These were the wildest local stories of 2024

A group of Minnesota Republican lawmakers plan to introduce a bill defining "Trump derangement syndrome" as a mental illness, citing paranoia and hysteria towards President Trump's policies. The proposal, unlikely to pass with a split legislature, mirrors a term coined by Charles Krauthammer in 2003 to describe critics of George W. Bush, and is not recognized as a mental illness. President Trump and his supporters have used the term to criticize political opponents. Full Article

When my family left the Soviet Union, I became stateless at 14 as the U.S.S.R. stripped us of citizenship in exchange for exit visas. For nearly a decade in the U.S., I carried a refugee travel document, facing challenges in simple transactions due to lack of nationality. In recent years, noncitizens in the U.S. have faced increasing difficulties, with restrictions on public assistance, legal pathways, and deportations, culminating in exclusionary policies targeting immigrants and trans...

President Donald Trump mentioned he will likely be speaking with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday during a conversation with reporters on Air Force One Sunday night. The discussion revolved around the potential for a resolution to Russia's war in Ukraine, including talks of dividing land, power plants, and other assets. Trump hinted at a possible announcement by Tuesday as he returned to Washington, D.C., from Florida, with more updates expected to follow. Full Article

China's customs website showed that export registrations for over 1,000 U.S. meat plants granted under the 2020 trade deal have lapsed, potentially threatening U.S. exports to China. Major producers like Tyson Foods and Smithfield Packaged Meats are affected. The expiration of these registrations could lead to losses of around $5 billion and impact American farmers amid an ongoing tariff standoff. Full Article

The United States is quietly withdrawing from a multinational group investigating leaders involved in the invasion of Ukraine, including President Vladimir V. Putin, signaling a shift away from accountability efforts under President Biden. The decision to leave the International Center for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, joined in 2023, is expected to be announced soon, with the Trump administration citing the need to redeploy resources as the reason behind the move....

Two cars collided near Dockweiler State Beach, causing one vehicle to plunge off the road and hit a woman below, leading to her death. The crash occurred in Playa del Rey just after 7 p.m., resulting in the pedestrian being pronounced dead at the scene by the Los Angeles Fire Department. Additionally, a man in his 70s sustained minor injuries in the collision. Full Article