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Bridge: Dec. 31, 2023

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:22:03 GMT

“A perfectionist walks into a bar. Apparently, the bar wasn’t set high enough.” — graffiti.Nobody ever suggested that bridge is easy to master. Part of its charm is that perfection is unachievable. Nobody ever played a perfect session, and nobody ever will. Nobody will even come close.When today’s deal arose in a team-of-four match, South played at four spades at both tables. Both Norths opened one club and jumped to 2NT next, quite reasonably upgrading the hand because of the maximum high-card strength plus a promising five-card suit. Both Wests led the jack of diamonds.At one table, declarer played dummy’s queen and captured East’s king. He drew trumps and let the jack of clubs ride. East took the king and returned a diamond to West’s ten, and West then shifted to a heart. When declarer put up dummy’s king in desperation, he lost three heart tricks for down two.At the other table, the play started the same way — jack of d...

No hubo ganador del premio mayor de Powerball en el sorteo de este sábado, el premio ahora se estima en US$ 810 millones810 millones

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:22:03 GMT

(CNN) — No hubo ningún ganador del premio mayor en el sorteo de Powerball de este sábado, según el sitio web de la lotería.El premio mayor ahora ha aumentado a un estimado de US$ 810 millones, según el sitio web de la lotería.El próximo sorteo está previsto para el 1 de enero.Powerball cuesta US$ 2 por jugada. Ganar el premio mayor significa que un boleto adivinó correctamente las cinco bolas blancas, más la “Powerball” roja.Los sorteos se realizan los lunes, miércoles y sábados a las 22:59 horas ET en Tallahassee, Florida. Los horarios límite para la venta de boletos varían, pero generalmente se establecen una o dos horas antes del horario del sorteo, según Powerball.Los sorteos se transmiten y pueden transmitirse en vivo en el sitio web de Powerball.The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.Source

¿Por qué los Bloody Marys son solo para la mañana?

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:22:03 GMT

(CNN)–  El 1 de enero suele ser uno de los días más ocupados del año en el Hi-Lo Diner aquí.Los clientes, algunos todavía en estado de juerga por la noche anterior, llenan los puestos y piden del menú clásicos estadounidenses, incluido el alimento básico del brunch: el Hi-Lo Bloody, que viene con un “snit” (perseguido) de una Cerveza Miller High Life de 7 onzas.El Bloody Mary, un cóctel viscoso, relleno de vegetales y vodka, a menudo sirve como refugio para aquellos que esperan dominar los resonantes restos de los excesos de la víspera.“Se asocia con una propiedad restauradora”, dijo Brian Bartels, restaurador, barman desde hace mucho tiempo y autor de “The Bloody Mary: The Lore and Legend of a Cocktail Classic”, en una entrevista con CNN.“Tengo amigos que a veces la llaman ‘sopa’ o ‘sopa de cóctel’”, dijo. “¿En qué pensamos cuando pensamos en sopa? Por lo general, eso significa que estamos enfermos y necesitamos toma...

Fernandez leads Canada to United Cup win over Chile. Pegula stunned by GB’s Boulter but US wins tie

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:22:03 GMT

SYDNEY (AP) — Former U.S. Open finalist Leylah Fernandez led Canada to a 2-1 victory over Chile in its opening United Cup match on Sunday.Fernandez defeated Daniela Seguel 6-3, 6-2 before Nicolas Jarry leveled the Group B tie for Chile by beating Steven Diez in straight sets in Sydney. Diez had replaced Felix Auger-Aliassime who was rested with a minor knee issue.Fernandez and Diez then clinched the deciding mixed doubles against Seguel and Tomás Barrios Vera 7-5, 4-6, 10-8 to seal the tie for the Canadians.“I’m extremely happy with the way I played,” world No. 35 Fernandez said after her 73 minute win over Seguel. “It wasn’t the greatest match because it is my first match of the season, the nerves, but I’m extremely happy with the way that I was able to manage it.”In Perth, Great Britain’s Katie Boulter stunned fifth-ranked Jessica Pegula in Group C rallying from a set down to win 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 in nearly three hours.The Americans drew level when 10th-ranked Taylor Fritz...

Opinión: Soy un ex rehén. Esto es lo que pensé cuando vi a Hamas liberar rehenes

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:22:03 GMT

Nota del editor: Ana Diamond trabaja con el Laboratorio de Extremismo y Desinformación de Oxford y Red Team Network en OpenAI. También es cofundadora de la Alianza contra la toma de rehenes por parte del Estado y ha soportado más de 200 días en régimen de aislamiento como rehén en Irán entre 2016 y 2018. Las opiniones expresadas en este comentario son suyas. Lea más opinión en CNN.(CNN) —  En el verano de 2014, cuando tenía 19 años y era estudiante universitaria en Londres, viajé a Irán para visitar a unos familiares. En aquel momento yo era ciudadano de Irán, Finlandia y el Reino Unido. Poco después de mi llegada, me preguntaron sobre mi participación en la política local británica como joven conservadora, así como sobre mis viajes tanto a Estados Unidos como a Israel como estudiante de intercambio. Aunque no estaba involucrada ni interesada en los asuntos iraníes, ahora me percibían como “un infiltrada”, me trataban como una amenaza a la seguridad nacional y me decían que no...

US Navy sinks Houthi rebel boats after Red Sea attack on container ship

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:22:03 GMT

The U.S. Navy destroyed three boats carrying Houthi rebels in the Red Sea on Sunday after fighters attempted to board a container ship in the second attack against the vessel this weekend.Helicopters from two destroyers, the USS Eisenhower and USS Gravely, were dispatched after the Maersk Hangzhou issued a distress call at 6:30 a.m. Sunday morning, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said on X, the ship’s second request for help in 24 hours.Four small boats arriving from Yemen had got to within 20 meters of the Danish-owned vessel and attempted to board it, according to CENTCOM, and fired on U.S. helicopters as they approached. “The U.S. Navy helicopters returned fire in self-defense, sinking three of the four small boats, and killing the crews,” it said, adding that there was “no damage to U.S. personnel or equipment.” On Saturday, Washington said it had shot down two anti-ship ballistic missiles after the Maersk Hangzhou issued its first distress call and ...

Preparations underway for First Night festivities on City Hall Plaza

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:22:03 GMT

Crews were hard at work preparing City Hall Plaza to host Boston’s First Night festivities.This year’s celebration has been moved to City Hall Plaza due to ongoing construction at Copley Square.The free and family-friendly event will feature performances, ice sculptures, fireworks, and more. The City is a partner of the New Year’s Eve event, which is formally run by Boston Celebrations, Inc, and managed by Conventures, Inc. All parties are taking steps to ensure public safety as Boston celebrates the New Year. “First Night is a beloved tradition in Boston and beyond, having created delightful experiences for neighborhood residents and visitors from around the world,” Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said in a statement. “Our newly renovated City Hall Plaza is the perfect venue to welcome families from all over to ring in the New Year. I encourage all our residents to celebrate safely as we welcome 2024.”New this year, there will be programming inside Boston City Hall, comedy at ...

Fire officials investigating cause of deadly Braintree blaze

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:22:03 GMT

Fire crews are investigating a house fire in Braintree late Friday night that left a man dead, officials said.A passerby reported the fire on Hobart Avenue just after 4 a.m. and fire crews located an older man inside and pronounced him dead at the scene, officials said. “On behalf of the Braintree Fire Department, I want to express our heartfelt condolences to the victim’s family and loved ones,” said Chief O’Brien. “I also want to point out that we found no working smoke alarms at the scene. Please, take a moment today to be sure you have working smoke alarms on every level of your home. Don’t start the new year without them.”The fire spread rapidly and caused major damage to the home but firefighters were able to contain it to the building of origin. A second alarm was struck shortly after arrival and firefighters battled the blaze for almost an hour before bringing it under control.The fire is being investigated by the Braintree Fire Department, Braintree Police Department, and S...

Woman dies in shooting at Mississauga nightclub

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:22:03 GMT

A woman has died after a shooting at a Mississauga nightclub.Peel police say they responded to the shooting in the area of Dixie Road and Eglinton Avenue East just after 1:30 a.m. Sunday morning. The victim was transported to hospital with life-threatening injuries where she was pronounced dead. No further details, including whether the shooting happened inside or outside the nightclub, have been released.There is no suspect description at this time.Police have said there is no threat to public safety. The investigation is ongoing.POLICE INVESTIGATION: – Dixie Rd/Eglinton Av E #Mississauga – heavy police presence– no threat to public safety – TRAFFIC DISRUPTION: both east & west bound Eglinton Ave E closed between Dixie Rd & Burgoyne St– C/R at 1:36 am – PR23-0417964— Peel Regional Police (@PeelPolice) December 31, 2023

Israeli strikes in central Gaza kill at least 35 as Netanyahu says war will continue for months

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:22:03 GMT

Israeli strikes in central Gaza killed at least 35 people Sunday, hospital officials said, as the military targeted areas in several parts of the territory a day after the country’s prime minister said the war will continue for “many more months,” resisting international calls for a cease-fire.The military said Israeli forces were operating in Gaza’s second-largest city, Khan Younis, and residents reported strikes in the central part of the tiny enclave, after Israel this week made that region the new focus of its war.The war has raised fears of a broader regional conflagration. The U.S. military on Sunday said it shot down two anti-ship ballistic missiles fired toward a container ship by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. Hours later, four boats tried to attack the same ship, but U.S. forces opened fire, killing several of the armed crews, the U.S. Central Command said.Israel says it wants to destroy Hamas’ governing and military capabilities in Gaza, from where it launche...