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No One Knows How Many Americans Are Imprisoned in Pakistan’s Crackdown on Dissent

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:30:01 GMT

The political crisis sparked by former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s removal from power in 2022 has since given way to a major crackdown on what remains of his political party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. The campaign by the military has included a wave of killings and detentions targeting Khan’s supporters, including journalists believed to be aligned with his movement.The impact has not been limited to those with ties to only Pakistan itself. Some of those caught up in the dragnet are American and British citizens and residents, detained in Pakistan after repression escalated in response to a series of demonstrations against the military this past May. Join Our Newsletter Original reporting. Fearless journalism. Delivered to you. I'm in Pakistan is widely seen to be devolving into a police state, with thousands arrested on politicized charges over the past few...

All Eyes on the Tropics Next Week

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:30:01 GMT

Lots of changes ahead to our weather pattern in South Florida as we continue to track Invest 93L, which is an area of disturbed weather the National Hurricane Center is monitoring for potential tropical development currently over the northwestern Caribbean Sea.Before then, South Florida will enjoy a relatively nice and quiet weekend with a good deal of sunshine and low rain chances.Expect mostly sunny skies and just an isolated shower this Saturday with highs in the low to mid 90s. Sunday will be fairly similar with a few more clouds and up to a 40% chance for inland showers and storms.By next week, rain chances ramp up to a 50-60% chance as that low over the Caribbean tracks into the Gulf of Mexico.The National Hurricane Center currently gives this system a 60% chance of development over the next 48 hours and a 90% chance over the next 7 days, meaning a tropical depression or storm will likely develop by early next week.For South Florida, we are confident that we will get moisture ...

Puerto Rico board submits third plan in attempt to restructure power company debt of $10 billion

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:30:01 GMT

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — A new plan for restructuring $10 billion in debt owed by Puerto Rico’s power company was filed late Friday in the latest attempt to end a lengthy bankruptcy process marked by acrimonious negotiations.The plan filed by a federal control board that oversees the U.S. territory’s finances would cut the debt of Puerto Rico’s Electric Power Authority by nearly 80% to some $2.5 billion.“We hope that we will be closing not just the chapter but most of the book on the largest public sector bankruptcy in the United States,” Robert Mujica, the board’s executive director, said in a meeting with reporters.If confirmed by a federal bankruptcy judge, the plan would mean an increase in already high power bills for many people on the island if the new charge is approved by Puerto Rico’s Energy Bureau.On average, residential bills would increase by nearly $9 a month and commercial bills by $35.Some 1.4 million customers would not pay the new charge if they consume less th...

Hawaii’s cherished notion of family, the ‘ohana, endures in tragedy’s aftermath

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:30:01 GMT

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Families were torn asunder. A community is reeling with grief. More than 100 people have perished and hundreds more remain missing after flames and smoke barreled from the hills and annihilated the historic town of Lahaina. But even in places overwhelmed by despair and devastation, the Hawaiian spirit known as ‘ohana endures.In the Hawaiian lexicon, ‘ohana is a sensibility, a way of thinking that means family, belonging, community and so much more — solace in a time of calamity. It is a unifying principle in an increasingly fragmented world. And in recent weeks, amid misfortune, the word has taken on profound importance in a place appealing for help.“In times like this, ‘ohana gets stronger,” says Dustin Kaleiopu, whose Maui roots date back to when monarchs ruled the islands.The kanaka of Hawaii, the Native Hawaiians who inhabit the islands, value ’ohana, which extends beyond the familial ties of blood. It is a life nourished by kinship.“In a...

U.S. team to digitize Quaker boarding school records, drawing inspiration from Canada

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:30:01 GMT

OTTAWA — A coalition advocating for Indigenous Peoples forced to attend boarding schools in the United States is planning to digitize 20,000 archival pages related to schools that were operated by the Quakers.Outside of Native Nations, most people aren’t even aware these schools were an integral part of history and U.S. federal Indian policy, said Samuel Torres, the deputy CEO of the Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition.He and his team are trying to change that, drawing inspiration — and lessons learned — from Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.The Quakers and other faith groups have in recent years either begun or increased efforts to research and atone for their roles in the boarding school system that Indigenous children in the U.S. were forced to attend. The institutions cut them off from their families, tribes and traditions, similar to residential schools in Canada.For decades, documents re...

Ask Amy: A landmark birthday isn’t cruising along

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:30:01 GMT

Dear Amy: My husband will be turning 80 next year and I suggested to my daughter that, since everyone in our family loves Disney, the 10 of us should spend the week of his birthday in Orlando. (My husband’s birthday falls during a holiday week, and the children are not in school.)She said she thought this was a fun idea, but now she wants to go on a cruise, instead.Our daughter is well aware that my husband does not wish to go on a cruise.So she and her family have planned a week-long cruise for that week, which means they won’t be with us for the birthday or any part of that holiday week.I am very hurt by their decision and find that this is bringing up a long list of past hurts that I have never verbalized.It’s pretty much all I think about.In your opinion, should I tell her how hurt I am, or should I let it go?— Sad Mother and GrandmotherDear Sad: Recently I was talking with another parent who has adult children (also with grandchildren), and she offered that elder parents ...

The valuable process of interviewing prospective seller’s agents

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:30:01 GMT

Question: We are about to sell a house for the first time. The buyer’s agent who represented us on the purchase retired. It is a shame. We wanted our buyer’s agent to sell our home as a seller’s agent. His education on homebuyer mistakes was impressive. He had unswayable due diligence regarding aspects of homebuying aimed at protecting our best interest — his guidance as our buyer’s agent was eye-opening.Last week, we had conversations with potential candidates to be our seller’s agent. The agents overtly promoted themselves. That is understandable. They all steered away from discussing home-seller mistakes. It was surreal. We know home selling is problematic. What home-selling proactive safeguards did we need to hear while interviewing a prospective seller’s agent? Answer: First: If you are a potential home seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, a prospective seller’s agent should have described the advantages of having presale seller inspections such as roof, chimney, termite,...

Word Game: Aug. 26, 2023

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:30:01 GMT

TODAY’S WORD — LAMPREY (LAMPREY: LAM-pree: An eel-like freshwater fish.)Average mark 40 wordsTime limit 60 minutesCan you find 52 or more words in LAMPREY? The list will be published Monday.YESTERDAY’S WORD — GRADUATE gate gated gear grad grade grate great guar guard rate read reata rude rued adage agar agate aged ager ague area argue auger aura dare dart data date dear drag drat dreg drug duet urea urge tare tear trade tread trudge trueTo purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last!RULES OF THE GAME:1. Words must be of four or more letters.2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible.4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.Contact Word...

Bridge: Aug. 26, 2023

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:30:01 GMT

“Simple Saturday” columns focus on basic technique and logical thinking.Speaking of “focus,” maintaining your concentration is 50 percent of doing well. A vast knowledge of technique won’t help someone who is thinking about where he will go for dinner.In today’s deal, West led the king of clubs against South’s four spades, and East overtook with the ace and returned a club. When West won and led a third club, declarer ruffed with dummy’s ten of trumps. East overruffed with the jack and exited with a diamond.SETTING TRICKSouth then drew trumps, led a heart to his ace and returned a heart for a finesse with dummy’s jack. East produced the queen, winning the setting trick.Whatever South had his mind on, it wasn’t winning 10 tricks. On the third club, South should discard a heart from dummy instead of ruffing. He wins West’s diamond shift, draws trumps, takes dummy’s second high diamond and discards another heart fr...

Spanish football federation threatens legal action against star player in kiss controversy

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:30:01 GMT

The uproar over a post-victory embrace is escalating, with Spain’s football federation threatening to take legal action over star player Jenni Hermoso’s latest statements over the incident.Luis Rubiales, president of the Spanish football federation, is defying calls to resign over accusations that his celebratory kiss with Hermoso, a member of Spain’s World Cup-winning women’s team, happened without her consent. Hermoso and 80 other Spanish football players said late Friday that they would not play for the national team as long as “the current leaders continue.”  In a statement published in response to the players’ announcement, the Spanish football federation (RFEF) said it would pursue “all legal actions … in defense” of Rubiales. The statement, dated Friday, includes photos which the RFEF claims support his version of events. Rubiales “clearly and simply explained how the events” occurred, according to the statement.The fresh round of claims and counterclaims app...