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7 holiday decorating tips: Get a better look in less time

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:39:23 GMT

I have this vision of how holiday decorating is supposed to be, probably because I’ve watched too many Hallmark movies: Nat King Cole crooning carols in the background, as everyone takes joyful turns hanging ornaments and stockings.In reality, the kids are in their rooms plugged into their devices, a fight has ensued over tangled strands of half-dead Christmas lights and chaos reigns.Holidays so often seem better in the abstract.After decades of feeling like the decorating process is too much work and too little fun, I decided there had to be a better way. I’ve figured out a few shortcuts that result in getting the decorating done faster with a better look and less cursing. I also spoke with Orlando organizer Kim Krogh, who validated my ideas and offered more of her own.The mulled results boil down to three practices: Limit your décor. Coordinate colors for cohesion. Use logic when storing. Here are seven ways to help you do just that:1. Edit and purge holiday décor yearly. Ye...

Israeli military says freed hostages have returned to Israel after 7 weeks of captivity in Gaza

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:39:23 GMT

By NAJIB JOBAIN, JOSEF FEDERMAN and JACK JEFFERY (Associated Press)RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — The Israeli military says the hostages released by Hamas as part of a cease-fire deal have returned to Israel.In a statement Friday, military officials said the hostages underwent an initial medical check inside Israeli territory. They were to be accompanied by Israeli soldiers to hospitals to be reunited with their families.Qatar said a total of 24 hostages were freed, including 13 Israelis.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hamas on Friday released 24 hostages who had been held captive in Gaza for weeks, including 13 Israelis, 10 people from Thailand and a Filipino citizen, according to Qatar and other officials, in the first stage in a swap for Palestinians prisoners in Israel under a four-day cease-fire deal.The hostages, women and children, were undergoing medical checks before they were to be transferred to Israel. They are to be ta...

Caltrain to suspend service between San Jose Diridon and Tamien for work

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:39:23 GMT

(BCN) -- Caltrain will suspend some service beginning Monday between its San Jose Diridon and Tamien stations to accommodate electrification work.From Monday to Friday, the last southbound train 146 will terminate at San Jose Diridon, Caltrain said in a statement. Several streets downtown to close Friday for lighting of Old Oak Tree On Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 2 and 3, the first northbound train 221 will depart from San Jose Diridon. On Saturday, Dec. 2, the last southbound train 284 will terminate at San Jose Diridon.Free Valley Transportation Authority buses will be provided between the stations.An overhead system will power new electric trains, replacing diesel engines.Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

Chiefs head into Raiders game hoping offense catches up to their defense

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:39:23 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — No deficit has seemed too large for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ quick-strike offense during a four-season run that includes two Super Bowl titles.Now, Kansas City is in position to defend its championship — because of its defense.The Chiefs (7-3) enter Sunday’s game against the host Las Vegas Raiders ranking in the top four in total, scoring and pass defense. They must hope that kind of defensive effort isn’t wasted by an offense that’s oddly still trying to find itself.The Chiefs have been shut out in the second half of their last three games and scored 53 points total after the break this season, both of those the worst in the league. At fault are myriad issues: penalties, blown assignments, execution, dropped passes and poor play-calling, all of which have put tremendous pressure on the defense.“We have a lot of hope in Pat Mahomes and Andy Reid and this offense,” defensive tackle Chris Jones said. “They’ve scored a lot of points. We’v...

Stock market today: Wall Street little changed as trading resumes after Thanksgiving holiday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:39:23 GMT

Stocks on Wall Street are mixed in light midday trading Friday after U.S. markets reopened following the Thanksgiving holiday. The S&P 500 was up less than 0.1% as of 12:20 p.m. Eastern, after drifting between small gains and losses all morning. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 87 points and the Nasdaq composite dipped 0.2%. Markets will close early at 1 p.m. Eastern. Shares in big technology stocks were the only laggards. Apple fell 0.9% and Nvidia was 1.6% lower. Google parent Alphabet was down 1.4%. Those losses were kept in check by gains in health care, financial, energy and other sectors. Eli Lilly & Co. rose 0.8%, Citigroup was 0.4% higher and Exxon Mobil added 0.9%. The major stock indexes are on pace to close out the holiday-shortened week with a fourth straight weekly gain. Stocks on Wall Street have rallied in November following a three-month slide amid hope that inflation has cooled enough for the Federal Reserve to finally be done with its market-crunching ...

El iceberg más grande del mundo está en movimiento

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:39:23 GMT

Londres (CNN) — El iceberg más grande del mundo (más del doble del tamaño de la capital británica) está en movimiento después de décadas de permanecer encallado en el fondo marino de la Antártida.La enorme masa de hielo se desprendió de la plataforma de hielo Filchner-Ronne en 1986, se desprendió y se hundió en el fondo del mar de Weddell en la Antártida casi de inmediato.Un iceberg del tamaño de Londres se desprendió de la AntártidaEl iceberg, llamado A23a, tiene unos 400 metros (1.312 pies) de espesor y casi 4.000 kilómetros cuadrados (1.544 millas cuadradas) de superficie. El Gran Londres, a modo de comparación, tiene 1.572 kilómetros cuadrados (607 millas cuadradas).Pero ahora, casi tres décadas después, el iceberg probablemente se ha reducido lo suficiente como para perder su agarre en el fondo marino como parte del ciclo de crecimiento natural de la plataforma de hielo, y ha comenzado a moverse, dijeron a CNN los científicos Ella Gilbert y Oliver Marsh de la British Anta...

Popyrin gives Australia a 1-0 lead over Finland in Davis Cup semifinals

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:39:23 GMT

MALAGA, Spain (AP) — Alexei Popyrin gave Australia a 1-0 lead in their Davis Cup semifinal match against Finland after beating Otto Virtanen 7-6 (5), 6-2 on Friday.Alex de Miñaur has the chance to put Australia through to the final by winning the second singles match against Emil Ruusuvuori. Novak Djokovic’s Serbia will face Jannik Sinner’s Italy on Saturday in the other semifinal match on the indoor hard court at Martin Carpena arena in Malaga, Spain. Popyrin edged Virtanen in the first set, saving a set point when trailing 6-5 and forcing a tiebreaker that he clinched when his opponent slapped a forehand long.Virtanen was Finland’s hero in its upset of defending champion Canada on Tuesday, winning both his singles and doubles matches. But his serve let him down against Popyrin in the second set when his fifth double-fault cost him a break.Lleyton Hewitt’s Australia is seeking a second consecutive final. Australia has the second-most Davis Cup titles, with 28 to 32 for the United S...

Young, Levis finally face off as NFL rookies after never playing each other in SEC

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:39:23 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Bryce Young and Will Levis never faced off during college in the Southeastern Conference. Now the rookie quarterbacks finally will meet Sunday in the NFL when Young and his Carolina Panthers (1-9) visit Levis and the Titans (3-7) in Music City. “I’ve definitely watched him from afar and been really impressed with his whole process, and he’s a heck of a quarterback,” Levis said of Young. “Was really fun watching him, comparing myself to the other quarterbacks in the draft class. (He) did some great things on Saturdays. He’s been doing some great things on Sundays.” The No. 1 overall pick in April has taken a beating that cost him one start, and he has nearly as many interceptions (eight) as touchdown passes (nine). First-year coach Frank Reich knows whether the 5-foot-10 Young could handle a pounding at this level was a big question coming into the draft.“He physically is one tough dude,” Reich said. “Never wants to come out, can take hits. I...

Hamas frees first batch of hostages under temporary cease-fire, including 13 Israelis

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:39:23 GMT

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hamas on Friday released 24 hostages who had been held captive in Gaza for weeks, including 13 Israelis, 10 people from Thailand and a Filipino citizen, according to Qatar and other officials, in the first stage in a swap for Palestinians prisoners in Israel under a four-day cease-fire deal.The hostages, women and children, were soon returned to Israel, where Israeli officials said they underwent medical checkups. They were to be accompanied by soldiers to hospitals to be reunited with their families.Qatar was a key mediator in the hostage release. The International Committee of the Red Cross delivered the hostages from Gaza into Egypt.The agreement brought the first respite for beleaguered residents of Gaza and opened the way for sorely needed aid to flow in. It was also a moment of hope for families in Israel and elsewhere worried about loved ones taken captive during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, which triggered the war.There were no reports of fighting in the ho...

Ascienden los muertos a 96 en Somalia tras las inundaciones de ‘El Niño’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:39:23 GMT

MOGADISCIO- La Agencia Somalí de Gestión de Desastres (Sodma), que confirmó el número de fallecidos este jueves en una reunión presidida por el primer ministro del país, Hamza Abdi Barre, también señaló que las inundaciones y las lluvias torrenciales golpearon a cerca de dos millones de personas.La peor situación está viviéndose en los estados somalíes de Hirshabelle, Suroeste y Jubaland, en el centro y el sur del país, mientras que en el norte persiste una situación de sequía, según la ONU.La Oficina de Naciones Unidas para la Coordinación de Asuntos Humanitarios (OCHA) alertó de que la cifra de personas desplazadas se duplicó la semana pasada con respecto a la anterior, pasando de 334,800 a 649,000.“Estos números superan las cifras de planificación y preparación”, reconoció la OCHA, que lamentó que “las lluvias torrenciales y las inundaciones han exacerbado la crisis de hambre en Somalia”. Reanudan búsqueda de desaparecidos tras alud que dejó ...