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Saudi Arabia is spending billions to become a global gaming hub. Some fans don’t want to play

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:56 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi Arabia, the new home of some of soccer’s biggest stars and a co-owner of professional golf, is proving to be no less ambitious when it comes to another global pastime – the $180 billion-a-year video game industry.Last September, the Saudi sovereign wealth fund earmarked nearly $40 billion for a new conglomerate aimed at transforming the kingdom into the “ultimate global hub” for games and esports by 2030. In February, the Saudi fund became the biggest outside investor in Nintendo, and just this month the kingdom hosted a major gaming tournament with a record $45 million prize pool.That’s made Saudi Arabia an increasingly important player in the industry and contributed to its breakneck transformation from an insular kingdom best known for oil and ultraconservative Islam into an emerging sports and entertainment powerhouse.The move into gaming has sparked the same kind of backlash seen in soccer and golf, where critics accuse the Saudis of “sp...

EU braces for possible loss of two climate change leaders

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:56 GMT

The European Union could lose two of its most effective climate change negotiators ahead of this year's COP28 UN summit, with the possible departures of the EU's own green policy chief and Spain's climate minister.Frans Timmermans (pictured), the European Commissioner in charge of climate and environment policies, is running to be a candidate in Dutch national elections. If successful, he may need to leave his EU post as early as next month.That would cost the EU its figurehead in international climate negotiations and the politician who drove through Europe's toughest measures yet to cut planet-warming emissions."We achieved, in terms of laws and legislation in the last three years, something that we didn't achieve in 10, 15 years before," EU Green lawmaker Michael Bloss said of the EU's track record under Timmermans.The prospect of losing Timmermans - a former Dutch foreign affairs minister - months ahead of this year's UN climate negotiations in November, has some EU officials wo...

Speed cameras may soon be installed in 3 SoCal cities

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:56 GMT

A new program to slow drivers down and curb street racing using speed cameras could soon go into effect in three Southern California cities. The devices would photograph the license plates of drivers going 11 miles per hour or more over the speed limit in any given area.  While speed cameras are currently illegal in the state, a proposed bill could change all that. If it becomes law, a pilot program using speed cameras would kick off in Los Angeles, Glendale and Long Beach in January.  “They’re putting people’s lives in danger, so I think enough is enough. Stop speeding, please,” said Joshua Mora, a victim of a hit-and-run accident.  Mora, 13, had his leg amputated after a motorcycle rider hit him in Boyle Heights as he was crossing the street. While Mora has said he’s grateful to have escaped death, others have not been as lucky.  “According to the National Transportation Safety Board, speeding is a factor in 31% of all traffic fatalities,” California Assemblymember ...

Meet Carol Spencer, the woman behind Barbie’s iconic fashion

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:56 GMT

The iconic Barbie doll has provided generations of entertainment for families across the globe. Fans, however, may not be as familiar with the mastermind behind Barbie’s unforgettable looks.Meet Carol Spencer, the creative mind behind all of Barbie’s most iconic fashions.For years, the identity of Barbie’s stylist was kept a secret by Mattel under lock and key. Now, however, Spencer is enjoying her time in the spotlight.At 90 years old, Spencer still maintains her fashion and loves dressing in her favorite shades of pink.“I’ve always worn a certain amount of pink and now with Barbiecore in fashion, I’ve got pink on!” Spencer said.Spencer’s story with Barbie first began when she drove out to Los Angeles from the Midwest in the 1950s and applied for a job at Mattel.Carol Spencer, the fashion designer behind Barbie's iconic looks. (KTLA)Carol Spencer, the fashion designer behind Barbie's iconic looks. (KTLA)Carol Spencer in a personal photo.The one-of-a-kind Carol Spencer Barbie doll. ...

Ron Rivera says he has a lot to prove to the new Commanders ownership group

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:56 GMT

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — When Ron Rivera met with new boss Josh Harris after the Washington Commanders sale became official, the message was simple.It wasn’t quite as clear and direct as “Just win, baby.” But there’s no doubt new ownership expects Rivera and the Commanders to win more than they have in recent years.Rivera goes into his fourth training camp as Washington’s coach and director of football operations and first since Harris’ group that includes Magic Johnson bought the Commanders from longtime owner Dan Snyder, firmly under the microscope — and he knows it.“I’ve got a lot to prove because I really do think we’ve put ourselves in a really good position,” Rivera said Tuesday at his annual camp-opening news conference. “We’re a good, young football team with some key veterans at key positions, and now is the opportunity to go. And, yeah, I do feel that I do want to prove some stuff.”Rivera understands he needs to prove himself all over again, ...

James Outman’s double in 10th completes Dodgers’ comeback for an 8-7 victory over Blue Jays

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:56 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — James Outman’s double in the 10th inning scored Chris Taylor with the winning run and the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied for an 8-7 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night.The Dodgers trailed 7-3 but sent the game into extra innings with four runs in the ninth. Taylor tied it on a two-run single with the bases loaded when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. dove but had the liner deflect of his glove, allowing both runs to score.Mookie Betts had an RBI single and Miguel Rojas scored on a bases-loaded walk to Max Muncy to get the Dodgers within striking range.Taylor was on second base as the automatic runner in the 10th inning. After Yonny Hernandez was unable to advance the runner, Outman hit a long drive off Mitch White (0-1) that popped out of the glove of right fielder Jordan Luplow, who jumped at the wall to try to make the catch.Los Angeles’ Freddie Freeman homered for the fourth time in the last five games. J.D. Martinez also went deep. Bo Bichette had four...

No hubo ganador en el sorteo de Mega Millions de este martes, el premio mayor asciende a US$ 910 millones

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:56 GMT

(CNN) — No hubo ganador del premio mayor en el sorteo de Mega Millions de este martes, según un comunicado de prensa en el sitio web de Mega Millions.Nadie acertó los seis números ganadores: 3, 5, 6, 44, 61 y Mega Ball 25.El premio mayor de este viernes se estima en US$ 910 millones.Mega Millions: no hubo grandes ganadores en el sorteo del viernes y el premio mayor crece a US$ 820 millones“El premio mayor está al borde de los US$ 1.000 millones, un nivel que ha superado cuatro veces en el pasado, la más reciente en enero”, dice el comunicado.De haber un ganador, sería el quinto premio mayor más grande en la historia de Mega Millions, detrás de un boleto vendido en Michigan que ganó US$ 1.050 millones en 2021.The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.Source

Watchdog to probe EU border agency’s role in deadly shipwreck

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:56 GMT

Emily O’Reilly, the EU Ombudsman who investigates maladministration and systemic problems, will Wednesday morning launch an investigation into the role of EU border agency Frontex in one of the deadliest shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea.The investigation will focus on Frontex involvement in search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean, and seek to clarify events surrounding the Adriana shipwreck off the coast of Greece in June, in which hundreds died.In the aftermath of the sinking of the Adriana, which was carrying up to 750 migrants to Europe from Libya, conflicting reports emerged as to how much Frontex knew ahead of the tragedy, and what role it played or could have played in preventing it. People briefed on the investigation, who were granted anonymity to reveal details of the case ahead of the announced probe, told POLITICO’s Brussels Playbook that the Ombudsman has asked to see Frontex’s internal “Serious Incident Report,” and is seeking details on how events un...

Pete Alonso, Mets too much to bear as Justin Verlander blanks Yankees

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:56 GMT

After splitting two games at Citi Field in June, the Mets opened the Subway Series’ sequel at Yankee Stadium with a 9-3 win on Tuesday.Pete Alonso fueled the Mets offense with his first two home runs since July 6. The first, a three-run blast in the third inning, came after Francisco Lindor doubled on a ball that hung in the air for a while before falling in front of a sliding Billy McKinney. The play had an expected batting average of .030, but it nonetheless led to a hit before Jeff McNeil walked and Alonso went deep.“I’m just really happy that today was an excellent day,” said Alonso, who hit .171 over 12 games between homers. “Every game is important. It doesn’t matter who is playing. The Subway Series is a big deal, but it doesn’t matter if we’re playing the Yankees, the Red Sox, the Nationals or whoever else because right now, we’re at a point in the season when all wins matter. It doesn’t matter who is over there. I&...

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen says he will step down in 3 weeks and his son will succeed him

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:56 GMT

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Longtime Cambodian leader Hun Sen said Wednesday he will step down in three weeks as prime minister and hand the position to his oldest son, who won his first seat in parliament in Sunday’s election.The announcement came after their Cambodian People’s Party won a landslide victory in weekend elections that Western countries and rights organizations criticized as neither free nor fair, and in which the country’s main opposition was suppressed.Hun Sen has been Cambodia’s autocratic leader for 38 years but said ahead of the elections he would hand off the position to his oldest son, Hun Manet, sometime during the next five-year term. Hun Manet, 45, is currently the chief of the country’s army.In a televised address, Hun Sen, who is Asia’s longest-serving leader, said he had informed King Norodom Sihamoni of his decision and that the king had agreed.Hun Sen said his son would be named prime minister after the National Election Co...