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Biden administration pivots on border wall, allows construction in Texas

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:53 GMT

(The Hill) -- The Biden administration announced Wednesday that 26 federal laws were waived to allow border wall construction in Texas, marking the administration's first use of an executive power often used by former President Donald Trump to fund projects along the southern border. The waived laws will help expedite the construction of barriers and roads in Starr County, Texas, which is experiencing "high illegal entry," the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a statement posted to the U.S. Federal Registry. The U.S. Border Patrol saw more than 245,000 people in the last fiscal year try to enter the United States in the Rio Grande Valley Sector, the DHS said, citing data from August.“There is presently an acute and immediate need to construct physical barriers and roads in the vicinity of the border of the United States in order to prevent unlawful entries into the United States in the project areas,” DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in the statement. Some of the wa...

CIF state football championships: Why NorCal isn’t hosting any games

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:53 GMT

The California Interscholastic Federation is ready for a football test drive.It’s not sure how smooth things will go and won’t have all the specifics for several weeks. It just knows that it will be different than any of its other state football championships since the format expanded to numerous divisions in 2015.For the first time since expansion, all divisions (15 now) will be played at three neutral venues, which the CIF’s federated council approved last spring.Tuesday, the CIF announced the sites for the games: Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, which played host to the upper-division games the past two seasons, El Camino College in Torrence and Pasadena City College.The North won’t have any games this season.Brian Seymour, the CIF’s associate executive director, told the Bay Area News Group on Wednesday that the agreement with the three Southern California community colleges is for one season.“This is the jumping-off stage,” Seymour said. “We’re trying something new. We are ...

Google takes on Apple with Pixel 8 that’s more like the iPhone

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:53 GMT

By Mark Gurman and Vlad Savov | BloombergGoogle is looking to challenge Apple Inc. head-on with new Pixel phones that are more iPhone-like than ever before.This year’s Pixel 8 and 8 Pro are closer in price to Apple’s counterparts, have similar flat-edged screens and can make payments with face identification. Alphabet Inc.’s Google introduced its new lineup Wednesday — including fresh watches and earbuds — and raised the starting price of its phones by $100 each.The Pixel 8 Pro matches the iPhone 15 Pro at $999, while the Pixel 8 costs the same as the iPhone 14 at $699. The new prices reflect the upgraded displays and cameras used in the latest devices, which are still “punching above our weight class,” according to Google product manager Patrick Hennessey, suggesting that consumers are getting more for their money.The Pixel rollout is Google’s latest attempt to make a dent in the market. Though its Android operating system runs the majority of the world’s smartphones, the company’s...

Live updates: Sen. Dianne Feinstein's memorial service Thursday

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:53 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- A memorial service for the late U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein is to be held on the front steps of San Francisco City Hall on Thursday, in the city where she served as its first female mayor. The service is scheduled to start at 1 p.m., and several dignitaries and notable people will speak.The memorial will not be open to members of the public after Sen. Feinstein’s office previously said it would be. The service will be broadcast live on KRON4 and streamed on KRON On Thursday at 1 p.m. with special coverage beginning at noon.Speakers at Sen. Feinstein’s memorial service include:U.S. President Joe Biden (recorded)U.S. Vice President Kamala HarrisSan Francisco Mayor London BreedU.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck SchumerU.S. House Speaker Emerita Nancy PelosiEileen Mariano (Sen. Feinstein’s granddaughter)Former President Bill Clinton is expected to be in attendance as well as California Governor Gavin Newsom.Sen. Feinstein will be buried at a private, family-only...

No. 13 Washington State looks to continue momentum with key Pac-12 contest at UCLA

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:53 GMT

No. 13 Washington State (4-0, 1-0 Pac-12) at UCLA (3-1, 0-1), Saturday, 3 p.m. ET (Pac-12 Network)Line: UCLA by 3 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. Series record: UCLA leads 41-20-1.WHAT’S AT STAKE?Both teams are coming off their bye week, but in different straits. After a 38-35 win over Oregon State, Washington State is one of four teams in the Pac-12 that remain unbeaten and has the nation’s second-ranked passing offense. UCLA is trying to bounce back after a loss at Utah on Sept. 22 when it didn’t score until late in the fourth quarter. This is the first time the Cougars and Bruins have met since their 2019 meeting in Pullman, Washington, which remains one of the craziest games in Pac-12 history. UCLA trailed 49-17 in the third quarter before it outscored Washington State 50-14 in the final 19 minutes. Demetric Felton caught a 15 yard TD pass from Dorian Thompson-Robinson with 67 seconds remaining to give the Bruins a 67-63 victory.KEY MATCHUPWashington State̵...

Oprah Winfrey gives $2.5M to Silver Spring-based U.S. Dream Academy

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:53 GMT

Oprah Winfrey announced the $2.5 million gift via video message at the group’s annual “Power of a Dream” event on Oct. 2, 2023. (Courtesy U.S. Dream Academy)Silver Spring, Maryland-based The U.S. Dream Academy, a nonprofit that supports the children of incarcerated parents, received a surprise donation of $2.5 million this week from Oprah Winfrey.Winfrey announced the gift via video message at the group’s annual “Power of a Dream” event in honor of the charity’s 25th anniversary. The Gala took place Oct. 2 at the Museum of the Bible in D.C.“Education is one of the forces that helped me be who I am in the world today. I am a believer in helping children be the best that the can be, as the Academy has done for a quarter of a century,” Winfrey said.The academy set a fundraising goal from its supporters of $1 million this year, bringing the total to $3.5 million with the addition of Winfrey’s gift.Winfrey has donated a total of $10 million through the years to th...

Relatos inéditos de Cortázar encontrados en caja de bananos saldrán a subasta el 12 de octubre

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:53 GMT

(CNN Español) — Un mecanoscrito original de “Historias de cronopios y de famas”, el icónico libro de relatos del escritor argentino Julio Cortázar, que incluye siete relatos inéditos, será subastado en Montevideo el 12 de octubre, informaron a CNN coleccionistas y rematadores vinculados con la subasta.Hasta acá podría ser una historia más de textos originales nunca publicados de un autor famoso. Y de algún modo lo es. No lo es, en cambio, el lugar donde encontraron los textos.Fue una tarde calurosa y húmeda, a comienzos de 2020, poco antes de que estallara la pandemia de covid-19. El hijo de un veterano coleccionista montevideano -que pidió no revelar su nombre por motivos de privacidad- le contó a CNN que trataba de ordenar el caos que dejó su padre, fallecido algunos meses antes. Cajas y más cajas, polvo, libros y antigüedades tiradas por toda la casa.Quién es Jon Fosse y cuáles son las obras más importantes del dramaturgo y escritor noruego ganador del Nobel de LiteraturaEn...

Sharikadze back to captain Georgia against Wales at the Rugby World Cup

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:53 GMT

NANTES, France (AP) — Captain and center Merab Sharikadze returns to a Georgia side facing Wales at the Rugby World Cup on Saturday with five changes after the Fiji loss.Sharikadze’s 99th cap has been accommodated by Giorgi Kveseladze shifting one spot to outside center. They were also the midfield when Georgia beat Wales 13-12 for the first time last November in Cardiff.The Lelos have 15 survivors from that game, 11 of them starters.Prop Guram Gogichashvili and veteran hooker Shalva Mamukashvili return to the front row, and Nodar Cheishvili starts with Konstantine Mikautadze in the second row for the first time since the opening loss to Australia.Lasha Khmaladze at fullback makes his first appearance at his third Rugby World Cup.The Lelos lost narrowly to Fiji 17-12 last Saturday in Bordeaux. They led 9-0 and had a try ruled out by a forward pass just before halftime.Georgia is playing for a first win in its last pool game.Wales is already through to the quarterfinals and wan...

No. 11 Alabama visits Texas A&M in matchup of 4-1 SEC West teams

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:53 GMT

No. 11 Alabama (4-1, 2-0 SEC) at Texas A&M (4-1, 2-0 SEC), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (CBS). Line: Alabama by 1 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.Series record: Alabama leads 12-3.WHAT’S AT STAKE?The winner is in control of its fate in the SEC West and gains a measure of credibility back after early losses. Alabama is trying to re-establish itself as a national contender after falling to Texas and continue a revitalization of the offense. Jimbo Fisher and the Aggies also opened league play with two double-digit victories, but this is their chance to stamp themselves as SEC contenders after a loss to Miami.KEY MATCHUPAlabama’s offensive line against Texas A&M’s talent-laden defensive front. The SEC’s top-rated defense is allowing just 96.2 rushing yards a game with one touchdown on the ground. They’re also second in the SEC with four sacks a game, the same number Alabama has allowed to earn its 13th-place SEC ranking. Tide coach Nick Saban did say fresh...

Bark Social expands to Alexandria with Barkhaus deal

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:53 GMT

Pets and their owners enjoy the company at Del Ray's Barkhaus in in Alexandria, Va. It is being acquired by Bark Social. (Courtesy Barkhaus) Pets and their owners enjoy the company at Del Ray's Barkhaus in in Alexandria, Va. It is being acquired by Bark Social. (Courtesy Barkhaus) Bark Social — an off-leash dog park for dogs and a bar for their human parents — is expanding with the acquisition of Barkhaus, a similar dog park and bar, in Alexandria, Virginia’s Del Ray neighborhood.Bark Social, which has billed itself as the first social club for dogs and their owners, is in expansion mode, with locations currently in Bethesda, Baltimore and Philadelphia. Others are planned for Columbia, Maryland, and a pair o...