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Brussels insists top competition economist post still wide open

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:52:47 GMT

Even though Austrian-American economist Florian Ederer said he’s been contacted to check his availability for the post of chief competition economist, the European Commission said that no official approach has been made and that the job ad will go up shortly.“The Commission will, in due course, publish a new vacancy notice for the position of Chief Economist at DG Competition and conduct a new selection procedure,” Commission spokesperson Arianna Podestà told POLITICO on Friday. The Commission “has not reached out to any possible candidate for the position of Chief Economist at DG Competition,” Podestà said. The EU executive “invites all qualified and eligible candidates, who are interested in this position, to put forward their application following the launch of the selection procedure,” she added.Ederer confirmed to POLITICO that he was contacted by a DG Competition official, even if informally. He added that he is interested in the role: ̶...

Orioles rookie Colton Cowser hoping to ‘stop thinking so damn much’ as roster crunch looms

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:52:47 GMT

As July turned to August, Orioles rookies Gunnar Henderson and Colton Cowser spent the night a way they oft have: playing Rocket League. But Henderson entered the gaming session with a purpose.Since arriving in the majors, Cowser had struggled, perhaps no more so than that night’s game, when he struck out three times in four at-bats in the series opener with the Toronto Blue Jays to drop his major league batting average below .100. Afterward, Cowser admitted Friday, “there was no confidence there at all.” Henderson gave him cause to get some back.“He was like, ‘I just went through the same stuff. Just continue to work through it. It’s only gonna help you in the future,’” Cowser said. “And now, you look at him, and it’s pretty encouraging. Just got to capitalize on the opportunities that I get.”But it’s unclear how many more opportunities Cowser, Baltimore’s No. 2 prospect according to Baseball America, wil...

How Patriots rookies Keion White, Malik Cunningham starred in the preseason opener and 39 more film takeaways

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:52:47 GMT

On to Green Bay.Hours after their 20-9 loss to the Texans, Patriots players and coaches convened for meetings and film review Friday at Gillette Stadium. Their preseason opener offered a bounty of correctable tape to study before they travel to practice and play against the Packers next week. But for the purposes of learning how they can or should play come the regular season, much of that film was useless.Most starters sat Thursday night. The play-calls were a special kind of white-bread bland. And the coaching staff didn’t intend to win, as it called several run plays while training 20-3 in the final minutes.Though select player performances were, of course, notable, and might foreshadow a few regular-season surprises to come.Start with Malik Cunningham. The undrafted rookie out of Louisville took a break from his ongoing transition to wide receiver to resuscitate the Patriots offense and lead a touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter. Cunningham proved wily, creative and...

Searching for the missing on Maui, some wait in agony to make contact. And then the phone rings

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:52:47 GMT

WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) — Leshia Wright heard the crackle of the fast-moving inferno closing in on her home in Lahaina and decided it was time to evacuate.The 66-year-old grabbed her medication for a pulmonary disease and her passport and fled the subdivision in the historic Hawaii oceanside community just minutes before flames engulfed the neighborhood. Hours later, she called family members and told them she slept in her car. Then her phone went dead.The next 40 hours were agony for her daughter in New York and sister in Arizona. But early Friday morning, Wright called back and told them she was OK.“I’m obviously relieved beyond words that my mother is alive,” said Alexandra Wright, who added that her mother finally was able to charge her phone after reaching a friend’s undamaged house on a quarter-tank of gas.The firestorm that killed dozens of people and leveled this historic town launched hundreds of people on a desperate search for their loved ones — many from thousands of ...

1 dead and dozens rescued from sinking migrant boat in the English Channel

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:52:47 GMT

LONDON (AP) — One person died and dozens of others were rescued from a boat carrying migrants that began sinking Saturday while trying to cross the English Channel, French authorities said.About 50 people were rescued and six were in serious condition, France’s Maritime Prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea said.Several British and French ships were involved in the early morning search and rescue effort after a patrol boat reported that a migrant boat was sinking off Sangatte.One person who was flown by helicopter to a Calais hospital was later pronounced dead. The Boulogne prosecutor’s office is investigating.The Associated Press

Ask Amy: December-May romance’s extreme consequences

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:52:47 GMT

Dear Amy: I am an older woman who fell in love with a man 17 years younger than me.I love this man with everything I have.We met about five years ago at my home during Thanksgiving.Unfortunately for us, his brother is married to my daughter.I have practically raised their daughter from infancy; she’s going into second grade this year.When my boyfriend and I started seeing each other, my son-in-law decided he would punish me by keeping my granddaughter away from me. (She was four at the time.)The pressure and pain I endured was overwhelming and I broke up with the first man I’ve ever loved, who I was completely comfortable with, in order to spend time with my granddaughter.Then, last year, my guy and I reunited. I love him more every day, but the same thing happened again — my granddaughter wasn’t allowed to come to my home anymore and my son-in-law treats me like dirt.So we broke up again because the pain is almost unbearable for both of us.I would like your though...

Bridge: Aug. 12, 2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:52:47 GMT

“What I if told you thatyou just read that top line wrong?”“Simple Saturday” columns focus on basic technique and logical thinking. Problem-solving is the essence of the game — what makes it fun to play — but you can’t solve a problem unless you have the necessary information. Focus and pay attention to the play of the cards.In today’s deal, South opens four hearts in fourth seat, and everyone passes. West leads a trump, and South takes the A-K and leads a diamond to finesse with dummy’s queen, winning. He next tries a club to his king, and West takes the ace and (not best) queen and leads a third club.PROBLEMDeclarer ruffs and leads a spade, and West follows with the four. Problem: Should South play the king or the jack from dummy?Declarer has enough information to resolve this “guess.” West, who didn’t open the bidding, has shown the king of diamonds and A-Q of clubs. He can’t have the ace of spades but ...

Word Game: Aug. 12, 2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:52:47 GMT

TODAY’S WORD — CELADON (CELADON: SEL-uh-don: A grayish-yellow green.)Average mark 38 wordsTime limit 60 minutesCan you find 51 or more words in CELADON? The list will be published Monday.YESTERDAY’S WORD — CONFIDES code coed coif coin cone confide cosine once onside nice node noes noise nose fend fiend find fine fisc fond iced icon ides dice dine disc disco does done dose scend scion scone second send side since sine snide sonde sone sonicTo 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 Wo...

Mbappe, Neymar and Verratti left out of PSG squad for opening game against Lorient

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:52:47 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Marco Verratti were all left out of the squad for Paris Saint-Germain’s season opener against Lorient later Saturday.Mbappe is mired in a contract standoff and was widely expected not to be in the squad after having been left out of the pre-season tour to Japan and South Korea. He trained apart from defending champion PSG’s first-team regulars all week.Neymar trained alone on Friday, with the club saying it was because he was recovering from a viral infection. But Neymar is heading for a PSG exit and could leave this month.The 30-year-old Verratti, who has been in PSG’s midfield for 11 years, has been linked with a move to the lucrative Saudi Arabian league.PSG’s new coach Luis Enrique spoke to both Neymar and Verratti and said at his news conference Friday that “my decisions will clearly express my views.”It appears neither are in his plans for the coming season.Central defender Milan Skriniar, attacking midfielde...

Australia edges France on penalty kicks to reach Women’s World Cup semifinals for the first time

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:52:47 GMT

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Australia edged France on penalty kicks Saturday to reach the Women’s World Cup semifinals for the first time.Cortnee Vine took Australia’s 10th penalty from the spot and calmly converted to give the Matildas a 7-6 win in the shootout after the quarterfinal match finished 0-0 after regulation and extra time.The Australians missed two earlier chances to clinch a dramatic shootout but ultimately it didn’t matter as they ended a long curse for tournament hosts. The Australians became the only team other than the United States to advance past the quarterfinals of a Women’s World Cup as the host nation.Australia will play either England or Colombia next Wednesday in Sydney for a spot in the final.Australian goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold kept the Matildas in the game in extra time and made a string of clutch saves in the shootout — before and after missing with her own attempt that could have sealed the win.Both teams had chances to win it in regulation, and Sam K...