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Battenfeld: CNN town hall, unpopular media provide perfect foil for Trump

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 17:00:53 GMT

The unpopular mainstream media, so aligned with Democrats they cheer President Biden’s re-election announcement at the cozy correspondents’ dinner, provides the perfect foil for Donald Trump.Every time Trump opens his mouth, the media says he is lying.And every time the media says the former president is lying, he goes up in the polls.That’s why CNN can pile on Trump in its town hall Wednesday night as much as they want, and it will be a win for him. Anti-Trump plants in the audience can go for the jugular. The media will seize upon and amplify the single most negative moment.Trump still wins. And that’s why he’s doing the CNN event at St. Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire. It may seem puzzling at first why Trump would expose himself to one of his network arch-enemies – which is obsessed with taking him down – but it makes perfect sense.And Joe Biden will do his part by coordinating yet another crisis — this one at the southern border – set to unfold just one day before the...

Royal-watchers shun sleep to watch coronation of King Charles III

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 17:00:53 GMT

About 30 royal-watchers gathered in the middle of the night at Victoria’s 144-year-old Union Club,  shunning sleep so they could celebrate the coronation of King Charles III.Donna Otto said she wanted to be part of history, even though it meant being up when most Canadians are slumbering. “At the same time that it’s happening, this is the moment in history,” she said. “It’s this moment and that feels right for me.”  The viewing party was held in the neo-Georgia-style brick building’s stately reading room. Attendees made themselves comfortable sitting on green leather couches and watching the ceremony on a big screen. Canadian flags and Union Jacks were on display throughout the room and coffee, tea and breakfast was available. Otto said despite King Charles’s age, he has been embracing modern ideas for years, including environmentalism, heritage preservation and gardening. “He’s done things that haven’t always b...

Man critically injured in early morning downtown shooting

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 17:00:53 GMT

A man has suffered life-threatening injuries following an early morning shooting in downtown Toronto.Police say they were called to the area of Queen Street West and Denison Avenue just before 5 a.m. Saturday for reports of gunshots.When they arrived they found a man suffering from gunshot wounds. He was taken to a nearby trauma centre with life-threatening injuries.Police have not released a suspect description at this time.

Burials set in Serbia for some of victims of mass shootings

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 17:00:53 GMT

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Funerals are being held in Serbia on Saturday for some of the victims of two mass shootings that happened in just two days this week, leaving 17 people dead and 21 wounded, many of them children.The shootings on Wednesday in a school in Belgrade and on Thursday in a rural area south of the capital city have left the nation stunned with grief and disbelief.Though Serbia is awash with weapons and no stranger to crisis situations following the wars of the 1990s, a school shooting like the one on Wednesday has never happened before. The most recent previous mass shooting was in 2013 when a war veteran killed 13 people.The shooter on Wednesday was a 13-year-old boy who opened fire on his fellow students, killing seven girls, a boy and a school guard. A day later, a 20-year-old man fired randomly in two villages in central Serbia, killing eight people. While the country struggled to come to terms with what happened, authorities promised a gun crackdown and said the...

King Charles III takes solemn oath at coronation ceremony

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 17:00:53 GMT

King Charles III has taken the solemn oath to govern the people of the United Kingdom with “justice and mercy” and to foster an environment where people of all faiths and beliefs can live freely.The oath is the second of five elements of the historic coronation rite that is rooted in more than 1,000 years of tradition.Charles said he was willing to take the oath and after placing his hand on the Bible, he solemnly promised to do so. He later kissed the holy book.The service has been modified to acknowledge the change in the religious makeup of the United Kingdom.For the first time, Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh religious leaders are playing a part in the coronation. That reflects Charles’ vow to be “the defender of faiths,” as opposed to the “defender of the faith.” Shouts of “God save King Charles” and trumpet blasts echoed in Westminster Abbey as more than 2,000 guests recognized the new monarch. For his coronation, ...

What you need to know about the 2023 Minnesota fishing opener

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 17:00:53 GMT

Minnesota’s general inland fishing season starts at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, May 13, for walleye, northern pike and bass, although bass fishing south and west of U.S. Highway 53 is catch-and-release only until May 27.Panfish fishing, including perch, sunfish and crappies, is allowed all year. Musky season starts June 3. Fishing on Lake Superior for salmon and some trout runs all year. North Shore stream fishing for rainbow trout is allowed all year. Brook trout fishing opened April 16.Lake ice-out?Boats of anglers fill the St. Louis River estuary for the May 12, 2018, Minnesota fishing opener in Duluth, Minn. (Clint Austin / Forum News Service)As of Wednesday, most lakes in northern Minnesota still had some ice on them, but many should lose their ice over the next week. Ice-out had progressed as far north as some Brainerd-area lakes and photographs showed ice pulling away from shore on Winnibigoshish and even Upper Red Lake at midweek.The exception appears to be lakes in Minnesota’s Arr...

Ask Amy: Vacation times are affected by interlopers

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 17:00:53 GMT

Dear Amy: Like a lot of people these days, my adult children and many of my friends are spread out all over the country. I try to stay in touch with them by making short trips to visit them.These trips are usually four or five days (two days of which are travel days) and include the expenses of airfare, accommodations, entertainment, pet sitting, etc.I have a close friend I have met in various locations for vacations, and the last three times, she has brought a friend or family member along (at her expense) without telling me in advance.Her one friend was a very high-maintenance stranger (to me) who now shows up on all of my photos from our vacation to Yosemite. Her presence totally affected the dynamic.Another time, she invited her adult son along, again without telling me.My kids also do this, inviting other family members or friends over during my visits.I appreciate the desire to be one big happy group, but I would like to just have some alone time with them. It would be great i...

Bridge: May 6, 2023

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 17:00:53 GMT

“Simple Saturday” columns focus on basic technique and logical thinking.Effective defense is impossible without counting. Besides counting declarer’s distribution, high-card points and potential winners, defenders must count their own tricks.To beat a major-suit game takes four tricks. In today’s deal, West leads a spade against four hearts, and East takes the ace. Before returning partner’s lead, East should think about where the defenders’ four tricks will come from.TRUMP TRICK?West is unlikely to have a trump trick, and though he may have a diamond trick, he can’t have the A-K, not having led a diamond. So the defense will surely need one club. If South has the king of spades, they will need two.At Trick Two, East must shift to the eight of clubs. If West has the king of spades, he will probably get it no matter what. This defense is not a sure thing: If South holds QJ10,K10965,A6,AKQ, East must return a spade instead. But that is a speci...

Horoscopes May 6, 2023: George Clooney, let your actions express how you feel

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 17:00:53 GMT

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Gabourey Sidibe, 40; George Clooney, 62; Tom Bergeron, 68; Willie Mays, 92.Tom Bergeron (AFP PHOTO / VALERIE MACONVALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Images) Happy Birthday: Let your imagination run wild and you’ll come up with impressive ideas that will entertain you and those waiting to see what you’ll do next. Let your actions express how you feel. The response you get in return will give you the go-ahead to make your dreams come true. Trusting and believing in yourself will motivate you to go the distance. Your numbers are 8, 15, 21, 28, 33, 37, 44.ARIES (March 21-April 19): Don’t waste time trying to fix something that isn’t broken. Stay focused on what’s important and can make a difference to the outcome of a situation that can affect your lifestyle or status. Pay attention to what you say and how you look. 3 starsTAURUS (April 20-May 20): Don’t feel you have to do everything yourself. Reach out to people who share you...

Dmitri: The Man Financing a Political Counterrevolution

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 17:00:53 GMT

This week on Deconstructed, Ryan Grim is joined by Dmitri Mehlhorn, a tech executive who has emerged as one of the most powerful financiers in the Democratic Party and a strategist who often takes direct aim, with millions of dollars, at the party’s left flank. He was in the news this week for helping finance E. Jean Carroll’s defamation suit against Donald Trump. Mehlhorn and Grim discuss their competing views on political strategy, the best way to challenge Republicans, and the way forward for the party.[Deconstructed theme music.]Ryan Grim: I’m Ryan Grim. Welcome back to Deconstructed.First, a big thank you to everybody who gave last week during our little pledge drive; very much appreciated. Today we’re going to be talking about the future of the Democratic Party and competing ideas about how it ought to pitch itself to the country, what it should stand for, and how it can best stand up to Trump and the MAGA movement around him.Now, for that conversation,...