The Los Angeles Post
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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

Orcas disrupt boat race near Spain in latest display of dangerous, puzzling behavior

A pod of killer whales bumped one of the boats in an endurance sailing race as it approached the Strait of Gibraltar, the latest encounter in what researchers say is a growing trend of sometimes-aggressive interactions with Iberian orcas. The 15-minute run-in with at least three of the giant mammals forced the crew competing in The Ocean Race on Thursday to drop its sails and raise a clatter in an attempt to scare the approaching orcas off. No one was injured, but Team JAJO skipper Jelmer van Beek said in a video posted on The Ocean Race website that it

Orcas disrupt boat race near Spain in latest display of dangerous, puzzling behavior
World

Denny McCarthy sets 36-hole course record at the Travelers Championship

Denny McCarthy set a new 36-hole course record by following up a first-round 60 with a 65 to extend his lead to four strokes after the morning rounds Friday at the Travelers Championship. The 30-year-old Maryland native started slowly, bogeying the second hole. But that was the only blemish on a round that included six birdies, five of them on the back nine. His two-day score of 125 is a stroke better than the first two rounds Xander Schauffele put up during his run to the title a year ago and Justin Rose’s first 36 holes

Denny McCarthy sets 36-hole course record at the Travelers Championship
World

Carlos Ghosn says $1 billion lawsuit against Nissan is reasonable given his suffering after arrest

Carlos Ghosn said Friday that the $1 billion lawsuit he recently filed against Nissan and others is just the beginning of his fight. The former Nissan CEO said during an interview with The Associated Press in Beirut that had he been an American citizen filing a lawsuit in the United States, “I would not be asking for $1 billion, but for much more,” given his suffering. Ghosn led Japanese automaker Nissan for two decades, rescuing it from near-bankruptcy, before he was arrested in Japan in November 2018 on charges of breach of trust, misusing company assets for

Carlos Ghosn says $1 billion lawsuit against Nissan is reasonable given his suffering after arrest
World

How much did Titan search cost? US Coast Guard's bill alone will be in the millions, experts say

The cost of the unprecedented search for the missing Titan submersible will easily stretch into the millions of dollars, experts said Friday. The massive international effort by aircraft, surface ships and deep-sea robots began Sunday when the Titan was reported missing. Searchers raced against a 96-hour clock in the desperate hope to find and rescue the vessel’s occupants before their oxygen supply ran out. But all hope was extinguished Thursday when officials announced the submersible had suffered a catastrophic implosion, killing all five aboard. A scaled-back search remained in place Friday as the robots — remotely

How much did Titan search cost? US Coast Guard's bill alone will be in the millions, experts say
World

Black nun who founded first African American religious congregation advances closer to sainthood

Mother Mary Elizabeth Lange — a Black Catholic nun who founded the United States’ first African American religious congregation in Baltimore in 1829 — has advanced another step toward sainthood. Under a decree signed by Pope Francis on Thursday, Lange was recognized for her heroic virtue, and advanced in the cause of her beatification from being considered a servant of God to a “venerable servant.” The Catholic Church must now approve a miracle that is attributed to her, so she can be beatified. Lange grew up in a wealthy family of African origin, but she left Cuba in the early

Black nun who founded first African American religious congregation advances closer to sainthood
Political

Attorney general denies whistleblower claims of interference in Hunter Biden investigation

Attorney General Merrick Garland pushed back Friday against claims from IRS whistleblowers that the Justice Department interfered with the investigation into Hunter Biden, saying more broadly that attacks on the department’s independence are corrosive. The Republican-led House Ways and Means Committee on Thursday released a transcript of testimony from Gary Shapley, an IRS official who, among other things, claimed that Garland had denied a request from U.S. Attorney David Weiss of Delaware to be appointed special counsel. That designation would have would have given Weiss the same status as the prosecutor leading the investigation into former President

Attorney general denies whistleblower claims of interference in Hunter Biden investigation
World

SEC's dominance on display again with Florida and LSU matched up in the College World Series finals

LSU coach Jay Johnson remembered scanning the 64-team NCAA Tournament field when it was announced almost a month ago, and he had a premonition Florida would be the opponent if his team reached the College World Series finals. “You look at the bracket and you look on the other side, it’s like, yeah, this is not a surprise to me who we’re playing,” he said. Considering the Gators are the No. 2 national seed, it was a safe assumption. The way college baseball has trended for three decades, picking almost any Southeastern Conference team to make

SEC's dominance on display again with Florida and LSU matched up in the College World Series finals
Arts

The Oscars best picture rules are changing. Here’s how it’ll affect contenders and movie theaters

The theatrical requirements for movies vying for the Oscars top prize are getting a little tougher. Starting with the 97th Academy Awards in 2025, best picture hopefuls will have to spend more time in theaters to qualify for film’s top prize. The changes, announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences this week, come after three years of adjusted release standards due to the pandemic. On top of the current one week “qualifying run” in one of six U.S cities — New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco or Miami — best picture contenders would now must

The Oscars best picture rules are changing. Here’s how it’ll affect contenders and movie theaters
World

Newly released body camera footage shows Border Patrol agents shooting a tribal member in Arizona

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has released body camera footage that shows Border Patrol agents were concerned that a tribal member they fatally shot last month may have been carrying a handgun during an encounter on a remote corner of the Tohono O’odham Nation in southern Arizona. The man, Raymond Mattia, 58, died shortly after the shooting the night of May 18 outside a home in the reservation’s Menagers Dam community near the U.S.-Mexico border. Audio of a telephone call included with the video confirms the agency’s earlier report that the Tohono O’odham Nation Police Department called

Newly released body camera footage shows Border Patrol agents shooting a tribal member in Arizona
World

US launches prosecutions of Chinese companies on charges of trafficking fentanyl ingredients

The U.S. Justice Department filed criminal charges on Friday against four Chinese companies and eight individuals for allegedly trafficking the chemicals used to make the highly addictive painkiller fentanyl in the United States and Mexico. The three separate indictments unsealed in federal court in New York represent the first prosecutions to charge China-based chemical companies and Chinese nationals with illegally selling the chemicals used to make fentanyl, which has been blamed for a deadly overdose crisis. Federal prosecutors said the companies marketed the fentanyl precursor chemicals on their websites and social media accounts, advertised that they

US launches prosecutions of Chinese companies on charges of trafficking fentanyl ingredients
World

US, UK, France demand UN investigate Russia's sanctions-busting use of Iranian drones in Ukraine

The United States, Britain and France demanded Friday that the United Nations urgently investigate Russia’s reported use of hundreds of Iranian-provided drones in the war in Ukraine, which would violate U.N. sanctions. But it’s unclear whether the U.N. will do so in the face of strong opposition from Russia. Russia denies using the Iranian drones, despite widespread evidence that they have been used to attack Ukrainian cities. U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield noted that the U.S. this month released further information documenting Iran’s provision of hundreds of unmanned aerial vehicles, known as UAVs or drones, as well

US, UK, France demand UN investigate Russia's sanctions-busting use of Iranian drones in Ukraine
World

Buttigieg warns airlines to finish retrofitting planes to avoid interference from 5G signals

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg warned the nation’s airlines Friday that flights could be disrupted starting next week because some planes lack updated equipment to prevent interference from transmissions by wireless companies. Buttigieg said that only planes retrofitted with the right equipment will be allowed to land when visibility is poor, such as during bad weather. The warning — in a letter from Buttigieg to trade group Airlines for America — comes just before AT&T, Verizon and other wireless carriers will be free to boost the power of their C-Band, 5G signals on July 1. Airlines have told the government they

Buttigieg warns airlines to finish retrofitting planes to avoid interference from 5G signals
Political

1st US charges against China-based companies accused of selling fentanyl chemicals filed

The Justice Department has for the first time charged China-based companies and employees with supplying chemicals needed to make fentanyl, a primary driver of an overdose crisis gripping the United States, top officials said Friday. The companies openly advertised the chemicals on social media platforms and shipped them surreptitiously to buyers, even adding molecules to evade testing, said Attorney General Merrick Garland. “We are targeting every step of the movement and manufacturing sale of fentanyl, from start to finish,” Garland said. Two of the eight people charged have been arrested in the Drug Enforcement Administration investigation into

1st US charges against China-based companies accused of selling fentanyl chemicals filed
Political

Speaker McCarthy supports expunging Trump's impeachments over Ukraine and Jan. 6

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Friday he supports the idea of expunging the two impeachments of Donald Trump as hard-right Republican allies of the former president introduce a pair of proposals to declare it as though the historic charges never happened. McCarthy told reporters that he agrees with Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Elise Stefanik who want to erase the charges against Trump from the former president’s impeachments of 2019 and 2021. “I think it is appropriate,” said McCarthy, the Republican from California. “Just as I thought before — that you should expunge it, because it never

Speaker McCarthy supports expunging Trump's impeachments over Ukraine and Jan. 6
World

Mariners' Julio Rodríguez to compete in Home Run Derby in Seattle next month

This year’s Home Run Derby now has a hometown favorite: Seattle’s Julio Rodríguez is in. Rodríguez, who finished second last year in the event to Juan Soto, said Friday it’s a no-brainer to participate in front of his home fans. The All-Star game is July 11 in Seattle, with the Home Run Derby the previous day. Rodríguez won Rookie of the Year honors last year and helped Seattle make the postseason. The talented outfielder hit 81 homers in the Home Run Derby in Los Angeles, although he lost to Soto in the final. He’s set to become

Mariners' Julio Rodríguez to compete in Home Run Derby in Seattle next month
Arts

Jennifer Lawrence on ‘No Hard Feelings,’ the R-rated comedy made with the Oscar winner in mind

Jennifer Lawrence has wanted to do a big comedy for years. She has always been funny and vibrant in her television appearances. And while she has brought humor and physical comedy to many of her roles for David O. Russell and others, she also hasn’t exactly gotten the big, broad “Dumb and Dumber” or “Anchorman” experience, to cite some of her favorites (or at least the ones she’s memorized). That changes Friday with “No Hard Feelings,” a classic, raunchy R-rated comedy that was tailor made for the Oscar winner. “I’ve always wanted to do a comedy.

Jennifer Lawrence on ‘No Hard Feelings,’ the R-rated comedy made with the Oscar winner in mind
Arts

What to stream this week: 'The Bachelorette,' Idris Elba, The Weeknd, Sarah Snook and 'Jack Ryan'

John Krasinski makes his final bow in season four of “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan,” a new album from Lucinda Williams and the debut of the mystery video game Crime O’Clock are among the new television, movies, music and games headed to a device near you. Among the offerings worth your time as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists are Idris Elba on the worst flight ever in the new series “Hijack” for Apple TV+ and a horror movie starring “Succession’s” Sarah Snook as the single mother of a young girl who says she has memories of another life. NEW

What to stream this week: 'The Bachelorette,' Idris Elba, The Weeknd, Sarah Snook and 'Jack Ryan'
World

What role will liability waivers play in the aftermath of the Titan sub tragedy?

Before they boarded the submersible that imploded near the Titanic wreck, the passengers who died this week were most likely asked to sign liability waivers. One of the waivers, signed by a person who planned to go on an OceanGate expedition, required passengers to acknowledge risks involved with the trip on the Titan vessel and any support vessels. The waiver, which was reviewed by The Associated Press, said that passengers could experience physical injury, disability, emotional trauma and death while on board the Titan. Passengers also waive the right to take action for “personal injury, property damage

What role will liability waivers play in the aftermath of the Titan sub tragedy?
World

What happens during a catastrophic implosion? Titan submersible occupants likely died instantly

The Titan submersible suffered a catastrophic implosion that likely killed its pilot and four passengers instantly amid the intense water pressure in the deep North Atlantic, experts said. Maritime researchers called an implosion the worst possible outcome of all the scenarios envisioned during the desperate round-the-clock search to find the missing vessel. The craft went missing Sunday and probably imploded that same day, according to an “anomaly” detected by a U.S. Navy acoustics system, but the international search effort continued because authorities did not consider the information to be definitive. The Coast Guard announced the deaths from a “catastrophic implosion”

What happens during a catastrophic implosion? Titan submersible occupants likely died instantly
World

What the submersible saga and the Greek migrant shipwreck say about our reactions to tragedy

Across the span of nearly a week, the saga of a lost submersible that had gone into the depths of the ocean to see the Titanic wreckage rippled across the national and global conversation — culminating in news that the craft had imploded and its five occupants were dead. But a far bigger disaster days earlier, the wrecking of a ship off Greece filled with migrants that killed at least 80 people and left a horrifying 500 missing, did not become a moment-by-moment worldwide focus in anywhere near the same way. One grabbed unrelenting, moment-to-moment attention. One was watched and

What the submersible saga and the Greek migrant shipwreck say about our reactions to tragedy
World

Family of missing actor Julian Sands releases 1st statement since his hiking disappearance

The family of actor Julian Sands has released its first statement five months after he disappeared while hiking in California. “We continue to hold Julian in our hearts with bright memories of him as a wonderful father, husband, explorer, lover of the natural world and the arts, and as an original and collaborative performer,” the statement said. Sands, the 65-year-old British-born actor best known for his role in the 1985 film “A Room With a View,” has been married for more than three decades to journalist Evgenia Citkowitz, and has three adult children. They said

Family of missing actor Julian Sands releases 1st statement since his hiking disappearance
World

Wembanyama arrives in San Antonio, with fans waiting for hours to greet him

The chants from hundreds of fans, some of whom waited outside for hours in nearly 100-degree heat, started at the very moment Victor Wembanyama stepped out of the private plane that carried him to his new NBA home. “Wem-V-P!” “Wem-V-P!” “Wem-V-P!” And the NBA’s newest No. 1 draft pick — a star without having even played a game in the league yet — reveled in his first San Antonio moment, waving at the fans and letting them know how much he was enjoying it all. Wembanyama arrived in San Antonio on Friday afternoon. He was a

Wembanyama arrives in San Antonio, with fans waiting for hours to greet him
World

Police in California aren't immune from certain misconduct lawsuits, high court rules

Police in California are not immune from civil lawsuits for misconduct that happens while they investigate crimes, the state Supreme Court ruled this week, overruling a precedent made by lower courts that had helped protect law enforcement from litigation for decades. The justices on Thursday unanimously rejected an argument by Riverside County that its sheriff’s deputies couldn’t be sued for leaving a man’s naked body lying in plain sight for eight hours while officers investigated his killing. California law protects police from being sued for any harm that happens during a prosecution process — even if

Police in California aren't immune from certain misconduct lawsuits, high court rules
World

UN Security Council calls for halt to fighting in Sudan and protection of civilians

The U.N. Security Council called Friday for a halt to fighting in Sudan and the protection of civilians. The brief press statement followed closed consultations by the U.N.’s most powerful body. The council also called for the scaling up of humanitarian assistance to Sudan and neighboring countries, support for humanitarian workers, and respect for international humanitarian law. Sudan descended into conflict in mid-April after months of worsening tensions exploded into open fighting between rival generals seeking to control the African nation. The war pits the military, led by Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, against the Rapid Support Forces,

UN Security Council calls for halt to fighting in Sudan and protection of civilians
World

Who is the head of the mercenary group calling for an armed rebellion in Russia?

The head of the private military contractor Wagner called Friday for an armed rebellion aimed at ousting Russia’s defense minister. Russian security services reacted immediately by opening a criminal investigation into Yevgeny Prigozhin. He has previously bashed the country’s military leadership for failures in the war in Ukraine, and is known for his long-running feud with the Defense Ministry. A look at the 62-year-old Prigozhin and Wagner’s role in the war: WHAT DID PRIGOZHIN SAY? Prigozhin posted a series of angry video and audio recordings in which he accused Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu of ordering a rocket strike Friday on

Who is the head of the mercenary group calling for an armed rebellion in Russia?

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