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

Latest From The Los Angeles Post

Political

US sanctions Russian intelligence officers over elections interference

The U.S. on Friday imposed sanctions on two Russian intelligence officers who supervised two officers who were recently indicted by the Justice Department for their involvement in the Kremlin’s attempts to influence a local election in the United States. Yegor Popov, a Russian intelligence officer, was sanctioned Friday. He served as a primary handler of Alexander Ionov, a Russian operative who was charged by the Justice Department last year with recruiting political groups in the U.S. to advance pro-Russia propaganda, including about the invasion of Ukraine. U.S. authorities say Ionov recruited political groups in Florida, Georgia and

US sanctions Russian intelligence officers over elections interference
Political

Biden and Modi meet Apple, Google CEOs and other executives as Indian premier wraps state visit

President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday opened the final day of the Indian prime minister’s four-day U.S. visit by meeting top American and Indian executives as the leaders look to increase cooperation on artificial intelligence, semiconductor production and space. The leaders are putting a spotlight on the “Innovation Handshake,” a new initiative aimed at addressing regulatory hurdles that stand in the way of cooperation between the two countries and promoting job growth in emerging technologies. “Our countries are taking innovation and cooperation to new levels,” Biden told the group, which included Apple CEO

Biden and Modi meet Apple, Google CEOs and other executives as Indian premier wraps state visit
Political

Infowars host Owen Shroyer pleads guilty to Capitol riot charge

Infowars host Owen Shroyer, who promoted baseless claims of 2020 election fraud on the far-right internet platform, pleaded guilty on Friday to joining the mob of Donald Trump supporters who rioted at the U.S. Capitol. Shroyer, who didn’t enter the Capitol but led rioters in chants near the top of the building’s steps, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of illegally entering a restricted area. The charge carries a maximum sentence of one year behind bars. U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly scheduled a Sept. 12 sentencing hearing for the 33-year-old Shroyer, who has hosted a daily show

Infowars host Owen Shroyer pleads guilty to Capitol riot charge
Political

Supreme Court allows a Biden policy to take effect focusing deportations on public safety risks

The Supreme Court said Friday it will no longer stand in the way of a long-blocked Biden administration policy to prioritize the deportation of immigrants who are deemed to pose the greatest public safety risk or were picked up at the border. The justices rejected a challenge from Republican-led states to a policy that, the administration said, recognizes that there is not enough money or manpower to deport all 11 million or so people who are in the United States illegally. The states had argued that federal immigration law requires authorities to detain and deport even those

Supreme Court allows a Biden policy to take effect focusing deportations on public safety risks
Political

Supreme Court upholds federal law used to prosecute people who encourage illegal immigration

The Supreme Court on Friday upheld a section of federal law used to prosecute people who encourage illegal immigration, ruling against a California man who offered adult adoptions he falsely claimed would lead to U.S. citizenship. The court by a 7-2 vote rejected arguments that the law is too broad and violates the Constitution. The case involves a section of federal immigration law that says a person who “encourages or induces” a non-citizen to come to or remain in the United States illegally can be punished by up to five years in prison. That’s increased to 10

Supreme Court upholds federal law used to prosecute people who encourage illegal immigration
Political

There is no legal reason the US shouldn't supply cluster bombs to Ukraine – but that doesn't make it morally right

The remains of a rocket that carried cluster munitions found in a Ukrainian field. Alice Martins/For The Washington Post via Getty Images Pressure on the Biden administration to provide Ukraine with cluster bombs has refocused attention on the legal and moral use of such weaponry. The U.S. has been here before. It provided Saudi Arabia with cluster munitions – which contain bomblets that can scatter across a wide area, often not exploding until later – during the kingdom’s military intervention in Yemen. Washington suspended sales of cluster bombs to the Saudis in 2016 following mounting concern over the toll they

There is no legal reason the US shouldn't supply cluster bombs to Ukraine – but that doesn't make it morally right
Political

Maine bill proposing one of country's least restrictive abortion laws narrowly clears House vote

A proposal to expand access to abortions narrowly passed Thursday night in the Maine House, clearing the first hurdle after lawmakers kicked off an emotional floor debate. The 74-72 vote was closer than expected after at least one Democratic co-sponsor had a change of heart, joining lawmakers opposed to the proposal that would give the state one of the least restrictive abortion laws in the country. The bill moves next to the Maine Senate for consideration. The bill introduced by Democratic Gov. Janet Mills with the backing of legislative leaders would allow abortions any time before birth if deemed necessary

Maine bill proposing one of country's least restrictive abortion laws narrowly clears House vote
Political

Biden is getting endorsements from 3 abortion rights groups as Democrats bank on the issue in 2024

President Joe Biden is banking on reproductive rights to be a galvanizing issue for voters in the 2024 presidential election as he collects a trio of top-level endorsements and hosts a rally Friday to mark the approaching anniversary of the Supreme Court decision overturning federal abortion protections. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are being endorsed by Planned Parenthood Action Fund, NARAL Pro-Choice America and Emily’s List. The groups are throwing their early support behind the reelection effort in part to highlight the importance of the issue for Democrats heading into the election year, the groups’ leaders

Biden is getting endorsements from 3 abortion rights groups as Democrats bank on the issue in 2024
Political

Evangelical leader hopes conference is 'testosterone booster shot' for anti-abortion 2024 candidates

A year after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, some of the Republican Party’s most powerful evangelical Christian voices are gathering to celebrate a ruling that sent shockwaves through American politics and stripped away a constitutional protection that stood for almost a half century. At the Faith & Freedom Coalition’s annual conference in Washington, GOP presidential candidates will be urged to keep pushing for stronger abortion restrictions, even as Democrats insist the issue will buoy them ahead of the 2024 election. Former President Donald Trump, whose three nominees to the high court allowed for the reversal

Evangelical leader hopes conference is 'testosterone booster shot' for anti-abortion 2024 candidates
Political

Arizona Republican election official sues Kari Lake for defamation

A top Republican election official in Arizona filed a defamation lawsuit Thursday against Kari Lake, who falsely claims she lost the 2022 race for governor because of fraud. Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer said he’s faced “violent vitriol and other dire consequences” because of lies spread by Lake, including death threats and the loss of friendships. “Rather than accept political defeat, rather than get a new job, she has sought to undermine confidence in our elections and has mobilized millions of her followers against me,” Richer wrote in an op-ed in The Arizona Republic. Lake is a

Arizona Republican election official sues Kari Lake for defamation
Political

Sinema cites bill targeting leaders of failed banks after criticism of her Wall Street ties

Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, the Democratic defector turned independent who’s been criticized as too closely aligned with Wall Street interests, took credit Thursday for helping broker legislation that would target executives of failed banks. Sinema, who has not said whether she will seek a second-term in 2024, cited the bill approved this week by the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee as an example of the bipartisan dealmaking she says is often lacking from Congress. Her steadfast support for across-the-aisle negotiations fueled her divorce from the Democratic Party last year and is complicating her potential path

Sinema cites bill targeting leaders of failed banks after criticism of her Wall Street ties
Political

Planned Parenthood, Emily's List and NARAL-Pro Choice America endorse Joe Biden in 2024 race

Three top reproductive rights groups are endorsing President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for reelection in 2024. Planned Parenthood Action Fund, NARAL Pro-Choice America and Emily’s List are throwing their early support behind the reelection effort in part to highlight the importance of the issue for Democrats heading into the election year, leaders told the Associated Press on Thursday. “I think that President Biden has been an incredibly valuable partner, along with Vice President Harris, in fighting back against the onslaught of attacks that we have seen,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, president and chief executive

Planned Parenthood, Emily's List and NARAL-Pro Choice America endorse Joe Biden in 2024 race
Political

Trump, DeSantis interviews show Fox influence on GOP field still strong despite troubled year

The two leading GOP presidential contenders had very different interview experiences with Fox News in the past week — each an illustration of the influence that even a damaged Fox has over the Republican nominating process. Donald Trump’s interview with Bret Baier, which aired in two parts Monday and Tuesday, was meaty and newsworthy. Baier pressed the former president about his indictment on hoarding confidential documents and pushed back on Trump’s false claims about the 2020 election. Ron DeSantis’ session with Trump’s former press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, on Wednesday was far softer. Their appearances alone are

Trump, DeSantis interviews show Fox influence on GOP field still strong despite troubled year
Political

GOP releases whistleblower testimonies from ex-IRS agents in Hunter Biden case

House Republicans released testimony Thursday from two IRS whistleblowers who allege that the Justice Department interfered with their yearslong investigation into President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter — a charge the department swiftly denied. The House Ways and Means Committee, led by Republican Rep. Jason Smith, voted to publicly disclose congressional testimony from two former IRS agents who worked on the federal investigation into the younger Biden’s taxes and foreign business dealings. “Whistleblowers describe how the Biden Justice Department intervened and overstepped in a campaign to protect the son of Joe Biden by delaying, divulging and denying an

GOP releases whistleblower testimonies from ex-IRS agents in Hunter Biden case
Political

India's Modi meets the press at the White House — and takes rare questions

Narendra Modi did something very unusual on Thursday at the White House — he took questions from journalists. It’s a rare occurrence for the Indian prime minister who avoids unscripted moments and has presided over a steady decline in press freedom in his country. The news conference was more limited than the kind that U.S. presidents usually hold with foreign leaders, but even that wasn’t easy to arrange with Modi. Indian officials agreed to the event only the day before, according to a person familiar with the matter who requested anonymity to discuss the sensitive negotiations. Administration

India's Modi meets the press at the White House — and takes rare questions
Political

Human rights in the air, millet and mushrooms on the plates at the White House dinner for India

Concerns about human rights and freedom in India were in the air for Thursday’s White House state dinner for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while a plant-based menu of millet, mushrooms and strawberry shortcake was on the menu for the vegetarian premier and hundreds of guests. Despite deep differences over human rights and India’s stance on Russia’s war in Ukraine, President Joe Biden extended to Modi the administration’s third invitation for a state visit. It included the state dinner, a high diplomatic honor that the U.S. reserves for its closest allies. Biden hopes all the pomp and attention

Human rights in the air, millet and mushrooms on the plates at the White House dinner for India
Political

Senate votes to keep Biden rule toughening requirements on stabilizing braces for firearms

New rules that require owners to register stabilizing braces for firearms will stay in place after the Senate rejected a Republican effort on Thursday to overturn them. President Joe Biden had promised to veto the resolution overturning the rules if it had passed. In January, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives finalized the new regulations on pistols with stabilizing braces, also called pistol braces, that require owners to register them and pay a fee or remove the braces. The agency found the accessories can make pistols as dangerously powerful and easy to conceal as short-barreled

Senate votes to keep Biden rule toughening requirements on stabilizing braces for firearms
Political

Rep. George Santos' aunt and dad signed his bail bond to keep him out of jail while awaiting trial

The two people who bailed Rep. George Santos out of federal custody have been revealed to be his father and his aunt, a detail the Republican fought to keep secret as he faces criminal charges and swirling questions about his finances. Gercino dos Santos Jr. and Elma Preven were named in a court filing on Thursday as the co-signers of Santos’ $500,000 bond, which enabled his release as he awaits trial on federal charges of fraud, money laundering and theft of public funds. Santos, R-N.Y., had fought to keep their names secret. They were revealed after

Rep. George Santos' aunt and dad signed his bail bond to keep him out of jail while awaiting trial
Political

FDA warns stores to stop selling Elf Bar, the top disposable e-cigarette in the US

The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday said it has sent warning letters to dozens of retailers selling fruit- and candy-flavored disposable e-cigarettes, including the current best-selling brand, Elf Bar. It’s the latest attempt by regulators to crack down on illegal disposable vapes that have poured into U.S. stores in recent years. Last month, the FDA issued orders allowing customs officials to seize shipments of Elf Bar, Esco Bar and two other brands at U.S. ports. None of the products have received FDA authorization and they come in flavors like cotton candy, which regulators say can appeal

FDA warns stores to stop selling Elf Bar, the top disposable e-cigarette in the US
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
Political

US safety agency to require automatic emergency braking on heavy trucks and buses

The government will require heavy trucks and buses to include automatic emergency braking equipment within five years, the federal traffic safety agency said Thursday, estimating it will prevent nearly 20,000 crashes save at least 155 lives a year. The announcement by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration follows a similar move last month for all new passenger cars and light trucks. The actions represent the traffic safety agency’s latest efforts to regulate electronic systems that take on certain tasks that drivers themselves have normally handled. NHTSA has been reluctant in the past to impose such regulations, saying

US safety agency to require automatic emergency braking on heavy trucks and buses
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
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
Political

Former Texas congressman Will Hurd, a Trump critic, announces 2024 Republican presidential campaign

Former Texas congressman Will Hurd, a onetime CIA officer and fierce critic of Donald Trump, announced on Thursday that he’s running for president, hoping to build momentum as a more moderate alternative to the Republican primary field’s early front-runner. Hurd, who made the announcement on CBS, served three terms in the House through January 2021, becoming the chamber’s only Black Republican during his final two years in office. “This morning I filed to be Republican nominee for president of the United States,” he said on “CBS Mornings.” Hurd said in a video launching his White House bid

Former Texas congressman Will Hurd, a Trump critic, announces 2024 Republican presidential campaign

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