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Bridge: July 10, 2023

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:20:53 GMT

“My husband’s an attractive man,” a club player told me, “but I didn’t marry him for his looks — especially the ones he’s been giving me at the bridge table.”She had been today’s West.“My husband was East. Against four hearts I cashed the K-A of spades. My hubby played the deuce and then the ten. His ten looked like a suit-preference signal, showing diamond strength, so I led the jack of diamonds next.”HIGH RUFFS“South took the ace, led a club to the ace and ruffed a club high. He got to dummy with the seven and eight of trumps to ruff two more clubs high and went to the jack of trumps to pitch a diamond on the good fifth club. Making four. My husband gave me a look that could have put out a fire.”West missed her best play. The defense will always get any diamond tricks they have coming — unless South sets up dummy’s long club for a discard. At Trick Three, West must lead a trump, removing a vi...

‘We will win’: Hundreds sing, pray for peace in Ukraine at Washington National Cathedral

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:20:53 GMT

Song and prayer filled the high-reaching nave of the Washington National Cathedral Sunday evening as almost 750 people gathered to commemorate the Ukrainians injured and killed in the 500 days since Russia’s full scale invasion.The numbers are staggering. The United Nations estimates over 9,000 Ukrainian citizens have been killed, over 15,000 Ukrainian citizens have been wounded and countless Ukrainian and Russian soldiers have died since the invasion on Feb. 24, 2022.Despite this, Oksana Markarova, Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.S., said the songs sung for the dead and suffering gave her hope.“When English was together with Ukrainian going all the way up to the God’s ears — I don’t know — I felt home, I felt that we will win,” Markarova said.Paul Molde, a choir member of the Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family, agreed.“You feel it in your heart, in your bones, in your soul,” Molde said. “And it is sad, but we al...

Turkish president says Ankara could approve Sweden’s NATO membership if Europeans ‘open way’ to Turkey’s EU bid

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:20:53 GMT

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish president says Ankara could approve Sweden’s NATO membership if Europeans ‘open way’ to Turkey’s EU bid.Source

Solomon Islands leader visits Beijing, highlighting US-China rivalry in South Pacific

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:20:53 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Leaders of the Solomon Islands and China on Monday promised to expand relations that have fueled unease in Washington and Australia about Beijing’s influence in the South Pacific.Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare met Chinese leader Xi Jinping and the country’s No. 2 leader, Premier Li Qiang. Sogavare and Li presided over the signing of agreements on police, economic and technical cooperation.“We are here to further boost relations,” Sogavare told Li following a ceremony at which a Chinese military band played the Solomon Islands national anthem.The Solomon Islands, 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) northeast of Australia, has been China’s biggest success in a campaign to expand its presence in the South Pacific. Sogavare’s government switched official recognition in 2019 to Beijing from Taiwan, the self-ruled island democracy claimed by the mainland’s ruling Communist Party as part of its territory.“Solomon Islands, sir, has a lot to learn from China’s d...

Egypt’s inflation rate sets record high at 36.8% in June, official data show

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:20:53 GMT

CAIRO (AP) — Egypt’s annual inflation rate set a record high in June, as the most populous Arab country continues to battle price hikes and a depreciating currency, the Egyptian statistics bureau said Monday.The annual inflation rate reached 36.8% last month, up from 33.7% recorded in May, according to data released by the state-run Central Agency for Mobilization and Statistics.Prices in Egypt rose across many sectors, from food items and medical services to housing and furniture following the Russia-Ukraine war, which unleashed a wave of inflation across the globe.In Egypt, food and beverage prices, the main drivers of inflation, rose by 64.9% in June over the same time last year, the data released Monday showed. Grains, meat, poultry, fish, and fruit were among the products with the biggest price spikes.The inflation rate last month more than doubled compared to June 2022 when it was at 14.7%.Egypt, a country with over 105 million people, is the world’s largest wheat importer. Mo...

Thousands of children’s bikes recalled over handlebar issue

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:20:53 GMT

Watch Video: Recall issued for popular children’s bike over handlebar issueFederal regulators have recalled more than 84,000 woom children’s bicycles over an issue in which the handlebar can potentially become detached from the rest of the bike.The recall applies to all woom Original bike models manufactured from 2018 to 2021, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said.About 84,000 bikes — designed for children ages 18 months to 14 years old — were sold in the U.S., and more than 500 in Canada, the agency said.The safety commission received at least 77 reports of woom handlebar stems becoming detached or loosened, resulting in 19 injuries including bruises, cuts and abrasions.On its website, woom said the recalled bikes have a “one-bolt stem clamp design.”The recalled bikes, which retail for anywhere between $200 and $530, were sold at local stores — and through woom’s website and Amazon.com — between September 2018 and March 2022, according to t...

Surgen nuevos detalles sobre la enorme grieta en la viga de soporte de montaña rusa

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:20:53 GMT

RALEIGH, Carolina del Norte — Una investigación en curso del Departamento de Trabajo de Carolina del Norte descubrió que una gran grieta en la columna de soporte de una imponente montaña rusa había sido visible durante al menos una semana antes de que el parque de diversiones cerrara por reparaciones.“Parece que entre seis y 10 días antes, se tomaron algunas fotografías que muestran el comienzo de la grieta y luego, obviamente, el viernes pasado, la cosa empeoró por completo”, dijo el viernes el comisionado laboral Josh Dobson en una entrevista a The Associated Press.El parque de diversiones Carowinds, con sede en Charlotte, fue investigado esta semana después de que apareció un video en internet de una montaña rusa en funcionamiento con una gran grieta en una de sus columnas. Las imágenes de Fury 325, conocida como una “giga montaña rusa” debido a su espectacular altura de 325 pies (99 metros), mostraban una viga de soporte clave doblándose con la parte superior visible...

‘Don’t put it off’: Cost concerns aren’t keeping Gen X, boomer travelers from the great getaway

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:20:53 GMT

This summer, WTOP is taking you on a tour and exploring how adults 50 and older are spending their travels.They may not be doing it for the ‘Gram, the likes or their followers, but older adults are visiting top travel destinations, and they’re not letting recent inflation get in the way of checking items off in their bucket lists.“Don’t wait,” said Sally Matts of Waldorf, Maryland. “Don’t think you can keep putting things off, because you never know.”Matts, 71, has become an avid traveler since her retirement. She is a Road Scholar travel ambassador who has been on nine trips planned by the nonprofit organization, which provides education travel programs for those 50 and older. With an upcoming trip to Spain this fall, Matts is among older adult travelers who plan to take trips, despite inflation limiting some globe-trotters.Matts agreed that travel has always been expensive, but she believes that even when inflation subsides, prices w...

Denver weather: Hot and mostly dry week, fire concern

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:20:53 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) —  Denver weather will move into a pattern of sunshine and hot temperatures reaching the 90s for most of this week. Winds will also be gusty, so fire danger is a concern. Weather today: Hot and breezyWe are heating up to the low 90s this afternoon, which is seasonal for this time of the year. There will be mostly sunny skies and breezy winds, but an isolated storm chance is possible through the evening. The wind is the main concern with the hot temperatures meaning high fire danger.The storm chance is at 20% Monday and a low severe risk, but there could be a few storms along the Eastern Plains with strong winds and hail. Looking ahead: Summer HeatHot, dry, and breezy winds continue for most of the week.An isolated storm chance returns Friday and for the weekend. This will help to cool temperatures a bit with highs in the 80s.

WingAI app uses artificial intelligence to revolutionize online dating experience

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:20:53 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (WSVN) — Dating in the digital age can be a daunting task, with the challenge of striking up a conversation with a complete stranger. Recognizing this common struggle, Tyler Henkel, a software engineer, has developed a solution to help single people navigate the complexities of online dating.Henkel, who noticed a prevalent issue with generic and uninspiring opening messages, decided to harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to assist users in making meaningful connections. He created an app called WingAI that serves as a virtual wingman on popular dating platforms.“I could tell that a lot of guys struggle with crafting compelling messages on dating apps. Their go-to lines, such as ‘Hey, what’s up?’ or ‘How’s it going?’ often fail to stand out,” explained Henkel. The app, which primarily targets male users, but also caters to women, aims to enhance the dating experience by generating personalized icebreaker ...