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AP PHOTOS: Humpback whales draw thousands of visitors to a small port on Colombia’s Pacific coast

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:17:27 GMT

BAHIA SOLANO, Colombia (AP) — Every summer, thousands of tourists descend on the Colombian town of Bahia Solano to experience the thrill of watching humpback whales as they migrate from the frigid waters of the southern Pacific to Colombia’s warm waters.The town lies on a remote stretch of coast covered by dense rainforests that are home to monkeys, toucans and colorful poison dart frogs. But the main attraction are the humpback whales that migrate to the area from July to October of each year.Bahia Solano, which is built along a U-shaped bay, has become one of the most famous spots in Colombia to sight humpback whales. Every summer, the town of 10,000 residents is visited by thousands of visitors who board small fishing boats that get close to the gentle giants.Whale watching helps boost the income of boat captains, hotels, tourism agencies and restaurants. The animals are also important for the local ecosystem, because they fertilize algae that smaller fish depend on.The marine ma...

Taiwan says it spotted 22 Chinese warplanes and 20 warships near the island

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:17:27 GMT

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan said Tuesday it spotted 22 Chinese military aircraft and 20 vessels near the island over the previous 24 hours, as Beijing steps up its military activities in the area. Over the weekend, the United States and Canada sailed warships through the Taiwan Strait in a challenge to China’s sweeping territorial claims. On Monday, China sailed a naval formation led by its aircraft carrier Shandong, about 70 miles (110 kilometers) to Taiwan’s southeast. The vessel was expected to conduct drills simulating aircraft, submarine, warship and land attacks, according to Chinese state media.Thirteen of the Chinese military aircraft reported on Tuesday had crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, an unofficial demarcation zone between China and Taiwan, according to Taiwan’s defense ministry.China claims Taiwan, a self-ruled democracy, as part of its territory to be reunited by force if necessary. Over the past year, Beijing has stepped up military activities ar...

Israeli Supreme Court hears first challenge to Netanyahu’s contentious judicial overhaul

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:17:27 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s Supreme Court on Tuesday opened the first case to look at the legality of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s contentious judicial overhaul — deepening a showdown with the far-right government that has bitterly divided the nation and put the country on the brink of a constitutional crisis.In a sign of the case’s significance, all 15 of Israel’s Supreme Court justices are hearing appeals to the law together for the first time in Israel’s history. A regular panel is made up of three justices, though they sometimes sit on expanded panels. The proceedings were also being livestreamed.“It’s a historic day,” said Susie Navot, vice president of the Israel Democracy Institute, a Jerusalem think tank that has been critical of the overhaul. “This is the first time we’ve had this kind of hearing.”Netanyahu’s coalition, a collection of ultranationalist and ultrareligious lawmakers, launched the overhaul early this year, shortly after taking office. Proponents of the pl...

Japanese companies drop stars of scandal-tainted Johnny’s entertainment company

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:17:27 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Several major Japanese companies have decided to stop using stars who are represented by Johnny & Associates, an entertainment company at the center of a sexual assault scandal. Beverage maker Asahi Group Holdings — known for its Super Dry beer — will no longer air its ads featuring Junichi Okada, Toma Ikuta and Sho Sakurai, the company said Tuesday, and there are no plans to sign singers, dancers or actors affiliated with Johnny’s. Other companies, including Japan’s flagship carrier Japan Airlines and major insurer Nippon Life Insurance Co., are following suit in distancing themselves from the scandal.Victims have come forward, demanding an apology and financial compensation from Johnny & Associates, which remains one of this nation’s most powerful entertainment companies. Some say they want the company name changed to get rid of the reference to Johnny, noting the sheer mention of that name is traumatic. Julie Keiko Fujishima acknowledged Thursday that her lat...

North Korea’s Kim is in Russia ahead of a meeting with Putin as their nations draw closer

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:17:27 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea’s Kim Jong Un arrived in Russia on Tuesday for a meeting with President Vladimir Putin where they are expected to offer each other increased support in their escalating standoffs with the West.Kim is expected to seek Russian economic aid and military technology in exchange for munitions to be used in Russia’s war in Ukraine.North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency said Kim boarded his personal train bound for Russia on Sunday afternoon, accompanied by members of the ruling party, government and military. After decades of complicated, hot-and-cold relations, Russia and North Korea have drawn closer since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The bond has been driven by Putin’s need for war supplies and Kim’s efforts to boost his partnerships with traditional allies Moscow and Beijing as he tries to break out of diplomatic isolation.South Korea’s military assessed the train crossed into Russia early Tuesday, Jeon Ha Gyu, spokesperso...

President von der Leyen marks the EU's commitment to the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) during the event hosted at the G20 in New Delhi

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:17:27 GMT

President von der Leyen (pictured) spoke at the G20 event on PGII hosted by Prime Minister Modi and President Biden.She emphasized the EU's key contribution to two new flagship PGII projects:The India – Middle East – Europe Economic Corridor, launched during the event. An agreement formalising this project was signed by the EU, the United States, India, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Corridor will link the three regions through state-of-the-art connectivity infrastructure, helping to bring the economic relationship between them to a new level and providing improved access to goods, energy and data to citizens and businesses. In particular, the project will:Integrate railway lines and port connections from India to Europe, across UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel, leading to smoother and faster transit of goods;Develop energy infrastructure and enable the production and transport of green hydrogen to all partners;Strengthen telecommunications and data transfe...

COVID Vaccine Gets Update And FDA Approval

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:17:27 GMT

Updated versions of COVID-19 vaccines were approved Monday as cases and hospitalizations began to rise.The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the new vaccines from both Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, effective for the currently dominant Omicron variants such as Eg.5 and XBB.1.5.“Vaccination remains critical to public health and continued protection against serious consequences of COVID-19, including hospitalization and death,” Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said. “The public can be assured that these updated vaccines have met the agency’s rigorous scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality. We very much encourage those who are eligible to consider getting vaccinated.”Vaccines from both companies were previously approved by the FDA for people 12 and over and the updated vaccines will continue with the approval. The previous approval was for two doses in that age group, but the latest vaccine will ...

Sale closed in Saratoga: $3.3 million for a three-bedroom home

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:17:27 GMT

14950 Gerneil Court – Google Street ViewThe spacious property located in the 14900 block of Gerneil Court in Saratoga was sold on Aug. 23, 2023. The $3,250,000 purchase price works out to $1,560 per square foot. The house, built in 1957, has an interior space of 2,083 square feet. The layout of this single-story house consists of three bedrooms and three baths. Inside, a fireplace adds character to the home. In addition, the home provides a two-car garage, granting ample space for parking and storage purposes.Additional houses that have recently been purchased close by include:A 3,385-square-foot home on the 19900 block of Herriman Avenue in Saratoga sold in August 2023, for $4,700,000, a price per square foot of $1,388. The home has 3 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms.In November 2022, a 2,829-square-foot home on Loma Rio Drive in Saratoga sold for $3,450,000, a price per square foot of $1,220. The home has 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.On Heritage Oak, Saratoga, in March 2023, a 3,744-square-...

Giants rally past Guardians 5-4 in 10 innings to keep pace in NL wild-card chase

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:17:27 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — LaMonte Wade Jr. blooped a single in front of sliding center fielder Myles Straw in the 10th inning to drive in Blake Sabol with the winning run, and the San Francisco Giants rallied past the Cleveland Guardians 5-4 on Monday night.The comeback victory kept the Giants just 1½ games behind Arizona for the third NL wild card. San Francisco has won four straight following a six-game slide.Cleveland dropped its third in a row and remained 7 1/2 games back of first-place Minnesota in the AL Central.“They call him late-night LaMonte for a reason,” Sabol said. “What makes him such a special player is no matter what’s happening, whether he’s 0 for 4 or if he’s 4 for 4, he’s the same guy walking up to the plate. When he walked up there at the end, I felt pretty good.”After the Guardians went ahead in the top of the 10th, San Francisco answered with two runs and won in its final at-bat for the sixth time this season.Sabol, who entered as a pinch-hitter in the seventh, sin...

Juan Soto hits a 3-run homer in the ninth, and Padres rally to stun weary Dodgers 11-8

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:17:27 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Juan Soto hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the ninth inning, and the San Diego Padres rallied from an early five-run deficit for an 11-8 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday night.Manny Machado homered twice for the Padres, who beat their playoff-bound rivals for only the third time in 11 meetings this season. San Diego still had to survive a perilous bottom of the ninth for closer Josh Hader, who got Chris Taylor on a weak liner to shortstop with the bases loaded to end it.The victory was a rare moment of satisfaction for the underachieving Padres, who eliminated the Dodgers from last year’s playoffs before regressing this season.“We haven’t seen that in a while, and I’ve said for a while that we have the ability to do that,” Padres manager Bob Melvin said. “We have the length of the lineup to (make a comeback) like that. We just haven’t done that.”After Machado led the rally with a solo homer in the fourth and a two-run shot...