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Piers Morgan knew about phone-hacking for stories, Harry and Meghan’s biographer testifies

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:49:48 GMT

In Prince Harry’s showdown with nemesis Piers Morgan in a London court, the Duke of Sussex’s legal team elicited testimony Monday from a controversial royal reporter who said he heard Piers Morgan discussing the use of phone-hacking for a celebrity story while Morgan was the editor of the Daily Mirror in 2002.During testimony in Harry’s phone-hacking lawsuit against the Daily Mirror, Omid Scobie said he was a journalism student, working as an intern at the tabloid newspaper in the spring of 2002, and observed Morgan being an “extremely hands-on” editor, The Telegraph reported. Scobie, the author of “Finding Freedom,” a sympathetic biography of Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, said he heard Morgan being told that information for a story about Kylie Minogue’s troubled relationship with her then-boyfriend had come from intercepted voicemails, The Telegraph said.“Mr. Morgan was asking how confident they were in the reporting and was...

SF supervisor joins Pelosi in requesting federal help to combat fentanyl

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:49:48 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- San Francisco Supervisor Matt Dorsey announced plans Tuesday to introduce a resolution seeking federal support to combat fentanyl trafficking in SF. The resolution is in support of a recent request from Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland asking that the Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration designate San Francisco for "Operation Overdrive."Operation Overdrive is a federal initiative introduced by the Biden-Harris administration that "focuses law enforcement resources on communities where criminal drug networks are causing the most harm," according to a press release from Dorsey. There are currently 34 cities designated for the initiative. San Francisco is not among them. ‘I’m broken hearted by SF’: Small business owners struggle with post-pandemic changes "SF isn't currently among the 34 cities designated for Biden-Harris Administration's OD and violence reduction initiative," wrote Dorsey in an ext...

Marin Water considers rate increase for service

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:49:48 GMT

MARIN COUNTY, Calif. (KRON) -- Marin Water is considering a rate increase for water service. If the rate increase is approved, the typical single-family customer will see around a 20 percent increase in the first year, with smaller percentage increases in each of the following three years, Adrian Mertens with Marin Water told KRON4. The increase could start showing up on people's bills July 1 and get higher every year until 2026.This would mean for single family homes, if your bimonthly bill is currently $138, by July 1, it would go up to $170. And by 2026 you’d be paying $218 bimonthly.To see how your bill would be affected, download the Rate Calculator tool.The district said the last rate update was in 2019. Since then, it's experienced a reduced demand for water along with record inflation.This new plan will allow for updates to aging infrastructure, attempt to reduce wildfire risk and enhance forest health. It will also strengthen water supply resiliency replenishing reserves fo...

As Manchin Eyes Presidential Run, His Allies at No Labels Face Mounting Legal Challenges

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:49:48 GMT

No Labels, the centrist political organization that has raised tens of millions of dollars to support a third-party ticket for president, is facing multiple legal challenges over its efforts to qualify for the 2024 general election ballot in states across the country. In Maine, the secretary of state’s office sent the group a cease-and-desist letter last week in response to allegations that No Labels organizers gave misleading instructions to voters, who then unknowingly registered to vote on the No Labels party line. Meanwhile in Arizona, the state Democratic Party has filed a lawsuit challenging No Labels’ recognition as a political party ahead of 2024.Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., is considered the likeliest candidate for a third-party run, and he has dropped increasing hints that he is considering it. On Meet the Press early this month, Manchin refused to rule out running on a third-party ticket backed by No Labels, which claims it wants a ticket split between one Republican a...

France issues arrest warrant for Lebanese central bank governor

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:49:48 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — A French investigative judge Tuesday issued an international arrest warrant for Lebanon’s embattled central bank governor after he didn’t show up for questioning in France on corruption charges, a Western diplomat said.Longtime central bank Gov. Riad Salameh was supposed to appear before French prosecutors Tuesday as part of an ongoing European probe. Lebanese officials have not confirmed receipt of the arrest warrant or commented on the development.The Western diplomat who confirmed the warrant spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not cleared to speak to media outlets.Chanez Mensous, a lawyer at the French anti-corruption non-govermmental organization Sherpa, which alongside other organizations filed initial legal complaints against Salameh and associates back in May 2021, also confirmed the warrant was issued. Salameh responded with a statement shortly afterward, saying he will appeal the decision calling it a “clear legal violation.” He also crit...

76ers fire coach Doc Rivers after 3 seasons and 3 second-round exits from playoffs

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:49:48 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Doc Rivers’ penchant for playoff collapses and second-round exits cost him his coaching job with the Philadelphia 76ers.The 76ers fired Rivers on Tuesday following a third straight exit in the second round of the playoffs, and the second time over that span he lost a series lead and a Game 7.Rivers led the 76ers to their second straight 50-win season behind NBA MVP Joel Embiid but again failed to lead them to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2001. The Sixers have not won an NBA championship since 1983.“We’re grateful for all he did in his three seasons here and thank him for the important impact he made on our franchise,” team president Daryl Morey said in a statement. “After having the chance to reflect upon our season, we decided that certain changes are necessary to further our goals of competing for a championship.”Morey was scheduled to address the decision at a news conference Wednesday.The 76ers held a 3-2 semifinals serie...

Minister: 2 major gas companies keen on Israel-Cyprus plan for pipeline, gas processing facility

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:49:48 GMT

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Two major international oil and gas companies have so far expressed interest in Israeli-Cypriot plans to build a pipeline that would convey offshore natural gas from both countries to Cyprus where it would be liquefied for export by ship, a Cypriot official said Tuesday.Energy Minister Giorgos Papanastasiou told The Associated Press in an interview that the plan will be pitched on May 29 to energy companies involved in hydrocarbon exploration off Cyprus’ southern coast and other firms involved in pipeline and gas processing plant manufacture.Getting energy companies on board is essential to get the project off the ground, and Papanastasiou will also present it individually to each firm in order to secure their backing.Papanastasiou said the project’s key drawing card for energy companies is its low cost relative to other exporting methods, such as an idea for a 6-billion-euro (($6.5 billion), 1,900-kilometer (1,180-mile) pipeline connecting east Mediterranean ...

Man sentenced for BB gun attacks on California Planned Parenthood clinic

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:49:48 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A man who waged a year-long series of BB gun attacks on a Southern California Planned Parenthood clinic was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in federal prison.Richard Royden Chamberlin, 53, was sentenced Monday in Los Angeles federal court, the U.S. attorney’s office said in a statement.At least 11 attacks targeted a Planned Parenthood facility in Pasadena between June 2020 and May 2021. No one was hurt but a person waiting outside for a patient was nearly struck, staff was terrified and the building was damaged, prosecutors said.Pasadena police stopped Chamberlin after a May 7, 2021, attack and found he had eight BB guns and a backpack containing a loaded .22-caliber pistol.The U.S. attorney’s office said that Chamberlin, who was convicted in Arizona in 2012 of felony attempted transportation of a narcotic for sale, subsequently tried to sell or transfer ownership of other firearms. A search of his home found thousands of rounds of ammunition, gun powder, a d...

Flooding, rising river raise concerns over F1 race in Imola

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:49:48 GMT

IMOLA, Italy (AP) — Flooding and a rising river next to the track have raised concerns over the running of this weekend’s Formula One Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.After torrential rains, parking and other areas for the Enzo and Dino Ferrari circuit are flooded and the press room was evacuated, the Gazzetta dello Sport reported Tuesday.More rain is in the forecast for the rest of the week, with practice due to start Friday, qualifying on Saturday and the race on Sunday.Teams had already started setting up their garages.The Santerno River runs right next to the track.A spokesman for the circuit did not immediately return a request for comment from The Associated Press.___AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsSource

Tuition, fees at Georgia public universities to hold steady in fall 2023 despite budget worries

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:49:48 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — The cost of attending Georgia’s public universities and colleges will remain mostly flat in the 2023-2024 academic year, despite concerns that declining enrollment and a legislative funding cut are stressing school budgets.Regents voted Tuesday to increase tuition or fees at only four of the system’s 26 schools — Middle Georgia State University, Georgia College and State University, the University of West Georgia and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.Regent Neal Pruitt Jr. of Atlanta said the system is “trying to balance affordability with quality of instruction” and is relying on lawmakers to restore $66 million that was cut from the teaching budget as a part of a hospital licensing dispute.The average Georgia school this year is charging in-state undergraduates $6,266 in tuition and mandatory fees, which will rise to $6,290 next year. Costs will range from $3,306 at Swainsboro-based East Georgia State College to $11,764 at Georgia Tech.Regents also ma...