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Atlanta Mayor Dismisses Cop City Referendum as “Not an Election”

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:10:58 GMT

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said this week that he wishes to “err on the side” of ensuring residents are heard in their effort to hold a citywide vote on the construction of a $90 million police training facility — even as his own administration refuses to move forward with the process of verifying signatures gathered in support of the referendum. Dickens’s comment came in a letter to Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., who had written to the mayor in mid-September and raised questions about the city’s use of signature verification — a practice Georgia Democrats have previously criticized as “problematic” — to validate the referendum.On September 11, organizers submitted around 116,000 signatures supporting a referendum on the police training facility, double the number needed to get the referendum on the ballot. The deadline for submitting the signatures is the subject of an ongoing legal battle in which the city has argued that the entire referendum effort is invalid. City officials...

Pro Picks: Lions get another win in Lambeau after ending Aaron Rodgers’ career with the Packers

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:10:58 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.___The Detroit Lions are going back to Lambeau Field for the first time since ending Aaron Rodgers’ career in Green Bay.The Packers look just fine with Jordan Love.The two 2-1 teams meet Thursday night in an early season battle for first place in the NFC North.Love, who led an impressive comeback win over the Saints last week, watched from sideline when the Lions knocked the Packers out of the playoffs with a win in the final regular-season game in 2022.“We know we can win out there, we’ve done it before. But you’ve got to go earn it,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “It’s not going to be given. It’ll be loud, it’ll be a tough environment. They’re playing good, so here we go.”The Packers haven’t had running back Aaron Jones and wide receiver Christian Watson the past couple of games because of hamstring injuries. If they can return on a short...

CFP puts off decisions on format tweaks with Pac-12 still in limbo, hears from potential TV partners

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:10:58 GMT

The number of spots reserved for conference champions when the College Football Playoff expands to 12 teams next year remained open for discussion Wednesday as administrators who manage the postseason wrapped up meetings that mostly focused on potential television partners.The CFP management committee, which is composed of 10 conference commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick, gathered for a day-and-a-half at the Big Ten offices just outside of Chicago.College Football Playoff Executive Director Bill Hancock said potentially tweaking the format that will go into effect next season to adjust the number of conference champions in the field of 12 was not discussed. The current model calls for the six highest-rated conference champs and six at-large selections to make up the field.With conference realignment putting the future of the Pac-12 in doubt, Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey and others have indicated the number of league champions in the pla...

Rutgers, South Carolina women’s hoops teams to play exhibition to honor late Nikki McCray-Penson

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:10:58 GMT

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina women’s basketball will host Rutgers in an exhibition game Oct. 22 to honor the late player and coach Nikki McCray-Penson, who served as an assistant on both staffs. Both school announced the game Wednesday. There will be no charge for those attending, although donations will be accepted for In the Middle, a non-profit organization in Columbia that provides financial assistance to women who are battling breast cancer and their families.McCray-Penson was head coach at Mississippi State before stepping down in 2021 for health reasons and returned last season as a Rutgers assistant. She had been treated for breast cancer a nd died at age 51 in July. McCray-Penson is a member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. She was a two-time All-American player for Tennessee and continued her career in the ABL and the WNBA. McCray-Penson was a two-time Olympic gold medalist on teams with her good friend, South Carolina coach Dawn Staley. McCray-P...

Real Madrid back to winning ways in Spanish league. Girona is top after its 6th straight victory

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:10:58 GMT

MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid got back to winning ways by beating Las Palmas 2-0 on Wednesday while Girona moved to the top of the Spanish league with its sixth straight victory.Brahim Díaz and Joselu scored for Madrid, which was coming off a 3-1 loss at city rival Atletico Madrid after opening the season with five straight league victories.The win at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium moved Madrid to second place, one point behind Girona which came from behind to win 2-1 at Villarreal.Girona hosts Real Madrid in the league on Saturday.Girona is two points ahead of fellow Catalan club Barcelona, the defending champion that had its five-game winning streak halted by a 2-2 draw at Mallorca on Tuesday.Madrid was in control from the start at the Bernabeu and missed chance after chance until Díaz finally opened the scoring with a high shot from near the penalty spot three minutes into first-half stoppage time. The hosts had 18 attempts in the first half alone, with eight of them on target. Las Pa...

Trudeau apologizes for recognition of Nazi unit war veteran in Canadian Parliament

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:10:58 GMT

TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologized Wednesday for Parliament’s recognition of a man who fought alongside the Nazis during last week’s address by Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.Trudeau said the speaker of the House of Commons, who resigned Tuesday, was “solely responsible” for the invitation and recognition of the man but said it was a mistake that has deeply embarrassed Parliament and Canada.“All of us who were in the House on Friday regret deeply having stood and clapped, even though we did so unaware of the context,” Trudeau said before he entering the House of Commons. “It was a horrendous violation of the memory of the millions of people who died in the Holocaust, and was deeply, deeply painful for Jewish people.”Trudeau repeated the apology in Parliament.Just after Zelenskyy delivered an address in the House of Commons on Friday, Canadian lawmakers gave 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka a standing ovation when Speaker Anthony Rota drew attention to ...

Albertin Montoya named coach of NWSL expansion team Bay FC

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:10:58 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — National Women’s Soccer League expansion franchise Bay FC has named Albertin Montoya as its head coach. Montoya, a long-time resident of the San Francisco Bay Area with experience in both youth and professional soccer, most recently served as interim coach of the NWSL’s Washington Spirit last year. Bay FC will begin play next season.Montoya coached FC Gold Pride in the Women’s Professional Soccer League in 2009 and 2010, and was co-head coach of the California Storm in the Women’s Premier Soccer League from 1999-2006. “We entered into the head coach selection process with a very definitive list of desired qualities and credentials, and as we moved through the process, Albertin was by far our leading candidate,” Lucy Rushton, Bay general manager, said in a statement. “His football philosophy — and his strong commitment to it — matches up perfectly with the style of play and the team identity we want our club to embody.” B...

Apple leverages idea of switching to Bing to pry more money out of Google, Microsoft exec says

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:10:58 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Apple was never serious about replacing Google with Microsoft’s Bing as the default search engine in Macs and iPhones, but kept the possibility open as a “bargaining chip” to extract bigger payments from Google, a Microsoft executive testified Wednesday in the biggest U.S. antitrust trial in a quarter century.“It is no secret that Apple is making more money on Bing existing than Bing does,’’ Mikhail Parakhin, Microsoft’s chief of advertising and web services, said in U.S. District Court in Washington. The comment drew a laugh from the courtroom. Parakhin was describing Microsoft’s years of futility trying to supplant Google on Apple devices.Analysts estimate that Apple collects $15 billion to $20 billion a year in revenue-sharing payments from Google in return for giving its search engine the coveted default slot on Apple’s devices. The revenue is generated when users click on advertisements in search results. The U.S. Department of Justice accuse...

Westminster police warn of sextortion scam targeting children

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:10:58 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Police in Westminster sent out a warning to the community about what it called "sextortion" scammers who are targeting children and claiming to be law enforcement.Police said that, in these cases, victims will interact with someone online and eventually share an explicit image, usually by being deceived or coerced.After this, the scammers, while impersonating law enforcement, will tell the victims that they have to send money in order to get out of the situation. Buyer, beware: Police warn of card-tapping scam "As a reminder, police will never ask for any type of payment," Westminster PD said.Police said some of the scammers have used the names of Westminster PD and other local officers in these scams.Westminster PD provided a list of common tactics that predators use against victims to look out for:Develop a false rapport with the victimSecretly record explicit videos and messages during chatsUse multiple identities to contact the victimPretend to be younger or a...

Batata Harra / Lira, Miami

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:10:58 GMT

There’s nothing more delicious that some crispy fried potatoes — except maybe crispy friend potatoes with a little spice. That’s what’s cooking, as we grab a Bite with Belkys.The Chef: Farid LutfiThe Restaurant: Lira, MiamiThe Dish: Batata HarraIngredients:250 grams baby potatoes (washed, boiled, cooled)1/4 cup red pepper paste1 tbsp chili flakes3/4 cup lemon juice1/2 bunch fresh cilantro (chiffonade)1/2 tsp coriander powder3/4 cup olive oil1.5 tbsp garlic (minced)1 tbsp saltMethod of Preparation:After the potatoes are cooled, smash them with your hand, then fry them until golden and crispy.For sauce: Incorporate all other ingredients except cilantro and chili flakes. Cook on low heat for about 10 minutes. Allow to cool, then add cilantro and chili flakes.Toss fried potatoes in sauce and serve.Lira Beirut Eatery2000 NW 2nd Ave.Miami, FL 33127786-360-3543www.liramiami.com