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Elton John lends celebrity testimony to Kevin Spacey’s sexual assault trial

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:40 GMT

LONDON — Kevin Spacey ‘s lawyers enlisted the help of an A-list star Monday in his sexual assault trial, calling on Elton John and his husband to cast doubt on one of the Oscar winner’s accusers at the end of the defense case.John appeared briefly in the London court by video link from Monaco after his husband, David Furnish, testified that Spacey did not attend an annual gala ball at their Windsor home at the time that the accuser said he was attacked in a car.John was the final witness for the defense and was followed by character testimonials from colleagues, friends and family that had Spacey in tears in the dock when they were read aloud by his lawyer in Southwark Crown Court.Spacey, 63, has pleaded not guilty to a dozen charges that include sexual and indecent assault counts and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.One of the alleged victims said he was driving Spacey to the White Tie & Tiara Ball in 2004 or 2005 when the a...

Mayo Clinic Q&A: Is there a wrong way — or time — to nap?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:40 GMT

(TNS) Mayo Clinic News NetworkDEAR MAYO CLINIC: I am retired, and although I generally enjoy less hectic days now, I keep busy. Part of my routine includes trying to squeeze in a nap on most afternoons. My wife tells me that I’m doing it wrong because I often wake up groggy. Is there a wrong way — or time — to nap?ANSWER: Closing your eyes for a few minutes during your busy day may seem like a good idea. It can refresh and recharge you. Is there a wrong way to nap? Only if the naps cause negative effects on other aspects of your life.For your daily nap routine, it’s important to consider the time of day and length of time you nap, as these can provide benefits or create problems.On the plus side, a nap can improve your mood, speed your reaction time, improve your memory, reduce fatigue and increase your alertness. A regular nap can make your afternoon more productive.There are some potential drawbacks of napping every day. First is sleep inertia. It’s the temporary...

Nutrition: 6 key foods to incorporate into a healthy diet

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:40 GMT

There’s no doubt that eating fewer ultra-processed foods is beneficial for cardiovascular health. However, eating a healthful diet is not just about eating fewer processed foods, but consuming adequate amounts of certain nutrient-dense foods. In fact, researchers have determined that not eating enough of six key foods is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and stroke, in adults.The World Health Organization estimates that cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounts for nearly one-third of all deaths worldwide. The results of a study spanning 80 countries and 245,000 subjects published this month in the European Heart Journal found that the top foods to lower CVD risk are fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts, fish and whole milk dairy products. They also found that whole grains and unprocessed meats can be included in a healthful dietary pattern in moderation.Based on the research findings, a dietary pattern beneficial for cardiovascular health shou...

Joel Embiid would leave Sixers for championship goal: ‘I don’t know where that’s going to be’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:40 GMT

As uncertainty swirls around the Sixers and the Knicks maintain their chest of trade assets, Joel Embiid acknowledged that achieving his goal may not happen in Philadelphia.“I just want to win a championship. Whatever it takes. I don’t know where that’s going be,” Embiid said last week at the inaugural UNINTERRUPTED Film Festival.  “Whether it’s in Philly or anywhere else. I just want to have a chance to accomplish that. I want to see what it feels like to win that first one and then you can think about the next one. It’s not easy. It takes more than one or two or three guys.”Embiid’s comment, which was delivered after interviewer Maverick Carter asked about the center’s future, comes after the Sixers, a perennial playoff disappointment, were again eliminated in the second round, fired head coach Doc Rivers and James Harden requested a trade.As the Daily News reported, Embiid has been mentioned for months around league...

Boston Mayor Wu says City Council violated local, state law with budget override vote

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:40 GMT

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu nullified a budget override vote the City Council took last month that included raises for a municipal labor union, saying that the body violated the city charter by inserting itself into collective bargaining.The funds intended in the override vote — which sought to increase the salaries of municipal protective services employees as part of an “inter-departmental shift” that would have decreased their overtime spending — will not be used for that purpose in the fiscal year 2024 budget, Wu told the Council in a Monday letter.“That purpose violates the city charter because it inserts the Council into collective bargaining negotiations,” Wu wrote, adding that state law also prohibits third parties from taking part in the bargaining process.Further, the $584,897 in funds approved for the salary increase is the “exact sum” this particular union, the Municipal Police Patrolmen’s Association, has requested in its collective bargaining negotiations with the city, W...

Mental health respite facilities are filling care gaps in over a dozen states

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:40 GMT

Cheryl Platzman Weinstock | KFF Health News (TNS)If you or someone you know may be experiencing a mental health crisis, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing “988,” or the Crisis Text Line by texting “HOME” to 741741.____Aimee Quicke has made repeated trips to emergency rooms, hospitals, behavioral health facilities, and psychiatric lockdowns for mental health crises — including suicidal thoughts — since she was 11.The 40-year-old resident of Le Mars, Iowa, has bipolar and obsessive-compulsive disorders. “Some of the visits were helpful and some were not,” she said. “It was like coming in and going out and just nothing different was happening.”Then she heard about Rhonda’s House, a rural peer respite program that opened on the other side of the state in 2018, through acquaintances in her community.That facility, and dozens of others like it established nationwide over the past 20 years, offers a short-term, homelike, nurturing environment for people who are experi...

Don't have a Comic-Con badge? Check out these events that don't require one

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:40 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- It's the final countdown to San Diego Comic-Con, with those who were able to snag one of the hard-to-get badges anxiously waiting to celebrate their favorite fandoms.For fans who weren't able to get one of the coveted badges, there's still plenty of ways to experience the excitement from outside the main event.From free experiences to separately ticketed events, here's some attractions outside the San Diego Convention that fans can check out without a badge. MORE: San Diego Comic-Con Comic-Con MuseumAn extension of the big convention, the Comic-Con Museum brings together renowned comics and popular arts in a vibrant space, celebrating the best in fandoms all year round. Featuring seasonal exhibits, hands-on activities, panels, movie screenings and other programming this is a great way to experience the magic of Comic-Con without a ticket for the big event. Ahead of Comic-Con, the museum will be debuting three new exhibits to their collection, including one featuring t...

Ocean Beach Pier temporarily closes for maintenance

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:40 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- The Ocean Beach Pier is closed on Monday for maintenance to the structure, the City of San Diego announced in a tweet.Crews will be working to repair the pier's pump station, which was damaged during the winter storms, throughout the week. However, the pier is expected to reopen to visitors on Tuesday as the maintenance continues.The pier was reopened at the beginning of July after a nearly six-month closure due to the powerful storms' battering of the structure. City officials closed the pier to visitors out of an abundance of caution until an assessment could be conducted.According to the city, only minor surface-level damage had been identified by a consultant during the inspection, specifically along on the pier's railings, buildings and sewer pumps. 1 found dead after East County structure fire The pump station is what crews are now working on repairing. When public access is restored later this week, the pier's restrooms will remain closed until maintenance is ...

Princess Diana’s iconic sheep sweater could fetch at least $50,000 at auction

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:40 GMT

LONDON (AP) — A red sweater adorned with a flock of sheep worn by the young Princess Diana is expected to sell for more than $50,000 at auction.The playfully patterned wool jumper featuring a single black sheep amid a pattern of white ones headlines Sotheby’s online Fashion Icons sale in September.The 19-year-old Lady Diana Spencer was photographed in the garment at a polo match in June 1981, soon after her engagement to Prince Charles, who was then heir to the British throne.Diana was already becoming a style icon —- and one of the world’s most photographed women — and the moment gave a big boost to designers Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne, who made the sweater for their small knitwear label Warm & Wonderful.A few weeks later, Muir and Osborne received an official letter from Buckingham Palace explaining that Diana had damaged the sweater and asking whether it could be repaired or replaced. The original was returned, showing damage to a sleeve the designers thought might have be...

Authorities in Oregon say the deaths of four women over three months are linked

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:40 GMT

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — The deaths of four women whose bodies were found over the course of three months in or near Portland, Oregon, are linked, and at least one person of interest has been identified, authorities said Monday.The Multnomah County District Attorney’s office in Portland, Oregon, says no charges have been filed against anyone but that the community is not currently in any danger. Local media reported that a man is in custody.The women’s bodies were found in Portland and in nearby cities of Gresham and Milwaukie starting in February, with the last one found in May. Authorities said the state medical examiner has not determined the cause or manner of death for any of the women.Authorities did not use the word “serial killer” in announcing the connection between the deaths. “Investigators and prosecutors from multiple law enforcement agencies have been working collaboratively … and they have determined that there are links between four cases: Kristin Smith, Charity Perr...