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The world's largest cruise ship nearly ready to set sail

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:43:10 GMT

The world's largest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, successfully completed its initial round of sea trials and sailed the open ocean for the first time.The massive 1,198-foot ship is almost ready to start sailing from Florida early next year.The ship returned to the Meyer Turku, Finland shipyard, where it's under construction.Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas (Courtesy of Royal Caribbean)Icon of the Seas Rendering (Royal Caribbean)Icon of the Seas Rendering (Royal Caribbean)Icon of the Seas Rendering (Royal Caribbean)Icon of the Seas Rendering (Royal Caribbean)Icon of the Seas Rendering (Royal Caribbean)Icon of the Seas Rendering (Royal Caribbean)Later this year, the ship will be pushed to its limits in a second round of sea trials, Royal Caribbean said.In addition to 18 guest decks and 2,805 staterooms, the ship features the largest water park at sea — with six record-breaking waterslides and seven pools. The ship's Frightening Bolt will be the tallest waterslide ...

Boss of Desserts: Why Tiramisu by Arsenio Is Loved by TikTok Stars

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:43:10 GMT

The culinary world can often feel like a maze brimming with tantalizing treats and infinite choices. Amid this sea of indulgences, every so often, a star rises and shines brightly above the rest. Today’s culinary supernova is Tiramisu by Arsenio, the heavenly dessert brand that has captured not only the hearts and taste buds of TikTok stars but also A-list celebrities of the City of Angels.Chef Arsenio, the mastermind behind the brand, has been crafting the most delightful desserts for years in his native Armenia. His reputation transcended borders, and when he decided to move to the United States, it was only natural for him to start anew by focusing on what he knew best: his beloved Tiramisu. The passion Arsenio exudes in his craft is palpable, and his dedication to personally hand-making each dessert, instilling as much love as possible in every single creation, is truly inspiring. To him, seeing people of all ages relish his sweets is the ultimate reward.And what a reward ...

Former Professional Soccer Player Leverages Technology to Revolutionize Healthcare in Underserved Communities

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:43:10 GMT

A Journey of Inspiration: From the Soccer Field to the Operating RoomIn a remarkable testament of resilience and inspiration, David Elkhoury, a former professional soccer player, has embarked on an inspiring journey that combines his passion for medicine with cutting-edge technology. Currently in his second year of medical school, David focuses on transforming healthcare in underserved communities, ushering in a new era of medical innovation and compassion.A Stellar Athletic Career Fosters Excellence in MedicineDavid’s journey from accomplished athlete to aspiring medical doctor is a testament to remarkable achievements and unwavering determination. This transformative experience not only molded him into an exceptional athlete but also sparked a profound desire to positively impact others. Driven by an unwavering purpose, David envisions a future wholly dedicated to making a lasting difference in the lives of those he encounters.Passion for Medical Innovation: Changing Lives, ...

Addyson Nixon Injured in Pedestrian Crash on Las Tablas Road [Templeton, CA]

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:43:10 GMT

15-Year-Old Girl Struck While Walking Her Dog Near Hawley StreetTEMPLETON, CA (June 30, 2023) – Thursday evening, a pedestrian crash on Las Tablas Road left Addyson Nixon with injuries.According to the CHP, the incident occurred around 7:00 p.m. from Hawley Street in the city of Templeton.Officers said a 2018 Nissan SUV hit the teenager while walking her dog three blocks away from her residence.Eventually, medical responders arrived at the scene and transported the girl to Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center in San Luis Obispo. The teen girl was later identified as 15-year-old Addyson Nixon of Templeton.Meanwhile, the 38-year-old Nissan driver, Janet Brown, did not sustain any injuries.At this time, Nixon’s relatives started a GoFundMe page to help with medical expenses. A statement from the page also claimed that her dog suffered minor non-life-threatening injuries.The California Highway Patrol said that drugs or alcohol did not play a role in the incident. No further detail...

Brazil’s ex-President Bolsonaro barred from election until 2030

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:43:10 GMT

By Mauricio Savarese and Carla Bridi | Associated PressSAO PAULO — A panel of judges voted Friday to render far-right former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro ineligible to run for office again after concluding that he abused his power and cast unfounded doubts on the country’s electronic voting system.The decision, once all judges have voted, will forbid Bolsonaro from running until 2030, upending the 68-year-old’s political future and likely erasing any chance for him to regain power.Four of the seven judges on the nation’s highest electoral court agreed that Bolsonaro abused his authority by using government communication channels to promote his campaign and sowing doubts about the vote. One judge voted against, and two judges had yet to vote.“This decision will end Bolsonaro’s chances of being president again, and he knows it,” said Carlos Melo, a political science professor at Insper University in Sao Paulo. “After this, he will try to...

Protests: French president urges parents to keep teens home

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:43:10 GMT

By Sylvie Corbet, John Leicester and Alex Turnbull | Associated PressPARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron urged parents Friday to keep teenagers at home and blamed social media for fueling rioting that has spread dramatically across France following the fatal police shooting of a 17-year-old driver.In the face of a growing crisis that hundreds of arrests and massive police deployments have failed to quell, Macron held off on declaring a state of emergency, an option that was used in similar circumstances in 2005. Instead, his government ratcheted up a law enforcement response that has resulted in 875 arrests.The interior minister ordered a nationwide nighttime shutdown of all public buses and trams, which were among the targets of three consecutive nights of urban unrest. Macron also zeroed-in on social media platforms that have relayed dramatic images of cars and buildings being torched and other acts of violence.Social networks are playing a “considerable role” in ...

Santos returns to court for first time since entering plea

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:43:10 GMT

By Mark Morales | CNNEmbattled Rep. George Santos appeared in federal court on Friday, where prosecutors unveiled they had delivered the defense roughly 80,000 pages of documents earlier this week.Santos – back in court for the first time since pleading not guilty to a 13-count indictment alleging fraud related to Covid-19 unemployment benefits, misusing campaign funds and lying about his personal finances – showed no emotion throughout the hearing in Long Island, sitting with his hands folded in front of him.Santos’ attorney, Joseph Murray, noted that Congress’ August recess would be a good time to review the cache of documents.The next hearing will take place on September 7, one week before Congress is back in session. Murray argued he wanted his client to be able to return to session.Murray told the judge that the defense and prosecutors had a “good working relationship,” when discussing when to set a next court date.As he left the table, Santos wished prosecutors a “happy fourth...

Pac-12 survival: Our forecasts for media rights revenue, network partners and expansion as the saga continues

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:43:10 GMT

It has been 360 days since the Pac-12 presidents authorized commissioner George Kliavkoff to “immediately” begin negotiating a media rights deal and 137 since they expressed hope for a resolution “in the very near future.”Evidently, the presidents think in geologic time, where the “very near future” means sometime this century.There is still no media deal, no decision on expansion and no hard evidence suggesting the endgame is nigh.Instead, there are only crumbs, clues and hints that the Pac-12’s existential crisis soon could be coming to a close.Today, on the anniversary of USC and UCLA announcing their intentions to enter the Big Ten on Aug. 2, 2024, the Hotline presents a summary of the situation and predictions for the outcome.The survival oddsOur current forecast views Pac-12 survival as a 4-point favorite over Pac-12 extinction, suggesting a 60 percent probability (approximately) that Kliavkoff will negotiate a media contract that keep...

Rock Hudson annoyed James Dean by ‘hitting’ on him, documentary reveals

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:43:10 GMT

The characters that Rock Hudson and James Dean play in the acclaimed 1956 film, “Giant,” don’t like each other very much.It turns out that it wouldn’t have been hard for either star to convey that antipathy onscreen, as the new documentary, “Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed,” reveals. Hudson admitted in a 1983 interview that he didn’t “particularly like” Dean, while Dean didn’t appreciate Hudson “hitting” on him when he thought that Hudson had gone to great lengths to keep his sexual orientation hidden from the American public.“Dean considered it hypocritical that Rock was maintaining this hetero facade in public while privately hitting on Dean,” Hudson’s biographer Mark Griffin recalled in the Max documentary.The documentary charts Hudson’s journey, as he arrived in Hollywood in the late 1940s, quickly rose to stardom in the early 1950s and became one of the film word’s biggest stars...

More blue states declare themselves sanctuaries for transgender health care

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:43:10 GMT

Amanda Hernández | Stateline.org (TNS)Democratic governors and state lawmakers across the country are mobilizing against a surge of Republican restrictions on transgender health care by establishing their states as sanctuaries for gender-affirming care.Earlier this month, Democratic Gov. Wes Moore signed an executive order making Maryland the 11th state, plus the District of Columbia, to declare itself a sanctuary. A bill in New York has cleared the legislature and is awaiting the signature of Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul.Last year, California became the first state to declare itself a sanctuary. It has since been joined by Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Vermont and Washington. A growing number of cities, including New York City; Kansas City, Missouri; and West Hollywood, California, also have become sanctuaries.These states and cities are emerging as havens with legal protections to shield health care providers, transgen...