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Giant panda ignites Chengdu University Games in Europe

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:14:01 GMT

With their round bodies and fluffy faces, giant pandas have captivated people not just in China but also beyond. Who can resist the combination of cuteness and flexibility?Now, the much-loved animal has geared up to embrace Europe.With the 31st World University Games soon to start in Chengdu – the hometown of the giant panda – the games' mascot Rongbao has been introduced to the public across Europe during a campaign launched by China Media Group (CMG) Europe.In Brussels, Poland, Italy, Germany, Spain, the UK, Switzerland, France and Greece, university students, tourists and sports enthusiasts have played along by guessing the sports Rongbao is playing. Many of them found no difficulties in giving the correct answer.Visitors guess sports through icon designs. /CMG PhotoThe design of the sports icons is based on ancient skills of water and ink paintings in China, which combines tradition with sports.Some of the participants even took the invitation to imitate the sports of the giant ...

Chino Valley school board enacts transgender notification policy

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:14:01 GMT

Hundreds attended a heated Chino Valley school board meeting as a controversial policy requiring parental notification of transgender children passed with a 4-1 vote.The policy requires staff to notify all parents in writing within three days after a student requests to identify with a gender different than what is on their birth certificate, according to Chino Valley Unified School District.The notification also applies to students who request a pronoun change or to be called a different name that is not listed on official school records. The request to use a different bathroom will also activate the notification policy.The board voted on the policy Thursday night in an hours-long meeting filled with tension. State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tony Thurmond, was in attendance and spoke against passing the policy during the public comment period.During his speech, he was cut off and a shouting match erupted from the audience as he was escorted out of the building.Hundreds a...

Barack Obama's eclectic lineup for his 2023 summer playlist

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:14:01 GMT

Tupac Shakur, Ice Spice, Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones are among the many artists on former President Barack Obama's annual summer playlist. His eclectic taste was put on display Wednesday afternoon when he posted the list to Twitter. "Like I do every year, here are some songs I’ve been listening to this summer — a mix of old and new," the 44th president wrote. "(I) look forward to hearing what I’ve missed."Twitter: @barackobamaThe playlist includes over 40 songs, which are a mix of old and new, from Ella Fitzgerald's "Cry Me A River," to Ice Spice and Nicki Minaj's 2023 collaboration "Princess Diana."He also included classics like Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On) the Dock of the Bay," Tupac's "California Love," The Bangles' "Walk Like an Egyptian," Four Tops' "Reach Out I'll Be There," and "River Deep- Mountain High" from the late Tina and Ike Turner. Twitter: @barackobamaCountry singer Ashley McBryde was ecstatic to be included on the list. "Wow. Thank you, Mr. Obama! I am honored...

Ryan Barnes, Brooke Barnes, Debra Wyman, Diane Mroz Injured in Four-Car Crash on Interstate 90 [Cle Elum, WA]

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:14:01 GMT

Ryan Barnes and Three Others Injured in Multi-Vehicle Crash on Interstate 90CLE ELUM, WA (July 21, 2023) – Wednesday morning, Ryan Barnes, Brooke Barnes, Debra Wyman, and Diane Mroz were injured in a car crash on Interstate 90.The initial crash happened before noon, near exit 84.According to reports, Ryan Barnes rear-ended a car that was slowing down in front of his vehicle. That caused a chain reaction pushing the car in front into a stopped car ahead, and pushing that car into the stopped car in front of it.As a result, four people were injured in the accident, 33-year-old Ryan Barnes, of Yakima; 34-year-old Brooke Barnes, of Yakima; 64-year-old Debra Wyman of Graham; 64-year-old Diane Mroz of Langley.Emergency crews arrived at the site of the collision shortly after. Following initial assessments, paramedics transported Ryan Barnes, Brook Barnes, and Debra Wyman to Kittitas Valley Hospital for treatment of their injuries.One small driving mistake can lead to a multi-vehicle...

From PinkPantheress to Steel Pulse — the New LA Weekly Playlist is Live

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:14:01 GMT

From PinkPantheress to Steel Pulse: The 166th LA Weekly playlist, reviewing the musicians that we’ve been writing about all week, is live now. There’s electronic music from Ray Volpe, alt-pop from PinkPantheress and Tori Amos, punk from the Side Eyes, metal from Havok, and so much more.Find us on Spotify here,or on Soundcloud here.Don’t forget to “Like” the playlists and “Follow” the profiles.Tegan and Sara (Eluvier Acosta)From PinkPantheress to Steel PulseAlso this week:Sara of cover stars Tegan and Sara told us of their TV show High School that, “When we finished writing our memoir, we sent the manuscript to our friend Clea DuVall and she said that it could be developed into a TV show. We had talked about it, internally certainly. The pandemic gave us a lot of time to work on it, so we started pitching the big networks during the early months of the pandemic. We were really shocked how quickly the deal came together and the writing happened. There was a taste for it. Here is a sto...

Five hikes to catch the last of the Bay Area’s glorious winter waterfalls

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:14:01 GMT

Crashing, booming and throwing out mist clouds full of rainbows and even moonbows – waterfalls remain an impressive reminder of the historic precipitation that thumped California this winter.Perhaps you didn’t have time to check out the fresh snowmelt toppling thousands of feet down Yosemite Falls. Or maybe you didn’t want to do the drive and trek to the oceanside tidefall of Alamere. Never fear: Despite the summer heat, there are still plenty of waterfalls worthy of exploration. They might not be the foaming monsters of the Sierra, but these more modest cascades are close to home, easy to hike to and sublime in their simple beauty or, in some cases, hidden qualities.Here are five of our favorite Bay Area waterfalls still flowing. We’ve included detailed directions, as well as suggestions on where to grab a bite or drink afterward. As always, bring plenty of water and watch out for ticks and poison oak – and don’t drink from the falling water lest you enjoy v...

Fragments of skull believed to be Beethoven’s returned to Vienna from California for scientific analysis

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:14:01 GMT

By Lianne Kolirin and Ashley Strickland | CNNFragments of a skull believed to have been that of composer Ludwig van Beethoven have been donated to a university in Austria after spending decades in the United States.The pieces of bone were donated to the Medical University of Vienna by American businessman Paul Kaufmann, who discovered them in a safety deposit box in a French bank following his mother’s death in 1990.It later emerged that the bones, which were contained in a tin faintly engraved with the word “Beethoven,” had been acquired from the estate of his mother’s great-uncle, Franz Romeo Seligmann.Seligmann, who died in 1892, had been a physician, medical historian and anthropologist in Vienna. The skull pieces, now referred to as the Seligmann fragments, came into his possession in 1863 during a reburial of Beethoven’s bones for study purposes.Over the course of his 56 years, Beethoven famously suffered from progressive hearing loss, as well as gastrointestinal problems and ...

Pac-12 media deal coming in ‘near future,’ commissioner George Kliavkoff says in rare public remarks

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:14:01 GMT

LAS VEGAS — In his first public comments in 226 days on the Pac-12’s pursuit of a media rights contract, commissioner George Kliavkoff said an agreement will come in the “near future” — and that the lengthy delay has worked to the conference’s benefit.“The longer we wait, the better our options get, and I think the board (of directors) realizes that,” Kliavkoff said Friday morning during a question-and-answer session with reporters at the Pac-12’s preseason media showcase at Resorts World Las Vegas.There has been “an underlying shift” recently in the media landscape and market for live sports, he added. “We’re taking advantage of that. But short-term, it has provided some hiccups.”Kliavkoff’s tone was vastly more matter-of-fact than his feisty performance at the same event last summer. Back then, the news of USC and UCLA leaving for the Big Ten was raw, and Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark had declared his league “open for business” — a comment Kliavkoff interpreted as an att...

Books for Cooks: This Peanut Butter Fudge has won blue ribbons at county fairs

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:14:01 GMT

Ah, the delicious fun of summer’s county-fair contests. I’ve judged my share of culinary competitions, evaluating everything from canned goods to cheesecakes to pies. I was always impressed with the oh-so-large number of entries and the enthusiasm that fueled them.Maybe that’s one of the reasons that Linda Skeens’ “Blue Ribbon Kitchen: Recipes & Tips from America’s Favorite County Fair Champion” caught my eye.Skeens, a 75-year-old great-grandmother from Appalachia, won more than 25 blue ribbons last summer at the Virginia-Kentucky District Fair. She swept the awards, and the news of her stunning victories went viral online.The book contains an array of her award-winning and family-favorite recipes, including her formula for Peanut Butter Fudge, a sweet treat that she noted is one of her most-requested dessert recipes.Peanut Butter FudgeMakes one 9-by-13-inch pan of fudgeINGREDIENTS8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter12-ounce can evaporated milk4 cups granulated sugar1 cup...

SF Marathon route, road closures, race info

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:14:01 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- The San Francisco Marathon returns this weekend. The two-day event will see thousands of runners take to the streets of SF this weekend. A variety of races will take place across the city, ranging from 5k races to the full marathon. Whether you're participating, or just looking to plan your weekend around the annual event, here's what you need to know.SF Marathon bib pickupThe race weekend gets underway Friday with a Race Expo and packet pick-up at the Fort Mason Festival Pavilion. Friday's Race Expo will go from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. There will also be a "shakeout run" Friday night, followed by a panel discussion with Puma athletes.Saturday's Race Expo will also feature a calendar of panels and events.Participants who did not opt for bib mailing can pick up their bib and race packet at the Expo. Race-day pick-up will not be available, according to SF Marathon.SF Marathon course mapSee below for a course map for the full marathon.Map: San Francisco MarathonTo ...