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Even in a part of the world where tangled alliances are as common as sweet tea, one would be hard-pressed to find a country where the same few sweltering square miles house the sprawling operations hub for a huge U.S.-led air war and provide plush sanctuary to the likes of the Taliban and Hamas, both deemed terrorist groups by Washington.

Perched on a tiny peninsula protruding into the Persian Gulf, Qatar is dwarfed by neighbors such as Saudi Arabia, but has displayed outsize foreign policy ambitions, with the ripple effects of its immense natural gas wealth being felt from the mosque minaret to the executive suite, and on battlegrounds from Libya to Syria and beyond.

The emirate's goal may have been to heighten its influence and prestige by extending a cordial hand to all, but falconry-loving Qatar has lately seen its wings clipped, facing bruising rebukes from its powerful neighbors and Egypt over its long-standing support of Islamist groups, some of them militant ones.

Qatari officials used to have a favorite phrase, that the emirate was punching above its weight. Now the watchwords may be more along the lines of quiet retrenchment.

Amid what had become a rapidly deepening diplomatic isolation in the region, Qatar has scrambled to get back in the good graces of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council and to mend fences with Egypt, the Arab world's most populous country and its traditional intellectual center.

The emirate has made symbolic steps such as the never formally acknowledged ejection of seven Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood figures, who departed in September for Turkey. It has also moved to stem the flow of funds from wealthy private donors to extremist militantgroups, some via what had heretofore been lightly regulated charities.

Neighbors Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which had withdrawn their ambassadors in a highly public sign of strong displeasure, announced two months ago that they would send their envoys back.

Egyptian officials suggest that President Abdel Fattah Sisi, who was infuriated by Qatar's support for toppled Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, may soon be ready to resume high-level contacts. The likelihood of rapprochement increased recently after Qatar acceded to Cairo's demands to shut down the Brotherhood-boosting Egyptian arm of the emirate's flagship broadcaster Al Jazeera, itself conceived as a projection of Qatari power and prestige, but whose influence has waned in recent years.

Despite conciliatory gestures, however, analysts say Qatar has not wavered in its core belief that political Islam the view that austere Muslim teachings should guide all aspects of society remains the prime long-term force in the region.

Qatar has faced Western pressure over material support it has provided for some radical factions battling Syrian President Bashar Assad, including Al Qaeda-linked Al Nusra Front, and for siding with a self-proclaimed but not internationally recognized Libyan government aligned with Islamist militias from the western city of Misurata.

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Qatar's ties to militants complicate relations with US, neighbors

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"It's very comparable to last year and within a few hundred people, so overall we feel good about the event," St. Peter said. "It's a much different event than TwinsFest back at the Metrodome. We have the capacity to add more people, but I always worry about that at Target Field because it doesn't necessarily accrue to the fans their experience there. But we were pleased with the support we received this weekend from our fan base."

St. Peter said the event will continue to be held at Target Field next year, but the Twins will potentially explore other options after that, as the new Minnesota Vikings stadium on the former site of the Metrodome will be built by then.

"We are happy at Target Field," St. Peter said. "We have received positive feedback for the most part from our fans, and particularly from our season-ticket holders. It's only the second year we've done it here and we're committed to Target Field again next year, but we intend to certainly evaluate this heading into next year's event."

More than 60 current, former and future Twins players were in attendance over the three days at TwinsFest with Torii Hunter being perhaps the most popular player. But fans were also excited about top prospects Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano, and had a chance to interact and get autographs from other popular players such as Joe Mauer, Brian Dozier, Ervin Santana and Glen Perkins, as well as new manager and Hall of Famer Paul Molitor.

Twins embrace fans' support on Day 2 of TwinsFest

Paul Molitor, Terry Ryan, Torii Hunter, Ervin Santana, Mike Pelfrey, Ricky Nolasco and Dick Bremer interact with fans on Day 2 of TwinsFest

"He's an incredibly popular part of our franchise," St. Peter said about Hunter. "It's a special time for our fans to have access to not only Torii, but our entire roster, including guys who are hopefully going to be a part of our future, such as the Buxtons and the Sanos."

St. Peter said he also sensed more optimism from fans at TwinsFest, but he was quick to point out the club has to prove it on the field after its struggles over the last four years.

"I think the core fan base is excited and has higher expectations than perhaps a year ago. But that said, I understand a lot of fans are going to take a wait-and-see approach. We need to get it done on the field. The Paul Molitor hiring and a couple additions this offseason and the understanding is that it's as deep as it's been in a long time; I think people generally think we have a bright future."

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Fans show support, optimism at Target Field TwinsFest

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BEDFORD - As Bedford County officials seek a new administration at the county jail - which has sported three different executives in two months - guards and the former warden have expressed serious concerns about several men hired as temporary and permanent officers.

Nearly four months after an inmate escaped, prompting Warden David Kessling's resignation and an ensuing political scandal, a slate of newly hired and promoted officers has taken charge at the jail in a shift officials have called "a new day."

In a recent meeting with the county commissioners, however, guards' union representatives noted that two of the officers had been disciplined for security breaches under Kessling's administration, with at least one resigning as a result. Another was demoted after superiors said he couldn't handle his responsibilities, Kessling confirmed. While Sheriff Charwin Reichelderfer dismissed the guards' complaints as "dwelling on the past," their concerns - verified by jail documents and confirmed by Kessling - show that the county hasn't yet fully recovered from the September escape and its aftermath.

Breaches and demotion

Since inmate Jeremiah Moser allegedly scaled a jail basketball hoop and fled into the woods Sept. 30, relations between county officials and rank-and-file guards have hit a few bumps.

A guard was suspended for the security breach that allowed Moser to climb the wall, and others have publicly blamed 2012 staff cuts that left fewer guards at the facility than in prior years.

Moser was captured a day after the escape, but the political issues he opened remain today.

At a meeting Jan. 15, union officers discussed staffing concerns with the commissioners, said Barry Pearce, a staff representative for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 83, which includes the Bedford guards.

But they also mentioned another, as-yet unpublicized concern: that the recent hires could pose new problems at the jail, especially after some were implicated in security breaches as recently as last year.

"Basically, there were security violations. In the past, those same violations led to termination," Pearce said. "And now they bring these guys back. Is that a lesson learned?"

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Leaders questioning replacement Bedford guards

It will be at least 16 months until PennDOT's Rapid Bridge Replacement project has an effect on local bridges - five in Blair County - under a timeline and

bridge list released by PennDOT officials.

PennDOT officials announced late last year that Plenary Walsh Keystone Partners was awarded an $899 million contract to replace 558 Pennsylvania bridges, including 48 in District 9 - Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon and Somerset counties.

Through a Rapid Bridge Replacement project, Plenary Walsh and 11 Pennsylvania-based subcontractors - including Glenn O. Hawbaker Inc., a State College company - are scheduled to complete all 558 bridge replacements by 2017.

PennDOT spokeswoman Erin Waters-Trasatt said construction at 58 bridge sites in southwestern and northeastern Pennsylvania is slated to begin this summer.

She said these bridges were selected first because they have low traffic volumes and are similar in design.

"The team has come up with a schedule that they thought would be most efficient," Waters-Trasatt said, adding that bridges can range in size from eight to more than 360 feet.

Waters-Trasatt said similar bridges in location and size were grouped to increase productivity.

Some bridge parts likely will be created offsite to speed up the process, she said.

Ralph DeStefano, District 9 bridge engineer, said all 48 district bridges were classified as structurally deficient - meaning they ranked poorly during bridge inspections and are in need of improvement.

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Five Blair, nine Bedford bridges to be replaced

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