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Bridge: Nov. 6, 2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:33 GMT

With COVID-19 seemingly on the wane, players flocked to the ACBL’s Summer Championships in Chicago.In the Spingold Knockout Teams, the premier event, most seeded teams comprised an affluent amateur plus professionals, many from overseas. The strength of players from outside the U.S. was evident as many highly regarded U.S. “sponsored” teams lost early.Today’s deal arose in the final, Marty FLEISHER vs. Leif BREMARK. (Fleisher and his partner Chip Martel were the only Americans still playing.) With FLEISHER’s pair North-South, South opened 1NT, and North passed.BALANCEWhen East bid two hearts, he couldn’t have foreseen what would happen to him, but South doubled for takeout, and North liked his hand enough to try 4NT, asking South to bid a minor-suit game.Against five diamonds, West led a heart; only a spade would have worked. Declarer won, lost to the ace of trumps, won the trump return, ruffed his last heart in dummy, cashed four club tricks, and led the ace and a low spade. When E...

Dear Amy: I wake up to a startling noise from my dear old neighbor

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:33 GMT

Dear Amy: I have procrastinated far too long in trying to get a solution to my dilemma.Related ArticlesAdvice | Ask Amy: I hate when people say this to make me feel better. Am I too sensitive? Advice | Ask Amy: How do I tell my neighbor I want out of this unpleasant ritual? Advice | Ask Amy: She sent me your advice column and told me I did something unacceptable Advice | Ask Amy: My sister asked these teens a question I found thoughtless Advice | Ask Amy: I was upset about what they were eating, and they laughed when I objected The main reason is that I do not want to hurt or offend my dear, sweet 87-year-old next-door neighbor, “Ruth.”She is one of the kindest people on the planet, tends to her church and all of her elderly friends, and is generous in every way.While barely able to walk easily without a cane, she still kindly brings my paper to my front door each morning.But instead of lightly dropping ...

French justice minister is on trial accused of conflict of interest

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:33 GMT

PARIS (AP) — France’s justice minister goes on trial Monday on charges of using his office to settle personal scores, in an unprecedented case that has raised concern about checks and balances in French democracy.Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti’s refusal to resign, or at least to step aside from his role overseeing France’s justice system during the trial, has drawn wide criticism.Once a high-profile lawyer, Dupond-Moretti is accused of abusing his position as justice minister to order probes targeting magistrates who investigated him, his friends or his former clients.He denies wrongdoing. He faces up to five years in prison and half a million euros in fines if convicted on charges of illegal conflict of interest.The trial marks the first time in modern France that a government minister has been put on trial while still in office, according to legal historians. Until now, it was seen as an unwritten rule that ministers resigned if they were put under investigation.Dupond-Moret...

Australian and Chinese leaders meet in Beijing while their countries try to mend ties

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:33 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday on the first visit by an Australian leader to China in seven years as the two countries try to mend their tattered ties.Chinese state media reported the meeting but did not provide details. The talks were expected to focus on trade as China has eased some but not all of the restrictive steps it took as relations deteriorated.Albanese struck an optimistic tone ahead of his meeting, calling for cooperation while emphasizing that the two countries will continue to have differences.“What I’ve said is that we need to co-operate with China where we can, disagree where we must and engage in our national interest,” he said in Beijing. “I think there are promising signs we’ve already seen, a number of the impediments to trade between our two nations removed and an uplift already, substantial uplift in the trade between our two nations.”His visit comes near the 50th anniversary of ...

Special counsel Jack Smith opposes televising Trump federal election subversion trial

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:33 GMT

(CNN) — Special counsel Jack Smith opposes televising the federal election subversion trial of former President Donald Trump in Washington, DC, according to a filing late Friday.Prosecutors wrote that federal courts are expressly prohibited from allowing proceedings in a courtroom from being broadcast or even photographed and that although the public was allowed to access some proceedings through teleconferences during the Covid-19 pandemic, the exception ended in September for criminal trials.In a long-shot attempt, a group of media organizations, including CNN, asked the federal judge overseeing the case, Tanya Chutkan, for permission to broadcast the trial given its historic nature. In a separate petition to the judge, NBCUniversal Media argued that the long-standing rule against cameras in federal criminal trials, which dates to the 1940s, is outdated and would violate the First Amendment if strictly enforced in the Trump case.One of Trump’s attorneys in the case has also suppor...

Kosmos Energy: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:33 GMT

DALLAS (AP) — DALLAS (AP) — Kosmos Energy Ltd. (KOS) on Monday reported net income of $85.2 million in its third quarter.On a per-share basis, the Dallas-based company said it had net income of 18 cents. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, came to 26 cents per share.The independent oil and gas company posted revenue of $526.5 million in the period._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on KOS at https://www.zacks.com/ap/KOSSource

College Football Corner: Revenge on menu in Stillwater, as Terps, Hokies, Cavs and Mids digest another sad Saturday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:33 GMT

Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy and Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables meet before an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, in Stillwater, Okla. (AP Photo/Mitch Alcala)(AP/Mitch Alcala) Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy and Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables meet before an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, in Stillwater, Okla. (AP Photo/Mitch Alcala)(AP/Mitch Alcala) It’s been said that “revenge is a dish best served cold” (although I’m sure that saying originated in the pre-microwave era). On a Saturday when Virginia’s already slim bowl hopes went down in flames and Maryland’s misery became no longer just an October thing, Oklahoma State ex...

Stock market today: World shares are mixed as recession worries pull European markets lower

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:33 GMT

HONG KONG (AP) — World shares were mixed on Monday, with European markets barely moving as investors grew cautious over the potential for recession in the region. U.S. futures rose and oil prices gained more than $1 a barrel after Saudi Arabia and Russia reiterated their commitment to maintaining oil supply cuts of more than 1 million barrels per day until the end of the year.Meanwhile, the Israeli military announced late Sunday that it had encircled Gaza City and cut the besieged coastal strip in two almost a month into the deepening conflict. In European trading, Germany’s DAX lost 7 points to 15,180.02 and the CAC 40 in Paris lost 0.1% to 7,041.12. Britain’s FTSE 100 edged less than 3 points lower, to 7,415.13. The futures for the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average were up 0.1%. Recent surveys of factory managers showed a deterioration in business activity, reinforcing concerns over slowing growth in Germany, France and other major economies. In Asia, stocks surged ...

Powerhouse musician and LGBTQ+ activist LP joins WTOP before rocking The Anthem in DC

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:33 GMT

US singer and songwriter Laura Pergolizzi, known as LP, poses for a portrait in Mexico City, May 30, 2022. LP will take her tour to South America at the end of 2022. (AP Photo/Berenice Bautista)(AP/Berenice Bautista) US singer and songwriter Laura Pergolizzi, known as LP, poses for a portrait in Mexico City, May 30, 2022. LP will take her tour to South America at the end of 2022. (AP Photo/Berenice Bautista)(AP/Berenice Bautista) Their cutting-edge pop-rock stylings have made them an icon of the LGBTQ+ community.On Tuesday, LP rocks The Anthem in D.C. for the “Love Lines” tour, named after their new album that dropped in September.“We’re playing that whole album, which feels really good,...

Florida grandmother fulfilling cheer dream at her alma mater

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:33 GMT

SARASOTA, Fla. (WSVN) — An 81-year-old grandmother from Florida recently lived out a dream she had cherished for many decades. Her journey took her back to her high school alma mater, where she once again donned the colors and cheered for her beloved team.Mikie Harris revisited her high school as part of a cherished bucket list item. “I was born a cheerleader,” she proudly exclaimed. “This is on my bucket list, kid. Last year for my 80th, I flew a plane.”This year, she chose to relive her high school days by cheering for the football team, taking her back to her youthful days when she was part of the cheer squad in 1960 and 1959. “I was on the squad from the time I was a junior,” Harris recalled. “I had a boyfriend who really cared about me. I was voted friendliest.”Sophia Drews, a senior cheerleader on the squd, said that “bubbly” barely describes Mikie’s infectious energy. She said Harris’ presence was a...