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Blinken meets Palestinian leader in West Bank, stepping up Mideast diplomacy as Gaza war escalates

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:12:29 GMT

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken brought his frenetic Mideast diplomatic push on the Israel-Hamas war to the occupied West Bank on Sunday, meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in his latest bid to ease civilian suffering in the Gaza Strip and begin to sketch out a post-conflict scenario for the territory.Blinken traveled to Ramallah for his previously unannounced visit in an armored motorcade and under tight security just hours after Israeli warplanes struck a refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, killing at least 40 people and wounding dozens, health officials said. Despite the secrecy and the State Department refusing to confirm the trip until after Blinken had physically left the West Bank, protests erupted against his visit and U.S. support for Israel as word of his arrival leaked.Aside from pleasantries, neither man spoke as they greeted each other in front of cameras and the meeting ended without any public comment. It was not immediately...

Nepal villagers cremate loved ones who perished in earthquake that shook its northwest, killing 157

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:12:29 GMT

This handout photo provided by Nepal Prime Minister's Office shows an earthquake-affected area in northwestern Nepal, Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023. Helicopters and ground troops rushed to help people hurt in a strong earthquake that shook northwestern Nepal districts just before midnight Friday, killing more than 100 people and injuring dozens dozens more, officials said Saturday. (Nepal Prime Minister's Office via AP) This handout photo provided by Nepal Prime Minister's Office shows an earthquake-affected area in northwestern Nepal, Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023. Helicopters and ground troops rushed to help people hurt in a strong earthquake that shook northwestern Nepal districts just before midnight Friday, killing more than 100 people and injuring dozens dozens more, offi...

Better Weather Ahead this Week

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:12:29 GMT

As we fell back and got an extra hour of sleep last night, the weather pattern has decided to change for the best with nicer, brighter and calmer conditions ahead this week.With the time change, our sunrise and sunset times are now an hour earlier. Sunrise is now in the 6AM hour and sunset in the 5PM hour.This Sunday, expect to see more sunshine throughout the day with only a spotty shower chance. There will be a beach breeze in place coupled with highs near normal in the mid 80s.Then by Monday, some cooler air will traverse in from the north around high pressure, making the start of our Monday the coolest of the week. Temperatures across most mainland areas will fall into the mid to upper 60s and into the low to mid 70s across the Florida Keys. With low humidity in place, it will feel nice and refreshing outside!With this area of high pressure in place along with a lighter, easterly wind developing by midweek, that will also for tranquil conditions across South Florida. Rain chance...

Celtics’ Jayson Tatum reflects on latest milestone, growing bond with Boston

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:12:29 GMT

NEW YORK — Jayson Tatum couldn’t help but acknowledge the full circle moment.Six years ago, a 19-year-old Tatum was sitting inside Barclays Center on draft night and didn’t know what to expect. He was selected No. 3 overall by the Celtics. On Saturday night, he revealed he was wary about it.“I didn’t even want to come because I didn’t think I was going to play,” Tatum said. “They had Gordon (Hayward), (Jaylen Brown), Isaiah Thomas and (Marcus) Smart and I didn’t think I was good enough to be on that team.”That’s wild to hear now.Six years later, Tatum sat at a podium inside the same building he was drafted in trying to process it all. He had just become the youngest player in Celtics history to reach 10,000 career points in their win over the Nets. His mom and grandma were in the crowd, a pro-Celtics contingent that was showering “MVP” chants when Tatum stepped to the free throw line.Tatum isn’t just good enough to be on the team. He’s a superstar on a championship favorite and trac...

Skywatch: Best constellation of autumn? A horse, of course

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:12:29 GMT

One of the classic constellations of autumn is Pegasus, the flying horse soaring above the southeastern horizon in the evening sky. It’s by far the largest celestial horse we see in our night sky. The traditional interpretation of Pegasus is a horse flying upside down with puny little wings. If you can see it that way, more power to you. Over the years though, I’ve strayed from that view of Pegasus, and I’d like to share it with you. My view of Pegasus also involves borrowing part of the adjacent constellation Andromeda the Princess.The way I see Pegasus is a right-side-up majestic flying horse with a huge wingspan, rescuing the lovely Princess Andromeda from a gigantic, ravenous sea monster. If I could personally show you Pegasus, I guarantee you’d be convinced. My view of Pegasus right matches the flying red horse you see portrayed at Mobil service stations. I realize this talk of changing the interpretation of Pegasus and Andromeda is blasphemy to purists, but p...

Mitra Jalali: Essential city services are the vehicle to deliver on our bold vision for St. Paul

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:12:29 GMT

I first ran for the Saint Paul City Council because I believe that when our communities are at the table, change is possible. This is the same conviction that I stand with today, and what drove so many candidates to run this year.This year we have an incredible opportunity as a city to elect experienced, community-centered leadership that will deliver on a bold vision for Saint Paul. We are united by a policy vision to lift up everyone in the city and its diverse working families from all neighborhoods. These leaders are committed to a bold shared vision for our city: acting on the climate crisis through modernizing our streets; upholding new housing options and renter protections for people facing displacement; investing in our local businesses and workers’ rights for a fair economy; and a community safety vision that funds people’s needs for greater stability.Despite this, conservative special interest groups are aggressively spending nearly a quarter-million dollars to convince y...

Jane Prince: St. Paul’s sales-tax initiative? It’s bait and switch

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:12:29 GMT

While there is little doubt that St. Paul is facing a serious deterioration of streets, bridges and parks in Minnesota’s capital city, the campaign in support of the proposed 1% sales tax increase on Tuesday’s ballot fails to tell whole story of how the sales tax will be spent.Indeed, the tax increase will help restore 46.3 miles of 24 arterial/collector streets over the next 20 years and allocate approximately $100 million for badly needed deferred maintenance throughout our parks system. But it will also be used to make way for the highly controversial Summit Avenue bike trail and is proposed to fund several “mega” projects, worthy of any mayor’s legacy.These include the Downtown River Balcony (in concert with the County’s proposed $788 million River’s Edge luxury development); the Mississippi River Learning Center at Crosby Park; and a “multipurpose, multi-sport, multi-use” regional athletic complex in St. Paul’s north end, ironically on the site of the failed Arlington Spo...

Readers and writers: It’s all books for kids and all from Minnesota creators

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:12:29 GMT

It’s an all-kids day, from science and mythology for middle-grade readers to a Hmong folktale and a board book about how to get rid of the “wiggles,” all from Minnesota authors/illustrators.“We, the Curious Ones”: by Marion Dane Bauer, illustrated by Hari & Deepti ($18.99)We chantin temples,in sweat lodges,in churches,in shrines,celebrating our lives,honoring our dead.We love our stories.We live in our stories.(Courtesy of Candlewick Press)From the beginning of human history we have told stories across cultures about our origins, our relationship to our fellow beings and the universe. As we learn more through the millenia, the stories change. Marion Dane Bauer, dean of Minnesota children’s book authors, lyrically blends science and story in her beautifully illustrated new book.“Story encompasses everything from folk tales to scripture to twenty-first century novels,” she writes in her Afterword to this book aimed at readers 6 and o...

At Marine Mills Folk School, a new executive director hopes to expand the craft of community-building

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:12:29 GMT

As a step toward growth, the Marine Mills Folk School has named a new executive director.Kate Seitz, who currently manages the school’s communications and marketing in a part-time capacity, took over this month as the leader of the craft education nonprofit in Marine on St. Croix. Her director position is also part-time, so Seitz, 44, will continue the communications role, too.Marine Mills Folk School began in 2018 and offers a variety of accessible classes for adults in traditional crafts and artisan skills including knitting, woodworking, baking and soap-making. Information about specific classes, most of which require no previous experience, can be found online at marinemillsfolkschool.org.The school was founded by Robin Brooksbank, a longtime Marine resident and former city council member. She stepped down as executive director this fall. Now, with Seitz running the day-to-day, the goal is that Brooksbank can continue leading the organization’s board in longer-term strateg...

Blons, Bates: St. Paul sales tax paves the way to a better future for all of us

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:12:29 GMT

Whether we are white, Black or brown, all of us deserve bold public leadership to continue the work to make Saint Paul the most livable city it can be for all its residents. We have a historic election in front of us where we could have a city council that’s rooted in community-driven leadership, working with residents to realize a vision of a multi-racial democracy and caring economy. As clergy and residents of Saint Paul, this vision is what we believe Jesus meant when he said to love your neighbor.One element in realizing this vision is a ballot initiative asking Saint Paul voters to support a 1% sales tax increase to fund much-needed road repairs, improvements to our parks and bridges. If you have driven around St. Paul lately, you know how badly we need this additional funding. My (Adam’s) old car won’t survive another season of potholes like we had this past year.The new sales tax will make it so that all who live and come to our city to work and play contribute an addit...