Today: October 08, 2024
Today: October 08, 2024

Latest From The Los Angeles Post

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California lawmakers vote to become first state to ban caste-based discrimination

California lawmakers on Tuesday voted to outlaw discrimination based on caste, adding protections for people of South Asian descent who say they have been left out of traditional American safeguards for fairness in employment and housing. The bill — the first of its kind in the U.S. — now heads to Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who must decide whether to sign it into law. Newsom’s office did not respond to a request for comment about the bill. Caste is an ancient, complex system that regulates people’s social status based on their birth. It’s primarily associated with

California lawmakers vote to become first state to ban caste-based discrimination
World

Alaska couple reunited with cat 26 days after home collapsed into river swollen by glacial outburst

A pair of Alaska teachers needed good news after they lost nearly all their possessions when their house collapsed into a river swollen by a glacial-outburst flood and their cat went missing. Elizabeth Wilkins was holding onto hope that if any animal would survive the house falling into the Mendenhall River on Aug. 5, it would be Leo, the couple’s resilient big-eyed, black-and-white cat who shows no fear of bears. “I knew that he’s pretty smart, and so I felt pretty confident that he would escape and be OK somewhere,” she said. That faith paid off

Alaska couple reunited with cat 26 days after home collapsed into river swollen by glacial outburst
World

Air Canada apologizes for booting passengers who complained that their seats were smeared with vomit

Air Canada says it has apologized to two passengers who were escorted off a plane by security after protesting that their seats were smeared in vomit. The airline said Tuesday that the passengers “clearly did not receive the standard of care to which they were entitled.” The incident during boarding for an Aug. 26 flight from Las Vegas to Montreal was described in graphic detail by another passenger, Susan Benson of New Brunswick, who said she was in the row behind two women and a man. “There was a bit of a foul smell but we didn’t know at first

Air Canada apologizes for booting passengers who complained that their seats were smeared with vomit
World

Minnesota seeks unifying symbol to replace state flag considered offensive to Native Americans

A state commission went to work Tuesday on designing a new state flag and seal for Minnesota to replace a current emblem in both that’s considered offensive to Native Americans. One of the main elements of Minnesota’s state flag includes a prominent state seal against a blue background. The seal depicts a Native American riding off into the sunset while a white settler plows his field with his rifle leaning on a nearby stump. The imagery suggests to many that the Indigenous people were defeated and going away, while whites won and were staying. Not only do

Minnesota seeks unifying symbol to replace state flag considered offensive to Native Americans
World

Design approved for memorial to the victims and survivors of the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting

The permanent memorial to the victims and survivors of the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history will feature 58 candle-like beams under a plan officials in Las Vegas approved Tuesday. With the design officially in place, Clark County commissioners will shift their focus to selecting a nonprofit that will oversee fundraising and the construction and maintenance of the project. It took years to get to this point in the process and could take years more before the memorial is unveiled at the site of the attack on the Las Vegas Strip. The commissioners voted unanimously

Design approved for memorial to the victims and survivors of the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting
World

In the battle against Amazon deforestation, Brazil offers cash rewards to municipalities

In a bid to slow deforestation in the Amazon, Brazil announced Tuesday that it will provide financial support to municipalities that have reduced deforestation rates the most. During the country´s Amazon Day, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva also signed the creation of two Indigenous territories that total 207,000 hectares (511,000 acres) — over two times the size of New York City — and of a network of conservation areas next to the Yanonami Indigenous Territory to act as a buffer against invaders, mostly illegal gold miners. “The Amazon is in a hurry to survive

In the battle against Amazon deforestation, Brazil offers cash rewards to municipalities
World

Judges reject Alabama’s congressional lines, will draw new districts to increase Black voting power

Federal judges said Tuesday that they will draft new congressional lines for Alabama after lawmakers refused to create a second district where Black voters at least came close to comprising a majority, as suggested by the court. In blocking the newly drawn congressional map, the three-judge panel wrote that they are “deeply troubled” that Alabama lawmakers flouted their instruction to create a second majority-Black district or something close to it. A designated special master will be tapped to draw new districts for the state, the judges ordered. “This is a significant step toward equal representation for

Judges reject Alabama’s congressional lines, will draw new districts to increase Black voting power
World

Open Society Foundations pledge €100 million to start new Roma foundation

Open Society Foundations said Tuesday that it will spin off its support for Europe’s Roma communities into a new foundation and pledged €100 million, around $107 million, for that work. The Roma Foundation for Europe, which will be independent of OSF, launches in January and will be based in Brussels, said the foundations. Zeljko Jovanovic, director of OSF’s Roma Initiatives Office, will lead the new foundation. “This is a true European project because we are the biggest European minority, the most neglected and disadvantaged,” Jovanovic told The Associated Press, referring to the Roma community. “So when you support the most

Open Society Foundations pledge €100 million to start new Roma foundation
World

61 indicted in Georgia on racketeering charges connected to 'Stop Cop City' movement

Sixty-one people have been indicted in Georgia on racketeering charges following a long-running state investigation into protests against a proposed police and firefighter training facility in the Atlanta area that critics call “Cop City.” In the sweeping indictment, prosecutors allege the defendants are “militant anarchists” who have supported a violent movement that prosecutors trace to the widespread 2020 racial justice protests. The Aug. 29 indictment under the state’s racketeering law, also known as a RICO law, was released by Fulton County officials on Tuesday and was brought by Republican Attorney General Chris Carr. The “Stop Cop City”

61 indicted in Georgia on racketeering charges connected to 'Stop Cop City' movement
World

Aid group official warns the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine risks becoming "normalized"

A major aid group is concerned that there is not enough international attention given to Ukraine and is bracing for fewer donations used to finance operations in the battle-scarred country, its president warned on Tuesday. The head of the International Rescue Committee, David Miliband said, his central concern is that the 19-month war and the resulting humanitarian crisis caused by Russia’s invasion and continued attacks on civilian infrastructure are becoming “normalized” by the international community while the needs brought about by the war show no signs of diminishing, he said. “We know that the 2022 figures

Aid group official warns the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine risks becoming "normalized"
World

US moves to force recall of 52 million air bag inflators that can explode and hurl shrapnel

The U.S. government is taking a big step toward forcing a defiant Tennessee company to recall 52 million air bag inflators that could explode, hurl shrapnel and injure or kill people. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Tuesday said it has made an initial decision that the inflators made by ARC Automotive Inc., and under license by another company, are defective. The agency scheduled a public hearing for Oct. 5, a required step before seeking a court-ordered recall. In May the agency asked ARC to recall the inflators, which it says are responsible for at least

US moves to force recall of 52 million air bag inflators that can explode and hurl shrapnel
World

Israel's Supreme Court delays pivotal judicial overhaul hearing after attorney general opposes plan

Israel’s Supreme Court on Tuesday delayed the first of three pivotal hearings on the legality of the judicial overhaul, spearheaded by the far-right government of Benjamin Netanyahu, after the country’s attorney general expressed staunch opposition to the plan. For the eight months since the coalition took power, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a Netanyahu ally, has refused to convene the committee that selects the nation’s judges, leaving numerous judgeships open across the country. Lawyers for Attorney General Gail Baharav-Miara, will now argue against the justice minister’s counsel in court, a situation which experts said is highly exceptional. Levin,

Israel's Supreme Court delays pivotal judicial overhaul hearing after attorney general opposes plan
World

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw resigns after turbulent three years at the helm

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw will step down this month, the mayor said Tuesday, ending a turbulent three years in which she guided one of the country’s largest police forces through pandemic lockdowns and Black Lives Matter protests to take a leadership position with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Outlaw, the first Black woman to run the 6,000-member department, came aboard just before the pandemic shutdown and quickly had to oversee the city’s safety as intense protests broke out in Philadelphia and across the country in the summer of 2020 over the police

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw resigns after turbulent three years at the helm
World

Alex Murdaugh's lawyers want a new trial. They say the court clerk told jurors not to trust him

Attorneys for convicted murder Alex Murdaugh want a new trial, accusing the court clerk of improperly influencing the jury. They’re accusing the court clerk at his double murder trial of telling jurors not to trust him when he testified in his own defense. They say she also had private conversations with the jury foreperson, and pressured jurors to come to a quick verdict. The request filed by Murdaugh’s lawyers on Tuesday also accuses Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill of giving jury members business cards from reporters. After the verdict, she traveled to New York

Alex Murdaugh's lawyers want a new trial. They say the court clerk told jurors not to trust him
World

Polish official harshly criticizes film that explores migration crisis at Poland-Belarus border

A leading member of Poland’s conservative government has sharply criticized a film that explores the humanitarian disaster affecting migrants along the Poland-Belarus border which premiered Tuesday at the Venice Film Festival. “Green Border,” by Polish director Agnieszka Holland, puts a spotlight on the refugee crisis that emerged two years ago at Belarus’ borders with the European Union nations of Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. The film is in competition at the festival. Poland’s hard-right justice minister, Zbigniew Ziobro, slammed the film, comparing it to Nazi propaganda. “In the Third Reich, the Germans produced propaganda films showing Poles

Polish official harshly criticizes film that explores migration crisis at Poland-Belarus border
World

Information theft is on the rise. People are particularly vulnerable after natural disasters

Information theft is on the rise. Over 1.1 million people in the U.S. alone reported the crime to the Federal Trade Commission in 2022. When a thief opens accounts in your name or otherwise uses your data, you might feel powerless. But there are steps you can take to prevent the worst outcomes. Colleen Tressler, a senior project manager for the FTC, has tracked consumer issues including identity theft for more than three decades. She said frauds and scams often emerge during specific emergencies such as the COVID pandemic, and in the wake of climate-related catastrophes.

Information theft is on the rise. People are particularly vulnerable after natural disasters
World

Russia says southeast Ukraine is now the main focus of fighting in the war

The Zaporizhzhia region of southeast Ukraine has become the most recent hot spot for battles in the 18-month war, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday, as Kyiv’s forces press ahead with their counteroffensive. Shoigu told Russian military officers that Ukraine has brought up reserve brigades there that were trained by Kyiv’s Western allies. He offered no evidence for his claim, which could not be independently verified. Fighting in the southeast could be one of the keys to the war. If Russian defenses there collapse, Ukrainian forces could push southward toward the coast and potentially split

Russia says southeast Ukraine is now the main focus of fighting in the war
World

Saudi Arabia, Russia plan to extend 1.3 million barrel a day oil cut through the end of the year

Saudi Arabia and Russia agreed Tuesday to extend their voluntary oil production cuts through the end of this year, trimming 1.3 million barrels of crude out of the global market and boosting energy prices. The dual announcements from Riyadh and Moscow pushed benchmark Brent crude above $90 a barrel in trading Tuesday afternoon, a price unseen in the market since last November. The countries’ moves likely will increase the cost for motorists filling up at the pump and put new pressure on Saudi Arabia’s relationship with the United States. President Joe Biden last year

Saudi Arabia, Russia plan to extend 1.3 million barrel a day oil cut through the end of the year
World

One way to boost students' scores? Help teachers conquer their math anxiety

In July, in a packed classroom in downtown Chicago, a group composed mostly of early elementary teachers and child care workers read a story about “Wendi,” a fictional preschool teacher who loves reading but struggles in math. Even though Wendi was drawn to early education, where “math was so easy,” she still felt unsure of her skills. In the story, she decided to skip math concepts, leaving them for the teachers her students would have next year. Across the room, people nodded their heads as they listened. “I am Wendi. Wendi is me,” said Ivory McCormick, a

One way to boost students' scores? Help teachers conquer their math anxiety
World

Nonprofits Candid and Council on Foundations make a rare deal the way corporations do

It’s a transaction that would be commonplace for a corporation or a sports team, but it’s the kind of deal that is practically unheard of in the nonprofit sector. The philanthropy research organization Candid will send control of its CF Insights website and the staff that gathered information about community foundations to the Council on Foundations, the association of nearly 900 nonprofit members, on Friday. Candid CEO Ann Mei Chang says the shift will allow her nonprofit to focus more sharply on priority areas – including diversity, transparency and effectiveness in the sector – while providing

Nonprofits Candid and Council on Foundations make a rare deal the way corporations do
World

India's government replaces 'India' with ancient name 'Bharat' in dinner invitation to G20 guests

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has replaced the name India with a Sanskrit word in dinner invitations sent to guests attending this week’s Group of 20 summit, in a move that reflects his Hindu nationalist party’s efforts to eliminate what it sees as colonial-era names. Indian President Droupadi Murmu is referred to as “President of Bharat” instead of “President of India” in the invitation sent to G20 attendees. The nation of more than 1.4 billion people is officially known by two names, India and Bharat, but the former is most commonly used, both domestically and internationally.

India's government replaces 'India' with ancient name 'Bharat' in dinner invitation to G20 guests
World

America's small towns are disbanding police forces, citing hiring woes. It's not all bad

As Goodhue Police Chief Josh Smith struggled this summer to fill vacancies in his small department, he warned the town’s City Council that unless pay and benefits improved, finding new officers would never happen. When nothing changed, Smith quit. So did his few remaining officers, leading the Minnesota town of 1,300 residents to shutter its police force in late August. America is in the midst of a police officer shortage that many in law enforcement blame on the two-fold morale hit of 2020 — the coronavirus pandemic and criticism of police that boiled over with the

America's small towns are disbanding police forces, citing hiring woes. It's not all bad
World

UN food agency drops aid to another 2 million hungry people in Afghanistan due to cash shortfall

The U.N. food agency said Tuesday it must drop another 2 million hungry people from food assistance in Afghanistan this month due to a massive funding shortfall. The action means that 10 million people will be cut off from the agency’s support this year in the country, the World Food Programme said in a statement. The new cuts mean the agency will be able to provide food assistance to about a fifth of the 15 million people who need it in Afghanistan, the agency said. “Amid already worrying levels of hunger and malnutrition, we are obliged to

UN food agency drops aid to another 2 million hungry people in Afghanistan due to cash shortfall
World

Kim Jong Un and Putin may meet. What do North Korea and Russia need from each other?

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may travel to Russia for a summit with President Vladimir Putin, a U.S. official said, in a trip that would underscore deepening cooperation as the two isolated leaders are locked in separate confrontations with the U.S. U.S. officials also said that Russia is seeking to buy ammunition from North Korea to refill reserves drained by its war in Ukraine. In return, experts said, North Korea will likely want food and energy shipments and transfers of sophisticated weapons technologies. A meeting with Putin would be Kim’s first summit with a

Kim Jong Un and Putin may meet. What do North Korea and Russia need from each other?
World

Conservative book ban push fuels library exodus from national association that stands up for books

After parents in a rural and staunchly conservative Wyoming county joined nationwide pressure on librarians to pull books they considered harmful to youngsters, the local library board obliged with new policies making such books a higher priority for removal — and keeping out of collections. But that’s not all the library board has done. Campbell County also withdrew from the American Library Association, in what’s become a movement against the professional organization that has fought against book bans. This summer, the state libraries in Montana, Missouri and Texas and the local library in Midland, Texas, announced

Conservative book ban push fuels library exodus from national association that stands up for books

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