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‘Potter’ curse? Two dozen actors from the films have died

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:21 GMT

By Lisa Respers France | CNNThe “Harry Potter” franchise is beloved around the world, and the loss of anyone connected to it has been met with mourning.More than two dozen actors from the “Potter” films have died in the two decades since the franchise began, most recently Michael Gambon. The actor, who starred as Albus Dumbledore in the films, died of pneumonia this week at age 82.Below are some of the other memorable cast members who have also passed away.Alan RickmanRickman died at the age of 69 in 2016 following a short battle with pancreatic cancer. He played Severus Snape.Vern TroyerTroyer found fame playing “Mini-Me” in the Austin Powers film, but he also portrayed Griphook in “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.” He died in 2018 at age 49.Richard HarrisThe Irish actor originated the role of Dumbledore in the first two “Potter films. His death in 2002 at the age of 72 came after a battle with Hodgkin’s disease.Helen McCroryThe woman who portrayed Narcissa Malfoy died “pe...

Tech companies slash hundreds of Bay Area jobs as layoffs worsen

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:21 GMT

SANTA CLARA — Fresh waves of layoffs have battered the Bay Area job market after several tech companies revealed plans to slash well over 400 more jobs in the nine-county region, official state documents show.TTM Technologies, Clari, Wolfspeed, BlackLine Systems and Robinhood Markets are the latest high-tech companies to disclose their decisions to eliminate jobs in the Bay Area, according to new WARN notices filed with the state Employment Development Department.407 Mathew Street in Santa Clara. (Google Maps)Here are the details of the most recent tech industry layoffs affecting workers in the Bay Area, according to the WARN letters sent to the EDD:— TTM Technologies, a printed circuit board maker, is cutting 240 jobs in Santa Clara.— Clari, a software company, is chopping 139 jobs in Sunnyvale.— Wolfspeed, a maker of silicon carbide that can be used in electric vehicles, renewable energy systems as well as the aerospace and defense industries, is elimi...

Group seeking to recall Alameda DA Pamela Price can now collect signatures

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:21 GMT

The group seeking to recall Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price announced Thursday that it had received approval from the county’s Registrar of Voters to begin collecting signatures — signifying a key step in their bid to kick the county’s top prosecutor out of office.The effort calling itself Save Alameda for Everyone (SAFE): Recall DA Pamela Price now has 160 days to collect 73,195 valid signatures from registered voters in the county, said Carl Chan, a recall leader and the government affairs chair of the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce. He said the group plans to seek at least 100,000 signatures over the next five and a half months to ensure that it reaches the county’s threshold, a goal that could cost up to $1 million reach.In making the announcement, Chan said he was “ecstatic” to have finally reached this latest, critical phase.“Everything is about public safety in people’s minds,” Chan said. “We need to rebuild...

Storm Elias fills homes with mud in central Greece

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:21 GMT

By Petros Giannakouris and Derek Gatopolous | Associated PressVOLOS, Greece — A second powerful storm in less than a month hammered parts of central Greece on Thursday, sweeping away roads, smashing bridges and flooding thousands of homes.The storm — called Elias — caused extensive flooding in the central city of Volos and left hundreds stranded in nearby mountain villages. The fire service carried out multiple rescues and evacuations, authorities said.Rescuers were also searching a mountainous area for the pilot of a private helicopter that went missing in the bad weather.“All of Volos has turned into a lake,” Volos Mayor Achilleas Beos told state television. “People’s lives are in danger. Even I remained trapped, and 80% of the city is without power. … I don’t know where God found so much water. It’s like the story of Noah’s Ark.”Bad weather earlier this month struck the same area, killing 16 people, and causing more than 2 billion e...

No Fleet Week? What will happen if Congress’ funding dispute starts shutting down the federal government

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:21 GMT

Fleet Week without the Blue Angels? Food aid running dry for impoverished mothers? Tax return processing on hold? Longer lines and flight delays at airports?Those are some of the ways a federal government shutdown as early as Sunday could be felt in the Bay Area and around the country as Congress’ periodic game of chicken over spending approaches a critical end-of-September deadline with no deal in sight.While talks are expected to go down to the wire Saturday night, a shutdown could be felt the next day around the Bay Area, with further impacts mounting the longer the dispute drags on. Among potential impacts:Fleet WeekThe White House said if there’s a shutdown, all active-duty military personnel and many law enforcement officers would remain at work, but receive no pay until appropriated funds are available.But a Navy spokesman said nonessential events like Fleet Week performances would become casualties — no Blue Angels, ship tours or military band performances ...

Diamondbacks delay clinching playoff berth as Vaughn, Moncada homer for White Sox in 3-1 win

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:21 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks delayed clinching an NL wild card berth, losing to the White Sox 3-1 on Thursday as Andrew Vaughn and Yoán Moncada homered for Chicago.Arizona (84-75) is in position for the second NL wild card and its first postseason appearance since 2017. The Diamondbacks entered two games ahead of the Chicago Cubs and Miami, who were tied for the third and final spot. Arizona would have clinched Thursday with both a win and a Cubs loss at Atlanta.“Like I’ve been saying, we have to win every baseball game that we play in and we didn’t do that today, so there’s some frustration,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “We have to be better. We have to be better in all areas. We had some opportunities early and I felt like if we had scored some early runs it might have been a different story.”Each team had three hits, and Arizona went 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position.Tanner Banks (1-4), the second of five Chicago pitchers, threw a ...

Tennessee Titans eager to bounce back from ugly loss hosting Joe Burrow, Bengals

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:21 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans are about to find out if an ugly loss can help them play better.Not only were the Titans held to their fewest total yards in a game in 49 years, Tennessee also has lost nine of 10 games overall, including two of three to start this season. Making it worse? Three pass plays accounted for 76 of those 94 total yards in the 27-3 loss to Cleveland.Now the Titans are home Sunday, hosting Cincinnati (1-2) with the Bengals having won three straight and four of the past five against their old AFC Central rivals. The most painful loss came in January 2022 when the Titans blew the AFC’s No. 1 seed, losing to Cincinnati en route to a Super Bowl berth. Three-time Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry remains confident that the Titans have plenty of time to get back on track. “We definitely don’t want to go out there and lose,” Henry said. “But sometimes adversity strikes earlier than other times. So just staying focused on what we want to do...

Judge sentences a woman who investigators say burned a Wyoming abortion clinic to 5 years in prison

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:21 GMT

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — An abortion opponent who broke into and burned what was to be Wyoming’s first full-service abortion clinic in at least a decade, delaying its opening by almost a year, was sentenced Thursday to five years in prison and three years probation.Lorna Roxanne Green faced up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine after pleading guilty in July to setting the fire at Wellspring Health Access in Casper. She expressed regret and took full responsibility for the arson at the plea hearing. The five-year sentence is the mandatory minimum. She also has been ordered to pay restitution in an amount to be determined at a later date. Green told investigators she opposed abortion and that anxiety and nightmares about the clinic caused her to burn it.The May 2022 fire happened weeks before the clinic was to open. Extensive damage to the building being remodeled for the clinic kept it from opening for almost a year.Green admitted to breaking in, pouring gasoline around the insid...

Japan trumps Samoa again to stay in Rugby World Cup quarterfinals hunt

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:21 GMT

TOULOUSE, France (AP) — Japan teamwork trumped Samoa individual power and won their Rugby World Cup match by a surprisingly comfortable 28-22 on Thursday.With Argentina expected to earn a bonus-point win against Chile on Saturday, Japan’s last Pool D match with the Pumas next week will be a winner-takes-all fight for a quarterfinal spot.Samoa’s bid for a first quarterfinal since 1995 was terminated, and its second straight defeat advanced idle pool leader England to the quarterfinals.The Japanese reached the quarters for the first time at their home World Cup in 2019 but their form and results this year suggested they were way off the pace to challenge again. But they were patient and smart and disciplined at Stadium de Toulouse, and Samoa was not.A late converted try gave Samoa 90-odd seconds to pull off a miracle comeback. They forced a lineout on halfway but the throw-in was stolen and Japan beat Samoa for a third Rugby World Cup in a row.Fullback Lomano Lemeki, playi...

With new rules, MLB to draw more than 70 million fans, highest attendance since 2017

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:21 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — More than 70 million fans will attend Major League Baseball games for the first time in six years, a post-pandemic rebound for a sport that instituted its biggest on-field changes in decades.A pitch clock to speed play — game times are down 24 minutes to 2:40 for nine-inning games — limits on defensive shifts to increase offense, new social spaces at ballparks and technology innovations to speed entry have factored into a 9.2% rise in average attendance to 29,176. Expanding the playoffs to 12 teams, which began last year, led to more than half the teams remaining in mathematical contention.“Getting back above 70 million is an accomplishment for us,” baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said Wednesday. “I think it’s the playoff format, balanced schedule, the rule changes this year in terms of the product, the stuff clubs have done locally in terms seating options.”Still, the average attendance remains below the record high of 32,785 in 2007 and MLB hasn’t reached 30,000 ...