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Mayor of Tokyo’s Shibuya district asks Halloween partygoers to stay away

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:22 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — The mayor of Tokyo’s busy Shibuya shopping and entertainment district is asking Halloween celebrants not to visit, fearing that a large number of partygoers following the COVID-19 pandemic could cause a disaster similar to last year’s fatal crowd surge in South Korea’s capital. “This year, we are making it clear to the world that Shibuya is not a venue for Halloween events,” Shibuya city Mayor Ken Hasebe said at a news conference Thursday. “Please, do not come to the Shibuya station area for Halloween.”Hasebe said he understands that Halloween is a fun celebration around the world, but noted that a crowd crush like the one that killed about 160 people celebrating Halloween last year in Seoul’s Itaewon district could happen in Shibuya.“A fatal accident like Itaewon can happen here any time,” he said.Shibuya’s famed intersection by its train station, nicknamed “scramble crossing” for the large number of pedestrians attempting to cross, ...

‘Extremely fluid’: Liberals and NDP haven’t yet agreed on promised pharmacare bill

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:22 GMT

OTTAWA — The federal New Democrats have rejected the first draft of the Liberals’ pharmacare legislation, in what the health minister describes as “extremely fluid” negotiations over the highly anticipated bill.The Liberals promised to table pharmacare legislation this fall as part of the supply-and-confidence deal the government struck with the NDP.That deal calls for “progress toward a universal national pharmacare program” and the passage of initial legislation before the end of the year. But NDP health critic Don Davies says the first draft of the bill didn’t meet expectations.“It doesn’t meet the New Democrats’ red lines at this point,” Davies said in an interview. “We’re waiting for a next draft to come to us.”Davies said the NDP will accept nothing less than a commitment to pharmacare paid for and administered through the public single-payer system, though it doesn’t have to happen all at once...

Take a delicious tropical vacation to Crasqui, St. Paul’s new Venezuelan gem

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:22 GMT

One of my favorite things to do in the doldrums of winter is to visit the most tropical restaurant I can think of, order a vacation drink and sit at the bar, pretending to be somewhere else.I like winter, but sometimes you need some color, something tropical, and food that isn’t the typical heavy, rich comfort foods we are all drawn to when it’s cold outside.I can already tell that Crasqui, which opened in August, is going to be a favorite of mine when the weather turns.In the former Catrina’s space on Wabasha Street, just south of downtown, chef Soleil Ramirez is serving soulful, upscale versions of the Venezuelan food she grew up eating. The space is open, bright, modern and tropical, with comfy, ivory and gold mid-modern chairs and an ocean-blue shimmery floor. Given that Crasqui is named for an island off the coast of Venezuela, the decor really fits the theme without being kitschy.Ramirez is a political refugee who worked closely with the late chef Jack Riebel at The Lexington ...

Daily horoscope for October 5, 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:22 GMT

Moon Alert: Avoid shopping or making important decisions from 2:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. EDT today (until 6 a.m. PDT). After that, the Moon moves from Gemini into Cancer.Happy Birthday for Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023:You are a generous person with strong convictions. You can’t do enough to help. You fight for and defend the rights of others. This is the year to create solid foundations in your life. Take charge of your health. Exercise is important. Work and stay grounded and levelheaded.ARIES(March 21-April 19) ★★★An older family member might have excellent advice for you today. Certainly, it won’t hurt to listen. Privately, you also might do some serious thinking about the future regarding your home and family. Why not jot down some possible goals? Tonight: Patience.TAURUS(April 20-May 20) ★★★★This is an excellent day to study and learn because you have a disciplined mind. You won’t overlook details; furthermore, you have the mental endurance and focus to finish what you beg...

Miss Manners: I’m stunned by my father’s request for the wedding dinner

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:22 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: Our daughter and our future son-in-law selected three meal options for their wedding: one beef, one chicken and one vegetarian pasta.Related ArticlesAdvice | Miss Manners: My husband doesn’t like my strategy for dealing with his vexatious relatives Advice | Miss Manners: Don’t they know it’s an insulting thing to say to the bride? Advice | Miss Manners: At what age should one start picking up the tab? Advice | Miss Manners: Am I out of line in asking people not to hide during video meetings? Advice | Miss Manners: I confronted the bride about the exclusion, and she got defensive They would certainly ask the caterer to make special accommodations if someone alerted them to a food allergy, but it seems rude for guests to make special requests for other reasons. I have made many meal selections for events that I might not choose at a restaurant, but I don’t go to s...

Dear Abby: This family constantly breaks the rules of our potluck

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:22 GMT

DEAR ABBY: Our church has a potluck every Saturday. How do we deal with the freeloaders — an adult family of three — who never bring anything?Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: After this emotional blow, I feel I can’t trust my friends Advice | Dear Abby: I worry people are still judging me for the wedding dance bungle Advice | Dear Abby: After this awkward encounter, my neighbor posted notes about me in the building Advice | Dear Abby: I believed my dad’s version of why he got fired. Then I was blindsided by the truth. Advice | Dear Abby: My friend was upset by this playdate incident involving his son. Was I wrong? They jump up to be first in line, don’t help clean up and never fail to take leftovers home with them. They act like they deserve free meals. We are a small church and could use an extra dish, help in cleaning up, etc.Thank you for your advice.— OUTRAGED ...

Stokes to miss defending champion England’s Cricket World Cup opener against New Zealand

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:22 GMT

AHMEDABAD, India (AP) — New Zealand won the toss and sent England into bat Thursday in a 2019 final rematch to open Cricket World Cup. Both teams were missing key protagonists from that epic finale four years ago.England star Ben Stokes is skipping the 2023 opener because of a hip strain. New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson is sidelined owing to insufficient recovery from his knee injury.England won its first World Cup title when it hosted the last tournament in 2019, awarded the trophy on a countback of boundaries after the final and the subsequent Super Over ended in ties against New Zealand.Stokes, voted player of that final at Lord’s, came out of ODI retirement in August in a bid to play at the World Cup but was always a doubtful starter after straining his left hip. Selectors opted to save him for later in the tournament.Harry Brook is expected to bat at No. 4 in his absence.Opener Dawid Malan boasts a stellar recent record against New Zealand, scoring two half-centuries ...

Things to do in the DC area: Films, chocolate, fashion, Shakespeare … and more

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:22 GMT

There’s so much to do in the D.C. area in the coming days, and WTOP has you covered with our weekly roundup of area events worth anticipating. This weekend and beyond, the calendar is chock-full of fun, including a craft fashion and home showcase, Latin culinary demonstrations and a family festival celebrating one of the biggest holidays in South Korea. For more of what to expect, check back next Thursday for the next DMV event guide.CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE: The exterior of Rhizome in D.C.’s Takoma neighborhood. (Courtesy Rhizome/Steve Korn)One of the unique film festivals in the D.C. area can be enjoyed this week at Rhizome’s Microcinema event on Thursday.The filmmaking collective, Le Ratoire, plans to showcase five experimental films, which include “Invasive Plants,” a “performative portrait” of the Hudson River that uses plants to color tint the black-and-white film, and “Flash Info,” which was created in just 24 hours in France duri...

Families of imprisoned Tunisian dissidents head to the International Criminal Court

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:22 GMT

Family members of jailed lawyers and politicians in Tunisia want the International Criminal Court to investigate claims of political persecution and human rights violations as an increasing number of President Kais Saied’s opponents are arrested and several in prison stage hunger strikes.Yusra Ghannouchi, the daughter of jailed opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi, plans to join other jailed dissidents’ sons and daughters in The Hague on Thursday to announce plans to pursue action at the court.Members of the same group made a similar case to the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights earlier this year. In a news release on Monday, they noted the increasing number of judges, politicians, journalists and prominent opposition voices being arrested and alleged a campaign of persecution against Black migrants throughout Tunisia.“There has been a major increase in repression and mass human rights violations by Tunisian authorities at the behest of President Kais Saied,” the...

Blue Jays must confront wider issues after sweep by Twins

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:22 GMT

There were more than enough questions about why process didn’t deliver results for the Toronto Blue Jays in this maddening season before John Schneider walked out to the mound in the fourth inning to pull a dealing Jose Berrios and replace him with Yusei Kikuchi.Regardless of the decision’s outcome, good or bad — and it was the latter, of course, providing the defining moment Wednesday in a season-ending 2-0 loss to the Minnesota Twins — everything that went into the decision ties into the wider issues this team must confront.None of this happens if an offence that was supposed to be a strength and wasn’t, capitalizes on the early opportunities it managed against an uneven Sonny Gray. Absent a lead the Blue Jays — and the use of the collective as opposed to Schneider here is intentional because this is an organizational decision, not solely a managerial one — took to managing as if they had to win 1-0. Under those circumstances, you can certainly argue that Berrios, whom lefties slu...