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Questions emerge about Titanic-bound sub’s regulation, as investigators hunt for reason it imploded

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:57:37 GMT

By PATRICK WHITTLE (Associated Press)Authorities hunted Friday for the reason a submersible carrying people to the wreck of the Titanic imploded deep in the North Atlantic, as questions emerged about how such expeditions are regulated and tributes poured in for the five aboard who were killed.The announcement that no one survived Thursday brought a tragic end to a five-day saga that included an urgent around-the-clock search for the vessel known as the Titan.The investigation into what happened was already underway and would continue in the area around Titanic where debris from the submersible was found, said Rear Adm. John Mauger, of the First Coast Guard District. “I know there are also a lot of questions about how, why and when did this happen. Those are questions we will collect as much information as we can about now,” Mauger said, adding that it was a “complex case” that happened in a remote part of the ocean and involved people from several different c...

Analysis: What the Jordan Poole, Chris Paul trade means for the Warriors

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:57:37 GMT

Mike Dunleavy Jr. made a splash in his first major move as the Warriors newest general manager.The Warriors are set to deal Jordan Poole to the Washington Wizards for future Hall of Famer Chris Paul. As part of the trade, which can’t be made official until Poole’s extension kicks in July 6, the Wizards will also get second-year player Ryan Rollins, a protected 2030 first-round pick and 2027 second-round pick from Golden State.The Warriors did this as a commitment to the here and now, effectively throwing their long-touted two-timeline plan out the window. There’s a lot of layers to this jaw-dropping move that need to be examined:Why Chris Paul?Paul will transform from a storied Warriors adversary to a teammate both sides hope can help win them more titles before Curry retires – and Paul his first ring in his 18-year career.At first glance, the point guard swap seems risky. Poole turned 24 last week and signed a four-year extension after a breakout 2022 season in wh...

NBA Draft list: The first-round picks, with only one of top five from a U.S. college

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:57:37 GMT

For the first time since 2001, four of the top five picks in the NBA draft did not play college basketball in the United States.No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama will join the San Antonio Spurs after having played in France’s top league.The third pick, Scoot Henderson, went to the Portland Trail Blazers after two seasons with the G League Ignite. Last season, he averaged 17.6 points, 6.6 assists and 5.1 rebounds in 25 games, including a 28- point outburst in a preseason game against Wembanyama’s Metropolitans 92 squad.The next two picks, twins Amen and Ausar Thompson, played for Overtime Elite, an Atlanta-based pro league for 16- to 20-year-olds. Amen Thompson went to the Houston Rockets, while Ausar went to the Detroit Pistons.The only top-five pick who played in college was Brandon Miller, a one-and-done player out of Alabama who went to the Charlotte Hornets at No. 2.Wembanyama played the past three seasons in France’s Pro A. Last season, he led the league in scoring, rebo...

Every Bay Area county is aging faster than the U.S.

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:57:37 GMT

We’re really aging, Bay Area. And fast.The region grayed rapidly over the last decade, according to new Census data released Thursday, with the populations in all nine Bay Area counties outpacing the country in their upward median-age swing.Marin County, our undisputed grandparent, shot up to a median age of 48.2 — a full decade older than the region’s young in Santa Clara County. After COVID started, San Francisco’s median age — meaning half the population is older and half younger — shot up 2 years to 40.5 in just two years.Compare that to the United States’ median age, which climbed about 1.5 years from 2012 to 2022, according to the new Census Bureau data.It’s the latest evidence of the region’s aging population that has also shown up in recent census reports, including a 38% spike in the number of residents 65 and older over the last decade and a 12% drop in youth 5 and under.What’s behind the Bay Area trends? The explanations point primarily to one thin...

Clendaniel: Stop AI disinformation before 2024 election campaigns

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:57:37 GMT

As an editorial page editor, I encounter a wide range of issues capable of keeping me up at night.Climate change. Homelessness. The economy.But nothing causes me as much angst as the potential for misinformation and disinformation fueled by artificial intelligence to disrupt the 2024 election.We may not be doing enough to fight climate change, homelessness and the economic downturn, but at least local, state and federal lawmakers have passed legislation designed to make things better.I have little hope that anything will be done to combat the onslaught of fake news created by generative AI that is about to flood social media, where an ever-increasing number of Americans will get their news during the next election cycle.It will be a black mark on Silicon Valley, the epicenter of the technology industry. Who else to blame if political disinformation creates more distrust in our elections and further erodes our democracy? Artificial intelligence is clearly the next big thing in tech. ...

With a new tour and documentary, Carlos Santana says, ‘My guitar is my best lover, ever’

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:57:37 GMT

“Take no prisoners — peacefully,” Carlos Santana sometimes tells his bandmates before taking the stage.“I don’t like to coast. I don’t like to rope-a-dope,” Santana says. “I want to get in the middle of the ring and knock the sucker out. That way the referee can’t steal the fight from me.”Santana, 75, can still whip a crowd into a frenzy like few others. He’s been doing it since he stormed onto the San Francisco scene in the late ’60s. He left the Woodstock audience dazed and stunned before the first Santana record came out.The new documentary by Rudy Valdez, “Carlos,” which is premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival and will be released this fall in theaters by Sony Pictures Classics, chronicles the meteoric rise of one of the most singular guitar players in rock history. The critic Robert Christgau once wrote: “He is less a man of style than of sound, a clear, loud, fluent sound that cleanses with the same motion no matter how often that motion is repeated.”Santana, who launches t...

BART approves labor agreement, police officer salaries to increase

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:57:37 GMT

(BCN) -- The BART Board of Directors unanimously approved a labor agreement on Thursday that will increase police officer salaries by 19 percent in an attempt to fill 28 vacant positions and put officer salaries on par with neighboring agencies. The cost of these raises, agreed to by the BART Board of Directors and the BART Police Officers Association, will total around $8.54 million, according to a BART press release. These added expenses come as BART faces a $93 million budget deficit in 2025 and has warned of service cuts and layoffs without additional funding. Fatal shooting closes Powell Street BART station entrance BART police officer pay was found to be around 20 percent lower than other regional police agencies and the agency has struggled to fill vacancies in recent years. With these pay increases, the BART Police Department looks to spend less on overtime pay, increase hiring and retention as well as recruit more experienced officers from other departments. ...

A bipartisan bill aims to protect journalists from being forced to reveal their sources

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:57:37 GMT

(CNN) — Journalists could soon enjoy greater protections under federal law.A bipartisan group of US senators and congressmen united this week to reintroduce the Protect Reporters from Exploitive State Spying Act, or as it is more commonly known, the PRESS Act.The legislation, which passed the House last year but did not get a vote in the Senate, would safeguard journalists in two important ways. First, it would prevent the government from compelling reporters from being forced to disclose their sources. Second, it would ensure that important data held by a third party, such as a phone or internet company, cannot be seized without notice and providing the ability to challenge the move in court.“The PRESS Act is the strongest federal shield bill for journalists we’ve ever seen,” Seth Stern, director of advocacy for the Freedom of the Press Foundation, said in a statement. “Its definition of journalist is broad, its exceptions are narrow and targeted, and it restricts subpoenas directe...

Carrie Fisher’s white Princess Leia gown worn in ‘Star Wars: A New Hope’ up for auction

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:57:37 GMT

(CNN) — The archetypal white gown that Carrie Fisher wore while playing Princess Leia in 1977’s “Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope” could be yours to own, if you have a couple million dollars to spare.Propstore Auction, billed as a vendor of entertainment memorabilia that sells props and collectibles through live and online auction platforms, has the “original screen-matched ceremonial dress” listed on their site and estimates it could sell for up to $2 million when bidding closes on June 28.The site also lists the dress as a “historically significant piece” that “is the only Princess Leia costume known to still exist from the original film.”Costume Designer John Mollo created the gown for Fisher’s legendary character Princess Leia. He went on to win an Oscar in 1978 for his work on “A New Hope.”According to Barneby’s Magazine, Propstore Auction founder Stephen Lane said many collectors in the industry feared the garment was lost forever, and that collectors had been on the hunt for ...

Military hikes aim to create connection, highlight suicide prevention

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:57:37 GMT

Hikes planned for this weekend across the nation, including D.C., aim to connect U.S. military members and prevent suicide.Tens of thousands of military members have gathered over the years for the Irreverent Warriors silkies hikes.“Our mission statement is very clear, we bring veterans together using humor and camaraderie to improve mental health and prevent veteran suicide,” said hike coordinator Matt Johnson with the D.C. chapter of Irreverent Warriors, a nonprofit organization that works to combat veteran suicide.Saturday’s hike, which begins by the Navy Yard Metro station, is one of 90 taking place across the country. Each one is between four and 10 miles, paced at two to three miles per hour.Johnson said there have been nearly 30,000 confirmed military suicides so far, and the eight-mile hike is about creating connections — without the competition.“We need to be there to take care of our own, and this is one way that we do that,” Johnson said.Vete...