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New cruise brand Explora hunts for place in crowded luxury space

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

MIAMI — New luxury cruise brand Explora Journeys isn’t counting on experienced cruisers to try out its first ship, Explora I. The new venture created by the people behind MSC Cruises are hunting for people who have never sailed before.“We have this space for a true European luxury brand that is like a luxury hotel or luxury resort you usually travel to, but on the ocean,” said line CEO Michael Ungerer, speaking aboard the 63,900-gross-ton ship when it arrived to Miami earlier this month to begin a winter sailing season in the Caribbean.The ship features six restaurants, 12 bars and lounges as well as a chef’s kitchen. The shipwide design is a mix of modern lines, but every space seems filled with unique curiosities that manage to feel like each is on display in a modern museum, not an antique shop.The color scheme exudes earthy tones. Waltzing through the coffee lounge feels like walking through a caramel-filled chocolate confection. Restaurants have their own individuality such as ...

What’s hot and what’s not in interior design for 2024. It’s all about the personality and character.

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

It’s been quite a year for interior design. As houses are swept off the market in minutes after listing and new homeowners tackle what they want their home to be like, 2023 was marked with white, clean designs along with minimalism, shiplap and fast furniture. The design world has shifted gears for 2024, ushering in an era of quartz, vintage furniture, wallpaper, cozy and divided interiors and bold colors and design. Sharon McCormick of Sharon McCormick Designs shared some tips on what’s hot and what’s not for the new year.What’s hot for 2024In the kitchen, it’s all about the quartz. Quartz and quartzite countertops have become all the rage versus granite, marble or laminate. Quartz has earned the top spot for its color selection, durability and scratch resistance.As far as design in kitchens, wood grain kitchen cabinets, particularly white oak, or cabinets in vibrant colors are taking over from the white kitchens that were in the last few years. Statement hoods also make a big diff...

Diabetes and obesity rising in young Americans, study finds

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

Fenit Nirappil | (TNS) Miami HeraldDiabetes and obesity are rising among young adults in the United States, an alarming development that puts them at higher risk for heart disease, according to a study of 13,000 people between 20 and 44 years old.The authors of the study, published in March in a major medical journal, warn the trends could have major public health implications: a rising generation dying prematurely of heart attacks, strokes and other complications. And Black and Hispanic people, particularly Mexican Americans, would bear the brunt.“We’re witnessing a smoldering public health crisis,” Rishi K. Wadhera, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and one of the study authors, wrote in an email.Deaths from heart attacks and other effects of cardiovascular illnesses have been declining in the United States because of medical advances in prevention and treatment. That progress stagnated during the past decade.The study, published in the Journal of the Ameri...

An opioid-like drink is masquerading as a wholesome alcohol alternative

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

Teresa Xie, Immanual John Milton | Bloomberg News (TNS)When Krista Marquick discovered kratom, it filled a hole in her life that quitting alcohol had left — kratom is often served at specialized bars, so it provided a way to socialize with friends and unwind after work without, she thought, the risk of addiction.Within a few months, Marquick found herself with a brand new addiction that left her feeling, as she put it, “out of control.” On bad days, she spent $80 on kratom. She bought $10 kratom drinks and $20 concentrated extracts, drinking them when she woke up, during her lunch hour and after work. Some nights, she wouldn’t be able to sleep because of withdrawals, leaving her house at midnight to get her fix.“Your tolerance builds up so fast on kratom,” Marquick said. “So you’re constantly spending more and more money, and you’re having to use more and more kratom.”Kratom is a drink extracted from a plant native to Southeast Asia that’s become increasingly popular in ...

Man charged with father’s murder in Wareham

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

A Wareham man has been charged after allegedly fatally shooting his father on Monday, the Plymouth DA Timothy Cruz announced Tuesday.Robert Gomes III pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Wareham District Court, the DA’s release stated. He is facing murder, firearm assault to murder a person over 60 years old, and numerous other assault and firearm charges, and was held without bail.At approximately 3:35 p.m. Monday, Wareham Police received several 911 reporting a shooting, including one from the defendant, the release stated.Officers and medical personnel found a man on the rear porch steps with a gunshot wound to the chest, the DA said. The victim, identified as 61-year-old Robert Gomes Jr., was pronounced dead at the scene.Police stated they found several shell casings and a black duffel bag containing a “ghost gun” with an obliterated serial number at the scene.Following the findings, state police obtained an arrest warrant for the son, and he was taken into...

Motorcyclist killed in hit-and-run crash identified; suspect arrested

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

CAMPO, Calif. -- A motorcyclist was killed in a hit-and-run crash last week in the Campo area, authorities said.The collision occurred Thursday, Nov. 23, around 5:28 p.m. on Sheridan Rd., located west of Custer Rd, Officer Jared Grieshaber with the California Highway Patrol said in a news release Monday.According to authorities, a 45-year-old man driving a 2015 Jeep Wrangler was traveling westbound on Sheridan Rd. when his vehicle crossed over the into the eastbound lane and collided with a 2020 Kawasaki motorcycle driven by a 26-year-old man. Body found inside hole in Linda Vista The motorcyclist died from his injuries while the driver of the Jeep left the scene, per CHP. The victim has been identified by the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office as 26-year-old Austin Nathaniel Spirz, of Campo. On Friday, authorities found and arrested the 45-year-old hit-and-run suspect, who was not identified, at a home in Campo. He was booked into San Diego County Jail.If anyone has infor...

Family of Los Angeles deputy killed in ambush shooting plans to sue county over forced overtime

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The parents of a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy who was shot and killed while sitting in his patrol car plan to file a lawsuit accusing the sheriff’s department and county leaders of putting law enforcement officers at risk by making them work excessive overtime, an attorney announced Tuesday.Investigators said Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer, 30, was ambushed Sept. 16 while waiting for a traffic light to change in Palmdale, a city of more than 167,000 residents in the high desert of northern LA County.Prosecutors have charged Kevin Cataneo Salazar, 29, with one count of murder, plus special circumstance allegations of murder of a peace officer, murder committed by lying in wait, murder committed by firing from a car and personal use of a firearm. Cataneo Salazar has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.Attorney Brad Gage, who represents the slain deputy’s parents, said in a government claim filed Monday that Clinkunbroomer was forced to work...

Small plane crashes into car on Minnesota roadway; pilot and driver suffer only minor injuries

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. (AP) — The pilot of a small airplane and a car’s driver both escaped with minor injuries Tuesday after the plane crashed into the car in suburban Minneapolis.The accident happened just after 10:30 a.m. on a county road in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. Police said it appeared that the plane was approaching Crystal Airport when it experienced a mechanical problem and lost power. The pilot tried to make an emergency landing on the county road, striking power lines before reaching the ground and colliding with the car.The 23-year-old pilot was alone in the single-engine plane and was treated at the scene for minor injuries, police said. The 32-year-old man driving on the roadway was alone in his vehicle and was taken to a hospital with what police described as minor injuries.The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.The Associated Press

Former Google executive ends longshot bid for Dianne Feinstein’s US Senate seat in California

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A former California tech executive is ending her longshot campaign for the U.S. Senate seat once held by the late Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, she announced Tuesday.Democrat Lexi Reese said in a statement that she has been unable to raise the many millions of dollars needed for a first-time candidate to introduce herself to voters across the nation’s most populous state. She called for term limits and campaign finance reform “so the cost to enter is not insurmountable for most people.”“Career politicians have institutional, press, and party support that is very difficult to replicate as an outsider,” Reese said.The former Google and Facebook executive joined the crowded contest in June, positioning herself as “a new candidate with a fresh message.” She was never able to break into the top tier of candidates that includes Democratic U.S. Reps. Katie Porter, Adam Schiff and Barbara Lee. Federal records through the end of September showed Reese raised over $1.8 ...

High-fat flight is first jetliner to make fossil-fuel-free transatlantic crossing from London to NY

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

LONDON (AP) — The first commercial airliner to cross the Atlantic on a purely high-fat, low-emissions fuel flew Tuesday from London to New York in a step toward achieving what supporters called “jet zero.”The Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787 flight was powered without using fossil fuels, relying on so-called sustainable aviation fuel made up largely of tallow and other waste fats.“The world will always assume something can’t be done, until you do it,” said Virgin founder Richard Branson, who was aboard the flight with others including corporate and government officials, engineers and journalists.The U.K. Transport Department, which provided 1 million pounds ($1.27 million) to plan and operate the flight, called the test a “huge step towards jet zero” to make air travel more environmentally friendly, though large hurdles remain in making the fuel widely available.While governments have long talked about decarbonizing air travel, the transition has been moving at the pace ...