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Lucas: First China, now Iran. How many hostile nations will Biden appease?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:22:20 GMT

There is nothing Joe Biden will not do to appease countries that wish the United States harm.First China, now Iran.This was made clear in — of all places — tiny Albania, a struggling democracy, when the government forcefully raided the homes of an Iranian resistance group of some 3,000 people who vehemently oppose the Iranian government and seek its overthrow.One Iranian was killed, and hundreds injured when 1,000 Albanian police last week sprayed the protesting Iranians with tear gas and pepper spray. The police broke down doors and confiscated and destroyed files, personal devices and 150 computers.The raid was conducted to combat unspecified “illegal activity,” which translated means attempts by the resistance group to sabotage the Iranian government through electronic and cyberspace activity.A spokesperson for the U.S State Department, asked if the U.S. was going soft on Iran to secure a nuclear deal, said the police were merely executing a court order. He said, R...

UK police have new expanded powers to crack down on protests

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:22:20 GMT

LONDON (AP) — New and expanded powers for British police took effect on Sunday, including measures targeting activists who stop traffic and major building works with protests. Authorities have repeatedly condemned environmental protest groups, including Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion, which have sought to raise awareness about the urgency of climate change by staging multiple high-profile protests at the busiest highways and roads. Their protests in recent years often caused serious disruption for motorists.From Sunday, police will have powers to move static protests. Critics have argued the toughened laws are a threat to the right to protest, but U.K. officials say the measures were to stop “disruption from a selfish minority.”“The public have had enough of their lives being disrupted by selfish protesters. The mayhem we’ve seen on our streets has been a scandal,” Home Secretary Suella Braverman said.Authorities say that under the new Public Order Act, protesters foun...

Shootout in southwest Pakistan kills 4 security forces,1 militant, officials say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:22:20 GMT

QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) — Militants attacked a security post in Pakistan’s southwestern Baluchistan province, triggering a shootout that left three police officers a paramilitary soldier and one militant dead on Sunday, officials said.Local police chief, Abdul Salam Baloch said one of the militants was also killed while the others managed to escape to the mountainous terrain in the Shirani district, bordering North Waziristan where they have multiple hideouts.Baloch said the attackers used hand grenades, rocket-propelled grenades and assault rifles on the joint security post of police and paramilitary forces. Bilal Shabbir, a top administrative officer in Shirani district, said two militants and one paramilitary trooper were wounded in the shootout that lasted for about two hours. He said the attackers managed to escape with their wounded accomplices. He added that security forces launched a search operation in the area and surrounding mountains to trace and eliminate the perpetrators...

Kansas shooting hospitalizes 9 victims including 7 people shot and 2 trampled, police say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:22:20 GMT

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A shooting in Kansas left seven people with gunshot wounds and an additional two victims hospitalized after being trampled as people rushed out of a nightclub early Sunday morning, police said.Shots were fired just before 1 a.m. in a nightclub on North Washington Street, Wichita Police Lt. Aaron Moses said during a press conference at the scene.“We have seven people who have been shot. We have two people who have been trampled during the mass exodus out the club,” Moses said, noting the investigation was still in the preliminary stage.There were no fatalities, but there was one critical injury. All the victims were being treated at an area hospital, Moses said.One person was detained by police for questioning, Moses said.The Associated Press

Baltimore block party shooting leaves 2 dead and 28 injured, including 3 critically hurt, police say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:22:20 GMT

BALTIMORE (AP) — Two people were killed and 28 were wounded when gunfire erupted at a block party in Baltimore Sunday morning, including three who are in critical condition, police said. Baltimore Police Department Acting Commissioner Richard Worley told reporters there were a total of 30 victims during a press conference at the scene.The shooting took place just after 12:30 a.m. at a block party in the Brooklyn Homes area in the southern part of the city, Worley said.All of the victims were adults. Nine victims were transported by ambulance and 20 victims walked into area hospitals with injuries from the shooting, Worley said.An 18-year-old woman was found dead at the scene and a 20-year-old man was pronounced dead at a hospital shortly after, police said.“I want those who are responsible to hear me, and hear me very clearly,” Mayor Brandon Scott said at the scene. “We will not stop until we find you, and we will find you. Until then, I hope that every singl...

Dakota County Juvenile Services partners with master gardeners to nurture growth

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:22:20 GMT

The garden that sits outside of the Dakota County Juvenile Services Center in Hastings serves as the ultimate metaphor for its community — when you nurture something, it will grow.For the second year, Dakota County Juvenile Services has partnered with the University of Minnesota Extension’s master gardener volunteer program to plant a garden that will provide produce for the county’s food shelves and teach vital lessons to its caretakers throughout the summer.“There are so many benefits from gardening,” said Matt Bauer, campus superintendent. “It is very grounding and it teaches skills like patience and the kids learn a sense of accomplishment.” The garden also functions as a restoration project, Bauer said, where the youth can give back to the community.The Juvenile Services Center is a secured facility with detention and treatment services for youth who pose a risk to public safety, according to the county’s website. The garden will be primarily used by the day treatme...

Skywatch: Venus and Mars say goodbye while Saturn says hello

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:22:20 GMT

July stargazing this year kicks off with the first full “supermoon” of the year on July 3. The term “supermoon” has always bugged me. Its origin comes from astrology rather than the actual science of astronomy. Nonetheless, it’s become a media darling. A supermoon is generally defined as a full moon that’s a little closer to Earth than average. Because the moon’s 27.3-day orbit around Earth is an ellipse and not a perfect circle, the moon has maximum and minimum distances from Earth in each orbit. The full moon this month, and three other full moons this year, will be a little closer to Earth than average. As a result, this month’s full moon will be slightly larger and brighter than usual. I certainly wouldn’t describe the difference as “super,” though.(Mike Lynch)After the first week of July, stargazing will improve with most of the bright moonlight out of the early evening sky. The bright planet Venus is still hangi...

Sunday Bulletin Board: When Pat & Vanna are on the scene, he can’t stop yakking at the screen!

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:22:20 GMT

Everyone’s a (TV) critic! . . . Game Show/Advertising DivisionsLadies and gentlemen, please welcome back THE MIGHTY WICKARD (“Hailing from Blaine – Ask Your Doctor If It’s Right for You”): “Subject: Spin Class.“‘Wheel of Fortune’ has always seemed to be a perfect targeting of a specific niche of viewers. One can determine the ‘bullseye’ of an audience by the commercials in any show. The ‘Wheel’ is packed end-to-end with commercials for newish medications named with 30 consonants and crowds of prancing and smiling people — but with half of every commercial warning you of side effects that sound more akin to the final stages of a Third World plague than the effects of something presumably designed to HELP you.“Of course it would be more persuasive if the commercial actually indicated the condition it was treating (if you’d be so kind as to tell me what I have). Instead, we’re advised to consult with our doctor to ...

Big lineup for book lovers at Loft’s Wordplay Festival

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:22:20 GMT

It’s all about books and reading Saturday, July 8, during the Loft Literary Center’s fourth Wordplay Festival in the Mill City district of Minneapolis. This is the first time the event has been held in person since the inaugural festival in 2019 that drew thousands of readers. The pandemic forced the festival to be virtual in 2020 and 2021, and production was paused in 2022.So the Loft is eager to let people know about the great lineup of Wordplay events. From 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., attendees will have a chance to hear from and interact with writers at workshops, readings and Youth Stage programs. Guest authors, who have varied backgrounds, work in a wide range of genres offering different perspectives. They include:Alexander Chee, fiction writer, poet and journalist; Adrian Matejka, editor of Poetry Magazine; Rebecca Makkai, author of the novel “The Hundred-Year House” and other work, as well as pop culture connections Caroline Kepnes, whose series of novels was...

Q&A: Mayor Melvin Carter discusses his guaranteed income program launched in St. Paul

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:22:20 GMT

In 2020, Mayor Melvin Carter established one of the first guaranteed income programs in St. Paul, giving 150 families $500 a month for an 18-month period.This year, Carter was featured in the “It’s Basic” documentary, a film about more than 20 mayors across the country promoting basic income for low-income residents. The film, directed by Marc Levin, was premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York earlier this summer.Carter spoke last week with the Pioneer Press about his involvement with Mayors for a Guaranteed Income and his vision for St. Paul. The following interview is edited for clarity and conciseness.Q: Why is St. Paul featured in this documentary?A: I am one of the national co-chairs of the Mayors for a Guaranteed Income organization. It started in Stockton, Calif., which was the first city to launch a guaranteed income program. The former mayor of Stockton, Michael Tubbs, and I are friends, and he asked me if I wanted to join him and I said absolut...