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Today: April 04, 2025
Today: April 04, 2025
The Los Angeles Post

The Los Angeles Post

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World

Brawl erupts in Kosovo's parliament during prime minister's speech on defusing tensions with Serbs

A brawl erupted in the Kosovo parliament on Thursday after an opposition lawmaker threw water on Prime Minister Albin Kurti while he was speaking about government measures to defuse tensions with ethnic Serbs in the country’s north. Kosovo opposition parties have criticized Kurti’s policies in the north that have strained relations with key Western allies. The United States and the European Union have pressured Kurti to help calm the situation after violence broke out in May after police-backed ethnic Albanian mayors took office following an election that the ethnic Serb majority in the area had widely

Brawl erupts in Kosovo's parliament during prime minister's speech on defusing tensions with Serbs
World

Italy rail strike strands commuters and tourists in sweltering weather at height of tourism season

Commuters and tourists alike were stranded by a major train strike across Italy on a sweltering Thursday, with cancellations affecting even high-speed lines that are usually guaranteed during Italy’s frequent work stoppages. Transport Minister Matteo Salvini signed a decree ordering the two-day strike be cut in half, but even that truncated stoppage forced the cancellation of service up and down the peninsula on a weekday, at the height of Italy’s booming high tourist season. At Milan’s main rail station, for example, eight of 20 scheduled Trenitalia trains scheduled between 10:30-11:30 a.m. were canceled. State-run Trenitalia warned of

Italy rail strike strands commuters and tourists in sweltering weather at height of tourism season
World

France's parliament approves big boost in military spending, spurred by Ukraine war

France’s parliament on Thursday approved a multi-billion-euro boost to military spending through the rest of this decade, spurred by Russia’s war in Ukraine and fast-growing global threats. President Emmanuel Macron pushed for the bigger budget, which would spend 413 billion euros ($450 billion), the most significant spending hike in half a century. The money would modernize France’s nuclear arsenal, augment intelligence spending and develop more remote-controlled weapons. He has argued the boost was needed to ensure “our freedom, our security, our prosperity, our place in the world.” The defense minister has compared it to France’s push in

France's parliament approves big boost in military spending, spurred by Ukraine war
World

Russian lawmakers move to further restrict transgender rights in a new legislation

Russian lawmakers on Thursday approved a toughened version of a bill that outlaws gender transitioning procedures, with added clauses that annul marriages in which one person has “changed gender” and bar transgender people from becoming foster or adoptive parents. The bill received swift, unanimous approval of Russia’s lower house of parliament, the State Duma, in its key second reading, and lawmakers scheduled the third and final reading for Friday. There is little doubt that the bill, a crippling blow to Russia’s oppressed LGBTQ+ community, will be adopted amid the Kremlin’s crusade to protect what it views

Russian lawmakers move to further restrict transgender rights in a new legislation
Science

Little-known but efficient, a different way to heat and cool your house

Summers are famously humid in New York State, but life in the Maioli household has gotten more comfortable since the couple installed a new heating and cooling system — one that isn’t well known yet in the U.S. “My wife is pretty happy because in the summer we can keep it to as cold as we like,” typically 69 or 70 F, said Joe Maioli, in Ontario, New York. In 2021, the couple installed a geothermal or ground source heat pump. The units you see that look like box fans outside homes and businesses are the more common air-source heat

Little-known but efficient, a different way to heat and cool your house
Science

Here's how geothermal energy heats and cools a home

Some homeowners looking to switch out their heating and cooling systems are turning to home geothermal — also known as ground source — heat pumps. It’s a technology that relies on a simple physical fact: Dig several feet below Earth’s surface, in the coldest winter or the hottest summer, and the temperature will be around 55 degrees. Geothermal takes advantage of that constant temperature by pushing water with some antifreeze through a loop of flexible pipe that runs deep underground. The water gets circulated by a heat pump system, usually located in the basement. When the house needs cooling —

Here's how geothermal energy heats and cools a home
Arts

Helen Mirren visits Jerusalem for new film 'Golda,' says she is inspired by anti-government protests

Helen Mirren, who plays Israel’s first female prime minister in her latest film, says she has been inspired by the widespread protests against the country’s current prime minister. Mirren, who portrays the late Golda Meir during the 1973 war between Israel and a coalition of Arab states in “Golda,” is visiting an Israel similarly beset by crisis as mass demonstrations take place against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to overhaul the country’s judicial system. Mirren told a news conference before the opening of the Jerusalem Film Festival that she is inspired by the protests. “I’m personally very

Helen Mirren visits Jerusalem for new film 'Golda,' says she is inspired by anti-government protests
World

US wholesale prices for June point to further easing of inflation pressures

Wholesale prices in the United States decelerated again last month, the latest sign that inflationary pressures are easing in the face of the Federal Reserve’s streak of interest rate hikes. The government’s producer price index — which measures inflation before it reaches consumers — rose just 0.1% last month from June 2022, the smallest such increase since August 2020. And from May to June, prices rose an identical 0.1% after having fallen 0.4% from April to May. The index that the Labor Department issued Thursday reflects prices charged by manufacturers, farmers and wholesalers. It can provide an

US wholesale prices for June point to further easing of inflation pressures
Environment

Climate change is increasing stress on thousands of aging dams across the US

Flood damage in Edenville, Mich., after a dam failed on May 19, 2020. AP Photo/Carlos Osorio Heavy rainfall in the Northeast on June 9-11, 2023, generated widespread flooding, particularly in New York’s Hudson Valley and in Vermont. One major concern was the Wrightsville Dam, built in 1935 on the Winooski River north of Vermont’s capital city, Montpelier. The reservoir behind the dam rose to within 1 foot of the dam’s maximum storage capacity, prompting warnings that water could overtop the dam and worsen already-dangerous conditions downstream, or damage the dam. Hiba Baroud, associate professor and associate chair in the department

Climate change is increasing stress on thousands of aging dams across the US
World

US Jobless Rates Plummet. Is the Labor Market Secretly Rebelling Against the Fed?

The number of Americans applying for jobless benefits fell again last week as the labor market continues defy the Federal Reserve’s attempt to cool it through higher interest rates. U.S. applications for jobless claims fell by 12,000 to 237,000 for the week ending July 8, from 249,000 previous week, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The four-week moving average of claims, which smooths out some of the week-to-week ups and downs, fell by 6,750 to 246,750. Jobless claim applications are seen as a proxy for the number of layoffs in a given week. Overall, 1.73 million people were collecting unemployment benefits

US Jobless Rates Plummet. Is the Labor Market Secretly Rebelling Against the Fed?
Economy

Weather forecast accuracy is crucial in a heat wave – 1 degree can mean the difference between life and death

Extreme heat can put lives at risk, making accurate forecasts essential for people working outdoors. FG Trade/E+ via Getty Images Weather forecasts have gotten quite good over the years, but their temperatures aren’t always spot on – and the result when they underplay extremes can be lethal. Even a 1-degree difference in a forecast’s accuracy can be the difference between life and death, our research shows. As economists, we have studied how people use forecasts to manage weather risks. In a new working paper for the National Bureau of Economic Research, we looked at how human survival depends on the

Weather forecast accuracy is crucial in a heat wave – 1 degree can mean the difference between life and death
Economy

Why a handwritten will found in Aretha Franklin's couch got R‑E‑S‑P‑E‑C‑T from a jury

A battle over the superstar’s estate landed in court. Charles Sykes/Invision/AP A handwritten will in a spiral notebook found wedged between couch cushions months after Aretha Franklin’s 2018 death is valid, a jury in Pontiac, Michigan, has decided. The July 11, 2023, verdict ended a yearslong legal dispute among three of the soul singer’s four sons over which of three informal wills found in her home should take precedence over the others. As a result, the four-page document, drafted in 2014, will now guide how the singer’s multimillion-dollar estate and royalties will be distributed among her heirs. The Conversation asked

Why a handwritten will found in Aretha Franklin's couch got R‑E‑S‑P‑E‑C‑T from a jury
Health

First over-the-counter birth control pill gets FDA approval

U.S. officials have approved the first over-the-counter birth control pill, which will let American women and girls buy contraceptive medication from the same aisle as aspirin and eyedrops. The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it cleared Perrigo’s once-a-day Opill to be sold without a prescription, making it the first such medication to be moved out from behind the pharmacy counter. The company won’t start shipping the pill until early next year, and there will be no age restrictions on sales. Hormone-based pills have long been the most common form of birth control in the U.S., used

First over-the-counter birth control pill gets FDA approval
Political

Many once-democratic countries continue to backslide, becoming less free – but their leaders continue to enjoy popular support

Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been in power since 2003 and has tried to strengthen the executive branch during that time. AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis Democracy is decreasing globally – and has been doing so for the last 17 years, according to 2023 findings published by the nonprofit group Freedom House, which advocates for democracy. These leaders’ generous public spending on key constituencies and effective promotion of nationalism are two reasons why they remain popular. I am a political scientist who studies political and economic dynamics in low- and middle-income countries. This phenomenon of societies becoming less democratic after having

Many once-democratic countries continue to backslide, becoming less free – but their leaders continue to enjoy popular support
Education

Support for legacy admissions is rooted in racial hierarchy

Critics of legacy admissions argue they maintain racial hierarchies that disproportionately benefit white students. YinYang/iStock via Getty Images Not long after the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 2023 decision to ban the use of race in college admissions, people began to ask questions once again about the fairness of legacy admissions. Legacy admission is a practice in which colleges give a preference to the children of graduates when deciding which students to let in. As a researcher who specializes in education and workplace policies, I have examined why people support legacy admissions and not affirmative action. I found that even though

Support for legacy admissions is rooted in racial hierarchy
World

Disney extends CEO Bob Iger's contract 2 more years through 2026

Bob Iger will remain as CEO of The Walt Disney Co. through the end of 2026, agreeing to a two-year contract extension that will give the entertainment and theme park company some breathing room to find his successor. Shares climbed before the market open on Thursday. Iger rejoined Disney as CEO in November, taking over control of the company from Bob Chapek. He had previously served as CEO and chairman from 2005 to 2020 and then as executive chairman and chairman through 2021. Chapek’s short tenure was met by much criticism, particularly from Disney park loyalists who openly criticized Chapek

Disney extends CEO Bob Iger's contract 2 more years through 2026
Political

3 takeaways from the NATO summit – and where it leaves the military alliance

Presidents Biden and Zelenskyy take to the stage. AP Photo/Susan Walsh The leaders of the 31 nations that comprise NATO made their way home on July 12, 2023, after concluding two days of highest-level diplomatic meetings. The summit in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius wasn’t just all talk – it provided an opportunity for the Western military alliance to reassess its purpose, size and structure in light of more than a year of war in Ukraine. John R. Deni, research professor at the U.S. Army War College and author of “NATO and Article 5: The Transatlantic Alliance and the Twenty-First-Century

3 takeaways from the NATO summit – and where it leaves the military alliance
World

IOC declines to give Russia and Belarus formal invitations to Paris Olympics 1 year out

Russia and Belarus will not get a formal invitation to the 2024 Paris Olympics when more than 200 national teams receive their traditional invites later this month, the IOC said Thursday. It is an International Olympic Committee tradition exactly one year before a Summer Games or Winter Games opens to invite all the national teams worldwide to the event. Despite the protocol move, some Russian and Belarusian athletes could still compete in Paris despite their countries’ war on Ukraine. Their national teams will not yet be asked to come. The IOC said Thursday that 203 eligible

IOC declines to give Russia and Belarus formal invitations to Paris Olympics 1 year out
Science

In ‘Oppenheimer,’ Christopher Nolan builds a thrilling, serious blockbuster for adults

Christopher Nolan has never been one to take the easy or straightforward route while making a movie. He shoots on large-format film with large, cumbersome cameras to get the best possible cinematic image. He prefers practical effects over computer-generated ones and real locations over soundstages — even when that means recreating an atomic explosion in the harsh winds of the New Mexico desert in the middle of the night for “Oppenheimer,” out July 21. Though, despite internet rumors, they did not detonate an actual nuclear weapon. And as for the biography that inspired his newest film,

In ‘Oppenheimer,’ Christopher Nolan builds a thrilling, serious blockbuster for adults
World

A heat wave named Cerberus has southern Europe in its jaws, and it's only going to get worse

Tourists in central Athens huddled under mist machines, and zoo animals in Madrid were fed fruit popsicles and chunks of frozen food, as southern Europeans braced for a heat wave Thursday, with a warning of severe conditions coming from the European Union’s space agency. Emergency measures – including staffing changes, cellphone alerts, and intensified forest fire patrols – were readied or put into effect in several countries as temperatures in parts of Mediterranean Europe were set to reach 45 degrees Celsius (113F) Friday and into the weekend. In Athens and other Greek cities, working hours were

A heat wave named Cerberus has southern Europe in its jaws, and it's only going to get worse
Science

In 'Oppenheimer,' Cillian Murphy finally gets to lead a Christopher Nolan film

The day Christopher Nolan called Cillian Murphy about his new film, “Oppenheimer,” Murphy hung up the phone in disbelief. The Irish actor, though a regular presence in Nolan films going back almost two decades, had always been a supporting player. This time, Nolan wanted him to lead. “He’s so understated and self-deprecating and, in his very English manner, just said, ‘Listen, I’ve written this script, it’s about Oppenheimer. I’d like you to be my Oppenheimer,’” Murphy, 46, told The Associated Press earlier this year. “It was a great day.” For Murphy, it is never not exciting to get a call

In 'Oppenheimer,' Cillian Murphy finally gets to lead a Christopher Nolan film
World

FTC appeals judge's ruling that would allow Microsoft's Activision Blizzard takeover

The Federal Trade Commission says it is appealing a judge’s ruling that would have allowed Microsoft to close its deal to buy video game company Activision Blizzard. A Wednesday court filing from the FTC says it is appealing it to the San Francisco-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Antitrust enforcers at the FTC have been trying to stop Microsoft’s $68.7 billion takeover of Activision Blizzard, maker of popular game franchises like Call of Duty, arguing it will harm competition in the video game industry. But in a Tuesday ruling, U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley denied the

FTC appeals judge's ruling that would allow Microsoft's Activision Blizzard takeover
World

The gunman who killed 11 people in a Pittsburgh synagogue is found eligible for the death penalty

The gunman who killed 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018 is eligible for the death penalty, a federal jury announced Thursday, setting the stage for further evidence and testimony on whether he should be sentenced to death or life in prison. The government is seeking capital punishment for Robert Bowers, who raged against Jewish people online before storming the Tree of Life synagogue with an AR-15 rifle and other weapons in the nation’s deadliest antisemitic attack. The jury agreed with prosecutors that Bowers — who spent six months planning the attack and has since expressed

The gunman who killed 11 people in a Pittsburgh synagogue is found eligible for the death penalty
World

Ons Jabeur is in a second consecutive Wimbledon final. She plays Marketa Vondrousova for the title

There was a time when Ons Jabeur might not have recovered from the deficit she found herself in during the Wimbledon semifinals. Down a set. Down a break. So close to being just a game from defeat. She credits her sports psychologist with helping her understand how to deal with those on-court situations, with managing to keep her focus, keep her strokes on-target. Thanks in part to that, and a steadiness down the stretch at Centre Court on Thursday, Jabeur is on her way to a second consecutive final at the All England Club and her

Ons Jabeur is in a second consecutive Wimbledon final. She plays Marketa Vondrousova for the title
World

No fingerprints, DNA sample or leads from cocaine found at the White House, the Secret Service says

No fingerprints or DNA turned up on the baggie of cocaine found in a lobby at the White House last week despite a sophisticated FBI crime lab analysis, and surveillance footage of the area didn’t identify a suspect, according to a summary of the Secret Service investigation obtained by The Associated Press. There are no leads on who brought the drugs into the building. U.S. Secret Service agents found the white powder during a routine White House sweep on July 2, in a heavily trafficked West Wing lobby where staff go in and out and tour groups

No fingerprints, DNA sample or leads from cocaine found at the White House, the Secret Service says

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