California

One candidate wants to make the Los Angeles Police Department larger than it has ever been. Another envisions a future where America’s second largest city no longer needs police. The others have staked out middle ground. After the tumult of recent years, it should come as no surprise that the race to become Los Angeles’ next mayor has focused largely on issues surrounding crime, public safety and policing. Mass protests after the 2020 murder of George Floyd ignited fierce, ongoing debate about the role LAPD should play in the city and turned renewed scrutiny on long-running concerns about officers’ sometimes heavy-handed tactics. The city, meanwhile, had one of its deadliest years in the past two decades and helped elect a controversial reformer to serve as the county’s top prosecutor. But the candidates for mayor differ on the correct path forward, mirroring a nationwide struggle over how to balance the need to combat rising crime with calls to rethink a status quo in … [Read more...] about From more cops to defund: Candidates for L.A. mayor differ on crime and policing

Shortly after protesters clashed with Donald Trump supporters Thursday night in San Jose, California, conservatives began blaming liberals for rioting against a presidential candidate. Liberals pointed a finger at the Republican presumptive nominee for his incendiary rhetoric and the violence of his own supporters. It's a cycle that seems likely to continue until November's election. Jim Geraghty, conservative blogger and National Review contributor, recently compared the demonstrators' rhetoric and signs at Trump rallies to those seen at Occupy Wall Street, with the Black Lives Matter movement and at the World Trade Organization protests that rocked Seattle in 1999. "There seems to be this sense in some newsrooms that left-wing protests are somehow inherently less violent, and if there is violence, it's somehow justified or understandable as a reaction to provocation from the right," he said in May. The post-rioting blame game extended to the East Coast Friday afternoon when … [Read more...] about Who’s to blame for the rioting at Donald Trump rallies?

Johnny Depp's high-profile court battle with ex-wife Amber Heard is set to come to an end on Friday, after several weeks of testimonies placed an often uncomfortable spotlight on their tumultuous relationship. Depp, 58, has filed a $50 million lawsuit against Heard, 36, over an op-ed published by The Washington Post in 2018, in which she stated that she was a domestic abuse survivor. Heard did not name Depp in the article, but his lawyers have argued that it was obvious she was referring to the actor. Heard is countersuing for $100 million. As each star took the stand at Virginia's Fairfax County Circuit Court, they made a host of allegations against one another, including drug and alcohol use , explosive confrontations, and even a claim that Heard defecated on the couple's bed. Depp and Heard, whose divorce was finalized in 2017, have also accused one another of domestic abuse . Both have denied the allegations made against them. Since the trial began last month, a … [Read more...] about Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard: What to expect during closing statements

Billionaire Elon Musk was sued by Twitter Inc investors for delayed disclosure of his stake in the social media company in a complaint filed on Wednesday in California federal court. The investors said Mr. Musk saved himself $156 million by failing to disclose that he had purchased more than 5% of Twitter by March 14. He continued to buy stock after that, and ultimately disclosed in early April that he owned 9.2% of the company. "By delaying his disclosure of his stake in Twitter, Mr. Musk engaged in market manipulation and bought Twitter stock at an artificially low price," said the investors, led by Virginia resident William Heresniak. The suit comes after Mr. Musk, the owner of electric carmaker Tesla Inc, said he planned to take over Twitter for $44 billion. … [Read more...] about Musk sued by Twitter investors for delayed disclosure of stake

Apple Inc has raised the pay for its hourly U.S. employees, the iPhone maker said on Wednesday, as companies face a tight labour market, a surge in unionisation efforts and rising inflation. (Sign up to our Technology newsletter, Today’s Cache, for insights on emerging themes at the intersection of technology, business and policy. Click here to subscribe for free.) The starting pay for hourly workers in the United States will rise to $22, or higher based upon the market, a 45% jump from 2018 levels, Apple said in a statement to Reuters . Also Read Apple looks to boost production outside China "This year as part of our annual performance review process, we're increasing our overall compensation budget," a company spokesperson said. Apple has informed some workers their annual reviews would be advanced by three months and the new pay will take effect in early July, the Wall Street Journal , which first reported the changes in compensation, said. … [Read more...] about Apple to increase pay for U.S. workers

K-pop superstars BTS will head to the White House next week to address hate crimes targeting Asians and people of Asian descent with US President Joe Biden, the White House said in a statement on Thursday (May 26). Biden would host the global phenomenon musical group on Tuesday and would "discuss Asian inclusion and representation, and to address anti-Asian hate crimes and discrimination which have become more prominent issues in recent years," it said. The seven members of the South Korean boy band are known for their upbeat songs and dances and have built a loyal global fan base, winning the IFPI Global Recording Artist of the Year crown in February for the second straight year. The meeting comes as May's recognition of Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) month comes to a close amid a sharp upswing in hate crimes against Asian Americans in the past year. Attacks against people of Asian descent have escalated as some politicians and pundits have … [Read more...] about BTS to meet with President Biden at White House to discuss anti-Asian hate crimes

A lawsuit has been filed against Tesla CEO Elon Musk on behalf of Twitter shareholders, claiming that the billionaire Tesla CEO actively manipulated Twitter stock for his own gain. The Verge reports that a new lawsuit has been filed on behalf of Twitter shareholders against Tesla CEO Elon Musk. The lawsuit alleges that Musk has been actively manipulating the company’s stock for his own gain. (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images, BNN Edit) The lawsuit focuses on Musk’s conduct since signing the buyout offer to acquire Twitter on April 25, particularly his recent comments stating that the deal “cannot move forward” without more information about bot accounts on the platform. The complaint alleges that after signing the agreement: “Musk proceeded to make statements, send tweets, and engage in conduct designed to create doubt about the deal and drive Twitter’s stock down substantially in order to create leverage that Musk hoped to use to either back out of the purchase or … [Read more...] about Twitter Shareholders Sue Elon Musk Claiming Stock Manipulation

Friday on Fox Business Network’s “Mornings with Maria,” Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) warned there would be “blackouts and brownouts” across the country as a result of President Joe Biden’s energy policy. Perry slammed Biden’s decision to declare “war on American energy” and worship “at the altar of the Green New Deal” once he got into office. “When you have a leader who declares himself king, rules by fiat, and on day one declares war on American energy, there’s going to be casualties,” Perry advised. “And unfortunately, those casualties are the American people’s dreams and their budgets — all for the sake of worshiping at the altar of the Green New Deal, and you’re seeing the manifestation of it right now. Gas prices through the roof, while the president speaks out of one side of his mouth about the Putin price hike or about the industry profits; on the other side, not allowing for court-ordered gas and oil leasing in Alaska and in the Gulf of Mexico, the absolute all-out regulatory … [Read more...] about GOP Rep. Perry: Biden’s War on Energy Will Result in ‘Blackouts and Brownouts’ Across the Country