L.A. Times - Asia

Hair, nails and bones removed from Salvador Dali's remains for paternity test

Associated Press — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 05:35:00 PDT

Forensic experts in Spain have removed hair, nails and two long bones from Salvador Dali's embalmed remains to find genetic samples for a paternity test — a move that opens the possibility for a woman who says she is the surrealist artist's daughter to claim part of the Dali estate.

Officials said...

After officer is disciplined, police union examines incident at Pasadena hotel involving controversial former USC dean

Matt Hamilton and Paul Pringle — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 05:34:00 PDT

Essential Education: Police find missing Boyle Heights teens

Fri, 21 Jul 2017 05:34:00 PDT

Hike Italy's ancient pilgrims' route, from Siena to St. Peter's Square

Rosemary McClure — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 05:30:00 PDT

Discover the charm and soul of the Italian backcountry on an 80-mile trek on the Via Francigena, the medieval pilgrimage trail that once led from northern Europe to Rome.

The 10-day Wilderness Travel tour begins in Siena and takes guests to scenic portions of the 7th century Christian pilgrim’s...

Essential California: The epic battle to save Mariposa from a monster fire

Benjamin Oreskes , Shelby Grad — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 05:30:00 PDT

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Friday, July 21, and here’s what’s happening across California:

Trump's war with his Justice Department: Just his latest with major institutions and alliances

Brian Bennett and Noah Bierman — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 05:26:00 PDT

Sessions says he has no plans to resign despite Trump's criticism of him

Fri, 21 Jul 2017 05:26:00 PDT

President Trump still has confidence in Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions and special counsel Robert S. Mueller III's job is safe, at least for now, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters on Thursday."He was disappointed in Atty. Gen. Sessions' decision to recuse himself" from the...

Trump's presidency may be hurting his L.A.-area golf course

David A. Fahrenthold and Rob Kuznia — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 05:05:00 PDT

At President Trump's golf club in Rancho Palos Verdes, there is a driving range on a cliff, with a stunning view of the blue Pacific. There's room for 24 golfers.

But, on a recent afternoon, there was only one.

And he was playing with a guilty conscience.

"I feel like I'm cheating on my wife,"...

Trump's lawyers look for conflicts of interest among Mueller’s investigators amid a legal team shakeup

Associated Press — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 05:03:00 PDT

Trump snubs U.S. allies while huddling with his pal Putin

David Horsey — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 05:00:00 PDT

The challenge for commentators and political cartoonists in the Age of Trump is to keep pace with the relentless barrage of news generated by the president and his circle of collaborators, cronies and con men. In past administrations, it was possible to go for days — even weeks — without drawing...

The first century of plastic will end with more than 13 billion tons of plastic trash

Sean Greene — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 05:00:00 PDT

Humans make more plastic than just about anything. And it will be with us for a very long time.

Today: With a Friend Like President Trump …

Fri, 21 Jul 2017 05:00:00 PDT

President Trump amps up his fight with the Justice Department. I'm Davan Maharaj, editor-in-chief of the Los Angeles Times. Here are some story lines I don't want you to miss today.

The upside of visible homelessness in Orange County: We can't pretend we're better than everyone

Gustavo Arellano — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 05:00:00 PDT

Whenever I see homeless people somewhere in Orange County where I’ve never noticed them before — say, inside a tent at the Tustin Civic Center, begging for money off the 5 Freeway in Mission Viejo or washing themselves in a bathroom sink at the Westminster Mall — I applaud.

Don’t get me wrong:...

California bill would boost electric car rebates by $3 billion, but where will the money come from?

Russ Mitchell — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 05:00:00 PDT

Over seven years, California has spent $430 million on low-emission vehicle subsidies to help lower the cost for car buyers.

Now the state Legislature is looking to extend that by another seven years, but with a price tag of $3 billion.

Assembly Bill 1184 is being slammed for leaving basic questions...

Trump’s lawyers looking for conflicts of interest among Mueller’s investigators

Associated Press — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 05:00:00 PDT

President Trump's legal staff is evaluating potential conflicts of interest among members of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigative team, according to three people with knowledge of the matter. The revelation comes as Mueller's probe into Russia's meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential...

U.S. to ban Americans from traveling to North Korea

Associated Press — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 04:36:00 PDT

Silicon Valley's push for universal basic income is — surprise! — totally self-serving

Douglas Rushkoff — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 04:00:00 PDT

Just a year ago, proposing a concept like universal basic income could practically get me laughed off the stage at a tech industry conference. The idea that everyone should be guaranteed a minimum subsidy from the government seemed to go against every fundamental tenet of creative destruction:...

For 'Made in America' week, Trump campaign highlights Southern California factory that makes his MAGA hats

Christine Mai-Duc — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 04:00:00 PDT

Fire-displaced residents in Merced share worries and crack a few jokes

Ruben Vives, Meg Bernhard — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 04:00:00 PDT

Residents displaced by the Detwiler fire attended a community meeting at the Merced Theatre on Thursday night, where they expressed concerns about security and inquired about when they could return home.

The meeting followed a format similar to one held the night before at Mountain Christian Center...

Milla Jovovich on her action heroine legacy, 'The Fifth Element,' and why the 'Resident Evil' franchise 'should get a reboot'

Jevon Phillips — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 04:00:00 PDT

Actress Milla Jovovich talks about her roles in "Fifth Element" and "Resident Evil," and about action heroines.

Has Google paid off an army of academic researchers?

Annemarie Bridy and Aaron Perzanowski — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 04:00:00 PDT

The Google Transparency Project, an arm of an organization called the Campaign for Accountability, released a study last week claiming that Google funneled money to hundreds of academic research projects related to antitrust, intellectual property and other legal policy issues important to the...

Senate Republicans race toward vote to roll back Obamacare with key details still missing

Noam N. Levey — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 03:15:00 PDT

As the Senate hurtles toward a potential vote next week to roll back the Affordable Care Act, Republican lawmakers still don’t know what legislation they will consider or what impact it could have on health coverage for tens of millions of Americans.

Senate GOP leaders have said senators may be...

Dear media: When you cover death by suicide, do it thoughtfully

Melissa Batchelor Warnke — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 03:00:00 PDT

When a family member died by suicide, my parents chose not to tell me his method. They wanted me to remember him as he lived, for both of our sakes. While I didn’t understand their decision at the time, I now see it as one borne out of deep care. I was especially thankful for my parents’ thoughtfulness...

As Trump wages war on legal marijuana, military veterans side with pot

Evan Halper, Lauren Rosenblatt — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 03:00:00 PDT

The Trump administration’s attack on legal marijuana, already stymied by large states determined not to roll back the clock, is increasingly confronting an even more politically potent adversary: military veterans.

Frustrated by federal laws restricting their access to a drug many already rely...

50 years later, a photographer looks back at the Detroit riots

Steve Padilla — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 03:00:00 PDT

In 1967, a young photographer working for a suburban Michigan newspaper lived just blocks from the flash point of what would become one of the most destructive riots in U.S. history. James Hubbard was one of the first journalists on the scene, and for five days he chronicled violence that left...