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What to watch: Terrifying ‘Talk to Me’ will get to you, we promise

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:48 GMT

If you prefer your entertainment dark and twisted, do we ever have just the right film and series recommendations for you this week.Read on, if you dare.“Talk To Me”: With their first feature, Aussie twin brothers Danny and Michael Philippou repurpose a familiar trope, pinning the blame for dreadful, horrible goings-on on a rather obscure object, in this case a creepy, graffitied ceramic hand that has the power to summon up the dead and possess the soul of any fool who decides to repeat key phrases. But even if the setup seems uninspired there’s nothing routine about “Talk to Me.” This is one freaky, talk-back-at-screen horror show. It is worthy of all the hype it’s getting.You become well aware you’re entering brutal territory from the start with a shocker of a prologue that sets us up for more carnage. Central to the film’s success, though, is Sophie Wilde’s fully committed performance as Mia, a vulnerable Australian teen who’s recovering from her mom’s terrifying death. Mia...

CHP investigates man found dead in truck in Santa Cruz County

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:48 GMT

APTOS — Investigators do not suspect foul play in the death of a 68-year-old Aptos man found unconscious in a truck with its motor left running in the Rancho Del Mar Shopping Center parking lot early Tuesday.California Highway Patrol authorities did not know if alcohol and/or drugs were factors, as the investigation into the man’s death continued, said officer Israel Murillo.The CHP was called to the shopping center, at Soquel and State Park Drives, around 3:15 a.m. for a suspected DUI crash. The driver and his red 1998 Toyota Tacoma, however, had not collided with any structures, nor were there any obvious signs of drug or alcohol use at the scene, according to Murillo. The vehicle remained in drive, with the man’s foot on the gas, according to radio dispatch traffic. Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Sam Bankman-Fried faces potential gag order after witness-tampering allegations Crime and Public Safety | Lowe’s employee who was fired for ta...

Sam Bankman-Fried faces potential gag order after witness-tampering allegations

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:48 GMT

By Allison Morrow and Kara Scannell | CNNNew York  — A federal judge is set to consider a gag order on former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried after prosecutors accused him of leaking his former girlfriend and business partner’s personal writings to the New York Times.Prosecutors said last week that Bankman-Fried, 31, had attempted to discredit their star witness, Caroline Ellison, who is expected to testify against Bankman-Fried at his trial in October.US District Court Judge Lewis Kaplan was expected to rule on a so-called gag order that would prevent Bankman-Fried from discussing his case publicly. At a previous bail hearing, Kaplan alluded to the possibility of revoking Bankman-Fried’s bail deal and forcing him to await trial in jail. But he has also extended leniency on Bankman-Fried’s use of electronic devices, citing the complexity of his case.Lawyers for Bankman-Fried responded that they would comply with a gag order but requested that it apply equally to all parties, including “th...

Melania Trump’s small life: Spa days, hawking NFTs, mystery charity

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:48 GMT

To many, Melania Trump doesn’t act like the typical former first lady or the loyal spouse, as her attention-seeking husband is running for president again while brashly fending off legal battles that could lead to prison.The Slovenian-born former model hasn’t appeared beside Donald Trump at campaign events or when he’s had to go to court in New York and Florida to be arraigned on state and federal criminal charges. Unlike other recent first ladies, she also hasn’t stayed in the public eye by writing a best-selling memoir, earning lots of money by giving paid speeches, or launching a foundation devoted to important global causes.Instead, Melania Trump keeps mostly to herself, according to a new profile in the New York Times. She privately lends support to her husband’s political ambitions and defends him when it comes to his legal battles.For example, she expressed anger to people in her inner circle about how his attorneys handled the lawsuit filed by E...

Seeking offensive jolt, SF Giants call up top prospect Marco Luciano

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:48 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — In desperate need of an offensive jolt, the Giants on Wednesday called up their top hitting prospect since Buster Posey.After only six games at Triple-A, 21-year-old shortstop Marco Luciano earned a quick promotion to the major leagues, the Giants announced Wednesday. David Villar was optioned back to Triple-A Sacramento in a corresponding move.Luciano was batting .235 with 13 home runs between Double- and Triple-A this season but was off to a strong start at Sacramento, with homers in his past two games. His low batting average also obscures a strong .342 on-base percentage, fueled by a 17.3% walk rate — a sign of the plate discipline the Giants desire to see in young players.Like other top hitting prospects, the Giants promoted Luciano aggressively this season. None of Luis Matos, Patrick Bailey or Casey Schmitt logged more than 32 games at Triple-A before receiving the call to the bigs, but at only six games at the highest level of the minor leagues, Luciano got t...

Brooks on Beer: 5 ways to mix fruit and beer, from lambics to radlers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:48 GMT

Fruit and fruit juices are among the most refreshing and delicious things to enjoy in hot weather. So it’s probably no surprise that the new wave of Hazy IPAs are so popular. They’re occasionally called juicy IPAs, after all, and their flavors often remind us of orange or grapefruit juice. Hazy IPAs are relative newcomers to the brewing scene, but brewers have been using fruit to make beer for millennia.One of the earliest known beverages made with fruit was found in Northern China and dated from 9,000 years ago: Pottery jars found in the Neolithic village of Jiahu in Henan province contained the residue of a mixed fermentation drink made with rice, honey and fruit.Molecular archaeologist Patrick McGovern, from the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, asked Dogfish Head Craft Brewery to re-create the drink. The result was Chateau Jiahu, brewed with orange blossom honey, muscat grape juice, barley malt and hawthorn fruit and then fermented on sake ...

Livermore traffic stop leads to firearm arrest

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:48 GMT

(KRON) -- One person was arrested on Sunday for an outstanding warrant and firearms charges following a traffic stop, the Livermore Police Department said. Livermore PD officers stopped a vehicle for reckless driving on Isabel Avenue and Airway Boulevard just before 5 p.m. Sunday. Naked woman armed with gun on Bay Bridge targeted random victims: CHP The driver, 29-year-old Matthew Otterman of Oakland, had an outstanding misdemeanor arrest warrant, police said. Police searched his vehicle and found a loaded handgun and other contraband. A photo posted by Livermore PD showed the firearm, ammunition, and what appeared to be drug paraphernalia and brass knuckles.Otterman was arrested on several charges, including carrying a loaded firearm. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.

Mosquitoes test positive for West Nile virus in Palo Alto, Stanford

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:48 GMT

(KRON) -- Mosquitoes in Palo Alto and Stanford have tested positive for West Nile virus, according to the Santa Clara County Vector Control District. A mosquito control treatment is scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. on Thursday and will last for about four hours. The public does not need to relocate during the treatment, however they are advised to stay inside and close their windows to minimize exposure. Richmond fire chief receives ‘no confidence’ vote from union All treatment materials are approved by the Environmental Protection Agency for use in public areas and are widely used by California's vector control agencies, the county said. Below is a map of the affected areas:Map courtesy of Santa Clara CountySanta Clara County's VCD uses a surveillance program to detect diseases such as the West Nile virus, St. Louis encephalitis and western equine encephalitis.

Despite U.S. Guarantee, Guantánamo Prisoner Released to Algeria Immediately Imprisoned and Abused

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:48 GMT

When Saeed Bakhouch was repatriated to Algeria in late April from the U.S. prison at Guantánamo Bay after 21 years of detention without charge, his lawyer was assured by the State Department that he would be treated humanely. Still, his longtime lawyer, H. Candace Gorman, worried about her client’s upcoming release. Bakhouch’s mental health had deteriorated in the last five years; he had stopped meeting with her and retreated into himself. She feared that her client might be arrested after being returned to Algeria unless given real help and resources.That’s exactly what happened. Almost immediately after Bakhouch landed in Algiers, he passed through the usual interrogation process for former Guantánamo detainees in Algeria. After a two-week period of detention and interrogation, he appeared before a judge in early May. The judge told Bakhouch that his story did not match what the information the U.S. provided, Gorman explained to The Intercept.“He was being stripped of all of his r...

Philippoussis fined $10,000 for breaching betting sponsorship rules and given 4-month suspended ban

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:48 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Tennis coach and former top-10 player Mark Philippoussis has been fined $10,000 by the International Tennis Integrity Agency for breaching betting sponsorship rules.The ITIA said Wednesday that the Australian was also given a four-month suspended ban “after receiving payment for providing a voiceover to promotional content for a gaming operator.”It said Philippoussis did not contest the charge and had fully cooperated with the investigation.“As a sport, tennis has decided that accredited individuals should not have commercial relationships with betting companies,” ITIA CEO Karen Moorhouse said. “Whilst this case is clearly not one of corruption, it is a rule that players, coaches, and others in the sport need to be aware of.”Philippoussis was runner-up to Pat Rafter at the 1998 U.S. Open and lost to Roger Federer in the 2003 Wimbledon final. He has worked with Stefanos Tsitsipas as a coach.___AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Spo...