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Don’t let the cold temps lead to a soggy mess in your home

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:18:52 GMT

Below freezing temperatures are set to return to the D.C. region on Wednesday night and with that comes an increased risk of flooding from frozen pipes.Many of the pipe bursts involve pipes that lead to the spigot outside, according to Wesley Bush, owner of Alliance Water Restoration in Chantilly, Virginia.“Hose bibs become the greatest issue as far as causing water leaks that people aren’t prepared for,” Bush said.When the pipes that supply the outdoor faucet with water freeze and expand, he said that at times leads to the pipe splitting.“As soon as it thaws out, you have full pressure that’s blowing water into your basement,” he said.To prevent this, you should winterize your home by locating the indoor shutoff valves for the water lines that lead to the outdoor faucet. Once you shut off the water using those valves, turn on the spigot outside so the water inside the pipe drains out, Bush said.Not taking this simple step can lead to thousands of dollars’ worth of...

Movie Review: A serene debut from Raven Jackson in ‘All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt’

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:18:52 GMT

Nature provides much of the soundtrack to “ All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt,” a poised and occasionally transcendent debut from writer-director Raven Jackson.The sounds of crickets and birds, flowing water and the wind in the long summer grass are only sporadically punctured by a song at a party, or a brief moment of a swelling score. These are the kind of details that make you feel immediately rooted in a place. It’s not just the nature setting on a sleep app either, or, if it is, sound supervisor Miguel Calvo ensure that it doesn’t feel like that. It’s thoughtful and precise and also lets you more fully enjoy the moments where those human-made sounds take over.This might be a lot of talk about sound design to start, but it’s also a bit of a primer on what to expect from “All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt,” which counts “Moonlight” filmmaker Barry Jenkins among its producers. Like sitting in a field for hours without a phone or a book or a companion to chat with, just the world around you,...

¿Qué es una amnistía y en qué consistiría la que aplicaría Pedro Sánchez en Cataluña?

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:18:52 GMT

(CNN Español) — Que en España se forme un nuevo Ejecutivo tras las elecciones generales del 23 de julio depende, actualmente, de que Pedro Sánchez reúna los apoyos necesarios para apuntalar su investidura como presidente del Gobierno.Todavía no hay una fecha definida para que el parlamento acoja el debate donde el secretario general del Partido Socialista Obrero Español (PSOE) buscaría reunir la confianza de los miembros de la cámara, y eso se debe a que el líder socialista aún no ha culminado las negociaciones con los partidos que pueden brindar ese apoyo.Pedro Sánchez acepta la petición del rey de España para intentar formar Gobierno: ¿cuándo sería la investidura y qué necesita para lograrlo?El principal reto de Sánchez es cerrar un acuerdo con las formaciones independentistas catalanas, Junts per Catalunya y Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya, para lograr el voto a favor de sus 14 diputados en el Congreso.Sin embargo, ese apoyo sólo lo ofrecen a cambio de una ley de amnistía...

King Charles III meets in private with the family of the Kenyan rebel leader hanged by the British

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:18:52 GMT

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — King Charles III on Wednesday held a private meeting with the family of the executed leader of the Kenyan rebellion against British colonial rule, a day after the monarch expressed “greatest sorrow and the deepest regret” for the violence of the colonial era.The family of Dedan Kimathi, who was hanged by the British administration, and relatives of other well-known Kenyan freedom fighters didn’t immediately comment — a change from their past outspoken calls for an apology and compensation from Britain, along with any information on the whereabouts of Kimathi’s body.The British High Commission said only that the meeting was an “opportunity for the king to hear firsthand about the violence committed against Kenyans during their struggle for independence.” Attendees included the chair of the Mau Mau War Veterans Association.Charles also visited a war cemetery in Kenya on Wednesday, laying a wreath in honor of those who fought alongside the British in t...

Turning last night’s jack-o’-lantern into compost, and other morning-after pumpkin options

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:18:52 GMT

Instead of throwing last night’s Halloween jack-o’-lantern into the trash, some industrious people are turning old, burned-out carved pumpkins into compost.Composting not only helps your garden, it also reduces food waste — including rotting pumpkins — in landfills. The U.S. Green Chamber of Commerce estimates 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins end up in landfills each year.Here’s how to get a pumpkin ready for composting, according to the U.S. Department of Energy:Remove the candle wax, paint, glitter, ribbons and other nonorganic decorations from the pumpkin.Clean out all the pulp and seeds, because if you include them in a compost pile, new pumpkin plants will likely sprout. (If you want to plant some seeds next year, wash off the pulp, dry them on paper towels and store them in a paper bag until next planting season)Smash or cut up the pumpkin into small pieces, which speeds up decomposition.Mix the smaller pieces of pumpkin into your compost pile. Using a rake or ...

The US has strongly backed Israel’s war against Hamas. The allies don’t seem to know what comes next

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:18:52 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — When U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was asked this week who would govern the Gaza Strip following Israel’s devastating war against Hamas, he said a return of the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority made “the most sense.”What he failed to mention is that the Palestinian Authority, weak and deeply unpopular with its own people, has already said it has no interest in assuming power if it is helped by Israel.Blinken’s comments Tuesday reflected what some analysts see as the questionable assumptions and short-term thinking that have guided American and Israeli policymakers since Israel declared war in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 cross-border attack in which its militants killed more than 1,400 people and took roughly 240 others hostage.With strong American backing, Israel has defined two clear goals: bringing home all of the hostages and destroying Hamas, the Islamic militant group that has governed Gaza since ousting the Palestinian Author...

Nathan Woodyard takes the stand during trial

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:18:52 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Nathan Woodyard, an Aurora Police officer on trial for the 2019 death of Elijah McClain, is taking the stand Wednesday afternoon.Woodyard, who was suspended from the force, is charged with reckless manslaughter of the 23-year-old McClain. The trial began Oct. 17. McClain died in 2019 after he was stopped by police while walking home from a convenience store. He was thrown to the ground and held down before being injected by paramedics with ketamine, a sedative.The prosecution argued that McClain's death was put in motion by Woodyard's carotid neck hold, as well as physical force used by him and other officers to hold him still. 7 years later, man faces charges in death of woman on train A forensic pathologist called by the prosecution argued that the manner of McClain's death was homicide and that the officer's actions contributed to his death.However, the defense has argued that the paramedics were to blame for McClain's death. A separate forensic pathologist ca...

We should heed Elon Musk’s concerns about AI, says Rishi Sunak

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:18:52 GMT

LONDON — British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has defended his decision to invite tech tycoon Elon Musk to a livestreamed conversation to mark the end of his two-day AI Safety Summit this week.The billionaire owner of Tesla, SpaceX and X is expected to attend both days of the summit before joining the U.K. PM for a tête-à-tête on Thursday evening to reflect on efforts to manage the risks of advanced AI.“I think actually if you listen to what Elon Musk is saying, he’s someone who for a long time has been talking about the potential risk of AI and its existential risks,” Sunak told POLITICO’s Power Play podcast. “But he also talks very passionately as he did today about the incredible benefits that AI can bring — and what I want to do is make sure people are reassured.”Pressed again on whether it was appropriate for Sunak to give a “special welcome for someone who is criticized for spreading disinformation and endorsing unverified posts,” ...

Police locate, arrest additional suspect wanted in connection with Brookline home invasion

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:18:52 GMT

Police in Brookline say a third suspect has been arrested in connection with an armed home invasion that left a resident wounded earlier this year.The Brookline Police Department announced that Corey Buchannan, 32, was taken into custody Wednesday morning for his alleged role in the break-in that happened on Warren Street back on July 18.According to police, the home invasion involved a group of masked men who forced their way through the balcony of a home’s second floor while the residents, two brothers, were sleeping inside.One of the brothers, a 61-year-old, was assaulted and left with a laceration wound to the head. Police indicated there was also evidence a gun had been fired at one point.Two months later, Manuel Alicea, 31, of Tewksbury and Dominic Hardin, 34, of Lowell, were arrested and arraigned on home invasion and larceny charges.During the court proceedings, the prosecution described how some $700,000 worth of jewelry was stolen during the incident, and that a $150,000 w...

Judge signals she may postpone Trump’s trial in Mar-a-Lago classified documents case

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:18:52 GMT

Ft. Pierce, Florida (CNN) — The federal judge overseeing Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago document-mishandling case cast doubt on the viability having a trial in May 2024, signaling she may postpone the criminal proceedings.During a hearing Wednesday in south Florida, US District Judge Aileen Cannon raised concerns that the defense team wouldn’t be able to complete trial preparations between now and the spring as they handle other cases for Trump and a stacked trial schedule.“I’m having a hard time seeing how this work can be accomplished realistically in this period of time,” Cannon said.Cannon told Justice Department prosecutor Jay Bratt, who asked to keep the trial schedule as is: “I’m not seeing in your position a level of understanding to these realities.”Cannon did not issue a ruling in court on Wednesday.In addition to questioning the defense team’s access to evidence in the case, Cannon repeatedly questioned if the current trial schedule would unfairly bump up against the...