Amid U.S.-China Rivalry, Beijing Agrees to Send Two Furry Diplomats to San Francisco

Mica Miller's death comes as the Robeson County Sheriff's Office opens an investigation into the April 27 shooting.

Darvin Ham is expected to be fired by the Los Angeles Lakers, and one report has two "real" candidates to fill his spot as head coach, and they both have connection to LeBron James.

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Flights to LaGuardia Airport were delayed last June due to smoke and poor visibility. | Getty Images Flying has gotten hellish. Consumers might finally get compensated. Under a new rule from the Biden administration, passengers could soon get relief for one of the most frequently cited travel grievances. The rule, which was announced in late April, would require airlines to provide automatic refunds for flight delays, an issue that’s been a major source of consumer frustration in recent years. That’s a big change from existing policies, which give airlines significant leeway in doling out these refunds and require travelers to push for them themselves. This proposal is just the latest consumer protection policy from the Biden administration and part of the White House’s broader efforts to burnish these credentials ahead of the 2024 election this fall. While the White House has had legislative success, including the passage of bills that lower prescription drug prices and make substantial investments in infrastructure, communicating those wins can be tough because many of these proposals will take years to implement and be felt. The airline refund rule, which will go into effect in October, offers an immediate example of how the administration is trying to address a commonly expressed grievance. It also comes as negative sentiment has grown toward the airline industry in the wake of a shocking Boeing plane incident in January and subsequent scrutiny of industry-wide quality control issues. All told, delays and cancellations have cost airlines $8.3 billion and consumers $16.7 billion on an annual basis. Here’s what you need to know about how the rule works and why it’s happening in the first place. How the rule works The new rule, to be implemented by the Department of Transportation (DOT), requires airlines to provide refunds for both flight cancellations and “significant changes.” For the first time, the agency spells out what these changes entail. They include: If a domestic flight is delayed more than three hours If an international flight is delayed more than six hours If the location of the departure or arrival airport changes If more connections are added to a flight If passengers are downgraded to a different class or service than the one they paid for These criteria set a common standard for all airlines, making the basis for such refunds clear for both travelers and companies. The new rule also makes these refunds automatic. That means that consumers don’t have to file a claim with the airline, streamlining the process. The policy requires refunds to be provided within seven business days to consumers who use a credit card, and within 20 calendar days to those who use other forms of payment. Travelers will only be eligible if they turn down an alternative flight option or other compensation, like a travel voucher. That means if a passenger still took a flight after it was delayed for four hours, for example, they would not be eligible for the refund. The new rule also guarantees refunds of other fees in case wifi doesn’t work or if checked baggage does not arrive within 12 hours of a domestic flight landing, or within 15 to 30 hours of an international flight landing. Automating refunds is an important part of this policy because it puts the onus of figuring out penalties on the airlines and not the consumer. One issue that consumer advocate Christopher Elliott previously highlighted in the Washington Post, for example, was that customers in Europe would have to wait months for refunds they were seeking because airlines would take their time processing claims. The way the White House rule is written attempts to prevent companies from dragging their feet and to make them take on the logistical burdens of this process. A bipartisan group of Congress members, however, are trying to undercut this provision of the rule. In a new bill that reauthorizes funding for the Federal Aviation Administration, lawmakers have included language that would require consumers to file a claim before they could receive a refund, Skift reports. “You shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to get your money back,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) said in a statement in response to this measure. Warren and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) have also filed an amendment to the FAA bill in an attempt to preserve the White House’s rule. Biden is going in on consumer protection policies The proposed rule is one of several consumer protection policies the White House has advanced in the last year. It follows an FDA proposal that enabled hearing aids to be sold over the counter, likely reducing their cost, as well as a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) rule that reduces late fees for credit card payments. DOT also has another rulemaking in process that would eliminate additional fees for families trying to sit together on planes, the Federal Trade Commission is working on a rule to ban the use of hidden fees, and the CFPB is targeting bank overdraft fees as well. Biden touted aspects of this push in his State of the Union address earlier this year in a bid to highlight his commitment to consumer protections. The flight refund rule is intended to combat traveler discontent with the airline industry and the time and financial losses people face when they have to change their plans or reschedule travel. In a challenging election year, the choice to focus on such concerns allows the White House to point to key policies it’s delivered on and that people can feel directly in their daily lives.

More leading figures are speaking out against the demonstrations against Israel's war in Gaza as violence and vandalism breaks out.

The Fox News host reacted to coverage of an unflattering nickname that Trump's lawyer had handed down to him last month.

The concentration of China's property sector in the hands of the country's largest firms has caused the market's downfall, a new study found.

In today’s edition … Biden finally weighs in on campus protests ... Trump aide Hope Hicks expected as witness in Trump hush money case.

Michael Cohen and Melissa McCarthy are just two of the famous names in this week's News Quiz. How much can you remember about the news from the past week? Try to get a perfect score!

The iPhone maker saw sales of its flagship mobile device drop, but had a positive outlook for the future.

Over 2,000 anti-Israel agitators have been arrested at college campuses across the United States since demonstrations began at Columbia on April 17 with students erecting a tent encampment.

Roughly 100,000 immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children are expected to enroll in the Affordable Care Act's health insurance next year under a new directive administration rule, the White House says.

More Americans trust former President Donald Trump than President Joe Biden to handle the Israel-Hamas war, though few call it critical in their choice of a candidate.

Portland police arrested at least 30 anti-Israel agitators after they re-occupied the library at Portland State University hours after it was first cleared out by law enforcement.

Nearly seven years after my mother's death, watching an abandoned bird find a new family in my Oregon neighborhood reminded me there's courage in moving forward.

Cities are frustrated by 911 calls from senior facilities to help residents off the floor or toilet. Some are now charging fees, but facilities keep calling.

Trump has had two gag order violation hearings in a week

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill student speaks out about standing up for American flag while being pelted with objects from "Marxist" mob.

Like many rural counties, Merced is losing deputies to jurisdictions that pay more. The shortage is so dire, Sheriff Vern Warnke is sometimes the only one available to respond to calls for help.

Police officers cannot detain someone on the street just because that person acts furtively to avoid contact with them, the California Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

Law enforcement fired 'less-lethal' rounds as the UCLA encampment was cleared, and protesters say they 'connected with heads and hands.'

"The Mandalorian," "Ahsoka" and 25 years of spinoffs show the stealth power of George Lucas' 1999 prequel, which, for all its controversy, laid the groundwork.

'Long Island' is especially rich because its characters are haunted by actions at the heart-twisting conclusion of the preceding novel, 'Brooklyn.'

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'Blood at the Root,' LaDarrion Williams' first novel in a three-book deal — a series that centers on a Black boy in a YA fantasy saga — is the kind of fiction he wishes existed when he was a kid.

A cascade of decisions that Folt made this spring around USC’s commencement and Israel-Hamas war-related protests inflamed tensions and opened wounds, presenting the most significant test of her tenure.

Is an endless supply of student loans pushing up tuition? Readers discuss reasons behind higher college costs.

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His comments sent me into a spiral. I was no longer sure of myself. I turned to friends to get their thoughts: What kind of salad was I?

Trump shows contempt for the rule of law and talks like a dictator. How is this spectacle supposed to woo undecided voters?

Facing a worsening housing crisis, the Hawaii Legislature overwhelmingly passed a measure that allows counties to phase out short-term rentals. Maui almost immediately announced efforts to transition vacation rental apartments into long-term housing.

Brightline West chooses Siemens Mobility as its preferred bidder to build a fleet of high-speed rail trains that will reach speeds of 220 mph.

'This is a cruel, vicious person who should not be let near dogs or voters,' says a reader in response to Kristi Noem killing her dog.

What are those blue things washing up on Southern California beaches? Velella velella, of course. Also known as by-the-wind sailors. They're kind of like jellyfish.

The money will be used to settle claims between the Automated People Mover contractor and Los Angeles International Airport.

The stand-up comic directs and stars in “Unfrosted,” a brand biopic spoof that includes Jim Gaffigan, Amy Schumer, Melissa McCarthy and Hugh Grant.

The chilling documentary “The Sixth” immerses us in the sensations and shock of Jan. 6, 2021. Civics lessons rarely come this disturbing or this convincing.

A new rom-com starring Anne Hathaway on Amazon Prime Video has a divorced mom and a Harry Styles-esque pop star meet at Coachella. Could it happen in real life?

The folk singer made her name with stripped-down recordings but has now found a bigger approach on “Here in the Pitch.” It wasn’t an easy road to get there.