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Bridge: July 3, 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:49 GMT

As I began to write this set of columns, a garden spider set up shop outside my office window and waited with grim patience for a bug to be caught in her web.As declarer, regard the spider’s patience. Don’t stake your contract on one line of play when others are available. Try to combine your chances.In today’s deal, West led a diamond against six spades. Declarer took the ace, drew trumps and tried a heart to dummy’s queen. East won and returned a heart. South then tried for his 12th trick by finessing with the jack of diamonds, but East produced the queen.Did South play to best advantage?CLUB RUFFAfter South draws trumps, he can finesse in diamonds. East wins and returns a diamond, and South takes the king, pitching a club. He cashes the A-K of clubs and ruffs a club, and when the suit breaks 3-3, dummy’s fourth club is good for the 12th trick.If the clubs fail to break, South has one chance left: He can finesse in hearts.This week: which finesse?DAIL...

Former WNBA star wants to help Maryland kids chase their dreams through sports

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:49 GMT

This is part of WTOP’s continuing coverage of people making a difference from our community authored by Stephanie Gaines-Bryant. Read more of that coverage.As president and CEO of the Chase Your Dreams Initiative, Sonia Chase runs a basketball camp that hopes to teach kids about more than sports.For over a decade, this Maryland native has helped youths chase their dreams. Now, she’s started a summer program that will help them take their futures into their own hands.Sonia Chase is the president and CEO of the Chase Your Dreams Initiative, which is based in Prince George’s County, Maryland.“What we really want to teach [the youth] and talk to them about is life lessons such as teamwork, sportsmanship, work ethic, communication,” Chase told WTOP.Chase was one of the pioneers of the WNBA and said through the basketball programs that began in the Prince George’s County’s Parks and Recreation Department in 2009, she’s been able to teach lessons t...

ANÁLISIS | Esta es la agenda política y las propuestas de campaña que los republicanos están impulsando para 2024

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:49 GMT

(CNN) — ¡Enmendar la constitución! ¡Suicidio político! ¡Piensa en grande y mejora las cosas!Este es el período de las grandes ideas de la política estadounidense, un momento que ocurre aproximadamente cada cuatro años antes de una elección presidencial, cuando los candidatos impulsan propuestas amplias, generalmente con pocos detalles.Si bien las grandes ideas generalmente tienen pocas posibilidades de convertirse en ley, hablan de lo que las personas que quieren ser presidente piensan que moverá a los votantes de las primarias.Con el presidente Joe Biden actualmente asegurado para la nominación demócrata, la mayor parte de la acción intelectual este año es entre los republicanos.A continuación te presentamos algunas de las grandes ideas del momento, que generalmente son exclusivas de uno o dos candidatos en lugar de posiciones que son estándar para el partido. Veo estos como distintos de los temas políticos cotidianos, como el derecho al aborto, la política exterior, la segur...

Las 5 cosas que debes saber este 3 de julio: Zelensky teme perder apoyo bipartidista en EE.UU.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:49 GMT

El presidente de Ucrania expresa sus dudas sobre si seguirá el apoyo bipartidista de EE.UU. Francia se enfrenta a nueva noche de disturbios tras la muerte de adolescente por la policía. ¿Cambia el fuera de juego? Cómo ver la superluna de julio. Esto es lo que debes saber para comenzar el día. Primero la verdad.1. Zelensky teme perder apoyo bipartidista en EE.UU.Al menos 21.000 mercenarios de Wagner murieron combatiendo en Ucrania, dijo el presidente Volodymyr Zelensky en una conferencia de prensa. El líder ucraniano afirmó también que teme perder el apoyo bipartidista de Estados Unidos tras los “peligrosos mensajes procedentes de algunos republicanos”.El director de la CIA se reunió con Zelensky en un viaje a Ucrania, según un funcionario estadounidense2. Francia arde en nueva noche de protestasLa muerte de un joven de 17 años por los disparos de un agente de policía en un suburbio de París ha dejado seis noches consecutivas de disturbios y protestas en Francia, que han ...

Nats Notebook: Baseball’s biggest month could help Washington for years to come

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:49 GMT

Washington Nationals' Lane Thomas hits a two-run double against the Seattle Mariners during the 11th inning of a baseball game Tuesday, June 27, 2023, in Seattle. The Nationals won 7-4. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)(AP/Lindsey Wasson) Washington Nationals' Lane Thomas hits a two-run double against the Seattle Mariners during the 11th inning of a baseball game Tuesday, June 27, 2023, in Seattle. The Nationals won 7-4. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)(AP/Lindsey Wasson) July is baseball’s fulcrum month. There may be as many days as May and August and just one more than April, June and September, but the stretch before the trading deadline can be the most franchise-altering month of the regular season.A bad July can end e...

Padres, Mets running out of time to turn around disappointing seasons

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:49 GMT

In the last few days before the All-Star break, the San Diego Padres will host the New York Mets this week.It’s safe to say both teams are ready to put the first half behind them.The Padres and Mets are two of baseball’s biggest disappointments so far, languishing below .500 despite high-priced, star-laden rosters. The fact that both teams are currently 38-46 feels like an appropriate symmetry.San Diego’s outlook appears a bit rosier than New York’s. The Padres actually have a run differential of plus-23. They’ve been done in by a 5-15 record in one-run games and an 0-7 mark in extra innings. If the close games turn around for them, the Padres could certainly make a run, and unlike the Mets, their star closer (Josh Hader) is healthy.But San Diego has lost seven of its last eight games, during a stretch of the schedule that included Washington, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. A contending team shouldn’t be struggling so much against that trio.The Mets, ...

Call him Maximum Verstappen: F1’s runaway leader takes dominance to a new level

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:49 GMT

Max Verstappen has been so dominant, Formula One’s runaway leader may soon have to change his name to Maximum Verstappen.Verstappen won both the main F1 race and the shorter sprint race from pole position at the Austrian Grand Prix, topped every section of qualifying and led the only practice session on his way to collecting a fifth straight win, and a seventh in nine races so far this season. Make that eight in 11 if you include the two sprint races so far, which he’s split with teammate Sergio Perez, to give Red Bull a clean sweep of every Grand Prix.But Perez, who has won the other two main F1 races for the untouchable-looking Red Bull team, is very much taking a back seat this season.Verstappen crushed the competition to such an extent at his team’s home track in Spielberg that he even surprised himself.“It’s been a pretty incredible weekend,” he 25-year-old Dutchman said. “Something I didn’t expect.” He was probably the only one w...

Denver weather: Sunny, hot before storms on the 4th

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:49 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — The Front Range on Monday will be hot with highs back in the low 90s and sunny skies before strong storms arrive on the Fourth of July in the Denver weather forecast.Weather today: Hot and sunnyHighs top out in the low 90s in the metro and Eastern Plains Monday with a brisk afternoon wind. The state will also see mostly sunny skies with some afternoon showers along the western slope. Denver summer crime on the rise Pinpoint Weather: Daily forecast on July 3. Weather tonight: Some clouds, chance for a sprinkleDenver could see an early overnight shower with partly cloudy skies and mild lows around the 60-degree mark on Monday. Pinpoint Weather: Overnight forecast on July 3. Looking ahead: More storm chancesDenver could see some severe storms on the Fourth of July with warm highs in the low 80s. Tuesday is a Pinpoint Weather Alert Day. Storms will arrive in the afternoon and evening hours with a slight risk across the state's eastern half. The storms could produce lar...

Houston man found safe 8 years after mysterious disappearance

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:49 GMT

HOUSTON, Texas (WSVN) – A teen who vanished eight years ago in Houston has been discovered alive and is currently recovering in a local hospital. Rudy Farias, who was 17 years old at the time of his disappearance, went missing in March 2015 under puzzling circumstances, leaving his family in anguish.According to authorities, Farias was last seen walking his dogs before his family realized he went missing. Farias’ family immediately reported his disappearance to the authorities. The family informed officials that Farias had previously been diagnosed with depression and anxiety, leading to concerns about his mental well-being.In the wake of Farias’ disappearance, authorities initiated an extensive search effort, but the search was temporarily halted as investigators sought to gather additional information to aid their investigation. After nearly a decade, authorities recently confirmed in a tweet on Sunday that Farias was found safe. https://twitter.com/...

Pallets catch fire in Hialeah Gardens; no road closures reported

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:49 GMT

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue was seen combating a fire in Hialeah Gardens after pallets were seen in flames. The fire occurred at around 7:00 a.m., Monday morning in the area of 9901 Northwest 80th Avenue.No road closures have been reported so far.The fire appeared to be under control but heavy smoke could be seen in the area, commuters should avoid the area if possible.