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Spectre of far-right hangs over close-run polls

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:59 GMT

Spain headed to the polls on Sunday (23 July) in a potentially close-run general election marked by ideological differences, the spectre of the far-right and irritation at being forced to vote during the summer holidays.Voting opened at 9 am (0700 GMT) and closed at 8pm (1800 GMT), when exit polls were released. The final result is expected to be decided by fewer than a million votes and less than 10 seats in the 350-seat parliament, experts say.Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called the election early after the left took a drubbing in local elections in May, but many are furious at being called out to vote at the height of the sweltering summer.Spain's postal service on Friday (21 July) reported postal votes had already surpassed a record 2.4 million, as many people choose to cast their ballot from the beach or mountains, rather than their hotter home towns.Opinion polls show the election, which many candidates have painted as a ballot on the future of Spain, will likely pro...

Harriette Cole: I’m so anxious about my home that I check on it every few hours

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:59 GMT

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a 24-year-old man, and I bought a trailer home about a year ago.Related ArticlesAdvice | Harriette Cole: I’m tempted to follow my friend’s lead in fixing my boring life Advice | Harriette Cole: My roommate doesn’t realize she’s causing a big problem Advice | Harriette Cole: After I rushed her to urgent care, she won’t talk about what happened Advice | Harriette Cole: They talk about how my wife dresses, and I don’t like it Advice | Harriette Cole: My husband lives in the lakehouse so he can avoid my teen daughter I like that I am a homeowner, but the anxiety that comes with being one is consuming me every day. I work in construction, and I go home every day on my lunch break to ensure that nothing is wrong with it. I wake up with my heart racing, scared that something will go wrong with the electricity or plumbing — or that I might even get r...

Miss Manners: This shopper was rude to the cashier. Should I have said something?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:59 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I was in line at the grocery store behind an elderly woman. She looked at the cashier and asked him, out of the blue, “What’s your background?”Related ArticlesAdvice | Miss Manners: Must I tip a server who irritates me? Advice | Miss Manners: Should I reveal my suspicions about how my ex died? Advice | Miss Manners: I was appalled by her request for her daughter’s birthday Advice | Miss Manners: Were these women being rude in the restaurant, or did I go too far? Advice | Miss Manners: Do we have to ask our neighbors before we use their trash can? He was obviously surprised by her question. She kept going: “You’re obviously not Latino, but you have a very interesting face.”The whole thing was very uncomfortable. I could see the cashier shrink from her questions. He eventually did tell her where he was “from.”He and I shared a commise...

Dear Abby: This painting hurts me, and I don’t know what to do about it

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:59 GMT

DEAR ABBY: My best friend of 35 years and I had a falling-out about a year ago. I would call it an unfortunate misunderstanding, and as a result, we are no longer friends. Having said that, I wish nothing but the best for her.Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: How honest should I be with my married pickleball partner? Advice | Dear Abby: I’m leaving, and I don’t want to hear their phony farewells Advice | Dear Abby: This guy I just met has gotten very creepy online Advice | Dear Abby: My teen’s phone has deranged her life, but I’m not allowed to take it away Advice | Dear Abby: Am I out of line in asking my college daughter to be an RA? Many years ago, when I was sick with cancer, she gave me a painting she created. She’s a talented artist, and I know she spent many hours working on it.I recently moved and I can’t bring myself to display the artwork because it is now ...

‘More and more people will need help’: Md. has many problem gamblers but few are seeking help

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:59 GMT

From casinos to the recent advent of mobile sports betting, gambling has been growing in Maryland. As opportunities for betting grow, a new study finds that few are reaching out for help when it comes to dealing with gambling problems.The amount of money gambled in Maryland has reached more than $4.5 billion a year.The state has a Problem Gambling Fund that provides money for a network of treatment services, including a 24-hour hotline. But not many are calling.A legislative study made public this month by the Maryland General Assembly indicates that there may be hundreds of thousands of Marylanders with a gambling problem, while just a few thousand have sought help from the state center that provides resources to those who need them.“We really need to do a better job to reach out to Marylanders who may have this medical condition of problem gambling, and make sure that they’re linked to resources and are able to get treatment that they need,” said state Sen. Clare...

Tony winner Myles Frost comes home for ‘RENT’ concert at Kennedy Center

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:59 GMT

Hear our full chat on my podcast “Beyond the Fame with Jason Fraley.” toggle audio on and off change volume download audio WTOP's Jason Fraley previews 'RENT in Concert' at Kennedy Center (Part 1) $(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); }); }); Myles Frost first joined WTOP in May 2022 to discuss his Tony nomination for “MJ: The Musical,” then came on again after winning Broadway’s top acting prize in June 2022. Since then, he caused a stir presenting at t...

Former Stanford goalkeeper in US players’ hearts at the Women’s World World Cup

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:59 GMT

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Sophia Smith pretended to zip her lips closed as she celebrated her second goal against Vietnam during the United States’ opening match at the Women’s World Cup. It was a tribute to former Stanford teammate Katie Meyer, who died by suicide last year. Smith and teammate Naomi Girma decided on the tribute for Meyer, the goalkeeper star of Stanford’s 2019 NCAA championship. She stopped two penalty shots in the title game. An ebullient California girl known for her animated celebrations, Meyer made the gesture after her first penalty save as a way to silence anyone who doubted Stanford.Girma was one of Meyer’s best friends. She penned a tribute to Meyer published by The Players’ Tribune at the start of the World Cup.“Na (Naomi) and I talked about it before the game, and we were like ‘What can we do for Katie?’” Smith said. “And it was pretty iconic: what she did in the College Cup. We just wanted to honor her in every way. So that was...

Trejo leads Rockies against the Nationals after 4-hit outing

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:59 GMT

Colorado Rockies (40-60, fifth in the NL West) vs. Washington Nationals (41-59, fifth in the NL East)Washington; Tuesday, 7:05 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Rockies: Austin Gomber (8-8, 6.18 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 68 strikeouts); Nationals: Trevor Williams (5-5, 4.38 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 74 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Nationals -145, Rockies +122; over/under is 9 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Colorado Rockies play the Washington Nationals after Alan Trejo had four hits against the Nationals on Monday.Washington is 41-59 overall and 18-33 at home. The Nationals have a 28-11 record in games when they scored at least five runs.Colorado has a 40-60 record overall and a 17-34 record on the road. Rockies hitters are batting a collective .252, which ranks eighth in the NL.Tuesday’s game is the sixth time these teams square off this season. The Rockies are up 3-2 in the season series.TOP PERFORMERS: Jeimer Candelario leads the Nationals with 16 home runs while slugging .486. Keibert Ruiz is 15-f...

Canada aiming for a Tokyo-style run to title at Women’s World Cup

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:59 GMT

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Canada knows it can overcome an opening-game draw at the Women’s World Cup because it won gold at the Tokyo Olympics when it bounced back from a first game draw against Japan. Now Canada must rebound again following a scoreless draw against Nigeria in its opening World Cup game. The Canadians face Ireland, which is on debut in the tournament, on Wednesday in the Western Australia capital of Perth in an important Group B match. Canada coach Bev Priestman likened her team’s appearance to the Tokyo team.“This is tournament football and if I go back to the Olympic games that we won, we started it with a draw, so you’ve got to move on very quickly,” she said. Captain Christine Sinclair, at 40 among the oldest players at the World Cup, uncharacteristically missed a penalty in the 50th minute against the Nigerians. Sinclair is the top international scorer of all time, men or women, with 190 career goals.“Of course the team and I are devastated we di...

Diamondbacks come into matchup against the Cardinals on losing streak

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:10:59 GMT

St. Louis Cardinals (45-56, fourth in the NL Central) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (54-47, second in the NL West)Phoenix; Tuesday, 9:40 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Cardinals: Steven Matz (0-0); Diamondbacks: TBDFANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Diamondbacks -120, Cardinals +100; over/under is 8 1/2 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Arizona Diamondbacks look to stop a five-game skid when they take on the St. Louis Cardinals.Arizona has gone 26-25 in home games and 54-47 overall. Diamondbacks hitters have a collective .327 on-base percentage, the sixth-ranked percentage in the NL.St. Louis has a 23-30 record in road games and a 45-56 record overall. The Cardinals have a 25-16 record in games when they hit two or more home runs.The matchup Tuesday is the fifth time these teams match up this season. The season series is tied 2-2.TOP PERFORMERS: Christian Walker leads the Diamondbacks with 21 home runs while slugging .518. Ketel Marte is 14-for-41 with four doubles, two triples, two home runs and 11 RBI over ...