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

Latest From The Los Angeles Post

Political

US is sanctioning the pro-Russian head of Serbian intelligence for alleged corruption

The U.S. imposed sanctions on the pro-Russian head of Serbian intelligence on Tuesday, accusing Aleksander Vulin of involvement in illegal arms shipments, drug trafficking and misuse of public office. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control said Vulin used his public authority to help U.S.-sanctioned Serbian arms dealer Slobodan Tesic move illegal arms shipments across Serbia’s borders. Vulin is also accused of involvement in a drug trafficking ring, Treasury said. Vulin was appointed spy chief for the Balkan state last year. He previously served as Serbia’s interior minister. In that role, he visited Moscow last August, a rare

US is sanctioning the pro-Russian head of Serbian intelligence for alleged corruption
Political

Liberal CEOs were more likely to exit Russia following its invasion of Ukraine than more conservative corporate leaders

Burberry was one of the first Western companies to announce it was suspending sales in Russia after the invasion. Oleg Nikishin/Getty Images The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work. The big idea Companies led by liberal-leaning CEOs were more likely to leave Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022 than those helmed by conservatives, according to our new study. We measured their political leanings based on how much they donated to the two main U.S. political parties over five recent federal election cycles. In the aftermath of Russia’s invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, over 1,000

Liberal CEOs were more likely to exit Russia following its invasion of Ukraine than more conservative corporate leaders
Political

Anti-LGBTQ laws in the US are getting struck down for limiting free speech of drag queens and doctors

Anti-LGBTQ laws passed in 2023 included measures to deny gender-affirming care to trans children. Mario Tama/Getty Images Nearly 500 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced in state legislatures in the U.S. in 2023. Many of those bills seek to reduce or eliminate gender-affirming care for transgender minors or to ban drag performances in places where minors could view them. Most of those bills have not become law. But many of those that have did not survive legal scrutiny when challenged in court. Anti-LGBTQ laws that federal judges have concluded do not pass constitutional scrutiny include anti-trans legislation in Arkansas and anti-drag

Anti-LGBTQ laws in the US are getting struck down for limiting free speech of drag queens and doctors
Political

White House lays out effort against animal sedative xylazine but doesn't call for new restrictions

Federal officials on Tuesday called for more testing and research on xylazine, the powerful animal sedative that’s spreading through the nation’s illicit drug supply, but they stopped short of recommending new restrictions on the veterinary medication. A six-point plan from the White House’s drug control office aims to scale up testing, treatment and efforts to intercept illegal shipments of xylazine, which is being mixed into fentanyl and other illicit opioids. The White House declared xylazine-laced fentanyl an “emerging threat” in April and called for a national strategy to combat its use. Xylazine, sometimes known as tranq, can

White House lays out effort against animal sedative xylazine but doesn't call for new restrictions
Political

Inside the AP’s investigation into the ethics practices of the Supreme Court justices

An Associated Press examination of the ethics practices of the U.S. Supreme Court relied on documents obtained from more than 100 public records requests to public colleges, universities and other institutions that have hosted the justices over the past decade. Here’s a look at how the reporting was done: To conduct its review, the AP surveyed local news stories and social media and obtained data from ScotusTracker, a website that logged justices’ activities, to develop a list of appearances over the past 10 years. In late 2022 and early this year, the AP submitted records requests to

Inside the AP’s investigation into the ethics practices of the Supreme Court justices
Political

GOP confidence in 2024 vote count low after years of false election claims, AP-NORC poll shows

Few Republicans have high confidence that votes will be tallied accurately in next year’s presidential contest, suggesting years of sustained attacks against elections by former President Donald Trump and his allies have taken a toll, according to a new poll. The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll finds that only 22% of Republicans have high confidence that votes in the upcoming presidential election will be counted accurately compared to 71% of Democrats, underscoring a partisan divide fueled by a relentless campaign of lies related to the 2020 presidential election. Even as he runs for the White House a

GOP confidence in 2024 vote count low after years of false election claims, AP-NORC poll shows
Political

A grand jury being seated Tuesday could decide whether Trump is charged over Georgia's 2020 election

A grand jury being seated Tuesday in Atlanta will likely consider whether criminal charges are appropriate for former President Donald Trump or his Republican allies for their efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has been investigating since shortly after Trump called Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in early 2021 and suggested the state’s top elections official could help him “find 11,780 votes,” just enough needed to beat Democrat Joe Biden. The 2 1/2-year investigation expanded to include an examination of a slate of Republican fake electors, phone

A grand jury being seated Tuesday could decide whether Trump is charged over Georgia's 2020 election
Political

NATO summit boosted by deal to advance Sweden's bid to join alliance

NATO’s summit will begin Tuesday with fresh momentum after Turkey withdrew its objections to Sweden joining the alliance, a step toward the unity that Western leaders have been eager to demonstrate in the face of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The decision by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is a significant move toward Sweden’s membership and it will alleviate tension in Vilnius, Lithuania’s capital. “This is a historic day,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said late Monday as he announced the agreement following days of intensive meetings. As part of the deal, Erdogan said he would ask Turkey’s

NATO summit boosted by deal to advance Sweden's bid to join alliance
Political

Trump lawyers agree to delay pretrial conference in classified documents case

Lawyers for former President Donald Trump say they agreed with federal prosecutors to delay to next week a pretrial hearing to discuss how classified information is handled in court as he faces federal charges that he illegally hoarded classifed documents at his Florida estate. The hearing to discuss the Classified Information Procedures Act had previously been set for Friday. But an attorney for Trump’s valet Walt Nauta, who was charged alongside the former president, said he has another bench trial this week in Washington preventing him from appearing Friday in South Florida. The attorneys said in their

Trump lawyers agree to delay pretrial conference in classified documents case
Political

Longtime AP Pentagon reporter Fred Hoffman, who was lauded for his Vietnam coverage, dies at 100

Fred S. Hoffman, a longtime Associated Press reporter who covered the Defense Department for more than two decades and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for an investigation into the black market in Vietnam has died. Hoffman was 100. Well known within the Pentagon, Hoffman was recalled as a tough, enterprising, ethical and tireless reporter who spent nearly 40 years in the news business, including 36 with the AP. After retiring from the AP, he served as the chief spokesman and policy adviser to Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger. According to his daughter Lisa Hoffman, he died of melanoma

Longtime AP Pentagon reporter Fred Hoffman, who was lauded for his Vietnam coverage, dies at 100
Political

US intelligence assessment says Iran not currently developing nuclear weapons

A U.S. intelligence assessment says Iran is not pursuing nuclear weapons at the moment but has ramped up activities that could help it develop them. The assessment from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence released Monday says Iran has moved to increase its capacity to produce an atomic bomb since 2020 but has stopped short of that so far. The findings corresponded with previous U.S. assessments about Iran’s nuclear program, although many in Congress and elsewhere have been skeptical of those. The Biden administration has been defending its desire to return to the 2015 nuclear

US intelligence assessment says Iran not currently developing nuclear weapons
Political

Retired Army Capt. Sam Brown mounts 2nd bid for US Senate in Nevada after losing GOP primary in 2022

Retired Army Capt. Sam Brown made his long-awaited U.S. Senate candidacy official on Monday, jumping into the race to take on Democratic incumbent Jacky Rosen a year after losing the Republican nomination to challenge Nevada’s other U.S. senator. Brown’s campaign confirmed his bid Monday morning, and he’ll host an event near Reno in the afternoon to expand on his campaign vision and outline key stances. Brown, a Purple Heart recipient, was a heavily recruited candidate for Republicans in Washington looking to avoid a repeat of their lackluster showing in last year’s midterms, when flawed GOP candidates

Retired Army Capt. Sam Brown mounts 2nd bid for US Senate in Nevada after losing GOP primary in 2022
Political

Judge refuses to put hold on order limiting Biden administration contact with social media companies

A federal judge in Louisiana refused Monday to put a temporary hold on his own order limiting Biden administration officials contacts with social media companies. Biden administration attorneys had asked U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty in Monroe to stay his own order, which was issued last Tuesday, while they pursue an appeal. That order came in a lawsuit filed by Republican attorneys general in Louisiana and Missouri, as well as a conservative website owner and four individual critics of government COVID-19 policies. The lawsuit claimed the administration, in effect, censored free speech by using threats of

Judge refuses to put hold on order limiting Biden administration contact with social media companies
Political

Republican's hold on nominations leaves Marines without confirmed leader for 1st time in 100 years

The U.S. Marine Corps is without a confirmed leader for the first time in a century as Gen. David Berger stepped down as commandant on Monday and a Republican senator is blocking approval of his successor. Berger took over as the 38th commandant in July 2019, and is required to leave the job after four years. Gen. Eric Smith, currently the assistant commandant, has been nominated to be the next leader, but will serve in an acting capacity because he hasn’t been confirmed by the Senate. Under the law, Smith can serve as the acting commandant, but

Republican's hold on nominations leaves Marines without confirmed leader for 1st time in 100 years
Political

What's on the agenda as Biden heads to NATO summit: 5 essential reads as Western alliance talks expansion, Ukraine

A flagging alliance? Far from it. Yves Herman/AFP via Getty Images) Leaders of the nations comprising NATO will meet for a two-day summit beginning on July 11, 2023. The gathering in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, comes at a pivotal moment for the Western security alliance – it is seeking to expand membership and confront challenges ranging from the ongoing war in Ukraine to a perceived growing military threat from China. No doubt NATO members will want to present a united front at the meeting. But on a number of key issues, not everyone is in agreement. Here are some of

What's on the agenda as Biden heads to NATO summit: 5 essential reads as Western alliance talks expansion, Ukraine
Political

Hill Harper, an actor on 'CSI: NY' and 'The Good Doctor,' is running for the US Senate in Michigan

Hill Harper, an actor known for his roles on “CSI: NY” and “The Good Doctor,” announced on Monday that he is running for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat and challenging U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin for the Democratic nomination. Harper is the sixth Democratic candidate to enter the race for retiring Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow’s seat. Stabenow announced in January that she would not be seeking a fifth term in 2024 in the battleground state. Born in Iowa, Harper owns a house in Detroit and bought a coffee shop, Roasting Plant Coffee, in the city in 2017.

Hill Harper, an actor on 'CSI: NY' and 'The Good Doctor,' is running for the US Senate in Michigan
Political

A competitive race for an open House seat is taking shape in a Michigan battleground district

Former Democratic state Sen. Curtis Hertel Jr. on Monday will announce a campaign for Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, one of the nation’s most competitive House districts. Hertel and Republican Tom Barrett, who launched his second run for the seat Sunday night, are the first to announce bids for U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin’s seat. Slotkin, a Democrat, announced earlier this year that she would seek Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat. Michigan’s 7th District was home to one of the nation’s most expensive contests last year, with Slotkin beating Barrett, and both national parties have already vowed to

A competitive race for an open House seat is taking shape in a Michigan battleground district
Political

Disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar stabbed multiple times at Florida federal prison: AP sources

Disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar, who was convicted of sexually abusing female gymnasts, was stabbed multiple times during an altercation with another incarcerated person at a federal prison in Florida. Two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press the attack happened Sunday at United States Penitentiary Coleman in Florida. The people said he was in stable condition Monday. One of the people said he had been stabbed in the back and in the chest. The people were not authorized to publicly discuss details of the attack or the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated

Disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar stabbed multiple times at Florida federal prison: AP sources
Political

'Idiots,' 'criminals' and 'scum' -- nasty politics highest in US since the Civil War

Former U.S. President Donald Trump at the Moms for Liberty Joyful Warriors summit in June 2023 in Philadelphia. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images Joe Biden, “together with a band of his closest thugs, misfits and Marxists, tried to destroy American democracy.” This is what Donald Trump said to his supporters hours after pleading not guilty in federal court in June 2023 to his mishandling of classified documents. The indictment of a former president was shocking, but Trump’s words were not. Twenty years ago, his rhetoric would have been unusual coming from any member of Congress, let alone a party leader. Yet

'Idiots,' 'criminals' and 'scum' -- nasty politics highest in US since the Civil War
Political

Why do voters have to pick a Republican or a Democrat in the US?

Voters often believe they only have two choices in American elections, even when multiple candidates appear on a ballot. OsakaWayne Studios/Moment via Getty Images Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to [email protected]. Why does it have to be Democrat vs. Republican in elections? Why can’t it be Republican vs. Republican or Democrat vs. Democrat? – Gianna, age 13, Phoenix, Arizona Americans are used to having a lot of choices. What to wear today? What to eat? What to read? Yet in so many

Why do voters have to pick a Republican or a Democrat in the US?
Political

Democrat Roland Gutierrez joins US Senate race in Texas after pressing for action over Uvalde

Democratic Texas state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who has pushed for police accountability and tougher gun laws after the Uvalde school shooting, announced Monday he will run for U.S. Senate in 2024. He becomes the second Texas Democrat to embark on what will be a longshot bid to deny Republican Sen. Ted Cruz a third term representing the nation’s biggest red state. In May, Rep. Colin Allred became the first to enter the race. He says his campaign has since raised more than $6 million. It sets up a rare competitive Democratic primary for a major race

Democrat Roland Gutierrez joins US Senate race in Texas after pressing for action over Uvalde
Political

Trump and DeSantis begin eyeing Super Tuesday states as they prepare for 2024 long game

As the Republican presidential primary intensifies this summer, most White House hopefuls are devoting their time to events in Iowa and New Hampshire, the states that kick off the nomination process early next year. Not Ron DeSantis or Donald Trump. The Florida governor will address more than 1,500 faithful Republicans on Saturday at Nashville’s Music City Center. A few weeks later, the former president will swing through Alabama to headline the state GOP’s biggest event of the summer. Trump, the early GOP frontrunner, and DeSantis, who is trailing him for second place, are hardly ignoring voters in the states that

Trump and DeSantis begin eyeing Super Tuesday states as they prepare for 2024 long game
Political

Biden is off to Windsor Castle to have tea with King Charles and promote clean energy

President Joe Biden’s itinerary this week in Europe is dominated by the ongoing war in Ukraine and his continued efforts to rally an international coalition against Russia’s invasion of its neighbor. But first, some tea. The U.S. president’s initial stop on his three-nation trip is Britain, where he’ll meet with King Charles III for the first time since the latter was crowned in May. Biden did not attend Charles’s coronation, sending first lady Jill Biden instead, and Monday’s visit will be marked by a bit of royal pomp — including a royal salute, a viewing of U.S.-related

Biden is off to Windsor Castle to have tea with King Charles and promote clean energy
Political

Deep partisanship will be on display as Congress releases competing voting bills

Congress in the coming weeks will consider shoring up voting and election laws — efforts that will reflect the vast gulf between Democrats and Republicans on protecting a foundation of American democracy. The parties will unveil separate and competing proposals that will have little chance of success in a divided government, but are likely to be used to rally supporters ahead of the 2024 elections. House Republicans on Monday are scheduled to release a proposal that would tighten voting laws and take a defiant stand against concerns that laws passed in recent years by GOP-controlled state legislatures

Deep partisanship will be on display as Congress releases competing voting bills
Political

Stymied by the Supreme Court, Biden wants voters to have the final say on his agenda

After major blows to his agenda by the Supreme Court, President Joe Biden is intent on making sure voters will have the final say. When the court’s conservative majority effectively killed his plan to cancel or reduce federal student loan debts for millions of people, Biden said, “Republicans snatched away the hope that they were given.” When the justices ended race-based affirmative action in college admissions, he said, “This is not a normal court.” When they overturned Roe v. Wade and a national right to abortion last year, the president said, “Voters need to make their voices

Stymied by the Supreme Court, Biden wants voters to have the final say on his agenda

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