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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

France celebrates Bastille Day with pomp, a tribute to India and extra police to prevent new unrest

France is celebrating its national holiday Friday with whizzing warplanes and a grand Bastille Day parade in Paris — and with more than 100,000 police deployed around the country to prevent a new outbreak of unrest in underprivileged neighborhoods. This year, the annual events celebrating the start of the French Revolution on July 14, 1789 come in the wake of the nation’s most serious rioting in nearly 20 years, following the fatal police shooting of a teen with North African roots that laid bare anger over entrenched inequality and racial discrimination. India is the guest of honor

France celebrates Bastille Day with pomp, a tribute to India and extra police to prevent new unrest
World

South Africa deploys army over burning of trucks, braces for unrest over ex-president's court case

South Africa deployed the army in four of its provinces Friday after at least 21 trucks carrying goods were set on fire in various parts of the country over the past week. The move came amid concerns of more unrest over a court decision that could send former president Jacob Zuma back to jail, although authorities have denied they are connected. The deployment of soldiers to support police in some parts of the country came a day after South Africa’s apex Constitutional Court ruled that Zuma’s release on medical parole in 2021 was invalid.

South Africa deploys army over burning of trucks, braces for unrest over ex-president's court case
Political

IRS says it collected $38 million from more than 175 high-income tax delinquents

The IRS is showcasing its new capability to aggressively audit high-income tax dodgers as it makes the case for sustained funding and tries to avert budget cuts sought by Republicans who want to gut the agency. IRS leaders said they collected $38 million in delinquent taxes from more than 175 high-income taxpayers in the past few months. In one case, an individual had used money owed to the government to buy a Maserati and a Bentley, and roughly 100 high-income individuals attempted to get favorable tax treatment through Puerto Rico without meeting certain tax requirements. Many of

IRS says it collected $38 million from more than 175 high-income tax delinquents
Political

Biden making $20 billion available from 'green bank' for clean energy projects

The Biden administration is making available $20 billion from a federal “green bank” for clean energy projects such as residential heat pumps, electric vehicle charging stations and community cooling centers. Two programs, worth $14 billion and $6 billion, respectively, will offer competitive grants to states, tribes and nonprofits to invest in clean energy projects, with a focus on disadvantaged communities, the White House says. Vice President Kamala Harris, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan and other officials will announce the grant competitions Friday at a historically black university in Baltimore. Congress created the green bank, formally known

Biden making $20 billion available from 'green bank' for clean energy projects
Science

China accuses US of militarizing space following protest over Navy plane's Taiwan Strait transit

Amid a freeze in military-to-military contacts, China is accusing the United States of militarizing outer space, a day after it protested the passage of a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon anti-submarine aircraft through the Taiwan Strait. Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Col. Tan Kefei said on Friday that U.S. actions, including the establishment of the Space Force in 2019 as the newest branch of the military, have “had a great negative impact on space security and global strategic stability.” “In recent years, the United States has accelerated the militarization of space,” Tan said. “I would like to reiterate here

China accuses US of militarizing space following protest over Navy plane's Taiwan Strait transit
World

Man drowns in home in Vermont's 1st recorded flooding death

A man who died as a result of a drowning accident in his home is Vermont’s first death related to recent storms and historic flooding, the state’s emergency management agency said. Stephen Davoll, 63, of Barre, died on Wednesday, said Mark Bosma, spokesperson for Vermont Emergency Management. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner investigated the death, in cooperation with local police, Bosma said in a news release late Thursday afternoon. He said Vermonters are urged to continue to take extra care as they return to their homes and repair damage. “The loss of a Vermonter is always painful, but

Man drowns in home in Vermont's 1st recorded flooding death
World

Blinken meets Wang Yi in Indonesia. But the region remains wary of the US-China rivalry

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met China’s top diplomat Friday to discuss thorny issues as part of efforts to nurture talks on the sidelines of regional diplomatic meetings in Indonesia, whose president called on rival powers to avoid turning the region into a “competition arena.” Blinken stressed the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and raised concerns by Washington and its allies over China’s actions in his late-Thursday meeting with Wang Yi, who heads the ruling Communist Party’s Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, U.S. officials

Blinken meets Wang Yi in Indonesia. But the region remains wary of the US-China rivalry
World

Hundreds of thousands face disruption at London's Gatwick Airport this summer after strike vote

Hundreds of thousands of British vacationers face potential disruption to their travel plans at the start of the school summer holidays, after almost 1,000 workers at London’s Gatwick Airport voted to strike in a dispute over pay. The Unite union said Friday that members, including baggage handlers and check-in staff, who are employed by four private contractors will walk out for four days from July 28 and again for a subsequent four-day stretch from Aug. 4. The union said the action will “inevitably” cause disruption to flights at the height of the summer holiday season after the

Hundreds of thousands face disruption at London's Gatwick Airport this summer after strike vote
World

German leader confident that a surging far-right party will shrink again before the next election

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed optimism Friday that support for a far-right party which has been surging in the polls lately will shrink to previous levels again by the time of the next national election in 2025. The far-right Alternative for Germany party received 10.3% of the vote in the last national election in 2021 — a slight decline from 2017, when it got 12.6% in the wake of an influx of migrants to Europe. Recent polls have shown support for the party, known by its German acronym AfD, at around 20% and ahead of Scholz’s center-left

German leader confident that a surging far-right party will shrink again before the next election
Health

UK officials warn low measles immunization rates could lead to tens of thousands of cases in London

Britain’s Health Security Agency said on Friday that measles vaccination rates in parts of London have dropped so low that the capital could see tens of thousands of cases of the rash-causing disease unless immunization coverage is quickly boosted. In a statement, the agency said that among some groups of children in London, fewer than 70% have received their first dose of the standard measles, mumps and rubella vaccine; two doses are needed to provide protection. Measles is among the world’s most infectious diseases and health experts estimate that about 95% of the population must be immunized

UK officials warn low measles immunization rates could lead to tens of thousands of cases in London
World

China criticizes German call for reducing dependency on Chinese products as 'protectionism'

China on Friday criticized a German government call for reducing dependency on Chinese products and decreasing other potentially unstable factors in bilateral relations, calling it a form of protectionism. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that a long-awaited German government strategy for relations with China that pointed to a “systemic rivalry” went “against the trend of the times, and will only aggravate divisions in the world.” Wang said the two countries were “partners rather than rivals,” a typical ruling Chinese Communist Party formulation for dismissing criticism. “We believe that to engage in competition and protectionism in the

China criticizes German call for reducing dependency on Chinese products as 'protectionism'
World

JPMorgan Chase 2Q profits rose 67% with a boost from First Republic takeover

JPMorgan Chase & Co. said second-quarter profits rose by 67% as the nation’s largest bank made more loans to customers and took advantage of higher interest rates and its recent acquisition of First Republic. JPMorgan said Friday that it earned $14.5 billion in the three months ended June 30, compared to a profit of of $8.65 billion in the same period a year earlier. On a per share basis, the bank earned $4.75 a share. Revenue rose to $42.4 billion from $31.6 billion a year ago. The results beat Wall Street forecasts, with analysts surveyed by

JPMorgan Chase 2Q profits rose 67% with a boost from First Republic takeover
World

Novak Djokovic defeats Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon to reach the final and near an eighth title

Novak Djokovic closed in on a record-tying eighth title at Wimbledon and fifth in a row by repeatedly serving his way out of potential trouble to beat Jannik Sinner 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4) in the semifinals on Friday. Djokovic saved all six break points he faced — including a pair that were set points for the eighth-seeded Sinner at 5-4 in the third — and reached his ninth final at the All England Club. It’s also his 35th final at all Grand Slam tournaments, more than any man or woman in tennis history. He is seeking

Novak Djokovic defeats Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon to reach the final and near an eighth title
World

For some remote Canadian wildfires, best and fastest option is sending in the smokejumpers

When James Bergen steps from a plane and plummets toward fire below, he’s not scared. Instead, he says, he gets a rush from not knowing exactly what he’ll face when he parachutes in as one of the smokejumpers confronting the wildfires that have scorched Canada this spring and summer. One call may mean a drop and a hike to a meadow to put out a single burning tree. “Next day you go to a fire and it’s a giant roaring beast threatening a community,” said Bergen, a solidly built 46-year-old with graying stubble.

For some remote Canadian wildfires, best and fastest option is sending in the smokejumpers
World

Disney is asking a judge to toss a lawsuit from DeSantis appointees

Disney is asking a Florida judge on Friday to toss out a lawsuit against the company’s efforts to neutralize a takeover of Disney World’s governing district by Gov. Ron DeSantis and his appointees. The hearing scheduled for an hour in state court in Orlando involves one of two cases between the Disney and DeSantis or his governing district appointees stemming from the takeover, which was retaliation for the company’s public opposition to the so-called Don’t Say Gay legislation championed by DeSantis and Republican state lawmakers. Disney and DeSantis have been engaged in a yearlong feud that

Disney is asking a judge to toss a lawsuit from DeSantis appointees
World

Rocket being developed by Japan's space agency explodes during testing but no injuries reported

A rocket being developed by the Japanese space agency exploded during testing on Friday, but there were no reports of injuries, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said. The cause of the accident at the facility in Akita Prefecture, northeastern Japan, was still being investigated, the agency, JAXA, said. It was unclear and when testing for the Epsilon S rocket could resume. Japanese TV news footage from the site shows the test starting normally, with white smoke shooting out at the side. About a minute later, flames and gray smoke burst upward in an explosion, and the roof

Rocket being developed by Japan's space agency explodes during testing but no injuries reported
World

Suspect taken into custody in Long Island serial killings, AP source says

A suspect has been taken into custody on New York’s Long Island in connection with a long-unsolved string of killings, known as the Gilgo Beach murders, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press on Friday. The case has drawn immense public attention since human remains were found along a New York beach highway more than a decade ago. The mystery attracted national headlines for many years and the unsolved killings were the subject of the 2020 Netflix film “Lost Girls.” The suspect was taken into custody in Massapequa late Thursday and investigators were at a

Suspect taken into custody in Long Island serial killings, AP source says
Arts

Kevin Spacey denies that crotch-grabbing was his 'trademark' pickup move

Kevin Spacey denied that grabbing men by the crotch was his “trademark” pickup move as he got increasingly testy under questioning Friday by the prosecutor who accused him of sexually assaulting four men. In a heated exchange that required the intervention of the judge, Spacey was asked about allegations he had grabbed a man backstage at a charity event in a theater. “Absolute bollocks!” Spacey replied to titters from the gallery in the packed courtroom. “Yes, because that’s exactly where you did grab him,” Prosecutor Christine Agnew snapped back. “Really?” Spacey said as he looked up at

Kevin Spacey denies that crotch-grabbing was his 'trademark' pickup move
Economy

Donors who feel upbeat are more likely to give to charity – new research

Feeling generous? Vera Vita/Moment via Getty Images The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work. The big idea When people feel happier, they’re more likely to donate to charity. That’s what we, two economists who study what motivates environmentally conscientious consumption and support for free services, found in a new study published in The Economic Journal. To conduct this research, we analyzed tweets from over 20,000 Twitter users who used the hashtag “#iloveWikipedia.” That slogan is part of a template that Wikipedia suggests to anyone who has just completed a donation on its online platform, so it

Donors who feel upbeat are more likely to give to charity – new research
Political

Why Trump's prosecution for keeping secret documents is lawful, constitutional, precedented, nonpartisan and merited

Special counsel Jack Smith speaks to reporters on June 9, 2023, in Washington about the investigation of Trump’s retention of classified records. AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File Donald Trump and his allies have responded with a variety of objections to his federal indictment, brought in June 2023 by special counsel Jack Smith. The federal charges – the first against a former president – listed 37 counts of obstruction of justice and wrongful retention of classified documents after Trump left office in January 2021. Trump pleaded not guilty. The objections made by Trump and his allies: The former president simply cannot

Why Trump's prosecution for keeping secret documents is lawful, constitutional, precedented, nonpartisan and merited
Health

Curing America's loneliness epidemic would make us healthier, fitter and less likely to abuse drugs

Loneliness increases the risk of chronic disease and mental health challenges. An Kirillova/500px Prime via Getty Images A national health advisory issued by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy on May 3, 2023, sheds light on the urgent public health issues of loneliness and isolation. The report reflects Dr. Murthy’s personal and professional experience with the damaging health impacts of loneliness. As surprising as it sounds, social isolation and loneliness have the same effect on human health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, which is to say, it can shorten life span by up to 15 years. I’m a leader in

Curing America's loneliness epidemic would make us healthier, fitter and less likely to abuse drugs
World

Acropolis' midday closure leaves many tourists in the lurch as a heat wave lashes southern Europe

Disgruntled tourists bemoaned the temporary closing of the Acropolis in Athens on Friday as Greek authorities proactively shut the world monument’s gates between midday and early evening amid a heat wave that continues to grip southern Europe. Red Cross staff handed out bottled water to tourists wilting in long lines hoping to beat the closure and scale the steps up to the gleaming Parthenon temple as temperatures were expected to peak above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in the Greek capital. Some visitors were frustrated at being left in the lurch because they were unaware of

Acropolis' midday closure leaves many tourists in the lurch as a heat wave lashes southern Europe
World

World cycling’s governing body bans female transgender athletes from women’s events

Female transgender athletes who transitioned after male puberty will no longer be able to compete in women’s races, world cycling governing body the UCI said Friday. The International Cycling Union joined the governing bodies in track and field and swimming as top-tier Olympic sports addressing in this way the issue of transgender athletes and fairness in women’s events. The UCI’s decision came after American rider Austin Killips became the first openly transgender woman to win an official cycling event in May. “From now on, female transgender athletes who have transitioned after (male) puberty will be prohibited

World cycling’s governing body bans female transgender athletes from women’s events
World

Reformist Thai party, thwarted from forming new government, seeks law change to limit Senate's power

The political party that captured first place in Thailand’s general election two months ago — only to see the country’s unelected Senators block its expectations of taking power — announced Friday it’s fighting back, seeking to change the law to take away the Senate’s de facto veto over who can form a new government. After the surprise May 14 victory of the progressive Move Forward Party, it assembled an eight-party coalition that captured a combined 312 seats — a clear majority in the House of Representatives. On that basis, it has the right to try to form

Reformist Thai party, thwarted from forming new government, seeks law change to limit Senate's power
Political

Serbia halts arms exports after US sanctioned the country's spy chief for alleged illegal arms trade

Serbia suspended all arms exports for 30 days, the defense minister said Friday, just days after the United States imposed sanctions on the Balkan country’s intelligence chief over alleged illegal arms deals and other criminal activities. Defense Minister Miloš Vučević said that the export ban is necessary in order to fulfill the needs of the Serbian army and boost its combat readiness amid the simmering crisis in the Balkan region. “It does not mean Serbia is going to war or calling for war, but we are looking at all security risks and challenges,” Vučević said. Serbian

Serbia halts arms exports after US sanctioned the country's spy chief for alleged illegal arms trade

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