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Months after ordering investigation, Alameda DA Pamela Price quietly brings prosecutors back to work

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 13:18:42 GMT

Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price recently ordered three veteran prosecutors to return from administrative leave for the first time since a tumultuous staff shakeup that dominated the opening weeks of her tenure.The move last month marked the latest twist in a series of sweeping staff changes throughout the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office that accompanied Price’s election in November — among them being dozens of departures, firings and job reassignments of longtime staff members. It all came as Price vowed to reshape the East Bay’s justice system and reform an office that, she said, had been reduced to a “hot mess” under her predecessor, Nancy O’Malley.The prosecutors — identified by multiple sources as Connie Campbell, John Mifsud and Brian Owens — were told to return to work in mid-October, roughly nine months after they were placed on leave in January. Even so, they were informed that investigations into ...

Blinken tries to build support among wary Arab countries for planning a postwar future for Gaza

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 13:18:42 GMT

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken sought to build support Saturday for planning a postwar future for Gaza as he met with wary Arab leaders during his latest urgent mission to the Middle East since the Israel-Hamas conflict began.His talks in Jordan’s capital with the officials, angry and deeply suspicious of Israel as it intensifies military operations, came a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu snubbed Blinken’s blunt warning that Israel risks losing any hope of an eventual peace deal with the Palestinians unless it eases the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.Blinken’s first meeting was with Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister, Najib Mikati, whose economically and politically ravaged country is home to Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed force that is hostile to Israel. The United States has grave concerns that Hezbollah, which has stepped up rocket and cross-border attacks on northern Israel, will take a more active role in the Israel-...

Fernandes’ late goal earns Man United a 1-0 win at Fulham to ease pressure on Ten Hag

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 13:18:42 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Bruno Fernandes scored a stoppage-time goal to earn Manchester United a 1-0 win over Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday and lift the pressure on under-fire manager Erik ten Hag.Fernandes capitalized on a poor clearance by compatriot Joao Palhinha to stroke a low finish into the bottom corner from the edge of the area just seconds into added-on time at Craven Cottage.United rebounded from back-to-back 3-0 losses to Manchester City and Newcastle over the past week that left Ten Hag facing his biggest crisis since taking over in the summer of 2022.The big games keep coming for Ten Hag, though, with United having a pivotal Champions League match at FC Copenhagen on Wednesday.Scott McTominay thought he had ended United’s scoreless streak when he tapped in Alejandro Garnacho’s cut-back from a free kick in the eighth minute. After a long delay to check the goal, Harry Maguire was adjudged to have been offside when the free kick was whipped in by Christian Eriksen.Maguir...

Warren Buffett’s firm reports $12.8 billion loss as investments fall but its insurers performed well

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 13:18:42 GMT

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Warren Buffett’s company has reported a nearly $13 billion loss in the third quarter as the paper value of its investments fell, but the companies it owns — particularly the insurers — generally performed well.Berkshire Hathaway said Saturday that it lost $12.8 billion, or $8,824 per Class A share, in the quarter. That’s significantly bigger than the $2.8 billion loss, or $1,907 per Class A share, that it reported a year ago.But most of those investment losses are unrealized because Berkshire didn’t actually sell most of its stocks with its biggest holding being a massive stake in Apple. Accounting rules require it to include the value of its investments, which it put at $341.1 billion at the end of the quarter, in its earnings. Last quarter, it said its stock portfolio was worth $353 billion.That’s why Buffett has long said investors are better served focusing on Berkshire’s operating earnings, which exclude the value of its investme...

Today in Sports – Alex Ovechkin passes Gordie Howe for most goals scored for a single team

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 13:18:42 GMT

Nov. 51927 — Walter Hagen beats Joe Turnesa 1-up to capture the PGA Championship for the fourth consecutive year and fifth overall.1955 — Montreal’s Jean Beliveau scores the second fastest hat trick in NHL history in a 4-2 win over Boston. Beliveau, who scores all four Canadien goals, gets three in 44 seconds against Bruins goaltender Terry Sawchuk on the same power play.1961 — Bill Stacy of the St. Louis Cardinals returns two interceptions for touchdowns in a 31-17 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.1966 — Virgil Carter of Brigham Young passes for 513 yards and rushes for 86 to set an NCAA record for total yards with 599 in a 53-33 victory over Texas Western.1977 — BYU sophomore Marc Wilson sets an NCAA record with 571 passing yards in a 38-8 rout of Utah.1978 — Oakland coach John Madden becomes the 13th head coach to win 100 games in the NFL as the Raiders beat the Kansas City Chiefs 20-10.1988 — Alysheba becomes the richest racehorse when he beats Seeking the Gold by a half-length i...

Bob Dylan shows ’em how it’s done

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 13:18:42 GMT

Bob Dylan is 82.That’s a scandalous age.In an era when Mick Jagger is 80, looks 70, moves like he’s 45, and acts like he’s 25, being 82 is a pop music sin. Youth rules (Billie! Olivia! Lil Yachty and Lil Pump!) as it did when Dylan plugged in at Newport in 1965. And when youth can’t be factual, it must be perceived (see Jagger, Tom Cruise, Carly Rae Jepsen, the cast of every show about teens).But Bob Dylan doesn’t want to be young, act young or look young. On Friday at the Orpheum Theater — the first of a three night stand at the venue — Dylan began by singing, “This ol’ river keeps on rollin’, though/No matter what gets in the way and which way the wind does blow/And as long as it does I’ll just sit here and watch the river flow.”Bar band frontman and Greek chorus, Dylan spent the night like he’s spent most of the past 35 years, on tour, acting as an impish, earnest, introspective tour guide of mortality.Mining recent album “Rough and Rowdy Ways,” Dylan stuffed his set with new son...

Rogers to lock out former Shaw technicians Monday after contract talks break down

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 13:18:42 GMT

VANCOUVER — A breakdown in contract negotiations has prompted plans by Rogers Communication Inc. to lock out nearly 300 former Shaw technicians on Monday after the union issued a 72-hour notice of workers’ intent to walk off the job.United Steelworkers union Local 1944 Unit 60, which represents the workers in Vancouver, Richmond, Surrey and Langley, B.C., says it notified Rogers it planned to begin a series of rotating strikes at noon on Monday after rejecting a deal from the company.But Rogers says it will lock the employees out at that time, describing the move as a reluctant step to ensure the company can continue to provide service for its customers without interruption.The former Shaw technicians, who were absorbed by Rogers when the companies merged earlier this year, support homes and businesses for internet, phone and television services throughout B.C.’s Lower Mainland.Their concerns largely centre on job security amid accusations the company has been increasing...

Why do we drive on the right side of the road in the US?

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 13:18:42 GMT

(WHTM) -- Driving in the United States is very common, with over 228 million people taking to the roads in 2019. But have you ever wondered why, in the U.S., we drive on the right side of the road and not the left?According to National Geographic, around 75% of the world also drives on the right side of the road while most of the United Kingdom and its colonies drive on the left side. So why can't there be a standard system when it comes to driving? National Geographic states that driving a certain way on a road was a cultural custom. It also had to do with most people being right-hand dominant. What to do if a deer runs in front of your car? In Ancient Rome, Romans would drive their chariots with their more dominant hand, which would normally be the right hand. This would allow them to whip the horse with the less dominant left hand.This was done so there was less of a risk of accidentally whipping a passing chariot. But if the driver needed to battle from the chariot, then the ...

Don't fall for it: These 3 phone scams are most popular now

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 13:18:42 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – A few years ago, scammers were calling every number they could get their hands on with "urgent warnings" about expiring car warranties. Then, in 2022, student loan scams were all the rage. But the Federal Communications Commission cracked down on both types of scams last year, proposing massive fines and shutting down robocalls. Faced with that disciplinary action, scammers didn't quit. They got crafty. Three different types of scams are now flooding people's phones, said Alex Quilici, CEO of YouMail, a service that screens and blocks spam calls. How to avoid the text message scam putting your cash at risk One scam that has exploded in popularity targets small business owners, Quilici explained, and threatens to take their business listing off of Google – unless you pay up."So if you're a dog walker, and you've got this little Google page, or Yelp listing, you real rely on people searching your name," he said. "They threaten to take those away and they pretend to be Y...

Americans urged to leave this country immediately

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 13:18:42 GMT

Officials with the U.S. Department of State are recommending that all Americans leave Lebanon while they still can as cross-border fighting between Israel and Hezbollah intensifies.The State Department issued the recommendation on X, formerly Twitter, for Americans to leave the Middle East country "while commercial flights remain available” due to the "unpredictable security situation" in the region. The warning comes as Israeli forces continue to exchange fire with Hezbollah fighters along the border as the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza rages on. Iran-backed Hezbollah is closely aligned with Hamas and concerns are mounting that the regional conflict could escalate.Hezbollah’s leader has praised Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack when militants attacked farming villages, towns and military posts, killing more than 1,400 people — most of them Israeli civilians — and taking hundreds of hostages back to Gaza while Israeli forces were slow to respond.Smoke rises from Israeli artillery she...