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Pro Picks: Disrespected Eagles will “upset” the 49ers in an NFC championship rematch

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:20 GMT

Pro Picks is a weekly column where AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi shares his picks for upcoming games. For all previous Pro Picks, head here.___Bust out the dog masks, Philly.The Eagles (10-1) are home underdogs against the San Francisco 49ers (8-3) in an NFC championship rematch on Sunday.Despite coming off impressive comeback wins over Kansas City and Buffalo, the Eagles are just the second team in the last 20 years to be a home underdog with at least a .900 winning percentage and have their starting quarterback healthy in Game 12 or later. The only other one was Pittsburgh vs. New England in 2005 AFC championship. The Patriots won that one. Jalen Hurts has played at an MVP level for Philadelphia but he’s facing a tough defense that’s ranked fifth overall.The 49ers and Brock Purdy are healthy and playing at a high level following a three-game losing streak. San Francisco is a 2 1/2-point favorite, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.Pro Picks planned to take the 49ers b...

Israel announces resumption of combat in Gaza Strip as truce with Hamas expires

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:20 GMT

Palestinians line up for food in Rafah, Gaza Strip, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023, during a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. (AP Photo/Hatem Ali)(AP/Hatem Ali) Palestinians line up for food in Rafah, Gaza Strip, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023, during a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. (AP Photo/Hatem Ali)(AP/Hatem Ali) JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s military said it had resumed combat operations in the Gaza Strip minutes after a temporary truce with Hamas expired Friday, blaming the militant group for breaking the cease-fire.The truce expired at 7 a.m (0500 GMT) Friday. The halt in fighting began a week ago, on Nov. 24. It initially lasted for four days, and then was extended for several days with th...

Nazem Kadri scores in OT to lift Flames past Stars, 4-3

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:20 GMT

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Nazem Kadri scored at 1:01 of overtime to give the Calgary Flames a 4-3 victory over the Dallas Stars on Thursday night.The puck deflected off Kadri as he drove toward the net on a play that was reviewed for goaltender interference.Calgary tied it with 2:41 remaining in regulation when defensemen MacKenzie Weeger lofted a shot from the blue line past screened goalie Scott Wedgewood.Fellow defensemen Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev also scored for Calgary and Jacob Markstrom assisted on the winner and made 13 saves. The Flames are 6-3-1 in their last 10 and 10-10-3 overall.Mason Marchment twice for Dallas, the second on a penalty shot to give the Stars a 3-2 lead early in the third period. Thomas Harley also scored for Dallas, while Wedgewood made 32 saves. The Stars are 13-5-3. On the penalty shot, Marchment ripped the puck by Markstrom’s glove after Tanev hauled down Marchment on a breakaway up the middle.Dallas successfully challenged Mikael Backlund’s a...

No. 15 Creighton rebounds from 1st loss by beating Oklahoma St 79-65 behind Scheierman, Alexander

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:20 GMT

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Baylor Scheierman scored 21 points and Oklahoma City native Trey Alexander added 20 as No. 15 Creighton rebounded from its first loss of the season with a 79-65 victory over Oklahoma State on Thursday night.Steven Ashworth scored 17 points and went 4 of 5 on 3-pointers, while Ryan Kalkbrenner had 16 points and 12 rebounds. The Bluejays (6-1) shot 53% from the field and outrebounded the Cowboys 38-30 in a Big East-Big 12 Battle game that was tied 23-all after 11 minutes.Javon Small scored 24 points to lead Oklahoma State (3-4), which shot 40% for the game and was outscored 17-0 during a decisive Creighton run in the first half.Creighton made 16 of 27 field goals (59%) in the first half and led 47-29 at the break. Ashworth scored 14 points, Kalkbrenner added 12 and Alexander had nine. The Bluejays held Oklahoma State scoreless during a 4:45 span.Small ended the drought with two free throws to make it 45-29 with 1:23 remaining.Oklahoma State football coach Mike...

Drought continues to worsen in parts of Colorado

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:20 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Despite recent snowfall, drought conditions continue to worsen in parts of Colorado.In August, parts of southwest Colorado moved into moderate to severe drought. By Sept. 28, severe drought continued to spread through southwest Colorado. Dry weather on the Eastern Plains also contributed to abnormally dry conditions near Burlington.Oct. 19, the drought monitor revealed dry conditions continuing to spread in western Colorado. Nov. 16's drought monitor showed drought conditions hitting extreme in parts of south-central Colorado, which is the second highest category. Nov. 30 did not show any improvements. Instead, abnormally dry conditions continue to expand in eastern Colorado, with more areas in western and southern Colorado in drought concerns. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up for alerts from the Pinpoint Weather team In the next five days, there could be some relief. Snow is expected in the mountains, but unfortunately, there won't be much measurable moisture in the a...

The Chicago Bulls are in turmoil with seemingly little to build on. Is coach Billy Donovan’s job in jeopardy?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:20 GMT

The Chicago Bulls are ready for change.Executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas made that clear this week. The 5-14 start entering their game Thursday against the Milwaukee Bucks at the United Center is a harsh wake-up call that the roster can’t continue as it stands. The Bulls are stuck in a holding pattern as they await the first checkpoint of the trade window in mid-December, when players will become available and a shake-up can begin.But would that include fourth-year coach Billy Donovan?If recent history is the only guide, it’s a fair assumption that the coach’s chair in Chicago is beginning to heat up. The last two coaches the Bulls released were in similarly bleak positions before they were fired during the season, prompting multiple upheavals in the last decade.The Bulls cut the cord on Fred Hoiberg after a 5-19 start in 2018, a move that “blindsided” the coach after four consecutive losing seasons. Jim Boyl...

Israel strikes Gaza after truce expires, in clear sign that war has resumed in full force

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:20 GMT

By WAFAA SHURAFA, BASSEM MROUE and JULIA FRANKEL, The Associated PressDEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli fighter jets hit Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip on Friday shortly after a weeklong truce expired, the military said, as the war resumed in full force.Airstrikes hit southern Gaza, including the community of Abassan east of the town of Khan Younis, the Interior Ministry in the Hamas-run territory said. Another strike hit a home northwest of Gaza City.Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada and the European Union.Loud, continuous explosions were heard coming from the Gaza Strip and black smoke billowed from the territory.In Israel, sirens blared at three communal farms near Gaza warning of incoming rocket fire, suggesting Hamas had also resumed its attacks.Related ArticlesWorld | Siggins: Polls confirm Israel winning PR war World | Israeli military confirms release of 8 more Israeli hostages from captivity...

$20K in stolen jewelry found in car of driver asleep at wheel: deputies

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:20 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Over $20,000 worth of jewelry stolen in San Diego County was found in a vehicle in Lake Elsinore, and the driver was arrested, authorities said.Riverside County Sheriff's Office deputies discovered the valuables around 3:30 a.m. Wednesday when they were inspecting a car that was stopped in traffic lanes, the agency said in a news release. Deputies found the driver asleep behind the wheel near Grape Street and Railroad Canyon Road.During their search, deputies also found $8,000 in cash, more than 80 grams of methamphetamine and "other items related to drug sales," the release said. Mikey Williams pleads guilty to single count of making criminal threats "The jewelry was later connected to a burglary in San Diego County with a victim being identified," the release stated.Deputies booked George Moore, a 59-year-old Wildomar man, into Cois Byrd Detention Center. He was facing charges of drug sales and possession of stolen property.

Five takeaways from the fiery DeSantis-Newsom debate on Fox

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:20 GMT

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) went head to head in a Fox News debate on Thursday as the governors — one a current presidential contender and the other seen as a future White House prospect — clashed over their records and policy.During the fiery 90-minute debate moderated by Sean Hannity and branded as “The Great Red vs. Blue State Debate,” DeSantis and Newsom took jabs at each other over how they handled key issues like the COVID-19 pandemic, crime and abortion, at times reverting to personal attacks such as calling each other bullies.The debate came against the backdrop of DeSantis’s presidential campaign. The Florida governor was initially seen as a threat to Donald Trump but is now lagging in polls behind not only the former president but also former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley.Meanwhile, Newsom has been widely floated as a presidential hopeful; while he has said he’s not interested in challenging President Biden next year, the Fox News ...

Nearly 2 months into the war, many Israelis have no idea if their relatives are dead or alive

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:20 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — There was no trace of Hanan Yablonka — not on the 42-year-old Israeli’s social media accounts nor on his phone, found in the bullet-riddled car he and three friends tried to flee in after Hamas militants attacked the music festival they were attending in southern Israel.The friends were killed in the Oct. 7 attack. But nearly two months later, Yablonka’s family still has no news about what happened to him. He is one of dozens of people still unaccounted for after Hamas infiltrated Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking about 240 hostages.Some of the bodies of those who died were so badly burned in fires or explosions during the attacks that there’s little left to identify. Others who might still be alive haven’t been traced, forcing families to live in limbo. “It’s a big nightmare,” Yablonka’s niece, Emanuel Abady, told The Associated Press. “Is he alive, is he dead, or where is the body? Maybe he’s in Gaza. … Maybe he got hurt, m...