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Fox’s ‘Masterchef’ hits milestone with 250th episode

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:57:35 GMT

Here’s some food for thought, I’m hungry. Sorry, Lynn. The only snack I’ve got on hand is a heaping portion of Fox’s ‘Masterchef.’The show is celebrating a major milestone this week, and that is a call for a celebration.Let them eat cake because it’s a celebration.The 250th episode of “Masterchef” is all about repli-caking.Chef Aaron Sanchez: “This particular challenge, I think, really goes to the core of people’s fears of baking and replicating cakes. And I just love that because it’s just, it’s so insightful and it brings out the best or the worst.”And just because the show has hit a milestone, don’t expect the judges to take it easy on the contestants.Chef Aaron Sanchez: “We get a lot more critical as we go on, because the idea is that, you know, you’re getting, you’re getting the experience, you’re getting our critiques, you’re getting Masterchef classes, you k...

Sir Ben Kingsley becomes friends with an alien in dramedy ‘Jules’

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:57:35 GMT

Do you believe in aliens? After some recent headlines, you never really know. Sir Ben Kingsley might after filming his latest movie, “Jules.”What would you do if an UFO crash-landed in your yard? Make nice with the aliens, of course.It’s basic space etiquette. And that’s what happens in the sci-fi dramedy, ‘Jules.’And by the way, these interviews were conducted prior to SAG-AFTRA strikeSir Ben Kingsley plays Milton, a lonely widower in “Jules.” Lonely until he finds a friend, this alien.Sir Ben Kingsley: “It is about love. It is about friendship. It is to a certain extent about loss. But again, it’s also about finding and redemption as well. This rather invisible man is, is, is captivated by the most extraordinary sequence of events.”Extraordinary alright. Extraterrestrial too. Sir Ben Kingsley: “I have played figures that stand like giants on history’s horizon. To play a man who almost hasn’t lived ...

Roxbury residents urge city officials to put more money into addressing Clifford Playground

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:57:35 GMT

Residents who live around Clifford Playground say if city officials are serious about improving safety and accessibility at the decrepit recreational area, more money needs to be invested.About $7.2 million in the city’s $4.2 billion capital plan is being allocated towards redesigning the 8-acre Roxbury park, but residents say that won’t be nearly enough for enhancements given its close proximity to Mass and Cass, where people roam the streets, visibly buying, selling and using drugs.Longtime advocate Domingos DaRosa led the call for action Tuesday as the city’s Parks and Recreation Department held an initial meeting in what officials say will be a series of conversations regarding the future of Clifford Playground.“We need to have more money at this conversation. This community is asking for more money at this conversation,” DaRosa said. “This is the message that we are trying to relay back to the city. $7 million is not going to put this park back to where it needs to be when it’s...

Suspect sets fire to business after failed robbery attempt: police

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:57:35 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Authorities are seeking the public's help in identifying the person suspected of setting fire to a San Ysidro business last month after a failed robbery attempt, authorities announced.On July 18, the suspect was captured on video surveillance entering a money exchange business in the 100 block of West San Ysidro Boulevard, San Diego police said. According to SDPD, the suspect attempted to rob the business, later setting fire inside the business and walking away.The suspect was wearing dark sunglasses, khaki pants and a red flannel with a black hoodie underneath. A photo of the man from surveillance video footage can be found below. DUI suspect arrested in Coronado park after crashing car with kids inside: police Surveillance camera footage of the suspect wanted in a San Ysidro arson case. (Courtesy of San Diego County Crime Stoppers)Investigators with SDPD's Metro Arson Strike Team are asking anyone with information on the identity or location of the suspect to contac...

Presley wins Democratic primary for Mississippi governor, while Gov. Reeves faces 2 GOP rivals

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:57:35 GMT

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Democrat Brandon Presley won his party’s nomination for Mississippi governor on Tuesday without opposition, while Republican Gov. Tate Reeves was hoping to breeze past two political newcomers in the primary election and secure the Republican nomination for a second term.Reeves says Mississippi has momentum with a low unemployment rate and steady job growth, while Presley — a cousin of rock ’n’ roll icon Elvis Presley — says Reeves is out of touch with people who struggle to make ends meet in one of the poorest states of the U.S.Presley said the race would come down to which candidate “has got guts and the backbone to stand up for the people of Mississippi and which candidate has consistently showed us that he will do whatever his lobbyist buddies want him to do and will not stand up for the people of Mississippi.”Presley planned to take the stage at his victory party to “See See Rider,” the song Elvis Presley often used as walk-on music. The candidate sai...

ESPN strikes $1.5B deal to jump into sports betting with Penn Entertainment

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:57:35 GMT

You know ESPN the sports media giant. Now brace yourself for ESPN Bet, a rebranding of an existing sports-betting app owned by Penn Entertainment, which is paying $1.5 billion plus other considerations for exclusive rights to the ESPN name.The deal, announced Tuesday, could take Walt Disney Co.-owned ESPN into uncharted waters. Disney is fiercely protective of its family-friendly image, not typically associated with the world of sports gambling.Penn will operate ESPN Bet, which ESPN has agreed to promote across its online and broadcast platforms in order to generate “maximum fan awareness” of the app. ESPN Bet will also have unspecified “access” to ESPN talent, the companies said.Penn’s rights to the ESPN brand will initially run for a decade and can be extended for another decade by mutual agreement. In addition to the $1.5 billion licensing deal, which will be paid out over a decade, Penn will also grant ESPN rights worth about $500 million to purchase shares in Penn.“Penn E...

US Navy sailor’s mom encouraged him to pass military details to China, prosecutor says

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:57:35 GMT

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The mother of a U.S. Navy sailor charged with providing sensitive military information to China encouraged him to cooperate with a Chinese intelligence officer, telling her son it might help him get a job with the Chinese government someday, the prosecution said Tuesday.Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred Sheppard made the accusation at a hearing in federal court in San Diego in urging the judge not to release Jinchao Wei, who was arrested last week on a rarely used espionage charge.Wei is one of two sailors based in California accused of providing sensitive military information to China — including details on wartime exercises, naval operations and critical technical material. Prosecutors have not said whether the two were courted or paid by the same Chinese intelligence officer as part of a larger scheme.The Justice Department charged Wei, 22, under a Espionage Act statute that makes it a crime to gather or deliver information to aid a foreign government.Both sailors hav...

Lawsuits filed by Airbnb and 3 hosts over NYC’s short-term rental rules dismissed by judge

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:57:35 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York judge on Tuesday dismissed lawsuits filed by Airbnb and three hosts over New York City’s rules for short-term rentals, saying the restrictions are “entirely rational.”In a 14-page ruling, Supreme Court Judge Arlene P. Bluth said having to comply with a registration system does not present an “overly onerous obligation” to the company and hosts. Such a system, she said, will help identify many illegal short-term rentals before they’re listed on the Airbnb platform.“To be sure, these rules will likely not be perfect,” she added. “But it addresses a problem raised by OSE (New York City Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement) and avoids a key obstacle — enforcing the ban on illegal short-term rentals.”A city official cited thousands of illegal short-term rentals when defending the new rules in court, noting 43,000 on just Airbnb in 2018. The city received nearly 12,000 complaints regarding illegal short-term rentals from 2017 to 2021. New York’...

5 white nationalists sue Seattle man for allegedly leaking their identities

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:57:35 GMT

SEATTLE (AP) — Five people affiliated with white nationalist hate group Patriot Front are suing a Seattle-area man who they say infiltrated the group and disclosed their identities online, leading them to lose their jobs and face harassment. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for Western Washington, The Seattle Times reported on Tuesday. The suit accuses David Capito, 37, also known as Vyacheslav Arkhangelskiy, of using a false name in 2021 when Patriot Front accepted him as a member.Then, Capito allegedly took photos at the group’s Pacific Northwest gatherings, recorded members’ license plates, and used hidden microphones to record conversations, according to the lawsuit.The lawsuit also alleges that around November 2021, Capito got in touch with “anarchist hackers” known for targeting far-right groups, who helped him access Patriot Front’s online chats.Resulting leaks published online exposed the names, occupations, home addresses, and other identifying information...

Hoping to score Toronto tickets to see Taylor? How to avoid a Swift rejection

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:57:35 GMT

Snagging tickets for a Taylor Swift concert can feel like winning the lottery, so it’s no surprise that many Canadian fans hope the odds work out in their favour as ticket sales begin on Wednesday.Last week, the pop superstar announced six concert dates at Toronto’s Rogers Centre in November 2024. And with it being the only Canadian stop on her Eras Tour, seats for the shows are certain to be in hot demand.Here’s what you need to know as the tickets begin to go on sale:You must be registeredIf you’re looking to grab Swift tickets right out of the gate, you already should’ve enrolled for the “verified fan” sale.Ticketmaster launched the registration process to weed out bots and scalpers, but the sign-up window closed over the weekend. Concertgoers who made the deadline will receive a unique access code on Tuesday with instructions on how to purchase tickets, though their pre-registration code does not guarantee they will get seats.Presale tim...