The most important stories for you to know today
is a general assignment reporter. She covers the news that shapes Los Angeles and how people change the city in return.Some members of the Los Angeles City Council are worried that countries might boycott the 2028 Olympics in response to President Donald Trump's policies, at home and abroad.
The killing of another protester by immigration agents in Minneapolis and Trump's ongoing threats against Greenland have fueled calls toand others led some in City Hall to worry that the coming 2028 Olympics could also get the cold shoulder."We have a national government who is setting the stage for an environment where we could have a serious boycott," Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson said at a committee meeting on the Olympic Games Monday.John Harper, an executive with private Olympics organizing committee LA28, said the organization had not discussed the possibility with the International Olympic Committee and that he was not concerned a boycott would take place in 2028.The killing of another protester by immigration agents in Minneapolis and President Trump's ongoing threats against Greenland have fueled calls toand others led some in City Hall to worry that the coming 2028 Olympics could also get the cold shoulder. "We have a national government who is setting the stage for an environment where we could have a serious boycott," Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson said during a committee meeting on the Olympic Games Monday. John Harper, an executive with private Olympics organizing committee LA28, said that the organization had not discussed the possibility with the International Olympic Committee and that he was not concerned a boycott would take place in 2028."This conversation around FIFA, that's just a forewarning," said Councilmember Monica Rodriguez."We need to have a Plan B.", along with the state of California, and a significant boycott could affect the financial success of the massive sporting event.Fresh concerns about a boycott also come as anxiety in City Hall has been growing about the role the federal government will play at the Games.that Trump announced last year, citing the ICE agents who have descended on the streets of Los Angeles and other U.S. cities"We never talk about the boycott of '84, but there was a significant boycott," Dawson-Harris said on Monday."It doesn't mean that you can't figure it out, but it also means we have to face it and face it directly."Former Orange County Asst. Public Defender Scott Sanders questions former prosecutor Ebrahim Baytieh, now an O.C. Superior Court judge, in 2024.The Orange County District Attorney dropped murder charges in a case tainted by the so-called jailhouse snitch scandal, instead accepting a lesser guilty plea of voluntary manslaughter.A decade ago, in the wake of the county’s biggest mass murder, the O.C. Public Defender’s office discovered that local law enforcement had been illegally using informants — sometimes called snitches — to get information and confessions from defendants in jail. The discovery has unraveled close to 60 criminal convictions to date and tainted the reputations of the O.C. District Attorney’s Office and Sheriff’s Department.Paul Smith was convicted of murder in 2010 for stabbing his childhood friend Robert Haugen to death in 1988 and then setting the body on fire in the victim’s Sunset Beach apartment. A decade later it came to light that O.C. law enforcement illegally used jailhouse informants to bolster their case against Haugen, and then hid that from the defense, ultimately leading a judge to throw out the conviction and order a new trial.Now that trial won’t happen. Under a plea deal struck with the District Attorney’s Office, Smith pleaded guilty to manslaughter on Monday and will serve another five years in prison before being released., the O.C. Public Defender’s Office discovered that local law enforcement had been illegally using informants — sometimes called snitches — to get information and confessions from defendants in jail. The discovery has unraveled close to 60 criminal convictions to date and tainted the reputations of the O.C. District Attorney’s Office and Sheriff’s Department.Paul Smith was convicted of murder in 2010 for stabbing his childhood friend Robert Haugen to death in 1988 and then setting the body on fire in the victim’s Sunset Beach apartment. A decade later it came to light that O.C. law enforcement illegally used jailhouse informants to bolster their case against Haugen, and then hid that from the defense, ultimately leading a judge to throw out the conviction and order a new trial. Now that trial won’t happen. Under a plea deal struck with the current District Attorney’s ffice, Smith pleaded guilty to manslaughter on Monday and will serve another five years in prison before being released.in pursuit of convicting Smith. He also said Ebrahim Baytieh, a former prosecutor and, now, Superior Court judge, was “not truthful” during court proceedings.Current District Attorney Todd Spitzer has repeatedly said his office has implemented reforms to ensure the rights of criminal defendants to a fair trial. He released a statement saying his office has taken steps to reverse the"cheat to win" missteps of an earlier administration and lamented that a murder defendant will now have an easier path to release: "There are serious consequences when a prosecutor does not comply with his legal obligations to turn over evidence. There is no doubt that Paul Gentile Smith committed the most heinous of murders when he tortured and killed his victim 37 years ago. After a full and exhaustive hearing held by Superior Court Judge Daniel Goldstein, former Orange County prosecutor and current Orange County Superior Court Judge Brahim Baytieh was found, as a matter of law, to have failed to disclose exculpatory evidence regarding a jailhouse informant in this case. This is a defendant who should be spending the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole, but instead he will spend a total of 21 years and seven months in prison for taking the life of another human being because of the misconduct committed by the prosecutorial team under the prior administration. This is why I have said for the last seven years since I became the District Attorney that I will not tolerate the 'win at all cost' mentality of the prior administration, and that there are serious consequences when you cheat to win convictions."Scott Sanders, Smith’s attorney and the former assistant public defender who uncovered the so-called “snitch scandal,” says not enough has been done to reexamine cases in which tainted evidence may have been used to convict people.Is the OC snitch scandal over? Why there’s no easy answerexplores the weird and secret bits of SoCal that would excite even the most jaded Angelenos. He also covers mental health.The city of Costa Mesa last week advanced an ordinance that would make it the second city in the state to regulate grocery store self-service checkout stations., 3-2, to move forward a law that would require staffing of one employee per three self-service checkout stations. It would also limit self-service checkout to 15 items or less, among other requirements. If adopted, the ordinance could regulate some 22 drug and food retail stores in Costa Mesa, though not all currently have self-service checkout stations.Derek Smith, political director for the United Food and Commercial Workers 324, said the union represents some 15,000 grocery workers in Orange County and southern L.A. County and supports the measure. “Putting more people in there is going to make our members’ lives much easier, and I think the customers’ lives as well,” Smith told LAist. He said some grocery store workers are asked to supervise six self-checkout machines at a time. “It’s just too many for anybody to properly supervise,” he said.The California Grocers’ Association opposes the measure. “Costa Mesa residents want groceries to be affordable and convenient, yet three Costa Mesa city councilmembers made a decision that will make life harder for thousands of grocery shoppers who rely on its convenience,” Nate Rose, California Grocers Association spokesperson, said in an emailed statement.The City Council is expected to take the ordinance up for a second reading on Feb. 3. If it’s approved, it could take effect within 30 days. That would make it the second city in the state,If you're enjoying this article, you'll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less.covers Orange County and its 34 cities, watching those long meetings — boards, councils and more — so you don’t have to.In this Sept. 14, 2017 file photo a cyclist passes the row of tents and tarps along the Santa Ana riverbed near Angel Stadium in Anaheim.Over the course of three days, volunteers will fan out across the county to determine how many people are experiencing homelessness so officials can decide what services are needed and keep track of changing demographics and trends.Around 17,000 people in Orange County lost their housing and fell into homelessness in 2025, according to data from United to End Homelessness, a coalition of business, civic and political leaders.It’s still not too late to volunteer, with the county looking for people to take on different roles, including for set up and clean up. To learn more about how to get involved,Over the course of three days, volunteers will fan out across the county to determine how many people are experiencing homelessness so officials can decide what services are needed and keep track of changing demographics and trends. Around 17,000 people in Orange County lost their housing and fell into homelessness in 2025, according to data from United to End Homelessness, a coalition of business, civic and political leaders.in the number of unhoused people, with around 7,300 people experiencing homelessness. Results for the point in time count usually come out in May.in 2024 which made it illegal for unhoused people to camp on public properties even if they don’t have a place to sleep. Since then, Orange County cities likehave ramped up anti-camping laws by making it illegal for people to lie down on park benches, sleep on sidewalks or even lay your bag down on the sidewalk. Late last year, The count also comes as Orange County grapples with potential federal funding cuts and increased costs for homelessness programs. If the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development cuts Continuum of Care funds, around 1,400 households will not have a home, Nishtha Mohendra, chief program officer for Families Forward, said at United to End Homelessness’ recent 2026 State of Homelessness. “That would mean that we run the risk of having an even higher two-digit increased literal homelessness in our community. That has the ripple effect of everything that impacts our system,” she said.Volunteers, including service providers and law enforcement, will fan out from six locations over three days in the morning and evening. Tuesday is dedicated to central cities, including Santa Ana and Fountain Valley, Wednesday for the northern region and Thursday for the southern cities. It’s still not too late to volunteer, with the county looking for people to take on different roles, including for set up and clean up. To learn more about how to get involved,Head coach Sean McVay talks with Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams during the second quarter against the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship game.The Los Angeles Rams came up just short in their pursuit of a trip to Super Bowl LX after losing 31-27 to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game Sunday night.by several metrics during the regular season and were competing for their second trip to the big game in five years. The last time they were there was the 2021-22 season, when they won it all. During a, Head Coach Sean McVay acknowledged the stunned disappointment his team and its fans were feeling."You know I'm...never really short on words, and I am right now. So, it's tough. But this is sports, and you gotta be able to deal with it," McVay told reporters.The Rams had a couple of opportunities to take the lead in the final minutes of the game that didn't shake out their way. Down four points with about 5 minutes left, the Rams chose to go for it on a pivotal fourth down deep in Seattle territory, instead of kicking a field goal that would have cut the Seahawks' lead to one. But they didn't convert and had to turn the ball over. They then got one final possession with about 25 seconds left in the game, but needed a touchdown to take the lead and were unable to go the length of the field.While they'll have to take in Super Bowl LX from the comfort of home, there are still opportunities for the Rams to get their flowers for a memorable season. Quarterback Matthew Stafford is a finalist for the NFL's Most Valuable Player Award after leading the league in passing yards and touchdowns in the regular season. Wide receiver Puka Nacua is also a finalist for Offensive Player of the Year after he posted yet another stellar season. They'll find out whether they won at the NFL Awards on Feb. 5.The Super Bowl will be on Feb. 8 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, the home of the San Francisco 49ers. The Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots will play in a rematch of the 2014 Super Bowl, which the
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Laila Edwards: From Cleveland Roots to Olympic Dreams in Ice HockeyDiscover the inspiring journey of Laila Edwards, a rising star in women's ice hockey, as she prepares to make history as the first Black female to represent the U.S. in the Olympics. This article highlights her upbringing in Cleveland, the influential role of her family and siblings, her remarkable skills, and the challenges she has overcome to reach the pinnacle of her sport.
Read more »
Former Olympic Snowboarder Ryan Wedding, Fugitive in Drug Trafficking and Murder Case, Arrested in MexicoRyan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder and FBI fugitive, has been arrested in Mexico on charges related to drug trafficking and the killing of a federal witness. The arrest, a result of international cooperation, marks a major victory for law enforcement.
Read more »
Gus Kenworthy Lived an Olympic Version of “Heated Rivalry”Ahead of a comeback competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan and Cortina, the freestyle skier and actor Gus Kenworthy speaks with Eren Orbey about coming out of the closet as a professional athlete.
Read more »
Olympic snowboarder-turned-drug kingpin Ryan Wedding to appear in California court after arrest in MexicoToday's Video Headlines: 01/24/26
Read more »
‘Heated Rivalry’ Stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie Partake in Olympic Torch Relay in ItalyIt was announced late last week that the pair would be torchbearers in the Olympic torch relay; however, it was previously unknown when and where they’d pop up.
Read more »
U.S. skeleton athlete Katie Uhlaender fights for sixth Olympic berth after controversial decision Uhlaender said she has made the ask with the backing of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
Read more »