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Top 10 places to see cherry blossoms around the world

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:12 GMT

Sure, tulips are lovely, and roses sublime. But the pale pink froth of sakura — or cherry — blossoms is extraordinary. Tripadvisor recently ranked 13 of the best spots around the world to see these blossoms — and it’s hardly surprising that two Japanese cities top the list. These beautiful cherry trees are native to Japan, where they’ve inspired festivals and celebrations for centuries.Paris and its cherry trees, which are planted throughout the city, from the Champ de Mars to Montmartre, made the list, as did Stockholm, where the King’s Garden is filled with dozens of cherry trees, a gift from Japan to King Carl XVI Gustaf.Of course, you can see beautiful blossoms right here in the Bay Area, too. But if you’re planning a trip to a more far flung location, bear in mind that March and April are peak viewing season for many of these destinations — unless you’re bound for Brazil, where the cherries bloom in July and August. (How did...

Persian New Year Recipe: Homa Dashtaki’s Cake Yazdi

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:12 GMT

In her illuminating debut cookbook, “Yogurt & Whey: Recipes of an Iranian Immigrant Life” (W. W. Norton, $40), Iran-born food writer Homa Dashtaki, co-founder of The White Moustache, tells the story of her Zoroastrian upbringing and American assimilation through the lens, so to speak, of smooth, creamy, Old World yogurt. The 100 recipes, both savory and sweet, range from ancient (see-rogh, a Zoroastrian fry bread) to modern (pineapple ginger whey pops).Cake Yazdi, which comes from her family’s native city in central Iran, is moistened with yogurt and flavored with cardamom and rose water. Dashtaki serves it in the weeks following Nowruz, or Persian New Year, when it is customary to visit as well as host family and friends. The cakes are traditionally baked in fluted muffin tins to make individual tea cakes, but you can use standard muffin tins, she says.Cake YazdiMakes 12 individual cakesINGREDIENTS8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for ...

Persian New Year recipe: Marzipan Mulberries (Toot)

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:12 GMT

Toot is the Persian word for mulberry, and these eye-catching Iranian sweets, which are traditionally served during Persian New Year, are shaped to look like the fruit.According to Tannaz Sassooni, a Los Angeles food writer specializing in Iranian Jewish cuisine, toot is best made from the flour of peeled almonds, otherwise the candies can turn out too dark in color. You can use saffron to tint your toot a yellow hue perfect for spring, says Sassooni, who shares her recipe below. Just make sure to serve with tea and invite friends over. It will make the new year that much sweeter.Marzipan MulberriesMakes 24 to 30 bite-sized piecesINGREDIENTS1 cup almond flour (made from peeled almonds)1 cup powdered sugarPinch of salt3 tablespoons rose water24 to 30 slivered pistachios or almonds¼ cup granulated sugar1/8 teaspoon ground saffron (optional, see note below)DIRECTIONSIn a large bowl, stir together the almond flour, powdered sugar and a pinch of salt until fully mixed. Gradually add rose...

Travel Troubleshooter: 80,000 Bonvoy points go missing. Can we get them back?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:12 GMT

DEAR TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER: I made reservations at the Residence Inn in Edinburgh, Scotland, for two nights using 80,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. I recently received a notification from Marriott claiming that I had used the points for a stay almost three weeks earlier.Christopher Elliott, the Travel Troubleshooter I called Marriott, and they assigned me a case number. I have been going back and forth with the company ever since.I was on the phone for more than two hours speaking to several agents, one of whom told me, “You’re not going to get these points back until we find out who took them.” I have tried the executive contacts on your website, but have received no reply.It’s been 10 weeks since Marriott took my Bonvoy points. Can you help me get them back?— Celeste Rubanick, Cornville, ArizonaANSWER: Marriott deducted points from your account for someone else’s stay. It should have quickly restored your loyalty points when you pointed out th...

Feds backstop all deposits of failed Silicon Valley Bank, second Bay Area bank plunges

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:12 GMT

SANTA CLARA — Federal officials moved to insure all deposits at failed Silicon Valley Bank, hoping to inoculate the banking system against contagion, but shares of another Bay Area regional bank plunged on Monday.The move to protect Silicon Valley Bank depositors arose over fears that tech startups might be forced to shut down or furlough employees due to a cash squeeze if their uninsured deposits weren’t available to tap for their ongoing operations — andas well as to ward off runs against other banks with a high percentage of uninsured deposits.The U.S. Treasury Department, the Federal Reserve Bank and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. teamed up to lead the quest against a banking system contagion in the wake of the collapse and takeover by the FDIC of the insolvent Silicon Valley Bank.“The FDIC today transferred all deposits — both insured and uninsured — and substantially all assets of the former Silicon Valley Bank to a newly created, full-...

Bay Area storms: New atmospheric river expected to arrive overnight, Monterey County floodwaters approach highway 68

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:12 GMT

A moderate-to-strong atmospheric river storm bringing what the National Weather Service called a “direct threat to life and property” approached the Bay Area on Monday for what was expected to be a nighttime arrival for more heavy rains to an already impacted region.A region-wide NWS flood watch was scheduled to go into effect from 10 p.m. Monday to 4 a.m. Wednesday. A Monday morning bulletin from the agency suggested that highly saturated soils paired with elevated river and streams levels made more water-related impacts a “sure bet.”The incoming #AtmosphericRiver will bring more heavy rain and flooding concerns beginning tonight. Make sure you are prepared for flooding and potential road closures. Remember to NEVER drive through flooded roadways. Turn around, don't drown! #cawx pic.twitter.com/AMfpyap8kL— NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) March 13, 2023Aside from light showers early in the morning, Monday’s forecast was relatively tame in terms of...

Caterpillar workers ratify new 6-year contract with company

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:12 GMT

IRVING, Texas (AP) — Unionized workers at Caterpillar Inc. have approved a new six-year contract with the company that includes a $6,000 ratification bonus, 19% in pay raises and 8% worth of lump-sum payments.Members of the United Auto Workers union approved the deal over the weekend that covers 7,000 employees in Central Illinois and York, Pennsylvania. The new contract is effective immediately.Workers will get 7% pay raises immediately, plus 4% general wage increases in March of 2025, 2027 and 2028. They’ll also get 4% lump-sum payments in March of next year and in 2026.The Irving, Texas, company also agreed not to close any factories for the life of the agreement. By the end of the agreement, workers hired after 2005 will be on the same wage schedule as those hired before 2005, the company said.Workers also got larger night shift premiums, and an increased match in the 401(k) plan.Source

Las acciones de First Republic Bank se desploman un 60% mientras persisten los temores sobre los bancos regionales

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:12 GMT

(CNN) — Las acciones de First Republic Bank se desplomaron cerca de un 60% en las operaciones previas a la apertura del mercado este lunes, incluso después de que el prestamista regional anunciara medidas para reforzar su balance.Las acciones de otros bancos regionales y empresas financieras también se están tambaleando, lo que indica un nerviosismo persistente a pesar de la agresiva respuesta federal anunciada este domingo por la noche para proteger a los clientes de Silicon Valley Bank y Signature Bank.Los inversores están en alerta máxima ante bancos con problemas similares a los que provocaron el colapso de Silicon Valley Bank la semana pasada.PacWest Bancorp se desplomó un 35% en las operaciones previas a la comercialización, mientras que Charles Schwab perdió un 8%.First Republic, con sede en San Francisco, anunció este domingo nuevos fondos de la Reserva Federal y de JPMorgan Chase para reforzar su balance. Las medidas significan que First Republic cuenta ahora con US$ ...

Police investigate 2nd shooting threat in Broward County high schools

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:12 GMT

Fort Lauderdale High School was placed on lockdown Monday but has since been lifted after police received information regarding a shooting threat. Just hours after Fort Lauderdale High School was cleared following a lockdown, Dillard High School was placed on lockdown after receiving a possible shooting threat.The initial call came in from Fort Lauderdale High School after, authorities said, reports of a student on campus had a weapon. Police arrived on the scene quickly after the caller stated that the student said they were going to do a mass shooting.The caller gave the first name of the student and after police were able to locate all of the students with that first name and search them, an all-clear was given. The school remained under a hold status, meaning no one is allowed in or out of the school, as the students’ parents awaited their children’s release from the school.According to reports, the Fort Lauderdale Police Department (FLPD) received information about ...

Man convicted of 1988 crime released from jail after serving 34 years of 400-year prison sentence

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:12 GMT

A man who was behind bars for decades could now be set free. On Monday, Broward prosecutors said 57-year-old Sydney Holmes, who has already served 34 years of a 400-year prison sentence, will be released.Holmes contacted the State Attorney’s Conviction Review Unit in November 2020, claiming his innocence from an armed robbery case from 1988. He was convicted of being the driver for two men who robbed two people at gunpoint outside a convenience store. Prosecutors determined Holmes had a plausible claim of innocence based on how he became a suspect in the first place, and a shaky eye-witness identification. The sentence for Holmes is now being thrown out. A hearing is set for Tuesday afternoon.