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Today: January 23, 2025
Today: January 23, 2025
The Los Angeles Post

The Los Angeles Post

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World

Prosecutors won't seek death penalty against men charged in Whitey Bulger's prison killing

Federal prosecutors will not pursue the death penalty against two men charged with the prison killing of notorious Boston gangster James “Whitey” Bulger, according to court papers filed Wednesday. Prosecutors said in a court filing that in the event Fotios “Freddy” Geas, a former Mafia hitman, and Paul J. DeCologero, a Massachusetts gangster, are convicted of murder in Bulger’s killing, they will not seek a death sentence. Geas also faced a possible death sentence if found guilty of an additional charge of murder by a federal prisoner serving a life sentence. But prosecutors said they would not

Prosecutors won't seek death penalty against men charged in Whitey Bulger's prison killing
World

Prosecutors won't seek death penalty against men charged in Whitey Bulger's prison killing

Federal prosecutors will not pursue the death penalty against two men charged with the prison killing of notorious Boston gangster James “Whitey” Bulger, according to court papers filed Wednesday. Prosecutors said in a court filing that in the event Fotios “Freddy” Geas, a former Mafia hitman, and Paul J. DeCologero, a Massachusetts gangster, are convicted of murder in Bulger’s killing, they will not seek a death sentence. Geas also faced a possible death sentence if found guilty of an additional charge of murder by a federal prisoner serving a life sentence. But prosecutors said they would not

Prosecutors won't seek death penalty against men charged in Whitey Bulger's prison killing
World

Sarah Silverman and novelists sue ChatGPT-maker OpenAI for ingesting their books

Ask ChatGPT about comedian Sarah Silverman’s memoir “The Bedwetter” and the artificial intelligence chatbot can come up with a detailed synopsis of every part of the book. Does that mean it effectively “read” and memorized a pirated copy? Or it scraped so many customer reviews and online chatter about the bestseller or the musical it inspired that it passes for an expert? The U.S. courts may now help sort that out after Silverman sued ChatGPT-maker OpenAI for copyright infringement this week, joining a growing number of writers who say they unwittingly built the foundation for Silicon Valley’s red-hot AI boom.

Sarah Silverman and novelists sue ChatGPT-maker OpenAI for ingesting their books
Political

Army chief nominee would boost recruiting, but Tuberville blockade leaves his confirmation uncertain

The Army officer tapped to be the service’s next chief of staff outlined for senators on Wednesday his plan to fix what he described as the service’s top challenge — rebuilding recruiting — as it becomes clear the Army will again fall short of its enlistment goal. Gen. Randy George, the current vice chief of staff of the Army, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the service is looking at short- and long-term ways to improve how recruiters are chosen and deployed around the country, and to better tailor marketing to attract young people. Gen. James

Army chief nominee would boost recruiting, but Tuberville blockade leaves his confirmation uncertain
Arts

The friendship behind summer’s most charming comedy ‘Theater Camp’

There is quite a bit of history between the team behind “Theater Camp,” a loving satire of musical theater kids and their teachers that opens in theaters Friday. Molly Gordon, Ben Platt, Noah Galvin and Nick Lieberman are all, first and foremost, theater kids themselves. They’re also longtime friends. Lieberman has been making things with Platt since they were in high school. Galvin and Gordon are best friends and did a play together about a decade ago. And Galvin and Platt are currently engaged. It’s Platt and Gordon’s relationship that stretches back the furthest, though. Both children of parents in

The friendship behind summer’s most charming comedy ‘Theater Camp’
Arts

The friendship behind summer’s most charming comedy ‘Theater Camp’

There is quite a bit of history between the team behind “Theater Camp,” a loving satire of musical theater kids and their teachers that opens in theaters Friday. Molly Gordon, Ben Platt, Noah Galvin and Nick Lieberman are all, first and foremost, theater kids themselves. They’re also longtime friends. Lieberman has been making things with Platt since they were in high school. Galvin and Gordon are best friends and did a play together about a decade ago. And Galvin and Platt are currently engaged. It’s Platt and Gordon’s relationship that stretches back the furthest, though. Both children of parents in

The friendship behind summer’s most charming comedy ‘Theater Camp’
Political

Election officials sue conservative voting group over refusal to produce ballot-harvesting evidence

The Georgia State Election Board is asking a judge to order a conservative voting organization to produce information to help investigate its claims of ballot trafficking in the state. The Texas-based True the Vote group filed complaints with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in November 2021, including one saying it had received “a detailed account of coordinated efforts to collect and deposit ballots in drop boxes across metro Atlanta” during the 2020 general election and in a runoff election in January 2021. True the Vote’s assertions were relied upon heavily for the film “2000 Mules,” a

Election officials sue conservative voting group over refusal to produce ballot-harvesting evidence
Political

Inflation drops to 3% and Biden hopes to turn a weakness with voters into a strength

The politics of inflation took a sharp turn Wednesday with a report showing consumer prices rose at the slowest pace since the early months of Joe Biden’s presidency. Republicans have hammered Biden over the cost of groceries, gasoline, utilities and more, saying his $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package and push for electric vehicles were responsible for pushing inflation to a four-decade high. The GOP argument has resonated with voters, but the report on consumer prices for June suggests that inflation has eased dramatically without any of the job losses that some economists and Republican leaders said would

Inflation drops to 3% and Biden hopes to turn a weakness with voters into a strength
Political

Former 'Jesus Christ Superstar' actor with Oath Keepers ties acquitted of all charges in Jan. 6 riot

A former “Jesus Christ Superstar” actor was acquitted Wednesday of conspiring with members of the far-right Oath Keepers extremist group to obstruct Congress in the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack. James Beeks — a Florida resident who was playing Judas in the traveling production of the musical when he was arrested — was cleared of conspiracy to obstruct Congress’ certification of the 2020 election and civil disorder after a trial in federal court. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta convicted Beeks’ co-defendant, Ohio resident Donovan Crowl, of the same charges after hearing evidence without a jury. The

Former 'Jesus Christ Superstar' actor with Oath Keepers ties acquitted of all charges in Jan. 6 riot
Health

Plastic surgeon who livestreamed procedures on TikTok banned from practicing medicine in Ohio

An Ohio plastic surgeon’s state medical license was permanently revoked Wednesday after a medical board determined she harmed patients while livestreaming their surgeries on the social media app TikTok. The Ohio Medical Board voted to ban Katharine Grawe — also known as Dr. Roxy in her plastic surgery practice “Roxy Plastic Surgery” and to her many TikTok followers — from ever practicing again in the state. The board said Grawe, who originally had her license suspended in November, neglected her patients as she livestreamed parts of their procedures, spoke into a camera and answered viewer questions

Plastic surgeon who livestreamed procedures on TikTok banned from practicing medicine in Ohio
Arts

'A puddle of emotions': Sheryl Lee Ralph, Jessica Chastain, others discuss their Emmy nominations

Reactions from select nominees for the 2023 Emmy Awards. SHERYL LEE RALPH “I am a puddle of emotions! It is just absolutely crazy. It, I mean, I am living one spectacular year. … In all honesty, it could never ever be about me trying to beat that moment (of last year’s ceremony, when Ralph won her Emmy and stole the show, singing much of her speech). Maybe they’ll ask me to host it! That moment was something. as all of my friends say that’s something you worked for Sheryl. That’s something you waited for and you received the gift, now,

'A puddle of emotions': Sheryl Lee Ralph, Jessica Chastain, others discuss their Emmy nominations
World

Estate of anti-fascist shot and killed by police in Washington state files wrongful death lawsuit

A federal lawsuit alleges police in Washington state had no plan other than to use deadly force against a fugitive who was on the run in 2020 after shooting a supporter of a far-right group during clashes between supporters of then-President Donald Trump and Black Lives Matter in the streets of Portland, Oregon. “The actions of the officers, before, during, and after the shooting, show that they either had no plan to arrest the man without injury, made no effort to follow such a plan, or planned to use deadly force from the start,” said the

Estate of anti-fascist shot and killed by police in Washington state files wrongful death lawsuit
Arts

Expensive court fight over Aretha Franklin's will provides cautionary tale

The long, expensive court fight over the will of soul singer Aretha Franklin provides a cautionary tale for people who want to make sure their wishes are carried out after their death — and for their families. A Michigan jury determined on Tuesday that a handwritten document by Franklin that was found in her couch after her 2018 death was a valid will. It was a critical turn in a dispute that has turned her sons against each other. And it ended in victory for Kecalf and Edward Franklin, whose lawyers had argued that papers dated 2014

Expensive court fight over Aretha Franklin's will provides cautionary tale
World

Manhattanhenge fans hope cloudy weather won't obscure NYC's famed sunset phenomenon

Wednesday and Thursday are the last two days of Manhattanhenge, the biannual alignment of the setting sun with the city’s east-west streets that brings New Yorkers out of their apartments to watch it bathe the urban canyons in a rosy glow. With forecasters predicting gloomy weather, fans of the spectacle will have to hope the clouds part at the right time. “We have had luck in the past when the weather clears,” said Jackie Faherty, an astrophysicist at the American Museum of Natural History whose sold-out lecture on Manhattanhenge on Thursday will be followed by a

Manhattanhenge fans hope cloudy weather won't obscure NYC's famed sunset phenomenon
World

Labor rift deepens between Republican governor and dockworkers in South Carolina

Dockworkers and the governor in the state with the lowest percentage of unionized workers are digging in their heels over a labor dispute that has left the newest container terminal at the East Coast’s deepest harbor largely inactive. Pending before a federal appeals court is a National Labor Relations Board decision that upheld unionized dockworkers’ right to exclusively staff the cranes at Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal in Charleston, South Carolina, under a 2012 master contract. The alternative is a so-called hybrid model implemented by other South Carolina terminals backed by Republican Gov. Henry McMaster where loading

Labor rift deepens between Republican governor and dockworkers in South Carolina
Political

Vice President Kamala Harris makes history with tiebreaking votes in Senate

Kamala Harris, who made history as the first woman or person of color to serve as vice president, made history again Wednesday as she matched the record for most tiebreaking votes in the U.S. Senate. The vote, her 31st, advanced the nomination of Kalpana Kotagal to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The only other vice president to cast so many was John C. Calhoun, who served as vice president from 1825 to 1832. “It is a moment and I think that there’s still so much left that we have yet to do,” Harris told reporters afterwards. “My

Vice President Kamala Harris makes history with tiebreaking votes in Senate
Arts

A former Trump supporter who got caught up in a January 6 conspiracy theory sues Fox News

A former Donald Trump supporter who became the center of a conspiracy theory about Jan. 6, 2021, filed a defamation lawsuit against Fox News on Wednesday, saying the network made him a scapegoat for the U.S. Capitol insurrection. Raymond Epps, a former Marine who said he was forced from his Arizona home due to threats, is asking for unspecified damages and a jury trial. He filed his lawsuit in Superior Court in Delaware, the same court where Dominion Voting Systems sued Fox for lies broadcast following the 2020 presidential election. Shortly before a trial was to

A former Trump supporter who got caught up in a January 6 conspiracy theory sues Fox News
World

Women's tennis tour program provides education, exposure for female coaches

On a hazy, 80-degree afternoon in April, Australian Open semifinalist Magda Linette practiced with Julia Grabher about 24 hours before each would win a second-round match on the green clay of the WTA’s Charleston Open. While one of Linette’s two coaches, Iain Hughes, offered her instruction, the other, Mark Gellard, stood in a corner, keeping an eye on the workout while chatting with Lan Yao-Gallop. She is one of 10 members of the women’s professional tennis tour’s Coach Inclusion Program, which is in its first full year of trying to help female coaches break into the

Women's tennis tour program provides education, exposure for female coaches
World

Messi mania engulfs Miami ahead of Argentine soccer superstar's arrival

A hamburger and drink combination called the Lionel Messi. A huge sketch of the soccer star’s smiling face on a restaurant wall beside a viral meme from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. A beer with a pink label matching the color of the Inter Miami jersey he will wear. Wherever you turn in Miami these days something reminds you of the imminent arrival of the Argentine soccer legend. There is no hiding the euphoria generated by Messi in Miami as he begins the new Major League Soccer phase of his career in one of the most

Messi mania engulfs Miami ahead of Argentine soccer superstar's arrival
World

North Korea's Kim vows to boost his nuke capability after observing new ICBM launch

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to further bolster his country’s nuclear fighting capabilities as he supervised the country’s second test-flight of a new intercontinental ballistic missile designed to strike the mainland U.S., state media reported Thursday. Kim’s statement suggested North Korea would ramp up weapons testing activities to expand its arsenals in response to recent U.S. steps to enhance its security commitment to ally South Korea. “The present unstable situation in which the security environment on the Korean peninsula is being seriously threatened by the hostile forces every moment,” Kim said, according to

North Korea's Kim vows to boost his nuke capability after observing new ICBM launch
World

A heat wave has baked parts of the Southwest for weeks. Forecasters warn it's not cooling soon

Millions of people across the Southwest are living through a historic heat wave, with even the heat-experienced desert city of Phoenix being tested since temperatures have hit 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius) for more than a dozen consecutive days. More than 111 million people across the United States were under extreme heat advisories, watches and warnings, The National Weather Service reported Wednesday. Huge swaths of Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California were experiencing temperatures above 90 degrees F (32 C). “To underscore just how expansive this heat is, based off the current forecast approximately 27

A heat wave has baked parts of the Southwest for weeks. Forecasters warn it's not cooling soon
World

Tornado touches down near Chicago's O'Hare airport amid severe weather warnings

The National Weather Service says a tornado has touched down near Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport following warnings of severe weather for the city. A confirmed tornado was on the ground around 7 p.m. Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service in Chicago. “This tornado has been touching the ground intermittently so far and is moving east. There are additional circulations along the line south of O’Hare. Seek shelter if in the warned area,” it said. The National Weather Service had issued two tornado warnings for portions of the city Wednesday evening. Tornado sirens sounded at least twice

Tornado touches down near Chicago's O'Hare airport amid severe weather warnings
World

Popular Prime drink that exceeds Canada's caffeine limits to be recalled

A caffeinated energy drink being promoted by American social media influencers is set to be recalled in Canada. Health Canada said Wednesday that at 200 milligram of caffeine per can, Prime Energy exceeds the regulator’s acceptable caffeine limit of 180 milligram per serving and should not be sold. On Sunday, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer called on the Food and Drug Administration to investigate PRIME, a beverage brand founded by the YouTube stars Logan Paul and KSI that has become something of an obsession among the influencers’ legions of young followers. Health Canada said it’s aware that

Popular Prime drink that exceeds Canada's caffeine limits to be recalled
Arts

Patrick Mahomes, Mikaela Shiffrin win top athlete honors at The ESPYS

Patrick Mahomes was honored as best men’s sports athlete at The ESPYS, while skier Mikaela Shiffrin received the women’s sports honor on Wednesday night. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback has won two Super Bowls in his five seasons and was named MVP of the game each time, including this past February. He turns 28 in September. “It was an incredible season. There was many ups, many downs,” Mahomes said. “I appreciate my teammates, my coaches, the guys that are here. I go back to camp next Tuesday, so this is a great award. But we’re going

Patrick Mahomes, Mikaela Shiffrin win top athlete honors at The ESPYS
World

ESPN's Dick Vitale diagnosed with cancer for a 3rd time

Longtime ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale says he has been diagnosed with cancer for a third time. Vitale tweeted Wednesday that he had surgery in Boston this week, and tests revealed that he has vocal cord cancer. He said he will undergo six weeks of radiation treatments. “I plan to fight like hell to be ready to call games when the college hoops season kicks off in the fall,” Vitale tweeted, adding that his doctor “feels that scenario is entirely possible.” The 84-year-old Vitale has previously been treated for melanoma and lymphoma. He celebrated being cancer-free in April of

ESPN's Dick Vitale diagnosed with cancer for a 3rd time

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