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Europe can combat antisemitism without weakening free speech

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:55:38 GMT

European governments must resist the urge to react to the conflict in Gaza by cracking down on freedom of speech and on the right to demonstrate peacefully, writes Juan García-Nieto. Recently, the French government attempted to implement a blanket ban on all demonstrations in support of Palestine and against Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip. Other countries in Europe, like Germany, Hungary and the United Kingdom have regretfully followed in France’s footsteps and curtailed the right to free speech and the right to peaceful assembly. Standing up against antisemitism and hate speech is vital, but it should not lead European countries to clamp down on civil rights affecting all citizens. Since the tragic terror attacks perpetrated by Hamas on 7 October and the brutal siege to which the Israeli Defence Forces have subjected the Gaza Strip, European governments have been divided on how to react to this latest iteration of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. EU states are in agreement, ho...

Bridge: Nov. 9, 2023

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:55:38 GMT

With four deals to go in the 60-deal final of the prestigious Spingold Knockout Teams at the ACBL Summer Championships, Leif Bremark’s mostly Swedish squad led Marty Fleisher’s team by just 2 IMPs – the equivalent of an extra point in football. Both teams, as has become the norm, were “sponsored” and contained professional players, often from outside the U.S.When FLEISHER’s pair sat North-South, they played at 3NT on the auction below. West led the ten of diamonds, dummy threw a heart, East played the queen and declarer won. He had only eight tricks, but after he cashed six rounds of clubs, he found East with the king of spades. South had pitched a spade, so he took only 10 tricks, plus 430.OTHER TABLEAt the other table, the auction started the same way, but South bid three spades at his second turn, and North tried 3NT. Then Antonio Sementa, East for FLEISHER, boldly bid four diamonds.South doubled, all passed. The defenders found they could beat the contract only one trick – they ...

Word Game: Nov. 9, 2023

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:55:38 GMT

TODAY’S WORD — REVERING (REVERING: rih-VERE-ing: Showing deferential honor to.)Average mark 22 wordsTime limit 30 minutesCan you find 29 or more words in REVERING? The list will be published tomorrow.YESTERDAY’S WORD — BELATED bade bald bale bate bead beat beet belt beta betel blade blat bleat bled bleed elate lade late lead abed abet able alee table tale teal teed dale date deal dealt debate debt dele deltaTo 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 creator Kathleen Saxe at...

Ask Amy: I want flower gremlins at my wedding, and my family is furious

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:55:38 GMT

Dear Amy: My fiancé and I are planning our wedding and have chosen two of my cousins (ages 8 and 14) to be ushers.Related ArticlesAdvice | Ask Amy: I’m devastated by the wedding snub, and my husband doesn’t have my back Advice | Ask Amy: My sneaky co-workers are stressing me out Advice | Ask Amy: I wake up to a startling noise from my dear old neighbor Advice | Ask Amy: I hate when people say this to make me feel better. Am I too sensitive? Advice | Ask Amy: How do I tell my neighbor I want out of this unpleasant ritual? Instead of having a traditional flower girl, we decided to have my fiancé’s cousins (who range between the ages of 3 to 6) be the “flower gremlins.”My family is very upset by this decision and are on the brink of cutting me out of the family.They really wanted my 8-year-old cousin to serve as a traditional flower girl. That is what they were expecting, but they didn’t realize...

Harriette Cole: Does my husband’s full-time job exempt him from child care?

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:55:38 GMT

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a new parent of a 2-month-old. My husband and I don’t have anyone in our state (Oregon) we are close with because we moved here a year ago for my husband’s job.Related ArticlesAdvice | Harriette Cole: I’m staggered by my boyfriend’s rule for living together Advice | Harriette Cole: How can I extract myself from my teen romance? Advice | Harriette Cole: She told a lie about me that broke our friendship. How do I deal with this? Advice | Harriette Cole: Nobody is doing anything about my abusive boss Advice | Harriette Cole: The trait that got me this far isn’t working anymore It’s been hard because all of our family is back in Ohio, where we are originally from. We have no support system, and my husband has gone back to work, so it’s just been me taking care of our son during the day.When my husband gets home, he barely helps me with the baby; ...

Amphastar: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:55:38 GMT

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. (AP) — RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. (AP) — Amphastar Pharmaceuticals Inc. (AMPH) on Wednesday reported third-quarter net income of $49.2 million.The Rancho Cucamonga, California-based company said it had net income of 91 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs and stock option expense, came to $1.15 per share.The results topped Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 70 cents per share.The specialty pharmaceutical company posted revenue of $180.6 million in the period.Amphastar shares have risen 62% since the beginning of the year. The stock has increased 66% in the last 12 months._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on AMPH at https://www.zacks.com/ap/AMPHSource

Manuel Neuer hails ‘phenomenon’ Harry Kane for brilliant start with Bayern Munich

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:55:38 GMT

MUNICH (AP) — England captain Harry Kane has made a brilliant start in Germany, where 15 goals in 10 Bundesliga games have matched another Bayern Munich great’s league record.Gerd Müller is the only other player to have scored so many after the first 10 rounds, a feat he managed in the 1968-69 season.Kane, who joined Bayern in a Bundesliga-record transfer from Tottenham in the offseason, reached Müller’s tally with hat tricks in consecutive games – first against Darmstadt in an 8-0 rout, then against Borussia Dortmund as he helped his team to a 4-0 win in “der Klassiker” last weekend.He also starred in the Champions League, scoring twice Wednesday to shoot Bayern into the next round with a 2-1 win over Galatasaray. “He’s a phenomenon and we’re proud that he’s playing for us in the team,” Bayern captain Manuel Neuer said. The question now is whether Kane can maintain his form and possibly beat Robert Lewandowski’s Bundesliga record of 41 goals in a season. The Polan...

The Hollywood strikes are over. Here’s when you could see your favorite stars and shows return

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:55:38 GMT

Striking SAG-AFTRA members pick out signs for a picket line outside Netflix studios, Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)(Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) Striking SAG-AFTRA members pick out signs for a picket line outside Netflix studios, Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)(Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) LOS ANGELES (AP) — Missed your favorite actors? After nearly four months of striking, they’re coming back.Wednesday’s deal between striking actors and studios and streaming services won’t immediately restore filming to its full swing. That will take months.But the tentative agreement — which both sides say include extraordinary provisions — me...

Vatican steps closer to allowing transgender Catholics to be baptized

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:55:38 GMT

In the United States, the national conference of Catholic bishops rejects the concept of gender transition, leaving many transgender Catholics feeling excluded. On Wednesday, the Vatican made public a sharply contrasting statement, saying it’s permissible, under certain circumstances, for trans Catholics to be baptized and serve as godparents.“It is a major step for trans inclusion … it is big and good news,” said Francis DeBernardo, executive director of Maryland-based New Ways Ministry, which advocates for greater LGBTQ acceptance in the church.The document was signed Oct. 21 by Pope Francis and Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, who heads the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. It was posted Wednesday on that office’s website.If it did not cause scandal or “disorientation” among other Catholics, a transgender person “may receive baptism under the same conditions as other faithful,” the document said.Similarly, the document said trans adults — even if they had ...

French President Macron opens Gaza aid conference with appeal to Israel to protect civilians

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:55:38 GMT

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron opened a Gaza aid conference on Thursday with an appeal for Israel to protect civilians as it fights Hamas, saying “all lives have equal worth” and that fighting terrorism “can never be carried out without rules.” The gathering in Paris brought together officials from Western and Arab nations, the United Nations and nongovernmental organizations, with the aim of providing urgent aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip that is being pounded by Israel in its war against Hamas. Israeli authorities weren’t participating in the talks, Macron’s office said. Macron reiterated calls for a humanitarian pause in Israel’s operations. He said that by attacking Israel on Oct. 7, Hamas “shouldered the responsibility for exposing Palestinians to terrible consequences,” and he again defended Israel’s right to defend itself. But Macron also stressed that civilians must be protected. “It’s absolutely essential. It is non-negotiable,” he said....