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Halloween Horror Nights delivers big scares, Chucky, ‘Last of Us’ and more

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:45 GMT

Want to ratchet up the fear factor to a whole new level this Halloween season?Those brave enough to answer “yes” to that question should consider making a trip to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood.The event, which continues through Oct. 31, distinguishes itself from other many haunted house/maze-style attractions by its use of actual horror franchises and movie monsters. So instead of getting the usual “our creatures kind of resemble the ones you know from the movies,” fright fans can experience the real deals — the ones who have haunted us from screens both big and small for years.This year’s Halloween Horror lineup is one of the best yet. Topping the marquee is a haunted house dedicated to “The Last of Us,” the post-pandemic PlayStation game turned hit HBO series. Right up there with it is “Stranger things 4,” which transports folks to the fourth season of the smash Netflix series.Other haunted hangs includ...

Earthquake robbed Moroccan villagers of almost everything — loved ones, homes and possessions

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:45 GMT

By SAM METZ and MOSA’AB ELSHAMY (Associated Press)TAFEGHAGHTE, Morocco (AP) — His dead relatives have been dug out and buried, but the remnants of Musa Bouissirfane’s former life are still trapped under rubble and dust in the ruins of the mud-brick Moroccan village of Tafeghaghte.“It’s incredibly challenging to lose your entire family and all your possessions,” Bouissirfane said as tears welled in his eyes in the community less than a two-hour drive from Marrakech. “We have lost everything — our homes, our livestock and all our possessions.”Less than a week ago, he was excited about his daughter starting second grade. Now he’s mourning her death. Far from ambulances and authorities, villagers could not retrieve her body for more than 14 hours, until Saturday afternoon. The earthquake also killed Bouissirfane’s mother and father and a niece. His wife is hospitalized in an intensive care unit.The toll of the massive ear...

Kurtenbach: Brandon Aiyuk was money in Week 1. That could mean big things — and big bucks — for the 49ers receiver

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:45 GMT

Brandon Aiyuk was money in the 49ers’ season opener on Sunday.Money, as in eight catches for 129 yards and two touchdowns (and a big block to spring another).Money, as in “this guy is going to be paid so much” next offseason.It’s probably incorrect to say that Aiyuk’s Week 1 was a breakout performance — he had more than 1,000 receiving yards last season. It was certainly an eye-opening performance, though.Aiyuk wasn’t just good — he was great against the Steelers.And if that paradigm applies to the entire season, the 49ers will play deep into the winter, and Aiyuk will become a very rich man in 2024.After just making Nick Bosa the richest non-quarterback in the NFL, it’s fair to wonder how the 49ers will be able to extend Aiyuk after this campaign.The answer is simple:The NFL’s salary cap isn’t real.The more complicated way is to say that the 49ers — despite having eight players who average at least $15 million per season on thei...

Suspended Michigan State coach calls harassment allegations false and outside scope of Title IX

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:45 GMT

Suspended Michigan State football coach Mel Tucker said Monday that allegations of sexual harassment against him are “completely false” and the intimate phone call he had with activist and rape survivor Brenda Tracy is outside the scope of both Title IX and school policy.In a two-page statement released by a Detroit law firm, Tucker sharply criticized Tracy for suggesting their relationship was anything but consensual and ripped the months-long investigation into his behavior as deeply flawed. “I can only conclude that there is an ulterior motive designed to terminate my contract based on some other factor such as a desire to avoid any Nasser taint, or my race or gender,” said Tucker, who is Black.The university was fined $4.5 million four years ago by the Education Department for failing to adequately respond to sexual assault complaints against Larry Nassar, a campus sports doctor who molested elite gymnasts and other female athletes. The school has also settled lawsuits filed by ...

North Korean state media confirms leader Kim Jong Un departed for Russia

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:45 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean state media confirms leader Kim Jong Un departed for Russia.Source

The Patriots see progress with their offense after their season-opening loss to the Eagles

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:45 GMT

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The Patriots ended last season in need of a new direction on offense. The changes New England made this offseason weren’t enough to avert a 25-20 Week 1 loss to Philadelphia. But the Patriots appear to be in a better position to succeed going forward.New England’s biggest impediments on offense last season were turnovers, inconsistency in the passing game and an inability to score touchdowns in the red zone.Those problems resurfaced early on Sunday in the form of a pick-6 thrown by Mac Jones on the first drive and fumble by Ezekiel Elliott that contributed to a 16-0 first-quarter deficit.But after Jones failed to attempt a pass beyond 10 yards in the first quarter, new offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien used some bunch formations to free up receivers over the middle of the field. Jones completed 11 straight passes, including a 23-yard strike to rookie DeMario Douglas and touchdown passes to Hunter Henry and Kendrick Bourne, to get the Patriots ba...

Mexico’s former foreign minister threatens to leave party over candidate selection process

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:45 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s former Foreign Affairs Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said Monday that he will wait to see how the ruling party of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador handles his call to nullify its recently completed presidential candidate selection process, but warned that if not satisfied he will leave the party.Ebrard said his team has presented evidence of numerous irregularities to party leadership, including the use of government social programs to benefit Sheinbaum’s candidacy and the intervention of government officials in the process. If those incidents “remain the same, I will not be interested in staying in Morena,” he said.Ebrard told reporters he had great affection for López Obrador, has always been loyal and would never do him harm for political reasons, but the party can’t accept practices that it says it opposes.“I have the greatest respect for the (party’s) popular representation, but my objective is not to get a senatorship or a position,” he said. ...

Chiefs sign All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones to new 1-year deal to end his holdout

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:45 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs signed Chris Jones to a new one-year contract Monday, which should end the All-Pro defensive tackle’s holdout and could mean he will be on the field when they visit the Jacksonville Jaguars for Week 2.The Chiefs did not disclose terms, but a source told The Associated Press no years were added to his four-year, $80 million deal, that was due to expire. The person, speaking to AP on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the deal, said it instead includes incentives to substantially increase what Jones will make this season.“Chris is an elite player in this league, and over the last seven years, he’s really developed into a leader on our team,” Chiefs general manager Manager Brett Veach said in a statement. “He’s been instrumental to our success and Super Bowl championship runs and it was a priority for us to keep him in a Chiefs uniform.”Veach praised Jones’ representation, Jason and Michael...

Business Highlights: Spicy food challenge; Google’s antitrust trial; Monday Night Football

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:45 GMT

___Spicy food challenges have a long history. Have they become too extreme?NEW YORK (AP) — A tortilla chip maker’s decision to pull its extremely spicy product sold as a “One Chip Challenge” from store shelves following the death of a Massachusetts teen has renewed attention on the popularity — and risks — of similar dares marketed by brands and spread widely online. Spicy food challenges have been around for years. From local chile pepper eating contests to restaurant walls of fame for those who finished extra hot dishes, people around the world have been daring each other to eat especially fiery foods. But extremely spicy products created and marketed solely for the challenges — and possible internet fame — is a more recent phenomenon, and teens are particularly exposed to them because of social media.___Google’s search engine dominance is at the center of the biggest US antitrust trial in decadesThe U.S. government is taking aim at what has been an indomitable empire: Google’s ub...

Morocco earthquake takes terrible toll on Aurora family

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:45 GMT

AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) — An Aurora family who is from Morocco said they lost 13 family members in the powerful earthquake there on Friday.Hanane Ghiwane lives in Aurora with her husband and children, but her parents, siblings and other family members still live in Morocco. Her cousins sent her pictures and video of the family's damaged and destroyed homes."My grandparents' house just disappeared," she said. Ghiwane's parents live in Casablanca, and they were all right. But her mother's family lives in southern villages near Taroudant, in the Atlas Mountains. Ghiwane said 13 of them died in the quake."Thirteen is not a small number that we lost in one day," she said. "One of them, she was pregnant with a child. Another one, she just got married," Ghiwane said.Residents flee their homes after an earthquake in Moulay Brahim village, near the epicenter of the earthquake, outside Marrakech, Morocco, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. A rare, powerful earthquake struck Morocco late Friday night, kill...