Category: Los Angeles

By Melissa Quinn Updated on: December 6, 2024 / 12:01 PM EST / CBS News Case on military academies’ affirmative action Affirmative action in military academies faces challenge in federal court 01:26 Washington — A federal district court on Friday upheld the U.S. Naval Academy’s race-conscious admissions policies, rejecting a challenge brought by the group Students for Fair Admissions following the Supreme Court’s landmark decision ending affirmative action in higher education. U.S. Senior District Judge Richard Bennett wrote in a 179-page decision that the Naval Academy “established a compelling national security interest in a diverse officer corps” for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, and tied its use of race in admissions to “the realization of an officer corps that represents the country it protects and the people it leads.” Bennett said the academy’s race-conscious admissions policy must receive deference extended to military judgments, which he said are set by the president and not the federal judiciary. “The Naval Academy’s race-conscious admissions policies are narrowly tailored to further a compelling governmental interest in national security,” he wrote. “Defendants have proven that the Naval Academy’s limited

Updated on: December 6, 2024 / 10:02 AM EST / CBS/AFP Law enforcement raises warning over “pink cocaine” Law enforcement raises warning over so-called pink cocaine 02:30 Russia said Friday it had arrested suspected members of a Colombian cartel trying to smuggle tens of millions of dollars worth of cocaine into Europe. The suspects were caught loading 570 kilograms (1,250 pounds) of the illegal substance into a container intended for shipment to the European Union, according to Russia’s FSB security services. The FSB said the smugglers brought the drugs into Russia from Peru hidden in a vehicle, and that they were members of Colombia’s infamous Cali cartel . “570 kilograms of cocaine were seized, the wholesale value of which on the Russian black market is 1.5 billion rubles, the retail value exceeding 5.5 billion rubles ($55 million),” the FSB said in a statement on its website. Colombia is the world’s biggest cocaine producer and exporter, mainly to the United States and Europe. Last year, the South American country set a new record for cocaine production and cultivation of the coca leaf the drug is made

By David Morgan December 6, 2024 / 10:02 AM EST / CBS News The Emmy Award-winning “CBS News Sunday Morning” is broadcast on CBS Sundays beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET.  “Sunday Morning” also streams on the CBS News app beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET. (Download it here.)  Guest host: Lee Cowan Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris, on the eve of its reopening to the public, December 6, 2024. Chesnot/Getty Images COVER STORY: The rebirth of Notre Dame Cathedral Just five years after a devastating fire tore through historic Notre Dame in Paris, the Gothic cathedral’s extraordinary restoration is being unveiled. Correspondent Seth Doane takes us inside the 12th century landmark, where 21st century tools, such as drones and computer animations, were as important a part of the restoration process as the artisans who toiled to bring Notre Dame back to life. For more info: Notre Dame of Paris (Official site) See also: Reconstructing Notre Dame Cathedral (“Sunday Morning”) Notre Dame, the world’s church (“Sunday Morning”) From 2011: The history of France’s Notre Dame Cathedral (“Sunday Morning”)         ALMANAC: December 8 “Sunday Morning” looks back at historical

A man, possibly naked and wielding an ax, was arrested in connection with the killing of a teenager in Newbury Park on Thursday night. An ambulance was called to a home on the 400 block of Jeanne Court just after 8 p.m. on Thursday after a teenager was struck in the head with an unknown object, according to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office. That teenager, who remains unidentified, was in the process of being transported to a local hospital when he was pronounced dead. The search for a suspect initially spanned the home, and then the neighborhood. Eventually, a naked, adult man was spotted at nearby Newbury Park High School, where he was apprehended and eventually arrested on the school’s football field. A man was arrested on the football field of Newbury Park High School after a teen was killed on Thursday night. (RMG News) Deputies with the sheriff’s office now say the suspect and victim may have been related. Audio from a law enforcement radio communication obtained by KTLA suggested that the murder weapon may have been an ax. Authorities said that the high

Uberto Pasolini tackles Homer’s epic poem “The Odyssey” with his intimate and muscular adaptation “The Return.” Despite the centuries-long significance of the text, not many films have tackled its events directly, and Pasolini focuses on Odysseus’ “nostos” or his return to the island of Ithaca after years fighting in the Trojan War and his long way home. Most filmmakers adapt “The Odyssey” obliquely, transposing the notion of a complicated journey to settings far away from ancient Greece (e.g., “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”; “Cold Mountain”). But Pasolini has chosen to set the movie on the island of Ithaca during the time of Odysseus, even if there is a certain modernity to the style and storytelling. “The Return” proves to be an acting showcase, especially for stars Ralph Fiennes, who plays Odysseus, and Juliette Binoche as his wife, Queen Penelope, the pair reuniting on screen 32 years after they starred in “Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights,” and 28 years after “The English Patient.” Spending most of the movie clad in nothing more than a shroud or loin cloth (often not even that) and eventually spattered blood, Fiennes

Poll: Americans’ economic outlook improving More Americans feeling better about the economy, CBS News poll finds 03:47 Employers added 227,000 jobs in November as the labor market rebounded from anemic growth in the prior month, when hurricanes and labor disputes dampened hiring.  The unemployment rate ticked higher to 4.2% from 4.1% in the prior month. The U.S. had been forecast to add 200,000 jobs last month, according to economists surveyed by financial data firm FactSet. The unemployment rate was expected to hold steady at 4.1%.  While hiring rebounded last month, the job market overall has been weakening in recent months under the strain of the Federal Reserve’s restrictive monetary policy, with the central bank boosting borrowing rates to their highest point in 23 years to combat inflation. It’s also taking longer for hundreds of thousands of out-of-work Americans to find new jobs, signaling cracks within a once-hot labor market as employers continue to cope with the impact of higher borrowing costs.  “After a prior month of hurricanes and worker strikes, we did get a bounce back in the headline payroll numbers plus positive revisions,” said Bryon

By Christina Fan Updated on: December 6, 2024 / 8:54 AM EST / CBS New York Photos from NYC hostel at center of United Healthcare CEO murder investigation Photos from NYC hostel at center of United Healthcare CEO murder investigation 03:11 NEW YORK — A New York City hostel is now the focal point of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s murder investigation .  That’s where the NYPD obtained photos of a person of interest , who let his guard — and his mask — down as he talked to a woman working at the front desk.  A high-ranking source tells CBS News New York police interviewed the woman, and she told officers she asked to “see his pretty smile.”  “They were having a flirtatious moment and he pulls it down and he gives a big smile and that one informal moment between two human beings remains at this moment the most significant clue to date in this whole case,” former NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence and Counterterrorism John Miller said.  Sources say the man used a fake New Jersey ID with a phony name to check into

No initial reports of major damage after 7.0 earthquake off coast of California – CBS News Watch CBS News Northern California was rattled Thursday by an offshore 7.0 earthquake that triggered tsunami warnings from Oregon down to the Bay Area. CBS News correspondent Jason Allen has the latest. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

December 6, 2024 / 8:29 AM EST / CBS/AP Prosecutors charged an Oklahoma City police officer with felony assault on Thursday after he slammed a 71-year-old man to the ground, breaking his neck, following an argument over a traffic ticket. Sgt. Joseph Gibson, 28, was charged in Oklahoma County with one count of aggravated assault and battery in connection with the Oct. 27 dispute. Body-worn camera video released by police shows Gibson throwing Lich Vu to the ground after Vu touched Gibson during an argument following a non-injury traffic accident. “We evaluate the law and the facts in each individual case, and in this particular case determined the officer’s actions were an unreasonable use of force,” Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Zemp Behenna said in a statement. Vu suffered a brain bleed, a broken neck and eye socket and remains hospitalized, prosecutors said. As CBS affiliate KWTV reported, nearby surveillance video, also released by police, revealed graphic views of Vu’s head hitting the concrete during the takedown arrest.  In this image made from body-worn camera video provided by the Oklahoma City Police Department, Lich Vu, a 71-year-old

The holiday season has arrived. For many Latinos, this time of year brings the delicious scents of tamales, asado and hallacas. Let’s introduce a new tradition by celebrating our heritage and stories by delving into the captivating work of Latinx authors. In this special edition of De Los Reads, you’ll find a delightful picture book that showcases the magic of Día de Reyes and its power to unite families year after year. There’s also a tempting cookbook of Latin American baking recipes that will inspire you to add new, delicious flavors to your holiday table. For fans of graphic novels, a story of self-discovery will keep you hooked from start to finish, offering a journey as thrilling as it is relatable. Grab a cafecito or a cup of sweet champurrado, wrap yourself in a fluffy cobija and let these books bring even more joy and meaning to your celebrations. Enjoy! Children’s books “ Tamales For Christmas ” By Stephen Briseño; illustrated by Sonia Sánchez (Random House Studio, October 2024) Grandma is preparing for Christmas, but how many delicious tamales will she need to earn enough

“Wait, you dated her? She’s basically royalty,” said an old schoolmate of my first love when we realized our mutual connection. It was nearly a year after the breakup, but even hearing her name made my heart beat in staccato. I was in my sophomore year at Scripps College in Claremont when our paths crossed for the first time. Trump’s inauguration and an air of accompanying pessimism hung in the air, so I combated my own doom through volunteering for our college consortium’s refugee advocacy network. During my first tutoring assignment, I couldn’t have looked more out of place. I’d never met a Muslim person before coming to college, and here I was, walking into the mosque in my skinny jeans with a tiny silver cross hanging around my neck. It didn’t take long to notice one of the other volunteers, with her dark curly hair and tie-dye. She looked so at ease, and she was, cracking jokes with the moms in her native language and letting the kids strum on her guitar. I was so anxious that day as I approached her, emboldened by

Fear, anxiety and confusion swept across the West Coast early Thursday when a rare tsunami warning was issued for parts of Northern California and southern Oregon following a magnitude 7 earthquake that hit about 55 miles off the shore of Eureka. Evacuations were ordered. Sirens went off. Service was suspended on the Bay Area’s commuter rail through its underwater Transbay Tube. But in about an hour, the warning was canceled. Though the circumstances were right, no major tsunami formed — this time. “It could have moved a lot of water,” said Dave Snider, the tsunami warning coordinator at the National Tsunami Warning Center in Alaska. “We’re glad it didn’t.” The conditions could have produced a dangerous tsunami, but there’s no way to predict such an event accurately ahead of time, Snider said. So his team errs on the side of caution, especially when the earthquake hits closer to the coast — as this one did — and could more quickly inundate populated areas. “We’re completely reactionary to the earthquake event,” Snider said. “Time has to be respected to get people safe.” Tsunami warnings remain rare

Updated on: December 6, 2024 / 6:50 AM EST / CBS/AP Meet “Wisdom,” the oldest-known bird in the wild Meet “Wisdom,” the oldest-known bird in the wild 04:47 The oldest known wild bird in the world has laid an egg at the ripe age of about 74, her first in four years, U.S. wildlife officials said. The long-winged seabird named Wisdom, a Laysan albatross, returned to Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge at the northwestern edge of the Hawaiian Archipelago and laid what experts estimate may be her 60th egg, the Pacific Region of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service said in a Facebook post this week. Wisdom and her mate, Akeakamai, had returned to the atoll in the Pacific Ocean to lay and hatch eggs since 2006. Laysan albatrosses mate for life and lay one egg per year, but according to the USFWS, Akeakamai hadn’t been seen for several years, prompting “Wisdom to begin courtship dances with other males” as soon as she returned to the island last week. “We are optimistic that the egg will hatch,” Jonathan Plissner, supervisory wildlife biologist at Midway Atoll

December 6, 2024 / 6:43 AM EST / CBS/AFP Ecuador at war with drug gangs Ecuador’s president says country is at war with drug gangs 03:15 An Ecuadoran soccer star held hostage for three days has been rescued after a firefight between police and his captors in the jungle near Colombia. Pedro Perlaza, 33, a defender with top-flight club Delfin, was freed along with another person, police announced Wednesday evening in a social media post. He had been missing since Sunday evening. In a social media post Thursday, police said three suspects had been arrested and that they had demanded $60,000 in exchange for their release. A video released by police on Thursday showed the two men who were kidnapped — both barefoot — tearfully thanking their rescuers. “They’ve been badly treated, but they’re alive,” Diego Velastegui, head of police in the northwestern port city of Esmeraldas, told reporters. Police “were met by bullets from the criminals” near the coastal town of Atacames, he said. The kidnappers fled after officers returned fire. Velastegui said several of the kidnappers were wounded. Perlaza had been held in

By Christina Fan Updated on: December 6, 2024 / 7:14 AM EST / CBS New York Photos from NYC hostel at center of United Healthcare CEO murder investigation Photos from NYC hostel at center of United Healthcare CEO murder investigation 03:11 NEW YORK — A New York City hostel is now the focal point of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s murder investigation .  That’s where the NYPD obtained photos of a person of interest , who let his guard — and his mask — down as he talked to a woman working at the front desk.  A high-ranking source tells CBS News New York police interviewed the woman, and she told officers she asked to “see his pretty smile.”  “They were having a flirtatious moment and he pulls it down and he gives a big smile and that one informal moment between two human beings remains at this moment the most significant clue to date in this whole case,” former NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence and Counterterrorism John Miller said.  Sources say the man used a fake New Jersey ID with a phony name to check

WASHINGTON —  Some of President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominations have raised hopes that his trade and other economic actions will not be wildly disruptive or bring back inflation. But that could turn out to be wishful thinking. Based on the record of his first term in the Oval Office and on his current statements of his intent, Trump’s second term may see a break from the largely bipartisan consensus that has shaped U.S. economic policy for more than 50 years. That consensus has centered on a push for more foreign trade, less government regulation of business, tax cuts and other fiscal stimulus when necessary to sustain steady growth and low unemployment. Though Republicans tended to put more emphasis on one element or another than Democrats, the overall thrust remained pretty much the same. And supporters of that approach took heart when Trump picked billionaire investor Scott Bessent to be his Treasury secretary. Bessent is a familiar name in the hedge fund world, and for some years he worked under the longtime financier and Democratic backer George Soros. Wall Street immediately cheered the selection by pushing up

Health officials warned Thursday that people who were at Los Angeles International Airport and Children’s Hospital of Orange County in recent days may have been exposed to measles. A flier infected with the disease was at LAX a day before Thanksgiving, and an infant with measles was at the Orange County hospital after the holiday. It wasn’t immediately clear whether this was a single individual. Those at highest risk of getting sick are unvaccinated people who haven’t had measles before. Babies are at high risk from the highly contagious disease. Others at risk of severe outcomes include pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems. A person infected with measles arrived at Los Angeles International Airport at 12:35 p.m. on Nov. 27, on Qatar Airways Flight 739. The flight originated out of Doha, the capital of Qatar. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said that people who were at LAX’s Tom Bradley International Terminal — also known as Terminal B — between 12:30 and 6 p.m. that day might be at risk of contracting measles due to exposure to the traveler. Separately, the

Jahnay Bryan, a recent Cornell University graduate, had a bright future ahead of her before she mysteriously disappeared in Los Angeles this fall, leaving her family desperate for answers and frustrated by the lack of progress in solving her case. Bryan, a 23-year-old Black woman, was last seen near the 2000 block of West 8th Street on Oct. 16, according to an Ebony Alert issued by the Los Angeles Police Department on Nov. 19. She has black hair and brown eyes, is 5-foot-7 and weighs about 125 pounds. Ebony Alerts are meant to help police find missing Black youths ages 12 to 25, a group that represents a disproportionate number of the missing people in the state and the country. In 2023, Black youths under 18 made up 40% of all missing-children cases in the United States, despite making up just 15% of American children, according to the National Crime Information Center. Bryan’s sister, Jahque Bryan-Goodman, reported her missing Nov. 13. Three weeks have since passed, and there are no updates available on Bryan’s case, according to an LAPD spokesperson. “I feel like it wasn’t

With “Gladiator II,” Ridley Scott returns to the bloody world of his Oscar-winning swords-and-sandals epic. Starring Paul Mescal as Lucius, a young prisoner turned gladiator, this sequel goes bigger and wilder than its predecessor, including monkeys, rhinos and even sharks within its grand action sequences. To re-create the epic scope of the original film and reimagine it for 2024 audiences, Scott reunited with many of his longtime collaborators. That included special effects supervisor Neil Corbould. Joining him was visual effects supervisor Mark Bakowski. Unlike Corbould, who’s worked with Scott for decades (he won an Oscar for “Gladiator” and was nominated just last year for the director’s “Napoleon”), Bakowski was excited to work with the famed filmmaker for the first time. “He’s nuts,” Bakowski says with a laugh via Zoom, about the English director. “But obviously in an excellent way. He shoots quickly, and he likes to move. He’s like, ‘Get me going.’ It’s all rush, rush, rush. It’s great. But it took some getting used to. “I heard him shout once, ‘I want four donkeys (there might have been a swear word in there) and

Fear, anxiety and confusion swept across the West Coast early Thursday when a rare tsunami warning was issued for parts of Northern California and southern Oregon following a magnitude 7 earthquake that hit about 55 miles off the shore of Eureka. Evacuations were ordered. Sirens went off. Service was suspended on the Bay Area’s commuter rail through its underwater Transbay Tube. But in about an hour, the warning was canceled. Though the circumstances were right, no major tsunami formed — this time. “It could have moved a lot of water,” said Dave Snider, the tsunami warning coordinator at the National Tsunami Warning Center in Alaska. “We’re glad it didn’t.” The conditions could have produced a dangerous tsunami, but there’s no way to predict such an event accurately ahead of time, Snider said. So his team errs on the side of caution, especially when the earthquake hits closer to the coast — as this one did — and could more quickly inundate populated areas. “We’re completely reactionary to the earthquake event,” Snider said. “Time has to be respected to get people safe.” Tsunami warnings remain rare

The Geminid meteor shower peak is more than a week away, but this year it might be a good idea to keep an eye out early, according to NASA. The shower will peak from Friday Dec. 13 into early Saturday Dec. 14 — when the moon is nearly full, according to NASA. Illumination from the moon could make spotting the cosmic show a challenge during the peak, but bright meteors can be spotted the week before the peak.  Here’s what you should know about the Geminids meteor shower, including how to watch: Where you can see the Geminids Meteors from the Geminids will be visible throughout the sky and across the globe, according to NASA. They’re best viewed in an area far away from city and street lights.  Viewers — who should prepare for frigid temperatures — should lie flat on their backs with their feet facing south. Give your eyes a half hour to adjust to the dark.  The shower usually starts around 9 or 10 p.m. local time, with the meteors best viewed at night or in the pre-dawn hours.  EarthSky, an astronomy