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Qatar says Gaza cease-fire will begin at Friday morning, with aid to follow 'as soon as possible'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:15 GMT

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — A four-day cease-fire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas will began Friday morning, Qatar said, a day later than originally announced, as negotiators worked out final details of the deal, which is to lead to the release of dozens of hostages held by militants and Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.The diplomatic breakthrough promised some relief for the 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza who have endured weeks of Israeli bombardment, as well as families in Israel fearful for the fate of their loved ones taken captive during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that triggered the war.The deal appeared to hit a last-minute snag when Israel’s national security adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, announced a one-day delay late Wednesday, without providing a reason. The cease-fire was originally set to begin Thursday morning.On Thursday, Majed al-Ansari, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of Qatar, which played a key role in mediating with Hamas, announced the cease-fire will start at...

LIVE: LIST: 2023 Thanksgiving meals, donations and food pantries in Central Texas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:15 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – If you find yourself not feeling up to cooking the traditional Thanksgiving meal in your home this year, a few organizations around Austin have got you covered. Additionally, if if you would like to donate some time or money, check out the list below. Central Texas Food BankVolunteering information can be found here. CTFB will be giving out turkeys, fresh produce and other items for free. Information to donate can be found here. H-E-B Feast of Sharing by United Way for Greater Austin Enjoy a free Thanksgiving meal from H-E-B and United Way for Greater Austin. Volunteers can sign up and parking information can be found here. When: Nov. 21 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Where: Palmer Events CenterAustin Turkey TrotThundercloud Subs is hosting an Austin Turkey Trot event Thanksgiving morning. Racers can choose to run (or walk) in the one mile or five miles legs. All the proceeds will go to Caritas of Austin, a nonprofit aiming to help those experiencing homelessness. Del Valle ...

What was Austin called before it became 'Austin'?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:15 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Did you know the land of Texas’ capital city wasn’t always called Austin? Before it became the city it is today, there was once a site on the Colorado River called Waterloo. Waterloo was a small community near the Colorado River and Shoal Creek before the city of Austin was founded, according to the Austin History Center. The origin of the Waterloo name is not known, but it could be from the Battle of Waterloo.  QUIZ: How well do you know these Austin landmarks? Early settlers of Waterloo lived on the north bank of the Colorado River, near the current-day Congress Avenue Bridge, according to the Texas State Historical Association. Mirabeau Lamar, the president of the Republic of Texas, visited the site in the 1830s. He decided it would be the capital city of the Republic of Texas. A plan for the city of Austin circa 1839.A view of the first Captiol built by the Republic of Texas in Austin in 1839.In 1839, a site-selection commission, appointed by the...

St. Louis once hosted Thanksgiving games before NFL traditions changed course

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:15 GMT

ST. LOUIS - For decades, the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys have hosted Thanksgiving games every year as part of a long-standing NFL tradition. Detroit has hosted a Thanksgiving showdown each year since 1934. Dallas has hosted one every year since 1966, with two exceptions: 1975 and 1977. On both of those occasions, the NFL's St. Louis Cardinals earned the chance for national spotlight. The Washington Post recently tackled the switch-up in a feature story, including how St. Louis ended up with two Thanksgiving games and some unfortunate twists that followed. Five key St. Louis scenes from a Thanksgiving classic: Planes, Trains & Automobiles For St. Louis, the city's run at hosting Thanksgiving home games was short-lived. It didn't help that the Cardinals were routed in their only two Thanksgiving games at Busch Memorial Stadium, losing 32-14 to the Buffalo Bills in 1975 and 55-14 to the Miami Dolphins in 1977.How did the football Cardinals and Thanksgiving cross paths? The ...

KC mom invents luggage that doubles as neck pillow to avoid airline baggage fees

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:15 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Kansas City mom finds a way around the pesky fee for extra airline baggage, all while avoiding a pain in the neck on a plane.Inside a Zipplicity bag, Amber Waldeier said she's ready for a five-day vacation."I've got three pairs of leggings, five shirts and six socks," Waldeier said.She said it can hold about five pounds. Kansas drivers riled by ‘Mizzou colors’ on new default license plate Waldeier said she designed the fabric sleeve suitcase with a zipper to cut costs on luggage at the airport.Instead of checking a bag, you're now carrying a neck-pillow.She invented the idea in 2019 when her family took a trip."I didn't want to spend the money on the baggage fees," Waldeier said. "I wanted to spend the money on memory making, like all the money on fun."They were celebrating good health. For three years, Waldeier battled a bladder disease and hip issues, but got cleared to walk on the beach.She said overcoming those challenges led her to becoming a succesful en...

Here's where to get your last-minute ingredients on Thanksgiving

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:15 GMT

Need some last-minute ingredients for your Thanksgiving dinner? The "Today" show rounded up a list of grocery stores and their holiday hours, and there's good news for Southern California.Many of the local supermarket chains are open on Turkey Day, at least for limited hours.Vons, Ralphs, Whole Foods and Sprouts should all be open, especially Thursday morning.However, if you're looking to stock up at Costco, Target or Trader Joe's, you're likely out of luck. They're closed for the holiday.That's unfortunate for anyone looking to purchase what Finance Buzz found to be the cheapest pre-made Thanksgiving meal, which costs $6.25 per person at Target.Interestingly, the most expensive pre-made meal is also unavailable. Costco's meal costs $24.88 per person.

70-year-old man shot in Westlake

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:15 GMT

An elderly man was shot in Westlake early Thursday morning.The shooting was reported at about 12:05 a.m. at Park View Street and Beverly Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.The man, 70, was transported to a local hospital in unknown condition.Police only described the shooter as an adult Hispanic man, and it is unknown if the shooting is gang-related.

Music Gift Guide 2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:15 GMT

Music Gift Guide 2023: The holidays are upon us once again, and that means we need to spend a fortune on gifts for family and friends, and maybe even a few people that we don’t even like. Don’t, we’ve got you covered. Everyone likes music, and below you’ll find a whole load of music-related ideas for presents. If nothing else, treat yourself!Avril Lavigne (Beatbox)BeatBoxLast year, we were sent deadmau5’s coconut rum to sample, and very nice it was, too. This year, our music-related boozy treat is BeatBox, a read-to-drink cocktail brand. The music connection comes in due to the fact that they’ve partnered with Avril Lavigne on a Pink Lemonade flavor. That is undeniably delicious, though not quite as good as its Green Apple. The Peach is damned fine, too. All of them pack a punch; the Pink Lemonade clocks in at 11.1%.“The partnership with BeatBox felt right from the start – I have never come across a brand that was as committed to providing their fans with a truly memorab...

Bay Area high school football 2023: CCS championship weekend preview

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:15 GMT

For the first time since 2010, just one team from the West Catholic Athletic League reached a Central Coast Section final — and that team won’t play this weekend.Serra captured its championship last week, routing Wilcox for the Open Division title.Under the section’s new format, Wilcox, as the Open runner-up, moved into the CCS’s Division I final on Friday night against league-rival Los Gatos at San Jose City College.Five championships will be decided this weekend in the CCS, four involving teams from the Bay Area News Group’s coverage area.We preview those games here:CCS Division I: No. 4 Los Gatos vs. No. 7 WilcoxRecords: Los Gatos 10-2; Wilcox 8-4Kickoff: Friday at San Jose City College, 7 p.m.Series history: The teams have met 22 times in the MaxPreps era (2004 to present), with Los Gatos leading 16-5-1. Los Gatos has won the past four meetings. Storylines: Los Gatos won the regular season matchup between the teams 24-21 after senior running back Bo...

7 incredible Bay Area things to do over Thanksgiving weekend

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:15 GMT

Happy Thanksgiving, dear readers, and we hope a fun and wonderful holiday season is awaiting us all. But first we have to do deal with having fun this weekend, and we have some cool ideas along those lines, from a the quirky “Saltburn” to great plays and concerts and a sudsy day trip to Jack London Square.And, as always, be sure to double check event and venue websites for any last-minute changes in health guidelines. Meanwhile, if you’d like to have this Weekender lineup delivered to your inbox every Thursday morning for free, just sign up at www.mercurynews.com/newsletters or www.eastbaytimes.com/newsletters.1 WATCH: Wild ‘Saltburn’ is a winnerEmerald Fennell’s zany film about two Oxford University students on a summer break is wild, unique and a little naughty — and tops our roundup of new films and shows you should totally watch this weekend. And if you’re curious as to what films are headed to theaters through the holiday stretch, we...