Por Federico Leiva, CNN en Español

A exactamente dos semanas de que Argentina y España deban medirse las caras por un nuevo título, la pregunta que reina en el aire no es si la Albiceleste de Lionel Messi podrá levantar su quinto título consecutivo, o si la Furia de Lamine Yamal podrá alzar un trofeo que la sitúe como la máxima candidata a conquistar el Mundial 2026. No, la incógnita a develar por estas horas empieza por algo mucho más básico: ¿acaso se jugará?

A 14 días del encuentro, no hay sede confirmada. El calendario deportivo marca que el viernes 27 de marzo, durante la fecha FIFA, mientras algunas selecciones juegan amistosos preparatorios para el Mundial y otras se juegan la clasificación en los repechajes, las de Argentina y España, campeonas vigentes de la Copa América y de la Eurocopa, se enfrenten mano a mano por un título en juego.

Sin embargo, las horas pasan y el partido está cada vez más en el aire. Oficialmente, el encuentro sigue pautado para desarrollarse en Qatar, en el estadio Lusail, el mismo en el que Argentina se coronó campeona del mundo en 2022.

Pero el conflicto en Medio Oriente obligó a las partes involucradas a buscar una alternativa. Qatar quedó involucrado indirectamente en la guerra entre Estados Unidos, Israel e Irán, ya que los iraníes han puesto como objetivo las bases militares que el país norteamericano tiene desplegadas en la región. Qatar incluso suspendió por unos días toda actividad deportiva y hasta los vuelos, y, aunque la liga local ya retomó su agenda este último lunes, llevar a algunas de las principales figuras del mundo a ese territorio no parece una posibilidad real. Al menos no hasta que el conflicto se detenga, lo cual, a raíz de las declaraciones políticas de esta semana, no parece cerca de suceder.

Entonces surgió la necesidad de buscar otro escenario. El problema es que ninguno de los propuestos parece tener el visto bueno de las dos selecciones en disputa. Según el acuerdo al que llegaron la UEFA y la Conmebol para dar forma a esta copa, que ya tuvo su primera edición en 2021 (cuando Argentina venció a Italia en Londres), la competencia tiene que volver a ser organizada por el ente europeo, antes de que le toque al sudamericano organizar dos consecutivas. Sin embargo, un poco más de dinero no viene mal, y por eso la UEFA le abrió las puertas a los dólares qataríes a costa de tener la final en su territorio.

Con la opción de Qatar perdiendo más fuerza cada día, la situación se complicó aún más, ahora que la Asociación del Fútbol Argentino (AFA) no parece muy dispuesta a aceptar cualquier propuesta que la Real Federación Española de Fútbol (RFEF) y la UEFA pongan sobre la mesa.

Por eso se descartó rápido la opción del Santiago Bernabéu, la casa del Real Madrid, que, según periodistas en España y Argentina, fue la propuesta más firme que entregaron hasta ahora los europeos. La AFA dijo que no, y hasta pareció molesta de que España intente ser completamente local, algo que no sucedió en la Finalissima anterior, jugada en Inglaterra. Es más, el presidente de la AFA, Claudio Tapia, al ser consultado a la salida de una citación judicial el jueves, respondió doblando la apuesta: “Queremos que la final se juegue en el Monumental”, dijo, en referencia al estadio de River Plate, el recinto con mayor capacidad de Argentina. En sus palabras pareció haber poca verdad y mucha ironía, ya que se sabe que la Finalissima tiene que ser organizada por la UEFA y, además, el Monumental estará abocado durante toda esa semana a los conciertos que la banda australiana de rock AC/DC dará en Buenos Aires. Pareció casi como si dijera: “Si ellos quieren jugar de local, yo también”.

Lo cierto es que la Conmebol, según reportes de medios especializados y para sorpresa de nadie, ya apoyó a su asociación miembro, y se esperaba que este viernes o sábado, a más tardar, p

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) - Some of the world's most influential scientists and leaders gathered at UC Santa Barbara to talk about a technology many believe could reshape the future.

The convening brought together top researchers, state officials, and Nobel Prize winners to explore California’s growing role in quantum innovation.

Panels and presentations focused on how quantum science could transform computing, cybersecurity, and scientific discovery.

Guests also toured some of UC Santa Barbara’s advanced quantum research labs, where researchers are working on systems designed to tackle problems today’s computers struggle to solve.

Leaders hope gatherings like this help keep California at the forefront of the global race to develop quantum technology.

The post Quantum Future Takes Center Stage at UC Santa Barbara appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) - Hundreds of young creators are about to see their imagination on display.

More than 250 pieces of artwork by local elementary school students will be featured in a public show at the Santa Barbara County Education Office Auditorium at 4400 Cathedral Oaks Road in Santa Barbara starting Saturday, March 14 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The exhibit includes colorful paintings, drawings, and mixed-media projects created in classrooms across the community.

Families and visitors will get a chance to experience the creativity and talent of some very young artists.

The show is free and open to the public.

The post Young Artists Take the Spotlight in Santa Barbara appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

By Sunlen Serfaty, Kristen Holmes, CNN

(CNN) — President Donald Trump is expected to remove Richard Grenell as head of the Kennedy Center, according to three sources familiar with the matter.

The move comes as the arts and culture institution, which now bears Trump name on its façade, is expected to close for two years for renovations as the president seeks to remold it in his image.

The announcement of Grenell’s departure could come as soon as today, two of the sources said.

Grenell’s tenure as interim president of the Kennedy Center since February 2025 has been marked by tumult, plagued by high-profile performance cancellations, protests, declining ticket sales and financial strain as he sought to execute the president’s vision for the arts center.

Despite earlier warmth between Trump and Grenell, a longtime loyalist who has served in various roles across the president’s two terms in office, the president had become frustrated with a slew of negative headlines about his revamp of the arts institution, the sources said.

One source familiar with the White House view said that the president liked Grenell, but felt that he had fumbled when it came to his leadership of the Kennedy Center, including on managing the publicity.

A White House official insisted that Grenell wasn’t being fired but that he was always intended to help during the Kennedy Center’s transition period and then leave the role.

While leading the Kennedy Center, Grenell often bucked the trends of the arts world, defying traditions and stretching norms in place for decades, which critics contend has led to strain and brought irreparable harm to the institution.

Those who work with Grenell described him as combative, confrontational and headstrong. A source close to the Kennedy Center lamented that Grenell had no experience or grounding in the arts world and came in “with a sledgehammer” and “campaign schticks” that are moving the institution in the wrong direction.

But others contended that he was exactly the person to carry out Trump’s vision and that he brought a “no-nonsense mentality” to his work and brought in many new staff to the center.

In recent days, Trump has been “kind of is souring on him,” a source close to the Kennedy Center said.

“Ric worked really hard to keep in Trump’s good graces, but Trump got tired of turning on the news and hearing every day how bad the Kennedy Center was being run and (how) Trump is killing it,” the source said.

One of the sources familiar with the plans moving forward for the Kennedy Center also described Grenell’s departure as a transition, not a removal, noting that the arts institution is moving towards the building phase of its planned renovation, and that Grenell did want to be there during the construction.

CNN has approached Grenell and the White House for comment.

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The post Exclusive: Trump is preparing to replace Ric Grenell as head of the Kennedy Center appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

CENTRAL COAST REGION, Calif. (KEYT) – On Friday, an enforcement advisory was issued regarding free water quality testing available for well-based drinking water at rental properties across California.

According to a June 2025 report by the California State Water Resources Control Board, about 95 percent of Californians get their drinking water from a public or municipal source.

If you get your drinking water from a private well, the state water management organization recommends testing your well water once a year.

Some cities, such as Santa Barbara, have decades-long programs established to ensure long-term access to drinking water.

For those who get their drinking water from a well at a rental property, a state law passed in 2024, AB 2454, created a free well water quality testing program that requires landlords test the drinking water wells at their rental properties.

Landlords are legally required to share the results with current residents within ten days, particiapte in any available free remediation program as well as provide information to tenants from the State Water Board's website on how to read the results shared the Attorney General's Office.

Additionally, landlords are prohibited from charging tenants any fees or increasing rent for participating in the water testing program added the Attorney General's Office.

"Access to safe drinking water is a fundamental human right. Everyone deserves clean, safe water in their home. Without systematic testing, contamination can remain hidden, leaving households unknowingly exposed and cut off from solutions that already exist," explained California Attorney General Rob Bonta in an enforcement letter about the water testing program. "AB 2425 ensures that free, accessible water testing and treatment programs are available, so no one is left in the dark about their water quality and every community has the opportunity to protect their health and well-being. I urge landlords with drinking water wells to follow the law and test their wells to provide safe drinking water to protect public health and the environment from the threat of water contamination."

The state law applies to an estimated one million Californians and the regions most impacted include the Central Valley and Central Coast regions were wells are commonly used to tap into local groundwater noted the Office of Attorney General in an enforcement letter issued Friday.

"I am issuing this enforcement advisory to remind landlords with drinking water wells on their properties of the requirements established under Assembly Bill 2454 (2024) ("AB 2454"), codified in Health and Safety Code section 116688, and to help tenants understand their rights," opened Friday's letter. "AB 2454 requires landlords with wells to participate in free programs for well testing that are available in
their region and, where applicable, provide tenants with access to safe drinking water. The State Water Board's 2025 Drinking Water Needs Assessment found that nearly one-third of private wells are at ris