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Today: January 21, 2025
Today: January 21, 2025
The Los Angeles Post

The Los Angeles Post

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Economy

States are weakening their child labor restrictions nearly 8 decades after the US government took kids out of the workforce

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a law in 2023 that lets children under 16 work without official permission from their parents. AP Photo/Andrew DeMillo A movement to weaken American child labor protections at the state level began in 2022. By June 2023, Arkansas, Iowa, New Jersey and New Hampshire had enacted this kind of legislation, and lawmakers in at least another eight states had introduced similar measures. The laws generally make it easier for kids from 14 to 17 years old to work longer and later – and in occupations that were previously off-limits for minors. When Iowa Gov.

States are weakening their child labor restrictions nearly 8 decades after the US government took kids out of the workforce
World

Here's how to prepare to start paying back your student loans when the pandemic payment freeze ends

An estimated 43 million borrowers who could have seen their student loan balances decreased or erased will now resume their original payments in the fall, following the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the Biden administration’s debt forgiveness plan. Student loan interest will start accruing on September 1 and payments will re-start in October, when a three-year pandemic pause on federal student loan payments will end. The conservative-leaning court ruled that the Biden administration overstepped its authority in trying to cancel or reduce student loan debt. The White House plan would have forgiven $10,000 in federal

Here's how to prepare to start paying back your student loans when the pandemic payment freeze ends
Education

COVID-19 hurt kids' math learning more than reading and writing – with the biggest setbacks in fall 2020

The pandemic’s effect on student learning could exacerbate racial and economic achievement gaps. Laura Olivas/Moment Collection/Getty Images The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work. The big idea The COVID-19 pandemic had a stark negative impact on students’ math scores, new data from Michigan shows. Math achievement growth over the three-year period from spring 2019 through spring 2022 was substantially lower – approximately 7 national percentiles – than among comparable students the three years prior. There were even larger decreases among students who are Black or Latino, low income or who attended the majority of schools that

COVID-19 hurt kids' math learning more than reading and writing – with the biggest setbacks in fall 2020
Political

South Korea has the lowest fertility rate in the world – and that doesn't bode well for its economy

An aging population, a tired economy. Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images Around the world, nations are looking at the prospect of shrinking, aging populations – but none more so than South Korea. Over the last 60 years, South Korea has undergone the most rapid fertility decline in recorded human history. In 1960, the nation’s total fertility rate – the number of children, on average, that a woman has during her reproductive years – stood at just under six children per woman. In 2022, that figure was 0.78. South Korea is the only country in the world to register a fertility

South Korea has the lowest fertility rate in the world – and that doesn't bode well for its economy
Environment

Right-to-charge laws bring the promise of EVs to apartments, condos and rentals

Charging at home is more convenient for apartment dwellers, too. Westend61 via Getty Images More than 3.6 million electric cars are driving around the U.S., but if you live in an apartment, finding an available charger isn’t always easy. Grocery stores and shopping centers might have a few, but charging takes time and the spaces may be taken or inconvenient. Several states and cities, aiming to expand EV use, are now trying to lift that barrier to ownership with “right to charge” laws. Illinois’ governor signed the latest right-to-charge law in June 2023, requiring that all parking spots at new

Right-to-charge laws bring the promise of EVs to apartments, condos and rentals
Health

A trauma-focused therapy is helping Ukrainian children besieged by war – a clinical psychologist explains how it could bring resilience to kids around the world

In Lviv, Ukraine, a 15-year-old girl recovers from injuries sustained in the war. Scott Peterson via Getty Images Childhood trauma is a global health problem. Every year, up to 1 billion children worldwide experience some form of emotional, physical or sexual abuse. More than two-thirds of children report at least one traumatic event by age 16. Without early intervention, these experiences may deeply infiltrate the minds of children, who may reenact their original trauma by entering toxic relationships that repeat the dynamics of parental abuse. Or they might engage in high-risk behaviors, including unsafe sexual relationships, delinquency or substance abuse.

A trauma-focused therapy is helping Ukrainian children besieged by war – a clinical psychologist explains how it could bring resilience to kids around the world
Environment

Lab-grown meat techniques aren't new – cell cultures are common tools in science, but bringing them up to scale to meet society's demand for meat will require further development

Cell cultures are often grown in petri dishes. Wladimir Bulgar/Science Photo Library via Getty Images You might be old enough to remember the famous “Where’s the Beef?” Wendy’s commercials. This question may be asked in a different context since U.S. regulators approved the sale of lab-grown chicken meat made from cultivated cells in June 2023. Growing animal cells in the lab isn’t new. Scientists have been culturing animal cells in artificial environments since the 1950s, initially focusing on studying developmental biology and cancer. This technique remains one of the major tools in life science research, especially for drug development. The

Lab-grown meat techniques aren't new – cell cultures are common tools in science, but bringing them up to scale to meet society's demand for meat will require further development
Political

Putin's Ukraine war keeps yielding dividends -- but not for him

Members of the Wagner Group sit atop a tank in a street in the city of Rostov-on-Don, on June 24, 2023. Roman Romokhov/AFP via Getty Images On June 23, 2023, 16 months into Russia’s war with Ukraine, Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of Russia’s now disbanded potent mercenary fighting force and a protégé of Russian President Vladimir, turned his troops on the Russian military and, ostensibly, the Kremlin itself. Within 24 hours, though, Prigozhin had aborted his march to Moscow and turned his troops around. But the damage to Putin’s strongman image and possibly his plans to subjugate Ukraine by force had

Putin's Ukraine war keeps yielding dividends -- but not for him
Political

Supreme Court says state lawmakers can't just ignore state law when drawing voting districts or choosing presidential electors

North Carolina’s election districts have been under debate and review for years. AP Photo/Gerry Broome For months, legislators, legal scholars and people simply interested in democracy and elections were fixated on a case before the Supreme Court, Moore v. Harper. Those following the case, which asked the justices to rule on the “independent state legislature doctrine,” have held their collective breath awaiting the outcome, which could have changed fundamental aspects of U.S. elections and politics. Henry L. Chambers Jr., a law professor at the University of Richmond, wrote earlier for The Conversation about the case, saying “Adoption of a strong

Supreme Court says state lawmakers can't just ignore state law when drawing voting districts or choosing presidential electors
Science

Regulators begin final safety inspection before treated Fukushima wastewater is released into sea

Japanese regulators began a final inspection on Wednesday before treated radioactive wastewater is released from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean. The inspection began a day after plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings installed the last piece of equipment needed for the release — the outlet of the undersea tunnel dug to discharge the wastewater 1 kilometer (a thousand yards) offshore. TEPCO said the Nuclear Regulation Authority inspectors will examine the equipment related to the treated water discharge and its safety systems during three days of inspections through Friday. The permit for releasing

Regulators begin final safety inspection before treated Fukushima wastewater is released into sea
Science

Smoke from Canada wildfires is increasing health risks in Black and poorer US communities

Smoky air from Canada’s wildfires shrouded broad swaths of the U.S. from Minnesota to New York and Kentucky on Wednesday, prompting warnings to stay inside and exacerbating health risks for people already suffering from industrial pollution. The impacts are particularly hard on poor and minority communities that are more likely to live near polluting plants and have higher rates of asthma. Detroit, a mostly Black city with a poverty rate of about 30%, had some of the worst air quality in the U.S. on Wednesday, prompting the Environmental Protection Agency to warn that “everyone should stay indoors.”

Smoke from Canada wildfires is increasing health risks in Black and poorer US communities
Arts

Overtime Elite – a private school, basketball league and media conglomerate – just sent two players to the NBA

Amen Thompson, left, and his twin brother, Ausar, were selected fourth and fifth in the 2023 NBA draft. John Lamparski/Getty Images for Empire State Realty Trust When Overtime Elite held its first pro day in October 2022, its arena in Atlanta was charged with anticipation. Families, scouts and fans gathered to witness the unveiling of the next generation of prodigious basketball talent. I watched the event on a YouTube livestream, which broadcast the players shooting, running sprints and leaping for slam dunks. Amid the sea of prospects, it was impossible to ignore the magnetic presence of Amen and Ausar Thompson,

Overtime Elite – a private school, basketball league and media conglomerate – just sent two players to the NBA
Political

What is the difference between nationalism and patriotism?

Donald Trump, left, and Harry Truman: Two former presidents who had different ideas about nationalism and patriotism. The Conversation, with images from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-NC During his presidency, Donald Trump said, “We’re putting America first … we’re taking care of ourselves for a change,” and then declared, “I’m a nationalist.” In another speech, he stated that under his watch, the U.S. had “embrace[d] the doctrine of patriotism.” Trump is now running for president again. When he announced his candidacy, he stated that he “need[s] every patriot on board because this is not just a campaign, this is a quest

What is the difference between nationalism and patriotism?
Political

Americans in former Confederate states more likely to say violent protest against government is justified, 160 years after Gettysburg

Dead soldiers lie on the battlefield at Gettysburg in July of 1863. Corbis via Getty Images Over the July Fourth long weekend, people will pour into the small town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to commemorate the 160th anniversary of one of the deadliest battles in U.S. history. The three-day battle left over 50,000 Union and Confederate soldiers dead, wounded or missing and cemented Gettysburg’s place in American history as the turning point of the Civil War. A few months after the battle, President Abraham Lincoln visited the town for the dedication of Soldiers’ National Cemetery. There, he delivered his famed Gettysburg

Americans in former Confederate states more likely to say violent protest against government is justified, 160 years after Gettysburg
Political

Americans in former Confederate states more likely to say violent protest against government is justified, 160 years after Gettysburg

Dead soldiers lie on the battlefield at Gettysburg in July of 1863. Corbis via Getty Images Over the July Fourth long weekend, people will pour into the small town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to commemorate the 160th anniversary of one of the deadliest battles in U.S. history. The three-day battle left over 50,000 Union and Confederate soldiers dead, wounded or missing and cemented Gettysburg’s place in American history as the turning point of the Civil War. A few months after the battle, President Abraham Lincoln visited the town for the dedication of Soldiers’ National Cemetery. There, he delivered his famed Gettysburg

Americans in former Confederate states more likely to say violent protest against government is justified, 160 years after Gettysburg
Arts

Space Disco Cowboy? Couples ditch traditional wedding dress codes in favor of out-there themes

“Space Disco Cowboy.” “Yacht Shabbat.” “Burning Man Formal”? More couples are tossing tradition when it comes to what wedding guests should wear, to some befuddlement among invitees. Maggie Long, 34, recently attended the nuptials of a close friend in a low-key Denver lounge. The suggested dress? “Dive Bar Semiformal.” “I love a theme,” said Long, who lives in New York. “It’s fun that people aren’t taking weddings so seriously, but I had no idea what that meant.” After exchanging thoughts for months with the officiant, who is also a friend, Long took her outfit idea —

Space Disco Cowboy? Couples ditch traditional wedding dress codes in favor of out-there themes
Arts

Taika Waititi’s soccer pic ‘Next Goal Wins’ set for Toronto Film Festival premiere

Taika Waititi’s soccer comedy “ Next Goal Wins ” will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival this fall, organizers said Wednesday. The Searchlight Pictures film is based on a true story and stars Michael Fassbender as a Dutch-American soccer coach assigned to help the struggling American Samoa national team in its quest to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The team at that point was best known for suffering the worst loss in international football history — a 31 to 0 game against Australia in 2001. Waititi and co-writer Iain Morris based the film off

Taika Waititi’s soccer pic ‘Next Goal Wins’ set for Toronto Film Festival premiere
World

DeSantis proposes Disney trial schedule that puts start date in 2025, after elections

Attorneys for Gov. Ron DeSantis have asked that a trial involving Disney be postponed until the middle of 2025, well after the GOP presidential nomination race wraps up and voters have picked a winner in the November 2024 general election. In a Tallahassee federal court filing Tuesday, attorneys for the Florida governor, who is seeking the Republican nomination, and his appointees to a board that governs Disney World outlined a proposed schedule that requests an Aug. 4, 2025, trial date. Disney claims in its lawsuit that its free speech rights were violated by the takeover of

DeSantis proposes Disney trial schedule that puts start date in 2025, after elections
Science

Scientists have finally 'heard' the chorus of gravitational waves that ripple through the universe

Scientists have observed for the first time the faint ripples caused by the motion of black holes that are gently stretching and squeezing everything in the universe. They reported Wednesday that they were able to “hear” what are called low-frequency gravitational waves — changes in the fabric of the universe that are created by huge objects moving around and colliding in space. “It’s really the first time that we have evidence of just this large-scale motion of everything in the universe,” said Maura McLaughlin, co-director of NANOGrav, the research collaboration that published the results in The

Scientists have finally 'heard' the chorus of gravitational waves that ripple through the universe
World

North American trade pact on 3rd anniversary: Optimism is rising for US and Mexican workers

To President Donald Trump, America’s trade relationship with Mexico was intolerable. He seethed over the U.S. trade deficit and the shuttered factories in America’s heartland. “No longer,’’ he vowed six years ago, “are we going to allow other countries to break the rules, to steal our jobs and drain our wealth.” So Trump pressured Mexico and Canada to replace their mutual pact with one more to his liking. After a couple of years of negotiations, he got what he wanted. Out was the North American Free Trade Agreement. In was the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. The USMCA, which Trump

North American trade pact on 3rd anniversary: Optimism is rising for US and Mexican workers
Political

Wall Street execs host Biden fundraisers as president closes out an end-of-quarter campaign blitz

President Joe Biden closed out an end-of-quarter campaign blitz Thursday with a pair of Manhattan fundraisers hosted by Wall Street power brokers, a funding push designed to put Biden on strong financial footing for a 2024 White House contest expected to set spending records. The pair of evening events are Biden’s ninth and 10th fundraising receptions of the past two weeks, numbers matched by Vice President Kamala Harris, first lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff. The Biden campaign has been mum before the July 15 reporting date about how much he has raised at

Wall Street execs host Biden fundraisers as president closes out an end-of-quarter campaign blitz
Science

Expect a hot, smoky summer in much of America. Here's why you'd better get used to it

The only break much of America can hope for anytime soon from eye-watering dangerous smoke from fire-struck Canada is brief bouts of shirt-soaking sweltering heat and humidity from a southern heat wave that has already proven deadly, forecasters say. And then the smoke will likely come back to the Midwest and East. That’s because neither the 235 out-of-control Canadian wildfires nor the stuck weather pattern that’s responsible for this mess of meteorological maladies are showing signs of relenting for the next week or longer, according to meteorologists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Weather Prediction Center. First, the stuck

Expect a hot, smoky summer in much of America. Here's why you'd better get used to it
Science

How's the weather up there? It'll be harder for Alaska to tell as a longtime program goes off air

Before Morris Nashoanak heads out for days in search of bearded seals, beluga whales or salmon, he catches the weather on TV. But it’s not the weather segment from a local TV station — there isn’t one. Instead, it’s a program designed for those living in rural and largely roadless Alaska, with separate forecasts for mariners, aviators and residents to help decide whether they can safely hunt, fish or fly. “Alaska Weather” has been must-see TV for 47 years in a state where extreme weather dictates everyday life. But the daily program, the only weather show

How's the weather up there? It'll be harder for Alaska to tell as a longtime program goes off air
World

EU leaders recommit to support Ukraine as they and NATO see divisions emerging in Russia

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took center stage at a European Union summit, underscoring the importance the 27 EU leaders attach to protecting their eastern flank from Russian aggression and beefing up Ukraine’s defense capabilities. In a statement issued early Friday after the meeting ended, the leaders reaffirmed their willingness “to provide sustainable military support to Ukraine for as long as it takes.” Zelenskyy addressed the gathering by video link and Stoltenberg attended an early lunch for leaders. But the biggest seat at the table was reserved for something that’s not officially on

EU leaders recommit to support Ukraine as they and NATO see divisions emerging in Russia
Arts

Essence Festival of Culture 2023 kicks off in New Orleans

Nearly 30 years ago, creators of Essence Magazine came to New Orleans to celebrate the publication’s 25th anniversary with a salute to Black women highlighting culture, empowerment conversations with the nation’s thought leaders and, of course, music. The Essence Music Festival has since morphed into the Essence Festival of Culture, which, in its 29th year, kicked off Thursday and goes through July 3 across various venues in downtown New Orleans. The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center will hold most of the free workshops, vendor exhibits and celebrity meet-and-greets. Blocks away, the Superdome will host nightly ticketed

Essence Festival of Culture 2023 kicks off in New Orleans

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