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The world’s top 10 best cruise lines, according to travelers

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:27:17 GMT

Conde Nast Traveller recently unveiled its 2023 readers choice awards, which saw thousands of the travel site’s readers voting on the world’s best destinations, airports, hotels, resorts and cruise lines.The resurgence of the latter might have been unimaginable in March 2020, but there’s no doubting cruising’s comeback. New and refurbished ships are sailing, and first-timers are clambering aboard for domestic cruises, CN Traveller’s editors note.Globe-spanning cruises, such as Regent Seven Seas’ 34,000-mile itinerary for 2024 — a $400,000 cruise for two with stops in 31 countries  — sold out in 2.5 hours, according to ThePointsGuy’s Gene Sloan. And the company’s 2025 lineup broke that record, with every cabin booked before reservations even opened to the public.The CN Traveller awards divide cruise lines into six categories, with Norwegian Cruise Line topping the “mega ships,” which carry 4,000 or more passenger...

TasteFood: Roasted Balsamic Brussels Sprouts everyone will love

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:27:17 GMT

If one vegetable symbolizes autumn, it’s the Brussels sprout. If one vegetable generates controversy, it’s the Brussels sprout. The prolific and humble crucifer peaks in the fall, and when it appears on the menu, it can divide your dinner table into two camps: lovers and haters.Enough with the polarization. In fostering a spirit of unity, this recipe will help. It employs a few simple techniques that may — just may — win over any declared sprout-hater. An important technique is to roast the sprouts. This method will soften their assertive flavor and accentuate their natural sweetness. Roasting grapes together with the sprouts will add more sweetness as their winey juices release. A puckery-sweet balsamic syrup finishes the vegetables, providing a shiny shellack and encouraging caramelization.While this may be sufficient to change minds, why stop there? Once the sprouts and grapes have roasted, toss them with toasted walnuts and a cooked grain, such as farro o...

The ancient ways of natural wine are finding new fans in the Bay Area and beyond

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:27:17 GMT

SONOMA  — Wine made in ancient ways is gaining new fans.Natural wine — which emphasizes sustainability and minimal processing — is seeing growing interest in the U.S even though overall wine consumption has been declining since 2015, according to IWSR Drinks Market Analysis, a research firm. While natural and other sustainable wines made up less than 1% of sales in 2021, demand was rising faster than the wine category as a whole, according to alcohol delivery site Drizly.Generally, natural wine is made with hand-picked organic grapes that haven’t been sprayed with herbicides or pesticides. Once they’re crushed — sometimes by foot, the way they were crushed by ancient Romans — they are naturally fermented with no added water, yeast or other ingredients. Some natural winemakers add sulfites, a chemical found naturally in grapes, as a preservative; others don’t. Some filter their wines; others leave them cloudy and full of sediment.The result is wines that are earthy, savory and less p...

SJPD, Santa Clara County to work together on alternative to jail time for DUI offenders

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:27:17 GMT

(BCN) -- Beginning on Monday, the San Jose Police Department will partner with Santa Clara County on a pilot program that gives SJPD officers the option of taking first time misdemeanor Driving Under the Influence arrestees to the Mission Street Recovery Station or MSRS instead of booking them into Santa Clara County Jail.The MSRS is a non-secured facility operated by Santa Clara County that provides a voluntary, short-term stay for individuals who are not safe to remain in the community due to intoxication.Since late 2018, San Jose police officers have used the MSRS as an alternative to incarceration for eligible inebriated individuals, allowing them to regain functionality in a safe place as the effects of alcohol intoxication subside."This partnership between the County of Santa Clara and the San Jose Police Department to assist individuals in a community setting serves to improve the health and safety of all residents," said Javier Aguirre, Director of the Office of Diversion an...

Report: France player who laughed during minute’s silence for war victims asked to give explanation

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:27:17 GMT

PARIS (AP) — France defender Jean-Clair Todibo has reportedly been asked by the French soccer federation’s ethics body to explain himself after he was filmed laughing during a a minute’s silence in memory of the victims of the war between Israel and Hamas.The minute’s silence, which also paid tribute to a teacher killed in France by a suspected extremist, was held before France’s 2-1 win over the Netherlands on Friday in a European Championship qualifier.The French federation did not immediately respond to a request for comment.According to L’Equipe newspaper, the ethics body wrote to the Nice player to ask him to explain himself.“We are officially asking Mr. Todibo for explanations of his incomprehensible attitude during the minute’s silence,” Patrick Anton, the president of the ethics body, was quoted as saying. ”If they are not satisfactory, we will refer his case to the French federation’s disciplinary committee.”Todibo, who received a late call-up ...

Punchy aromatics brighten the saucy chicken braise of Nigerian red stew

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:27:17 GMT

When cooks in Nigeria want long-cooked flavor in minutes, they turn to obe ata. Similar to a Spanish or Italian sofrito, the tomato-red pepper sauce often is made in big batches, then used as the flavor base for soup, cooked down for a dip, mixed with eggs like shakshuka, or ladled over fried fish.Punched up with aromatic flavorings such as ginger, fresh chilies and curry powder, obe ata most often is thinned with broth for what’s simply called red stew. One of Nigeria’s signature dishes, the stew is a saucy braise with several types of meats.For this simplified version from our book “Cook What You Have,” which draws on pantry staples to assemble easy, weeknight meals, we pared down the meat to bone-in chicken parts, which we season with curry powder, salt and black pepper. And we rely on canned tomatoes and jarred roasted red peppers for convenience.We puree the ingredients in a blender to make a quick sauce, then brown the chicken in a Dutch oven before setting it aside. Simmering...

Humanitarian aid is stuck at Gaza-Egypt border as Israeli siege strains hospitals

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:27:17 GMT

A Palestinian girl wounded during an Israeli airstrike receives medical treatment at al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)(AP/Adel Hana) A Palestinian girl wounded during an Israeli airstrike receives medical treatment at al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)(AP/Adel Hana) RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinians in besieged Gaza crowded into hospitals and schools on Monday, seeking shelter and running low on food and water. More than a million people have fled their homes ahead of an expected Israeli ground invasion aimed at destroying Hamas after its fighters rampaged through southern Israel.As ...

2 transported to hospital after dog attack in Florida City

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:27:17 GMT

Emergency responders were called to an area in Florida City after reports of a dog attack to at least two people.Just before 8:15 a.m., Florida City Police and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue (MDFR) units arrived at the area of 369 SW 4th St. to aid in the scene. According to MDFR, two people were transported to local hospitals. One was transported via ambulance while another person needed to be airlifted. As of this writing, their condition is unknown.Authorities have been contacted for more information. Please check back on WSVN.com and 7News for more details on this developing story.

Thieves in Florida use tractor trailers to steal more than $1.6 million in alcohol from US distributor

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:27:17 GMT

(CNN) — An investigation is underway in Florida after burglars used tractor trailers to steal more than $1.6 million worth of alcohol from a distribution company that carries brands including Jose Cuervo and Malibu.The theft began during the early morning hours on July 8 at Republic National Distributing Company, located in Hillsborough County south of Tampa, according to a newly unsealed search warrant obtained by CNN on October 5.Between between 4:10 a.m. and 9:45 a.m., the thieves removed 4,277 cases of liquor from the company that also distributes alcohol from Franzia Wines and Sutter Home Winery, according to the search warrant, which was issued for an Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max.Authorities believe there is probable cause that the phone “contains specific information, technical data and evidence” showing that a burglary and grand theft took place, according to the warrant.The thieves, referred to in the document as “unknown suspects,” also removed digital video reco...

Michael Caine announces retirement, confirming ‘The Great Escaper’ will be his last film

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:27:17 GMT

(CNN) — Michael Caine, the British film star whose career has spanned eight decades and featured movies from “The Italian Job” to “The Dark Knight,” has confirmed his retirement from acting.The two-time Oscar winner, who is 90, made the announcement on BBC Radio 4’s “Best of Today” podcast on Saturday.“I keep saying I’m going to retire,” said Caine, adding: “Well, I am now.”He confirmed that “The Great Escaper,” which was released earlier this month, will be his last acting gig, saying: “I’ve played the lead and it’s got incredible reviews. The only parts I’m going to get now are old men – 90-year-old men, or maybe 85, you know – and I thought well I might as well leave with all this. I’ve got wonderful reviews. What am I going to do to beat this?”Caine starred alongside the late Glenda Jackson in the movie, playing Bernard Jordan, a 90-year-old who absconds from a care home to attend the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings in France.“We had a great time on the movie and I though...