Author: Ms. R.

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — The Americans are here. They may still be jet-lagged, they may still be wearing sweats, and they may have been stumbling through the streets of Auckland for the past few days, but some fans of the U.S. women’s national team broke through with their unmistakable red, white and blue costumes as part of a boisterous crowd at the opening match of the Women’s World Cup. The thing was, the Americans weren’t even playing. The…

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LONDON (AP) — It was more than a coincidence that three of Kevin Spacey ‘s four accusers described similar crotch-grabbing incidents, a prosecutor said Wednesday in her closing argument at his sexual assault trial. Prosecutor Christine Agnew told a London jury that Spacey seized brief moments for an “opportunity grab” and was able to get away with it for years because he was a celebrity. The two-time Oscar winner long had benefited from a “trinity of protection,” knowing that…

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Dozens of Afghan women protested a beauty salon ban on Wednesday after the Taliban ordered their closure nationwide. Security forces used fire hoses, tasers and shot their guns into the air to break up the protest. The Taliban said earlier this month they were giving all salons in Afghanistan one month to wind down their businesses and close shop, drawing concern from international officials worried about the impact on female entrepreneurs. The Taliban say they are outlawing salons allegedly…

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For someone who’s 11.5 inches tall and weighs under 8 ounces, poor Barbie’s had to carry an awfully heavy load over the years on that slender, plastic back of hers. Welcomed as a trailblazer in 1959 — An adult doll! With actual breasts! — she was nonetheless branded an anti-feminist a decade later when women’s rights marchers chanted “I Am Not a Barbie Doll,” referring to her unrealistic body type (and perhaps ignoring the fact that she was single,…

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Loudoun County — the fastest-developing area in the D.C. region — is trying to prioritize improvements to perpetually congested stretches of U.S. Route 50, a major commuter route through Northern Virginia. The county board of supervisors on Tuesday will discuss what changes can be made over the next 40 years to improve the east-west route that runs 86 miles through Virginia. In Loudoun County, U.S. 50 consists of two lanes in the rural western county, where the Virginia Department…

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“The Deep Sky” by Yume Kitasei (Flatiron Books) Asuka’s never been assured of her place in the mission to Planet X. She worked hard, trained and studied and pushed herself, but still just barely made it as the Alternate. So when an explosion busts a hole in the ship and kills the captain, it’s Asuka’s chance to prove her worth or sink into endless space. Yume Kitasei’s debut novel, “The Deep Sky,” begins in the pivotal moments just before…

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Jack Mogannam, manager of Sam’s Cable Car Lounge in downtown San Francisco, relishes the days when his bar stayed open past midnight every night, welcoming crowds that jostled on the streets, bar hopped, window browsed or just took in the night air. He’s had to drastically curtail those hours because of diminished foot traffic, and business is down 30%. A sign outside the lounge pleads: “We need your support!” “I’d stand outside my bar at…

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PARIS (AP) — Actor and singer Jane Birkin, who made France her home and charmed the country with her English grace, natural style and social activism, has died at age 76. The London-born star and fashion icon was known for her musical and romantic relationship with French singer Serge Gainsbourg. Their songs notably included the steamy “Je t’aime moi non plus” (“I Love You, Me Neither”). Birkin’s ethereal, British-accented singing voice interlaced with his gruff baritone in the 1969…

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