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Bridge: April 1, 2023

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:00:16 GMT

Mark Dahl of Richmond, Virginia, was declarer in today’s deal from a crucial match in the Mixed Swiss Teams at the Fall NABC. (West’s two clubs showed length in both majors; North’s two spades showed club length plus a spade stopper. Dahl’s 3NT was bold.)West led a low heart, and East took the king and returned the jack. When Dahl’s queen covered, West played low to keep communication.Declarer next led a club to dummy’s ace, getting the bad news; West threw a spade, so Dahl couldn’t profit by setting up the clubs. Instead, he led a club to his king, cashed four spade tricks and exited with his last heart. West took three hearts but then had to lead a diamond from his king. Making three!OTHER TABLEAt the other table, West led a spade against 3NT, and declarer got home with less difficulty. At Dahl’s table, the contract could have been defeated: East needed to play his jack of hearts at Trick One.Dahl’s good play helped his team to...

Word Game: April 1, 2023

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:00:16 GMT

TODAY’S WORD — CANTLES (CANTLES: KAN-t’ls: Parts; portions.)Average mark 42 wordsTime limit 60 minutesCan you find 55 or more words in CANTLES? The list will be published Monday.YESTERDAY’S WORD — THREATS tare tart taste taster tear teat test that theta threat trash treat tsar hare haste hate hater hatter hear heart heat hers rash rate rest earth east aster sate sear seat share shatter shear star stare start stat state stetTo 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 cr...

As Israelis Protest Mounting Authoritarianism, Apartheid Regime Over Palestinians Goes Unchallenged

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:00:16 GMT

On very clear days, you can follow the rolling hills surrounding the Palestinian city of Yatta all the way to the Dead Sea on one side, the Negev desert on the other. The windswept landscape offers idyllic views, with clusters of olive trees alternating with narrow rows of cultivated land, patches of shrubs, and the occasional grazing sheep. This is also a unique observation point to watch the reality of Israeli apartheid take hold of the land.Masafer Yatta, a collection of hamlets in the pastoral hills surrounding Yatta, is one of several areas across the occupied West Bank where the Israeli state has for decades forced out Palestinians and replaced them with Israeli settlers. The goal, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated plainly after returning to power last year, is to give the state absolute and ultimate control over what he called “all areas of the Land of Israel” —including land widely expected to one day form the territory of a Palestinian state.The Israeli go...

Erling Haaland out of Man City vs. Liverpool match

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:00:16 GMT

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Prolific striker Erling Haaland was not part of Manchester City’s squad to play Liverpool on Saturday following a groin injury.The Norway international, who has scored 42 goals in all competitions this season, had to withdraw from his country’s European Championship qualifiers against Spain and Georgia last week because of the problem.Haaland leads the Premier League with 28 goals and has scored nine in his last three games in all competitions.The game was important for both teams, with City eight points behind first-place Arsenal with a game in hand, and Liverpool fighting to secure a top-four spot for Champions League qualification.City manager Pep Guardiola had said Haaland would be given the chance to prove his fitness during the team’s training session on Friday.___More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsSource

High wind warning: Potential for scattered storms, power outages Saturday in DC area

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:00:16 GMT

Listen to WTOP on the 8s for the latest weather updates.The month kicks off with April showers (and potentially storms) as well as high winds that could knock out power on Saturday in the D.C. area. Here’s what you need to know.High wind warning beginning at noon Morning showers or storms Partly sunny afternoon followed by potential evening stormsWarmer than average temperatures The National Weather Service issued a high wind warning for the D.C. region that start at noon and ends at midnight. West winds are expected to range from 25-35 mph, with some gusts reaching 60 mph.D.C.-area residents should brace for scattered showers or even thunderstorms on Saturday morning as a warm front moves north, according to Storm Team4 Meteorologist Mike Stinneford.Listen to WTOP online and on the radio at 103.5 FM or 107.7 FM.Current traffic conditionsPower outages mapWeather forecastSign up for WTOP alertsThe sky should clear up in the afternoon right as the wind picks up; Stinneford predi...

El papa Francisco bromea tras salir del hospital: “Todavía estoy vivo”

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:00:16 GMT

(CNN) — El papa Francisco salió este sábado del hospital en Roma donde pasó los últimos días para recibir tratamiento por una infección respiratoria.Después de ser dado de alta del hospital Gemelli de Roma este sábado por la mañana, se detuvo a hablar con periodistas.El Pontífice estaba de buen humor cuando respondió a las preguntas de Delia Gallagher de CNN sobre cómo se sentía, y dijo: “Todavía estoy vivo, ¿sabes?”.Ante la pregunta de si se asustó este miércoles por sus problemas respiratorios, el papa recordó lo que le dijo un “viejo” tras pasar por una situación similar.“Un anciano, mayor que yo, me dijo después de una situación como esta: ‘Padre, yo no vi la muerte, pero la vi venir. ¡Es feo, eh!’”.El papa Francisco, de 86 años, fue trasladado al hospital Gemelli este miércoles y recibió antibióticos para tratar la bronquitis infecciosa.El pontífice, que de joven sufrió una neumonía grave y le extirparon parte de un pulmón, tuvo un historial reciente de problemas médicos....

Those who stayed hope to make Michigan a national champion

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:00:16 GMT

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Those who stay will be champions has been a Michigan football mantra for generations, dating to Bo Schembechler saying those six words to his first team in 1969.The two-time defending Big Ten-champion Wolverines, scheduled to play their spring game Saturday, are thrilled many key players chose to stay this season in the hopes of handling unfinished business.Jim Harbaugh’s last two teams beat rival Ohio State, went on to win conference championship games and lose in the College Football Playoffs.“It’s not perfect, 13-1, but that’s we keep striving for,” Harbaugh said entering his ninth season. “We keep chasing that perfection.”Motivated to help Michigan win its first national title since 1997, several players chose to come back this year instead of entering the NFL draft.All-America running back Blake Corum, all-Big Ten offensive guards Zak Zinger and Trevor Keegan along with linebacker Michael Barrett, defensive lineman Kris Jenkins, cornerback Mi...

German coalition compromise on gas and oil heating includes key exemptions

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:00:16 GMT

Germany’s ruling coalition on Friday evening reached a compromise on a controversial energy bill to ban the installation of new gas and oil-fired heating systems as of the start of next year, but the deal includes important exemptions and phase-in periods. According to the agreement, every newly installed heating system will have to be powered by 65 percent renewable energy starting January 1, 2024.The compromise contains a number of exemptions, introduces transition periods and includes dedicated financial support, Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported. The law will “bring about a mandatory switch to renewable heating,” Germany’s economy and construction ministries said. The coalition agreement on the details of the bill — which still needs to be submitted to the federal states for consultation and passed by the cabinet — comes after the government on Tuesday evening reached an agreement on its future climate policy following 30 hours of negotiations. Germany a...

Life and education reach beyond sports at the Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:00:16 GMT

There are famous names on many buildings throughout New York City. Buildings named after politicians, businessmen and philanthropists are numbered in the hundreds.And it’s rare when a building is named after a living, breathing icon.If you were asked to identify the building with Vernon Monroe’s name on it, you might scratch your head.If told his full name was Vernon Earl Monroe, as in Earl “The Pearl,” a few things might click into place.But wait, the Knicks’ Earl The Pearl? He has a building named after him? Where?We remember Earl “The Pearl” Monroe, the dazzling Hall of Famer, with his bag of spins, dips and sleights of hand on the hardwood and a member of the Knicks last world championship squad, teaming with another Hall of Famer, backcourt mate Walt “Clyde” Frazier.So, what is his name doing on a building? Is there a plaque on the side of Madison Square Garden?No. Monroe’s nomenclature is located about 10 miles from t...

Harris seeks billions for climate resilience across Africa

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:00:16 GMT

LUSAKA, Zambia (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris is pushing for $7 billion in private-sector investments to help Africa prepare for the effects of climate change.The announcement comes as she wraps up her weeklong trip to the continent on Saturday. Harris plans to visit a farm outside Lusaka, Zambia’s capital, where workers are using new techniques and technology to grow more produce, part of her effort to demonstrate ways to secure food supplies despite global warming.“The United States is committed to these types of innovative solutions to support climate adaptation, mitigation and resilience,” she said Friday during a news conference with President Hakainde Hichilema.Harris’ trip, which included stops in Ghana and Tanzania, is intended to advance U.S. efforts to make inroads in Africa, where China’s influence runs deep. The $7 billion announcement is the biggest-ticket item that Harris has announced, but more work will be needed to follow through.For example, ...