Eurovision 2023: Why the UK is hosting for Ukraine, and other things US viewers should know

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 11:34:07 GMT

Eurovision 2023: Why the UK is hosting for Ukraine, and other things US viewers should know By Jill Lawless | Associated PressLONDON — Last week, Britain crowned a king. This week, it will help bestow Europe’s pop crown.The Eurovision Song Contest is returning to the U.K. for the first time in 25 years, but the heart of the glitzy music competition will be in Ukraine.Britain is hosting the event on behalf of the war-battered country and organizers have vowed to make it a celebration of Ukrainian spirit and culture. Ukraine’s entry, “Stefania,” by Kalush Orchestra, won the 2022 competition.The contest will see musical acts from 37 countries perform original songs in the English city of Liverpool, with semi-finals Tuesday and Thursday and a grand final on Saturday watched by an estimated 160 million people.Peacock is streaming this year’s semi-finals and grand final beginning Tuesday. Figure skater Johnny Weir will host the U.S. coverage.For fans and first-timers alike, here’s an essential Eurovision guide:What is Eurovision, anyway?First ...

San Jose woman killed in motorcycle crash near Watsonville

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 11:34:07 GMT

San Jose woman killed in motorcycle crash near Watsonville A San Jose woman was killed Monday when her motorcycle hit a big rig on a rural road east of Watsonville, the California Highway Patrol said.The crash was reported at 3:37 p.m. on Carlton Road near Coward Road, in the Interlaken area. The woman was southbound on Carlton when she reportedly lost control at a bend in the road, crossed into the opposite lane and hit a tractor-trailer rig.The woman died at the scene. She was 30 years old; her name has not been released. The truck’s driver and a passenger were uninjured.Carlton Road was closed for about four hours after the crash.Related ArticlesCrashes and Disasters | Bicyclist dead in Hayward’s fifth traffic fatality of 2023 Crashes and Disasters | Pedestrian killed in hit-and-run in San Jose Crashes and Disasters | One person dead after crash in Livermore on Saturday night Crashes and Disasters | SUV driver hits crowd at Texas bus stop near border; 7 dead Cras...

Pac-12 financial affairs: The presidents are responsible for the Comcast overpayment fiasco; they should cover the damage

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 11:34:07 GMT

Pac-12 financial affairs: The presidents are responsible for the Comcast overpayment fiasco; they should cover the damage Four months ago, the Pac-12 dismissed two senior executives for failing to properly report years of overpayments by a media partner that totaled at least $50 million.The situation was bad enough given the facts presented at the time — the media partner, later identified as Comcast, assuredly will attempt to recoup the money — but the financial damage to the Pac-12 campuses ultimately could prove much worse.We’ll get to those gruesome details momentarily. For now, our focus is on the cleanup process:How the schools plan to cover the shortfall if Comcast withholds at least $50 million in payments and the Pac-12 Networks, in turn, cannot meet the annual revenue distribution goals that have been baked into campus budgets.To make the Hotline’s position clear: The athletic departments should not, under any circumstances, take the hit.The expected reductions in distributions from the conference office to the athletic departments should be covered by the university p...

Jury begins deliberations in Trump rape, defamation trial

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 11:34:07 GMT

Jury begins deliberations in Trump rape, defamation trial By Larry Neumeister | Associated PressNEW YORK — A jury in New York City began deliberating Tuesday in the lawsuit brought by columnist E. Jean Carroll, who alleges that Donald Trump raped her in a luxury Manhattan department store in 1996.U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan read instructions on the law to the nine-person jury before the panel began discussing Carroll’s allegations of battery and defamation shortly before noon.If they believe Carroll, jurors can award compensatory and punitive damages. Trump, who did not attend the trial, has insisted he never sexually assaulted Carroll or even knew her.Kaplan told jurors that the first question on the verdict form will be to decide whether they think there is more than a 50% chance that Trump raped Carroll inside a store dressing room. If they answer yes, they will then decide whether compensatory and punitive damages should be awarded.If they answer no on the rape question, they can then decide if Trump subjected her to less...

Ukiah woman concealed her mother's death, hid her skeletal remains to access her finances: police

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 11:34:07 GMT

Ukiah woman concealed her mother's death, hid her skeletal remains to access her finances: police (KRON) -- A Ukiah woman concealed her mother's death and hid her skeletal remains in order to access her finances, according to the City of Ukiah Police Department. Ukiah PD was contacted last month by a man who reported suspicious circumstances following the death of his 58-year-old sister.The man, who was from out of state, had traveled to Ukiah after learning that his sister was hospitalized. By the time her arrived, she had already passed away, according to police. SF supervisor accuses DA of ‘contradiction’ in handling of Banko Brown case The man told police that his elderly mother had lived in the same home as the sister when he last had contact with her in 2013. He told police he'd been informed his mother had passed away in August of 2013.As his mother was in poor health, her death was not suspicious at the time, he said. The man told police he was advised by his sister that the mother's remains had been sent to a medical research facility, in keeping with her wishes. The ...

Goats deployed to clear vegetation from Oakland Hills ahead of fire season

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 11:34:07 GMT

Goats deployed to clear vegetation from Oakland Hills ahead of fire season (KRON) — The Oakland Fire Department are set to deploy a herd of about 1,200 goats to chomp down fields of dangerous vegetation ahead of fire season. The goats have been deployed annually since 1994 as a sustainable fire prevention method.Each year, OFD deploys thousands of goats to eat away at hard-to-reach flammable plants from the Oakland hillsides. This year's herd is set to arrive on May 16, according to Oakland Fire Department officials.The goats were first brought in just three years after the devastating 1991 Oakland Hills fire, which killed 25 people and destroyed thousands of homes. Historically, the fire department has been reported to spend about $500,000 to truck in the goats each year.This year's fire season prep is crucial especially after an unseasonably wet winter that officials say could cause a longer and more destructive fire season due to all the early-blooming foliage that will eventually dry out.

Gary Sánchez agrees to minor league contract with Mets

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 11:34:07 GMT

Gary Sánchez agrees to minor league contract with Mets CINCINNATI (AP) — Catcher Gary Sánchez is getting another chance to restart his baseball career, agreeing Tuesday to a minor league contract with the New York Mets following his release by the San Francisco Giants.New York assigned him to Triple-A Syracuse. Sánchez would get a $1.5 million salary while in the major leagues if added to the 40-man roster.Unsigned during the offseason, the 30-year-old Sánchez agreed to a minor league contract with the Giants on April 1, a deal that called for a $4 million salary if he was added to the 40-man roster. Sánchez was assigned to Triple-A Sacramento and hit .164 (9 for 55) with no homers, eight RBIs, one double, 11 walks and 19 strikeouts in 55 at-bats. He had a May 1 opt-out provision and was released the following day.Sánchez made the All-Star Game twice during a seven-year stint with the Yankees. He hit .299 with 20 homers in 2016 and .278 with 33 homers and 90 RBIs in 2017.He batted .186 in 2018 and just .147 in 49 games in the pandemic-s...

US regulators grants license for proposed spent nuclear fuel storage facility in New Mexico

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 11:34:07 GMT

US regulators grants license for proposed spent nuclear fuel storage facility in New Mexico ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — US regulators grants license for proposed spent nuclear fuel storage facility in New Mexico.Source

Hay casi 10.000 migrantes en la frontera sur de EE.UU., a horas del final del Título 42

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 11:34:07 GMT

Hay casi 10.000 migrantes en la frontera sur de EE.UU., a horas del final del Título 42 (CNN) — Las autoridades fronterizas estadounidenses encontraron este lunes a casi 10.000 migrantes a lo largo de la frontera sur de EE.UU., según indica un funcionario de Seguridad Nacional. Con este hecho continúa la tendencia  de las detenciones fronterizas a solo dos días de la expiración del Título 42.Funcionarios de la Administración advirtieron que las detenciones en la frontera podrían aumentar a más de 10.000 en el período inmediatamente posterior al levantamiento del Título 42. Este lunes, las autoridades fronterizas se encontraron con unos 9.900 migrantes, según indica el funcionario.En los últimos días, los cruces de migrantes han aumentado a medida que la gente se desespera y se preocupa por lo que sucederá después de que se levante la restricción de la era Covid y las autoridades vuelvan al protocolo de hace décadas.¿Qué es Título 42 y cómo funciona esta política fronteriza de EE.UU. que llega a su fin el 11 de mayo?Los funcionarios de Seguridad Nacional son muy c...

DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg tells Metro leaders: We’ve got your back

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 11:34:07 GMT

DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg tells Metro leaders: We’ve got your back U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is telling the leadership of the D.C. Metro and other transit agencies struggling financially due to a deep drop in ridership during the pandemic that the federal government is ready to help.Metro General Manager Randy Clarke recently sounded the alarm in an interview with WTOP, warning of possible deep service cuts next summer if the D.C. transit agency does not close its $700 million dollar budget shortfall.Clarke said instead of trains running at eight-minute intervals, the schedule would be cut to intervals of up to 30 minutes between trains, and the agency would lay off numerous workers.Buttigieg said he wants to help.While on the one hand saying the Department of Transportation does not want to make decisions that abridge local leaders, Buttigieg told WTOP that the federal government would have money in the upcoming year’s DOT budget to assist mass transit agencies.“There are flexibilities in the budget that we’re putting forw...