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Bridge: Oct. 31, 2023

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:24:44 GMT

Cy the Cynic says (in a sentiment typical of him) that when you come to the end of a perfect day … you need to check back over it carefully.Cy played at today’s 3NT, and West, who had overcalled in spades, led the queen. Cy won, led a club to dummy’s queen and played low from his hand on the next club. When West had to take the ace, Cy had four club tricks and 10 in all. Eventually, he end-played West with a spade to lead from the king of hearts.“Making five,” the Cynic said. “Next deal.”RETROSPECTI doubt that Cy retrospected this deal, but he misplayed. If West’s clubs had been A-J-8, he would win the second club with the jack and set up his spades with the ace of clubs as an entry.Cy should duck the first spade, win the second and lead a club. When West plays the eight, dummy should put in the nine. East wins but has no more spades. If he leads a heart, Cy can rise with the ace and lead a second club. He wins three clubs, two spades,...

Word Game: Oct. 31, 2023

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:24:44 GMT

TODAY’S WORD — BRIOCHE (BRIOCHE: bree-OSH: A sweet bread.)Average mark 18 wordsTime limit 30 minutesCan you find 23 or more words in BRIOCHE? The list will be published tomorrow.YESTERDAY’S WORD — AMPUTATE mate matte meat meta mutate mute mutt pate peat puma putt tame tamp tapa tape taupe taut team teat temptTo purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last!RULES OF THE GAME:1. Words must be of four or more letters.2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible.4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.Contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe at [email protected].

Ask Amy: My parents aren’t really fighting, but it makes my husband uncomfortable

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:24:44 GMT

Dear Amy: I grew up in a fractious household. It was loud and disorganized, but my parents (first-generation Americans) worked hard, and my four siblings and I all went to college and are successful and happy people. We are a very close, loving and loyal family.Related ArticlesAdvice | Ask Amy: Yes, I drink too much, but here’s why I won’t do AA Advice | Ask Amy: My wife’s family is horrible to me, and she pretends it’s not happening Advice | Ask Amy: My husband has very definite views about our child’s schooling. Is he correct? Advice | Ask Amy: Should I just let the new boyfriend be a surprise at our holiday dinner? Advice | Ask Amy: I want the money my husband lent our friend. How do I get it? I have been married now for five years to a man I met in graduate school. His upbringing was just about the opposite of mine; his parents are quiet, soft-spoken people. They are ver...

Stock market today: World shares mixed, oil prices gain ahead of Fed decision on rates

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:24:44 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — World shares were mixed on Tuesday and oil prices gained as investors awaited a decision by the U.S. Federal Reserve on interest rates due on Wednesday. European markets advanced while shares were mostly lower in Asia. U.S. futures were mixed. The Japanese yen weakened against the dollar after the Bank of Japan changed its language on government bond yields to allow yields on 10-year bonds to rise above 1%, calling it “a reference point” instead of a more rigidly set cap. But the central bank kept its longstanding benchmark interest rate of minus 0.1%. It is on a different track from the U.S. Federal Reserve and other major central banks that have been tightening their monetary policies to counter inflation.That has led to a dramatically weakening Japanese yen that has raised the value in local currency of overseas earnings by Japan’s exporters. On Tuesday, the dollar rose to 150.40 Japanese yen from 149.10 yen. In early European trading, France’s CAC 40 added 0.1...

UN agency in Gaza says urgent cease-fire is a matter of life and death for millions of Palestinians

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:24:44 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees told a U.N. emergency meeting Monday “an immediate humanitarian cease-fire has become a matter of life and death for millions,” accusing Israel of “collective punishment” of Palestinians and the forced displacement of civilians.Philippe Lazzarini warned that a further breakdown of civil order after the agency’s warehouses were broken into by Palestinians searching for food and other aid “will make it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the largest U.N. agency in Gaza to continue operating.”Briefings to the Security Council by Lazzarini, the head of the U.N. children’s agency UNICEF and a senior U.N. humanitarian official painted a dire picture of the humanitarian situation in Gaza 23 days after Hamas’ surprise Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, and its ongoing retaliatory military action aimed at “obliterating” the militant group, which controls Gaza.According to the latest figures from Gaza’s Minist...

Buenaventura: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:24:44 GMT

LIMA, Peru (AP) — LIMA, Peru (AP) — Compania de Minas Buenaventura SAA (BVN) on Monday reported a loss of $28 million in its third quarter.On a per-share basis, the Lima, Peru-based company said it had a loss of 11 cents.The miner posted revenue of $211.3 million in the period.Buenaventura shares have risen 11% since the beginning of the year. The stock has risen 22% in the last 12 months._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on BVN at https://www.zacks.com/ap/BVNSource

AP PHOTOS: A 7-week Rugby World Cup extravaganza ends with a magic fourth title for South Africa

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:24:44 GMT

PARIS (AP) — A seven-week, 20-team, 48-game rugby extravaganza ended with a magic No. 4 for South Africa.South Africa won a record-breaking fourth Rugby World Cup crown, and became only the second team to retain the title, with a gripping one-point win over old foe New Zealand in Saturday’s final at Stade de France.And so, a green and gold curtain fell on the 10th Rugby World Cup, leaving the Springboks standing alone as the tournament’s most successful team.But with joy for some, comes despair for others. New Zealand missed out on being the first to four by the slimmest of margins in one of the tightest finals ever played. All Blacks captain Sam Cane had to watch most of it from the sidelines after he became the first man to be sent off in rugby’s biggest game.Spare a though, too, for host France and for Ireland, highly-rated ahead of the tournament and embodying the hopes of the northern hemisphere, which has won just one world title in 36 years of Rugby World Cu...

BP: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:24:44 GMT

LONDON (AP) — LONDON (AP) — BP PLC (BP) on Tuesday reported third-quarter net income of $4.86 billion, after reporting a loss in the same period a year earlier.On a per-share basis, the London-based company said it had profit of $1.66. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring gains, came to $1.15 per share.The results did not meet Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $1.37 per share.The oil and gas company posted revenue of $54.02 billion in the period.BP shares have risen roughly 10% since the beginning of the year. The stock has risen 16% in the last 12 months._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on BP at https://www.zacks.com/ap/BPSource

Banco Bilbao: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:24:44 GMT

MADRID (AP) — MADRID (AP) — Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. (BBVA) on Tuesday reported third-quarter net income of $2.27 billion.The Madrid-based bank said it had earnings of 36 cents per share.The bank posted revenue of $8.66 billion in the period. Its revenue net of interest expense was $8.66 billion, exceeding Street forecasts.Banco Bilbao shares have climbed 32% since the beginning of the year. The stock has increased 51% in the last 12 months._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on BBVA at https://www.zacks.com/ap/BBVASource

Rambus: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:24:44 GMT

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Rambus Inc. (RMBS) on Monday reported profit of $103.2 million in its third quarter.The San Jose, California-based company said it had profit of 93 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring gains, came to 43 cents per share.The memory chip designer posted revenue of $105.3 million in the period. Its adjusted revenue was $134.3 million.For the current quarter ending in December, Rambus expects its per-share earnings to range from $125 to $143._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on RMBS at https://www.zacks.com/ap/RMBSSource