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The Return of Calamity Cameron

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:13 GMT

David Cameron? Remember him? The honest answer for many in the EU leadership would be “How could we ever forget him; however hard we have tried”. Yes, the man who subjected the European Council to an extended period when he seemed to think the UK’s concerns were the only subject they should ever consider is back. What should they make of the former Prime Minister’s appointment as Britain’s Foreign Secretary, asks Political Editor Nick Powell.His interminable whinges over dinner in Brussels enabled David Cameron to claim that the European Council had listened to Britain’s concerns, even as the rest of the EU28 kept other issues at the top of their agenda. He himself referred to the Council meetings as “another day in paradise”. An example perhaps of the famed British sense of humour as he turned mealtimes into hell.It was all in vain of course. He bizarrely thought that telling the voters back home he was in a constant struggle with those beastly continentals would somehow persuade h...

Judge from O.J. Simpson murder trial endorses former Simpson prosecutor's campaign

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:13 GMT

Two familiar names from the murder trial of O.J. Simpson are back in the news again.Retired Judge Lance Ito, who presided over 1994's “Trial of the Century,” has endorsed Christopher Darden for a seat on the Los Angeles County Superior Court, his campaign announced on Monday.Darden, 67, was a lead prosecutor in the Simpson case along with Marcia Clark.The former NFL running back and actor was ultimately acquitted of murdering his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ron Goldman, but a jury found him liable for their deaths in a civil lawsuit three years later.Before Ito became a judge, he and Darden worked together as prosecutors in the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office's “Hard Core Gangs” unit, according to his campaign.“I have always had tremendous respect for Judge Lance Ito. As a prosecutor, a Judge and retired jurist, Judge Ito has always conducted himself with the utmost professionalism and sets the standard for fairness on the bench,” Darden said in a sta...

Metro, Metrolink expanding services in response to 10 Freeway closure 

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:13 GMT

After a massive fire ripped through a storage yard underneath the 10 Freeway on Saturday and led to the roadway being closed indefinitely, Los Angeles public transit authorities are stepping up their services to help commuters. Angelenos are urged to avoid the area of the shutdown freeway, if possible. If you need to drive through downtown, give yourself extra time, officials said. Public transportation is also an option, and both Metro bus and train lines and Metrolink train lines are offering increased service. Drivers who commute from the Inland Empire to downtown Los Angeles are encouraged to take Metrolink trains to Union Station before transferring to the A, B and D Metro lines.  Photos: Massive fire torches 10 Freeway in downtown L.A. Extra cars have been added to San Bernardino Line trains to accommodate more riders, according to Metrolink officials. Six additional roundtrips between Union Station and Covina along the San Bernardino Line have also been added, with thr...

Jose Peguero Pronounced Dead after Two-Vehicle Crash near 35th Avenue [Phoenix, AZ]

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:13 GMT

57-Year-Old Man Died in Deadly Two-Vehicle Accident near Lower Buckeye RoadPHOENIX, AZ (November 13, 2023) – Early Friday morning, police responded to a deadly crash that claimed the life of Jose Peguero.On November 3rd, shortly after 4:30 a.m., the Phoenix police received a report involving a two-vehicle accident near 35th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road.Furthermore, they arrived at the scene and found 57-year-old Peguero trapped inside his vehicle. Crews immediately extricated Peguero given medical attention. However, he succumbed to his injuries and died.Meanwhile, it was unknown if there were injuries on the SUV. The driver remained at the scene and showed no signs of impairment.Moreover, the investigation showed that Peguero was traveling southbound on 35th Avenue when he ran over a red light at Lower Buckeye Road and crashed into the SUV.Consequently, the area was blocked and motorists were advised to avoid the area. Further investigation is still ongoing.In this sorrowful...

Life expectancy gap between men and women in the US widened significantly during the Covid-19 pandemic

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:13 GMT

By Deidre McPhillips | CNNWomen in the United States can expect to live nearly six years longer than men, as disparities in deaths from Covid-19 and drug overdoses drive the life expectancy gap to the widest it’s been in decades.Overall, life expectancy in the US fell more than two and a half years since the start of the pandemic — down to 76.1 years in 2021, according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Life expectancies for both men and women were affected, but not equally.The lifespan for women has been consistently longer than men, with the lowest difference of 4.8 years in 2010. But the gap grew by 0.2 years in the decade that followed and by 0.7 years in the first two years of the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2021, life expectancy for women was 79.3 years, compared with 73.5 years for men — a gap of 5.8 years, the largest difference since 1996.Differences in cardiovascular and lung cancer death rates. largely related to patterns in smoking behavior, have b...

Pac-12 power ratings: Washington and Oregon can clinch this weekend, although the Ducks need help … from Utah

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:13 GMT

With two weeks remaining and a slew of impact matchups on the schedule, there are dozens of scenarios in play for berths in the Pac-12 championship game, including a four-team tie.(A five-way deadlock also is possible, but we can’t contemplate that outcome without heads exploding.)Let’s keep things as simple as possible until Saturday night and offer three points:— Washington and Oregon are the only teams that control their own destiny.The Huskies would clinch a berth in Las Vegas this week with a victory at Oregon State or with a loss to the Beavers and losses by both Arizona and Oregon.— Oregon clinches a spot in the title game with a victory at Arizona State and an Arizona loss to Utah.— And keep in mind that two matchups not on the schedule, USC-Oregon State and Arizona-Oregon, could complicate matters because of the Pac-12 tiebreaker process, which uses head-to-head outcomes only if all the tied teams have played each other.To the power ratings ...

Two Rock and Roll Hall of Famers team up for mighty co-headline tour

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:13 GMT

Earth, Wind & Fire and Chicago have announced dates for their co-headlining Heart & Soul 2024 Tour.The 30-city trek kicks off July 10 in St. Louis and includes four stops in California.The two Rock and Roll Hall of Famers perform Sept. 1 at Toyota Pavilion at Concord as well as Aug. 31 at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre in Chula Vista, Sept. 6 at The Kia Forum in Inglewood and Sept. 7 at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert.Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Nov. 17 via EarthWindAndFire.com and ChicagoTheBand.com.There is also a Citi presale running from 10 a.m. Nov. 14 to 10 p.m. Nov. 16, citientertainment.com.HEART AND SOUL 2024 TOUR DATES:Wed Jul 10 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino AmphitheatreFri Jul 12 – Rosemont, IL – Allstate ArenaSat Jul 13 – Saint Paul, MN – Xcel Energy CenterTue Jul 16 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music CenterWed Jul 17 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music TheatreFri Jul 19 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music CenterSat Jul 20 – Nob...

Review: ‘Super Mario Bros. Wonder’ delivers by defying expectations

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:13 GMT

In a year of gaming epics, “Super Mario Bros. Wonder” arrives as a counterpoint. Not all titles need to be sagas that take weeks to finish. Excellence can come in many forms, and in Nintendo’s case, it’s a familiar one.“Wonder” is the first original 2-D platformer in the series since 2012’s “New Super Mario Bros. U,” and despite the genre being around for decades, the talented team at Nintendo continues to find ways to surprise and delight players.TWIST TO A FAMILIAR TALEThe latest project follows familiar beats. The Flower Kingdom’s Prince Florian invites Mario and the gang to his country to check out the Wonder Flower, a reality-warping treasure. To no one’s surprise, Bowser swoops in and steals the flower, merging with the royal castle and becoming a living building.It’s up to the Mushroom Kingdom crew to save the day as players choose from 12 characters who take on a mission to restore order and defeat King ...

One-car crash in Pittsburg is latest fatal wreck on Highway 4

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:13 GMT

PITTSBURG — A driver died early Monday after losing control of a car on an East Bay highway and slamming into a wall and center divide, the California Highway Patrol said.Related ArticlesCrashes and Disasters | Los Gatos motorcyclist dies in crash on Highway 1 Crashes and Disasters | Police: Man riding stolen motorcycle dies in fiery Oakland crash Crashes and Disasters | Man dies after being hit by BART train in Berkeley Crashes and Disasters | Pedestrian hit and killed by driver in South San Jose Crashes and Disasters | Passenger killed, driver critically injured in solo crash Sunday morning in Hayward The fatal crash happened about 3 a.m. on eastbound state Highway 4 near the Railroad Avenue exit, according to a statement from CHP spokesperson Officer Adam Lane.Authorities did not immediately identify the driver.The wreck was the 12th fatal crash of the year on Contra Costa County’s deadlie...

Older Walnut Creek apartment complex with 100-plus units lands buyer

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:13 GMT

WALNUT CREEK — A California real estate firm has grabbed an older apartment complex in Walnut Creek in a deal that shows residential complexes can still draw investors despite an uncertain economy.The apartment complex, located at 530 North Civic Drive in Walnut Creek, has been bought for slightly under $58 million, according to documents filed on Nov. 6 with the Contra Costa County Recorder’s Office.The just-bought residential property, known as The Boulders, consists of 164 units, which are primarily in two-story buildings on both sides of North Civic Drive near Walden Road in Walnut Creek, according to information posted on the apartments.com website.The transaction points to a purchase price of $353,500 a unit. That’s somewhat below the per-unit price of several apartment purchases in the Bay Area that occurred after the outbreak of the coronavirus.Granite Capital Group, a Santa Barbara-based real estate investment firm that acted through an affiliate, bought t...