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Home sales, inventory remain low in Northern Virginia; prices holding steady

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:35 GMT

Young woman handshaking with real estate agent after signing contract.(Getty Images/PrathanChorruangsak) Young woman handshaking with real estate agent after signing contract.(Getty Images/PrathanChorruangsak) This article was written by WTOP’s news partner, InsideNoVa.com, and republished with permission. Sign up for InsideNoVa.com’s free email subscription today.As the spring real estate market kicked into full gear in May, home sales in Northern Virginia were down 24.9% compared with May 2022, although home values remained strong.Mortgage rates have receded slightly from recent spikes, and sales were up 27.3% in May compared to April, according to the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors (NVAR).“The enviro...

How a former Prince William County student’s service project turned into a nonprofit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:35 GMT

When Samantha Boateng’s mom came back from a trip to Ghana in 2014 and said the students there wanted books, she sprang into action.A student at Gar-Field High School in Prince William County, Virginia at the time, Boateng contacted the school’s student council to see if they would help coordinate book drives. They launched a few and eventually collected 600 books.Boateng then realized they couldn’t fit all those books in a suitcase. So they kept collecting and planned to coordinate how they’d get to Ghana afterward.Within the year, Boateng oversaw the collection of over 20,000 books.What started as a book drive turned into a nonprofit called Read 2 Lead, which Boateng said launched with the purpose of providing books to students in Ghana and expanded to help build three libraries there. The nonprofit has collected thousands of books and opened its third library in Ghana this year.“It really just started out from a place of wanting to give back, and bui...

La contraofensiva ucraniana ya está en marcha. Esto es lo que ha ocurrido hasta ahora

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:35 GMT

(CNN) — La contraofensiva de Ucrania contra las fuerzas rusas aún no ha cobrado el impulso que algunos observadores excesivamente optimistas preveían. Hasta ahora parece el preludio de una acción más expansiva.Hasta el momento, las operaciones ofensivas han producido avances modestos en las regiones del sur, como Zaporiyia, donde las defensas rusas de múltiples capas han demostrado ser difíciles de romper. La zona se considera un objetivo importante para Ucrania, ya que supondría romper el puente terrestre ruso entre la Crimea anexionada y el este de Donetsk.Pero también hay indicios de que las fuerzas ucranianas están extendiendo sus apuestas, tratando de reducir los avances rusos en torno a Bakhmut y explotando lo que perciben como vulnerabilidades en otras partes del este.En lugar de un despliegue de fuerza abrumadora que concentre a las brigadas recién formadas en una dirección, los ucranianos parecen estar tratando de arrastrar a las unidades rusas en diferentes direccion...

Beijing preps sharp, cold shoulder for Blinken visit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:35 GMT

The U.S. secretary of State is finally headed to Beijing, but the “thaw” in relations predicted by the administration may be slow to follow.Antony Blinken is set to arrive in China this weekend for a series of meetings with senior officials including Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang. A senior State Department official who spoke on condition of anonymity told reporters to “stay tuned” regarding whether Blinken might meet with paramount leader Xi Jinping. The trip comes four months after Blinken’s initially planned visit was scuttled by the furor over a Chinese spy balloon found traversing the United States.Since then, the Biden administration has repeatedly expressed its desire to reschedule Blinken’s visit, outreach that Beijing has repeatedly rebuffed. The administration hopes this trip will be at least the first step toward an eventual summit between President Joe Biden and Xi.The administration describes Blinken’s trip as part of a longer-term ...

Piecing together a deadly shipwreck, investigators face conflicting reports of Mediterranean journey

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:35 GMT

This much is clear: On June 9, an old steel fishing trawler left eastern Libya for Italy, carrying far too many people.As many as 750 men, women and children from Syria, Egypt, Palestine and Pakistan were on board, fleeing hopelessness in their home countries and trying to reach relatives in Europe.Five days later, the trawler sank off the coast of Greece in one of the deepest parts of the Mediterranean Sea. Only 104 people, all men, survived. The remains of 78 people were recovered.There are still more questions than answers about what led up to one of the worst shipwrecks in recent Mediterranean history.Activists, migration experts and opposition politicians have criticized Greek authorities for not acting earlier to rescue the migrants, even though a coast guard vessel escorted the trawler for hours and watched helplessly as it sank.Below is a timeline of events based on reports from Greek authorities, a commercial ship, and activists who said they were in touch with passengers. ...

Daily horoscope for June 17, 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:35 GMT

Moon Alert: Until 11 p.m. PDT today, there are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions. The New Moon is in Gemini.Happy Birthday for Saturday, June 17, 2023:You are intelligent and inspirational. You are also an excellent performer who knows how to entertain others. Lucky you! This is a fun-loving, social year. Let your guard down and loosen up a bit. Have fun and enjoy yourself. Remember your goals. Old friends might reappear.ARIES(March 21-April 19)★★★★This is an excellent day to think about how you can improve your communications with your daily contacts — siblings, relatives and neighbors. Do you listen to what others are saying, or are you just waiting for your turn to speak? Tonight: Ideas!TAURUS(April 20-May 20)★★★Today’s New Moon is a chance to give yourself a report card about your relationship with your possessions and whatever you own. Are you in charge? Or do your possessions own you? Are you skillful in making what you own work for you? Think abou...

Harriette Cole: I’m afraid my son made a huge mistake, and I don’t know what to do

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:35 GMT

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a concerned mother who is worried about her son. My son lost his job earlier this year and decided to take out a second mortgage on his house to make ends meet.Related ArticlesAdvice | Harriette Cole: It hurt my feelings when he treated me like a buddy Advice | Harriette Cole: I feel terrible that I hurt their feelings on social media Advice | Harriette Cole: I wonder if they think I’m trying to poach their men Advice | Harriette Cole: Three of my friends are dead, and I’m freaking out Advice | Harriette Cole: Anytime I complain, she implies I’m a coward While I understand the urgency of his situation, I am afraid that he may have made a huge mistake.My son has always been independent and strong-willed, which is admirable. However, I fear that his pride and determination to survive might blind him from making sound decisions. He is not one to ask for help, even when...

Miss Manners: Should I announce my tipping intentions upfront?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:35 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: When my wife is out of town or otherwise engaged, I enjoy going out to eat by myself.I know a single diner is not very profitable for the waitstaff, especially when I’m seated at a four-person table or booth. I try to go when I know the restaurant won’t be busy, but I can’t always make that work.Related ArticlesAdvice | Miss Manners: I was hurt that her caffeine fix was more important than my child’s party Advice | Miss Manners: A neighbor was inexcusably rude to our new acquaintance Advice | Miss Manners: Am I wrong to reply sarcastically to their terse texts? Advice | Miss Manners: The way this man sits bothers me no end Advice | Miss Manners: Is it just a verbal tic or is she insulting me? When they are busy, I try to tip extra (typically 50% to 80%), but they don’t know during the meal that I will do that. I often feel rushed out the door.Should I ackn...

Dear Abby: His mother turns my husband into a bratty child

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:35 GMT

DEAR ABBY: My husband is in another state with his elderly (but still active) mother. He went to help her get her house ready for sale so she can move near us.Before he left, he was having severe panic attacks. He kept telling me he is scared of losing me (he’s been out of work for months) and that he was going to need me while he was with her.Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: I try to help my boyfriend meet people, but he’s resistant Advice | Dear Abby: My husband’s only response is screaming or a death stare Advice | Dear Abby: He gets mad if I say his driving scares me Advice | Dear Abby: My wife is secretive about her meals out, and it makes me suspicious Advice | Dear Abby: This shoplifting incident may be the last straw for my marriage Since he has been gone, he has barely called, rarely texts and even suggested taking a break from me.This was after finding out I had to go to th...

Matan a 26 estudiantes y secuestran a otros seis en un ataque a una escuela en Uganda

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:35 GMT

(CNN) — Al menos 26 estudiantes han muerto y seis han sido secuestrados tras un ataque a una escuela del oeste de Uganda por parte de rebeldes armados de las Fuerzas Democráticas Aliadas, declaró este sábado un comandante ugandés a CNN.El mayor Bilal Katamba, portavoz de las operaciones militares de Uganda en la República Democrática del Congo (RDC), declaró que entre 20 y 25 rebeldes atacaron la escuela de secundaria de Lhubirira, en Mpondwe, entre las 11.00 p.m. y la medianoche del viernes, mataron a 26 estudiantes e hirieron a ocho antes de prender fuego a la escuela.La escuela está situada en la frontera de Uganda con el Congo.Las autoridades seguían intentando extinguir el fuego el sábado por la mañana. Los militares sospechan que pueden encontrarse más cadáveres, pero afirmaron que no había nadie vivo atrapado en la escuela.Los militares están persiguiendo a los sospechosos en la RDC y creen que se dirigen hacia el Parque Nacional de Virunga, dijo el mayor.Rebeldes armad...