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Hamas is set to release 14 Israeli hostages for 42 Israel-held Palestinians in a second truce swap

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:25 GMT

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Egyptian officials said Hamas was preparing to release 14 Israeli hostages Saturday for 42 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, as part of an exchange on the second day of a cease-fire that has allowed critical humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip and given civilians their first respite after seven weeks of war.On the first day of the four-day cease-fire, Hamas released 24 of the about 240 hostages taken during its Oct. 7 attack on Israel that triggered the war, and Israel freed 39 Palestinians from prison. Those freed from captivity in Gaza were 13 Israelis, 10 Thais and a Filipino.On Saturday, Hamas provided mediators Egypt and Qatar with a list of 14 hostages to be released, and the list has been passed along to Israel, according to a Egyptian official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not permitted to talk about details of the ongoing negotiations. A second Egyptian official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the ...

50 years sober, Greg Ekbom celebrates the Day by Day Cafe he founded while still in treatment

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:25 GMT

Hooked on hard drugs, Greg Ekbom overdosed more than once, eventually landing in a hospital in a coma-like state.“When I woke up, I didn’t really know where I was,” said Ekbom, recalling the terrifying but fateful day 50 years ago that sent him on the rocky path to longtime sobriety.It started with a methadone program, which was miserable.“That was the bottom. That was the worst,” recalled Ekbom, who had dropped out of a cooking program at a remedial skills center in Minneapolis at the time. “The government was giving me drugs. You got in trouble if you didn’t show up and do your drugs everyday. It was basically to keep you from committing crimes.”Greg Ekbom, center, retired owner of the Day by Day Café, with his son John Ekbom, right and daughter Gena Ekbom, who now own the St. Paul restaurant on Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. Ekbom started the cafe as while still in recovery and created a safe and welcoming place for those in recovery. (John...

Ask Amy: Quilt maker isn’t stitching a third gift

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:25 GMT

Dear Amy: A few years ago, I offered to make a T-shirt quilt as a graduation gift for a co-worker’s oldest son.She purchased the materials, and I provided the skill and labor.She and her son were thrilled with the quilt, and she mentioned that I would have two more to go down the road for her other two sons as they graduated.I was taken aback with this expectation, but didn’t say anything.I retired soon after and had minimal contact with her.A year later, however, when her middle child was graduating, she contacted me to ask if I would make the same type of T-shirt quilt for this son, which I did.I haven’t had any contact with her since that son’s graduation.Now two years later, her last child will be graduating this upcoming spring and I am anticipating that she will contact me and expect me to make him a quilt.Even if I was an invited guest to his graduation (unlikely), I would gladly give him a reasonable monetary gift instead of providing hours of labor on a quilt, which equates...

Schram: The making of a president’s most special adviser

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:25 GMT

When Charles Hammer, a theoretical physicist at Iowa State University, dialed the Georgia telephone number he was told to call in 1975 — at precisely the time he was told to call it — he had every reason to assume he was calling the campaign office of Georgia’s little-known ex-governor who was running for president.So he was ready to introduce himself to any functionary who answered — and say he’d decided to sign on to Jimmy Carter’s longshot Iowa caucus campaign committee.“Hi, Charlie. How’s Hazel?” Surprised, Hammer recognized the soft southern drawl. It was Rosalynn Carter. He’d dialed their home phone in Plains, Georgia. He was doubly surprised when Mrs. Carter remembered his wife, Hazel. They had all met only once, very briefly, two weeks earlier in a little Iowa town called Atlantic (which is half a continent away from the ocean but right on the shore of the East Nishnabotna River). And he was surprised once more when Mrs. Carter mentioned that Hazel said she...

This holiday advice is not the best recipe for wanna-be homebuyers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:25 GMT

Question: We are conflicted. My wife and I want to buy a Bay Area home. When home loan interest rates drop, we will home shop. The loan officer says, “Buy now.” Our realty agent wrote, “Do not postpone.” Family members instruct us to wait. Holiday gatherings are upon us. We’re facing more homebuying advice. Realty professionals stand to gain. Family members gain nothing. Experience favors our realty team. Our family members rarely buy homes.  First-time homebuyers receive conflicting advice. We have known this for years. It must be commonplace. If so, which group of advisers do we follow in our situation? Answer: First-time homebuyers are awash in solicited and unsolicited advice. That is a fact. It pays to take the conversation up another level. Real estate economists and housing trackers share thoughts and statistics thanks to the World Wide Web daily or weekly.The housing ecosystem has an overabundance of statistical harvesting. Let me prune a few words of wisdom from the housing...

¿Qué es el “fast fashion” (la moda rápida) y por qué es tan controversial?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:25 GMT

(CNN) — Para mantenerse al día con las tendencias siempre cambiantes propagadas por las pasarelas, los influencers y las redes sociales, los conocedores de la moda y los ávidos compradores de ropa pueden recurrir rápidamente a las opciones más convenientes —y económicas— que existen.A menudo se trata de ofertas de “moda rápida” (fast fashion) que provienen de minoristas electrónicos con sus interminables ofertas amables con el bolsillo o de grandes almacenes que ofrecen esa gabardina hasta la rodilla o esa franela oversize a precios de rebajas.Pero aunque la moda barata pueda parecer la mejor opción, lo cierto es que el sector de la moda rápida produce prendas a una escala demasiado grande para la mayoría de los consumidores. Además, los materiales utilizados pueden durar tan solo entre siete y diez usos, según la plataforma de datos medioambientales sin ánimo de lucro Earth.org.¿Por qué es tan popular la moda rápida?La moda rápida es un modelo de negocios que se c...

Egyptian officials say Hamas to free 14 hostages Saturday for 42 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, in second swap

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:25 GMT

CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian officials say Hamas to free 14 hostages Saturday for 42 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, in second swap.Source

What to expect on DC’s roads after Thanksgiving

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:25 GMT

Thanksgiving may be over, but that certainly doesn’t mean traffic in the D.C. area is.While Friday was comparatively light in terms of vehicles on the road — unless you were headed out to do some shopping, the same cannot be said of what’s anticipated this weekend, according to WTOP Traffic Reporter Dave Dildine.“Homebound traffic starts heating up on Saturday afternoon and peaks Sunday afternoon,” Dildine said. “Southbound evening volume delays are commonly observed on I-270 near Frederick, Maryland. The stragglers can also lead to slower traffic on I-95 through the metro area. The stragglers can also lead to slowing on I-95 on Monday and Tuesday as well.”Dildine said that means Saturday morning is normally quiet and a good time to be on the road.Sunday afternoon usually marks the peak of the homebound rush but, unlike the getaway, it’s not infused with commuters and “anxious errand-running, so it’s mostly focused on I-95, I-270...

US teenager Ziegler surges to first with a near-flawless free skate to win the NHK Trophy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:25 GMT

OSAKA, Japan (AP) — Ava Marie Ziegler performed a near-flawless free skate Saturday to win the NHK Trophy and lead a U.S. 1-2 finish on the podium.Fifth after the short program, Ziegler landed all of her jumps cleanly to score a personal-best 138.46 points in the free skate for her first title in the Grand Prix series with a total of 200.50, also a personal best.Lindsay Thorngren, who led after the short program, fell on a double salchow but was solid with all her other jumps and placed second with 198.73 points.Nina Pinzarrone of Belgium was third with 194.66, a result that allowed her to secure a place in the Dec. 7-10 Grand Prix Final at Beijing. South Korea’s Lee Hae-in was fourth with 188.95 points.The 17-year-old Ziegler, skating to “Liberation” and “Bound to You” by Christina Aguilera, landed a triple flip-double axel-double axel sequence as well as six more triple jumps.“I really used my fifth-place result yesterday to motivate me because I know that I could do better ...

Cloudy and Gloomy Start to Weekend as we Await a Cooling Front

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:25 GMT

Following clouds and showers on Friday, more of the same is ahead this Saturday courtesy of a front stalled across South Florida. That will allow for a continuation of the partly sunny skies paired with the chance for random, passing showers, especially in the afternoon. Temperatures will be slightly above normal, topping off into the low to mid 80s.For those of you traveling this Saturday across the country, the only possible weather-related slowdowns looks to be across the central Plains with snow in the forecast.By Sunday, that front will lift north as a warm front, allowing for brighter, drier and warmer conditions. Temperatures will reach the mid 80s but will feel more like 90F with the high humidity. Besides a spotty shower or two, conditions will be dry.Then on Monday, a cooling front will arrive by the evening, with warm and mostly dry conditions ahead of the front followed by milder and cloudy conditions behind it.The midweek time period will be dominated by below normal te...