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Michael Gambon, veteran actor who played Dumbledore In ‘Harry Potter’ films, dies at age 82

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:12 GMT

By SYLVIA HUI (Associated Press)LONDON (AP) — Michael Gambon, the Irish-born actor knighted for his storied career on the stage and screen and who went on to gain admiration from a new generation of moviegoers with his portrayal of Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore in six of the eight “Harry Potter” films, has died. He was 82.The actor died on Wednesday following “a bout of pneumonia,” his publicist, Clair Dobbs, said Thursday.“We are devastated to announce the loss of Sir Michael Gambon. Beloved husband and father, Michael died peacefully in hospital with his wife Anne and son Fergus at his bedside,” his family said in a statement.While the Potter role raised Gambon’s international profile and found him a huge audience, he had long been recognized as one of Britain’s leading actors. His work spanned TV, theater and radio, and he starred in dozens of films from “Gosford Park” and “The King’s...

Top 8 San Diego area suburbs for first-time homeowners: study

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:12 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- The American dream is still alive in the suburbs of San Diego, according to a new study by Today's Homeowner.As the cost to live in the region climbs with increased gas prices and soon-to-be water rate hikes, being a first-time home buyer can be tough in the local market. To help those looking to purchase their first house, the research team at Today's Homeowner, which gives expert advice on home improvements, conducted a study to find the best suburbs in America. The top public high schools in San Diego County, according to Niche In doing so, the researchers compared 583 suburbs of the largest U.S. cities by population across 11 metrics spanning these four categories: affordability, inventory, job opportunities and livability. Some things that were taken into consideration include the down payment-to-income ratio, homes for sale per 100,000 residents, median household income, and percentage of households with children, among other factors.Here's the top eight San Die...

Tropical Storm Rina forms in the Atlantic Ocean, trailing Tropical Storm Philippe

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:12 GMT

MIAMI (AP) — Tropical Storm Rina formed in the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday, the National Hurricane Center said, as forecasters continued to monitor Tropical Storm Philippe that was also at sea.Rina had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph) and was centered 1,190 miles (1,915 kilometers) east of the Northern Leeward Islands. No coastal watches or warnings are in effect for the storm, and there were no hazards affecting land. The storm was traveling north-northwest at about 10 mph (17 kph).Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Philippe was moving slowly across the Atlantic at 2 mph (4 kph). Maximum sustained winds were about 50 mph (85 kph), with little change in strength expected over the next several days.Philippe was centered 560 miles (895 kilometers) east of the Northern Leeward Islands. There were no watches or warnings in effect, however forecasters advised interests in the Northern Leeward Islands, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico to monitor the progress of the sto...

Remains found of Colorado woman Suzanne Morphew, who went missing on Mother’s Day in 2020

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:12 GMT

DENVER (AP) — Investigators found the remains of a Colorado woman who went for a bike ride on Mother’s Day 2020 and never returned, but authorities said they still don’t have answers in the case.The discovery of Suzanne Morphew’s remains was announced Wednesday as authorities were pursuing a different case. It’s the latest twist in a mystery that saw prosecutors charge her husband with murder and then drop the charges. Barry Morphew has filed a $15 million lawsuit against county officials.Colorado Bureau of Investigation agents found the remains of the 49-year-old mother of two daughters while searching Friday in the area of Moffat. That is about 40 miles (65 kilometers) south of the Salida area, where Suzanne Morphew was reported missing.Investigators declined to release the exact location and the state of the remains.Barry Morphew, had been charged with murder and other crimes in her presumed death, but prosecutors dropped their case against him last year just as...

Lebanese Armenians scuffle with riot police during protest outside Azerbaijan Embassy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:12 GMT

EIN AAR, Lebanon (AP) — Hundreds of Lebanese Armenians scuffled with riot police on Thursday outside the Azerbaijan Embassy in northern Beirut during a protest against the Azerbaijani military offensive that recaptured Nagorno-Karabakh from the enclave’s separatist Armenian authorities. Protesters waved flags of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, and burned posters of Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the demonstration in the Ein Aar suburb of the Lebanese capital. Lebanese riot police lobbed teargas canisters at the protesters after they hurled firecrackers toward the embassy building.The 24-hour Azerbaijan military blitz last week forced Armenian separatist authorities to agree to lay down weapons and sit down for talks on Nagorno-Karabakh’s “reintegration” into Azerbaijan. The separatist government said Thursday that it would dissolve itself and the unrecognized republic will cease to exist by year’s end after a three-decade ...

Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva’s Olympic doping case will resume for two more days in November

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:12 GMT

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The Olympic doping case involving teenage Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva will resume for two more days in November, the Court of Arbitration for Sport said Thursday.The highest court in sports said its panel of three judges adjourned the appeal after the third day of a closed-door hearing and will return on Nov. 9-10.“(The judges) ordered the production of further documentation and, in order to allow the parties to consider and address such documentation, allowed two further days for the hearing,” CAS said in a statement.Now 17 years old, Valieva was only 15 when her positive doping test for a banned heart medication was revealed at the Beijing Olympics in February 2022.With the unforeseen delay, a verdict isn’t expected until next year.The United States finished second behind the Russians in the team event in Beijing and never got their medals. They could be upgraded to become Olympic champions if Russia sanctioned.Valieva tested posit...

Traffic deaths declined 3.3% in the first half of the year, but Fed officials see more work ahead

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:12 GMT

Traffic fatalities dropped 3.3% in the first half of the year compared with the prior-year period, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The agency said Thursday that an estimated 19,515 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in the first half of 2023. There were 20,190 fatalities in the first half of 2022.Fatalities fell in the first and second quarters of 2023. That marks five straight quarter the figure has declined.The NHTSA estimates a there was a drop in fatalities in 29 states, while 21 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia, are projected to have experienced increases. “While we are encouraged to see traffic fatalities continue to decline from the height of the pandemic, there’s still significantly more work to be done,” NHTSA Acting Administrator Ann Carlson said. “NHTSA is addressing traffic safety in many ways, including new rulemakings for lifesaving vehicle technologies and increased Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for s...

Italy’s leader signs deal with industry to lower prices of essentials like food for 3 months

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:12 GMT

MILAN (AP) — Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni launched a pact Thursday with Italian industry aimed at keeping prices down on a range of essential goods, including food, personal care and baby items, which consumer advocates said could mean billions in savings for families.The experimental program runs from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31 and involves 32 associations that have agreed to discount or maintain a ceiling on the prices of particular items during the three-month period.“I think this is the first time that the entire Italian system, from food production to general consumer products, signed a pact with the government to keep prices in the shopping cart under control, to help families, especially those in difficulty,” Meloni said.The Assountenti consumer group praised the project, calculating potential savings at 4 billion euros ($4.22 billion), but said there were many unknowns, including exactly which products are included.The industry players include supermarket chains, small retail...

16-year-old boy arrested in England over the ‘deliberate’ felling of a famous tree at Hadrian’s Wall

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:12 GMT

LONDON (AP) — A 16-year-old boy was arrested Thursday in northern England in connection with what authorities described as the “deliberate” felling of a famous tree that had stood for nearly 200 years next to the Roman landmark Hadrian’s Wall.Thousands of visitors each year walk along Hadrian’s Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that guarded the Roman Empire’s northwestern frontier. Many have paused to admire and photograph the tree at Sycamore Gap, a beloved icon of the landscape that was made famous when it appeared in Kevin Costner’s 1991 film “Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves.”Photographs from the scene on early Thursday showed that the tree was cut down near the base of its trunk, with the rest of it lying on its side.Northumbria Police said the teen was arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage. He was in police custody and assisting officers with their inquiries, the force said.“The tree is a world-renowned landmark and the vandalism has caused understan...

Liverpool owner FSG announces minority investment by New York equity firm

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:12 GMT

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — New York-based investment firm Dynasty Equity has bought a minority stake in Liverpool, the Premier League club said Thursday.Fenway Sports Group (FSG), which owns the six-time European Cup champions, said last year that it was open to selling shares, leading to speculation about a potential buyout. Liverpool did not disclose financial details of the deal, or how big of a share Dynasty was acquiring, but British media reported that the firm was injecting at least $100 million into the club.“Our long-term commitment to Liverpool remains as strong as ever,” FSG president Mike Gordon said in a statement. “We have always said that if there is an investment partner that is right for Liverpool then we would pursue the opportunity to help ensure the club’s long-term financial resiliency and future growth.”Liverpool said the the investment would “primarily” be used to pay down bank debt, which was incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as capital expenses o...