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Ask Amy: Member of group builds bridge to nowhere

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:13:50 GMT

Dear Amy: I am in a group of four women who have played Bridge together almost every week for more than 25 years.A year ago, one of the group abruptly cut all of us off. Through a series of texts and emails she told us that she can’t be friends with us anymore.She wouldn’t make time to see us in person.She seems to be particularly mad at me. I emailed her trying to find out what had happened.She started with a paragraph about all my wonderful qualities, but then she said that we can no longer be friends.She wrote that I’ve done “1,000 things to hurt” her over the years, but she wouldn’t tell me what they were.Her son is getting married soon and she has invited the other two members of our group, but not my husband and me.As far as I know, she doesn’t see or talk to the other two, either. I’m quite devastated by this and communicated my feelings.I’m very hurt that the other two are going to the wedding when I’ve been so slighted and hurt.I don’t know if I can keep the hurt from affec...

President Tokayev: Kazakhstan ready to increase oil supplies to Germany

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:13:50 GMT

Kazakhstan is ready to increase oil supplies to Germany, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said last week after talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin. Tokayev said Kazakhstan has shipped 500,000 metric tonnes of crude to Germany's Schwedt refinery via Russia's Druzhba pipeline this year, sales that began after Berlin decided to stop buying Russian oil. "At our German friends' request, I have confirmed our country's readiness to increase oil supplies and make them long-term," Tokayev told a briefing. He did not say by how much such shipments could increase. "Kazakhstan is an important partner for us to broaden our supply channels, for example in the import of crude oil, and to make us independent of Russian energy supplies," Scholz told the same briefing. "We also look to Kazakhstan as a partner when it comes to critical raw materials to shape the energy transition. And we agree that the necessary transport routes must be expanded more quickly." Tokayev also said Ge...

Fashion a spot for self-expression

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:13:50 GMT

Maybe there’s a space at your current home where everyone automatically gathers. Often, that space is in or near the kitchen. Sometimes it’s at a bench on the front step or porch.In an apartment or condo, it might be on a balcony or near the living room window. At another person’s place, it might be on the old set of chairs just outside the patio door.There might also be a spot or two where family members can sit quietly.And for the new-home buyer — even when choosing a floor plan already designed by the builder — these spots can be just about anywhere in the home. That’s especially true when these places are planned out during those months of waiting for construction to finish.To get ready, think of the purposes these nooks might have. One family might like a place to do puzzles and play board games. Others might want a space to listen to music or play musical instruments. Maybe karaoke is your family’s game?Perhaps some people like a cozy, well-lit spot for reading, creative writi...

Single-family residence in San Jose sells for $2.2 million

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:13:50 GMT

584 North Redwood Avenue – Google Street ViewA 1,903-square-foot house built in 2017 has changed hands. The property located in the 500 block of North Redwood Avenue in San Jose was sold on Aug. 28, 2023. The $2,200,000 purchase price works out to $1,156 per square foot. This single-story house boasts a generous living space with four bedrooms and three bathrooms. Inside, a fireplace enhances the ambiance of the living area. Additionally, the home provides an attached one-car garage, offering a designated parking space and extra storage capacity.These nearby houses have also recently been sold:On North Baywood Avenue, San Jose, in August 2023, a 2,097-square-foot home was sold for $2,320,000, a price per square foot of $1,106. The home has 5 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.A 1,406-square-foot home on the 600 block of North Clover Avenue in San Jose sold in February 2023, for $1,651,000, a price per square foot of $1,174. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.In August 2023, a 1,134-squar...

Slovakia begins border checks with neighboring Hungary in an effort to curb migration

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:13:50 GMT

SAHY, Slovakia (AP) — Slovakia began conducting traffic checks on its border with neighboring Hungary on Thursday amid what it says is a dramatic rise in migrants crossing onto its territory. The policy joins a flurry of similar border measures other Central European countries have imposed in recent days. The increased border protection came as a reaction to Slovakia’s neighbors, including Austria, the Czech Republic and Poland, reintroducing controls at their own borders with Slovakia on Wednesday to curb migrants coming in from the country. Each of the border control policies are set to last for at least 10 days. At a border crossing in Sahy, Slovakia — a 90-kilometer (55-mile) drive north of Hungary’s capital, Budapest — two Slovakian police flagged down vehicles Thursday to conduct inspections. It’s a departure from the ease of travel long afforded to members of Europe’s visa-free Schengen area, last restricted when some countries sealed their borders in ...

En esta ciudad el derecho a poseer un auto empieza en US$ 76.000. Y eso no incluye el carro

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:13:50 GMT

(CNN) — Tener un auto en Singapur, uno de los países más caros del mundo, siempre ha sido un lujo. Pero ahora los costos se han disparado.Según datos de la Autoridad de Transporte Terrestre, un Certificado de Derecho de 10 años —una licencia que los habitantes de la rica ciudad-estado deben adquirir antes de poder comprar un vehículo— cuesta ahora un mínimo histórico de US$ 76.000 (104.000 dólares de Singapur), más de cuatro veces lo que costaba en 2020.Y eso solo compra el derecho a comprar un auto estándar de categoría A, con un motor pequeño o mediano de 1.600 cc o menos.Los que quieran algo más grande o llamativo, como un todoterreno, tendrán que desembolsar US$ 106.630 (146.002 dólares de Singapur) por la licencia de categoría B, frente a los US$ 102.900 (140.889 dólares de Singapur).Además, hay que tener en cuenta los costes del propio vehículo.“Como sacado de Black Mirror”: robots policía patrullan el aeropuerto de SingapurEl sistema de cuotas se introdujo e...

Commander, el perro de Biden, ha estado involucrado en más incidentes de mordeduras en la Casa Blanca de los reportados anteriormente

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:13:50 GMT

(CNN) — Commander, el pastor alemán de 2 años del presidente Joe Biden y la primera dama Jill Biden, ha estado involucrado en más incidentes de mordeduras de los informados anteriormente en la Casa Blanca, según múltiples fuentes familiarizadas con el asunto le dijeron a CNN.Si bien el Servicio Secreto de EE.UU. ha reconocido 11 incidentes de mordeduras que involucraron a su personal, fuentes que hablaron con CNN dijeron que el número real es mayor e incluye al personal de la residencia ejecutiva y otros trabajadores de la Casa Blanca. Esas mordeduras han variado en gravedad, desde una mordedura conocida que requirió tratamiento hospitalario hasta algunas que requirieron atención de la Unidad Médica de la Casa Blanca y algunas que no fueron reportadas ni tratadas.Mientras la primera familia trabaja para encontrar soluciones al problema actual, según supo CNN, Commander no está en el campus de la Casa Blanca.“El presidente y la primera dama se preocupan profundamente por la seg...

Unbeaten France has lots of reasons to be worried about Italy in crunch Rugby World Cup match

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:13:50 GMT

Title contender France has plenty of reasons to be concerned about Italy in their crunch Rugby World Cup match on Friday in Lyon.Both are chasing a quarterfinal spot. France is unbeaten and is looking to top Pool A. Italy has lots of motivation.Italy was caned by New Zealand 96-17 last week in Lyon but the Azzurri are usually thrashed by the All Blacks. Italy has no fear factor at all, though, when it comes to neighbor France.Their derby is often feisty, and the All Blacks did France no favor by riling up Italy to save some face for the humiliation they suffered a week ago.“We are looking forward to a chance this week to at least get a performance that has a lot more respectability,” Italy coach Kieran Crowley says.This could be Crowley’s last game in charge of Italy. He was hired from Treviso in May 2021 after the disastrous 16-month reign of Franco Smith. Crowley transformed the team’s fortunes by improving their fitness, discipline and attack and selecting promising stars.N...

‘It’s scary out here’: DC residents weigh in on city’s steps to tackle violent crime

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:13:50 GMT

toggle audio on and off change volume download audio As D.C. grapples with an uptick in violent crime, WTOP's Mike Murillo spoke to some residents in Ward 8 who don't feel steps taken by lawmakers and police are turning things around. $(function () { $('.wtop-audio-container .fa-play').on('click', function(){ var audio_filename = $('div.wtop-audio-file').data("mp3-url"); ga('send', 'event', 'Audio', 'play', audio_filename); }); }); The D.C. Council took steps Tuesday that effectively extended several emergency crime bills through the spring, but many people who live in areas most impacted by crime don’t feel the work the c...

One MCC member expelled and two others get long bans after clashing with Australia players in Ashes

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:13:50 GMT

LONDON (AP) — The Marylebone Cricket Club expelled one member and handed long suspensions to two others on Thursday following their clashes with Australia’s players during an Ashes test at Lord’s in July.There were unprecedented scenes of uproar at the home of cricket after Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey threw down the stumps when England batter Jonny Bairstow wandered out of his crease without checking if the ball was dead.The crowd accused Australia of cheating and Australian players Usman Khawaja and David Warner were abused in the Long Room by MCC members as they returned to their dressing room.The MCC, which owns Lord’s and is the custodian and arbiter of the laws of cricket, apologized and said Carey was in the right, even if many, including players in the England team and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, believed Australia broke the unwritten “spirit of cricket.”Three unnamed MCC members were punished after being charged with “abusive, offensive or inappropr...