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The ancient ways of natural wine are finding new fans in the Bay Area and beyond

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:41 GMT

SONOMA  — Wine made in ancient ways is gaining new fans.Natural wine — which emphasizes sustainability and minimal processing — is seeing growing interest in the U.S even though overall wine consumption has been declining since 2015, according to IWSR Drinks Market Analysis, a research firm. While natural and other sustainable wines made up less than 1% of sales in 2021, demand was rising faster than the wine category as a whole, according to alcohol delivery site Drizly.Generally, natural wine is made with hand-picked organic grapes that haven’t been sprayed with herbicides or pesticides. Once they’re crushed — sometimes by foot, the way they were crushed by ancient Romans — they are naturally fermented with no added water, yeast or other ingredients. Some natural winemakers add sulfites, a chemical found naturally in grapes, as a preservative; others don’t. Some filter their wines; others leave them cloudy and full of sediment.The result is wines that are earthy, savory and less p...

SJPD, Santa Clara County to work together on alternative to jail time for DUI offenders

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:41 GMT

(BCN) -- Beginning on Monday, the San Jose Police Department will partner with Santa Clara County on a pilot program that gives SJPD officers the option of taking first time misdemeanor Driving Under the Influence arrestees to the Mission Street Recovery Station or MSRS instead of booking them into Santa Clara County Jail.The MSRS is a non-secured facility operated by Santa Clara County that provides a voluntary, short-term stay for individuals who are not safe to remain in the community due to intoxication.Since late 2018, San Jose police officers have used the MSRS as an alternative to incarceration for eligible inebriated individuals, allowing them to regain functionality in a safe place as the effects of alcohol intoxication subside."This partnership between the County of Santa Clara and the San Jose Police Department to assist individuals in a community setting serves to improve the health and safety of all residents," said Javier Aguirre, Director of the Office of Diversion an...

Report: France player who laughed during minute’s silence for war victims asked to give explanation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:41 GMT

PARIS (AP) — France defender Jean-Clair Todibo has reportedly been asked by the French soccer federation’s ethics body to explain himself after he was filmed laughing during a a minute’s silence in memory of the victims of the war between Israel and Hamas.The minute’s silence, which also paid tribute to a teacher killed in France by a suspected extremist, was held before France’s 2-1 win over the Netherlands on Friday in a European Championship qualifier.The French federation did not immediately respond to a request for comment.According to L’Equipe newspaper, the ethics body wrote to the Nice player to ask him to explain himself.“We are officially asking Mr. Todibo for explanations of his incomprehensible attitude during the minute’s silence,” Patrick Anton, the president of the ethics body, was quoted as saying. ”If they are not satisfactory, we will refer his case to the French federation’s disciplinary committee.”Todibo, who received a late call-up ...

Punchy aromatics brighten the saucy chicken braise of Nigerian red stew

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:41 GMT

When cooks in Nigeria want long-cooked flavor in minutes, they turn to obe ata. Similar to a Spanish or Italian sofrito, the tomato-red pepper sauce often is made in big batches, then used as the flavor base for soup, cooked down for a dip, mixed with eggs like shakshuka, or ladled over fried fish.Punched up with aromatic flavorings such as ginger, fresh chilies and curry powder, obe ata most often is thinned with broth for what’s simply called red stew. One of Nigeria’s signature dishes, the stew is a saucy braise with several types of meats.For this simplified version from our book “Cook What You Have,” which draws on pantry staples to assemble easy, weeknight meals, we pared down the meat to bone-in chicken parts, which we season with curry powder, salt and black pepper. And we rely on canned tomatoes and jarred roasted red peppers for convenience.We puree the ingredients in a blender to make a quick sauce, then brown the chicken in a Dutch oven before setting it aside. Simmering...

Humanitarian aid is stuck at Gaza-Egypt border as Israeli siege strains hospitals

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:41 GMT

A Palestinian girl wounded during an Israeli airstrike receives medical treatment at al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)(AP/Adel Hana) A Palestinian girl wounded during an Israeli airstrike receives medical treatment at al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)(AP/Adel Hana) RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinians in besieged Gaza crowded into hospitals and schools on Monday, seeking shelter and running low on food and water. More than a million people have fled their homes ahead of an expected Israeli ground invasion aimed at destroying Hamas after its fighters rampaged through southern Israel.As ...

2 transported to hospital after dog attack in Florida City

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:41 GMT

Emergency responders were called to an area in Florida City after reports of a dog attack to at least two people.Just before 8:15 a.m., Florida City Police and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue (MDFR) units arrived at the area of 369 SW 4th St. to aid in the scene. According to MDFR, two people were transported to local hospitals. One was transported via ambulance while another person needed to be airlifted. As of this writing, their condition is unknown.Authorities have been contacted for more information. Please check back on WSVN.com and 7News for more details on this developing story.

Thieves in Florida use tractor trailers to steal more than $1.6 million in alcohol from US distributor

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:41 GMT

(CNN) — An investigation is underway in Florida after burglars used tractor trailers to steal more than $1.6 million worth of alcohol from a distribution company that carries brands including Jose Cuervo and Malibu.The theft began during the early morning hours on July 8 at Republic National Distributing Company, located in Hillsborough County south of Tampa, according to a newly unsealed search warrant obtained by CNN on October 5.Between between 4:10 a.m. and 9:45 a.m., the thieves removed 4,277 cases of liquor from the company that also distributes alcohol from Franzia Wines and Sutter Home Winery, according to the search warrant, which was issued for an Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max.Authorities believe there is probable cause that the phone “contains specific information, technical data and evidence” showing that a burglary and grand theft took place, according to the warrant.The thieves, referred to in the document as “unknown suspects,” also removed digital video reco...

Michael Caine announces retirement, confirming ‘The Great Escaper’ will be his last film

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:41 GMT

(CNN) — Michael Caine, the British film star whose career has spanned eight decades and featured movies from “The Italian Job” to “The Dark Knight,” has confirmed his retirement from acting.The two-time Oscar winner, who is 90, made the announcement on BBC Radio 4’s “Best of Today” podcast on Saturday.“I keep saying I’m going to retire,” said Caine, adding: “Well, I am now.”He confirmed that “The Great Escaper,” which was released earlier this month, will be his last acting gig, saying: “I’ve played the lead and it’s got incredible reviews. The only parts I’m going to get now are old men – 90-year-old men, or maybe 85, you know – and I thought well I might as well leave with all this. I’ve got wonderful reviews. What am I going to do to beat this?”Caine starred alongside the late Glenda Jackson in the movie, playing Bernard Jordan, a 90-year-old who absconds from a care home to attend the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings in France.“We had a great time on the movie and I though...

Germany plans new checks at Polish, Czech, Swiss borders

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:41 GMT

Germany is introducing additional checks on the border with Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland in an ongoing effort to curb the influx of asylum seekers into the country.German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser announced Monday she has notified the European Commission of the internal border controls as a way to “step up the fight against smuggling and limit irregular migration,” according to the interior ministry. The new checks will be implemented starting Monday and will initially be carried out for 10 days, with the possibility of an extension for up to two months.“The business of the smugglers is becoming more and more brutal and unscrupulous,” Faeser said. “It is now necessary to take all possible measures to stop this cruel business with people’s lives.”This is the latest move amid the German government’s efforts to crack down on illegal migration and curb the growing numbers of asylum seekers entering Germany, many of whom are now crossing the borders of Polan...

Norway’s foreign minister ousted after weapons-maker shares scandal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:41 GMT

Norway’s Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt was dismissed Monday by Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre as part of a government reshuffle, after it was revealed that her husband had been making financial deals that could have affected her ministerial duties.In August, Huitfeldt herself announced that her husband, Ola Petter Flem, had traded the shares of companies that could have been affected by her decisions as foreign minister — including arms manufacturer Kongsberg Gruppen, in which the Norwegian state is a majority shareholder. “The matters concerning the purchase and sale of shares and competence are part of the justification” for Huitfeldt’s ouster, the Norwegian prime minister said Monday according to Norway’s public broadcaster NRK.“Trust is something we must take care of and be responsible for. We do that today,” Støre added, explaining the ruling Labour Party, which currently heads a minority coalition government with the Center ...