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Today: January 22, 2025
Today: January 22, 2025
The Los Angeles Post

The Los Angeles Post

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Political

Pence says Trump and DeSantis do not understand broader importance of US military aid to Ukraine

Former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis do not grasp the broader implications of their call for limited military assistance to Ukraine, former Vice President Mike Pence told The Associated Press in Iowa Wednesday. “With all due respect, I think the former president and the governor of Florida just don’t understand Americans’ national interest in supporting the Ukrainian military in repelling the Russian military in Ukraine,” Pence, who is competing with Trump and DeSantis for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, said during the interview before a campaign event in Sioux City. Pence, who

Pence says Trump and DeSantis do not understand broader importance of US military aid to Ukraine
World

Cowser a hit in his MLB debut as Kremer pitches the scuffling Orioles past the Yankees 6-3

Touted prospect Colton Cowser hit an RBI single in his major league debut and scored the go-ahead run when fellow rookie Jordan Westburg followed with a two-run triple, sending Dean Kremer and the Baltimore Orioles past the New York Yankees 6-3 on Wednesday night. Kremer (9-4) struck out a career-high 10 in seven innings of four-hit ball. Ryan O’Hearn lined a two-run homer in the ninth, and All-Star relievers Yennier Cano and Félix Bautista combined to get the final six outs as the second-place Orioles won for only the second time in eight games. Josh Donaldson

Cowser a hit in his MLB debut as Kremer pitches the scuffling Orioles past the Yankees 6-3
Arts

Aretha Franklin's sons battle over handwritten wills 5 years after her death

Five years after her death, the final wishes of music superstar Aretha Franklin are still unsettled. An unusual trial begins next Monday to determine which of two handwritten wills, including one found in couch cushions, will guide how her estate is handled. The Queen of Soul, who had four sons, did not have a formal, typewritten will in place, despite years of health problems and efforts to get one done. But under Michigan law, it’s still possible to treat other documents — with scribbles, scratch-outs and hard-to-read passages — as her commands. The dispute is pitting

Aretha Franklin's sons battle over handwritten wills 5 years after her death
Arts

Aretha Franklin's sons battle over handwritten wills 5 years after her death

Five years after her death, the final wishes of music superstar Aretha Franklin are still unsettled. An unusual trial begins next Monday to determine which of two handwritten wills, including one found in couch cushions, will guide how her estate is handled. The Queen of Soul, who had four sons, did not have a formal, typewritten will in place, despite years of health problems and efforts to get one done. But under Michigan law, it’s still possible to treat other documents — with scribbles, scratch-outs and hard-to-read passages — as her commands. The dispute is pitting

Aretha Franklin's sons battle over handwritten wills 5 years after her death
World

Russian missile attack on Lviv, Ukraine, kills 3 people and wounds more, mayor says

A Russian missile attack in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, killed three people and wounded eight, the mayor said Thursday. Mayor Andriy Sadovyi said around 60 apartments and 50 cars in the area of strike were damaged. Emergency service workers are searching in the debris for more people trapped. Sadovyi addressed residents in a video message, saying the attack was the largest on Lviv’s civilian infrastructure since the beginning of the full-scale invasion last year. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian war refugees have sought safety in Lviv from other areas to the east.

Russian missile attack on Lviv, Ukraine, kills 3 people and wounds more, mayor says
World

Relatives of El Paso Walmart shooting victims seek justice, saying they're down but not out

A brother who traveled more than 1,000 miles to confront his sister’s killer. An uncle of an orphaned 4-year-old whose parents died while shielding the boy from the spray of bullets. A wife whose husband was gunned down at her side while their 9-year-old granddaughter looked on. Nearly four years after a white gunman killed 23 people at a Walmart in El Paso in a racist attack that targeted Hispanic shoppers, relatives of the victims are packing a courtroom near the U.S.-Mexico border this week to see Patrick Crusius punished for one of the nation’s

Relatives of El Paso Walmart shooting victims seek justice, saying they're down but not out
Political

Trump valet charged in classified documents case set again for arraignment after earlier delays

A valet for Donald Trump accused of helping the former president hide classified documents from federal authorities is due back in a Florida court on Thursday after an earlier appearance was postponed because of a canceled flight. Walt Nauta, who was charged alongside Trump in June in a 38-count indictment alleging the mishandling of classified documents, is set to be arraigned before a federal magistrate in Miami. That was to have happened twice before already, but he has struggled to retain a lawyer licensed in Florida to represent him. Trump pleaded not guilty during his June 13

Trump valet charged in classified documents case set again for arraignment after earlier delays
Political

Biden is heading to South Carolina to show his economic agenda is keeping even red states humming

President Joe Biden is heading to South Carolina on Thursday to make the case that economic measures he pushed through Congress despite stiff Republican opposition are helping to keep the deep red state — and others that voted for Donald Trump in 2020 — humming. Ahead of Biden’s visit to a state that he lost by nearly 12 percentage points in 2020, White House officials argued that if Republicans had their way, South Carolina, like many other Republican-controlled states, would have lost out on billions of dollars in investments and thousands of jobs. Biden will use his

Biden is heading to South Carolina to show his economic agenda is keeping even red states humming
World

Hearing underway for first of 2 Iowa teens who pleaded guilty in 2021 beating death of teacher

A sentencing hearing for the first of two Iowa teenagers who pleaded guilty to beating their high school Spanish teacher to death with a baseball bat was underway Thursday with details about the investigation into the killing. Willard Miller and Jeremy Goodale pleaded guilty in April to the Nov. 2, 2021, attack on Nohema Graber in a park in Fairfield, Iowa, where the 66-year-old teacher regularly walked after school. Prosecutors said the teens, who were 16 at the time, were angry at Graber because of a bad grade she had given Miller. Miller will be

Hearing underway for first of 2 Iowa teens who pleaded guilty in 2021 beating death of teacher
World

Hearing underway for first of 2 Iowa teens who pleaded guilty in 2021 beating death of teacher

A sentencing hearing for the first of two Iowa teenagers who pleaded guilty to beating their high school Spanish teacher to death with a baseball bat was underway Thursday with details about the investigation into the killing. Willard Miller and Jeremy Goodale pleaded guilty in April to the Nov. 2, 2021, attack on Nohema Graber in a park in Fairfield, Iowa, where the 66-year-old teacher regularly walked after school. Prosecutors said the teens, who were 16 at the time, were angry at Graber because of a bad grade she had given Miller. Miller will be

Hearing underway for first of 2 Iowa teens who pleaded guilty in 2021 beating death of teacher
Political

Guantanamo detainees tell first independent visitor about scars from torture and hopes to leave

At the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, the aging men known by their serial numbers arrived at the meeting shackled. Every single one told the visitor — for many the first independent person they had talked to in 20 years — “You came too late.” But they still talked, about the scant contacts with their families, their many health problems, the psychological and physical scars of the torture and abuse they experienced, and their hopes of leaving and reuniting with loved ones. For the first time since the facility in Cuba opened in 2002, a

Guantanamo detainees tell first independent visitor about scars from torture and hopes to leave
Political

Kingmaker California? US House control could hinge on district battles in famously liberal state

In 2024, control of the U.S. House could hinge on congressional districts in one famously liberal state: California. Command of the narrowly divided chamber will again be in play next year, and leaders in both parties agree on this much: The outcome in a string of contested California districts will be critical in determining the balance of power, after the state played a pivotal role in securing the gavel for Republicans in 2022 and installing Rep. Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield as speaker. The decisive fight for the House “will run through California,” predicts Rep. Pete Aguilar,

Kingmaker California? US House control could hinge on district battles in famously liberal state
World

FIA not interested in early renegotiations of bedrock Formula One agreement, president tells AP

The head of the FIA says the motorsports governing body has no interest in signing an early renewal of its contract with Liberty Media and the 10 Formula One teams, who have stated their wish to sweeten the deal while the series is basking in global popularity. The eighth and current Concorde Agreement — which sets the rules and regulations for F1 as well as how television revenue and prize money is distributed — began in 2021 and runs through the 2025 season. In a May conference call with Wall Street analysts, the CEO of Liberty Media, which holds the

FIA not interested in early renegotiations of bedrock Formula One agreement, president tells AP
World

Rights group reports allegations of dozens of abuses in critical minerals supply chains

A human rights advocacy group says it found allegations of dozens of labor and environmental abuses by Chinese-invested companies involved in mining or processing minerals used in renewable energy. The report released Thursday by the Business and Human Rights Resource Center in London says it found 102 cases of alleged abuses in all phases of using such minerals: from initial explorations and licensing to mining and processing. The report studied supply chains for nine minerals — cobalt, copper, lithium, manganese, nickel, zinc, aluminum, chromium and the so-called rare earth elements. All are vital for high-tech products

Rights group reports allegations of dozens of abuses in critical minerals supply chains
Science

Beijing orders outdoor work to be halted as scorching summer heat soars

Employers in Beijing were ordered Thursday by the government to stop outdoor work after scorching summer heat in the Chinese capital was forecast to reach 40 degrees centigrade (104 Fahrenheit). Government departments were ordered to ensure the elderly and ill could stay cool after the city of 22 million people issued a “red alert,” the highest level of a warning system for extreme temperatures. The government reported on Monday that Beijing recorded 10 days of temperatures above 35 C (95 F), the longest streak of its kind since 1961. “Relevant departments and units shall take emergency measures

Beijing orders outdoor work to be halted as scorching summer heat soars
Science

For third day, it was the hottest day on Earth, as global temperature matches record set Tuesday

Earth’s average temperature remained at a record high Wednesday, after two days in which the planet reached unofficial records. It’s the latest marker in a series of climate-change-driven extremes. The average global temperature was 17.18 Celsius (62.9 degrees Fahrenheit), according to the University of Maine’s Climate Reanalyzer, a tool that uses satellite data and computer simulations to measure the world’s condition. That matched a record set Tuesday of 17.18 Celsius (62.9 Fahrenheit), and came after a previous record of 17.01 Celsius (62.6 degrees Fahrenheit) was set Monday. Scientists have warned for months that 2023 could see record heat as human-caused

For third day, it was the hottest day on Earth, as global temperature matches record set Tuesday
World

An EU mission in Gaza once represented hope. Today, it is a symbol of a sputtering Western vision

It’s been 16 years since the borders of the Gaza Strip slammed shut after Hamas militants seized control of the territory. The takeover forced the European Union to withdraw monitors who had been deployed at a Gaza border crossing to help the Palestinians prepare for independence. Yet the EU has regularly renewed funding for the unit since then, most recently late last month. The continued existence of the unit known as EUBAM is an extreme example of the West’s willingness to keep pumping hundreds of millions of dollars a year into the moribund vision of a two-state

An EU mission in Gaza once represented hope. Today, it is a symbol of a sputtering Western vision
World

Hong Kong changes law to slash directly elected council seats, undermining democratic challenges

Hong Kong lawmakers on Thursday passed an amendment to a law to eliminate most directly elected seats on local district councils, the last major political representative bodies chosen by the public, shutting down further democratic challenges in the city. The changes include slashing the proportion of directly elected seats in the municipal-level organization being from some 90% currently to just about 20% — even lower than the level when these bodies were first set up in the 1980s, when Hong Kong was ruled by Britain. The rest of the 470 seats will be filled by members

Hong Kong changes law to slash directly elected council seats, undermining democratic challenges
World

Stock market today: Asian markets extend losses after Wall Street drifts lower

Shares slipped in Asia on Thursday after Wall Street drifted downward following a rally that sent it roaring 16% higher for the year so far. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index dropped 3% on heavy selling of Chinese banks shares after Goldman Sachs downgraded them citing concerns about the slowing economy and lenders’ exposures to debt. Japan’s Nikkei 225 lost 1.7%. U.S. futures declined and oil prices were mixed. Share prices had soared recently amid signs the U.S. economy is stronger than had been feared, fending off recession so far despite high interest rates. Minutes from the Federal

Stock market today: Asian markets extend losses after Wall Street drifts lower
World

French justice is working overtime and the mood is stern after thousands of teen arrests

At 19, he was the oldest of the group of teens accused of lobbing Molotov cocktails at the police station of their suburban hometown. “Why?” the judge asked Riad, who was taken into custody after he was identified in video surveillance images of the group from June 29, the second night of nationwide unrest following the police shooting of another suburban teenager outside Paris. “For justice for Nahel,” Riad said. Slumped and slightly disheveled after five nights in jail, he said he didn’t know about the peaceful march organized by Nahel Merzouk’s family. He explained the

French justice is working overtime and the mood is stern after thousands of teen arrests
Health

China says 239 people died from COVID-19 in June in a significant uptick

China reported Thursday that 239 people died from COVID-19 in June in a significant uptick months after it lifted most containment measures. The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention had reported 164 deaths in May and none at all in April and March. China started employing a “zero-COVID” containment strategy in early 2020 and credits the strict lockdowns, quarantines, border closures and compulsory mass testing with significantly saving lives. But the measures were lifted suddenly in December with little preparation, leading to a final surge in which about 60,000 people died, according to the official toll.

China says 239 people died from COVID-19 in June in a significant uptick
World

Top officials from Turkey and Sweden head to NATO to try to overcome membership concerns

Senior officials from Sweden and Turkey will gather at NATO headquarters on Thursday to examine Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s objections to the Nordic country joining the military alliance and to see what more, if anything, can be done to break the deadlock. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg will lead the meeting, which will involve the countries’ foreign ministers, intelligence chiefs and national security advisers. Top officials from Finland, which joined NATO in April after itself addressing Turkish concerns, will also take part. Fearing for their security, Sweden and neighboring Finland ended their longstanding policy of military nonalignment

Top officials from Turkey and Sweden head to NATO to try to overcome membership concerns
World

Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama celebrates 88th birthday

The Dalai Lama celebrated his 88th birthday on Thursday, as hundreds of his supporters and exiled Tibetans thronged his hillside Indian headquarters in Dharamsala. Artists played traditional welcome tunes as the Tibetan spiritual leader arrived in his open mobile van to preside over the celebrations in the courtyard of the Tsuglakhang Temple, which was festooned with Tibetan and Buddhist flags and portraits. “We are celebrating my 88th birthday but look at me, I look barely 50,” the Dalai Lama said, smiling. He has made the hillside town of Dharmsala his headquarters since fleeing from Tibet after

Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama celebrates 88th birthday
World

Australian government distances itself from Donald Trump Jr.'s postponed tour

Australia’s center-left government distanced itself Thursday from the postponement of Donald Trump Jr.’s speaking tour in Australia. His promoters said the eldest son of the former U.S. president was deferring visits to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane because his Australian visa was only approved on Wednesday, 24 hours before he was to board a flight. “It seems America isn’t the only country that makes it difficult for the Trumps,” said Turning Point Australia, a local version of the U.S. conservative political organization. Some conservatives accuse Australia’s Labor Party administration of delaying Trump Jr.’s visa process. But Prime

Australian government distances itself from Donald Trump Jr.'s postponed tour
World

Wagner chief Prigozhin is in Russia, president of Belarus says

Russia’s mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin is in St. Petersburg and his Wagner troops have remained at the camps where they had stayed before an abortive mutiny, the president of Belarus said Thursday. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko helped broker a deal for Prigozhin to his rebellion on June 24 in exchange for security guarantees for himself and his soldiers and permission to move to Belarus. After saying last week that Prigozhin was in Belarus, Lukashenko told international reporters Thursday that the mercenary chief is in St. Petersburg and Wagner troops still were at their camps. He did

Wagner chief Prigozhin is in Russia, president of Belarus says

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