Category Archives: Travel

2025.03.08

Dustin Nelson at Bring Me the News reports the Twin Cities Book Festival is saying farewell to the State Fairgrounds. The Rain Taxi-run event will host its 25th fest at St. Paul’s Union Depot, organizers announced on Thursday. Via MinnPost

Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz bring Black art ‘Giants’ to the Minneapolis Institute of Art
Also this weekend: Digital art by a Japanese trans artist at FKM Gallery; art and poetry exploring the immigrant experience at Indigenous Roots, and a performance festival spotlighting composers of color at MacPhail Center for Music.
by Myah Goff
https://sahanjournal.com/arts/twin-cities-weekend-arts-events/

Texas cities run short of MMR vaccine as measles outbreak drives demand
Pharmacies are struggling with supplies as fatal outbreak expands and health secretary sows disinformation
Melody Schreiber
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/08/texas-mmr-vaccine-measles-outbreak

Mormon church rocked by child sexual abuse allegations in California
Look-back window results in nearly 100 allegations against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Edward Helmore
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/08/mormon-church-child-sex-abuse-allegations-california

‘She is evil’: Amy Coney Barrett under attack by the right wing after supreme court USAid ruling
Conservative justice who frequently votes with the far-right side of the supreme court faces backlash for recent ruling
Adam Gabbatt
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/08/amy-coney-barrett-under-attack-by-right-wing

‘Etched in my mind’: witness to South Carolina firing squad execution describes killing
Brad Sigmon was executed on Friday for the murders of his ex-girlfriend’s parents in 2001
Guardian staff
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/08/south-carolina-firing-squad

‘I’m on the side of the workers’: the Minnesota senator calling out Trump and Musk
Tina Smith is leaving at the end of her term, and says she would call Musk a dick even if she had to face re-election
Rachel Leingang
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/08/tina-smith-minnesota-senator-interview

Anora is nothing new – Hollywood has always been obsessed with sex workers
Anne Billson
Mikey Madison is the latest in a line of actors dating back to Janet Gaynor to win Oscars depicting the sex trade. Why this is, and whether it lessens the stigma of such work, is an open question
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/mar/07/hollywood-obsessed-with-sex-workers-anora-mikey-madison

Athena spacecraft declared dead after toppling over on moon
Robotic private spacecraft touched down about 250 meters from its intended landing site on Thursday
Richard Luscombe
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/mar/07/athena-spacecraft-mission-dead

‘We’re fairly different’: life in New Zealand’s remote self-declared ‘republic’
The tiny town of Whangamōmona on the North Island maintains some eccentric traditions – past ‘presidents’ have included a goat and a poodle
Anna Rankin in Whangamōmona
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/08/whangamomona-new-zealand-self-declared-republic-feature

This is how we do it: ‘After mutual cancer diagnoses we didn’t have sex for five years. Then we discovered toys …’
Jill and Bob became more like housemates than lovers during an illness-enforced break, but a delivery of sex toys brought back the fun
As told to Olivia Ladanyi
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/mar/08/this-is-how-we-do-it-mutual-cancer-diagnoses-sex-toys

MN’s Korean Adoptees, ‘More Confused Than Ever,’ Look for Answers Plus the end of the ‘All Are Welcome Here’ sign, an Ann Kim x Target collab, and a list of local orgs losing federal funding in today’s Flyover news roundup. By Em Cassel and Jessica Armbruster https://racketmn.com/mns-korean-adoptees-more-confused-than-ever-look-for-answers

The sweet smell of grift in the morning: White House to overhaul $42.5bn Biden-era internet plan – likely to Elon Musk’s advantage Billionaire cost-cutter’s Starlink service the likely beneficiary of Trump plan to alter rural internet program Stephanie Kirchgaessner in Washington https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/05/trump-musk-rural-internet-starlink

Packed Pacs: how billionaires in the US are bankrolling Republicans at the state level Republicans are relying on ‘nameless’ donors who want to push a rightwing agenda and gain long-term hegemony David Smith in Washington https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/05/billionaires-funding-republicans

Interview Peter Wolf on Faye Dunaway, David Lynch and Bob Dylan: ‘My mission was to be an observer’
Jim Farber
The frontman of the J Geils Band has had an extraordinary life, living and working with celebrities along the way, detailed in a fascinating new book
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/mar/05/peter-wolf-j-geils-waiting-on-the-moon

Give Edinburgh fringe the same status as Olympics, departing head urges Shona McCarthy says public authorities have routinely ignored needs of world’s largest arts festival Severin Carrell Scotland editor https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2025/mar/05/edinburgh-festival-fringe-olympics-shona-mccarthy-chief-executive

Gordon and Jim after coming out to Gordon’s mum: Sage Sohier’s best photograph ‘They had been together for 21 years. They’re telling Margot, Gordon’s mum, that they’re about to appear in a Valentine’s Day issue of the local newspaper’ Interview by Lydia Figes https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2025/mar/05/sage-sohiers-best-photograph-valentines-day

World’s biggest iceberg runs aground after long journey from Antarctica Scientists are studying whether the grounded A23a iceberg might help stir nutrients and make food more available for penguins and seals
Agence France-Presse https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/mar/05/a23a-iceberg-runs-aground-south-georgia-climate

2025.03.04

Janet Moore and Elliot Hughes at the Star Tribune reports: “A Republican-led bill to bar transgender girls from competing on girls and women’s elementary and secondary school sports teams in Minnesota was hotly debated on the state House floor Monday before failing to pass.” Via MinnPost

US Senate Democrats block bill to ban trans athletes from women’s sports
Democratic senator says trans athletes ‘deserve an ally’ after Republican-led bill quashed in razor-sharp 51-45 vote
Joseph Gedeon in Washington
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/04/democrats-block-trans-athletes-bill

‘I have witnessed people’s lives change’: How to find the colours that are perfect for you
Megan Lawton
https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20250303-how-to-find-the-colours-that-are-perfect-for-you

US supreme court weakens rules on discharge of raw sewage into water supplies
Ruling by the court, which has a Republican super majority, undermines the 1972 Clean Water Act
Nina Lakhani
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/04/epa-ruling-sewage-water

$5 a dozen: major egg companies may be using avian flu to hike US prices, new report finds
The highly concentrated egg market may be contributing to soaring consumer prices – and the spread of the virus, data shared exclusively with the Guardian shows
Nina Lakhani
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/mar/04/egg-prices-bird-flu-corporate-profits

California charges 30 officers over ‘gladiator fights’ at juvenile facility
Staff at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall alleged to have allowed or encouraged nearly 70 fights involving young detainees
Associated Press
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/04/california-juvenile-detention-gladiator-fights-charges

New York City officials urge vaccination after two measles cases confirmed
Highly contagious respiratory illness was declared eliminated in US in 2000 but new cases have now risen
Marina Dunbar
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/04/new-york-city-measles

Scientists aiming to bring back woolly mammoth create woolly mice
Genetically modified mice have traits geared towards cold tolerance, in step towards modifying elephants
Nicola Davis Science correspondent
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/mar/04/genetically-modified-woolly-mice-mammoth

Federal layoffs hit the deep-red, rural US west: ‘Our public lands are under threat’
As layoffs under Trump bleed out, workers in the Mountain West fear devastating consequences for their communities
Cy Neff
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/04/trump-doge-federal-layoffs-national-parks

Midwestern cities fear fallout of Trump revoking Haitian residents’ status
Looming end of TPS could wreak havoc in Ohio urban areas revitalised by immigrants from the Caribbean country
Stephen Starr in Lima, Ohio
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/03/ohio-haitians-immigration-tps

Why Elon Musk is targeting a free tax-filing software package
Musk plans cost-cutting – and Americans will end up footing the bill; the business of immigration surveillance; and a fond farewell to Skype
Blake Montgomery
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/mar/03/techscape-elon-musk-skype

2025.02.24

Roberta Flack, soul and R&B icon behind Killing Me Softly, dies aged 88 Much-loved singer known for Killing Me Softly With His Song, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face and duets with Donny Hathaway and Peabo Bryson, had suffered a stroke in 2016 Ben Beaumont-Thomas and Safi Bugel https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/feb/24/roberta-flack-soul-and-rb-icon-behind-killing-me-softly-dies-aged-88

Mitch McConnell is retiring from US politics. Good riddance
Moira Donegan
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/feb/24/mitch-mcconnell-is-retiring-from-us-politics-good-riddance

2,000 year old book about Roman emperors enters bestseller charts The Lives of the Caesars, translated from Latin by The Rest Is History podcast co-host Tom Holland, details everything from ancient policy failures to sex scandals Ella Creamer https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/feb/24/book-sex-scandals-roman-emperors-bestseller-charts-the-lives-of-the-caesars-tom-holland

‘It stirred the people to breathless wonder and scalding abuse’: The tumultuous history of the Sydney Opera House Myles Burke https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20250221-the-tumultuous-history-of-the-sydney-opera-house

‘The flying bum’: can a UK firm making huge airships finally get off the ground?Airlander maker HAV scales up to build world’s biggest aircraft, which it says will have 90% lower emissions than a conventional plane Jasper Jolly https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/feb/24/the-flying-bum-uk-firm-airships-airlander-hav

2025.02.22

Missouri lawmaker proposes registry of pregnant women ‘at risk’ for abortions Dubbed ‘eHarmony for babies’, bill would create connected databases for pregnant women and those looking to adopt Carter Sherman https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/22/missouri-abortion-registry-bill

Brazilian city in Amazon declares emergency after huge sinkholes appear In Buriticupu, about 1,200 people risk losing their homes, and residents have seen the problem escalate in 30 years Reuters in Buriticupu https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/21/amazon-brazil-sinkhole

Woman charged in dating app druggings and one death of older men in Las Vegas FBI says Aurora Phelps met men online for dating then drugged them and stole cars and money Associated Press https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/22/las-vegas-dating-app-druggings-death

‘My paedophile letters’: French surgeon to stand trial accused of abusing 299 patients, mostly children Joël Le Scouarnec’s ‘black books’ of handwritten notes in which alleged sexual abuse was recorded are at the heart of case against him Kim Willsher in Paris https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/feb/22/my-paedophile-letters-french-surgeon-to-stand-trial-accused-of-abusing-299-patients-mostly-children

‘You dream about such things’: Brit who discovered missing pharaoh’s tomb may have unearthed another Archaeologist believes his ‘find of the century’ – of Pharaoh Thutmose II – could be surpassed by ongoing excavation Donna Ferguson https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/feb/22/you-dream-about-such-things-brit-who-discovered-missing-pharaohs-tomb-may-have-unearthed-another

‘We’re clearly heading towards collapse’: why the Murdoch empire is about to go bang
An explosive succession trial and an astonishing interview with one of Rupert’s sons have exposed the paranoia and hatred at the heart of global media’s most powerful family. This could get messy…
Jane Martinson https://www.theguardian.com/media/2025/feb/22/were-clearly-heading-towards-collapse-why-the-murdoch-empire-is-about-to-go-bang

UK soil breakthrough could cut farm fertiliser use and advance sustainable agriculture
Research group says discovery could lead to new type of environmentally friendly farming
Robin McKie, Science Editor https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/feb/22/uk-soil-breakthrough-could-cut-farm-fertiliser-use-and-advance-sustainable-agriculture

Historic England acquires collection featuring some of UK’s oldest photos
Janette Rosing built up pioneering trove of 8,000 images dating back to the early days of the Industrial Revolution
Lanre Bakare Arts and culture correspondent https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2025/feb/21/historic-england-acquires-collection-featuring-some-of-uks-oldest-photos

2025.02.20

The sweet smell of hindsight in the morning!
Some Democrats now admit they screwed up by voting for Trump’s nominees Oliver Willis, author https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/2/20/2304999/-These-Senate-Democrats-regret-voting-to-confirm-Trump-s-awful-nominees?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=top_news_slot_1&pm_medium=web

Are CEOs walking away from civic leadership? The answer depends on who you ask, but there’s no doubt the obstacles to CEO involvement in civic affairs are multiplying. by Liz Fedor https://www.minnpost.com/twin-cities-business/2025/02/are-ceos-walking-away-from-civic-leadership/

Minnesota colleges and public schools shaken as Trump takes aim at education Colleges and K-12 schools that fail to eliminate DEI practices and ‘wokeness’ threatened by funding cuts. by Ana Radelat https://www.minnpost.com/education/2025/02/minnesota-colleges-and-public-schools-shaken-as-trump-takes-aim-at-education/

Delta offers $30,000 to passengers in Canada plane flip – ‘no strings attached’ Plane caught fire and flipped at Toronto’s Pearson airport, hospitalizing 21 of 80 people onboard Jessica Glenza https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/20/delta-payments-toronto-plane-crash

Wot? No cherry on top? Let’s be clear – the US never had moral supremacy. With Trump, it’s not even pretending any more Owen Jones https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/feb/20/us-moral-supremacy-donald-trump-president

Historic US ocean liner moves out of Philadelphia after nearly 30 years
The SS United States, once the largest passenger ship built entirely in the US, has been towed from Philadelphia after nearly 30 years.
Launched in 1951, the ship was a symbol of luxury and innovation, carrying nearly a million passengers before its retirement in 1969.
Now on its way to Alabama, it will be intentionally sunk to form the world’s largest artificial reef.
This transformation aims to support marine life and attract divers to the site.
https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/cx2gkxwpgggo

First pharaoh’s tomb found in Egypt since Tutankhamun’s
Frances Mao
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5ym30v356po

Hotdogs and motorways: The ripples created by Denmark’s Ozempic and Wegovy boom Adrienne Murray https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20250220-hotdogs-and-motorways-the-ripples-created-by-denmarks-ozempic-and-wegovy-boom

2025.02.11

Brian Bakst and Mathew Holding Eagle III at MPR report: “Becker County Attorney Brian McDonald added a second burglary charge Monday against state Sen. Nicole Mitchell focusing on items she had with her when police encountered her stepmother’s home in April 2024 in Detroit Lakes.” Via MinnPost https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/02/10/new-felony-count-added-to-charges-against-sen-nicole-mitchell-for-april-2024-incident

With a new hit film, Netflix has reduced disabled lives to feelgood fodder – and got the facts shockingly wrong Archie Bland and Ruth Spencer https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/feb/11/netflix-film-disabled-lives-feelgood-child-cerebral-palsy-families

Lockboxes ‘littering’ Dublin’s streets become latest front in overtourism battle Council to remove keyboxes left in public areas by landlords Lisa O’Carroll in Dublin https://www.theguardian.com/news/2025/feb/11/key-lockboxes-dublin-overtourism

At Bisto and Aardman’s new pop-up floating restaurant you can pour gravy over your pudding or down a gravy drink – but where’s the cheese board, Gromit? Stuart Heritage https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/feb/11/gravy-cocktail-wallace-gromit-cheese-free-dining-venture-bisto-aardman

On board the maiden sleeper from Brussels to Venice: we got there in the end Affordable couchettes, wonderful scenery and good company make up for the teething problems en route Monisha Rajesh https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2025/feb/11/brussels-to-venice-on-board-a-new-sleeper-train

Manchester theatre suspends Dolly Parton musical over homophobic abuse Actor in Here You Come Again says cast left stage because ‘a woman was so disgusted there was a gay character’ Nadeem Badshah https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2025/feb/10/manchester-performance-of-dolly-parton-musical-suspended-due-to-homophobic-abuse

For you Novavax fans out there — you know who you are: FDA Authorizes Updated Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine to Better Protect Against Currently Circulating Variants https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-authorizes-updated-novavax-covid-19-vaccine-better-protect-against-currently-circulating

Opinion
The Checkup With Dr. Wen: When to get the new coronavirus shot? That question and more, answered. When is the optimal time to get the updated shot? It depends. (DePayWalled)
https://wapo.st/3TcZeB1

Star Tribune reports Ladan Mohamed Ali plead guilty Thursday to federal charges connected to an attempted bribe in the Feeding Our Future Trial. Ali, also admitted to stealing $80,000 of the cash the defendants gave her to bribe the juror. — MinnPost

Did the media learn nothing from its disastrous coverage of Trump and Clinton in 2016?
Rebecca Solnit
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/sep/06/trump-clinton-harris-election

Stonehenge tale gets ‘weirder’ as Orkney is ruled out as altar stone origin
Weeks after revelation that megalith came from Scotland, researchers make surprise discovery
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/sep/05/stonehenge-tale-gets-weirder-as-orkney-is-ruled-out-as-altar-stone-origin

Meanwhile in Amsterdam:
Amsterdammers left bemused at plan to tackle flowerpot ‘jungle’
Authorities in Dutch capital launch ‘Operation plant pot’, saying excessive pot placement threatens accessibility
https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/sep/06/amsterdam-plan-to-tackle-flowerpot-jungle

Thai Chef Makes KHAO SOI From Scratch!
https://www.youtube.com/embed/gwV9SJtewCY?si=YiXS2AO6x1HFRBtn