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

Latest From The Los Angeles Post

World

Wealthy Russian with Kremlin ties gets 9 years in prison for hacking and insider trading scheme

A wealthy Russian businessman with ties to the Kremlin was sentenced Thursday to nine years in prison for his role in a nearly $100 million stock market cheating scheme that relied on secret earnings information stolen through the hacking of U.S. computer networks. Vladislav Klyushin, who ran a Moscow-based information technology company that did work for the highest levels of the Russian government, was convicted in February of charges including wire fraud and securities fraud after a two-week trial in federal court in Boston. Authorities say he personally pocketed more than $33 million in the scheme, which

Wealthy Russian with Kremlin ties gets 9 years in prison for hacking and insider trading scheme
World

First day of school jitters: Influx of migrant children tests preparedness of NYC schools

Damien, age 5, was giddy with excitement as he left a Manhattan homeless shelter, sometimes running and skipping along the sidewalk accompanied by his wistful mother, a migrant from Ecuador. “What I want for him is a future,” Kimberly Carchipulla said in Spanish of her son, one of nearly 800,000 New York City public school students who headed off to class Thursday for their first day of the new school year. That is what school officials want, too, as the city’s classrooms work to accommodate nearly 20,000 migrant children newly arrived in the U.S. — a

First day of school jitters: Influx of migrant children tests preparedness of NYC schools
World

Ta’Kiya Young had big plans for her growing family before police killed her in an Ohio parking lot

Ta’Kiya Young treated her two little boys like kings, dressing them sharply, letting them have too many sweets, cooking them big gourmet meals of T-bone steak with broccoli, cheese and rice. The royal life also awaited her unborn daughter. When Young found out she was pregnant with her third child — a girl — she was thrilled. The 21-year-old Ohio mom and aspiring social worker bought a stack of adorable onesies in anticipation of the baby’s arrival. She scheduled a photo shoot to show off her baby bump. She applied for public housing and looked forward to the day when

Ta’Kiya Young had big plans for her growing family before police killed her in an Ohio parking lot
World

Daughter of long-imprisoned activist in Bahrain to return to island in bid to push for his release

A daughter of a long-detained human rights activist in Bahrain said Thursday she would return to the island nation to press for his release while he and hundreds of other inmates are on a major hunger strike and even though she could be imprisoned as well. The trip by Maryam al-Khawaja draws renewed attention to the plight of her 62-year-old ailing father, Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, a dual Danish-Bahraini national convicted of internationally criticized terrorism charges and held in what a United Nations panel calls an “arbitrary” imprisonment ever since. It also raises the stakes of

Daughter of long-imprisoned activist in Bahrain to return to island in bid to push for his release
World

Japan's Kishida says China seafood ban contrasts with wide support for Fukushima water release

Japan’s prime minister said that China’s blanket ban on Japanese seafood in reaction to the release of treated radioactive water from a tsunami-ravaged nuclear power plant contrasts starkly with broad understanding shown by many other members of the international community. The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant on Japan’s northeastern coast started releasing treated and diluted radioactive wastewater in late August into the Pacific Ocean. The release has been opposed by the Japanese fishing community, which is worried about the reputation of the fish it catches. China immediately banned all Japanese seafood. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told

Japan's Kishida says China seafood ban contrasts with wide support for Fukushima water release
World

AI used to alter imagery or sounds in political ads will require prominent disclosure on Google

Google will soon require that political ads using artificial intelligence be accompanied by a prominent disclosure if imagery or sounds have been synthetically altered. Starting in November, just under a year before Election Day, Google said in an update to its political content policy that disclosure of AI to alter images must be clear and conspicuous and be located somewhere that users are likely to notice it. Though fake images, videos or audio clips are not new to political advertising, generative AI tools are making it easier to do, and more realistic. Some presidential campaigns in the 2024 race —

AI used to alter imagery or sounds in political ads will require prominent disclosure on Google
World

AI used to alter imagery or sounds in political ads will require prominent disclosure on Google

Google will soon require that political ads using artificial intelligence be accompanied by a prominent disclosure if imagery or sounds have been synthetically altered. Starting in November, just under a year before Election Day, Google said in an update to its political content policy that disclosure of AI to alter images must be clear and conspicuous and be located somewhere that users are likely to notice it. Though fake images, videos or audio clips are not new to political advertising, generative AI tools are making it easier to do, and more realistic. Some presidential campaigns in the 2024 race —

AI used to alter imagery or sounds in political ads will require prominent disclosure on Google
World

AI used to alter imagery or sounds in political ads will require prominent disclosure on Google

Google will soon require that political ads using artificial intelligence be accompanied by a prominent disclosure if imagery or sounds have been synthetically altered. Starting in November, just under a year before Election Day, Google said in an update to its political content policy that disclosure of AI to alter images must be clear and conspicuous and be located somewhere that users are likely to notice it. Though fake images, videos or audio clips are not new to political advertising, generative AI tools are making it easier to do, and more realistic. Some presidential campaigns in the 2024 race —

AI used to alter imagery or sounds in political ads will require prominent disclosure on Google
World

Online gig work is growing rapidly, but workers lack job protections, a World Bank report says

Online gig work is growing globally, particularly in the developing world, creating an important source of employment for women and young people in poorer countries where jobs are scarce, according to a World Bank report released Thursday. The report estimates the number of global online gig workers at as many as 435 million people and says demand for gig work increased 41% between 2016 and the first quarter of 2023. That boost is generating concern, though, among worker rights advocates about the lack of strong job protections in the gig economy, where people work job to job

Online gig work is growing rapidly, but workers lack job protections, a World Bank report says
World

Online gig work is growing rapidly, but workers lack job protections, a World Bank report says

Online gig work is growing globally, particularly in the developing world, creating an important source of employment for women and young people in poorer countries where jobs are scarce, according to a World Bank report released Thursday. The report estimates the number of global online gig workers at as many as 435 million people and says demand for gig work increased 41% between 2016 and the first quarter of 2023. That boost is generating concern, though, among worker rights advocates about the lack of strong job protections in the gig economy, where people work job to job

Online gig work is growing rapidly, but workers lack job protections, a World Bank report says
World

Online gig work is growing rapidly, but workers lack job protections, a World Bank report says

Online gig work is growing globally, particularly in the developing world, creating an important source of employment for women and young people in poorer countries where jobs are scarce, according to a World Bank report released Thursday. The report estimates the number of global online gig workers at as many as 435 million people and says demand for gig work increased 41% between 2016 and the first quarter of 2023. That boost is generating concern, though, among worker rights advocates about the lack of strong job protections in the gig economy, where people work job to job

Online gig work is growing rapidly, but workers lack job protections, a World Bank report says
World

King Charles III shows his reign will be more about evolution than revolution after year on the job

Don’t rock the boat. A year after the death of Queen Elizabeth II triggered questions about the future of the British monarchy, King Charles III’s reign has been marked more by continuity than transformation, by changes in style rather than substance. Charles, who waited more than 70 years to ascend the throne, moved seamlessly into his new role, avoiding controversy and sidestepping major reforms despite questions about whether an unelected king can still represent the people of modern Britain. Most people seem to have shrugged off Charles’ occasional faux pas — most publicly when he threw a

King Charles III shows his reign will be more about evolution than revolution after year on the job
World

A look at the uranium-based ammo the US is sending to Ukraine

The U.S. on Wednesday announced it was sending depleted uranium anti-tank rounds to Ukraine, following Britain’s lead in sending the controversial munitions to help Kyiv push through Russian lines in its grueling counteroffensive. The 120 mm rounds will be used to arm the 31 M1A1 Abrams tanks the U.S. plans to deliver to Ukraine in the fall. Such armor-piercing rounds were developed by the U.S. during the Cold War to destroy Soviet tanks, including the same T-72 tanks that Ukraine now faces in its counteroffensive. Depleted uranium is a byproduct of the uranium enrichment process needed to

A look at the uranium-based ammo the US is sending to Ukraine
World

Pets are our faithful companions, but the costs to care for them can add up

Pets provide joy and companionship, but costs can add up quickly, especially if you’re a first-time owner and don’t know what to expect. Many prospective dog or cat owners only focus on the positive aspects of bringing a furry friend into their lives. And there are countless reasons why pets are great. But it’s also important to have realistic expectations so you don’t face sudden expenses that could hurt your financial stability. “It’s important to be able to choose a pet that is going to fit your budget and your lifestyle the best,” said Dr. Wendy

Pets are our faithful companions, but the costs to care for them can add up
World

Polish director demands apology from justice minister for comparing her film to Nazi propaganda

Film director Agnieszka Holland demanded an apology from Poland’s justice minister after he compared her latest film, which explores the migration crisis at the Poland-Belarus border, to Nazi propaganda. Holland said Wednesday that she planned to bring defamation charges against Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro unless she receives an apology within seven days. She also demanded that he make a charitable donation of 50,000 Polish zlotys ($11,600) to an association that helps Holocaust survivors. Holland’s feature film, “Green Border,” explores a migration crisis that has played out along Poland’s border with Belarus over the past two years.

Polish director demands apology from justice minister for comparing her film to Nazi propaganda
World

Lebanese premier warns Syrian refugees pose a danger to the small nation's balance

Over a thousand Syrian refugees each week fleeing to Lebanon from their country’s worsening economic and financial conditions “could create harsh imbalances” in the small Mediterranean nation, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati warned Thursday. Over the past months, thousands of Syrian citizens made it to Lebanon through illegal crossing points seeking a better life. But Lebanon is going through its own four-year meltdown, with a drowning economy pinning its hopes on tourism and crumbling infrastructure where electricity and water cuts are widespread. In the early years after conflict broke out in Syria in March 2011, Lebanon received

Lebanese premier warns Syrian refugees pose a danger to the small nation's balance
World

Catholic-Jewish research substantiates reports that Catholic convents sheltered Jews during WWII

Researchers have discovered new documentation that substantiates reports that Catholic convents and monasteries in Rome sheltered Jews during World War II, providing names of at least 3,200 Jews whose identities have been corroborated by the city’s Jewish community, officials said Thursday. Researchers from the Pontifical Biblical Institute, Israel’s Yad Vashem Holocaust research institute and Rome’s Jewish community released the findings at an academic conference Thursday held at the Museum of the Shoah, part of Rome’s main synagogue. The documentation doesn’t appear to shed any new light on the role of Pope Pius XII during the Nazi occupation

Catholic-Jewish research substantiates reports that Catholic convents sheltered Jews during WWII
World

The president of a Japanese boy band company resigns and apologizes for late uncle's sex abuse

A powerful Japanese entertainment company tarnished by sexual assault allegations against its late founder appointed one of its stars as its new president Thursday after the previous chief resigned and apologized for the abuse young clients suffered over decades. Julie Keiko Fujishima announced she was stepping down as president of Johnny & Associates, the talent agency founded by her late uncle, Johnny Kitagawa. She said the alleged sex abuse had really happened and that she would stay on the company’s board to see through a victim compensation program. “This is what my uncle committed, and as a

The president of a Japanese boy band company resigns and apologizes for late uncle's sex abuse
World

Gabon’s junta says deposed president is 'freed' and can travel on a medical trip

Gabon’s ousted President Ali Bongo Ondimba, who has been under house arrest since he was deposed last week, is free Thursday and can embark on a medical trip, the country’s new military leaders said. Ondimba is “free to move given his state of health,” Col. Ulrich Manfoumbi, spokesman for the transition committee, said on state television a day earlier. “He can, if he wishes, go abroad to carry out his medical checks.” The ousted president’s health was not immediately clear. He had suffered a stroke in late 2018 that kept him from his duties for months.

Gabon’s junta says deposed president is 'freed' and can travel on a medical trip
World

A unified strategy and more funding are urgently needed to end the crisis in Myanmar, UN chief says

The United Nations chief renewed an urgent call to the international community Thursday to seek a unified strategy to end the worsening crisis in Myanmar. Secretary-General António Guterres said declining financial aid should be boosted to previous levels to enable the world body to respond to an “enormous tragedy.” He said the situation in Myanmar has further deteriorated since he met with ASEAN leaders in a 2022 summit, and again called on the crisis-wracked country’s military-installed government to immediately free all political prisoners and “open the door to a return to democratic rule.” Myanmar’s army seized

A unified strategy and more funding are urgently needed to end the crisis in Myanmar, UN chief says
World

Stock market today: Asian shares fall as China reports weaker global demand hit its trade in August

Shares slipped Thursday in Asia as China reported weaker global demand hit its trade in August, adding to pressures on its economy. Oil prices and U.S. futures also fell. Hong Kong’s benchmark fell more than 1% and most other major regional markets also declined. China said its exports fell 8.8% in August from a year earlier, while imports were down 7.3%. The declines were smaller than the double-digit drops in July, however, and were better than most forecasts. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng, which has yoyoed this week on news about Chinese policy changes for the property sector, declined on selling

Stock market today: Asian shares fall as China reports weaker global demand hit its trade in August
World

Australia and China open their first high-level dialogue in 3 years in a sign of a slight thaw

Australia and China opened their first high-level dialogue in three years Thursday in a sign of a slight thaw to relations between countries that have clashed on everything from human rights to COVID-19 origins to trade. “I welcome the recent positive developments in the bilateral relationship, but we know that there is more work to do,” said Craig Emerson, the head of the Australian delegation and a former trade minister. The dialogue being held in Beijing will focus on trade, people-to-people links and security. China’s former Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said the two countries should work

Australia and China open their first high-level dialogue in 3 years in a sign of a slight thaw
World

Mexico ends federal ban on abortion, but patchwork of state restrictions remains

A Mexican Supreme Court ruling that invalidated all federal criminal penalties for abortion continued a regional trend of widening access to the procedure, but left in place a patchwork of varying state restrictions. The high court ordered Wednesday that abortion be removed from the federal penal code, and will require the federal public health service and all federal health institutions to offer abortion to anyone who requests it. That will mean access for millions of Mexicans. The social security service and other federal institutions provide health care to most people who work in the formal economy.

Mexico ends federal ban on abortion, but patchwork of state restrictions remains
World

China exports decline slower than expected in August as weak demand keeps economy under pressure

China’s exports declined at a slower pace in August, even as the world’s second-biggest economy remains under pressure from weaker demand both domestically and abroad. Exports for August slumped 8.8% from the same time last year, totaling $284.87 billion, and were slower than the 14.5% last month, according to customs data Thursday. Imports slid 7.3% from a year ago to $216.51 billion, but beat consensus estimates of a 9% decline. China’s trade surplus contracted 13.2% to $68.36 billion, lower than the $80.6 billion in July. Chinese leaders have in recent months rolled out several policy measures

China exports decline slower than expected in August as weak demand keeps economy under pressure
World

The Catholic Church defended human rights during Chile’s dictatorship. An archive tells the story

Lined up like soldiers guarding a nation’s treasures, dozens of shelves preserve an archive that gives account of a painful episode in Chile’s history: 47,000 instances of human rights violations during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. The documents were gathered between 1976 and 1992 by workers of the Vicariate of Solidarity, a human rights organization founded by Chilean Cardinal Raúl Silva Henríquez. Led by social workers, lawyers, archivists and physicians, it provided support to those harmed by the regime. “The archive gives an account of how the repression occurred,” said María Paz Vergara, executive secretary at

The Catholic Church defended human rights during Chile’s dictatorship. An archive tells the story

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