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Travel Troubleshooter: My Allstate Rewards gift card didn’t work on my Princess cruise

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:12:43 GMT

DEAR TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER: We had $1,800 in prepaid gift cards on our Princess cruise through Allstate Rewards. On the second day of our Princess cruise, my wife and I attempted to pay a portion of the bill with the gift cards, but the cruise line would only accept $800.Christopher Elliott, the Travel Troubleshooter A Princess representative tried multiple times over most of the remainder of the 14-day cruise to identify and correct the problem. He determined that the vendor had not funded the cards, and that my wife and I needed to contact Allstate Rewards directly.I called Allstate Rewards from the ship. An Allstate Rewards representative told me we needed to contact Princess guest services because “Princess Cruise Line is responsible for Princess gift cards.” Princess had told me the opposite — that Allstate was responsible.Later on in the cruise, I received an email from Allstate Rewards stating, “Due to the amount of time since your order was place...

California is losing population and building new houses. When will home prices come down?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:12:43 GMT

This month Californians worried about the cost of housing were offered the rarest of gifts: a glimmer of hope.New numbers released by the Newsom administration show that California added homes to its housing stock at a faster clip than any time since the Great Recession — 123,350 additional units, or an increase of 0.85%.Over that same period, the state’s population declined, marking the third year in a row that it’s fallen from one new year to the next.Put those two numbers together and a surprising statistic emerges: There are now more homes per person — 3,770 units for every 10,000 Californians — than there have been since at least 1991.For a state that has long suffered from too many people trying to cram themselves into too few homes, that’s an encouraging number at first glance.It’s also the kind of news that might lead a person to wonder: Does this California exodus mean the state’s perennial housing shortage is finally coming to an end?The long answer is “it’s complicated.”T...

CHP search for suspect in fatal hit-and-run on Hwy 101

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:12:43 GMT

(KRON) -- The California Highway Patrol is searching for the suspect who they said hit a pedestrian on Highway 101 late Saturday night and fled the scene. Around 11:47 p.m., officers responded to reports of a big rig versus pedestrian accident.Police said when they got to the scene, they found a man lying in the road on northbound Highway 101 north of Tully Road in San Jose. And investigation uncovered that the victim, a driver for the Alongi Brothers Towing Company, was driving his tow truck when he pulled over to the right shoulder. The driver then got out of his truck and walked into traffic lanes in an apparent effort to retrieve something, according to officials. Good Samaritan killed in hit-and-run in Fremont on Mother’s Day Police said a white Toyota Rav4 then hit the man, who sustained fatal injuries. Officers said another vehicle ran over the body before a big rig stopped in front of the body and called police. The big rig driver remained on the scene until CHP personnel ...

Nigerian Afrobeat star Kuti arrested over alleged police assault

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:12:43 GMT

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — A Nigerian Afrobeat star was arrested Monday after being accused of assaulting a police officer in the commercial hub of Lagos.Seun Kuti was detained at the Lagos State police headquarters after turning himself in, according to police spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin, who tweeted photos of the celebrity in handcuffs.The son of Nigerian musical icon and political agitator Fela, who himself was serially detained by Nigerian military regimes, Kuti was “captured on video assaulting a police officer in uniform,” the police said.Videos posted online appeared to show an agitated Kuti pushing a police officer as the officer stood beside a police vehicle along a major road in Lagos on Saturday.It was unclear what led to the confrontation, though Kuti tweeted that the officer in question “tried to kill me and my family.” He suggested the officer tried to ram their car.Inspector General of Police Usman Alkali Baba ordered an investigation into the incident. The inspector ge...

76ers have questions to solve on Harden, Rivers after another 2nd-round exit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:12:43 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Trust the Process?Joel Embiid doesn’t even trust his teammates. At least the ones not named James Harden, just the players — ones like Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxey that he’s won a lot of games with over the years — that he deemed didn’t rise to the occasion for the Philadelphia 76ers.Yet, when the 76ers truly needed Embiid to play like an MVP, where was he?Embiid scored just 15 points in Game 7 against Boston in a landmark defeat that thrust the franchise into its most pivotal offseason since 2013 when it launched the decade-long program toward a championship.Doc Rivers might not come back. Harden, too.Embiid will return, though, saying all the right things about how much he cares and wants to win all while the stench of a third Game 7 loss in the Eastern Conference semifinals since 2019 lingers over Philly.Jalen Hurts led the Eagles to the Super Bowl. Bryce Harper took the Phillies to the World Series. Embiid’s legacy in Philly is quickly getting stamped as a ...

Don’t miss this week: Jack Harlow on screen, Kesha, Anna Nicole Smith doc and Scott brothers on HGTV

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:12:43 GMT

This week’s new streaming options include rapper Jack Harlow’s acting debut, the return of Kesha and new projects for an heart-warming HGTV show. Here’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music and video game platforms this week.NEW MOVIES TO STREAM— Three decades after Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson mixed it up on the black top, a new “White Men Can’t Jump” has next. A remake of that 1992 film teams Sinqua Walls and rapper Jack Harlow as a pair of basketball players who hustle hoops for money and compete in a lucrative three-on-three tournament. The film, which debuts Friday on Hulu, is directed by Calmatic and co-written by Kenya Barris (“black-ish”). In it, Harlow makes his acting debut.— Anna Nicole Smith gets the Netflix documentary treatment in “Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me.” The film, debuting Tuesday, chronicles Smith’s life as a model, Playboy playmate and reality st...

Incendio deja a 8 personas desplazadas en el condado Frederick

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:12:43 GMT

Al menos cuatro casas en Brunswick, Maryland, resultaron dañadas en un incendio la madrugada del lunes, informaron las autoridades.Una casa unifamiliar de dos pisos ubicada en la cuadra 600 de East H Street se incendió alrededor de las 3:20 a.m. y las llamas se extendieron a las casas aledañas, según el Departamento de Bomberos y Rescate del Condado Frederick.Los bomberos desalojaron de manera segura a los ocupantes de las casas. No se reportaron heridos.El fuego fue extinguido alrededor de las 5:30 a.m. Los equipos de bomberos permanecen en el lugar. Niña de 10 años resulta herida de bala en un automóvil al noroeste de DC Oficiales de Maryland descubren a mujer secuestrada dentro de un camión U-Haul tras persecución Cinco adultos, tres niños y varias mascotas que fueron desplazados están siendo asistidos por la Cruz Roja.“Los residentes aquí se mudaron rápidamente. Cuando las primeras casas comenzaron a evacuarse, fueron a otras ...

Sports on TV for Tuesday, May 16

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:12:43 GMT

(All times Eastern)Schedule subject to change and/or blackoutsTuesday, May 166 p.m.BTN — Evansville at IndianaHIGH SCHOOL LACROSSE (BOY’S)5 p.m.ESPNU — GEICO Showcase: Avon Old Farms (Conn.) vs Taft School (Conn.), Watertown, Conn.IIHF HOCKEY (MEN’S)9 a.m.NHLN — World Championship Group Stage: Slovenia vs. Norway, Group B, Riga, Latvia1 p.m.NHLN — World Championship Group Stage: Switzerland vs. Kazakhstan, Group B, Riga, LatviaMLB BASEBALL8 p.m.TBS — Chicago Cubs at Houston10 p.m.MLBN — Regional Coverage: Minnesota at LA Dodgers OR Philadelphia at San Francisco (9:30 p.m.)NBA BASKETBALL8 p.m.ESPN — NBA Draft Lottery 2023: From New York8:40 p.m.ESPN — Western Conference Final: LA Lakers at Denver, Game 1ESPN2 — Western Conference Final: LA Lakers at Denver, Game 1 (NBA in Stephen A.’s World)SOCCER (MEN’S)3 p.m.CBS — UEFA Champions League: AC Milan at Inter Milan, Semifinals, Leg 2TENNIS5 a.m.TENNIS — Italian Open-WTA Quarterfinals, Italian Open-ATP Early Rounds6 a.m.TENNIS — Italian ...

UK promises attack drones, more missiles for Ukraine as Zelenskyy meets Sunak on European tour

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:12:43 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s prime minister promised Monday to provide Ukraine with attack drones and hundreds more missiles as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the U,K. to drum up support in advance of a counteroffensive against Russian forces.Prime Minister Rishi Sunak greeted Zelenskyy with a handshake and a hug after he landed by helicopter at Chequers, the British leader’s official country retreat. It’s Zelenskyy’s second trip to the U.K. since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.Zelenskyy thanked Britain for its support so far, and said the war was a matter of “security not only for Ukraine, it is important for all of Europe.” Sunak told Zelenskyy that “your leadership, your country’s bravery and fortitude are an inspiration to us all.”This is the fifth European country Zelenskky has visited in the past three days, after Italy, the Vatican, Germany and France. He is seeking more aid as Ukraine prepares a long-anticipated spring offensive to reta...

Leão likely to return for AC Milan in 2nd leg of Champions League semifinals

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:12:43 GMT

MILAN (AP) — AC Milan will likely have its top player back for the second leg of the Champions League semifinals on Tuesday.Winger Rafael Leão was out with a right thigh problem when Milan lost the opening leg 2-0 to city rival Inter Milan last week.“If today’s training goes OK, Leão will start,” Milan coach Stefano Pioli said Monday.Leão was named Serie A’s most valuable player when Milan won the Italian league last year. He was also instrumental when Milan eliminated Napoli in the quarterfinals.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsSource