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Building Bridges Beyond Borders with Ayat Abuznade: Unleashing Compassion on a Global Canvas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:59 GMT

Embarking on the journey of helping those in need unveils a remarkable kaleidoscope of experiences and insights that stretch far beyond the immediate act of assistance. Each encounter with individuals facing adversity serves as a portal to new horizons, broadening one’s understanding of diverse struggles and challenging preconceived notions.It’s a journey that transcends geographical boundaries, offering a firsthand education in resilience, cultural richness, and the unyielding human spirit. As one engages with the foundations of each unique story, a profound realization takes root – that giving is not a unidirectional exchange but a reciprocal process that enriches the giver as much as the receiver. In this exchange of compassion, new horizons emerge, shaping one’s worldview and fostering a more profound, interconnected sense of humanity.One woman found her purpose amid the chaos of the largest refugee settlement in Syria. Ayat Abuznade, an unyielding force of com...

Paula Echeverri: A Neuroscience Expert’s Journey From Silence to Resilience

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:59 GMT

Today’s fast-paced modern lifestyle has come with its own set of challenges. As people are increasingly dependent on technology to make life easier, they are also compromising their health and social lives. This detachment from nature leads to health disorders affecting physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Amidst these complexities of life, Paula Echeverri has emerged as a guiding light. She is a best-selling author, hearing loss advocate, and neuroscience expert illuminating the lives of countless individuals.Paula Echeverri‘s journey of triumph over unexpected challenges motivated her to help others struggling in similar situations. Her interest in neuroscience further empowered her mission. Paula’s journey is recorded in the pages of Emerge, a book she authored sharing her experiences through adversities to find resilience.Hailing from the bustling lanes of Silicon Valley, Paula stood at the helm of a new venture when her life took an unexpected turn. The birth of he...

‘Traces’: Dubravka Turić’s Directorial Journey to International Recognition

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:59 GMT

Dubravka Turić’s evolution from a film editor to an internationally recognized director and screenwriter embodies a journey of talent, dedication, and a distinct narrative style. As an Academy of Dramatic Art graduate from Zagreb University, Croatia, Turić’s early career focused on editing. This skill later formed the bedrock of her unique approach to filmmaking.Turić’s directorial debut, Belladonna, premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2015, earning the Golden Lion for Best Short Film. This recognition wasn’t just an award; it marked Turić’s entry into international cinema. Belladonna‘s success at festivals like Sundance and Rotterdam further solidified her position as a filmmaker to watch.Turić’s second short film, Cherries (Trešnje), premiered at Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight in 2017. Like Belladonna, it enjoyed a successful festival run, demonstrating Turić’s consistent ability to engage and captivate audiences globa...

Phillip Lopez Hurt in Pedestrian Accident on University Avenue [Lubbock, TX]

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:59 GMT

24-Year-Old Man Injured in Pedestrian Collision near 87th StreetLUBBOCK, TX (December 11, 2023) – Phillip Lopez suffered injuries Thursday morning, in a pedestrian collision on University Avenue. Authorities were called to the scene at 6:45 a.m. on University Avenue in the 8600 block following reports of a pedestrian crash.Upon arrival, officers discovered 24-year-old Lopez on the roadway, suffering from severe injuries. After conducting initial investigations, police revealed that Lopez was struck by 67-year-old Fernando Rodriguez while attempting to cross the road.Subsequently, a second vehicle hit the victim and promptly fled the area. As of now, no additional information has been disclosed publicly. Further details will be shared once they become available.Anyone with information about the incident is urged to promptly contact local law enforcement. Whether you are driving or walking, it is crucial to adhere to traffic regulations and prioritize safety measures. Drivers sh...

Pleasant Hill leaders defend police decision to ‘disengage’ with barricaded ex-detective

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:59 GMT

PLEASANT HILL — A retired police detective had killing officers on his mind and wanted to goad them into a firefight that would result in his death, the city’s police chief said Monday, defending his department’s decisions during a pair of standoffs last week.But what police said they did after the first standoff — “disengaging” and monitoring 40-year-old Chunliam Saechao, a retired Pittsburg police detective who had allegedly shot at his wife with a shotgun and was tweeting unstable messages from social media — left some residents feeling uninformed and unsafe. Police left the home on Cleopatra Drive in the city’s Sherman Acres neighborhood early Friday morning, but they were back hours later, engaging in a second standoff that included Saechao allegedly firing at officers and eventually surrendering for his arrest early Saturday morning.On Monday, Pleasant Hill police Chief Scott Vermillion said in an interview with the Bay Area News Group that ...

Condominium in Palo Alto sells for $1.7 million

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:59 GMT

610 Forest Avenue – Google Street ViewA condominium located in the 600 block of Forest Avenue in Palo Alto has new owners. The 1,392-square-foot property, built in 1977, was sold on Nov. 20, 2023. The $1,700,000 purchase price works out to $1,221 per square foot. The layout of this apartment includes two bedrooms and three baths. On the exterior, the house is characterized by the use of composition shingles on the roof. Additionally, the home comes with a four-car carport.Additional units that have recently been purchased close by include:On Homer Avenue, Palo Alto, in December 2022, a 2,238-square-foot unit was sold for $3,500,000, a price per square foot of $1,564. The unit has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.A 1,825-square-foot unit on the 500 block of Byron Street in Palo Alto sold in September 2023, for $1,650,000, a price per square foot of $904. The unit has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.In June 2023, a 1,844-square-foot unit on Byron Street in Palo Alto sold for $1,400,000, a price ...

Letters: No propaganda | Non-native species | Police militarization

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:59 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Halt state import ofnon-native frogs, turtlesCalifornia’s Department of Fish and Wildlife annually issues import permits for 2 million live American bullfrogs and 300,000 freshwater turtles for human consumption, non-natives all, sold in various “Chinatowns” throughout the state.The market animals are routinely bought en masse by “do-gooders” and released into local waters, where they prey upon and displace our native species while spreading diseases and parasites. Numerous necropsies have documented cases of E. coli, salmonella and Pasteurella (all potentially fatal in humans), giardia, blood parasites, even one case of malaria. Where are the local health departments, pray?The State Fish and Game Commission meets this week in San Diego. This issue is on Wednesday’s agenda.Express your concerns to CDFW Director Chuck Bonham and the commission. An easy partial fix: no live im...

South Bay proposal would create direct line for non-police mental health response

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:59 GMT

SAN JOSE — Community advocates and a Santa Clara County supervisor are looking to streamline public access to a community-led response program that aims to deescalate psychiatric emergencies without law enforcement, in an effort that draws on this news organization’s two-year investigation into the San Jose Police Department’s use of force on mentally impaired people,A referral authored by Supervisor Otto Lee, and scheduled for consideration by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, would create a direct phone line to reach the Trusted Response Urgent Support Team, or TRUST. The program dispatches four teams — for each quadrant of the county — consisting of a behavioral health professional, a medic and a community member with “lived” experience to provide peer support for someone who calls for help.Currently, someone who wants a response from TRUST has to either call 911 or the 988 Suicide and Crisis lifeline and be triaged by a call taker, or in so...

Why the Warriors need more Jonathan Kuminga this week; Steve Kerr reacts to Suns DJ remix

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:59 GMT

PHOENIX — The Warriors’ next two opponents, the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers, are rife with superstars. That likely means more minutes for Jonathan Kuminga this week as Golden State looks to counter with a little rotation innovation on the wing.In search of something to spark a run following this tepid 10-12 start, coach Steve Kerr has been inching away from his preference to stick with a familiar nine-man rotation on a nightly basis and, instead, mix and match based on hot hands and matchups.What has become clear through the many turnovers, stagnant motion offense and mediocrity so far is that the Warriors need Kuminga’s scoring threat at and above the rim to balance out the attack and keep opposing defenses on their toes. Plus, he profiles as an ideal defensive cog if the Warriors get switch-heavy against the Suns, who feature Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and a returning Bradley Beal. The same applies to Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and James Harden of the C...

Shanahan downplays 49ers’ move to No. 1 seed; CB Verrett returns

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:59 GMT

SANTA CLARA — Day 1 in the NFC’s No. 1 playoff spot did not prompt a parade at 49ers headquarters, not with the playoffs still a month away.“Right now it doesn’t mean much,” coach Kyle Shanahan said on Monday’s media conference call. “It just means where you are at now.”The 49ers (10-3) are taking a four-game win streak with them to Arizona for Sunday’s game against the Cardinals (3-10).A 28-16 win over the Seattle Seahawks gave the 49ers a four-game lead in the NFC West, then they moved atop the NFC standings once the Philadelphia Eagles lost at the Dallas Cowboys to move their records to 10-3, too. By virtue of head-to-head wins over those NFC East powers, the 49ers would own a tiebreaker for the No. 1 seed, a wild-card-round bye and home-field advantage — their unabashed goal.“We won’t be that (top seed) if we don’t handle business this week,” Shanahan added, “So that’s all we’re really worried about, and the...