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Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rick Caruso insisted he's not white, but really Italian — and thus "Latin" — during an awkward debate moment Tuesday in the nation's second-largest city. Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rick Caruso speaks at Emerson College Los Angeles on Oct. 7, 2022. The mayoral hopeful said he's, for decades, led efforts to bring more education opportunities and healthcare to Black and Latino communities in Los Angeles. "I connect with the Latino community but quite frankly my job as mayor is to connect with every community — the Latino community, the Black community, the Asian community, right? Caruso' "Latin" identity comment drew a harsh reaction, ranging from scorn to mockery.

☆ Wendell Pierce, LaTanya Richardson Jackson among honorees set for AAFCA's inaugural Salute to Broadway
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

“Death of a Salesman” actor Wendell Pierce, “The Piano Lesson” director LaTanya Richardson Jackson and “Till” star John Douglas Thompson are among the honorees set for the inaugural Salute to Broadway presented by the African American Film Critics Association. The event is set for Oct. 17 at The Lambs Club in the heart of Midtown’s theater district. “It’s no secret that some of our greatest actors have come from the stage or have tested their chops on it,” said Gil Robertson, co-founder of AAFCA. Suzan-Lori Parks’ Pulitzer-winning “Topdog/Underdog” — which starred Corey Hawkins and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and was directed by Kenny Leon in its first Broadway revival — is slated for the Spotlight Award. The production, which began previews Sept. 19 and opens Oct. 13 at Ethel Barrymore Theatre, makes Richardson Jackson the first woman to direct a Wilson play on the Main Stem.

☆ Facebook whistleblower, former defense and intel officials form group to fix social media
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

A Facebook whistleblower, two former U.S. defense secretaries, several past lawmakers and intelligence chiefs are forming a new group to address the harmful impacts social media can have on kids, communities and national security. The council said it aims to drive bipartisan conversation around tech in Washington, D.C., and across the country, elevate nonpartisan voices like parents and pediatricians, and advance effective solutions to reform social media. Haugen said the issues stemming from social media are truly bipartisan in nature, which could be made more clear by avoiding framing them as issues of content moderation. Many conservatives are skeptical of content moderation because they believe platforms can use it to censor certain viewpoints, though mainstream platforms have repeatedly denied they do so. Haugen said she sees content moderation as largely a "distraction from the real path forward, which is around product design, safety by design, transparency."

☆ Leonteq rejects tax evasion, money laundering allegations
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ZURICH, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Leonteq (LEON.S) strongly refutes allegations in media reports related to potential tax evasion or money laundering by third parties, the company said on Wednesday. The Swiss fintech company said internal and external investigations had found no evidence to support the suspicions raised. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThe FT reported on Monday that whistleblowers had accused auditor EY of whitewashing suspicious trades, including money laundering and tax evasion in an investigation it conducted this year for Leonteq, a long-standing client. [nL8N31C2CS]"Leonteq strongly refutes these allegations, which were first raised internally in 2021 and were thoroughly investigated by Leonteq’s Compliance department," the company said in a statement on Wednesday. ($1 = 0.9966 Swiss francs)Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Noele Illien, editing by Rachel More and John RevillOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Los Angeles City Council member Nury Martinez resigns – but does not apologize – after explosive audio of racist comments leaked
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Azmi Haroun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

LA City Council member Nury Martinez has resigned after she was caught making racist comments. Earlier this week, fellow city council members and US president Joe Biden called on her to resign. On Monday, Martinez resigned from her position as City Council president, but not the council itself, and taken a leave of absence as calls for her full resignation grew. Advocate groups from across Los Angeles spoke out at City Council meetings earlier this week, calling for all of the involved council members to resign. Earlier this week, Martinez offered a short apology for her words, according to KTLA.

☆ Los Angeles city official resigns amid furor over racist comments
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Tyler Clifford | Dan Whitcomb | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LOS ANGELES, Oct 12 (Reuters) - A Los Angeles city councilwoman resigned her seat on Wednesday, days after she stepped down as president of the body as pressure mounted after an audio recording of her making racist comments was made public. Democrat Nury Martinez, who represented Los Angeles' sixth district, faced calls to resign from local officials and U.S. President Joe Biden. A fourth person heard on the leaked tape, local labor leader Ron Herrera, has resigned from his position as president of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor. Martinez was first elected to the city council in 2013 and became president in 2020. Martinez also disparaged Mexicans from Oaxaca and voiced her displeasure with Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, saying "he's with the Blacks."

☆ Crowd demands resignations at chaotic L.A. City Council meeting after leaked recording of racist remarks
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Antonio Planas | Antonio Planas Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

An outraged crowd converged on a meeting at Los Angeles City Hall on Tuesday and demanded the immediate resignations of three Latino City Council members after an audio recording of racist remarks surfaced this week. Martinez has resigned as council president, and she announced she is taking a leave of absence from the council, according to NBC Los Angeles. Lori Condinus of the National Action Network Los Angeles was one of dozens of members of the public to speak. Martinez apologized and announced she was stepping down as council president in a statement Monday. “Therefore, effective immediately I am resigning as President of the Los Angeles City Council."

☆ Los Angeles official takes leave of absence as racist comments roil city
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Dan Whitcomb | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LOS ANGELES, Oct 11 (Reuters) - A Los Angeles city councilwoman day took a leave of absence from her post on Tuesday as a furor raged around her and two colleagues over racist comments she was heard making on an audiotape of their private conversation. Democrat Nury Martinez, who resigned her leadership post a day earlier, announced her leave of absence in a statement issued before the regularly scheduled council meeting. Herrera resigned on Monday night from his position as president of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, the Los Angeles Times reported. Martinez also disparaged Mexicans from Oaxaca and voiced her displeasure with Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, saying "he's with the Blacks." Martinez was first elected to the city council in 2013 and became president in 2020.

☆ Leonteq shares hammered after FT report on unusual trading activity
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The FT reported on Monday that whistleblowers have accused auditor EY of whitewashing suspicious trades, including money laundering and tax evasion in an investigation it conducted this year for Leonteq, a long-standing client. It said that investigations by Leonteq and EY found there "were no material shortcomings". At the core of the complaints reported by the FT are two trades that Leonteq created for French workers co-operative society ID Formation at the start of 2021. Since Friday's close, the shares have lost more than 24%, marking the biggest two-day drop since late 2016. "Publication of the EY report or an additional appraisal through an external auditor would provide urgently needed visibility.

☆ Los Angeles council president steps down after audio leak of racist comments
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Oct 10 (Reuters) - A Los Angeles city councilwoman resigned as president of the council on Monday after the release of an audio recording in which she makes racist and other disparaging comments, including ones about the Black son of a colleague. She continues to represent Los Angeles' sixth district. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterMartinez also disparaged Mexicans from Oaxaca and voiced her displeasure with Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, saying "he's with the Blacks," the Times reported. Bonin issued a statement on Sunday calling for the city council to remove Martinez as president and for her to resign from the legislative body. Martinez was the first Latina to become president of the city's council in January 2020, according to her office website.

The president of the Los Angeles City Council resigned Monday after an audio recording of racist remarks surfaced. Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez at Los Angeles City Hall on April 1, 2022. The 2021 audio from a political strategy meeting attended by a handful of Latino Democrats on the council was first reported Sunday by the Los Angeles Times. "Therefore, effective immediately I am resigning as President of the Los Angeles City Council," she said. Bonin has called for Martinez, De León and Herrera to resign and said the episode points to deep fissures in the city’s population.

A small group of Los Angeles city leaders faced shame and castigation after an audio recording of racist remarks at a private meeting surfaced Sunday. The most egregious remarks were uttered by City Council President Nury Martinez, who seemed to verify the 2021 recording by apologizing to constituents. Los Angeles City Councilmember Kevin de León and City Council President Nury Martinez confer at council meeting on Oct. 4. Martinez and de León and other Latino council members apologized Sunday after The Los Angeles Times reported that they had been taped making racist comments in a private meeting. The three issued a joint statement Sunday night that called past City Council support for Black Lives Matter "a facade."

At an election office in Flagstaff, Arizona, voters will encounter bulletproof glass and need to press a buzzer to enter. Election officials around the country said they were coordinating more closely with local law enforcement to respond quickly to disturbances. The Justice Department says it has investigated more than 1,000 messages to election workers since the 2020 election, including more than 100 that could warrant prosecution. PROTECTIVE MEASURESMany election officials blame disinformation, such as Trump's baseless claims about election fraud in the 2020 election, for the surge in threats. In Michigan, Republican candidates for governor, attorney general and other positions have questioned the outcome of the 2020 election.

☆ Kari Lake was booted from Arizona town hall audience before Hobbs took the stage
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-08 | by ( Marc Caputo | Marc Caputo Is A Senior National Political Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

But a problem arose before Hobbs even took the stage: Lake was sitting in the front row, in the direct line of sight of where her opponent would sit. Anyone who thinks she was there to follow all the rules doesn’t know Kari Lake.”The scene was emblematic of the contrasting styles of Lake and Hobbs: Lake is a former local TV anchor, while Hobbs is the elected secretary of state in Arizona, one of the nation’s most competitive swing states. Lake has repeatedly called Hobbs a “coward” for her refusal to share the debate stage and points out that Hobbs also refused to debate Democratic primary rivals. “I can understand why, perhaps, Hobbs is hesitant to appear on stage with Lake. The Lake campaign disputes the suggestion that the disruption was staged.

☆ A $227 million London mansion is up for sale after its Chinese billionaire owner's net worth fell by 83% in 2 years, report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-08 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A $227 million mansion for sale in London is owned by Evergrande founder Hui Ka Yan, the FT reported. The home was originally thought to be owned by Chinese billionaire Cheung Chung-kiu. Hui saw his net worth plummet as he fire-sold assets when Evergrande defaulted on $300 billion debt. Hui has seen his net worth shrink by 83% since July 2020, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires' Index, as shares in Evergrande disintegrated amid a $300 billion loan default at the company. The FT's investigation suggests the London home, which was purchased in January 2020 when Hui's net worth was around $31 billion, is the latest asset to be auctioned off by the embattled billionaire.

☆ Coolio, ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ Rapper and Grammy Winner, Dies at 59
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-29 | by ( Neil Shah | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Coolio, a West Coast hip-hop star known for melding gangsta rap and pop music into memorable hits such as “Gangsta’s Paradise,” died Wednesday at the age of 59. The rapper, whose real name was Artis Leon Ivey Jr., died at a friend’s home in Los Angeles, his manager, Jarez Posey, told the Associated Press. The cause of death wasn’t immediately clear. Coolio had been performing for audiences and was scheduled to be in Stuttgart, Germany, on Saturday.

☆ Coolio, ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ Rapper, Dies at Age 59
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-29 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Coolio, the rapper who was among hip-hop’s biggest names of the 1990s with hits including “Gangsta’s Paradise” and “Fantastic Voyage,” died Wednesday at age 59, his manager said. Coolio, whose legal name was Artis Leon Ivey Jr., died at the Los Angeles home of a friend, according to longtime manager Jarez Posey. The cause was not immediately clear.

LOS ANGELES — Rapper Coolio, known for hits including "Fantastic Voyage" and "Gangsta’s Paradise," has died at age 59, his manager confirmed Wednesday evening. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics responded to the home around 4 p.m. for a death investigation, the department said. The Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s Office will officially release the identity, officials said. No foul play is suspected, a Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson said. Coolio was also known for hits including "Fantastic Voyage," "1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin’ New)" and "C U When U Get There," among others.

☆ Coolio, ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ rapper, dies at 59
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-29 | by ( Diana Dasrath | Phil Helsel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Rapper Coolio, known for hits including "Fantastic Voyage" and "Gangsta's Paradise," has died at age 59, his manager confirmed Wednesday evening. Coolio, whose real name was Artis Leon Ivey Jr., had a music career that spanned more than three decades. Coolio won a Grammy for "Gangsta's Paradise," which was released in 1995 and spent three weeks at the top of Billboard's Hot 100 list. Coolio was also known for hits including "Fantastic Voyage," "1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New)" and "C U When U Get There," among others. He was nominated for five other Grammys, including for "Fantastic Voyage" and "1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New)."

☆ Grammy-winning rapper Coolio dies in Los Angeles at 59
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LOS ANGELES, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Grammy-winning rapper Coolio died on Wednesday after being found unresponsive at a friend's Los Angeles home, the New York Times reported. Coolio, born Artis Leon Ivey Jr., was best known for his 1995 single "Gangsta's Paradise," from an album of the same name. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThe rapper died at about 5 p.m. pacific time (8 p.m. EDT) at a local hospital, his manager Jarez Posey told the Times. Posey told the paper that Ivey had earlier been found unresponsive in the bathroom of a friend's home. He released his debut album, "It Takes a Thief", in 1994, scoring a Top Ten hit with the single "Lakeside."

PINAR DEL RÍO, Cuba — Brigades of electrical workers were focused Wednesday on restoring electricity to the western region of Cuba, where Hurricane Ian made landfall the day before, leaving the entire country without power. Crews were working to bring power back to the Pinar del Río Province, where the eye of the then-Category 3 storm entered Cuba, and the municipality of Artemisa, where Ian's gusty winds knocked power out. In Pinar del Río, a region known for its agriculture and a source of produce for much of Cuba, crops such as rice, yucca and beans were lost. Yamil Lage / AFP - Getty ImagesCuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said damages in Pinar del Río "are great, although it has not yet been possible to account for it." Hurricane winds bent countless pieces of metals used as roofs all over Cuba, particularly in Pinar del Río.

☆ Hurricane Ian strengthens as millions urged to evacuate Florida Gulf Coast
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Brad Brooks | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

By late Tuesday night, tropical storm-force winds generated by Ian extended through the Florida Keys island chain to the southernmost shores of the state's Gulf Coast, the NHC said. U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Deanne Criswell said she worried that too few Florida residents were taking the threat seriously. 1/6 A hurricane evacuation route sign is displayed as Hurricane Ian spins toward the state carrying high winds, torrential rains and a powerful storm surge, in Punta Gorda, Florida, U.S. September 27, 2022. If Ian strikes the Tampa area, it would be the first hurricane to make landfall there since the 1921 Tarpon Springs storm. But officials said Hurricane Ian had proven too much, knocking out power even in far eastern Cuba, which was largely unaffected by the storm.

☆ Millions in Florida urged to evacuate as Hurricane Ian nears
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Brad Brooks | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

A man runs by a boarded up storefront, as Hurricane Ian spins toward the state carrying high winds, torrential rains and a powerful storm surge, in the downtown area of Tampa, Florida, U.S., September 27, 2022. The latest 8 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT) hurricane advisory put Ian's top winds at 120 mph (195 km per hour). Ian was most likely to come ashore south of Tampa near Sarasota, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. Parts of central Florida could see as much of 2 feet (0.6 meter) of rain from Ian, according to the National Weather Service. If Ian strikes Tampa, it would be the first hurricane to make landfall in the area since the Tarpon Springs storm in 1921.

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks at the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment Conference in New York, U.S., September 21, 2022. While former president Donald Trump has long been considered the Republican frontrunner in 2024, recent polls show DeSantis higher in Florida. There’s no way we are going to escape the elephant in the room,” a senior Democratic official said of DeSantis. "I think he's great. I think he's doing a great job.

☆ Ron DeSantis violated state spending law when he spent Florida dollars to fly Venezuelan migrants to Martha's Vineyard, a new lawsuit says
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The lawsuit accuses DeSantis of improperly using state funds by picking up migrants in Texas. Last year, the federal government sent 80 flights carrying migrants into Florida, according to Politico. The latest lawsuit, spanning 15 pages, was filed in state court in Leon County, where the state capital of Tallahassee is located. Pizzo filed the lawsuit in his personal capacity as a Florida resident. Pizzo filed his lawsuit against DeSantis, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, and Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue.

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