Category: Los Angeles

Blinken, Cameron meet in D.C. to discuss Ukraine funding – CBS News Watch CBS News Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with U.K. Foreign Secretary David Cameron in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday to discuss new military aid for Ukraine, which has been stalled in Congress for months. CBS News intelligence and national security reporter Olivia Gazis reports. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Unpacking political fallout from Arizona abortion ban ruling – CBS News Watch CBS News The Arizona Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled an abortion ban from 1864 can be enforced. Robert Costa, CBS News chief election and campaign correspondent, and Daniella Diaz, Politico congressional correspondent, join “America Decides” to examine how the decision could impact the 2024 U.S. elections. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

UCLA’s defense could be living on the edge unless it finds a few good ones. Edge rusher might be the team’s thinnest position after coach DeShaun Foster confirmed Tuesday that Choe Bryant-Strother had entered the transfer portal, becoming the latest edge rusher to depart. Laiatu Latu and twins Gabriel and Grayson Murphy have declared for the NFL draft. Carl Jones Jr. and Jake Heimlicher have exhausted their eligibility. Bryant-Strother was the last remaining edge rusher on the roster who had played for the Bruins, logging 38 tackles, four tackles for loss and one sack over four seasons at a variety of positions. As a graduate transfer, Bryant-Strother does not need to wait for the official opening of the transfer portal on April 15. His departure will prompt Foster to search the portal for reinforcements. “That’s most definitely a portal position,” Foster said, “but we’ve still got to develop the guys that we have and I’m excited to see what they can do this spring.’ In recent practices, converted defensive tackle Devin Aupiu and Navy transfer Jacob Busic have been the first-team edge rushers. Aupiu appeared

Somehow, heartbreak feels good in a place like CinemaCon — where no matter how many hits the motion picture industry has taken over the last year (and, uh, it’s taken a lot), exhibitors from all over the world unfailingly come together to exude enthusiasm about the moviegoing experience and optimism about the future of cinema. Flag bearers for the Motion Picture Assn., the National Assn. of Theatre Owners and other major industry players convened Tuesday at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas to deliver their annual state-of-the-business address and officially kick off the event. Movie stars, filmmakers and studio heads are expected to tease, extol and in some cases screen their upcoming releases. There’s a lot riding on those movies in the wake of a box office slump partially brought on by the Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strikes, which delayed several movies and effectively halted film and TV production last year for about six months. “We can’t shy away from the stark challenges of this moment, nor can we ignore this time of volatility in our industry,” said Charles Rivkin, chief executive of the MPA, during

Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías has been charged with five misdemeanors related to his arrest after alleged domestic violence against his wife, Daisy, last year. The charges include two counts of domestic battery involving a dating relationship and one count each of spousal battery, false imprisonment and assault, the Los Angeles Times reports. Urías was arrested in September 2023 after a witness reported an altercation between the couple outside BMO Stadium. Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Julio Urias heads to the dugout after the top of the fifth inning of the second baseball game of the team’s doubleheader against the Miami Marlins, Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) In January, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced they would not file felony charges against Urías, leading to the misdemeanor charges filed by the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, as reported by the Times. Urías was placed on administrative leave after the 2023 incident, and he was not signed by another team in the offseason. The pitching star has faced domestic violence allegations before. In 2019, he was suspended 20

A California bill that aims to address the rise of AI-generated child sexual abuse material, or CSAM, is making its way through the state legislature. Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko teamed up with Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park) to introduce the measure. The bill, officially known as AB 1831, “would address the escalating threat posed by artificial intelligence (AI) in the creation of lifelike, illicit content involving children,” a news release said. New California bill seeks to lower speed limits in school zones “This legislation is in response to the dangerous convergence of artificial intelligence and child exploitation,” Nasarenko said in a statement. “As technology evolves, so must our laws. This bill sends a clear message that our society will not tolerate the malicious use of artificial intelligence to produce harmful sexual content involving minors.” In February, artificially generated nude photos of students were being shared among classmates at a middle school in Beverly Hills and in March, school officials announced that five students were expelled over the scandal. Other states are dealing with similar issues as well. California bill that could mandate ‘science

By Kate Gibson Edited By Anne Marie Lee Updated on: April 9, 2024 / 6:41 PM EDT / CBS News Study finds 1 in 4 who eat healthy snack poorly Study finds 1 in 4 who eat healthy still snack poorly 00:21 Lunchables — prepackaged boxes of deli meat, cheese and crackers — are not the healthiest option when it comes to picking snacks or lunches for kids, as they contain troublesome levels of lead and sodium, according to Consumer Reports. The advocacy group tested Lunchables, made by Kraft Heinz, as well as similar lunch and snack kits from other manufacturers, finding cause for concern in the products popular for decades as a convenient snack or lunch for children. “There’s a lot to be concerned about in these kits,” according to Amy Keating, a registered dietitian at CR. “They’re highly processed, and regularly eating processed meat, a main ingredient in many of these products, has been linked to increased risk of some cancers.” None of the kits exceeded legal or regulatory limits, but five of 12 tested products would expose someone to 50% or more

Vice President Kamala Harris meets with families of Hamas hostages – CBS News Watch CBS News Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday met with families of Americans taken hostage by Hamas during the Oct. 7 attack. CBS News senior White House correspondent Weijia Jiang has more on the meeting. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

By Lucia Suarez Sang April 9, 2024 / 5:37 PM EDT / CBS/AP No charges for 6-year-old who shot teacher No charges for 6-year-old who shot teacher in Virginia 00:27 The former assistant principal of a Virginia elementary school where a 6-year-old boy shot and wounded his first-grade teacher last year has been indicted on eight felony counts of child neglect. A special grand jury found that Ebony Parker showed a “reckless disregard for the human life” of the other students at Richneck Elementary School on Jan. 6, 2023, in Newport News, Virginia, unsealed court documents show. Each of the charges is punishable by up to five years in prison. According to authorities, Parker, of Newport News, was working the day the 6-year-old fired a single shot at his teacher, Abigail Zwerner , during a reading class. Zwerner has filed a $40 million lawsuit alleging that Parker, 39, ignored several warnings that the boy had a gun in school that day. Zwerner was shot in the chest and hand in the shooting but has recovered. The boy told authorities he got his mother’s 9mm handgun

The Los Angeles City Council Tuesday approved a temporary moratorium on dog breeding permits in an attempt to address overpopulation at the six city-run animal shelters. Council members voted 13-0 to pass an ordinance needed to enact the moratorium. Council members Monica Rodriguez and Katy Yaroslavsky were absent during the vote. According to city documents, the moratorium would be lifted once shelters are at or below 75% capacity for three consecutive months, and could be automatically reinstated if shelter capacity rises above 75%. City officials emphasized the moratorium is only temporary until the shelters’ can get control of the situation. It will affect dogs specifically, not cats or rabbits, because the shelters are reporting an influx of purebred dogs being dropped off. Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez, who chairs the council’s Neighborhoods and Community Enrichment Committee and introduced the motion, said the action was necessary to address the “crises” at city animal shelters. “They’re overwhelmed with animals and the conditions are completely unacceptable,” Hernandez said prior to the vote. “This is both an inflow and outflow problem.” She said not enough animals are being adopted or fostered

The two men who were killed in an apparent crash in Jurupa Valley were identified Tuesday, the Riverside County Coroner’s Bureau announced. Deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department’s Jurupa Valley station responded to Sierra Avenue and Karen Lane around 3 p.m. Monday on a report of an abandoned vehicle in a ravine at the top of a hill. They found evidence of a crash and an unoccupied car, but no other vehicles were found. Two unresponsive men were found in a nearby field, and both were pronounced dead at the scene, according to Sgt. Rafael Lopez. The men were identified as Mauricio Juarez, 38, and Guillermo Morales, 41, both of Fontana. The sheriff’s Traffic Collision Reconstruction Team responded to the scene and assumed the investigation. Anyone with additional information regarding the crash was encouraged to contact Deputy John Shepherd at 951-955-2600.

By Caitlin O’Kane Updated on: April 9, 2024 / 5:18 PM EDT / CBS News Trillions of cicadas getting ready to emerge What to know about the trillions of cicadas about to swarm the U.S. 03:53 Periodical cicadas aren’t present every spring, but when they do emerge, they come in loud, buzzing hordes. This year, trillions of these beady-eyed bugs are expected to appear in several U.S. states. Here’s what you need to know about cicadas. Periodical cicadas There are two types of periodical cicadas — ones that come out every 13 years and ones that come out every 17 years. They emerge in broods, which are labeled with Roman numerals. In 2024, two broods will emerge: Brood XIX, which is on a 13-year cycle, and Brood XIII, which is on a 17-year cycle. These two broods haven’t matched up since 1803, according to research from the University of Connecticut.  Brood XIX will emerge across parts of the Midwest and Southeast, while Brood XIII will primarily be seen in Illinois.  Cicadas emerge from underground once the soil reaches 64 degrees, cicada expert Matthew Kasson told

Former Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías has been charged with five misdemeanors stemming from his arrest for suspicion of domestic violence last September, a spokesperson from the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office confirmed Tuesday. The charges include one count of spousal battery, two counts of domestic battery involving dating relationship, one count of false imprisonment and one count of assault. An arraignment is scheduled for May 2. Urías, 27, was just months away from what was expected to be a lucrative free agency when he was arrested outside BMO Stadium after an LAFC game on Sept. 3. That night, a person alerted police that a man and a woman were involved in a physical altercation, according to a report from the Exposition Park Department of Public Safety. Exposition Park police officers approached Urías and the woman — his wife, Daisy — and “determined a physical altercation had occurred,” the report said. Urías was then taken into custody and released the next morning on $50,000 bail. Urías spent the rest of last season — which began with his first career opening day start for the Dodgers —

Vampire Weekend will appear as a last-minute addition to the lineup for this weekend’s Coachella festival. Coachella said on social media Tuesday that the popular indie-rock band would play the festival’s first weekend, which is scheduled to run Friday through Sunday at Indio’s Empire Polo Club before repeating April 19-21. (No word on whether Vampire Weekend will appear during Weekend 2.) Vampire Weekend, which is set to perform Saturday at 5 p.m. on Coachella’s Outdoor Theatre stage, released its latest album, “Only God Was Above Us,” last week; it previously played Coachella in 2013 and 2008. Last year, the reunited Blink-182 appeared as a late-breaking addition to the festival’s first weekend before being upgraded to a headlining set for Weekend 2 after Frank Ocean dropped out following his controversial performance during Weekend 1. Arcade Fire played the festival with little advance notice in 2022. No Doubt, which had been advertised as part of Coachella’s bill — but without saying on which day the band would appear — will perform Saturday at 9:25 p.m. on the festival’s main stage. That slot follows slots for two other

Somehow, heartbreak feels good in a place like CinemaCon — where no matter how many hits the motion picture industry has taken over the last year (and, uh, it’s taken a lot), exhibitors from all over the world unfailingly come together to exude enthusiasm about the moviegoing experience and optimism about the future of cinema. Flag bearers for the Motion Picture Assn., the National Assn. of Theatre Owners and other major industry players convened Tuesday at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas to deliver their annual state-of-the-business address and officially kick off the event. Movie stars, filmmakers and studio heads are expected to tease, extol and in some cases screen their upcoming releases. There’s a lot riding on those movies in the wake of a box office slump partially brought on by the Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strikes, which delayed several movies and effectively halted film and TV production last year for about six months. “We can’t shy away from the stark challenges of this moment, nor can we ignore this time of volatility in our industry,” said Charles Rivkin, chief executive of the MPA, during

The three misspelled words and names on Kobe Bryant’s statue outside Crypto.com Arena have been corrected. When the statue was unveiled earlier this year, two players had their names misspelled in the box score for the Black Mamba’s legendary 81-point game. When the statue was unveiled, Raptors guard José Calderón’s last name was spelled “Calderson” and Lakers forward Von Wafer’s first name was written as “Vom.”  In addition, Raptors guard Alvin Williams, who did not play due to the coach’s decision, was listed as missing the game due to the coach’s “decicion.” On Tuesday, however, it appears those typos have been fixed. This statue is the first of three planned statues that will honor the late Bryant, including one that also features his daughter, Gianna, who died beside him and seven others in a Calabasas helicopter crash in 2020.

Breeze Airways, a budget-friendly airline that began flying in 2021, is slashing prices on all roundtrip fares to celebrate an important milestone: its first full month of operating profit. The airline is offering 40% off all flights between April 28 and June 13 when using the promo code “UNIQUE” at checkout. The window to book a flight with the discounted prices is fleeting; the offer will only last through Wednesday, April 10 at 11:59 p.m. Flights can be booked the company’s website and app. Breeze Airways launching 5 new flights out of Orange County Since business operations began in 2019, Breeze Airways has expanded to 56 cities in 29 states, offering more than 170 nonstop seasonal and year-round routes, officials said. The airline operates a bevy of flights in Southern California from LAX, John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, San Bernardino International Airport and San Diego International Airport, as well as offering service out of San Francisco International Airport. A Breeze Airways plane taxies to its gate at the San Bernardino International Airport on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023. (Getty Images) Founded by David Neeleman, who

They’re here for just a blip: a delicious springtime tradition when Girl Scout cookies – Thin Mints, Tagalongs, Samoas (Caramel Delights) – are for sale anywhere and everywhere. Then, all of a sudden, they’re gone. According to the Girl Scouts of the USA, 200 million boxes are sold in any given year. Because they’re so popular, you might think they sell out. But that’s not the case. So, what happens to Girl Scout cookies that go unsold? We wanted to find out. A quick Google search turns up horror stories of people throwing out boxes of perfectly good cookies. In 2013, the Girl Scouts came under fire after a video surfaced showing cookies being trashed, with a worker joyfully saying, “Goodbye, Girl Scout cookies.” In the decade since, the program has implemented new systems to ensure that unsold cookies find a home, although specifics can sometimes be hard to come by. We reached out to some of the biggest Girl Scouts chapters in the nation to find out how many boxes went unsold and what’s being done with them. While many are donated to food

By Megan Cerullo Edited By Anne Marie Lee Updated on: April 9, 2024 / 5:16 PM EDT / CBS News How communities are teaching Black history How communities are teaching Black history to protect the past and the future 43:10 The owner of a Black-owned children’s bookstore in Raleigh, North Carolina, said she is closing its doors less than a year after it opened because of violent threats.  The store, called Liberation Station Bookstore, was the first of its kind in the community, owner Victoria Scott-Miller wrote in an Instagram post announcing that it is shuttering its first and only retail location.  She described how challenging it was to reconcile “the immense joy” she experienced serving the community with “threats of violence,” including death threats and hate mail that she believed imperiled the store and put her family’s safety at risk.  In a particularly startling incident, she wrote on Instagram, a caller detailed what her son was wearing while he was alone at the shop, she said.  “For the past 8-months we’ve struggled with the immense joy of serving our community and the many blessings we’ve received

By Caitlin Yilek April 9, 2024 / 4:54 PM EDT / CBS News Should Johnson worry about MTG ouster threat? Should House Speaker Johnson be worried about ouster threat? 09:10 Washington — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene on Tuesday renewed her threat to oust Speaker Mike Johnson , writing a blistering letter that condemned his leadership as she tries to gain support among her Republican colleagues for his potential removal.  The five-page letter does not indicate if or when she plans to force a floor vote on Johnson’s removal, according to a copy shared with CBS News. But it comes as lawmakers return from a two-week recess and Johnson faces increasing pressure to move on Ukraine aid, which Greene adamantly opposes.  “Mike Johnson is publicly saying funding Ukraine is now his top priority when less than 7 months ago he was against it,” the Georgia Republican wrote. “The American people disagree — they believe our border is the only border worth fighting a war over, and I agree with them.”  Greene laid the groundwork last month for Johnson’s potential ouster after he worked with Democrats to

JERUSALEM —  The Islamic holy month of Ramadan, which ends this week, is a time of spiritual renewal, communal bonding and reflection on one’s relationship with God and fellow human beings. Worshipers listen to a sermon about the suffering in Gaza during Dhuhr afternoon prayers at the Al Aqsa Mosque compound. But this year, in Jerusalem’s Old City and across the Muslim world, evening feasts to observe the end to a day of fasting have been shaped by sadness and frugality. 1. Muslims break the fast with an Iftar picnic Sunday on a rooftop in Old Jerusalem. 2. Chef Izzeldin Bukhari and his mother, Hala, eat an Iftar meal of leftovers to show solidarity with fellow Palestinians in Gaza. Like many Muslims, chef Izzeldin Bukhari and his mother, Hala, of Jerusalem have forgone traditional extravagant “break fast” meals for simple dishes out of sympathy for the suffering of fellow Palestinians trapped in a ferocious war in Gaza between Israel and the Hamas militant group. On a recent Friday, as the call to prayer echoed through the Old City’s Muslim quarter, the pair broke their fast in