Today: October 07, 2024
Today: October 07, 2024

Latest From The Los Angeles Post

Political

EXPLAINER: What are special counsels and what do they do?

The appointment of a special counsel to oversee the Justice Department’s probe of Hunter Biden is bringing renewed attention on the role such prosecutors have played in modern American history. On Friday, Attorney General Merrick Garland tapped David Weiss, the U.S. attorney in Delaware who has been probing the financial and business dealings of the president’s son, to oversee the department’s investigation. He said Weiss asked to be appointed to the position and told him that “in his judgment, his investigation has reached a stage at which he should continue his work,” now as special counsel. In January, Garland appointed

EXPLAINER: What are special counsels and what do they do?
Political

What's behind the tentative US-Iran agreement involving prisoners and frozen funds

The United States and Iran reached a tentative agreement this week that will eventually see five detained Americans in Iran and an unknown number Iranians imprisoned in the U.S. released from custody after billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets are transferred from banks in South Korea to Qatar. The complex deal — which came together after months of indirect negotiations between U.S. and Iranian officials — was announced on Thursday when Iran moved four of the five Americans from prison to house arrest. The fifth American had already been under house arrest. Details

What's behind the tentative US-Iran agreement involving prisoners and frozen funds
Political

Attorney General Merrick Garland appoints a special counsel in the Hunter Biden probe

Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Friday he has appointed a special counsel in the Hunter Biden probe, deepening the investigation of the president’s son ahead of the 2024 election. Garland said he is naming David Weiss, the U.S. attorney in Delaware who has been probing the financial and business dealings of the president’s son, as the special counsel. Garland said on Tuesday that Weiss told him that “in his judgment, his investigation has reached a stage at which he should continue his work as a special counsel, and he asked to be appointed.” “Upon considering his request,

Attorney General Merrick Garland appoints a special counsel in the Hunter Biden probe
Political

US government sanctions Russians on the board of Alfa Group in response to war in Ukraine

The U.S. Treasury Department on Friday imposed financial sanctions against four Russians on the board of Alfa Group, one of Russia’s largest conglomerates with interests in oil, natural gas and banking. The sanctions are part of continuing efforts to place restrictions on the economy of Russia and its wealthiest powerbrokers, a response to its invasion last year of Ukraine and the ensuing war. Sanctioned by Treasury are Petr Olegovich Aven, Mikhail Maratovich Fridman, German Borisovich Khan and Alexey Viktorovich Kuzmichev. “Wealthy Russian elites should disabuse themselves of the notion that they can operate business as usual while

US government sanctions Russians on the board of Alfa Group in response to war in Ukraine
Political

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin says he's been thinking seriously about becoming an independent

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin said that he has been thinking “seriously” about leaving the Democratic Party and becoming an independent. The West Virginia lawmaker, who has raised his national profile as a swing vote on major spending packages in the closely divided U.S. Senate, made the comments on MetroNews “Talkline” on Thursday. “I would think very seriously about that. I’ve been thinking about that for quite some time. I haven’t made any decisions whatsoever on any of my political direction,” Manchin said. “I want to make sure my voice is truly an independent voice, when I’m speaking I’m speaking about

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin says he's been thinking seriously about becoming an independent
Political

Hitler, Burr and Trump: Show trials put the record straight for history but can also provide a powerful platform for the defendant

The Washington, D.C., courthouse where Donald Trump’s Jan. 6-related trial will likely take place. Bonnie Jo Mount/The Washington Post via Getty Images The trial of Donald Trump on charges that he conspired to undermine the peaceful transition of power will likely be a show trial – but not in the usual sense of the words. The phrase “show trial” has two connotations. In the most common understanding of the term, those connotations are negative: Show trials in authoritarian regimes are sham trials used for propaganda purposes where the outcome is predetermined and the defendants condemned as traitors to the motherland.

Hitler, Burr and Trump: Show trials put the record straight for history but can also provide a powerful platform for the defendant
Political

Energy Department announces largest-ever investment in 'carbon removal'

The Energy Department announced Friday it is awarding up to $1.2 billion to two projects to remove carbon dioxide from the air in what officials said was the largest investment in “engineered carbon removal” in history. The process, known as direct air capture, does not yet exist on a meaningful scale and could be a game changer if it did so economically. “If we deploy this at scale, this technology can help us make serious headway toward our net zero emissions goals while we are still focused on deploying more clean energy at the same time,” Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm

Energy Department announces largest-ever investment in 'carbon removal'
Political

Two years after fall of Kabul, tens of thousands of Afghans languish in limbo waiting for US visas

When the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, Shukria Sediqi knew her days in safety were numbered. As a journalist who advocated for women’s rights, she’d visited shelters and safe houses to talk to women who had fled abusive husbands. She went with them to court when they asked for a divorce. According to the Taliban, who bar women from most public places, jobs and education, her work was immoral. So when the Taliban swept into her hometown of Herat in western Afghanistan in August 2021 as the U.S. was pulling out of the country, she and her

Two years after fall of Kabul, tens of thousands of Afghans languish in limbo waiting for US visas
Political

EPA weighs formal review of vinyl chloride, toxic chemical that burned in Ohio train derailment

The Biden administration says it could soon launch a formal evaluation of risks posed by vinyl chloride, the cancer-causing chemical that burned in a towering plume of toxic black smoke following the fiery train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. The Environmental Protection Agency is set to review risks posed by a handful of chemicals later this year, and is considering chemicals used for plastic production as a key benchmark. Vinyl chloride is among a range of chemicals eligible for review, and “EPA could begin a risk evaluation on vinyl chloride in the near future,” the agency said

EPA weighs formal review of vinyl chloride, toxic chemical that burned in Ohio train derailment
Political

Judge Chutkan to hear arguments in protective order fight in Trump's 2020 election conspiracy case

The federal judge overseeing the 2020 election conspiracy case against Donald Trump will hear arguments Friday over a request by prosecutors for a protective order seeking to bar the former president from publicly disclosing evidence shared by the government. The protective order sought by special counsel Jack Smith’s team has become an early flashpoint in the case accusing the Republican of illegally scheming to subvert the will of voters and cling to power after he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. Protective orders aren’t unusual in criminal cases, and they’re different from “gag orders” that bar parties from

Judge Chutkan to hear arguments in protective order fight in Trump's 2020 election conspiracy case
Political

DeSantis is resetting his campaign again. Some Republicans worry his message is getting in the way

Ron DeSantis largely dismissed his own decision to replace his campaign leadership team as he returned to Iowa on Thursday in the midst of a weeks-long reset. The Republican presidential hopeful also made no mention of the two rounds of campaign layoffs he made recently in response to unexpected fundraising troubles. Instead, the Florida governor leaned into his central message — a self-described “war on woke” — and flashed a big smile as he courted an audience of roughly 200 cheering Republicans gathered at a family restaurant for the first of four scheduled stops on his

DeSantis is resetting his campaign again. Some Republicans worry his message is getting in the way
Political

Trump adviser Boris Epshteyn arrested in 2021 after groping complaints at club, police records show

Boris Epshteyn, a longtime aide to former President Donald Trump, was arrested in 2021 after he was accused of repeatedly groping two women in an Arizona nightclub, according to police records. Epshteyn pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct charges in Scottsdale city court after prosecutors dropped charges of attempted sexual abuse, assault-touching and “harass-repeated acts.” He paid a fine and served probation, and his conviction was set aside earlier this year. The arrest was first reported Thursday by The Arizona Republic. Epshteyn, who is advising Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, declined to comment when contacted by The Associated Press.

Trump adviser Boris Epshteyn arrested in 2021 after groping complaints at club, police records show
Political

Arizona Democrats lose lawsuit looking to block No Labels Party

An Arizona judge has rejected the state Democratic Party’s lawsuit targeting the new No Labels Party, which many Democrats fear will boost former President Donald Trump’s bid to return to the White House. Secretary of State Adrian Fontes properly recognized No Labels as a political party earlier this year, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Katherine Cooper wrote in a decision dated Monday. Cooper rejected Democratic claims that there were deficiencies in the paperwork No Labels filed but said she may allow Democrats to refile the lawsuit with new arguments. “This is an important win for American democracy

Arizona Democrats lose lawsuit looking to block No Labels Party
Political

FEC moves toward potentially regulating AI deepfakes in campaign ads

The Federal Election Commission has begun a process to potentially regulate AI-generated deepfakes in political ads ahead of the 2024 election, a move advocates say would safeguard voters against a particularly insidious form of election disinformation. The FEC’s unanimous procedural vote on Thursday advances a petition asking it to regulate ads that use artificial intelligence to misrepresent political opponents as saying or doing something they didn’t — a stark issue that is already being highlighted in the current 2024 GOP presidential primary. Though the circulation of convincing fake images, videos or audio clips is not new, innovative generative AI tools

FEC moves toward potentially regulating AI deepfakes in campaign ads
Political

Supreme Court blocks OxyContin maker's bankruptcy deal that would shield Sackler family members

The Supreme Court on Thursday blocked a nationwide settlement with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma that would shield members of the Sackler family who own the company from civil lawsuits over the toll of opioids. The justices agreed to a request from the Biden administration to put the brakes on an agreement reached last year with state and local governments. In addition, the high court will hear arguments before the end of the year over whether the settlement can proceed. The deal would allow the company to emerge from bankruptcy as a different entity, with its profits used

Supreme Court blocks OxyContin maker's bankruptcy deal that would shield Sackler family members
Political

Targeting DeSantis, Trump team warns state parties that super PACs can't act as an arm of a campaign

Donald Trump’s campaign is seeking to blunt the efforts of a super PAC supporting rival Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign by sending a letter to all state Republican parties on Thursday arguing that they cannot work with a super PAC as if it is representing a candidate. David Warrington, an attorney for Trump’s 2024 campaign, contends in the letter that a super PAC, which can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money, should not be allowed to undertake traditional campaign activities that directly benefit a candidate or “act as de facto campaign arms.” While the letter does

Targeting DeSantis, Trump team warns state parties that super PACs can't act as an arm of a campaign
Political

Prosecutors seek Jan. 2 trial date for Donald Trump in his 2020 election conspiracy case

Prosecutors with special counsel Jack Smith’s team asked a judge on Thursday to set a Jan. 2 trial date for former President Donald Trump in the case charging him with plotting to overturn his 2020 election loss. If U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan agrees with prosecutors’ proposal, the case against the early front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential primary would open right before the anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, which was fueled by Trump’s false claims about the election. The proposed date is also just under two weeks before the first votes are set

Prosecutors seek Jan. 2 trial date for Donald Trump in his 2020 election conspiracy case
Political

Biden will ask Congress for $13B to support Ukraine and $12B for disaster fund, an AP source says

President Joe Biden on Thursday will ask Congress to provide more than $13 billion in emergency aid to Ukraine, another massive infusion of cash as the Russian invasion wears on and Ukraine pushes a counteroffensive against the Kremlin’s deeply entrenched forces, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. The last such request from the White House, made in November, was met and then some — Congress approved more than what the Democratic president had requested. But there’s a different dynamic this time. A political divide on the issue has grown, with the Republican-led House

Biden will ask Congress for $13B to support Ukraine and $12B for disaster fund, an AP source says
Political

Kentucky governor's efforts to help storm-ravaged towns may dilute GOP advantage in rural areas

Gina Thorn’s life was uprooted when a monstrous tornado tore through her Kentucky hometown of Mayfield, but her family stuck it out and now they’re homeowners for the first time. Thorn says Gov. Andy Beshear deserves credit for their brighter outlook, and the hardware store cashier intends to show her appreciation by voting for the Democratic incumbent in November. Thorn’s story had a happy outcome when Beshear, who is seeking a second term in a state that’s trending Republican, recently headlined a ceremony where house keys were presented to the Thorns and four other Mayfield families.

Kentucky governor's efforts to help storm-ravaged towns may dilute GOP advantage in rural areas
Political

Appeal arguments are set on an order limiting Biden administration communications with social media

Biden administration attorneys were set to ask appellate court judges in New Orleans on Thursday to block a Louisiana-based federal judge’s broad order limiting executive branch officials and agencies’ communications with social media companies about controversial online posts. U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty of Monroe issued the order last month in a lawsuit brought by Republican attorneys general in Louisiana and Missouri, who will be asking the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of appeals to uphold the order. Plaintiffs also include a conservative website owner and four individual critics of government COVID-19 policies. Critics of the ruling

Appeal arguments are set on an order limiting Biden administration communications with social media
Political

'Uncivil obedience' becomes an increasingly common form of protest in the US

Protesters in Utah demonstrate against a school district’s ban on the Bible for having ‘vulgarity and violence’ unfit for young children. AP Photo/Rick Bowmer When Utah legislators passed a bill requiring the review and removal of “pornographic or indecent” books in school libraries, they likely did not imagine the law would be used to justify banning the Bible. Utah’s H.B. 374, which took effect in May 2022, “prohibits certain sensitive instructional materials in public schools.” It joins a series of conservative book bans that supporters claim protect children but critics have argued unfairly target LGBTQ+ content and minority authors. But

'Uncivil obedience' becomes an increasingly common form of protest in the US
Political

US losing Fitch's top AAA credit rating may portend future economic weakness

Money doesn’t grow on trees for governments either. imagedepotpro/E+ via Getty Images CC BY-ND The formerly pristine reputation of the U.S. government’s debt lost a little more luster after another prominent rating agency demoted Uncle Sam from its AAA perch. What does a downgrade of U.S. creditworthiness like this actually mean? While the downgrade is unlikely to have much of an impact in the short term, its implications about the state and size of U.S. indebtedness will likely reverberate on Capitol Hill, where stalled negotiations over the budget could mark a step toward the Biden administration’s first government shutdown. Fitch

US losing Fitch's top AAA credit rating may portend future economic weakness
Political

San Jose and the reemergence of the donut city

American downtowns were facing headwinds even before the pandemic began. Mark Davidson, CC BY-ND The specter of downtown decline is again haunting American cities. After many decades of reinvestment and repopulation, some American downtowns are now showing signs of hollowing out again. The COVID-19 pandemic certainly bears some of the blame. The widespread adoption of remote and hybrid work schedules has drained commercial offices and caused tenants to terminate leases. In many downtowns, office occupancy is at 50% pre-pandemic levels. Ripple effects include shrinking lunchtime crowds, slumping retail sales and a drop-off of public transit ridership. For example, New York

San Jose and the reemergence of the donut city
Political

Biden welcoming Australian leader to White House for state dinner in October

President Joe Biden will welcome Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to the White House on Oct. 25 for the visit and state dinner that the U.S. promised when Biden had to scrap a stop in Australia earlier this year to focus on debt limit talks in Washington. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement Wednesday that the visit would “underscore the deep and enduring alliance between the United States and Australia and the two nations’ shared commitment to supporting an open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific.” Biden last May curtailed an Asia-Pacific trip that was

Biden welcoming Australian leader to White House for state dinner in October
Political

Mar-a-Lago property manager and Trump's aide are due back in court in the classified documents case

The property manager of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate and an aide to the former president are due back in federal court in Florida on Thursday to face charges in the case accusing Trump of illegally hoarding classified documents at his resort after leaving the White House. Carlos De Oliveira, the property manager, is scheduled to be arraigned in Fort Pierce before a magistrate judge on charges including conspiracy to obstruct justice in the case brought by special counsel Jack Smith. De Oliveira made an initial appearance in court late last month but didn’t enter a

Mar-a-Lago property manager and Trump's aide are due back in court in the classified documents case

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