Movie review: ‘Blue Beetle’ takes DC in refreshing new direction

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:36 GMT

Movie review: ‘Blue Beetle’ takes DC in refreshing new direction For Jaime Reyes — the Blue Beetle — being a superhero is a family affair. While most superheroes shield their identities from loved ones, in “Blue Beetle,” the first DC Comics movie to feature a Latino superhero, it’s a group project.When recent college grad Jaime (Xolo Maridueña) unknowingly brings home an alien scarab in a fast-food box handed to him by industrial heiress Jenny Kord (Bruna Marquezine), which she spirited away from the headquarters of the family business, he’s egged on by his sister Milagro (Belissa Escobedo) and Uncle Rudy (George Lopez) to check it out.The scarab quickly responds to him, his entire family watching in horror as the critter fuses onto his spine, forming a symbiotic relationship that affords Jaime the powers of a sentient battle suit complete with a Siri-style intelligence, Khaji-Da (voiced by Becky G).The alien suit may be nifty, allowing him to fly and fight and conjure weapons out of thin air, but Jaime derives his strength and drive from the tig...

Trudy Rubin: Can Ukraine win? New strategy, sea drones, resolve of fighters make me optimistic

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:36 GMT

Trudy Rubin: Can Ukraine win? New strategy, sea drones, resolve of fighters make me optimistic HULIAIPOLE, Ukraine — The slow start to Ukraine’s counteroffensive spurred gloomy predictions that Kyiv’s fight for freedom will bog down in an endless war of attrition. But having spent time talking to soldiers and commanders on the front lines, I find myself much more optimistic than I expected.The level of commitment of frontline troops is astounding. Despite mammoth challenges, their outlook is far more positive than many Ukrainians I spoke with in big cities, who were deeply worried about the country’s future.These fighting men, nearly all volunteers, are driven by a fervent belief that they face one of two options: either a genocidal Russia destroys their country along with their children’s future, or they drive out the “Orcs” — their nickname for the Russian invaders, which is drawn from the monsters in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.These are ordinary men who have become extraordinary heroes under pressure.Their s...

98.3 TRY Social Dilemma: Should I Have to Pay 1/2 My Friend's Speeding Ticket?

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:36 GMT

98.3 TRY Social Dilemma: Should I Have to Pay 1/2 My Friend's Speeding Ticket? ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Today's 98.3 TRY Social Dilemma came from Sal and it's about who should pay for a speeding ticket. Here's the email:  Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Hi Jaime. I think my friend is being rude and wrong about something and I hope you'll use this as a dilemma. The other day, I was getting a ride to the airport to fly out for a business trip. Anyway, my friend, Barry, was running late, and I needed to make my flight, so he started speeding. Nothing crazy, but about 10-15 miles over the speed limit. Well of course, a police officer spots him and pulls Barry over for speeding. Barry tried to explain, but no go, and he got a speeding ticket. Now Barry thinks that I should pay for half the ticket because the reason he was speeding was to get me to the airport on time. It wasn't my fault he was late picking me up. Do you think I should have to pitch in? I don't. Looking forward to hearing what others think. Tha...

DOJ: Man pleads guilty to transporting stolen property

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:36 GMT

DOJ: Man pleads guilty to transporting stolen property ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A citizen of China who was residing in Colonie pleaded guilty to transporting stolen property across state lines on Thursday. Wu Feng Zhang, 54, admitted to stealing property from several states in 2022 worth about $100,000, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! The DOJ says Zheng admitted that between June and December 2022, he stole merchandise from several home improvement stores in Pennsylvania, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and New York. Zheng later took these stolen items to his residence in Colonie.Homeland Security Investigations searched his residence on January 11, 2023, and reportedly found about $100,000 worth of stolen merchandise. When sentenced, Zheng faces a maximum term of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years.

Letters: So far, Denver mayor focused on his campaign issue of tackling homeless crisis

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:36 GMT

Letters: So far, Denver mayor focused on his campaign issue of tackling homeless crisis Mayor Johnston’s focus, one month inOn the evening of Aug. 3, I attended an open forum at the Most Precious Blood Church in South Denver; the speaker was Mayor Mike Johnston. The conference hall was standing room only, and the attendees were obviously concerned residents and interested in the mayor’s plans to deal with the “unhoused” in Denver.Initially, I was prepared to be skeptical and critical of his plan to provide housing for 1,000 homeless before the end of the year. Mayor Johnston referred to his plan as “home for the holidays.” The mayor was forthright, clearly responding to questions, some of which would have intimidated the best-intended speaker. He answered each question with compassion and understanding.He provided some statistics which were not politically sugar-coated but realistic and honest. He admitted that the City of Denver — we — all have a challenge and a stake in his plan’s success. Later, when reading The ...

Ask Amy: Boundary-bouncer experiences backslide

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:36 GMT

Ask Amy: Boundary-bouncer experiences backslide Dear Amy: My wife and I have a strained relationship with my parents, who live out of state.They stay with us and our two young children about twice a year.Some of their visits have been rocky (two years ago they visited us while having active cases of Covid, and didn’t tell us in advance that they were ill).My mother and I went through therapy to work on our relationship, and now I set boundaries and ask that these boundaries be respected.We offered to host my parents for five days on their most recent visit, as any more time with them would be hard on us.After the visit, which went well, my mom asked why they were allowed to stay for only five days. She said they would have liked to stay longer.How should I respond?— Boundary-building BobDear Bob: I appreciate your question, because your experience highlights a typical trajectory with a chronic boundary-bouncer.You identified this problem and took it to a therapist (a great choice!), and your mother joined you there (a...

Countering irregular migration: Better EU border management

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:36 GMT

Countering irregular migration: Better EU border management The influx of migrants and the security of external borders is a challenge for Europe. Learn more about how Parliament is addressing the situation.To counter irregular migration, the EU is strengthening border controls, improving the management of new arrivals and making returns of illegal migrants more efficient. It is also working to bolster legal labour migration and deal more efficiently with asylum applications.Read more about the EU response to migration.What is irregular migration?Irregular migration is the movement of people from non-EU countries across EU borders without complying with the legal requirements for entry, stay, or residence in one or more EU countries.Number of illegal border crossings into EuropeIn 2015, there was a significant increase in the number of illegal border crossings into the EU. According to data from Frontex, the EU's border agency, there were more than 1.8 million illegal border crossings, the highest number ever recorded. Since then, the number...

California man who stole his wife’s car and ran her over with it is arrested, police say

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:36 GMT

California man who stole his wife’s car and ran her over with it is arrested, police say A Los Angeles man was arrested on Wednesday, August 16, after stealing his wife’s car and running her over with it, Menifee police said.The 43-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, felony spousal abuse, assault with a deadly weapon, battery with great bodily injury, and other crimes. A gang member, he also was the subject of an arrest warrant for a parole violation and a felony no-bail warrant for being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to police.The fight with his wife occurred on Monday in the 20000 Block of La Prada Way in Menifee.The victim had face and body injuries and was transported to a hospital. The man fled, but later was arrested..He was booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center.Anyone experiencing or at risk of domestic violence can get help by calling the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Arrest made in MLK Jr. Regional Shoreline killing Crime and Public Safety...

Man accused in deadly Southern California 7-Eleven robbery rampage to face trial, judge rules

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:36 GMT

Man accused in deadly Southern California 7-Eleven robbery rampage to face trial, judge rules A Los Angeles man who admitted during a police interview to a string of shootings that left three people dead in the midst of a wave of robberies at convenience stores and fast-food restaurants across Southern California in 2022 was ordered by an Orange County Superior Court judge on Thursday to stand trial.Malik Patt, 21, during a videotaped interview publicly shown for the first time in court this week, acknowledged carrying out a series of robberies, killings and attempted killings at 7-Eleven, Subway and doughnut stores in Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.Patt during the police interrogation didn’t give a clear motive for the killings, though he implied that race may have played a factor as to why he shot some people and not others. He initially denied knowing anything about the crimes, until detectives told him that family members had identified him from surveillance footage.Patt acknowledged killing a homeless man outside a 7-Eleven he robbed in North...

Three-bedroom home in Palo Alto sells for $2.5 million

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:36 GMT

Three-bedroom home in Palo Alto sells for $2.5 million 4191 Coulombe Drive – Google Street ViewA 1,211-square-foot house built in 1952 has changed hands. The property located in the 4100 block of Coulombe Drive in Palo Alto was sold on July 21, 2023. The $2,500,000 purchase price works out to $2,064 per square foot. The layout of this single-story home includes three bedrooms and one bath. Inside, there is a fireplace. In addition, the home provides a two-car garage, granting ample space for parking and storage purposes. The property occupies a sizable 6,944-square-foot lot.Additional houses have recently been sold nearby:A 2,058-square-foot home on the 4100 block of Coulombe Drive in Palo Alto sold in July 2022, for $2,850,000, a price per square foot of $1,385. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.On Arastradero Road, Palo Alto, in August 2022, a 2,652-square-foot home was sold for $4,300,000, a price per square foot of $1,621. The home has 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms.In February 2023, a 1,420-square-foot home on Maybell Avenue in P...