Latest news with #SanFranciscoChronicle
Newsweek
15 hours ago
- Newsweek
Where to Rock Climb: The Top Spots Worldwide
Geyikbayiri and the Antalya region are important climbing areas and, with some 1,500 routes, have more than any other part of Turkey. But there are more than 1.25 million climbing routes around the world — even in the Arctic and the Antarctic, though two-thirds are in Europe. Check out these top climbing spots around the world. Yosemite National Park — California, U.S. As a global hub for climbers, Yosemite (below) has to be on the list. It is renowned for towering granite formations such as El Capitan and Half Dome. It caters to all experience levels, offering everything from accessible beginner climbs to demanding multiday routes. It has a rich climbing history and gained additional fame with the documentary movies Free Solo and The Dawn Wall. It can draw heavy crowds of climbers during busy seasons, but that doesn't detract from the beauty. View of El Capitan as speed climbers Hans Florine, of Lafayette, Calif., and Yuji Hirayama, of Japan attempt a new record of climbing the Nose route of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park on June... View of El Capitan as speed climbers Hans Florine, of Lafayette, Calif., and Yuji Hirayama, of Japan attempt a new record of climbing the Nose route of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park on June 29, 2008. Their time was 2 hours, 47 minutes, just shy of the record of 2 hours and 45 minutes. More Michael Maloney/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Red Rock Canyon — Nevada, U.S. Climbers head to Las Vegas for a different thrill to gamblers—Red Rock Canyon (below), located about 25 miles from the Strip. Its striking Aztec sandstone offers over 2,000 climbing routes, ranging from beginner-friendly 45-foot sport climbs to towering 2,200-foot traditional routes for seasoned adventurers. The area's warm, dry climate provides an extended climbing season, though, like Yosemite, it often draws large crowds during peak times. Rock climber on Aztec Sandstone, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Nevada. Rock climber on Aztec Sandstone, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Nevada. Marli Miller/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Kalymnos — Greece For climbers, Kalymnos (below) is undoubtedly the most famous of the Greek islands. High quality limestone cliffs at various angles tower close to the blue Aegean, which makes for a breathtaking backdrop for climbing. With well over 4,000 routes, Kalymnos has a wide range of grades, including plenty of opportunities for lower and intermediate-level climbers as well as steep and overhanging routes for experts able to manage the most limited holds. Another possibility here is deep-water soloing—climbing without safety gear but with the sea below in case of falls. Climbers take part in the 2019 annual Climbing Festival in the island of Kalymnos on October 4, 2019. - The festival has attracted some 400 sports climbers from across the globe. Climbers take part in the 2019 annual Climbing Festival in the island of Kalymnos on October 4, 2019. - The festival has attracted some 400 sports climbers from across the globe. ARIS MESSINIS/AFP via Getty Catalonia — Spain Spain is brimming with opportunities for climbing and some of the best are in the semi-autonomous region of Catalonia in the northeast. Siurana and Margalef are at the top of the list for many climbers. Although they lie quite close together in a stunning location, the rocks are quite different. Siurana's limestone often requires sustained technical climbing and fewer prospects for beginners. Margalef's conglomerate offers some easier routes though also plenty of super-hard ones. Fontainebleau — France About 40 miles southeast of Paris is the world-renowned bouldering destination of Fontainebleau—also known for its chateau. Sandstone rocks offer some 30,000 boulder problems of differing levels and make it the most developed such location globally. The climbing here is not on ropes so it's recommended to use crash pads to reduce the risk of injury, even if they may not be required for all climbs. The rocks are at different spots in the forest, so an app or guide is helpful for finding your way around. Krabi — Thailand Railay Beach and Tonsai in southern Thailand have been drawing climbers from around the world for years. The limestone has plenty of pockets and features that make for exciting routes across a range of difficulties, including for beginners. It is all set amid verdant tropical jungle that extends down to white beaches and the blue sea. The Thai food is an added attraction. Krabi is far from being the only great climbing place in Thailand. Crazy Hose Buttress near the northern city of Chiang Mai is well worth a visit with excellent routes and benefits from being much less crowded. Céüse — France Among the many climbing options in France is Céüse, which has been described by some as "the best crag in the world." It is known for routes that are long, hard and steep, and its limestone rock is of very high quality. It's also on the top of a 6,500-foot mountain with incredible views over southern France. It's mostly a place for climbing in summer and the altitude means it can be chilly even then. Climbers also need to allow up to an hour for walking to the crag. Yangshuo — China Rock climbing's popularity has soared in China and possibly the biggest outdoor center is Yangshuo (below) near Guilin in southern China's Guangxi Province. It has more than 1,000 sport climbing routes on its limestone karst formations, including some beginner routes. Its hills jut like rows of green teeth among the rice fields. Climbing in Yangshuo is credited in part to a (non-climbing) visit by former U.S. President Richard Nixon to admire the spectacular landscape—particularly Moon Hill, with its natural arch. Walking hikers in the Peak forest karst 004. Walking hikers in the Peak forest karst 004. iStock/Getty Rocklands — South Africa The globally renowned bouldering spot of Rocklands (below) in South Africa is celebrated for its excellent sandstone boulders and breathtaking landscapes. Situated in the Cederberg Wilderness Area, it lies roughly two-and-a-half hours by car from Cape Town. The beautiful orange and gray sandstone with featured and varied holds offers some 4,000 boulder problems as well as some sport and trad climbing routes. Be prepared for coarse rock that can be tough on the hands. Hikers exploring Cederberg Mountains trail on sunny day. Hikers exploring Cederberg Mountains trail on sunny day. Westend61/Karsten Koch/Getty Patagonia — Argentina The primary rock climbing area in Argentina's Patagonia region is El Chaltén, which is known for its towering spires of granite. It is a hub for big mountain multipitch climbing routes that involves climbing several routes in succession to allow the scaling of big walls. Sometimes, that can take days. However, it also has some routes for sport climbers of lower levels or is useful practice for climbers preparing to take on the bigger challenges. Summer is the best time for climbing here. Athletic male climbs outside on a boulder with men spotting. Athletic male climbs outside on a boulder with men spotting. Cavan Images RF/Getty The Grampians — Australia The Grampians National Park (above) in Victoria, Australia, is a globally recognized climbing hotspot with an immense variety of challenges. Famed for its impressive sandstone features and wide variety of routes, it offers something for everyone from novice climbers to seasoned experts. There are both short sport climbs and challenging multipitch routes. The park is also a top destination for bouldering, featuring a vast range of problems from easy to extraordinarily difficult.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
BTS reunion: K-pop group announces new album, 2026 world tour
After a break of over three years, BTS is officially reuniting. The K-pop group made the big announcement during a livestream on July 1 via Weverse, reported the San Francisco Chronicle. All seven members - Jin, RM, V, Jimin, J-Hope, Jungkook and Suga - appeared together for the first time since 2022 to confirm their return with a group album and global tour, scheduled for next spring. File photo of BTS 'Starting in July, all seven of us will begin working closely together on new music,' the group said in a statement. 'Since it will be a group album, it will reflect each member's thoughts and ideas. We're approaching the album with the same mindset we had when we first started.' The band also confirmed a world tour, their first since the 2021 Permission to Dance On Stage concerts. The tour is expected to include a stop in the Bay Area. BTS wraps up military service All members have now completed South Korea's mandatory military service. Jin was the first to enlist in December 2022 and was discharged in June 2024. J-Hope followed in April 2023 and returned in October 2024. Suga joined in September 2023, while RM, V, Jimin and Jungkook all enlisted in December 2023 and finished their service earlier this year. In South Korea, military service is mandatory for men aged 18–28 and lasts between 18 to 21 months. This upcoming release will be the group's first studio album since 2020's Be. A live album, BTS Permission to Dance on Stage — Seoul, will drop on July 18. ALSO READ: BTS agency confirms Jimin and Jungkook's return with second season of Are You Sure, fans react FAQs Q1: When is BTS releasing new album? BTS is currently working on a new group album, with plans to release it in spring 2026. Q2: Have all BTS members completed military service? Yes, all seven members of BTS have now completed their mandatory military service in South Korea. Q3: Will BTS go on a world tour in 2026? Yes, BTS has confirmed a world tour in 2026, their first since 2021's Permission to Dance On Stage concerts. Q4: What is the latest BTS album before the comeback? The last group album from BTS was Be in 2020. A new live album, Permission to Dance on Stage — Seoul, releases July 18.
San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Trump knew what the (expletive deleted) he was saying
President Donald Trump is now a truly historic president. He said 'f—' on national television. Very deliberately. Referring to Israel and Iran, the full quote was: 'They don't know what the f— they're doing.' Maybe. But he did. I don't wish to be overly prudish here. Most of us engage in the use of this particular word from time to time. A 'common Anglo-Saxon rejoinder' is the way a philologist would define it, and it is common. In fact, I had to call my editor to gently inquire as to San Francisco Chronicle style regarding f—. 'F—' is the preferred style. Not 'f***.' Please make a f—ing note of it. Next. Ever been on a golf course? Watched your team lose? Stub your toe? You've likely said it. Don't lie. If you are, you're f—ing with me. Trump's deployment of the F-bomb while simultaneously making a statement about bombing is rich, like Fordo enriched uranium rich. Naturally, the use of profanity by national political leaders in private is well-known. In 1962, in response to steel industry CEOs lying to him about not raising prices, led President John F. Kennedy to say, 'My father told me that all businessmen were SOBs, but I never believed him until now.' This casual remark led to a little firestorm among businessmen and anti-profanity Americans. Later in 1962, Kennedy was said to remark during the Cuban Missile Crisis after getting dressed down by some congressional leaders, 'They can have this f—ing job.' 'Perhaps apocryphal,' as they say, but likely true. Kennedy was in the Navy after all, where this sort of linguistic laxity was a common occurrence. When Oval Office tapes of President Richard Nixon during the Watergate scandal were released, the transcripts were rife with the phrase 'expletive deleted.' This led to a lot of tut-tutting among the easily offended, and really dinged up Nixon's image. Was anyone really surprised that Nixon used that kind of language in private? No. He was in the Navy, too. The thing is, he never used that language in public, on camera, and neither has any president, ever. Until now. Trump has been flinging around 'hell', 'damn', 's—', 'bastards' and variations thereof for years. Biden also has been known to say 'hell' and 'damn' in public speaking as well. Biden's most famous foray into the F-word was when he described Obamacare as a 'big f—ing deal' on a hot mic at a White House ceremony in 2010. Indeed it was, but a hot mic moment is way different than Trump deliberately screaming it over the Marine One rotor noise. As president in 2022, Biden was caught on another hot mic after an event with Gov. Ron DeSantis. He told the mayor of Fort Myers Beach that 'no one f—s with a Biden.' Again, it was a definite Scranton Joe moment, but it wasn't said before a bank of microphones as a public policy pronouncement. Perhaps if Biden had said this during his catastrophic debate performance with Trump, it might have helped. During the 1976 presidential campaign, Vice President Nelson Rockefeller was photographed giving the finger to a group of hecklers who had been giving him the same digital riposte. Did you expect him to fuhgeddabout it? He's from New York. Gimme a f—ing break here, pal. Astute political observers may have also noticed an uptick in public use of profanity in the past few years. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., said to the group in 2019 that 'we're gonna impeach the motherf—er,' which drew a lot of critical commentary. Had she said it on the House floor, the parliamentarian would have 'taken down' the remark and stricken it from the record, a capital/Capitol crime. It's now common to hear governors, senators, and representatives say 'hell' and 'damn' on television. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who, shall we say, is charmingly tart in private, is also known to say 'hell' and 'damn' in public a lot, but he also strongly objected to former San Francisco Supervisor Chris Daly's New Year's resolution to say 'f—' at every board meeting in 2010. In the House of Representatives, rules say that 'the context of the debate itself must be considered in determining whether the words objected to constitute disorderly criticism or do in fact fall within the boundaries of appropriate parliamentary discourse. The present-day meaning of language, the tone and intent of the Member speaking, and the subject of the remarks, must all be taken into account by the Speaker.' Depends on who the House Speaker is, I guess, but Speaker Mike Johnson, an evangelical Christian, seems like that guy who says 'heck' and 'golly' a lot. The thing about the use of the word 'f—' is that the bar is lowered, yet again. It isn't just Trump, although not to be a stick in the mud, using the F-word in public is, at baseline, yet another thing we have to explain to our kids. When President Bill Clinton was caught in flagrante with not-Mrs. Clinton, one of my kids walked around the house saying, 'Listen to me … I did not have etc.…' That I had to explain anything like that to a child was, well, f—ed up. Nixon was right. Presidents should delete at least one of those expletives going forward, people. Unless they stub their toe.
Axios
2 days ago
- Politics
- Axios
SF schools to replace ethnic studies curriculum amid backlash
The San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) is overhauling its ethnic studies curriculum to add what superintendent Maria Su called "guardrails" in a Monday interview. Why it matters: San Francisco high schools' ethnic studies classes, which started as an elective in 2010, became the target of controversy in recent months as some parents accused the district of peddling division and promoting antisemitism, among other concerns. Driving the news: SFUSD will opt for an off-the-shelf package instead of its home-grown curriculum starting this August. There will be an audit of current materials, and the school board will have to sign off before the district officially adopts another curriculum. The year-long ethnic studies course requirement for freshmen, first implemented last year, will remain in place, though students can choose to waive it. What they're saying: "There is general consensus that ethnic studies as a course is really important," but the district's curriculum has evolved to include lessons that don't reflect its "true tenets," Su told the San Francisco Chronicle Monday. She did not cite specifics but said generally that parents have complained the curriculum "has flaws." "We want to ensure that all of our educators are adopting the curriculum in a consistent manner," she said. "I'm putting in more guardrails." Su did not immediately return a request for comment, while SFUSD directed Axios to its press release on the announcement. Between the lines: Controversy surrounding ethnic studies has largely centered on how to approach the subject — whether it should focus on appreciating cultures other than your own or systemic racism and white supremacy. In one case, a unit on social movements included references to the Chinese Red Guards as a push for "change and justice" despite their use of murder, torture and public humiliation to crack down on dissent against Mao Zedong, the San Francisco Standard reports. Some parents have also argued that lessons perpetrate discrimination against white students, pointing to a reading about white male privilege from 2012. The big picture: California became the first state to establish a one-semester ethnic studies course as a graduation requirement for public high school students when AB101 was signed into law in 2021.
San Francisco Chronicle
3 days ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Giants lose for 5th time in 6 games as Verlander again denied a victory
Shayna Rubin comes to the San Francisco Chronicle from the Bay Area News Group, where she covered the Oakland A's dysfunctional pursuit of a stadium in Oakland, the Golden State Warriors' 2022 championship run and a little bit of everything else over her five years there. Shayna was born and raised in San Francisco. She grew up reading the Sporting Green and trekking the dirt parking lots at Candlestick Park for Giants and 49ers home games, so the teams' history is embedded in her memories. She got her start in journalism writing freelance articles about the San Francisco Giants during the dynasty's last-hurrah 2014 World Series season. She's a graduate of San Francisco State University where she graduated with a bachelor of arts in Journalism and a master of arts in Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts.
