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ASK IRA: Is there still time for Heat to make one last stand?

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:10:32 GMT

Q: We should be used to this by now. – Nat.A: And the problem is, we are. There is no game the Heat go into where you can convince yourself it effectively will be over by the start of the fourth quarter. Because if there ever was a game where it could have and should have been, Tuesday night in Detroit was it. A team looking to lose. Playing no one. With baggage already circling the carousel in Cancun. Good teams don’t just scrape by. At this point, assume nothing about Friday in Washington, even if the Wizards continue to sit Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma. And at this point, assume nothing about the season finale on Sunday at home against Orlando, even if the Magic sit Paolo Banchero. This ia a team with one great player, a couple of good ones, and players with whom you seemingly ride the wave. Basically, the Heat record says who they are.Q: I get it that a lot of fans are still emotionally invested in the Heat this season. playing out all the possible...

A ballpark district in Baltimore? As Maryland, Orioles mull Camden Yards upgrades, Atlanta suburb could be a model.

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:10:32 GMT

Thirty years ago, a generation of ballparks was born in downtown Baltimore. Last month, the top executive for both the Orioles and the state of Maryland visited an Atlanta suburb to get a brainstorming glimpse at what might be the next.On his 51st day in office, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore took his first visit out of state, accompanying Orioles CEO and Chairman John Angelos on a tour of Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves. The ballpark, which opened in 2017 within an entertainment district known as The Battery, has been viewed by many as a prototype for the future of baseball stadiums.It attracted 10 million visitors in 2022, according to the Braves, and has offices, apartments, hotels, bars, restaurants and a concert venue on the same grounds as the MLB park. As the Orioles — soon to be flush with funds from the state to improve Camden Yards — mull ways to renovate the ballpark and its surrounding area in the coming years, The Battery could provide inspiration.The Oriol...

Top Bosnian government official convicted of abuse of office

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:10:32 GMT

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — A top Bosnian government official and two others were convicted and given prison sentences Wednesday over the procurement at highly inflated prices of inadequate medical equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic.Fadil Novalic, the prime minister of one of the country’s two highly autonomous regions, the Bosniak-Croat Federation, was convicted of abuse of office and sentenced to four years in prison.Fikret Hodzic, the owner of a fruit processing company that received about 5 million euros ($5.5 million) from the government to purchase 100 deficient ventilators from China for COVID-19 patients, and a top state civil protection official, Fahrudin Solak, were also convicted and sentenced to five and six years respectively.Hodzic’s fruit processing company, Silver Raspberry, which had no license to import medical equipment, was chosen by the government of the Bosniak-Croat Federation in the spring of 2020, at the height of the pandemic, to import the Chin...

Violence at holy Jerusalem site raises tension over holidays

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:10:32 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli police stormed into the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City early Wednesday, firing stun grenades at Palestinian youths who hurled stones and firecrackers at them in a burst of violence during a sensitive holiday season. Palestinian militants in Gaza responded with rocket fire on southern Israel, prompting repeated Israeli airstrikes.The fighting, coming as Muslims mark the holiday month of Ramadan and Jews prepare to begin the Passover festival on Wednesday evening, raised fears of a wider conflagration. The mosque sits in a sensitive hilltop compound sacred to both Jews and Muslims. Al-Aqsa is the third-holiest site in Islam and is typically packed with worshippers during Ramadan. The spot, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, is also the holiest site in Judaism, revered as the location of the biblical Jewish temples. The conflicting claims have spilled over to violence before, most recently a bloody 11-day war between Israel and Hamas, the Islamic milita...

Lukaku representative requests action after racist incident

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:10:32 GMT

MILAN (AP) — Romelu Lukaku’s management company reacted with outrage after the Inter Milan forward was shown a second yellow card and then sent off for a gesture toward Juventus fans who directed racist chants at him.The incident occurred after Lukaku converted a penalty in stoppage time to earn Inter a 1-1 draw in the Italian Cup semifinals on Tuesday.Lukaku held his finger to his lips as if to silence the crowd after scoring.Lukaku’s gesture enraged the opposing team and the game ended in a scuffle between the two squads, with Juventus winger Juan Cuadrado and Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic also sent off.“Tonight’s racist remarks made towards Romelu Lukaku by Juventus fans in Turin were beyond despicable and cannot be accepted,” Roc Nation Sports International president Michael Yormark said. “Before, during, and after the penalty, he was subjected to hostile and disgusting racist abuse. Romelu celebrated in the same manner he has previously celebrated goals.“The referee’s respo...

Biden to visit Ireland, mark Good Friday accord anniversary

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:10:32 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will travel to the United Kingdom and Ireland this month, marking the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday accord, the White House said on Wednesday.The U.S.-brokered Good Friday Agreement helped end sectarian violence in Ireland. Biden will first travel to Belfast, Northern Ireland, which is part of the U.K., from April 11-12 “to mark the tremendous progress since the signing of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement 25 years ago” and to underscore U.S. readiness to support Northern Ireland’s economic potential, the White House said. Biden then will travel to the Republic of Ireland from April 12-14. Signed in 1998, the Good Friday Agreement helped end sectarian violence that had raged for three decades over the issue of Northern Ireland unifying with Ireland or remaining part of the U.K.But it has come under increasing stress following the U.K.’s exit from the European Union. The recent accord known as the Windsor Framework between the U.K. and the ...

Edmunds: Ford Mustang Mach-E vs. Hyundai Ioniq 5

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:10:32 GMT

It’s an exciting time to be in the market for an electric vehicle. There are more EV options than ever before, and your selection isn’t just limited to compact urban runabouts. The 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ford Mustang Mach-E are two such electric SUVs that deliver plenty of range, comfort and utility without sacrificing the driving experience. The vehicle experts at Edmunds take a closer look at these two top-rated SUVs to see which is the better buy.PERFORMANCE An all-electric SUV was the last thing we would have expected to wear the galloping horse badge, but the Ford Mustang Mach-E definitely lives up to the Mustang name. Available with a single electric motor for rear-wheel drive or dual motors for all-wheel drive, the Mach-E starts with 266 horsepower and can be turned all the way up to 480 horsepower with the hard-charging GT Performance trim. Whichever Mach-E variant you choose, you’ll get an electric car that’s eager to accelerate and feels nimble and engaging for an SUV.Th...

Two workers in life-threatening condition after carbon monoxide leak at North York home

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:10:32 GMT

Two men are fighting for their lives in hospital after a carbon monoxide leak at a home in North York.Police were called to an address in the area of Drewry Avenue and Yonge Street around 7:10 p.m. Tuesday after getting reports of two people unconcious inside a home.Investigators say the two men were doing renovations at the house on Norwin Street. High levels of carbon monoxide were detected in the area when police arrived.The workers were taken to hospital and are in life-threatening condition.There is no word on what caused the leak.

SpaghettiOs releases new flavor aimed at millennials

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:10:32 GMT

(KTLA) -- SpaghettiOs newest flavor caters to childhood nostalgia with a grown-up twist.The Campbell Soup Company on Tuesday announced its collaboration with Frank’s Red Hot on its newest flavor, SpaghettiOs Spicy Original, made with Frank's Red Hot.The unique flavor features O-shaped pasta in tomato and cheese sauce with a mild-medium heat level. Chick-fil-A is bringing back this popular menu item for a limited time SpaghettiOs and Frank's RedHot team up to release a new SpaghettiOs flavor. (The Campbell Soup Company) The new flavor was made with millennials in mind to satisfy their cravings for spicy foods with a meal that represents their childhood. The generational group also makes up one-third of SpaghettiOs total annual sales, according to a news release. Popeyes adds new dessert item to menus nationwide, brings back fan-favorite item "SpaghettiOs and Frank's RedHot each have an undeniable fandom," Mieka Burns, vice president of meals and sauces at the Campbell Soup Compan...

Judy Blume tears into Florida, DeSantis: 'Teachers are under fire, librarians are threatened'

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:10:32 GMT

(The Hill) - Author Judy Blume took aim at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) for banning certain topics in schools and the state after some Florida school districts banned certain books from their shelves, including some of Blume's own. “Teachers are under fire, librarians are threatened,” Blume said at Variety‘s "Power of Women" luncheon on Tuesday. "They are criminalizing teachers and librarians. It’s not just that they’re threatening their jobs, they’re threatening them.""They could go to jail, all because they stand up for the rights of the students they teach. All because they refuse to give in to fear," Blume continued. "I’ve known librarians who have saved lives by handing the right book to the right child at the right time. And for that one kid, finding themselves in a book can be a lifesaver."DeSantis proposed an expansion last month to the state's so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill, which currently bans classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity to studen...