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USA Basketball rallies to beat Montenegro 85-73 at the World Cup, reaches quarterfinals

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:19 GMT

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Everything had looked so easy for the U.S. at the Basketball World Cup. Points were coming in bunches, final scores were blowouts and stress wasn’t a problem. Until Friday.If the Americans were waiting for a serious test at the World Cup, they can wait no more. Facing a 26.5-point underdog in Montenegro in a second-round opener for both teams, they trailed by a point at the half, didn’t take the lead for good until midway through the third quarter and still had a contest on their hands until the final minutes.They found a way in the end, winning 85-73 to remain unbeaten. And that result, combined with Lithuania’s win later Friday over Greece, sent the Americans to the quarterfinals regardless of what happens Sunday against Lithuania.“These games are going to happen,” U.S. coach Steve Kerr said. “And you have to be able to fight through them. I thought our guys did a great job of that.”Anthony Edwards scored all of his team-high 17 p...

Players in Spain’s women’s soccer league to strike for better pay and conditions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:19 GMT

MADRID (AP) — Players in the Spanish women’s league are going to strike for better pay and conditions during first two rounds of the upcoming season, Spain’s main players’ union said Friday.The announcement comes amid a crisis in Spanish soccer caused by the forced kiss of a Spain women’s player by the head of its soccer federation at the Women’s World Cup final.The AFE union said in a statement that the strike seeks “fair and just treatment for the players” including a reduction in the salary gap with men players of La Liga. The minimum salary for men in the first division is 182,000 euros ($197,000) but for women, just 16,000 euros ($17,400).The strike was called after negotiations for a new collective bargaining deal broke down with Liga F, the revamped women’s league that started last season.The strike will impact games to be played on Sept. 8-10 and Sept. 15-17.AFE said it had the backing of other unions, including FUTPRO, which is representing Spain forward Jenni Hermoso after...

Son of convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh questions father’s mental state while affirming his innocence

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:19 GMT

In a candid moment captured in a preview clip from the upcoming FOX series, “The Fall of the House of Murdaugh,” Buster Murdaugh, the sole surviving son of convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh, raised questions about his father’s mental state while maintaining his father’s innocence.The FOX series, set to delve into the events surrounding the Murdaugh family, provides a glimpse into Buster’s perspective on his father’s murder trial and the tragic 2015 death of his classmates.Alex, once a prominent attorney, faced conviction for the murders of his wife and another son. The high-profile trial drew significant attention and led to his guilty verdict.In a preview clip, Buster was asked whether the term “psychopath” accurately described his father. “I’m not prepared to say that it encompasses him as a whole, but certainly, I think there are characteristics where you look at the manipulation, the lies, and the carrying out of such, ...

Miami woman arrested for allegedly punching manager, customer in outburst at Hialeah Taco Bell

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:19 GMT

A 54-year-old Miami woman faces multiple charges after allegedly assaulting a customer and the manager at a Taco Bell in Hialeah.Christina Thompson’s rampage began when she demanded free food upon entering the establishment, located at 501 E 49th St., Thursday evening. The manager complied by offering her a drink, but this only seemed to enrage Thompson further.According to the arrest report, Thompson struck the manager with a closed fist in the face. She then proceeded to throw items around the Taco Bell, disrupting the flow of business and causing a crowd to gather.Thompson’s violent spree continued as she approached a nearby customer and punched her in the forehead, leaving a visible bruise. The chaos continued until law enforcement arrived at the scene and placed Thompson in handcuffs without further incident.A witness inside the establishment, who saw the incident unfold, corroborated the events leading to Thompson’s arrest.Thompson now faces charges of aggrav...

Bryson Barnes helps No. 14 Utah beat Florida 24-11 in season opener

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:19 GMT

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah gave Florida a taste of the same suffocating defense the Utes have used to recently dominate Pac-12 opponents.Bryson Barnes threw a 70-yard touchdown pass to Money Parks on Utah’s first play of the game, rushed for another score and the No. 14 Utes beat Florida 24-11 on Thursday night in the opener for both teams.Nate Johnson split time at quarterback with Barnes for the Utes with usual starter Rising still recovering from a knee injury he suffered in the Rose Bowl.Utah clamped down on defense in Rising’s absence, forcing a turnover and getting five sacks. The Gators converted 1 of 13 third downs and 2 of 5 fourth downs while totaling 13 yards rushing on 21 carries.“If you had to say what was the one phase or one thing that was the biggest difference in the game, it was the way our defense played,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said.Graham Mertz threw for 333 yards, a touchdown, and an interception in his first start for the Gators. Ricky Pearsall had 92 yar...

Brits balk at Rishi Sunak’s short-haul helicopter habit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:19 GMT

LONDON — Rishi Sunak likes to city hop by helicopter. The British public doesn’t approve.Almost half of Britons, about 49 percent, oppose the British prime minister traveling via private plane or helicopter, while 54 percent reckon he should take public transport to official engagements even if it takes longer to reach his destination, polling from Redfield and Wilton Strategies conducted this week found. Just 28 percent think he should take the fastest route no matter the mode of transport. The research comes amid a raft of negative headlines after he used a helicopter to travel to and from Norwich on Tuesday, a trip of little more than 100 miles, and after he traveled to Southampton from London in May by helicopter instead of a short train journey. The Mirror newspaper reported earlier this month Sunak used jets and helicopters to travel around the UK more than any other recent prime minister, taking one flight every eight days on average.In a sign Downing Str...

Libya rejects EU envoy from Italy, prefers French candidate

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:19 GMT

BRUSSELS — Libya has discarded Italy’s candidate to lead the EU’s mission there and is expected to choose a diplomat from France.In a highly unusual move, interim Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh’s government in Tripoli snubbed the Italian candidate for the post, Nicola Orlando, and is expected to give its blessing to his French stand-in Patrick Simonnet, according to two EU diplomats who were granted anonymity to discuss internal personnel matters.This comes as a blow to Italy’s right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni who has pledged more engagement with North African countries as a central plank of her foreign policy agenda.The development, first revealed by Italian daily Il Foglio, comes amid a long-running resource rivalry between Italy and France for influence in Libya. As a major oil provider and key departure point for migrants making their way to Europe, the former Italian colony has strategic importance for the EU. The bloc’s current envoy to Tripoli J...

Austin Wells’ college coach Jay Johnson expects another MLB success story: ‘The best hitter on the field’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:19 GMT

HOUSTON — When the coronavirus outbreak shut down the college baseball season, and everything else in 2020, a scary thought crossed Jay Johnson’s mind.“The world is ending,” Johnson, then the head coach at Arizona, told the Daily News. “COVID happens, they canceled the College World Series, and my first thought was, ‘Austin Wells ain’t gonna be on my team anymore.’”Indeed, Wells’ sophomore season with the Wildcats lasted just 15 games. The Yankees’ first-round pick in 2020, Wells saw his playing career at Arizona end with the start of the pandemic.Johnson, now running the show at LSU, lamented the loss of one of his favorite pupils.“He’s one of the best players that I’ve ever recruited and coached, and [that includes] a lot of guys in the major leagues right now,” Johnson said. “So that tells you what I think of Austin.”There’s quite a bit of talent on Johnson’s resume. ...

Chicago Cubs call up prospects Alexander Canario and Shane Greene as rosters expand

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:19 GMT

The Chicago Cubs are bringing up one of their top hitting prospects with rosters expanding Friday.Before Friday’s doubleheader against the Reds, the Cubs called up outfielder Alexander Canario and right-handed Shane Greene from Triple-A Iowa.Canario was scorching in August, producing a 305/.356/.632 slash line with seven home runs and 10 doubles in 23 games. He returned in June from a devastating freak injury from hitting first base while playing winter ball that required surgery to repair a fractured left ankle and separated left shoulder.Canario, 23, was acquired from the San Francisco Giants at the 2021 trade deadline for Kris Bryant. He is ranked the Cubs’ No. 14 prospect by MLB.com and Baseball America.Greene took one of the two open 40-man roster spots. Greene, 34, appeared in two big-league games in 2022 with the Dodgers and Yankees.Greene owned a 2.16 ERA in five starts with Iowa where he walked nine and struck out 20 in 16 2/3 innings. ()

Ohio police release video showing officers’ fatal shooting of pregnant Black woman Ta’Kiya Young

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:19 GMT

By SAMANTHA HENDRICKSON (Associated Press/Report For America)COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio authorities on Friday released bodycam video showing police officers fatally shooting Ta’Kiya Young in her car in what her family denounced as a “gross misuse of power and authority” against the young pregnant Black woman.The 21-year-old from Columbus was pronounced dead shortly after the Aug. 24 shooting outside a grocery store in the suburb of Blendon Township. Her unborn daughter did not survive.The footage, which comes more than a week after her death, shows another officer at the driver’s side window, repeatedly demanding that Young “get out of the car.”The officer by her window tells Young she had been accused of theft. She protests, and he repeats his demand that she get out of the car. She turns the steering wheel to her right and accelerates toward the officer standing in front of it. The officer in front of the vehicle fires through the windshie...