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Israel’s Netanyahu rules out Gaza cease-fire as Blinken presses for more aid, civilian protection

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 05:59:06 GMT

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Israel on Friday to ensure more humanitarian aid and do more to protect Palestinian civilians in Gaza or else there will be “no partners for peace.” Israel warned that it was on high alert for attacks on its border with Lebanon as fears grew that the conflict could widen.Israeli troops tightened their encirclement of Gaza City, the focus of their campaign to crush the enclave’s ruling Hamas militants, who launched a brutal attack on Israeli communities that started the war.But ever since that Oct. 7 assault, there have been concerns the conflict could ignite fighting on other fronts, and Israel and the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah have repeatedly traded fire along the Lebanon border.In his first public speech since the war began, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said his group had “entered the battle” with the past weeks’ unprecedented cross-border fighting. “We will not be limited to this,” he...

Welcome to 21st Century fire: And no, you’re not safe

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 05:59:06 GMT

For a book revolving around a city-consuming wildfire in Canada, John Vaillant’s Fire Weather — named this month a U.S. National Book Award non-fiction finalist — features a great deal of California content. This state’s fiery cataclysms, Vaillant says, opened a window into everybody’s future.California’s eight largest fires in recorded history came in the past seven years, an abrupt escalation that “anticipated what a lot of us are experiencing now,” Vaillant said in an interview. “A lot of North Americans comforted ourselves: ‘Well, that’s just a California thing. This couldn’t happen to us.’ We are learning that no, it can happen anywhere.”Vaillant, a U.S.-born journalist and author, visited Redding in Northern California shortly after the Carr Fire in 2018, the state’s eighth-most damaging blaze that killed eight people and torched 1,600 structures. It also spawned the world’s second ...

Prep roundup: Los Gatos edges Branham in a thriller to reach CCS D-I volleyball final

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 05:59:06 GMT

Girls volleyballCCS PLAYOFFSDivision I: Los Gatos 3, Branham 1Los Gatos coach Nicole Ciari called it an “absolute battle.”With a spot in the Central Coast Section Division I final on the line, the second-seeded Wildcats and third-seeded Branham played an epic semifinal match on Thursday night.Los Gatos, on its home court, ultimately prevailed 26-24, 27-25, 28-30, 25-22 to advance to play top-seeded Salinas on Saturday at Palo Alto High. The championship match is scheduled to start at 3 p.m.Salinas reached the final with a 25-13, 26-24, 25-11 victory at home on Thursday over fourth-seeded Mountain View.“Branham brought their A game and really pushed us to step up to the challenge,” Ciari said in an email to the Bay Area News Group. “Going point for point (to) the end of all 4 sets was a testament to both teams’ mental toughness and desire to win the match. I am so proud of how our team worked together for each and every point no matter what the score was.̶...

Stanford Cardinal defense faces another big passing challenge at Washington State

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 05:59:06 GMT

Stanford has allowed more passing yards than any other FBS team so far this season, and on Saturday night at Washington State the Cardinal will face one of the most productive quarterbacks in the country.Cameron Ward, the Cougars’ junior quarterback, ranks fifth nationally in passing yards (316.5) and fourth in total offense (337.2) heading into the game (6 p.m. kickoff on the Pac-12 Network.)The Cardinal is allowing an average of 322.5 passing yards per game, the worst among all 130 FBS teams and 12 yards per game more than the second-worst team, Colorado. Arizona State defensive lineman Prince Dorbah (32) blocks a pass thrown by Washington State quarterback Cameron Ward (1) during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) A significant chunk of those passing yards have come in the past month, as Stanford (2-6, 1-5 Pac-12) has allowed more than 40 points in each of its last four games. But t...

Can explosive Ott help Cal hang with Oregon?

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 05:59:06 GMT

A side benefit of being the quarterback at Cal are the moments Fernando Mendoza enjoyed last Saturday against USC when Jaydn Ott found a crease at the line of scrimmage and was gone.The sophomore running back had touchdown dashes of 43 and 61 yards, and Mendoza had the best seat in the house.“I’m trying to come up with a word to describe it — it’s exhilarating,” Mendoza said. “It’s kind of like when you go on a rollercoaster and it just takes off. When you hand the ball off to him and you see an open hole, you know it’s going to be a touchdown.“You see the No. 1 with Ott above it and you just see it get smaller and smaller and smaller.”The No. 24 Trojans overcame all of it, rallying from a 14-point hole in the fourth quarter to escape Memorial Stadium with a 50-49 victory.“Our hopes were to get the team a win on offense,” Ott said. “It was pretty much running a track meet out there but it obviously wasn’t enough.”In a surprising role reversal, it’s been the Cal offense most of...

Matthew Perry went to rehab 15 times before getting sober. Here’s why it’s so hard

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 05:59:06 GMT

By Madeline Holcombe | CNNIt took 15 entries into rehab before the late actor Matthew Perry found long-term sobriety, he wrote in his memoir, “Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing.” And after his death, loved ones and fans alike are honoring his commitment to recovery.“I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in my life and a lot of wonderful accolades,” Perry told The Hollywood Reporter in 2015. “But the best thing about me is that if an alcoholic comes up to me and says, ‘Will you help me stop drinking?’ I will say, ‘Yes. I know how to do that.’”Having spent years advocating for people with substance use disorder, why did it take so long for him — and so many others in the public eye — to reach a point of sustained sobriety?While admitting there is a problem and getting into treatment such as a rehabilitation center is an important first step, it isn’t the end of the journey as movies and TV shows often portray, said Dr. Danielle Dick, director of the Rutgers Addiction Research Cente...

Tuition-free access expanding across California community college campuses

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 05:59:06 GMT

(BCN) -- As enrollment rates across California's community college system took heavy losses following the Covid-19 pandemic, colleges have focused on advertising their tuition-free access in recent months. Tuition-free community college has been a reality for many students for several decades under the California College Promise Grant, which waives tuition fees for California resident students and non-residents under the California Dream Act who meet the needs-based criteria spelled out in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, better known as FAFSA.For students who don't qualify for that grant, colleges have the option of using another pot of funding to waive tuition. The separate but similarly named California Promise, created under Assembly Bill 19 in 2017, set aside $46 million annually to be split among the state's community colleges to support students. Southbound I-680 closures this weekend Colleges get flexibility with how they spend their portion of the funds, but...

Jeff Bezos, after founding Amazon in a Seattle garage three decades ago, packs his bags for Miami

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 05:59:06 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Jeff Bezos is leaving Seattle, where the billionaire founded Amazon out of a garage nearly three decades ago.In a Thursday night Instagram post, the 59-year-old Bezos announced plans to return to Miami — where he spent his high school years — to be closer to his parents and his partner, Lauren Sánchez.Bezos stepped down as the CEO of Amazon, still based in Seattle, almost three years ago and said in his social media post that operations for his rocket company, Blue Origin, are “increasingly shifting” to Cape Canaveral. Miami is about 200 miles south of Cape Canaveral.“As exciting as the move is, it’s an emotional decision for me,” Bezos wrote Thursday, noting that he’s lived in Seattle longer than he’s lived anywhere else.Seattle has been Bezos’ home since 1994, when he started Amazon out of his garage. Thursday’s Instagram post includes a brief video tour led by Bezos of Amazon’s first, humble office, with his father behind the camera. ...

USC’s JuJu Watkins is among top freshmen to watch as the women’s hoops season begins

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 05:59:06 GMT

Southern California’s JuJu Watkins says she is trying not to get caught up the considerable expectations that have accompanied the start of her college career.“I don’t worry too much about what other people think I should do or how they think I should approach the game,” Watkins told reporters at the Pac-12 Media Day event. “Just always thinking of my goals and how I plan to approach the game. Ultimately the team goal is to win, and that’s what I’m focused on.”That approach has worked wonders for her so far. Watkins was named the USA Today high school player of the year. She also won the Naismith and Gatorade national player of the year awards.The 6-foot-2 guard averaged 27.5 points, 13.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.7 blocks her senior year at Sierra Canyon in suburban Los Angeles. She was named a co-MVP of the McDonald’s All-American Game after scoring 25 points.Her new teammates are already impressed.“It’s very fun to play with her because the competitive spirit she br...

York Water: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 05:59:06 GMT

YORK, Pa. (AP) — YORK, Pa. (AP) — The York Water Co. (YORW) on Friday reported profit of $7.6 million in its third quarter.The York, Pennsylvania-based company said it had net income of 53 cents per share.The purifying and distribution company posted revenue of $18.8 million in the period._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on YORW at https://www.zacks.com/ap/YORWSource