of the crash, Russian media reported. No damage or casualties were reported. Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed it was “an unsuccessful attempt at a terrorist attack” by “the Kyiv regime” on its facilities in the Moscow region,

Russia says it downed 3 drones outside Moscow, suspects it was attack by Ukraine
World

Israel beefs up troop presence in West Bank after Palestinian attack that killed 4 civilians

The Israeli military on Wednesday deployed additional forces across the occupied West Bank and prepared to demolish the homes of two Palestinian gunmen who killed four Israelis in one of the worst attacks in the past year of violence. The families laid to rest the victims in the deadly shooting in the West Bank settlement of Eli, in which two Palestinian militants opened fire at a gas station restaurant. Israeli media identified the four killed as Harel Masood, 21, Ofer Fayerman, 64, and Elisha Anteman, 18, Nahman-Shmuel Mordoff, 17. An Israeli civilian killed one assailant at the

Israel beefs up troop presence in West Bank after Palestinian attack that killed 4 civilians
World

Poland's conservative ruling party leader Kaczynski is joining the government as the deputy premier

Poland’s powerful conservative ruling party leader, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, is reentering the government on Wednesday as the only deputy prime minister in the Cabinet, a move that gives him an enhanced position as the country heads toward a general election this fall. Kaczynski is the head of Law and Justice, the party that has governed Poland since 2015. It is widely believed in Poland that he decides most of the government’s policies and appointments, guiding the country in his position as party leader. He has previously served as deputy prime minister with a focus on security issues.

Poland's conservative ruling party leader Kaczynski is joining the government as the deputy premier
Health

Aaron Rodgers is set to speak at a psychedelics conference

Months after Colorado’s voters decided to join Oregon in decriminalizing psychedelic mushrooms, Denver will host a conference this week put on by a psychedelic advocacy group bringing together an unlikely cohort of speakers — including an NFL star, a former Republican governor and a rapper. The conference and the thousands expected to attend it is an indication of the creep, or perhaps leap, of cultural acceptance for psychedelic substances that proponents say may offer benefits for things like post-traumatic stress disorder and alcoholism. Still, medical experts caution that more research is needed on the drugs’ efficacy and

Aaron Rodgers is set to speak at a psychedelics conference
World

NCAA panel imposes a 3-game suspension for Memphis' Penny Hardaway for recruiting violations

An NCAA infractions panel handed a three-game suspension to Memphis coach Penny Hardaway on Wednesday for recruiting violations tied to two in-home visits with a prospect two years ago. The penalty follows a negotiated resolution in December that allowed the school to resolve the case and begin probation while one individual challenged the level of charges from the allegations. That turned out to be Hardaway, the former Memphis and NBA star who was charged under rules governing head-coach responsibility for conduct within their programs. An assistant coach first visited the prospect from Dallas in September 2021 at his home, followed

NCAA panel imposes a 3-game suspension for Memphis' Penny Hardaway for recruiting violations
World

Windrush scandal rumbles on 5 years after UK government's apology

When Thomas Tobierre’s wife, Caroline, died in 2021, he didn’t know how he was going to pay for her funeral. That’s because he had drained his savings while caught up in a U.K. immigration crackdown that improperly targeted legal residents largely from the Caribbean and other parts of the former British Empire. While a government compensation program eventually covered the cost of his wife’s funeral, Tobierre is still fighting for reimbursement of the 14,000-pound pension ($17,891) he cashed in to make ends meet when no one would hire him because of his disputed right to work. He

Windrush scandal rumbles on 5 years after UK government's apology
World

Bruce Brown opts out of his contract with the NBA-champion Nuggets, AP source says

Bruce Brown is set to become a free agent after declining his $6.8 million player option with the NBA-champion Denver Nuggets, a person with knowledge of the decision said Wednesday. The person spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the move hasn’t been announced. The NBA free agency period opens next week. Brown signed with Denver last summer and became an integral piece off the bench for the Nuggets. He can play either guard position or small forward and averaged 12 points and four rebounds in a postseason that culminated with Denver knocking

Bruce Brown opts out of his contract with the NBA-champion Nuggets, AP source says
World

While sub disappearance transfixes some, many say their focus is on other calamities

The search for a submersible that disappeared while taking wealthy tourists to see the wreck of the Titanic has gripped many with its grim cinematic elements — a ticking clock, passengers running out of oxygen, and of course, the iconic ocean liner itself, which still captivates the public imagination more than a century after it sank. In Pakistan, where two of the passengers were from, people flocked to social media with prayers and newspapers covered it heavily. But the outpouring fell far short of the shock and grief over a boat carrying hundreds of migrants that

While sub disappearance transfixes some, many say their focus is on other calamities
World

Andrew Tate appears in Romanian court to face rape and human trafficking charges

Andrew Tate, a social media personality known for expressing misogynistic views online, appeared Wednesday at a court in Romania, where prosecutors have charged him with rape, human trafficking and forming a criminal gang to exploit women. Tate and his brother, Tristan, who is also charged with the offenses, arrived Wednesday at a court in the capital Bucharest, flanked by six bodyguards. Prosecutors have also filed charges against two Romanian women in the case. Romania’s anti-organized crime agency alleged that the four defendants formed a criminal group in 2021 “in order to commit the crime of human

Andrew Tate appears in Romanian court to face rape and human trafficking charges
World

43-year-old Venus Williams gets wild card to play singles at Wimbledon

Venus Williams is set to make her 24th appearance in the singles draw at Wimbledon after the 43-year-old American was given a wild-card entry on Wednesday. Williams is a five-time Wimbledon singles champion and was a finalist at the grass-court major in 2017, two decades after her debut at the All England Club. Ranked 697th, Williams beat 48th-ranked Camila Giorgi 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-6 (6) on Monday at the Birmingham Classic. It was her first victory over a player in the top 50 in nearly four years. The seven-time Grand Slam champion next plays Jelena Ostapenko

43-year-old Venus Williams gets wild card to play singles at Wimbledon
World

Josh Berry finally lands his big NASCAR break as Kevin Harvick's replacement in Cup Series

Josh Berry will take the final step in his long journey to the top of racing with Stewart-Haas Racing next season as the replacement for future NASCAR Hall of Famer Kevin Harvick. Harvick is retiring at the end of this season and Berry on Wednesday was named next year’s driver in the No. 4 Ford Mustang for SHR. Berry, a journeyman who earlier this year signed with Harvick’s agency as the first management team he’s had in his career, will be 33 when he begins his first full season at the elite Cup level. His route

Josh Berry finally lands his big NASCAR break as Kevin Harvick's replacement in Cup Series
Arts

Pharrell fuses entertainment and fashion for confident Louis Vuitton menswear debut

Unveiling a new chapter in its illustrious history, Louis Vuitton made an indelible mark on Paris Fashion Week’s men’s shows as they premiered the debut collection by the acclaimed musician-turned-designer, Pharrell Williams. Appointed in February to fill the immense shoes left by the tragic departure of the late Virgil Abloh, Williams unveiled his design prowess to the fashion world with a show that exuded confidence and creativity. The breathtaking venue for this sartorial spectacle was none other than Paris’s iconic Pont Neuf. The historic bridge, typically resplendent with time-worn stone, was transformed into a golden runway —

Pharrell fuses entertainment and fashion for confident Louis Vuitton menswear debut

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