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UC Berkeley 'Swifties' launch Taylor Swift course

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:52 GMT

(KRON) -- "Are you ready for it?" University of California Berkeley students will have the option to enroll in a Taylor Swift course in 2024. Students will learn about how the pop star amassed a devoted fanbase, built a wildly attractive brand, and dominated the music industry. The course's syllabus states, "fall down a rabbit hole of what has led to Taylor Swift’s prolific success as a songwriter, businesswoman, and creative influence. Swift’s ability to connect with listeners is as unparalleled. Through lyricism, branding, and craft, we’ll explore how art and authenticity create enduring value and a viable enterprise. We’ll analyze performance and interview clips, discuss media portrayal and perceptions, and develop working definitions of Swift’s role in society—and yours. We’ll put her under scrutiny, but handle it beautifully."Taylor Swift performs at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara on July 29, 2023. (Image courtesy TAS Rights Management)The course, titled "Artistry & Entrepre...

Body found in Bay near Pier 9, SFPD investigating

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:52 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- A body was found in the San Francisco Bay Monday in the water off Pier 9, according to the San Francisco Police Department. SFPD received a report of a body in the water and responded at around 9 a.m.The body was recovered by the San Francisco Fire Department. SFPD and the San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will take over the investigation, according to police. Protesters bring demonstration from SF streets to highway, block lanes on Hwy 101 Police said all information provide was preliminary and that the investigation was active and ongoing. No other information was provided.This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Residents of Richmond neighborhood ordered to evacuate after natural gas leak

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:52 GMT

(BCN) -- Authorities in Richmond have issued mandatory evacuations for a neighborhood in Richmond on Monday following a natural gas leak. The leak is in the area of of Shasta Street and Carlson Boulevard, in the Richmond Annex neighborhood, according to the Richmond Fire Department.PG&E crews have responded to repair the gas leak, with an expected completion time of 12:30 p.m., fire officials said in a release shortly before noon. Protesters bring demonstration from SF streets to highway, block lanes on Hwy 101 The areas that must evacuate are the 1900 block of Carlson Boulevard; the 1800 block of Shasta Street; and the 1800 block of Butte Street. Residents are asked to leave their homes immediately and proceed to a temporary evacuation shelter site at Richmond Fire Training, at 3510 Cutting Blvd.Residents should bring essential items such as medications, identification, and any important documents. People are asked to using electrical appliances, and should turn off your gas ...

Santa Rosa man arrested for felony assault of an elder adult 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:52 GMT

(KRON) – The Petaluma Police Department arrested a 53-year-old food delivery driver for assaulting an elder on Oct. 23. Petaluma police officers were dispatched to the 100 Block of Payran Street on Oct. 23, for an alleged assault. The victim was walking with her 4 and 6-year-old grandchildren. As they were crossing the street in the crosswalk at the intersection of Payran Street and Madison Street, a car proceeded through the intersection without yielding to the victim and her grandchildren, police said.  15-year-old arrested in fatal San Jose hit and run that killed pregnant mother and her child The driver was identified as 53-year-old Santa Rosa resident Carlos Barreda.According to the police investigation, as Barreda drove past the victim, the victim observed that Barreda was on his cell phone and likely did not see them due to being distracted. The victim was continuing her walk to her destination with her grandchildren when she noticed Barreda pull over ah...

Online antisemitic threats unnerve Jewish students and spark condemnation at Cornell University

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:52 GMT

ITHACA, N.Y. (AP) — Threatening statements about Jews on an internet discussion board have unnerved students at Cornell University and prompted officials to send police to guard a Jewish center and kosher dining hall.The menacing, anonymous messages, posted over the weekend in an online forum about fraternities and sororities, came amid a torrent of antisemitic and anti-Muslim rhetoric that has flowed on social media during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.New York Gov. Kathy Hochul pledged during a visit to Cornell’s Center for Jewish Living on Monday that state police would work to identify anyone making online threats and hold them accountable.“No one should be afraid to walk from their dorm or their dining hall to a classroom,” she said. “When speech crosses over into hate speech and into hate crimes, that’s when we have to make sure that students know that we’ll step up and protect them.”The Cornell University Police Department is also investigating and has notified the FBI.The now...

Biden wants to move fast on AI safeguards and signs an executive order to address his concerns

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:52 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Monday signed an ambitious executive order on artificial intelligence that seeks to balance the needs of cutting-edge technology companies with national security and consumer rights, creating an early set of guardrails that could be fortified by legislation and global agreements.Before signing the order, Biden said AI is driving change at “warp speed” and carries tremendous potential as well as perils.“AI is all around us,” Biden said. “To realize the promise of AI and avoid the risk, we need to govern this technology.”The order is an initial step that is meant to ensure that AI is trustworthy and helpful, rather than deceitful and destructive. The order — which will likely need to be augmented by congressional action — seeks to steer how AI is developed so that companies can profit without putting public safety in jeopardy.Using the Defense Production Act, the order requires leading AI developers to share safety test results and other inform...

Struggling Giants trade defensive lineman Leonard Williams to first-place Seahawks, AP source says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:52 GMT

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The struggling New York Giants have traded defensive end Leonard Williams to the NFC West-leading Seattle Seahawks for a pair of draft picks, according to a person with knowledge of the trade. The person, who spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because the teams have not announced the deal, said the Giants will receive a second-round draft choice in 2024 and a fifth-rounder in 2025 for Williams, who had a $32 million salary cap hit this season, the highest on the team.Seattle (5-2) has two third-round picks next year.The deal came just a day before the NFL trade deadline at 4 p.m. Tuesday.Adding Williams is the second move Seattle has made in the past week to add to its defensive line. The Seahawks reunited with veteran defensive end Frank Clark last week after Uchenna Nwosu was lost for the regular season with a pectoral injury in Week 7 against Arizona.Williams will likely step into a rotation with Dre’mont Jones, Mario Edwards Jr. and ...

Ex-North Dakota lawmaker charged with traveling to Prague with intent to rape a minor

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:52 GMT

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A retired longtime North Dakota lawmaker has been arrested and charged with traveling to Prague with the intent to rape a minor, according to a federal indictment unsealed Monday.Ex-Republican state Sen. Ray Holmberg was also charged with one count of receiving and attempting to receive images depicting child sexual abuse, according to the indictment, which was filed Thursday in federal court in North Dakota. He was taken into custody on Monday in Grand Forks, according to an arrest warrant.The indictment accuses the 79-year-old Holmberg of traveling from his home state to the Czech Republic from about June 2011 to November 2016 with intent to rape a person under the age of 18. The indictment does not say whether Holmberg traveled to Prague once during that time period or multiple times.The allegations that he received or attempted to receive images that depict child sexual abuse range from November 2012 to March 2013. The indictment also alleges he used aliase...

Muere Fernando Almada, actor, productor y director de cine mexicano

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:52 GMT

(CNN Español) ––A los 96 años, murió el actor, productor y director de cine Fernando Almada, según le dijo a CNN este lunes un representante de la Asociación Nacional de Actores de México citando al hijo del actor.En un comunicado publicado en la red social X, antes Twitter, la asociación extendió “sus condolencias a sus familiares, amigos y compañeros”.Junto con su hermano Mario, fallecido en 2016, Almada es considerado uno de los íconos del cine de acción mexicano. Participó en más de 100 películas.Almada destacó como actor y también escribió, produjo y dirigió algunas películas.The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.Source

No. 1 Georgia keeps rolling on offense even after losing standout Bowers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:52 GMT

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Top-ranked Georgia has renewed reason to have confidence in its offense as it prepares for a challenge against SEC East rival No. 14 Missouri on Saturday.Georgia played without its top receiver, tight end Brock Bowers, and still rolled to a 43-20 victory over Florida last week. Bowers leads Georgia with 41 receptions for 567 yards and four touchdowns and has rushed six times for 28 yards and another score. The junior is expected to miss at least a month following ankle surgery.Georgia (8-0, 5-0 SEC) is No. 1 in the AP Top 25 for the 20th consecutive week, the longest in SEC history. It extended its school-record winning streak to 25 games and 24 straight SEC games.There was reason for the Bulldogs to worry how their offense would fare without Bowers in one of their biggest Southeastern Conference rivalry games against Florida. Instead, quarterback Carson Beck threw two touchdown passes, Daijun Edwards ran for two scores and the offense compiled 486 yards while sco...