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COVID conspiracies return in force, just in time for 2024

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:08 GMT

An increase in COVID-19 cases has spawned a corresponding flare-up of conspiracy theories around the virus, a phenomenon that experts warn will only get worse as the 2024 election approaches.The White House and President Biden’s reelection campaign will now be tasked with promoting awareness and the latest vaccines while also countering misinformation spread by anti-vaxxers, some conservative pundits and even a small number of Republican officials.Advocates told The Hill that even though the coronavirus public emergency is over, the pandemic’s influence on American society is here to stay.“We're only at the tip of the iceberg for how bad this is going to get,” said Mike Rothschild, a conspiracy theory researcher.Fear that another COVID-19 lockdown is imminent have circulated online in recent weeks as cases spiked. Hospitalizations caused by the virus have been steadily rising each week since early July, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ...

Rockies, haunted by walks and a lack of clutch hitting, lose to Cubs, drop sixth straight

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:08 GMT

The Rockies’ 6-3 loss to the Cubs Saturday was a microcosm of their season-long ineptitude.Relievers issued costly walks and the lineup hit 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position as the Rockies lost their sixth consecutive game and inched closer to the first 100-loss season in franchise history. With eight games remaining, they are 56-98.With the game tied 3-3 in the seventh, reliever Nick Mears issued three consecutive walks, throwing 12 balls on 13 pitches, to be exact. Of course, the walks haunted him.It could have been a disaster for the Rockies, but Justin Lawrence came in with no outs and limited the Cubs to one run on Cody Bellinger’s sacrifice fly to left. Lawrence struck out Seiya Suzki for the second out and got Dansby Swanson to fly out to left to end the inning.Lawrence’s solid work left the Rockies trailing by a single run, and when they loaded the bases with one out in the eighth, a victory at Wrigley Field looked quite possible. Except that right-...

Broncos safety Kareem Jackson fined after high hit in loss to Commanders

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:08 GMT

Broncos safety Kareem Jackson was fined $19,669 by the NFL for his high hit on Washington Commanders tight end Logan Thomas in Week 2.Related ArticlesDenver Broncos | NFL picks: Dallas’ roaring start, the AFC West’s offensive defenses and a big game in Detroit Denver Broncos | Broncos offensive struggles in second half one of many issues during 0-2 start: “We have to play cleaner” Denver Broncos | Broncos S Justin Simmons ruled out for Sunday’s matchup against Dolphins Denver Broncos | From Hail Marys to homecomings, these are full-circle days for Broncos WR Brandon Johnson: “It’s a surreal feeling” Denver Broncos | Broncos scouting report: How Denver matches up against Dolphins and predictions Jackson was penalized and ejected after he delivered a hit on Thomas as he corralled a 4-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Sam Howell with under two minutes remaining in the ...

Garfield County neighborhood evacuated due to fire

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:08 GMT

Residents in a neighborhood in Garfield County west of Glenwood Springs are being evacuated due to a fire, according to the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office.Evacuate ImmediatelyMountain Shadows subdivision and residents north of donegan: Due to the fire, evacuate the area immediately.All people and small animals should go to Glenwood springs mall.— GarCo Sheriff (@GarcoSheriffCO) September 23, 2023The Mountain Shadows subdivision and residents north of Donegan Road in Glenwood Springs were asked to evacuate immediately, according to the Sheriff’s Office in a 2:20 p.m. update on Facebook.The brush fire is in West Glenwood Springs and is threatening structures. There are active flames and smoke is visible, according to the Sheriff’s Office.Residents are being evacuated to the Glenwood Springs Mall.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Wet, cooler start to summer helped reduce air pollution across Colorado’s Front Range Crime and Public...

‘This Earth, it’s all we have’: California Coastal Cleanup brings thousands of volunteers to shorelines

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:08 GMT

Eleven-year-old Gabriel Coleman and his friends Maarten and Merel dug through driftwood piled on the shoreline under the Dumbarton Bridge, doggedly on the hunt for pieces of plastic and other debris to fill their white trash bags.“With teamwork-makes-the-dream-work, we’ve been finding big pieces and small pieces all over,” Gabriel proudly explained.The trio from Newark was among thousands of volunteers who turned out Saturday for the 39th annual California Coastal Cleanup at 695 beaches, lakes, creeks and rivers throughout the state — including dozens of sites across every county in the Bay Area.Brian Coleman, of Newark, with his son Gabriel, 11, and Maarten Vlietstra, 11, take part in the annual Coastal Cleanup Day along the shore at Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Fremont, Calif., on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) Like many of the other younger volunteers at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay Nationa...

No. 16 Oklahoma beats Cincinnati 20-6 in Bearcats’ Big 12 debut

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:08 GMT

CINCINNATI (AP) — Cincinnati got its first taste of Big 12 football on Saturday against Oklahoma, the program that has set the standard in the conference for most of the last two decades.The Bearcats held up OK, but were outplayed in a 20-6 loss to the No. 16 Sooners and Dillon Gabriel, who threw for 322 yards and a touchdown and ran for another TD.Cincinnati coach Scott Satterfield said his players and their fan base should be encouraged by the performance.“They’ve won a lot of championships,” Satterfield said of seven-time national champion and 14-time Big 12 champion Oklahoma. “They’ve been around a long time, and this is our first game in the Big 12, and our guys went toe-to-toe.“This should be encouraging to our guys and to our people to say, ‘Hey, listen, we’re not that far off.’”Gabriel, a UCF transfer, completed 26 of 38 passes, rebounding from his three-interception performance in his last trip to Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium in 2019 and notching his first career vict...

Cody Bellinger hits tiebreaking sacrifice fly as Chicago Cubs beat Colorado Rockies 6-3

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:08 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Cody Bellinger hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the seventh inning, and the Chicago Cubs topped the Colorado Rockies 6-3 on Saturday to improve their position in the NL wild-card standings.Led by a solid performance from its bullpen, Chicago earned its second straight win after a stretch of seven losses in eight games. It moved within a half-game of Arizona for the second NL wild card and ensured it would hold onto sole possession of the third spot for at least another day.Colorado wasted a solid performance by Chris Flexen, who pitched five innings of two-run ball. Ezequiel Tovar had three hits for the Rockies on the one-year anniversary of the big league debut for the touted shortstop prospect. Colorado dropped to a major league-worst 22-58 on the road.The Rockies led 3-1 before the Cubs began to rally. Nico Hoerner hit a sacrifice fly in the fifth, and Yan Gomes drove in Seiya Suzuki with a tying double in the sixth.After Nick Mears (0-1) began the seventh with t...

Travis helps No. 4 Florida State snap 7-game losing streak to Clemson with 31-24 overtime victory

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:08 GMT

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Jordan Travis has spent too long hearing how No. 4 Florida State can’t beat Clemson. That’s over now after Travis threw a picture-perfect touchdown pass in overtime to lift the Seminoles to a long-sought victory over the rival Tigers. Keon Coleman caught the 24-yard TD pass from Travis in overtime and the Seminoles followed up with a defensive stand to snap a seven-game losing streak to Clemson with a 31-24 win that touched off a Death Valley celebration a decade in the making. “I had tears coming down in the locker room,” said Travis, the sixth-year quarterback.Florida State had has ceded its position as the ACC’s power program to Clemson. Clemson had won seven of the past eight league crowns and national titles in 2016 and 2018.Now, it looks like the Seminoles are ready to jump back into the top spot. “We come here with that atmosphere and had adversity over the course of the game, all things you expect,” Florida State coach Mike Norvell said...

Ireland beats South Africa 13-8 in titanic Rugby World Cup clash

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:08 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Top-ranked Ireland won the Rugby World Cup’s second clash of the titans by edging No. 2-ranked South Africa 13-8 in a ferocious encounter on Saturday.Right winger Mack Hansen scored Ireland’s try after 33 minutes — the first South Africa conceded in this tournament — and left winger Cheslin Kolbe replied with a try for the Springboks early in the second half of a gripping contest.South Africa was on top for considerable spells but paid the price for poor goalkicking from flyhalf Manie Libbok and scrumhalf Faf de Klerk, who missed a combined four of five and left 11 points in the wind.After Jonathan Sexton’s penalty put Ireland ahead 10-8 an hour in, his replacement Jack Crowley slotted a 77th-minute penalty to leave South Africa needing a try to draw and a converted score to win.The Springboks earned a lineout 10 meters from the Irish line but the maul was smothered and they couldn’t recycle the ball quickly enough before the play was whistled an...

Joe Burrow listed as questionable by Bengals for Monday night game vs. Rams

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:08 GMT

CINCINNATI (AP) — Joe Burrow was listed as questionable on Saturday by the Cincinnati Bengals for their Monday night game against the Los Angeles Rams.The star quarterback suffered a calf injury early in training camp that he aggravated late in last week’s loss to Baltimore. He returned to practice on Thursday on a limited basis.If Burrow can’t play, backup Jake Browning, who was on the practice squad last season and threw his first and only NFL regular-season pass in the opening week loss to the Browns, will get the start.For the Rams, Puka Nacua, who set a rookie record with 15 receptions in last week’s loss to the 49ers, was listed as questionable because of an oblique injury. Coach Sean McVay said Nacua was expected to play.Cincinnati tight end Irv Smith Jr. was doubtful with a hamstring injury.The Rams and Bengals will be facing each other for the first time since Los Angeles’ triumph in the Super Bowl after the 2021 season.___AP NFL coverage: https://ap...