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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

Hunter Biden is expected to plead guilty to tax and gun charges – continuing a long presidential legacy of colorful relatives

Hunter Biden embraces his father, President Joe Biden, and his stepmother, Jill, at Biden’s 2021 inauguration. Drew Angerer/Getty Images Hunter Biden, the younger son of U.S. President Joe Biden, is expected to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges as part of a recently announced deal with the Justice Department that will help him avoid the federal charges for possessing a gun while using illegal drugs. Joe Biden has long defended his son amid his drug addiction and other personal issues, including a paternity scandal and ongoing court battle over child support. The president responded to the news of Hunter’s

Hunter Biden is expected to plead guilty to tax and gun charges – continuing a long presidential legacy of colorful relatives
Political

A brief history of colorful presidential relatives, from Alice Roosevelt to Hunter Biden

Hunter Biden embraces his father, President Joe Biden, and his stepmother, Jill, at Biden’s 2021 inauguration. Drew Angerer/Getty Images Hunter Biden, the younger son of U.S. President Joe Biden, is expected to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges as part of a recently announced deal with the Justice Department that will help him avoid the federal charges for possessing a gun while using illegal drugs. Joe Biden has long defended his son amid his drug addiction and other personal issues, including a paternity scandal and ongoing court battle over child support. The president responded to the news of Hunter’s

A brief history of colorful presidential relatives, from Alice Roosevelt to Hunter Biden
World

Weekly US applications for unemployment aid remain elevated

The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits remained elevated last week, a possible sign that the Federal Reserve’s rate hikes are beginning to cool a surprisingly resilient labor market. U.S. applications for jobless claims were 264,000 for the week ending June 17, the same as the previous week’s revised number, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That’s slightly more than analysts were expecting. The claims numbers for the past two weeks are the highest since October of 2021. The four-week moving average of claims, which smooths out some of the week-to-week volatility, rose by 8,500 to 255,750. That’s the highest

Weekly US applications for unemployment aid remain elevated
Arts

Dee Snider — rocker, actor, DJ and now writer — draws on Long Island childhood in 1st novel 'Frats'

Dee Snider is taking a novel approach to life after rock stardom. The former singer for the ’80s glam rock band Twisted Sister just released his first novel, “Frats,” about the madness, cruelty and alcohol and testosterone-fueled bravado of the 1970s high school fraternity scene on Long Island, New York, where he grew up. His debut as a novelist follows his previous stints as a radio disc jockey, TV voiceover artist, Broadway actor, horror film writer and of course the drag-wearing (more about that later) face of the band best known for the hits “We’re

Dee Snider — rocker, actor, DJ and now writer — draws on Long Island childhood in 1st novel 'Frats'
Economy

A BRICS currency is unlikely to dislodge dollar any time soon – but it signifies growing challenge to established economic order

A window into a new way of doing global economic business. Rodger Bosch/AFP via Getty Images) Could a new currency be set to challenge the dominance of the dollar? Perhaps, but that may not be the point. In August 2023, South Africa will host the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – a group of nations known by the acronym BRICS. Among the items on the agenda is the creation of a new joint BRICS currency. As a scholar who has studied the BRICS countries for over a decade, I can certainly see why talk of a

A BRICS currency is unlikely to dislodge dollar any time soon – but it signifies growing challenge to established economic order
Science

Germany sees opportunity in nuclear fusion, but funding for research remains uncertain

The German government announced draft plans Thursday to boost domestic research into development of nuclear fusion, a technology some hope will provide abundant clean energy in the future, but left open how those efforts will be funded. Science Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger said that under the proposal, Germany will support all promising fusion technologies now being developed, including laser-based methods that achieved recent breakthroughs in the United States but aren’t widely researched in Europe. Another method, using powerful magnets, has already received significant support from Germany at both its own Wendelstein 7-X research reactor in the northern town

Germany sees opportunity in nuclear fusion, but funding for research remains uncertain
World

German rail union threatens open-ended strikes over pay dispute

A German rail workers’ union said Thursday that it will ask its members to vote on all-out strike action after long-running salary talks with the main national railway operator broke down. The EVG union has already staged hours-long or one-day “warning strikes,” a common tactic in German wage negotiations. But it’s now threatening to move to longer walkouts as its negotiations with state-owned Deutsche Bahn have reached an impasse. Union leader Martin Burkert said authorization for open-ended strikes will require three quarters of all votes cast in the ballot that will take four to five weeks to

German rail union threatens open-ended strikes over pay dispute
World

Google backs creation of cybersecurity clinics with $20 million donation

Free medical clinics and legal aid clinics, where college students and their instructors help their communities while also learning more about their professions, are now commonplace. Google hopes to add cybersecurity clinics to that list. Google CEO Sundar Pichai pledged $20 million in donations on Thursday to support and expand the Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics to introduce thousands of students to potential careers in cybersecurity, while also helping defend small government offices, rural hospitals and nonprofits from hacking. Pichai said the new initiative addresses both the rising number of cyberattacks — up 38% globally in 2022 –

Google backs creation of cybersecurity clinics with $20 million donation
Political

Supreme Court rules against Navajo Nation in Colorado River water rights case

The Supreme Court ruled against the Navajo Nation on Thursday in a dispute involving water from the drought-stricken Colorado River. States that draw water from the river — Arizona, Nevada and Colorado — and water districts in California that are also involved in the case had urged the court to decide for them, which the justices did in a 5-4 ruling. Colorado had argued that siding with the Navajo Nation would undermine existing agreements and disrupt the management of the river. The Biden administration had said that if the court were to come down in favor of

Supreme Court rules against Navajo Nation in Colorado River water rights case
World

Home sales inch up in May amid record-low inventory and biggest annual drop in prices since 2011

Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes edged higher in May and the national median sale price posted its biggest annual drop in more than a decade, even as the supply of available properties sank to an all-time low. Existing home sales rose 0.2% last month from April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.3 million, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday. That’s slightly above what economists were expecting, according to FactSet. Sales sank 20.4% compared with May last year. That marks 10 consecutive months of annual sales declines of 20% or more. The national

Home sales inch up in May amid record-low inventory and biggest annual drop in prices since 2011
World

UConn's Dan Hurley cashes in on national title with a new 6-year, $32.1M contract

UConn men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley has cashed in on the Huskies national championship, agreeing to a new six-year, $32.1 million contract, the school announced Thursday. The deal, which runs through 2029, will pay Hurley an average of $5.35 million per season and includes incentives that could push his compensation higher, the school said. The school originally said the deal was worth $31.5 million, but said later that it had miscalculated the value. The contract replaces a package signed in 2018 when Hurley was hired that paid him about $3 million per season. “I am thrilled

UConn's Dan Hurley cashes in on national title with a new 6-year, $32.1M contract
World

Spirit Aerosystems, major airlines supplier, suspends plant operations after labor contract rejected

Spirit Aerosystems, a major supplier to the world’s largest aircraft manufacturers, is suspending operations at a critical Kansas plant after union workers there rejected a proposed four-year contract and authorized a strike. Approximately 6,000 members of the IAM District 70, Local 839 voted to reject Spirit Aerosystems’ best and last offer after 13 years without a fully negotiated agreement, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers said in a prepared statement. Shares of Boeing Co. and Airbus slid about 2%, and shares of Spirit Aerosystems Holdings Inc. tumbled 10% at the opening bell. The tentative deal that was rejected

Spirit Aerosystems, major airlines supplier, suspends plant operations after labor contract rejected
World

Widow of slain Haitian president files lawsuit against suspects seeking trial and damages

Attorneys for the widow of slain Haitian President Jovenel Moïse filed a lawsuit Thursday in Florida against those accused in his assassination, which is still under investigation. The lawsuit, which was first shared with The Associated Press, seeks unspecified damages for Moïse’s family and a trial by jury in a push to hold the defendants responsible for the president’s death. “Whatever assets are out there, we will make sure these people will pay,” attorney Paul Turner told the AP. The lawsuit was filed nearly two years after the July 7, 2021 assassination of Moïse,

Widow of slain Haitian president files lawsuit against suspects seeking trial and damages
World

Kenya's new tax package angers some backers of president who once vowed to reduce cost of living

Kenyans are preparing for tough times after lawmakers approved tax increases that are even unpopular with supporters of the president who once vowed to reduce the cost of living. The doubling of the tax on petroleum products, from 8% to 16%, is expected to have a ripple effect on East Africa’s economic hub, with the prices of goods and services expected to increase. The administration of President William Ruto, who was elected last year, has only made things harder, one supporter said. “He said he was going to make life easier for us hustlers. We are

Kenya's new tax package angers some backers of president who once vowed to reduce cost of living
Arts

Hail pummels concertgoers before Louis Tomlinson show near Denver, injuring dozens

Seven people were taken to the hospital and up to 90 were treated for injuries after hail pummeled concertgoers at Red Rocks Amphitheater near Denver on Wednesday, firefighters said. None of those hospitalized suffered life-threatening injuries, West Metro Fire Rescue said. The injuries included cuts and broken bones, it said. The hail piled up like snow at the amphitheater in Morrison before a scheduled show by the singer Louis Tomlinson, formerly of One Direction, as strong to severe thunderstorms blew through the Denver area. The show was initially delayed because of the weather, with fans told to

Hail pummels concertgoers before Louis Tomlinson show near Denver, injuring dozens
World

NBA draft day arrives, and for Wembanyama a big man will realize his big dreams

The day Victor Wembanyama has dreamed of for years has arrived. The 19-year-old from France figures he was about 12 when he began thinking about being an NBA player and then being selected No. 1 in the draft, which seems certain to happen Thursday night in Brooklyn. The San Antonio Spurs have that pick and the opportunity to add a player who is being considered a can’t-miss prospect, perhaps the likes that hasn’t been seen since LeBron James in 2003. Wembanyama has thrown out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium and said he hoped to visit

NBA draft day arrives, and for Wembanyama a big man will realize his big dreams
World

Tech billionaires' cage match? Musk throws down the gauntlet and Zuckerberg accepts challenge

Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg are ready to fight, offline. In a now-viral back-and-forth seen on Twitter and Instagram this week, the two tech billionaires seemingly agreed to a “cage match” face off. It all started when Musk, who owns Twitter, responded to a tweet about Meta reportedly preparing to release a new Twitter rival called “Threads.” He took a dig about the world becoming “exclusively under Zuck’s thumb with no other options” — but then one Twitter user jokingly warned Musk of Zuckerberg’s jiu jitsu training. “I’m up for a cage match if he is lol,”

Tech billionaires' cage match? Musk throws down the gauntlet and Zuckerberg accepts challenge
World

Guatemalans worry about security, unimpressed by leading candidates ahead of election

Just days away from electing a new president, many Guatemalans remain undecided, unimpressed by the leading candidates and even considering casting a protest vote to express their disapproval. Concerns about extortion and violent crime cross class lines, and rural and urban communities, perhaps explaining why candidates leading the polls are promising heavy-handed security tactics, including reinstating the death penalty or hammering criminal gangs into submission. The machinations of electoral authorities keeping some popular candidates out of the race and cancelling others drew headlines in the capital and expressions of concern abroad. But for the

Guatemalans worry about security, unimpressed by leading candidates ahead of election
World

Winnie Ewing, icon of Scotland's pro-independence movement, dies at 93

Winnie Ewing, a charismatic politician considered to be the mother of the modern Scottish independence movement, has died. She was 93. Ewing’s relatives announced Thursday that she died the day before, “surrounded by her family.” The family statement said Ewing was “considered the most important Scottish politician of her generation.” Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that Scotland’s independence movement had lost “a beloved icon.” Trained as a lawyer, Winnifred Margaret Ewing joined the pro-independence Scottish National Party — then a small fringe group — and unexpectedly won election to the U.K. Parliament in 1967. Ewing greeted

Winnie Ewing, icon of Scotland's pro-independence movement, dies at 93
World

Past deep sea rescues show the challenges of saving those on board

The desperate search for a submersible that disappeared while taking five people to view the Titanic wreckage has drawn attention to other deep-sea rescues. Those rescue efforts — from a submersible off Ireland to a submarine off the New Hampshire coast — offer some measure of hope for the passengers and their families. But some of those rescues were not as complex as the effort to find the Titan submersible. They were often in shallower waters and, in several cases, were much bigger crafts. Many ended with some, if not all, the passengers on board dying —

Past deep sea rescues show the challenges of saving those on board
Political

One year after the anti-abortion ruling, the White House keeps a spotlight on the issue

One year ago, Democrats suffered one of the most stinging political defeats in recent history as the Supreme Court, which had been methodically stocked with conservative appointees, eliminated the nationwide right to abortion. Unbowed on Saturday’s anniversary, however, it’s the White House, not Republicans, calling the most attention to the issue with a cascade of events designed to tap into simmering rage from the overturning of Roe v. Wade. “I don’t think people are tired,” Jennifer Klein, the White House point person on gender policy, said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I think people might

One year after the anti-abortion ruling, the White House keeps a spotlight on the issue
Political

Supreme Court rules against a man who was given 27 years in prison for having a gun

The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a man whose conviction on gun charges was called into question by a recent high court decision is out of luck. The court’s conservatives were in the 6-3 majority against the man, Marcus DeAngelo Jones, who was given a 27-year prison sentence for violating a federal law meant to keep guns out of the hands of people with previous criminal convictions. Jones had argued that he should be allowed another chance to get his conviction thrown out following a 2019 court decision. In that case, the justices ruled prosecutors must prove

Supreme Court rules against a man who was given 27 years in prison for having a gun
Science

Nearly half of US honeybee colonies died last year. Struggling beekeepers stabilize population

America’s honeybee hives just staggered through the second highest death rate on record, with beekeepers losing nearly half of their managed colonies, an annual bee survey found. But using costly and Herculean measures to create new colonies, beekeepers are somehow keeping afloat. Thursday’s University of Maryland and Auburn University survey found that even though 48% of colonies were lost in the year that ended April 1, the number of United States honeybee colonies “remained relatively stable.” Honeybees are crucial to the food supply, pollinating more than 100 of the crops we eat, including nuts, vegetables, berries, citrus

Nearly half of US honeybee colonies died last year. Struggling beekeepers stabilize population
Arts

Fashion, star power and a martial aura fuse at Givenchy's collection at Paris Fashion Week

History, fashion, and star power came together at Givenchy’s latest menswear show at Les Invalides in Paris. Steeped in the martial aura of the former military hospital with its cast iron cannons, the show was the first of its kind across the monument’s sprawling balcony. Film star and musician Jared Leto was among the luminaries who applauded the spectacle. Here are some highlights of Thursday’s spring-summer 2024 menswear collections, including an interview with designer Matthew M. Williams: GIVENCHY GETS CONFIDENT In recent seasons, the creative heat at Givenchy under Williams had seemed somewhat tepid. However, this latest

Fashion, star power and a martial aura fuse at Givenchy's collection at Paris Fashion Week
World

DeSantis sues Biden administration over university accrediting system

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday that the state has filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration and the U.S. Department of Education over accreditation agencies, which control federal aid for students. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Fort Lauderdale federal court, challenges a federal law that requires colleges and universities to submit to private accreditors to qualify for federal funding. It targets the U.S. Department of Education, Secretary Miguel Cardona and other federal officials. The lawsuit comes as DeSantis, who is seeking the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, imposes his conservative agenda on the state’s education system.

DeSantis sues Biden administration over university accrediting system

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