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More trouble for downtown SF as owner of Hilton, Parc 55 cease payments on hotel properties

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:19:06 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- In another apparent blow to San Francisco's struggling downtown, the investment firm that owns two of the city's major hotels announced it would cease paying the loans and surrender the properties to the bank. Payments toward the $725 million non-recourse loan ceased in June, according to a news release from Park Hotels & Resorts Inc., which operates the Hilton San Francisco Union Square and the Parc 55 San Francisco.The hotelier, which operates 46 properties across the country, cited now familiar reasons for surrendering the properties. Newsom calls DeSantis ‘small, pathetic man,’ implies kidnapping charges over migrant stunt "Now more than ever, we believe San Francisco's path to recovery remains clouded and elongated by major challenges -- both old and new," the press release read. "Record high vacancy; concerns over street conditions; lower return to office than peer cities; and a weaker than expected citywide convention calendar through 2027 that ...

Don't pick up seal pups, Marine Mammal Center warns

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:19:06 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- Beach-goers who pose for "seal-fie" photos with harbor seal pups, or even worse, pick pups up, are two problematic trends around the San Francisco Bay Area, wildlife experts said. The Bay Area and Central Coast are hotspots for marine mammal harassment, experts with The Marine Mammal Center said Monday. As the weather warms up and more people head to the coast, TMMC is warning the public to leave wild animals wild. Harbor seal pups attract a lot of attention because of their cuteness. But this species is very sensitive to noise and admirers getting too close. As the world’s largest marine mammal hospital, TMMC analyzed data looking at why pups had to be rescued from beaches in 2022. "Illegal pickups of harbor seal pups in Marin County, and human and dog interactions with young seals and sea lions in San Francisco and San Mateo County, were the standout harassment case examples," TMMC wrote. Harbor seal pup (Image courtesy The Marine Mammal Center) One tragic ...

Writers union plans to demonstrate at Apple developers conference

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:19:06 GMT

CUPERTINO, Calif. (KRON) -- Apple kicked off its annual Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday, and some surprising guests are planning to be just outside the company's doors. Alexis Gabe's family plans funeral services for June 17 Members from the Writers Guild of America plan to hand out pamphlets just outside of the technology company's visitor's center on Tantau Avenue as part of the union's strike efforts which began last month. The WGA is a union that represents writers of films, television, radio and internet programming. "Right now is a huge turning point for the television and film industry as we know it," WGA member and strike captain Taylor Vaughn-Lasley told KRON4. Vaughn-Lasley has been a working writer in film and television for years, and she's seen how the rise of streaming has impacted writer's paychecks in particular. With the traditional television model, any content that aired on TV could only be used again later if it was in syndication. Syndication guaran...

Imran Khan: U.S. Was Manipulated by Pakistan Military Into Backing Overthrow

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:19:06 GMT

Imran Khan became Pakistan’s prime minister through a most unusual route. As he explained in an interview on Sunday night, Khan was for decades the nation’s most famous cricketer, before transitioning into the world of philanthropy, building hospitals and supporting universities. From there, he moved into politics, founding a party — the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, or PTI — and sweeping into power in 2018. But he had a slim majority, and was ousted in a no-confidence vote by 2022. Since then, he and his party have been the target of a relentless crackdown by the nation’s military, which has ruled the country directly or indirectly for decades. Khan was arrested on May 9, 2023, by the military, and held for four days before the Supreme Court ruled his detention illegal. Protests erupted nationwide, some turning violent, and the military establishment responded by arresting most of Khan’s senior leadership and forcing them to resign from the party under pressure. Tho...

IDT: Fiscal Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:19:06 GMT

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — IDT Corp. (IDT) on Monday reported earnings of $6.9 million in its fiscal third quarter.The Newark, New Jersey-based company said it had profit of 27 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, were 46 cents per share.The telecommunications company posted revenue of $299.3 million in the period._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on IDT at https://www.zacks.com/ap/IDTSource

‘Stop Cop City’ activists pack Atlanta City Hall ahead of crucial vote

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:19:06 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — Hundreds of activists gathered to speak Monday at Atlanta’s City Hall ahead of a council vote over whether to approve tens of millions in public funding for the construction of a proposed police and firefighter training center that activists decry as “Cop City.”The meeting is a culmination of nearly two years of activism against the project – a movement that has galvanized protesters from across the country, especially in the wake of the January fatal police shooting of Manuel Paez Terán, a 26-year-old environmental activist known as “Tortuguita” who had been camping in the woods near the site of the proposed project in DeKalb County. More than 350 people signed up to speak during the meeting by early Monday afternoon, with hundreds more unable to sign up in time, including a large crowd kept outside City Hall due to capacity concerns. The rowdy crowd just outside the council chamber repeatedly chanted, “Let them in!”“We’re here pleading our case to a government that ...

New survey hopes to improve policing in Fairfax County

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:19:06 GMT

Fairfax County residents will see the survey pop up where ads tend to display on their internet browsers. (Courtesy Fairfax County Police)The Fairfax County Police Department is hoping residents will weigh in on public safety via a new online survey, popping up on browsers in the county over the next year.The department has announced the launch of its yearlong partnership with Zencity, who will create the questions, to survey Fairfax County residents about their perceptions of safety.The answers collected can be used to inform policy and how the department uses its resources.Residents who stumble upon the poll, or ads for the poll while browsing, won’t know they are looking at an “official” police survey.“(The ad) won’t say police, or picture or police on it, because that can create some biases,” said Maj. James Krause. “So what they do is use a general picture from someplace in Fairfax County, like a landmark.”The survey aims to captu...

Brewers activate Urías, option Brosseau, transfer Ruf to 60-day injured list

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:19:06 GMT

CINCINNATI (AP) — Milwaukee Brewers infielder Luis Urías has been activated from the injured list, more than two months after he strained his left hamstring on opening day.The Brewers activated Urías on Monday while also announcing that first baseman Darin Ruf has a right patella fracture. The Brewers transferred Ruf from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day injured list and optioned infielder Mike Brosseau to Triple-A Nashville.Urías batted .239 with a .335 on-base percentage, 16 homers and 47 RBIs in 119 games for the Brewers last season while playing third base, second base and shortstop. Urías was the Brewers starting third baseman for their season-opening 4-0 loss to the Chicago Cubs, but he got hurt in that game and hadn’t played since.Ruf got injured Friday when he ran into a tarp while chasing a foul ball. Ruf was batting .192 with a .300 on-base percentage in 11 games since joining the Brewers.Brosseau was hitting .205 with a .256 on-base percentage, four homers and eight ...

Arnold Schwarzenegger recuerda cuando le dijo a su exesposa que tuvo un hijo con la ama de llaves

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:19:06 GMT

Arnold Schwarzenegger contó sobre el momento en que se sinceró con su expareja Maria Shriver. En su próxima docuserie de Netflix “Arnold”, que estrenará en Netflix el 7 de junio, la estrella de “The Terminator” comparte el momento en que admitió a su entonces esposa que tuvo una aventura y un hijo con la ama de llaves de la familia, Mildred Baena. “María y yo íbamos a terapia una vez a la semana”, cuenta Schwarzenegger, de 75 años, en la serie de tres partes, según People, “y en una de las sesiones la consejera dijo: ‘Creo que hoy María quiere ser muy específica sobre algo”. Quiere saber si eres el padre de José. Y yo estaba como, pensé que mi corazón se detuvo, y luego dije la verdad”. Arnold Schwarzenegger dice que su padre fue nazi porque lo absorbió “un sistema de odio” Actor Schwarzenegger estuvo involucrado en choque que dejó herida a una mujer De hecho, Schwarzeneg...

Albert Pujols hired to assist MLB commissioner and be an MLB Network analyst

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:19:06 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Albert Pujols was hired Monday by Major League Baseball as a special assistant to Commissioner Rob Manfred.The retired slugger will consult on issues related to his native Dominican Republic, among other areas. He also will start work Tuesday as an MLB Network analyst.“Albert is a highly respected figure who represents the game extraordinarily well,” Manfred said in a statement. “He cares greatly about making a difference in our communities.”Pujols hit 703 home runs, fourth behind Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714), and his 2,218 RBIs are second to Aaron’s 2,297. Pujols hit .296 in an MLB career spanning from 2001-22 with the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Angels and Dodgers, and his 3,384 hits are among the top 10.He is among several former players working for MLB. Joe Torre and CC Sabathia are special assistants, and Cal Ripken Jr. and Ken Griffey Jr. are senior advisers. MLB’s staff includes senior vice president for on-field ...