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Pets hate fireworks? DC-area veterinarian offers some tips on helping furry friends enjoy July Fourth

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:24 GMT

Some of your furry friends may not appreciate all the festivities that come with celebrating the Fourth of July — particularly those that are loud and bright. But a D.C.-area veterinarian has some tips on helping pets cope with fireworks.Though cats can also be “skittish” around the decorative explosives, veterinarian Ashly Smith, D.C.-area regional medical director for Bond Vet, tells WTOP it’s mostly dogs — of any age or breed — who react poorly to firework displays.“There’s the unpredictability — we know what we’re looking at, we know that we’re about to see beautiful fireworks light up in front of us,” Smith said. “But these animals have no idea what this physical sound is, it’s just startling to them.”Imagine all of the pots in your cupboard fall at one, Smith said. That feeling is similar to what dogs are going through. And as “smart” animals, they’re conditioned to react to a boom of thunder o...

Sri Lanka spares banks in its $ 19.8 billion local debt restructuring plan

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:24 GMT

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka will spare banks from being part of its local debt restructuring plan because of the possible impact on deposits, while the bulk of the burden will be shared by the Central Bank and superannuation funds, officials said Thursday.Sri Lanka’s Cabinet a day earlier approved a plan to restructure nearly half of its $42.1 billion local debt following a bailout agreement with the International Monetary Fund. A special Parliament sitting has been convened for Saturday to seek approval for the plan.The government has announced a bank holiday until next week to prevent any speculation-triggered bank run.Central Bank governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said the treasury bills owned by the bank will be converted into treasury bonds with a longer maturity period and the same has been proposed to superannuation funds. If those funds are unwilling to be part of the plan they may have to pay a 30% tax instead of the 14% special treatment effective now. Sri Lanka ...

Natalie Merchant joins NSO for epic concert at Kennedy Center

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:24 GMT

toggle audio on and off change volume download audio WTOP's Jason Fraley previews Natalie Merchant at the 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); }); }); She remains one of the greatest singer-songwriters of the past 40 years.The prolific Natalie Merchant will be performing a pair of epic concerts with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center Opera House in D.C. this Friday and Saturday.“It’s magnificent,” touring cond...

La apnea del sueño que sufre Biden: ¿qué es y cómo se trata?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:24 GMT

(CNN) — El presidente de Estados Unidos, Joe Biden, es uno de los millones de personas que padecen apnea del sueño, un grave trastorno en el que las personas dejan de respirar durante 10 segundos o más mientras duermen.Se calcula que al menos 25 millones de adultos estadounidenses y 936 millones de adultos de entre 30 y 69 años de todo el mundo pueden padecer apnea obstructiva del sueño, y que hay muchas más personas sin diagnosticar.La afección se denomina apnea “obstructiva” del sueño porque, a diferencia de la apnea central del sueño –en la que el cerebro omite ocasionalmente indicar al cuerpo que respire–, la apnea obstructiva del sueño se debe a una obstrucción de las vías respiratorias por tejidos blandos débiles, pesados o relajados.Apnea del sueño y ronquidos: 8 señales de advertencia que hay que tener en cuentaEl tono muscular se debilita con la edad, incluso en el paladar blando y el cuello, por lo que la apnea del sueño es frecuente entre las personas mayores ...

Padres take 4-game losing streak into matchup against the Pirates

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:24 GMT

San Diego Padres (37-43, fourth in the NL West) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (37-42, fourth in the NL Central)Pittsburgh; Thursday, 12:35 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Padres: Joe Musgrove (6-2, 3.88 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 55 strikeouts); Pirates: Luis Ortiz (2-3, 3.74 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, 31 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Padres -184, Pirates +156; over/under is 8 1/2 runsBOTTOM LINE: The San Diego Padres, on a four-game losing streak, take on the Pittsburgh Pirates.Pittsburgh has a 20-19 record in home games and a 37-42 record overall. The Pirates have a 27-2 record in games when they have more hits than their opponents.San Diego has a 37-43 record overall and a 17-21 record on the road. The Padres have the ninth-best team ERA in MLB play at 3.84.The teams meet Thursday for the third time this season.TOP PERFORMERS:Juan Soto has 19 doubles and 14 home runs for the Padres. Ha-Seong Kim is 13-for-40 with three home runs over the last 10 games.LAST 10 GAMES: Pirates: 3-7, .195 batting average, ...

Cubs host the Phillies on home losing streak

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:24 GMT

Philadelphia Phillies (42-37, third in the NL East) vs. Chicago Cubs (37-41, third in the NL Central)Chicago; Thursday, 8:05 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Phillies: Taijuan Walker (8-3, 4.10 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 71 strikeouts); Cubs: Kyle Hendricks (3-2, 2.86 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 18 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Phillies -118, Cubs -102; over/under is 9 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Chicago Cubs aim to stop their three-game home skid with a win over the Philadelphia Phillies.Chicago has a 20-19 record in home games and a 37-41 record overall. The Cubs have hit 87 total home runs to rank eighth in the NL.Philadelphia has a 21-23 record on the road and a 42-37 record overall. The Phillies rank 10th in the NL with 85 total home runs, averaging 1.1 per game.Thursday’s game is the sixth time these teams meet this season. The Phillies are ahead 4-1 in the season series.TOP PERFORMERS:Kyle Schwarber ranks third on the Phillies with 30 extra base hits (nine doubles, a triple and 20 home runs). B...

Brewers face the Mets with 2-1 series lead

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:24 GMT

Milwaukee Brewers (42-38, second in the NL Central) vs. New York Mets (36-44, fourth in the NL East)New York; Thursday, 7:10 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Brewers: Adrian Houser (2-2, 4.02 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 25 strikeouts); Mets: Max Scherzer (7-2, 3.95 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 76 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Mets -188, Brewers +159; over/under is 8 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Milwaukee Brewers meet the New York Mets with a 2-1 series lead.New York has gone 18-17 in home games and 36-44 overall. The Mets are 26-6 in games when they out-hit their opponents.Milwaukee has gone 20-20 on the road and 42-38 overall. The Brewers have hit 86 total home runs to rank ninth in the NL.The matchup Thursday is the seventh time these teams meet this season. The Brewers hold a 5-1 advantage in the season series.TOP PERFORMERS: Pete Alonso has six doubles, a triple, 24 home runs and 55 RBI for the Mets. Francisco Lindor is 11-for-34 with two doubles, four home runs and 10 RBI over the last 10 games.Willy Adam...

Rockies and Dodgers meet in series rubber match

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:24 GMT

Los Angeles Dodgers (44-35, third in the NL West) vs. Colorado Rockies (32-50, fifth in the NL West)Denver; Thursday, 8:40 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Dodgers: Emmet Sheehan (1-0, 1.50 ERA, .58 WHIP, seven strikeouts); Rockies: Chase Anderson (0-2, 5.79 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 28 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Dodgers -202, Rockies +169; over/under is 12 1/2 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Dodgers meet on Thursday with the three-game series tied 1-1.Colorado has a 32-50 record overall and a 19-21 record at home. The Rockies have a 24-11 record in games when they out-hit their opponents.Los Angeles has gone 20-20 in road games and 44-35 overall. Dodgers hitters have a collective .326 on-base percentage, the sixth-ranked percentage in the NL.The teams meet Thursday for the fifth time this season. The Dodgers lead the season series 3-1.TOP PERFORMERS: Ryan McMahon has 12 home runs, 36 walks and 41 RBI while hitting .263 for the Rockies. Ezequiel Tovar is 15-for-3...

2 hospitalized after police pursuit in SW Miami-Dade ends in rollover wreck

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:24 GMT

A police pursuit led to a rollover wreck in Southwest Miami-Dade, sending the subject involved and another person to the hospital, bringing a chaotic chain of events to a violent end.According to Miami-Dade Police, it all started when narcotics investigators were trying to take a subject into custody, just after 7 p.m., Wednesday.“When the individual intentionally rammed one of the officers’ vehicles and attempted to run over some of the detectives as he was trying to flee the scene,” said MDPD Detective Angel Rodriguez.Police pursued the 39-year-old driver as he left a trail of destruction along U.S. 1. as he struck a white Nissan which consequently hit a black Tesla at some point. Detectives said the driver then rammed into a marked police cruiser.Witness Viviana Tinoco took out her cell phone and began recording when she and a friend came upon the vehicles that the subject hit.“We were like close by, and then we just saw all the cars and accidents,” ...

‘Everybody loves Americans’: Why US tourists are a hot commodity

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:24 GMT

(CNN) — Justin Albertynas, a travel industry expert based in Vilnius, Lithuania, has some good news for US travelers who might be a bit self-conscious about the “ugly American” stereotype.His opinion: “It’s not true at all.”“Europeans in general, and all the European businesses that I’ve made contact with during my years in the industry, they’re always welcoming to Americans,” explains Albertynas, who’s CEO and co-founder of Ratepunk, a startup whose browser extension scans major travel booking sites to uncover the lowest price on hotel rooms.“Especially when they are from New York or LA, everybody is kind of putting them on a pedestal. So, actually on the contrary to the ugly American fad, everybody loves Americans.”Not everybody might share Albertynas’s sentiment. But the tourism industry does seem to love at least one aspect of US travelers: their spending power.The US market has long been a coveted demographic for tourism boards, tour operators and destination management compani...