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

Latest From The Los Angeles Post

World

In the basketball-crazed Philippines, the World Cup will be a shining moment

Considering that about 110 million people live in the Philippines, it’s not feasible to expect that they all would be basketball fans. “But it’s close,” said Tim Cone, the country’s top professional coach. And that might not be an understatement, either. Basketball’s World Cup starts on Friday, spread out over three nations — the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia. It’ll be centered in Manila, where the medal rounds will be held in early September, where the favored U.S. team will play all its games in the event and where fans have been waiting for years for this

In the basketball-crazed Philippines, the World Cup will be a shining moment
World

Home sales slumped in July as rising mortgage rates and prices discouraged many would-be homebuyers

Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell last month to the slowest pace since January, as elevated mortgage rates and a stubbornly low inventory of homes on the market combined to discourage many would-be homebuyers. Existing home sales fell 2.2% last month from June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.07 million, the National Association of Realtors said Tuesday. That’s below the 4.15 million pace that economists were expecting, according to FactSet. Sales slumped 16.6% compared with July last year. It was also the lowest home sales pace for July since 2010. The national median

Home sales slumped in July as rising mortgage rates and prices discouraged many would-be homebuyers
World

'Get out of my house!' Video shows 98-year-old mother of Kansas newspaper publisher upset amid raid

Newly released video shows the 98-year-old mother of a Kansas newspaper publisher confronting police officers as they searched her home in a raid that has drawn national scrutiny, at one point demanding: “Get out of my house!” Video released by the newspaper Monday shows Joan Meyer shouting at the six officers inside the Marion, Kansas, home she shared with her son, Marion County Record Editor and Publisher Eric Meyer. Standing with the aid of a walker and dressed in a long robe or gown and slippers, she seems visibly upset. “Get out of my house …

'Get out of my house!' Video shows 98-year-old mother of Kansas newspaper publisher upset amid raid
World

Poland's leader says Russia's moving tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus, shifting regional security

Poland’s President Andrzej Duda said Tuesday that Russia already is in the process of shifting some short-range nuclear weapons to neighboring Belarus, a move that Duda said will shift the security architecture of the region and the entire NATO military alliance. Both Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko said last month that Moscow already had shipped some of its tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus after announcing the plan in March. The U.S. and NATO haven’t confirmed the move. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg denounced Moscow’s rhetoric as “dangerous and reckless,” but said in

Poland's leader says Russia's moving tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus, shifting regional security
World

Knicks sue Raptors, accusing rival of using ex-Knicks employee as 'mole' to steal scouting secrets

The New York Knicks sued the Toronto Raptors, their new head coach and a former Knicks scouting employee on Monday, saying the defendants conspired to steal thousands of videos and other scouting secrets over the past few weeks. The lawsuit in Manhattan federal court seeks unspecified damages and a ban on the further spread of the Knicks’ trade secrets. The lawsuit claimed that secrets including scouting and play frequency reports, along with a prep book and a link to valuable software, had been downloaded thousands of times by Raptors employees. “This material consists of secret, proprietary

Knicks sue Raptors, accusing rival of using ex-Knicks employee as 'mole' to steal scouting secrets
World

Dick's 2Q profit falls, and the retailer lowers its full-year outlook on worries about theft

Dick’s Sporting Goods profit slipped in its second quarter and missed Wall Street’s expectations as the retailer cut its full-year profit outlook, citing worries over theft at its stores. Shares declined more than 24% in morning trading Tuesday. For the period ended July 29, Dick’s earned $244 million, or $2.82 per share. A year earlier the company earned $319 million, or $3.25 per share. Analysts polled by FactSet predicted earnings of $3.81 per share. “Our Q2 profitability was short of our expectations due in large part to the impact of elevated inventory shrink, an increasingly serious issue impacting many retailers,”

Dick's 2Q profit falls, and the retailer lowers its full-year outlook on worries about theft
World

Some states reject federal money to find and replace dangerous lead pipes

As the Biden administration makes billions of dollars available to remove millions of dangerous lead pipes that can contaminate drinking water and damage brain development in children, some states are turning down funds. Washington, Oregon, Maine and Alaska declined all or most of their federal funds in the first of five years that the mix of grants and loans is available, The Associated Press found. Some states are less prepared to pay for lead removal projects because, in many cases, the lead must first be found, experts said. And communities are hesitant to take out loans

Some states reject federal money to find and replace dangerous lead pipes
World

Wander Franco's stay on restricted list ends Tuesday, leading MLB, union to determine next step

Wander Franco’s seven-day stay on the restricted list is scheduled to end ahead of Tampa Bay’s homestand opener against Colorado on Tuesday night, leading to the possibility it could be extended or he could be placed on administrative leave under the sport’s domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy. The 22-year-old All-Star shortstop was placed on the restricted list for a week on Aug. 14 while MLB launched an investigation following social media posts suggesting Franco was in a relationship with a minor. The AP has not been able to verify the reported posts. Ángel

Wander Franco's stay on restricted list ends Tuesday, leading MLB, union to determine next step
World

Thailand threatening to shut down Facebook, alleging it doesn't screen ads well enough

A Thai Cabinet minister is threatening to try to shut down Facebook in the country, saying the social media platform does not do enough to screen the advertisements it runs, leaving people vulnerable to costly scams. Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn, Thailand’s minister of Digital Economy and Society, said in a statement Monday that he is ready to go to criminal court by the end of the month arguing for Facebook to be shut down in Thailand. He said Thai authorities have already appealed to Facebook parent company Meta to take down fraudulent ads, leading to more than 5,000 being

Thailand threatening to shut down Facebook, alleging it doesn't screen ads well enough
World

Macy's swings to loss and posts sales decline in 2Q but adjusted results beat Wall Street views

Macy’s swung to a loss and reported a sales decline in the second quarter as worries about inflation continue to make shoppers pull back on clothing and other discretionary purchases. However, the results, announced Tuesday, beat Wall Street expectations. Macy’s reaffirmed its annual sales and profits forecasts, noting uncertainty about the economy in the second half. Shares were down less than 1% in premarket trading Tuesday. Macy’s is one of the last remaining retailers to report second-quarter results in an earnings season that shows how still high inflation, despite some easing, is forcing shoppers to continue

Macy's swings to loss and posts sales decline in 2Q but adjusted results beat Wall Street views
World

Haiti and Dominican Republic brace for Tropical Storm Franklin as Harold approaches Texas coast

Tropical Storm Franklin churned through the Caribbean Sea Tuesday as authorities in Haiti and the Dominican Republic warned residents to prepare for landslides and heavy floods. The storm was centered early Tuesday about 255 miles (415 kilometers) south of Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, and had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 kph). It was moving northwest at 3 mph (5 kph) and was expected to turn northward. Franklin was expected to strengthen before making landfall early Wednesday in Hispaniola, the island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The

Haiti and Dominican Republic brace for Tropical Storm Franklin as Harold approaches Texas coast
World

Iran unveils armed drone resembling America's MQ-9 Reaper and says it could potentially reach Israel

Iran’s Defense Ministry unveiled a drone on Tuesday resembling America’s armed MQ-9 Reaper, claiming that the aircraft is capable of staying airborne for 24 hours and has the range to reach the country’s archenemy Israel. Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency published a photograph of the drone, called the Mohajer-10, on display at a conference marking Defense Industry Day with what appeared to be smoke-machine fog underneath it. “Mohajer” means “immigrant” in Farsi and has been a drone line manufactured by the Islamic Republic since 1985. IRNA said the drone is able to fly up to 24,000

Iran unveils armed drone resembling America's MQ-9 Reaper and says it could potentially reach Israel
World

New Thai leader Srettha Thavisin is a wealthy property developer who didn't hide his political views

The leader of one of Thailand’s best-known property empires has been selected prime minister just nine months after joining a political party that champions the poor. Parliament confirmed Srettha Thavisin on Tuesday, ending months of political uncertainty following May elections. The 61-year-old political newcomer, who exudes the confidence of a seasoned business tycoon, will lead the Pheu Thai party’s push to stimulate the economy and bridge one of the world’s worst inequality gaps. “I’m doing this because I want to improve the country and the economy,” Srettha wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, days ahead of

New Thai leader Srettha Thavisin is a wealthy property developer who didn't hide his political views
World

The African Union suspends Niger until 'the effective restoration of constitutional order'

The African Union on Tuesday suspended Niger from all of its institutions and activities following last month’s coup “until the effective restoration of constitutional order.” The council of the 55-nation bloc made the decision after mutinous soldiers overthrew Niger’s democratically elected president last month, and have quickly entrenched themselves in power, rebuffing most dialogue efforts. President Mohamed Bazoum, his wife and son have been kept under house arrest in the capital.

The African Union suspends Niger until 'the effective restoration of constitutional order'
World

Turkey says UN lost neutrality after world body condemns Cyprus roadwork, assault on peacekeepers

Turkey’s foreign minister accused the United Nations of abandoning its neutrality on Tuesday, a day after the U.N. Security Council criticized construction work by Turkish Cypriots inside the buffer zone dividing Cyprus and condemned their assault on U.N. peacekeepers. In a statement issued Monday, the Security Council described the construction of a road as a violation of the status quo that is contrary to council resolutions. The statement came at the end of emergency closed consultations by the council’s 15 members. Angry Turkish Cypriots last week punched and kicked a group of international peacekeepers that blocked

Turkey says UN lost neutrality after world body condemns Cyprus roadwork, assault on peacekeepers
World

Fake Arizona rehab centers scam Native Americans far from home, officials warn during investigations

Autumn Nelson said she was seeking help for alcohol addiction last spring when fellow members of the Blackfeet Nation in Montana suggested a rehabilitation center in Phoenix, far to the south. The 38-year-old said the center even bought her a one-way airline ticket to make the 1,300-mile (2,100-kilometer) journey. But Nelson said after a month, she was kicked out after questioning why there was one therapist for 30 people and no Native American staff despite a focus on Indigenous clients. “All of a sudden I was out in the 108-degree heat in Phoenix, Arizona,” said Nelson. “I

Fake Arizona rehab centers scam Native Americans far from home, officials warn during investigations
World

Spain's acting prime minister calls Women's World Cup champions an inspiration for youth

Spain’s acting prime minister greeted the country’s Women’s World Cup champions at the presidential palace on Tuesday. “You have achieved something very important. The girls who watch you see soccer as a place where they can develop athletically and personally,” Pedro Sánchez said while posing for a group photo with the soccer team. “The 21st century will be the century of women on all fronts, and the century of effective equality between men and women,” he added. Sánchez said the team members will be awarded Spain’s golden medal of sports achievement in honor of their victory.

Spain's acting prime minister calls Women's World Cup champions an inspiration for youth
World

Pakistan mounts efforts to rescue 6 children and 2 men trapped in a chairlift

Pakistani emergency workers launched a rescue operation to try and save six children and two men trapped in a chairlift after one of its cables snapped off on Tuesday, leaving it dangling high above ground in the country’s northwest. The chairlift was installed across a river canyon, connecting villages in Battagram district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. It was used by local villagers to cross the river and shorten the distance to nearby schools, government offices and other businesses. Taimoor Khan, a spokesman for the disaster management authority, said the chairlift had been dangling 350 meters (1,150

Pakistan mounts efforts to rescue 6 children and 2 men trapped in a chairlift
World

A major wildfire in northeastern Greece has forced the evacuation of villages and a city hospital

A massive wall of flames raced through forests toward a port city in northeastern Greece overnight, prompting authorities to evacuate another eight villages and a city hospital as firefighters battled dozens more wildfires across the country on Tuesday. Gale-force winds and high summer temperatures have hampered the efforts of hundreds of firefighters backed by dozens of water-dropping aircraft as they tackle wildfires breaking out across Greece. The fire risk level for several regions, including the wider Athens area, was listed as “extreme” for the second day Tuesday. Authorities have banned public access to mountains and forests

A major wildfire in northeastern Greece has forced the evacuation of villages and a city hospital
World

New Mexico State preaches anti-hazing message as student-athletes return for fall season

Top administrators at New Mexico State University wanted to find just the right wording to announce that they were pulling the plug on the men’s basketball season following reports of alleged hazing involving team members. It was a busy afternoon in February — Super Bowl Sunday, in fact — as university officials traded emails and made suggestions before dropping the bombshell that the season was finished. They wanted the message to address the safety of students as well as the integrity of the university. And time was of the essence. “We don’t want our student athletes

New Mexico State preaches anti-hazing message as student-athletes return for fall season
World

Windows are shattered in a Moscow suburb as Russia says it thwarts latest Ukraine drone attack

Russian air defense systems thwarted four nighttime Ukrainian drone attacks, Russia’s Ministry of Defense said Tuesday, with the falling wreckage of one drone shattering an apartment building’s windows and damaging vehicles in Moscow’s western suburbs. There were no reports of injuries in the latest drone attacks that Russia blamed on Kyiv, as the war approaches its 18-month milestone. Though the drone attacks on Russian soil have occurred almost daily in recent weeks, they have caused little damage. Even so, they have unnerved some Russians and are in line with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s pledge to take the war into the

Windows are shattered in a Moscow suburb as Russia says it thwarts latest Ukraine drone attack
World

Danish defense minister swaps places with economy minister days after donation of F-16s to Ukraine

The defense and economy ministers in Denmark’s centrist government swapped places Tuesday, a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Danish lawmakers for providing Kyiv with F-16 warplanes. Jakob Ellemann-Jensen who is also deputy prime minister in Denmark’s three-party coalition and head of the Liberal Party, became economy minister. Troels Lund Poulsen who acted as defense minister while Ellemann-Jensen was on a five-month leave of absence for health reasons, now takes over full-time at the defense ministry. Ellemann-Jensen told a news conference that he took the decision to swap places after returning to office Aug. 1

Danish defense minister swaps places with economy minister days after donation of F-16s to Ukraine
World

Russia's Putin stays away over arrest warrant as leaders of emerging economies meet in South Africa

Russian President Vladimir Putin will be notably absent when Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders from the BRICS group of emerging economie s start a three-day summit in South Africa on Tuesday. The bloc, consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, is holding its first in-person meeting since before the COVID-19 pandemic, but Putin will participate via video call after his travel to South Africa was complicated by an International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued for him in March over the abduction of children from Ukraine. Xi, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva,

Russia's Putin stays away over arrest warrant as leaders of emerging economies meet in South Africa
World

Europe's sweeping rules for tech giants are about to kick in. Here's how they work

Google, Facebook, TikTok and other Big Tech companies operating in Europe are facing one of the most far-reaching efforts to clean up what people encounter online. The first phase of the European Union’s groundbreaking new digital rules will take effect this week. The Digital Services Act is part of suite of tech-focused regulations crafted by the 27-nation bloc — long a global leader in cracking down on tech giants. The DSA, which the biggest platforms must start following Friday, is designed to keep users safe online and stop the spread of harmful content that’s either illegal or

Europe's sweeping rules for tech giants are about to kick in. Here's how they work
World

Voter fatigue edges out optimism as Zimbabwe holds 2nd general election since Mugabe's ouster

Colorful campaign posters adorn street poles, buildings, vehicles and trees in Zimbabwe, but the buzz surrounding the country’s upcoming general election appears to end there. The presidential and parliamentary elections taking place Wednesday are crucial to determining the future of a southern African nation endowed with vast mineral resources and rich agricultural land. But for many people in the educated but underemployed population, the daily grind to put food on the table inhibits interest in politics. “What elections?” Kaleen Mbase, a 33-year-old Kuwadzana township resident, quipped as she halfheartedly chipped into a subdued political discussion at

Voter fatigue edges out optimism as Zimbabwe holds 2nd general election since Mugabe's ouster

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