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76ers, Celtics renew rivalry; Embiid doubtful for Game 1

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:47 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Celtics successfully responded to the challenge an inspired Atlanta Hawks team posed over six games during the opening round of the playoffs.The Philadelphia 76ers mostly breezed past the Brooklyn Nets in a first-round sweep but didn’t get out of it before MVP finalist Joel Embiid suffered a sprained right knee and missed the final game of the series.Now the franchises, which have met more in the postseason than any other NBA teams, will renew their long-running rivalry in the Eastern Conference semifinals beginning Monday.Boston has won the past five playoff series between the teams. The most recent was a sweep by the Celtic in the first round of the 2020 postseason inside the Florida bubble. This latest era of matchups has brought the history between the teams into perspective for the new generation.“I’ve learned more about the Celtics and 76ers’ rivalry throughout time,” Boston All-Star Jaylen Brown said. “Watching Bill Russell’s Netflix series, I g...

Manhunt continues for Texas shooting suspect, reward offered

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:47 GMT

CLEVELAND, Texas (AP) — Law enforcement officers said Sunday they've been unable to find a gunman who fled after killing five people in a rural Texas town, offering $80,000 in total reward money in hopes of motivating someone to come forward with information about the suspect's whereabouts.“We do not know where he is,” said James Smith, the FBI's special agent in charge. Police were going door to door looking for the suspect.The suspect, Francisco Oropesa, 38, was considered armed and dangerous after fleeing the area Friday, likely on foot, San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers said late Saturday. He said authorities had widened the search to 20 miles (32 kilometers) from the scene of the shooting, which occurred after the suspect's neighbors asked him to stop firing off rounds in his yardInvestigators found clothes and a phone while combing a rural area that includes dense layers of forest, but tracking dogs lost the scent, Capers said. Authorities were able to identify Oropesa by...

Avalanche forward Andrew Cogliano suffered fractured neck, out indefinitely

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:47 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Colorado Avalanche forward Andrew Cogliano fractured his neck in Game 6 Friday night in Seattle, the Associated Press said Saturday.Cogliano suffered a C5 lamina fracture when he was knocked into the boards from behind in the second period by Kraken forward Jordan Eberle in Game 6. Cogliano returned for the third period following an examination but reported that his neck wasn't feeling great after the reigning Stanley Cup champions returned home from Seattle.Eberle was assessed a two-minute minor for boarding and no hearing for supplemental discipline has been announced. A CT scan revealed the fracture. Cogliano was scheduled for a follow-up MRI later Sunday. His injury may involve rehab or “whatever he has to do in order to get himself healthy again,” Bednar said.Cogliano is a workhorse for the Avalanche and his absence is significant after the team won at Climate Pledge Arena to force a Game 7. Avalanche force Game 7 with win over Kraken in Seattle "He's (Cogli...

Tornado flips cars, damages homes in Palm Beach Gardens

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:47 GMT

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — A tornado touched down in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, on Saturday as a powerful storm system brought intense rain and powerful winds to the state, overturning cars, damaging homes and snapping tree branches.The National Weather Service in Miami said the tornado hit late Saturday afternoon with winds of 100 mph (160 kph) near Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center and headed northeast toward the coast.Storm damage forced authorities in the coastal city to close major roadways as workers cleared debris and inspected wreckage. Images from the scene showed cars flipped over on top of each other, cracked tree limbs resting on vehicles and homes, as well as other debris littering streets.The Palm Beach Gardens Police Department has not reported any major injuries or fatalities. A spokeswoman for the city said officials have deactivated emergency protocols and were working through lingering issues Sunday.The National Weather Service had placed a large stretch of...

Second US-led convoy evacuates private American citizens from Sudan conflict

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:47 GMT

(CNN) — A second convoy of US citizens organized by the US government arrived in Port Sudan on Sunday as part of an effort to evacuate Americans from the Sudan conflict.“A second USG-organized convoy arrived in Port Sudan today. We are assisting U.S. citizens and others who are eligible with onward travel to Jeddah, where additional personnel are ready to assist with consular & emergency services,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Sunday in a statement on Twitter.The US effort — the second convoy in as many days — comes amid mounting anger from Americans in Sudan who felt they were abandoned by the US government and left to navigate the complicated and dangerous situation on their own.The deadly violence between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group that broke out earlier month has left hundreds dead, including two Americans, and thousands wounded. The country remains at risk of humanitarian disas...

House GOP looks to Senate to force talks on debt impasse

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:47 GMT

WASHINGTON — House Republicans challenged the U.S. Senate to pass a debt limit bill of its own and sought to maintain pressure on President Joe Biden to hold talks on spending cuts they’ve linked to an increase in the nation’s borrowing limit.A Republican-only debt proposal passed by the House last week would cut $4.8 trillion in domestic spending as the price for agreeing to raise the debt ceiling. Biden has insisted the two topics shouldn’t be linked and his administration has warned that a U.S. default would be disastrous for Americans and the economy.“For all that we hear from our Senate friends, they’ve yet to pass anything,” Rep. Steve Scalise, the House majority leader, said on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday. “If they’ve got a better idea, I want to see that bill and tell them to pass it through the Senate.”The stalemate in Washington risks pushing the Treasury toward a U.S. payments default by an “X date” that may arrive as soon as June.House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s success in...

Ticker: California moves to phase out diesel trucks; EU ends standoff over Ukraine farm glut

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:47 GMT

New big rigs and buses that run on diesel would not be sold in California starting in 2036, according to new rules approved by state regulators to wean the state off fossil fuels and combat climate change.The rule would tackle pollution from heavy trucks used to transport goods through ports and require companies to disclose their use of these so-called drayage trucks by 2024.The rule cannot be implemented without approval by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.But it’s related to standards the Biden administration already approved last month to phase out diesel-powered box trucks, semitrailers and large passenger pick-ups. If the EPA approves California’s rule, other states could later adopt the same standards.Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom touted Friday’s move as a chance to show “the world what real climate action looks like.”“We’re one step closer to achieving healthier neighborhoods and cleaner air for all Californians,” he sai...

Winderman’s view: Support from supporting cast when needed by Heat, so it’s 1-0

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:47 GMT

Observations and other notes of interest from Sunday’s 108-101 NBA playoff victory over the New York Knicks:– No, Gabe Vincent won’t necessarily go down as the Tim Hardaway of Heat-Knicks 2.0.– And Kevin Love might not necessarily be P.J. Brown 2.0.– Or Caleb Martin as Dan Majerle 2.0.– But just as Alonzo Mourning received steady support when Heat-Knicks initially became a rivalry, so did Jimmy Butler’s supporting cast in this one.– Heck, it almost was as if Kyle Lowry channeled his inner Terry Porter (look that one up, kids. Yes, he played here.).– This is what it is going to take with Tyler Herro out.– And that is what Heat coach Erik Spoelstra got Sunday.– No, the Heat might not break the bank for Vincent in free agency.– No, Love might not be back as a free agent.– And, no, Lowry might not live up to his contract (although Martin certainly has).– But for one afternoon, as part of this most unlike...

‘A beacon of protection’: Girl’s death sparks training for judges in Ontario

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:47 GMT

Jennifer Kagan wipes away a single tear as she composes herself once again to discuss her daughter’s legacy.Her four-year-old, Keira Kagan, was found dead next to her father’s body at the base of a cliff in a Milton, Ont., conservation area in February 2020. A provincial committee found it was “extremely consistent” with past cases of murder-suicide involving a father and a child.Kagan, who had been in a bitter custody battle with Keira’s violent father for years, was determined to have the tragedy result in changes to the way the judicial system deals with cases of intimate partner violence. She and Keira’s stepfather, Philip Viater, spent years pushing lawmakers to drive change.Those efforts have now resulted in Keira’s name being enshrined in new federal and provincial legislation designed to help other children avoid her fate.“We’re remembering Keira in this positive way because she really didn’t deserve this,” Ka...

Mississippi River waters keep rising in Iowa and Illinois

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:47 GMT

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — People living along the Mississippi River watched warily Sunday as water levels rose in southeast Iowa and northwest Illinois, awaiting spring crests as floodwaters began to slowly recede and reveal damage in areas further north.The National Weather Service said many of the crests across the region this season will rank in the top 10 of all time, but will remain several feet below the records set in past floods. Officials in many cities along the river are optimistic they’ll be able to either keep the floodwaters at bay through a combination of floodwalls and sandbags or contain it to low-lying park areas. But some homes close to the river have been damaged.“Luckily we’ve had relatively dry weather over the last week or so and not expecting much in the way of rainfall as well,” National Weather Service meteorologist Tom Philip said. “So it’s coming through as forecast for the most part.”The river peaked in the Dubuque area Saturday at 23.03 feet (7 meter...