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Passport backup is snarling summer travel plans

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:16 GMT

By LAURIE KELLMAN, REBECCA SANTANA and DAVID KOENIG | Associated PressWASHINGTON (AP) — Seeking a valid U.S. passport for that 2023 trip? Buckle up, wishful traveler, for a very different journey before you step anywhere near an airport.A much-feared backup of U.S passport applications has smashed into a wall of government bureaucracy as worldwide travel rebounds toward record pre-pandemic levels — with too few humans to handle the load. The result, say aspiring travelers in the U.S. and around the world, is a maddening pre-travel purgatory defined, at best, by costly uncertainty.With family dreams and big money on the line, passport seekers describe a slow-motion agony of waiting, worrying, holding the line, refreshing the screen, complaining to Congress, paying extra fees and following incorrect directions. Some applicants are buying additional plane tickets to snag in-process passports in other cities so they can make the flights they booked in the first place.So grim is the outl...

Wimbledon Results

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:16 GMT

MondayAt All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet ClubLondonPurse: £16,077,000Surface: GrassLONDON (AP) _ Results Monday from the Championships at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (seedings in parentheses):Men’s SinglesFirst RoundAndrey Rublev (7), Russia, def. Max Purcell, Australia, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4.Lorenzo Musetti (14), Italy, def. Juan Pablo Varillas, Peru, 6-3, 6-1, 7-5.Women’s SinglesFirst RoundBarbora Strycova, Czech Republic, def. Maryna Zanevska, Belgium, 6-1, 7-5.Alycia Parks, United States, def. Anna-Lena Friedsam, Germany, 6-4, 6-3.Veronika Kudermetova (12), Russia, def. Kaia Kanepi, Estonia, 7-6 (4), 6-4.Diane Parry, France, def. Harriet Dart, Britain, 6-7 (4), 6-0, 6-4.Ana Bogdan, Romania, def. Liudmila Samsonova (15), Russia, 7-6 (1), 7-6 (4).Jessica Pegula (4), United States, def. Lauren Davis, United States, 6-2, 6-7 (8), 6-3.Nadia Podoroska, Argentina, def. Tereza Martincova, Czech Republic, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4.Source

Newcastle signs AC Milan midfielder Sandro Tonali as it prepares for Champions League return

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:16 GMT

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Newcastle completed the signing of midfielder Sandro Tonali from AC Milan on Monday.The Italy international joined for an undisclosed fee and has signed a contract until 2028, the club said. The fee is reportedly up to 60 million pounds ($76.3 million).“He is an exceptional talent and has the mentality, physicality and technical attributes to be a great fit for us,” Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said. “At 23, Sandro already has important experience as a key player in one of Europe’s top leagues and in the Champions League, as well as playing for his country.“But he also has the opportunity and potential to grow and evolve with us, and I’m excited to add him to our squad as we approach the exciting season ahead.”Saudi-backed Newcastle is preparing for life back in the Champions League after qualifying for European club soccer’s elite competition for first time since 2003 last season.Tonali was part of Milan’s Italian league title-winning team of 2022. The fo...

If you grow your own cutting garden, you’ll have beautiful flower bouquets all season long

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:16 GMT

Every spring, I cut fragrant lilac stems from the two bushes flanking my front gate and set them in a vase indoors, where their fragrance perfumes the entire first floor better than any scented candle or diffuser could. In summer, some of my hydrangeas and roses make it indoors too, their blossoms commanding attention in a vase on my dining room table. Almost every flower can be cut and enjoyed indoors, but growing a proper cutting garden takes a bit of planning, and the first step is to consider your flowers as a crop to be harvested. Just as some tomato varieties are preferred for use in sauces, some flowers are better for cutting and arranging than others.Those with short stems, for instance, don’t lend themselves to a second act in a vase. Ditto those with fragile blossoms, which would wither indoors within a day. Seed catalogs offer the greatest selections, and their descriptions often include whether flowers are appropriate for cutting and arranging.Annuals and perennials both...

75-year-old Roy Hodgson signs a 1-year contract to manage Crystal Palace in the Premier League

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:16 GMT

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — After saving Crystal Palace from relegation, 75-year-old Roy Hodgson was rewarded Monday with a one-year contract to manage the Premier League club.The deal comes two years after Hodgson ended his first spell at the club and announced his retirement from soccer.“I am immensely pleased and proud to be extending my time at Crystal Palace,” Hodgson said. “I know what a fantastic squad we have here. It’s a great blend of youth and potential, alongside experienced players with Premier League and international pedigree.”Hodgson, who turns 76 next month, just can’t seem to keep away from the sport.His departure from Palace in 2021 was supposed to signal the end of his 45-year managerial career, which saw him take charge of clubs such as Inter Milan and Liverpool, as well as the England national team.But he was tempted out of retirement for a short spell at Watford in 2022 and then again last season when Palace came calling with the club only thr...

For barbecue season and July 4, grill a whole spiced chicken — without the seasoning sliding off

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:16 GMT

A grilled whole chicken that’s deeply and perfectly browned yet still juicy can be hard to pull off at home. But a couple easy tricks ensure success for your Fourth of July barbecue.First, we spatchcock the bird, which involves cutting out the backbone of a whole chicken and pressing down on the breast bone to flatten it. This puts the dark and light meat on the same plane, so they finish cooking at the same time.Second, we maximize the flavor of the spices by rubbing them under and over the skin. That’s because while chicken skin can be a good thing — it reduces moisture loss during cooking by drip and evaporation— it also can make it hard for seasoning and meat to meld. Applying them under the skin helps them stay in place and have direct contact with the meat for more impactful flavor.The flavoring for this dish, from our book “The New Rules,” which rethinks familiar dishes to change the way you cook, is based on an Iraqi spice-rubbed chicken. To save time, we shorten the l...

How Tuesday's storms could impact your July 4th plans

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:16 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — You will want to keep an eye on the sky this Fourth of July, and not just because of the fireworks. Tuesday is a Pinpoint Weather Alert Day as severe weather could rain on your festivities. From temperatures in the 90s and sunshine on Monday to another day of severe weather on Tuesday, the Pinpoint Weather team is tracking a slight risk for severe storms that could impact your Fourth of July. Where to watch Colorado’s 4th of July fireworks, drone shows this year Here is everything you need to know about Tuesday's weather and where you can still catch fireworks before the storm rolls in.What does a slight risk of severe weather mean for you?The Pinpoint Weather team is tracking storms that fall under the slight risk category. According to the National Weather Service, a storm under the slight risk category means that there is increased confidence that some areas will see storms that produce damaging winds, severe hail and a potential tornado. This risk can be experi...

BSO: Detectives seek public’s assistance in identifying voyeurism suspect in Weston

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:16 GMT

Detectives in the Broward Sheriff’s Office Weston District are seeking the public’s help in identifying a voyeurism suspect who was caught on surveillance cameras engaging in inappropriate behavior on an enclosed patio of a home.The incident occurred in the area of Key West Court at approximately 9:10 p.m. on Monday, June 26.The unidentified man was observed touching himself inappropriately while individuals were present inside the residence. Upon being noticed, the suspect swiftly fled the scene on foot.The suspect was described as a male wearing business attire, including a sport coat, slacks, and dress shoes. He had slicked-back hair and a beard.Detective Ashley Martinez from the BSO Weston District is leading the investigation and urges anyone with information to contact her at 954-626-4009.Additionally, members of the public can submit tips through the SaferWatch app. Those wishing to remain anonymous can contact Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS (8477) or submit tip...

A bear chased a Maine woman’s dog – so she punched it in the face

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:16 GMT

(CNN) — A Maine woman was bitten Friday after she punched a bear in the face after it started chasing her dog.The woman, 64-year-old Lynn Kelly, was working in her backyard in Porter, which hugs the New Hampshire border, when her dog started barking and ran into the woods, according to a news release from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.Kelly told CNN affiliate WMUR that when her dog returned, he was being chased by a bear.“I ran over to where he had gone down and kept calling him and calling him, and he finally came running back up. And right behind him was the bear,” Kelly told the news station. “The bear looked at me, and I looked at the bear. I think we both scared each other.”The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife says in its release that, “Kelly confronted the bear head-on, and when the bear stood up, she stood up as tall as she could, then punched the bear in the nose.”That’s when the bear bit her in her right hand and left puncture wounds in he...

Orkxit? Orkney islanders mull replacing London with Oslo

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:16 GMT

Some on the tiny Orkney Islands want to look at alternatives to British rule.The archipelago, located off the coast of Scotland, has been part of Britain since 1472 but amid an ongoing dispute over funding for ferry connections, the Orkney Islands Council (OIC) leader, James Stockan, wants a rethink — including potentially reconnecting with the territory’s Nordic roots.“We are really struggling at the moment, we have to replace the whole ferry fleet,” Stockan told BBC radio on Monday of the reasons for a reform proposal. “We are denied the things that other areas get.”Stockan has put forward a motion to be discussed Tuesday which includes modeling the 23,000-strong territory on the Isle of Man, a self-governing crown dependency, or on Channel Islands Guernsey and Jersey, which have never formally been a part of the United Kingdom.But the Faroe Islands, a dependency of Denmark, and Norway are also options.“We were part of the Norse kingdom for much...