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Wine production in Belgium on a high – thanks to climate change

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:46:19 GMT

Whisper it quietly but wine production in Belgium is enjoying something of a real boom, writes Martin Banks.That is partly due to a phenomenon we have all come to know about of late – climate change.Warming temperatures – clearly evident this summer throughout Europe and the rest of the world – is helping wine growers enormously in Belgium.“Better weather means a better grape,” declares Pierre-Marie Despatures, who is part of a team running a highly successful organic vineyard near Namur in Wallonia.His wine estate, Domaine du Chenoy, has already made a name for itself and its wines rank well when compared with others in France and elsewhere.Pierre-Marie was on hand to explain some of the secrets of their success” at event in Brussels on 7 September.The “Sofitel Wine Days”, part of a series of similar events, was an opportunity to take stock of wine production in Belgium and also sample the delights of a culinary offering from “The 1040”, a popular restaurant at Sofitel Brussels Eur...

Bridge: Sept. 8, 2023

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:46:19 GMT

Even a pro golfer makes only about half of his six-foot putts. (It seems like more because the players you see on TV are the ones putting well that week.) How often would you expect an expert declarer to resolve a two-way guess for a queen?In today’s deal, West led the deuce of diamonds against six hearts. Declarer won and had to play the trumps. Since West’s lead suggested four diamonds, giving East six, South judged that West was more likely to have length in trumps. So South started with the ace.CLUB LOSERSSouth still wasn’t home; he was threatened with two club losers. But after he picked up the trumps, he took his spade tricks, then led dummy’s queen of diamonds. When East followed low, South discarded a club.West took the king and was end-played. He had to lead a club to South’s A-Q or concede a ruff-sluff.My guess is that a good declarer will locate a missing queen at least 75 percent of the time. Invariably, clues from the bidding or defense wil...

Horoscopes Sept. 8, 2023: Pink, shoot for the stars and enjoy the ride

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:46:19 GMT

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Pink, 44; David Arquette, 52; Brooke Burke, 52; Neko Case, 53.Happy Birthday: Target your goal and stay on track. Your dedication to making your dreams come true will prove fruitful through your will to do your best. Clear the passage forward by preparing your path behind closed doors. Secrecy will add to the element of surprise that will help you gain momentum, trust and the acceptance and rewards you desire. Shoot for the stars and enjoy the ride. Your numbers are 7, 15, 26, 29, 33, 38, 46.ARIES (March 21-April 19): Keep an open mind, but jump right in. It’s important not to make waves but to devise a plan that works for you. Your appeal is your ability to think and do for yourself. Turn up the volume and proceed with confidence. 2 starsTAURUS (April 20-May 20): Time spent rubbing shoulders with well-informed people will pay off. Listen to what others say and determine what options can be applied to your plans. Look at a challenge you face and t...

Ask Amy: Is it OK that my wife is having these ‘Pretty Woman’ trysts?

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:46:19 GMT

Dear Amy: My wife “Linda” and I have been married for 20 years and have two teenage kids.We are close in all ways imaginable – except for sex. We have not had sex in many years. That part of our relationship is over but has been superseded by a deeper love.About 10 months ago, Linda said, “I’ve known this man from our West Coast office for a few years. Now he tells me that he can’t stop thinking about me in a sexual way. And when he visits our office every three months or so, he wants me to visit him in his hotel. He is crazy about me, but he is a family man and doesn’t want our relationship to go beyond his room.”The “he is crazy about me” part really affected her.Linda is a beautiful woman and apparently craves the type of attention that I don’t give her.I agreed that she could give it a try. And since then, they’ve had three of these “Pretty Woman” meetings.Afterward, she doesn’t say much but does seem content. She has t...

Livermore: Motorcycle crash leaves one dead, another seriously injured

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:46:19 GMT

LIVERMORE – One person was killed and another was seriously injured in a motorcycle crash Thursday night in Livermore, according to the California Highway Patrol.The solo-vehicle collision was reported around 8:30 p.m. on North Livermore Avenue near Interstate 580.A male was pronounced dead at the scene and a female was taken to Eden Medical Center with major injuries, the CHP said. It was not immediately clear which one was driving the motorcycle.Additional details about the crash were not immediately available.Related ArticlesCrashes and Disasters | Driver charged with vehicular manslaughter in wrong-way Highway 84 crash that killed two Crashes and Disasters | ATV rider killed in East Bay collision Crashes and Disasters | Truck company allegedly rushed to buy insurance after crash that killed 5 people Crashes and Disasters | San Jose: Motorcyclist dies from injuries suffered in August crash Crashes and Disasters | ...

Harriette Cole: My neighbor won’t listen to what I’m saying about the dog

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:46:19 GMT

DEAR HARRIETTE: I’ve noticed that my neighbor’s dog is often left outside, even in the middle of the day when the temperatures are scorching hot.Related ArticlesAdvice | Harriette Cole: Should I commit to working with this intense woman? Advice | Harriette Cole: Someone is threatening me online, and I think I know who it is Advice | Harriette Cole: I was drinking with new friends, and I regret telling this story Advice | Harriette Cole: My hobby scares my girlfriend, but she doesn’t like to be left out Advice | Harriette Cole: Why shouldn’t I live with my friend’s ex? It breaks my heart to see the poor animal suffering from the heat, panting heavily and looking extremely dehydrated. I’ve tried talking to my neighbor about the situation, but they seem dismissive of my concerns.What can I do to help this poor dog without offending my neighbor?— Bad OwnersDEAR BAD O...

WTOP Top Kid: McLean teen helps others aim for the stars

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:46:19 GMT

Ronit Kapur and another astrology-loving friend. (Courtesy Ronit Kapur) Ronit Kapur and another astrology-loving friend. (Courtesy Ronit Kapur) Now through Oct. 27, 2023, WTOP is accepting nominations for the WTOP TOP Kids program sponsored by Northwest Federal Credit Union. In addition to being featured on-air and online, winning kids also get a chance at $500. For Ronit Kapur of McLean, Virginia, it was reading space atlases at a young age that ignited his interest in the great beyond. The fascination only grew as he visited exhibits at area museums and spent time staring at the star-filled night sky.“That sort of created the snowball effect of my interest in astronomy. And it’s taken me to where I a...

Rare and aggressive: Understanding the skin cancer that took Jimmy Buffett’s life

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:46:19 GMT

For a man synonymous with life in the sun, a skin cancer diagnosis can’t be a total shock to Jimmy Buffett fans. But, as many “parrotheads” learned after his death, the kind that he got, Merkel cell carcinoma, is one of the least common forms of cancer. It’s also much more aggressive.Out of the different types of skin cancer that are out there, “Merkel cell carcinoma is probably the fourth skin cancer we think about,” said Dr. Vishal Patel, an associate professor of dermatology and oncology at the George Washington University School of Medicine.“This skin cancer is much more rare, it’s much more unusual to see this and it is much more aggressive,” Patel said. “Some consider it the most aggressive form of skin cancer, meaning that patients tend to have higher rates of death when they have this skin cancer.”Typically, cancerous cells are on the surface of the skin. But Merkel cells are a more specialized cell — the ones...

Stock market today: World shares extend slide, while Japan reports economy grew less than expected

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:46:19 GMT

Shares fell Friday in Europe and Asia after Japan reported its economy grew less than earlier estimated in the last quarter. Germany’s DAX shed 0.5% to 15,636.59 and the CAC 40 in Paris fell 0.5% to 7,159.49. Britain’s FTSE 100 declined 0.4% to 7,415.45. The futures for the S&P 500 and the Dow industrials edged 0.1% higher.Japan, the world’s third largest economy, grew at a 4.8% annual pace in the April-June quarter, below the earlier estimate of 6% growth, according to data released Friday. Much of that growth was driven by exports, which rose nearly 13%, while private consumption fell 2.2% on weak investment spending. A separate report showed that wages declined in July for the 16th straight month, falling 2.5% from a year earlier. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index dropped 1.2% to 32,606.84, while the Kospi in Seoul lost less than 1 point, to 2,547.68. Hong Kong’s markets were closed due to a tropical storm. The Shanghai Composite index shed 0.2% to 3,116.72, wh...

Safety on the agenda: Montgomery Co. education board urges more focus on school safety

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:46:19 GMT

Each year, the Montgomery County Board of Education maps out when different topics will come up on its calendar.This year, the topic of school safety was slotted for April. That prompted a suggestion from board member Brenda Wolff.“The majority of the school year is over by April,” Wolff said to her colleagues. “And in my visits around the county, the most important topic I’ve heard about, right behind math and literacy, is safety.”Noting the concern, Wolff said, “I don’t think we can wait until April.”She added, “Especially in light of what happened after the football game the other day, people are very concerned about the safety.”Wolff was referring to the violence that broke out after a football game between Walter Johnson and Bethesda-Chevy Chase High schools in Bethesda. That violence prompted the school system to announce that attendance at varsity football games would be restricted districtwide.Board member Shebra Evans sa...