California Dolphin

We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms. By Joshua Rodriguez Edited By Matt Richardson Updated on: May 20, 2024 / 12:03 PM EDT / CBS News Your home equity could give you access to the funding you need this summer.  Getty Images Summer is closing in fast and that’s exciting news for many. With summer vacations likely around the corner and more time to spend with school-age children, there can be quite a bit to look forward to this time of year.  But what if you have a pressing financial need this summer? Maybe you need to complete home repairs before summer showers set in. Or, maybe you need to get rid of high interest debt to free up money in your budget for summertime spending. There’s a seemingly endless list of other expenses you may need to cover this summer. No matter what your financial need is, your home equity may offer the funding you’re looking for at a competitive interest rate. And, tapping into your home equity ahead of summer

Adding fluoride to drinking water is widely considered a triumph of public health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the cavity-prevention strategy ranks alongside the development of vaccines and the recognition of tobacco’s dangers as signal achievements of the 20th century. But new evidence from Los Angeles mothers and their preschool-age children suggests community water fluoridation may have a downside. A study published Monday in JAMA Network Open links prenatal exposure to the mineral with an increased risk of neurobehavioral problems at age 3, including symptoms that characterize autism spectrum disorder. The association was seen among women who consumed fluoride in amounts that are considered typical in Los Angeles and across the country. The findings do not show that drinking fluoridated water causes autism or any other behavioral conditions. Nor is it clear whether the relationship between fluoride exposure and the problems seen in the L.A.-area children — a cohort that is predominantly low-income and 80% Latino — would extend to other demographic groups. However, the results are concerning enough that USC epidemiologist Tracy Bastain said she would advise pregnant people to avoid

TAIPEI, Taiwan —  In his first speech as president of Taiwan, Lai Ching-te emphasized preserving peace amid rising tensions with China and criticism that he could provoke military conflict. At his inauguration Monday, Lai called for China to help maintain peace and halt military and political intimidation directed at the self-ruled island. Chinese President Xi Jinping considers Taiwan a part of China’s territory and has vowed to pursue its unification with the mainland, by force if necessary. Denounced by China as a “separatist” who advocates for Taiwan’s independence, Lai stressed his dedication to preserving the status quo without ceding ground to Beijing’s claims of sovereignty. “As we pursue the ideal of peace, we must not harbor any delusions,” he said after his being sworn in. “So long as China refuses to renounce the use of force against Taiwan, all of us in Taiwan ought to understand, that even if we accept the entirety of China’s position and give up our sovereignty, China’s ambition to annex Taiwan will not simply disappear.” The Chinese government’s Taiwan Affairs Office posted a statement Monday after Lai’s speech that he “stubbornly

Jon Wysocki, a drummer and founding member of the rock band Staind, has died at 53, according to members of his current band. Bandmates on Wysocki’s current project, Lydia’s Castle, announced his death over the weekend on social media, KTLA sister station WTRF reported. “On 5/18/2024 at 8:02pm, [Jon Wysocki] passed away surrounded by family and friends that loved him dearly. An official statement will be developed shortly,” the band wrote in an Instagram post shared on Saturday. Drummer John Wysocki from the band Staind performs at Fuse’s IMX Studios in Midtown Manhattan December 05, 2003, in New York City. (Photo by Mark Mainz/Getty Images) Man with ties to European royalty vanishes in Malibu Staind also released a statement on Wysocki’s death the following day. “We first met Jon through mutual friends in 1994,” reads a statement posted to the band’s social media pages. “We came together with Mike, Aaron and Johnny April in 1995 and founded Staind. The 17 years that followed were some of the best memories of our times together. From practice in Ludlow, [Massachusetts,] to touring around the world, Jon was integral

By Khristopher J. Brooks Edited By Alain Sherter Updated on: May 20, 2024 / 11:02 AM EDT / CBS News Inside the struggle of middle-tier retailers Why middle-tier retailers are suffering as high and low-price stores thrive 05:41 Target said Monday it plans to slash the price of bread, coffee, diapers and thousands of other everyday items this summer, joining other retailers looking to kickstart business by catering to inflation-weary consumers. Target is cutting its prices because “consumers are feeling pressured to make the most of their budget,” Executive Vice President Rick Gomez said in a statement. Other staples being repriced include fruit, milk, meat, peanut butter, pet food, vegetables and paper towels, the Minnesota retailer said.  Target said it has already lowered the price on roughly 1,500 items, and the remaining cuts will take effect in coming weeks. The lowered prices will also be available through Target’s website and shopping app. Target, which is scheduled to release its first-quarter earnings on Wednesday, in March reported a 1.7% drop in sales for 2023 — its first annual decline in seven years. The move comes as the U.S. economy is

International court seeks arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Hamas leaders for alleged war crimes – CBS News Watch CBS News The International Criminal Court is seeking arrest warrants against Israeli and Hamas leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The ICC’s chief prosecutor says the leaders are responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza and Israel. Meanwhile, Netanyahu is facing pressure to come up with a post-war plan for Gaza. CBS News foreign correspondent Imtiaz Tyab has more. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

WASHINGTON —  Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., the Supreme Court’s most predictable conservative of late, is again battling complaints that some of his actions demand that he recuse himself from pending cases. Alito has responded that he is a victim of unjust criticism. Here’s a look at some of the recent controversies. What is the upside-down flag incident about? Last week, the New York Times published a photo showing an American flag flying upside down in front of Alito’s house on Jan. 17, 2021. Neighbors reported seeing the flag flying for several days after supporters of outgoing President Trump had rioted at the U.S. Capitol. For some, the upside-down flag became a symbol of the “Stop the Steal” movement. How did Alito respond to complaints about the flag incident? He blamed his wife, Martha-Ann, and his neighbors. “I had no involvement whatsoever in the flying of the flag,” he told the New York Times in an email. Speaking to a Fox News reporter, he said a neighbor had made vulgar comments to his wife. Alito suggested it was unfair to criticize him for the upside-down flag

Hawaii may be best known for its beaches and tourism industry, but it’s also becoming a hotbed for tech innovation and startups. It might be hard to believe, but Hawaii is the epicenter of all things Tetris. The company founders are headquartered here and using their success to fund various startups. “We’re trying to create a more vibrant economy here and diversify beyond tourism and the military,” says Chenoa Farnsworth of Blue Startups. Over the past 11 years, Blue Startups has invested in over 120 companies, many focusing on travel, tourism, hospitality, and artificial intelligence. “Software is the sweet spot,” said Farnsworth. “It has very low environmental impact and very high economic impact, which is perfect for an island state like ours.” Next, I spoke with Ryan Ozawa, a native who has covered technology in Hawaii for 20 years. He told me that the pandemic acted as a reset button for the local economy. “People began to see the importance of being independent without relying on a single industry like tourism,” Ozawa explained. The benefits of a startup based on a tropical island are clear

A pedestrian was fatally struck by an SUV in the unincorporated Rowland Heights area of the San Gabriel Valley Monday morning. The crash was reported shortly after 5:30 a.m. near Fullerton and Colima roads, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Fire Department said. Sky5 was over the scene around 6 a.m. as officers conducted their investigation. Authorities investigate a fatal crash in Rowland Heights on May 20, 2024. (KTLA) Video showed a black Lincoln with severe front-end damage and yellow tape closing the westbound side of Colima Road. A California Highway Patrol spokesperson confirmed one person was killed in the crash. The victim has not been identified. 4.1 magnitude quake shakes Imperial County near Salton Sea The cause of the crash was under investigation but the CHP spokesperson said there was no indication of a hit-and-run.

By Melissa Quinn May 20, 2024 / 10:13 AM EDT / CBS News Biden renews calls for stricter gun laws Biden renews calls for stricter gun laws after Chiefs parade shooting 03:50 Washington — The Supreme Court on Monday declined to take up a challenge to Maryland’s ban on so-called assault weapons, allowing legal proceedings to play out in the dispute. By not stepping into the legal battle at this time, Maryland’s law remains in place for now. The ban’s challengers had asked the Supreme Court to take up their case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit ruled on whether the restriction is allowed under the Second Amendment. The full 4th Circuit heard arguments in late March, but has yet to issue a decision. The dispute is likely to end up back before the Supreme Court once the appeals court rules. Maryland’s ban on certain semiautomatic rifles was enacted in the wake of the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Under the law, it is a crime to possess, sell, transfer, or purchase an “assault long gun,”

By Li Cohen May 20, 2024 / 10:13 AM EDT / CBS News CSI for animals: A forensics lab devoted to wildlife CSI for animals: A forensics lab devoted to wildlife 06:38 An “unusually fascinating” fish that is known to emit a bioluminescent glow thousands of feet beneath the ocean’s surface has appeared on the Oregon coast. A local aquarium that posted about the fish said that only dozens of the fish have ever been recorded and that this may be the first sighting of such a specimen in the state.  The unusual creature is a Pacific footballfish, which according to the Seaside Aquarium is a type of deep-sea angler that typically lives between 2,000 and 3,300 feet beneath the sea. The footballfish, similar to one depicted in the Disney movie “Finding Nemo,” usually lives in complete darkness and is “rarely seen,” the aquarium said, adding that just 31 of the animals have been recorded worldwide. This was was found on Cannon Beach, about 80 miles west of Portland. “This is the first one reported on the Oregon Coast to our knowledge,” the aquarium said.

May 20, 2024 / 10:12 AM EDT / CBS/AP Iran’s president killed in helicopter crash Iran’s president, other officials killed in helicopter crash 02:49 Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi was killed in a Sunday helicopter crash along with the Islamic republic’s foreign minister and others, the country’s state media confirmed Monday morning. Raisi, a hardline Islamic cleric who had been tipped as a possible successor to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was 63. Under the Islamic republic’s governing system, President Raisi, like all presidents who served before him since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that brought the ayatollahs to power, is not the ultimate decision maker. All government officials, along with the military and all law enforcement agencies, answer ultimately to Khamenei, who at 85 has ruled over the country since 1989 as its second supreme leader. Given that power structure, CBS News’ Seyed Bathaei in Tehran said it was unlikely that Raisi’s death would spark any political crisis, and the supreme leader was quick to assure his country that government business would continue unphased. Who replaces Iran’s President Raisi, and how? As per Iran’s constitution