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

The Los Angeles Post

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World

Tourist sub customer calls his 2021 dive to the Titanic a 'kamikaze operation'

As an international search continued for a vessel that disappeared after setting out for the underwater wreckage of the Titanic, a man who was one of the submersible company’s first customers characterized a dive he made to the site two years ago as a “kamikaze operation.” “You have to be a little bit crazy to do this sort of thing,” said Arthur Loibl, a 61-year-old retired businessman and adventurer from Germany. Loibl told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he first had the idea of seeing the Titanic wreckage while on a trip to the South Pole

Tourist sub customer calls his 2021 dive to the Titanic a 'kamikaze operation'
Political

A year after fall of Roe, 25 million women live in states with abortion bans or tighter restrictions

One year ago Saturday, the U.S. Supreme Court rescinded a five-decade-old right to abortion, prompting a seismic shift in debates about politics, values, freedom and fairness. Twenty-five million women of childbearing age now live in states where the law makes abortions harder to get than they were before the ruling. Decisions about the law are largely in the hands of state lawmakers and courts. Most Republican-led states have restricted abortion. Fourteen ban abortion in most cases at any point in pregnancy. Twenty Democratic-leaning states have protected access to abortion. Here’s a look at what’s changed since the Dobbs v. Jackson

A year after fall of Roe, 25 million women live in states with abortion bans or tighter restrictions
Science

Rescuers make last desperate push as final hours of oxygen on missing Titanic submersible tick down

The race against time to find a submersible that disappeared on its way to the Titanic wreckage site entered a new phase of desperation on Thursday morning as the final hours of oxygen possibly left on board the tiny vessel ticked off the clock. Rescuers have rushed more ships and vessels to the site of the disappearance, hoping underwater sounds they detected for a second straight day might help narrow their search in the urgent, international mission. But the crew had only a four-day oxygen supply when the vessel, called the Titan, set off around 6 a.m. Sunday. Even those

Rescuers make last desperate push as final hours of oxygen on missing Titanic submersible tick down
World

A year after fall of Roe, 25 million women live in states with abortion bans or tighter restrictions

One year ago, the U.S. Supreme Court rescinded a five-decade-old right to abortion, prompting a seismic shift in debates about politics, values, freedom and fairness. Twenty-five million women of childbearing age now live in states where the law makes abortions harder to get than they were before the ruling. Decisions about the law are largely in the hands of state lawmakers and courts. Most Republican-led states have restricted abortion. Fourteen ban abortion in most cases at any point in pregnancy. Twenty Democratic-leaning states have protected access. Here’s a look at what’s changed since the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization

A year after fall of Roe, 25 million women live in states with abortion bans or tighter restrictions
Political

GOP's Boebert wanted to impeach Biden, but House Speaker McCarthy had other plans

A surprise effort by hard-right House Republicans to impeach President Joe Biden has been sidelined for now, but the ability of GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert to force the issue to a House vote demonstrates the ever-escalating challenge Speaker Kevin McCarthy faces in controlling his Republican majority. The impeachment resolution, which charges Biden with “high crimes and misdemeanors” over his handling of the U.S. border with Mexico, angered GOP colleagues who were caught off guard by the unscripted move. Even though it was not expected to pass Thursday, the vote would have been politically tough for GOP lawmakers

GOP's Boebert wanted to impeach Biden, but House Speaker McCarthy had other plans
Science

World leaders, activists in Paris seek financial response to climate emergency, poverty

World leaders, heads of international organizations and activists are gathering in Paris for a two-day summit aimed at seeking better responses to tackle poverty and climate change issues by reshaping the global financial system. Developing nations point to an outdated system where the United States, Europe, China and other big economies that have caused most climate damage are leaving the poorest countries to deal with the consequences. The Paris talks also come as the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and a global debt crisis have led to a drop in life expectancy and an increase in

World leaders, activists in Paris seek financial response to climate emergency, poverty
World

Immigration drove white, Asian population growth in US last year

Without immigration, the white population in the U.S. would have declined last year. Immigration also propelled the expansion of the Asian population, which was the fastest-growing race or ethnic group last year in the U.S., while births outpacing deaths helped propel growth in Hispanic, Black, tribal and Hawaiian populations. Population estimates released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau show what drove changes in different race, ethnic and age groups last year, as well as since the start of COVID-19’s spread in the U.S. in April 2020. The country had grown to 333.2 million people by the middle of last year,

Immigration drove white, Asian population growth in US last year
Science

Is it chicken? Here's how the first bite of 'cell-cultivated' meat tastes

When I told friends and family I was reporting on the first chicken meat grown from animal cells, their first comment was “Eww.” Their second comment was: “How does it taste?” The short answer (you’ve probably heard this sentence before in other contexts): Tastes like chicken. The longer answer, which folds in the “Eww” response, is more nuanced. Yes, it’s strange to think of eating a totally new kind of meat — chicken that doesn’t come from a chicken, meat that will be sold as “cell-cultivated” chicken after the U.S. Agriculture Department on Wednesday gave the green light to two

Is it chicken? Here's how the first bite of 'cell-cultivated' meat tastes
Science

Is it chicken? Here's how the first bite of 'cell-cultivated' meat tastes

When I told friends and family I was reporting on the first chicken meat grown from animal cells, their first comment was “Eww.” Their second comment was: “How does it taste?” The short answer (you’ve probably heard this sentence before in other contexts): Tastes like chicken. The longer answer, which folds in the “Eww” response, is more nuanced. Yes, it’s strange to think of eating a totally new kind of meat — chicken that doesn’t come from a chicken, meat that will be sold as “cell-cultivated” chicken after the U.S. Agriculture Department on Wednesday gave the green light to two

Is it chicken? Here's how the first bite of 'cell-cultivated' meat tastes
World

Freeman homers off Ohtani, and Dodgers sweep Angels with 2-0 victory

Freddie Freeman hit his 14th homer off Shohei Ohtani in the fourth inning, and seven relievers combined on a two-hitter in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ second straight shutout victory in the Freeway Series, 2-0 over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday night. Ohtani (6-3) pitched seven innings of five-hit ball with two walks and 12 strikeouts, one off his career high. The two-way superstar was outstanding in his first career mound start against the Dodgers, who are likely to be one of his most ardent suitors in free agency this winter. But Ohtani went 0 for

Freeman homers off Ohtani, and Dodgers sweep Angels with 2-0 victory
World

New Zealand debates whether ethnicity should be a factor for surgery waitlists

New Zealanders this week were debating a thorny health care issue — whether ethnicity should be a factor in determining when patients get surgery. It turns out that in some parts of Auckland, the country’s largest city at 1.4 million people, clinicians have been using an algorithm to adjust where patients sit on elective surgery waitlists. Clinical need remains the top factor, but the algorithm also takes into account how long patients have been on the waitlist, where they live, their financial circumstances, and their ethnicity. Indigenous Māori and Pacific Island patients are given a

New Zealand debates whether ethnicity should be a factor for surgery waitlists
World

Overturned calls at home plate proving costly to the Padres and Rangers

A play at home plate in a game between San Diego and San Francisco was overturned on review Wednesday night, the second straight day a disputed review had a significant impact on the outcome of a game. In the fifth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Blake Sabol of the Giants appeared to be thrown out sliding into home by a strong throw by Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. on Joc Pederson’s two-out single to right. Sabol was initially ruled out, but the call was changed following a lengthy review when umpires cited San Diego

Overturned calls at home plate proving costly to the Padres and Rangers
Health

Federal judge strikes down Florida's ban on Medicaid funding for transgender treatment

A federal judge on Wednesday struck down Florida rules championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis restricting Medicaid coverage for gender dysphoria treatments for potentially thousands of transgender people. “Gender identity is real” and the state has admitted it, U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle wrote in a 54-page ruling. He said a Florida health code rule and a new state law violated federal laws on Medicaid, equal protection and the Affordable Care Act’s prohibition of sex discrimination. They are “invalid to the extent they categorically ban Medicaid payment for puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for the treatment of

Federal judge strikes down Florida's ban on Medicaid funding for transgender treatment
World

Wizards trading Porzingis to Celtics in 3-team deal with Smart headed to Grizzlies, AP sources say

The Washington Wizards have agreed to trade center Kristaps Porzingis to the Boston Celtics as part of a three-team trade that also includes Marcus Smart heading to the Memphis Grizzlies, two people with knowledge of the deal said Thursday morning. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the agreements hadn’t been announced. The trade comes with Porzingis accepting his player option for next season. The deal also includes the Grizzlies acquiring Smart, the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year, from Boston in exchange for first-round draft picks in 2023 and 2024. ESPN reported the Wizards

Wizards trading Porzingis to Celtics in 3-team deal with Smart headed to Grizzlies, AP sources say
World

A nuclear site is on tribes' ancestral lands. Their voices are being left out on key cleanup talks

Three federally recognized tribes have devoted decades to restoring the condition of their ancestral lands in southeastern Washington state to what they were before those lands became the most radioactively contaminated site in the nation’s nuclear weapons complex, the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. But the Yakama Nation, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and Nez Perce Tribe have been left out of negotiations on a major decision affecting the future cleanup of millions of gallons of radioactive waste stored in underground tanks on the Hanford site near Richland. In May, federal and state agencies reached an agreement that hasn’t been

A nuclear site is on tribes' ancestral lands. Their voices are being left out on key cleanup talks
World

What to know about India's ties with Russia

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington in June was expected to reduce India’s dependence on Moscow for arms, economic ties and technology as New Delhi and Washington try to strengthen the Quad partnership, which also includes Japan and Australia, to contain growing aggression from China. India considers Russia a time-tested ally from the Cold War era with key cooperation in defense, oil, nuclear energy and space exploration. But that partnership has become fraught since Moscow started developing closer ties with India’s main rival, China, because of the war against Ukraine. Here’s where things stand with

What to know about India's ties with Russia
World

Hondurans see little hope for nation's prisons as details of cold-blooded massacre emerge

Authorities in Honduras began to hand over to relatives the hacked, burned corpses of 46 women killed in the worst riot at a women’s prison in recent memory. Some of the bodies were so badly burned they need genetic testing or dental studies to identify, said Yuri Mora, the spokesman for Honduras’ national police investigation agency. The picture that began to emerge of Tuesday’s violence at the women’s prison in Tamara, Honduras was one of a carefully planned massacre of supposed rival gang members by inmates belonging to the notorious Barrio 18 street gang. The carnage

Hondurans see little hope for nation's prisons as details of cold-blooded massacre emerge
World

Australian online safety watchdog demands answers from Twitter on how it tackles online hate

Australia’s online safety watchdog has issued a legal notice to Twitter demanding an explanation of what the social media giant is doing to tackle a surge in online hate since Tesla CEO Elon Musk bought the platform. Australia’s eSafety Commission describes itself as the world’s first government agency dedicated to keeping people safer online. The agency said Thursday that it received more complaints about online hate on Twitter in the past 12 months than any other platform and had received an increasing number of reports of serious online abuse since Musk took over the company in

Australian online safety watchdog demands answers from Twitter on how it tackles online hate
World

Tornadoes tear through northern Texas town, killing 3 people and causing widespread damage

A line of severe storms produced multiple tornadoes Wednesday evening on the Rolling Plains in Texas, killing at least three people and causing significant damage around the northern town of Matador. The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal reported that the storms also produced softball-size hail and wind gusts topping 100 mph (161 kph) in other communities including Jayton, which also was under a tornado warning as the line moved southeast Wednesday night, according to the National Weather Service in Lubbock. Matador Mayor Pat Smith said at least three people had been killed, that others may be injured and that

Tornadoes tear through northern Texas town, killing 3 people and causing widespread damage
World

Up, up and away — flying taxis look to France's city of revolution to unleash change on the skies

Just a dot on the horizon at first, the bug-like and surprisingly quiet electrically-powered craft buzzes over Paris and its traffic snarls, treating its doubtless awestruck passenger to privileged vistas of the Eiffel Tower and the city’s signature zinc-grey rooftops before landing him or her with a gentle downward hover. And thus, if all goes to plan, could a new page in aviation history be written. After years of dreamy and not always credible talk of skies filled with flying, non-polluting electric taxis, the aviation industry is preparing to deliver a future that it says

Up, up and away — flying taxis look to France's city of revolution to unleash change on the skies
Health

Judge to weigh suspending Wyoming's first-in-the-nation ban on abortion pills

Wyoming’s first-in-the-nation ban on abortion pills will come before a state judge Thursday as the court considers whether the prohibition should take effect as planned July 1 or be put on hold pending the outcome of a lawsuit. While other states have instituted de facto bans on the medication by broadly prohibiting abortion, Wyoming in March became the first U.S. state to specifically ban abortion pills. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in April that access to one of the two pills, mifepristone, may continue while litigants seeking to overturn the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of

Judge to weigh suspending Wyoming's first-in-the-nation ban on abortion pills
World

Shifting S. Africa coal plant for clean energy needs millions in loans; experts say that's a problem

Plumes of heat-trapping pollutants last billowed from the giant stacks of Komati Power Station in October, when the coal-fired plant that fed South Africa’s hungry electrical grid for more than half a century was shut down to make way for a solar, wind and battery storage plant. Converting Komati to be part of the clean energy revolution is seen as an important test case for coal-reliant South Africa, the world’s 16th-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, and developing nations elsewhere. It’s supported by $497 million, most of it from the World Bank. The problem, energy experts

Shifting S. Africa coal plant for clean energy needs millions in loans; experts say that's a problem
World

Britain marks the Windrush anniversary with the story of its Caribbean community still being written

Seventy-five years ago, a ship landed at Tilbury Dock near London, carrying more than 800 passengers from the Caribbean to new lives in Britain. The arrival of the Empire Windrush on June 22, 1948, became a symbol of the post-war migration that transformed the U.K. and its culture. The term “Windrush generation” has come to stand for hundreds of thousands of people who arrived in the U.K. between the late 1940s and early 1970s, especially those from former British colonies in the Caribbean. Windrush Day is being marked on Thursday with scores of community and official events,

Britain marks the Windrush anniversary with the story of its Caribbean community still being written
World

Bank of England is set to hike rates to battle inflation. That means pain for borrowers

The Bank of England is poised to raise borrowing costs again on Thursday to combat stubbornly high inflation, which has failed to come down from its peak as quickly as expected. Though the consensus among analysts is that the central bank will raise its main interest rate by a quarter-percentage point — hitting a new 15-year high of 4.75% — there are concerns, certainly among borrowers, that it may opt for a bigger half-point increase. That larger hike would be particularly painful for people with loans, especially the 1.4 million or so households in the U.K. that

Bank of England is set to hike rates to battle inflation. That means pain for borrowers
World

In Europe's empty churches, prayer and confessions make way for drinking and dancing

The confessionals where generations of Belgians admitted their sins stood stacked in a corner of what was once Sacred Heart Church, proof the stalls — as well as the Roman Catholic house of worship — had outlived their purpose. The building is to close down for two years while a cafe and concert stage are added, with plans to turn the church into “a new cultural hot spot in the heart of Mechelen,” almost within earshot of where Belgium’s archbishop lives. Around the corner, a former Franciscan church is now a luxury hotel where music star

In Europe's empty churches, prayer and confessions make way for drinking and dancing

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