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Opinion: Hostilities simmered in the West Bank this summer, but I cannot believe the people I met want war

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:44 GMT

From inside a dimly lit living room in the West Bank city of Hebron, I sit with my new friends Hazim and Rita, who have been married for 32 years. Rita scurries off to the kitchen and returns bearing Arabic coffee, a Palestinian custom. How she balances the tray with all those little coffee cups on it is beyond me, for I realize she’s missing an arm.Rita’s other arm was lost after a rocket struck her home back when she lived in Gaza City. Now she lives here, in Hebron. She tells me if she had never left Gaza, she’d be dead because in her words, “All they want is to kill us.”Weeks later I’m sitting at my gate in Ben Gurion International Airport. Beside me sits an older Israeli woman. I only caught her first name in passing — Etti. She notices my camera satchel and asks if I’m a photographer. She is a photographer too.Before long we’re comparing photographs we’ve taken. I show her a portrait I made of Hazim and Rita, several weeks before, and Etti quietly asks where it was...

Several California cities among the 'rattiest' in the U.S., according to Orkin

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:44 GMT

When you think of rat-infested cities, dense metropolitan areas on the East Coast might first come to mind. However, according to pest control giant Orkin, Los Angeles also has a major problem with the troublesome rodents.Orkin has released its annual list of America’s “Rattiest” cities, and the City of Angeles landed in the number two spot, climbing one notch year-over-year.Chicago was number one for the ninth consecutive year. San Fransisco was No. 5, San Diego was No. 28 and Sacramento was 33rd.The rankings, Orkin says, are not based on the number of rats in the city or any official count (as if that were possible), but instead are drawn from “the number of new rodent services” - meaning how often they're called to deal with rat infestation.“Rodents multiply swiftly and when an infestation is left unattended, they can cause extensive damage to homes and yards,” Ben Hottel, an Orkin entomologist, said in a news release. “Rats are capable of squeezing into spaces through holes as s...

Deputies seek shooter in Compton slaying

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:44 GMT

A man was shot to death in Compton Sunday evening, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is looking for the culprit.At about 7:45 p.m., the man, whose identity has not been released, was found lying on a sidewalk in the 15100 block of South White Avenue, the Sheriff's Department said in a news release. He had sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his lower torso and was declared dead at the scene, official said. No information about the shooter or shooters has been released, and the investigation is ongoing.To provide information anonymously, call Crime Stoppers by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477) or visit lacrimestoppers.org.

Family, friends pay tribute to Malibu crash victims

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:44 GMT

Through prayer, song and personal memories, Pepperdine University said goodbye on Sunday to four students who were killed in last week's devastating crash in Malibu.A memorial service was held on campus that was attended by the families of Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir and Deslyn Williams, along with sorority sisters and members of the greater campus community.“Niamh and I are always side by side. These last few days I keep looking to my left and expecting to see her there,” Alpha Phi sorority member Aubrey Lewis said, fighting back tears.“I admired Deslyn’s confidence more than anything. She knew what she wanted and always executed it so perfectly,” another friend recalled.Vinita Weir, mother of Malibu crash victim Asha Weir, speaks at a memorial at Pepperdine University on Oct. 22, 2023. (Pepperdine University)Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir and Deslyn Williams died when authorities say a speeding driver hit them on the Pacific Coast Highway roughly four miles ...

7 new food-centric shows you should be watching right now

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:44 GMT

Next spring – that’s how long fans will likely have to wait to see the estimable Kristen Kish take over hosting duty from Padma on the next season of “Top Chef.” (Filmed in… Wisconsin?)But in the meantime, the TV landscape is hardly a desert. There are new shows about Iron Chef-quality sushi, José Andrés and his family touring Spain, a five-star luxury hotel’s fancy kitchen and so much more.In no particular order, here are seven shows about food you might want to start watching tonight.Searching for Soul Food, HuluThere’s no tireder food trope than calling soul food simple. It’s a complicated cuisine with a history spanning generations and continents. Here to unravel it is Alisa Reynolds, a classically trained chef from L.A. on a quest to investigate the “trauma and drama” of soul food.The results are more upbeat than that sounds, thanks to Reynolds’ effervescent personality and comedic timing. The first season starts in Mississippi, w...

A day of Seattle glassblowing adventures, Chihuly and all

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:44 GMT

In Seattle, glassblowing is more than an art form. It’s an Emerald City passion in a city that offers visitors multiple ways to experience it for themselves.Art lovers will want to head straight for the Seattle Center, where Chihuly Garden and Glass houses Dale Chihuly’s dazzling, vibrant glass sculptures — and the museum’s new restaurant lets you sip and dine among his collections. But you can also visit glass art studios around town, watch glassblowing demonstrations and even try making a molten glass keepsake yourself.Preston Singletary and Raven Skyriver demonstrate the art of glassblowing in Seattle. (Megan Swann Photography) Consider it an immersive adventure of the most artistic sort.Explore the Chihuly legacyYou’ll find Chihuly’s wildly creative glass installations at museums and venues around the world, from the Toyama Glass Art Museum in Japan to the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, which holds the largest permanent collection of his wo...

Travel Troubleshooter: How do I get off Avis’ Do Not Rent list?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:44 GMT

DEAR TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER: I recently tried to rent a car from Avis in Bangor, Maine. When I arrived at the counter, a representative said that I couldn’t rent from the company because I was on its Do Not Rent list. The attendant couldn’t tell me why I was on the list, but I noticed that my name was misspelled twice on the reservation.Christopher Elliott, the Travel Troubleshooter The representative gave me a number to call. An Avis employee recommended that I send an email to the company to get my name removed from the Do Not Rent list.Since I was traveling with my sister, we moved the reservation to her name, which solved the problem. But once we were on the road, I saw the receipt was almost double the original price for the rental car.Avis is now asking me about my employment, but they still haven’t told me why I’m on the Do Not Rent list. My sister, who works in cybersecurity, believes that there may have been a data breach or that Avis is confusin...

Wish You Were Here: Ireland’s Dingle Peninsula

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:44 GMT

Intrepid readers have traveled far and wide in recent months, from the bike trails of Spain to the wildlife-filled islands of the Galapagos and the museums and cultural centers of Austria, sharing their adventures and tips along the way.Now, an Oakland couple is sharing their Irish island discoveries.Wish You Were HereOakland residents Linda Sol and Ken Hall had just signed up for a boat ride to the Blasket Islands in Dingle, Ireland, when they snapped this selfie. (Courtesy Linda Sol) IRELAND: Oakland resident Linda Sol and her husband, Ken Hall, visited Ireland on a recent Rick Steves tour that included a stop in Dingle (pictured), where they signed up for “a wonderful boat ride to the Blasket Islands,” Linda says. “If (you) go to Dingle, check out Dingle Crystal — all Irish made, not like Waterford.”The Blasket Islands, an uninhabited archipelago of islands known for its stunning landscapes and abundant wildlife, lie off the Dingle PeninsulaR...

Petaluma police investigating death threats written on high school bathroom wall

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:44 GMT

(BCN) -- Police in Petaluma are investigating disturbing messages written on a bathroom wall at a high school on Friday. Detectives have opened a case into death threats on a bathroom wall written in black ink at Petaluma High School, located on Fair Street. According to police, one message read, "Date: Monday 10/23/23 is the day I kill. I'm going to shoot up the school and my first person is [name redacted]. So watch out Monday is your guys (sic) day." Two students were named in the threat, according to police. A third student was also singled out with derogatory names and "wishing death upon them," Petaluma detectives said. School administrators and police narrowed down a few persons of interest in the case using video footage near the bathroom and relationships to the named students. 16-year-old killed, 3 injured at Oakley house party shooting "The threats are possibly related to an ongoing conflict amongst a small group of students," said police. Interviews with students...

2.9 magnitude earthquake strikes in Isleton, second in five days

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:44 GMT

(FOX40.COM) -- A 2.9 magnitude earthquake was recorded near Isleton on Monday morning, making it the second earthquake in the area in less than a week, according to the United States Geological Survey. The earthquake was detected at 7:42 a.m. as a 4.0 magnitude at a depth of 8 kilometers or about 5 miles. The earthquake was downgraded a magnitude 2.9 at around 8:30 a.m. How common are earthquakes in the area of Isleton? Isleton is located about 40 miles southwest of Sacramento in Sacramento County. The city is located on the easternmost edge of the Delta Region.As of 8 a.m., there have been 44 responses to the USGS's 'Did You Feel It?' report with the strongest felt shaking being "light" near Rio Vista and Isleton. There is no reported damage at this time.