Elon Musk imposes daily limits on reading posts on Twitter

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Elon Musk has capped the number of tweets most Twitter users can see each day. He described the restrictions as an attempt to prevent unauthorized tapping of potentially valuable data from the social media platform. The site now requires users to log in to view tweets and profiles. That’s a change in longstanding practice that allows anyone to read the babble. The restrictions could result in users being banned from Twitter for a day after scrolling through several hundred tweets. Thousands of users complained on Saturday that they could not access the site. Musk said after facing backlash that he will raise the thresholds on how many tweets accounts can read per day.

After several turbulent days, flight disruptions are easing despite concerns over 5G signals

Learn more from the Citrus County Chronicle

Airline passengers, who have suffered tens of thousands of weather-related flight delays this week, got a welcome respite from the headache on Saturday, despite concerns over possible disruption from the rollout of new 5G wireless systems near major airports. Data compiled by tracking service FlightAware shows that flight delays and cancellations have declined from the spikes seen earlier in the week. Another tracking service shows that the cancellation rate in the US is around 1% on Saturday afternoon. A spokesman for the US Department of Transportation said air traffic has returned to “near normal” levels.

How the Supreme Court Student Loan Decision Affects You

NEW YORK (AP) — The Supreme Court has ruled that the Biden administration exceeded its powers in attempting to eliminate or reduce student loan debt, effectively nullifying the $400 billion plan. The court’s decision means that barring an order from Congress, these Americans can expect to be paid beginning in October. Still, borrowers concerned about their budget have options. For example, the government has other loan relief programs that are still in effect even after Biden’s plan has been scrapped.

Apple is now the first publicly traded company, valued at $3 trillion

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Apple is now the first public company to close a trading day with a market value of $3 trillion. This marks another milestone for a tech giant that has transformed society with a range of products that are stunningly profitable. Apple shares ended Friday up 2.3% at $193.97, taking its market value to $3.04 trillion. Apple is one of the few tech companies, including Microsoft and chipmaker Nvidia, to have helped the S&P 500 post a nearly 16% gain in the first half of the year.

Nokia renews patent license agreement with Apple for 5G and other technologies

HELSINKI (AP) – Network infrastructure and 5G technology provider Nokia has signed a new long-term patent license agreement with Apple to replace the current deal between the two companies, which expires at the end of the year. The deal, which allows Apple to use the Finnish company’s technology in its products, covers Nokia’s inventions in 5G and other technologies. The terms of the contract remain confidential. Nokia expects to begin generating revenue related to the agreement in January 2024, and the company said the agreement is consistent with its long-term guidance released in the first quarter.

Sánchez is visiting Kyiv on the day Spain begins the EU presidency to underscore the bloc’s support for Ukraine

MADRID (AP) – Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has kicked off Spain’s six-month presidency of the European Union with a lightning visit to Kiev to underscore the bloc’s support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s invasion. Sánchez arrived in the Ukrainian capital by train from Poland early on Saturday. The Spanish government said he would address Ukraine’s parliament at 08:30 GMT (4:30 a.m. EDT) and then meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The two will hold a press conference around 10:30am GMT (6:30am EDT). Zelenskyy announced the visit on Thursday in an address to European leaders gathered for a summit in Brussels. He emphasized the symbolism of the visit and the importance of the next six months for Europe.

The King of the Netherlands apologizes for his country’s role in slavery on the 150th anniversary of the abolition of slavery

AMSTERDAM (AP) — King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands has apologized for his country’s role in slavery and asked for forgiveness on the anniversary of the abolition of slavery in the Dutch colonies. During an emotional speech on Saturday, the king said he had commissioned a study into the role of the Royal House of Orange-Nassau in slavery. Recent research found that the king’s ancestors earned what is today’s equivalent of $595 million from it. Willem-Alexander said, “I beg your pardon for the apparent inaction in the face of this crime against humanity.” On July 1, 1863, slavery was abolished in Suriname and the Dutch colonies in the Caribbean. Most of the enslaved workers were forced to work on the plantations for another decade.

Russian attacks in Ukraine claim three dead and 17 wounded. Spain emphasizes European support for Kyiv

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) – Ukrainian officials have reported that three people were killed and 17 others wounded by Russian shelling in the east and south of the country. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s visit to Kiev began on Saturday as a sign of continued support from Madrid and the European Union for Ukraine’s fight to evict invading Russian forces from its sovereign territory. Sanchez told Ukraine’s parliament, “We will be by your side for as long as necessary.” Sanchez also promised further shipments of heavy weapons, including Leopard tanks. At a press conference with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Sanchez announced that Spain would continue to supply Ukraine with heavy weapons, including four Leopard tanks and armored personnel carriers, as well as a portable field hospital.

The Russian media watchdog blacklists media associated with mercenary boss Wagner

Russia’s media regulator has blacklisted at least five media outlets linked to Wagner mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin and blocked their websites in Russia. The move came a week after Wagner militants seized control of a Russian military headquarters and invaded Moscow in what appeared to be an attempted insurgency. Since Saturday, websites of the RIA FAN news agency and four online news portals controlled by Prigozhin’s media holding Patriot have appeared in the Communications Inspectorate’s online register of blacklisted websites. Unconfirmed reports in Russian news outlets on Friday claimed that Prigozhin himself ordered Patriot’s closure. He and his fighters evaded prosecution and were granted sanctuary in Belarus last week.

The Supreme Court rules for a designer who doesn’t want to create wedding websites for gay couples

WASHINGTON (AP) — The conservative majority of the Supreme Court has ruled that a Christian graphic artist who wants to design wedding websites can refuse to work with same-sex couples. The decision is a defeat for gay rights. The court ruled Friday 6-3 in favor of designer Lorie Smith, despite a Colorado law prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation, race, gender and other characteristics. Smith argued that the law violated her right to free speech. Smith’s opponents warned that a win for her would allow a number of companies to discriminate against customers. Judge Neil Gorsuch wrote for the court’s six conservative justices that the First Amendment envisions the United States where people “have the freedom to think and speak what they choose.”

preparation zone

Receive updates and player profiles ahead of Friday’s high school games, as well as Saturday’s recap with stories, photos and videos. Frequency: Seasonal Twice a week

Sign up today

Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The post AP Enterprise SummaryBrief at 5:48 a.m. EDT | NASCAR & Racing Information appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Dirt flies as horses race across the track. Fans cheer as their favorite thunders down the track, dashing hooves toward the finish line.

That sight and sound has disappeared from some North American racetracks, which have replaced the traditional dirt with a synthetic surface made of wax-coated sand, fibers and recycled rubber.

It cushions hoof strikes and limits kickback that could fly in the face of chasing horses.

From owners to trainers and jockeys to bettors, there is a fierce debate as to whether synthetic surfaces are a possible answer to creating safer training and racing conditions.

The death of 12 horses at Churchill Downs, including two on the day of the Kentucky Derby, last month reignited public outrage over what horse racing is doing to prevent catastrophic injuries.

Investigations into Churchill’s deaths are ongoing, including autopsies on the horses and surface soundings along the route.

Synthetic surfaces, known by brand names such as Tapeta and Polytrack, are gaining popularity in some major racing circuits.

Gulfstream Park in Florida added Tapeta in 2021 to match its clay and grass courts. Woodbine, near Toronto, switched from dirt to polytrack and then tapeta in 2016.

In 2015, Polytrack became the first track in North America to be installed at Turfway Park near Cincinnati, and was replaced by Tapeta five years later. There is a Tapeta track on the tiny Presque Isle Downs near Erie, Pennsylvania.

Statistics from The Jockey Club’s Equine Injury Database show that the surface with the fewest deaths per 1,000 horses is synthetic.

From 2009 to 2022 there were 534 fatalities on synthetic vehicles from 482,169 launches, or 1.11 per 1,000 launches. During the same period, there were 6,036 off-road fatalities from 3,242,505 launches, or 1.86 per 1,000 launches. And on grass, there were 1,032 fatalities from 728,445 starts, or 1.41 per 1,000 starts.

The overall fatal injury rate was 1.25 deaths per 1,000 starts in 2022, up from 1.39 the year before. According to the EID, this is the fourth consecutive year the rate has fallen and the first time since the database began in 2009 that the rate has been below 1.3 deaths per 1,000.

“In my opinion, synthetics are safer,” said veteran trainer Mark Casse, who estimates he starts about 1,200 horses a year on sand, grass and synthetics in the US and Canada.

However, it has not caught on everywhere.

California race officials ordered the switch from dirt tracks to synthetic tires in 2007. Santa Anita, the now-defunct Hollywood Park, and Del Mar north of San Diego spent millions ripping up their dirt tracks in what turned out to be a failed experiment.

Golden Gate Fields in the San Francisco Bay Area is the only California track that still uses synthetic circuits. Eight horses have died on this route this year – three of them had musculoskeletal problems; the others had different reasons.

“If there hadn’t been so many problems early on in California, we would probably all be racing on synthetic tracks,” Casse said, citing the steep initial learning curve associated with installing and maintaining such pads.

Drainage issues cost Santa Anita race days and subsequent installation of a different brand of plastic failed in extreme temperatures. The materials also wore out quickly under heavy use and often more pouring was required to maintain the right consistency.

“I think there were a lot of mistakes, but we’re a lot smarter now,” Casse said.

Dirt still reigns in Louisville, Kentucky; Baltimore and New York, where the Belmont Stakes will be played to conclude the Triple Crown on June 10th.

But change is underway.

In March, the New York Racing Association announced plans to build a 1-mile (1.6 km) synthetic oval at Belmont Park. When completed next spring, it will complement the existing 1 1/2 mile main field track and two grass pitches.

“This is exciting,” Casse said. “It’s a big step.”

Glen Kozak, NYRA’s senior vice president of operations and capital projects, said, “The new racetrack represents an investment in the future of Belmont Park, increasing horse safety, supporting field size in inclement weather, and providing riders with another year-round experience offers training opportunities.” ”

In late 2022, NYRA installed a tapeta surface on Belmont’s pony track, which is primarily used for horse jogging. It provided data on how a synthetic surface behaves in the New York cycle of freezing and thawing temperatures and snow and rain.

An advantage of synthetic surfaces is that they provide a consistent track in all weather conditions. Rain doesn’t force races to switch from the grass to a sloppy field course. Horses that specialize in walking on grass generally have little trouble on artificial grass and can still be competitive.

Hall-of-Fame trainer Shug McGaughey had success walking horses on synthetic material at Gulfstream last winter, although he’s not convinced that the surface is the be-all and end-all to preventing failure.

“I don’t think that will make them go away, but I think the stats show they’re safer than our regular dirt roads,” he said.

Steve Asmussen, North America’s premier trainer with over 10,000 career wins, has a harder time assessing his horses’ strengths and weaknesses and deciding which races to put them in when training on synthetic horses.

“Personally, I have a little trouble getting a clear idea of ​​how good a horse is when I’m training it on synthetics,” he said. “For me, it seems to put them all in the same place.”

The track surface is only one factor that contributes to the safety of horse and jockey.

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, the sport’s new national governing body, began its anti-doping and drug control program in late May, making next week’s Belmont Stakes the first Triple Crown race under its jurisdiction.

HISA’s racetrack safety program began last year and includes track surface maintenance and testing requirements.

The post Artificial surfaces gaining traction at main horse racing tracks appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) — San Francisco Bay is playing host this weekend to a new sailing competition called Sail GP. The races are short, the boats are very fast and, if Saturday’s crowd was any indication, it may be the wave of the future.

This is only the second season for Sail GP, an international sailing competition that patterns itself on the Grand Prix auto racing circuit. The 50-foot catamarans ride up out of the water on foils, turn on a dime and can reach speeds over 60 mph.

“Sail GP is all about high-adrenaline, close-to-shore racing,” said chief marketing officer Erica Kerner. “It is the fastest boats on the water. It’s absolutely incredible.”

Unlike America’s Cup, which is as much a technology competition as a boat race, Sail GP boats are identical so the races are won or lost by the skill of the sailors. This weekend is the season’s last event and the prelims will decide who joins the US and Australia in Sunday’s final, single-race sprint for a $1 million.

“I think it’s a great idea, I do, and this is the best place to sail,” said racing fan Doug Roberts. “That’s why they’re going to end up here, because you’re not going to find any place like San Francisco Bay.”

San Francisco Bay is an ideal venue for watching a sailing competition. It features strong winds and provides an accessible waterfront giving people an up-close view of the action. The prospect of seeing boats moving so fast, so close to shore, brought out a huge crowd of spectators Saturday.

“It’s doggone thrilling! Who doesn’t want to be thrilled?” said Greg White, who traveled from Santa Barbara to watch the races. “This is pretty good stuff.”

White, who is an avid sailor, said Sail GP is already having an impact on the racing community. He said America’s Cup switched from single hulls to catamarans and are now also racing on foils.

“They realize they have to do something because this is here to stay,” White said. “There’s a little bit of, ‘I’m going to catch up with these other crazy fellows,’ and good on ’em for it.”

Sailing enthusiast Nate Bernardo thinks the shorter, 14-minute sprints of Sail GP may become more popular with the public than traditional yacht racing and the America’s Cup might be in trouble.

“The America’s Cup is more prestigious but Sail GP is a little bit faster-pace and I think it will appeal more to the younger demographic,” he said. “That is the future.”

There will be three races Sunday, two more qualifiers then the final, million-dollar race at 3 pm The event is centered at the Saint Francis Yacht Club and can best be viewed anywhere along the waterfront from Crissy Field to Marina Green.

The post Excessive Velocity Sail GP Racing Involves San Francisco Bay – CBS San Francisco appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.