Sparks beat Mercury 94-71 as Brittney Griner scores 18 in return to WNBA

Published Sat, 28 Dec 2024 14:51:21 GMT

Sparks beat Mercury 94-71 as Brittney Griner scores 18 in return to WNBA LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nneka Ogwumike scored 17 points, rookie Zia Cooke added 14 and the Los Angeles Sparks defeated Brittney Griner and the Phoenix Mercury 94-71 on Friday night in Griner’s first WNBA game since being jailed in Russia.Griner had 18 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots in 25 minutes. She has been free since December when she was part of a high-profile prisoner swap after spending months in a Russian jail.Griner was arrested at a Moscow airport in February 2022 after Russian authorities said a search of her luggage revealed vape cartridges containing cannabis oil.Cooke shot 5 of 6 from the floor and made both her 3-pointers in her league debut in front of Dawn Staley, her former college coach. Cooke was taken 10th overall by the Sparks in the draft after starring at South Carolina.Chiney Ogwumike added 15 points for the Sparks, who had five players in double figures.Among those in attendance were Magic Johnson, Pau Gasol, Byron Scott, Robert Horry, Billie Jean Ki...

Miembro de la Guardia Nacional de Texas dice que no está claro cómo se disparó el arma que hirió a un inmigrante

Published Sat, 28 Dec 2024 14:51:21 GMT

Miembro de la Guardia Nacional de Texas dice que no está claro cómo se disparó el arma que hirió a un inmigrante (CNN) — El miembro de la Guardia Nacional de Texas que disparó a un inmigrante durante un forcejeo en enero desenfundó su pistola y la pasó de la mano derecha a la izquierda antes de que el arma de fuego se disparara, dando al migrante en el hombro, según su declaración jurada.En la declaración obtenida por CNN a través de una solicitud de información, el miembro de la Guardia Nacional describió el altercado con el inmigrante.“Bajo la amenaza de lesiones corporales graves, desenfundé mi pistola M17 para mostrar que estaba armado, pero él continuó lanzando golpes corporales hacia mi torso”, dice la declaración jurada del miembro de la Guardia Nacional. “Cambié mi M17 de la mano derecha a la izquierda en posición de ‘preparado bajo’, para tener un control más positivo sobre él y mantener una distancia entre él y yo, pero continuó forcejeando conmigo y pude sentir cómo intentaba derribarme al suelo con él”.El tiroteo se produjo en la madrugada ...

Judge homers again, powers Yankees past Reds 6-2

Published Sat, 28 Dec 2024 14:51:21 GMT

Judge homers again, powers Yankees past Reds 6-2 CINCINNATI (AP) — Aaron Judge has been scorching hot since a mild hip strain sent him to the injured list earlier this month.The reigning AL MVP hit his seventh home run in as many games and the New York Yankees defeated the Cincinnati Reds 6-2 on Friday night.“When you’ve got Anthony Rizzo hitting behind you, who’s been red hot as well, you’re going to get good pitches to hit,” Judge said.Rizzo also homered for the surging Yankees, who improved to 9-3 in their last 12 games.Judge, who received a standing ovation from the many Yankees fans in attendance following his pregame batting session, wasted little time making his presence felt in the teams’ first meeting in Cincinnati since 2017. Judge took the fifth pitch he saw from Reds starter Ben Lively 431 feet to center field for his 13th home run of the season.“It’s just very reminiscent of what we saw last year,” Yankees starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt said of Judge. “You see the same guy. I don’t think anything’s changed from last ...

Búsqueda desesperada: 50 militares se unen para hallar a 4 niños en la selva colombiana

Published Sat, 28 Dec 2024 14:51:21 GMT

Búsqueda desesperada: 50 militares se unen para hallar a 4 niños en la selva colombiana BOGOTÁ – Las autoridades colombianas enviaron este viernes a 50 soldados de Fuerzas Especiales para apoyar la búsqueda de los cuatro menores desaparecidos tras un accidente aéreo ocurrido el pasado 1 de mayo en la selva del sur del país, que dejó tres adultos muertos.Las Fuerzas Militares detallaron en un comunicado que los comandos partieron del departamento de Antioquia (noroeste) hacia San José del Guaviare, capital del departamento del Guaviare (sur), donde está reunido el puesto de mando unificado (PMU) que trabaja en la búsqueda de los niños.“Estos Comandos será insertados hoy mismo para apoyar la búsqueda de los cuatro menores desparecidos desde el pasado primero de mayo”, señalaron las Fuerzas Militares.LABORES DE BÚSQUEDAEl avión Cessna 206, operado por la compañía Avianline Charter’s y en el que iban a bordo siete personas, desapareció de los radares el pasado 1 de mayo.El lunes pasado la aeronave, que sufrió una supuesta falla en el motor cuando vo...

Jim Brown Appreciation: Remembering Hall of Fame running back’s lasting impact on and off field

Published Sat, 28 Dec 2024 14:51:21 GMT

Jim Brown Appreciation: Remembering Hall of Fame running back’s lasting impact on and off field CLEVELAND (AP) — Jim Brown was both extraordinary and extraordinarily complicated.One man. Many versions.His greatness on the football field is beyond reproach. For generations, Brown, who died Thursday night peacefully at his home in Los Angeles, has long been the standard of excellence for running backs, a freakish blend of brute power and blazing speed who in many ways changed the NFL forever.Cleveland’s No. 32 is in a class by himself.“He’s (No.) 1,” said Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith, the league’s career rushing leader. ”(Walter) Payton, two. I fall three.”But there is so much more than broken tackles and shattered records to Brown, who walked away from the game at his physical peak to pursue a film career, helping break barriers in Hollywood for Black actors.There’s the social activist and civil rights champion who used his platform to promote change during one of the most turbulent decades in U.S. history.And there’s a much less flattering personal ...

Connecticut hosts Washington to begin season

Published Sat, 28 Dec 2024 14:51:21 GMT

Connecticut hosts Washington to begin season Washington Mystics at Connecticut SunUncasville, Connecticut; Sunday, 1 p.m. EDTBOTTOM LINE: The Connecticut Sun open the season at home against the Washington Mystics.Connecticut finished 11-7 in Eastern Conference play and 13-5 at home during the 2022-23 season. The Sun averaged 85.8 points per game while shooting 46.2% from the field and 35.4% from 3-point distance last season.Washington went 11-7 in Eastern Conference games and 22-14 overall during the 2022-23 season. The Mystics averaged 80.2 points per game while shooting 43.9% from the field and 33.8% from behind the arc last season.INJURIES: Sun: None listed.Mystics: Myisha Hines-Allen: out (knee).___The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.Source

A plane believed to be carrying Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has landed in Hiroshima for diplomatic talks at G7 summit

Published Sat, 28 Dec 2024 14:51:21 GMT

A plane believed to be carrying Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has landed in Hiroshima for diplomatic talks at G7 summit HIROSHIMA, Japan (AP) — A plane believed to be carrying Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has landed in Hiroshima for diplomatic talks at G7 summit.Source

Biden set to announce new military aid for Ukraine after meeting with Zelenskyy

Published Sat, 28 Dec 2024 14:51:21 GMT

Biden set to announce new military aid for Ukraine after meeting with Zelenskyy President Joe Biden is set to announce a new $375 million military aid package for Ukraine after meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart at the G7 summit in Japan this weekend, according to three U.S. and Ukrainian officials familiar with the discussions.The package will include more artillery shells, armored vehicles and anti-tank weapons — all equipment that the U.S. and allies have supplied to Kyiv in the past, but will be much needed in the months of hard fighting expected this spring and summer. The officials were granted anonymity to speak about the discussions ahead of an announcement.The news comes as the U.S. president signaled that he would greenlight the third-party transfer of American F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, telling his G7 counterparts overnight that he will support a joint international effort to train Ukrainian pilots on the aircraft.Taken together, the moves are a strong show of support for Kyiv ahead of an expected counteroffensive that Ukrainians hope will ret...

G7 urges China to press Russia to end war in Ukraine, respect Taiwan’s status, fair trade rules

Published Sat, 28 Dec 2024 14:51:21 GMT

G7 urges China to press Russia to end war in Ukraine, respect Taiwan’s status, fair trade rules HIROSHIMA, Japan (AP) — The Group of Seven wealthy democracies united Saturday in urging China to pressure its strategic partner Russia to end its war on Ukraine. In a joint statement issued Saturday, the G7 leaders emphasized they did not want to harm China and were seeking “constructive and stable relations” with Beijing, “recognizing the importance of engaging candidly with and expressing our concerns directly to China.”“We call on China to press Russia to stop its military aggression, and immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw its troops from Ukraine,” it said. “We encourage China to support a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on territorial integrity and the principles and purposes of the U.N. Charter,” including in direct talks with Ukraine. Cooperation with China is needed given its global role and economic size, the group said, in appealing for working together on challenges such as climate change, biodiversity, debts and financing needs of of vulnera...

A year after Mariupol’s fall, Azovstal survivor recalls surrender with pain and a sense of purpose

Published Sat, 28 Dec 2024 14:51:21 GMT

A year after Mariupol’s fall, Azovstal survivor recalls surrender with pain and a sense of purpose KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Mikhailo Vershinin was a shadow of the burly Mariupol policeman he was when he emerged after four months in Russian captivity.The head of Mariupol’s Police Patrol, he was among hundreds to surrender from the Russian siege of the Azovstal steel mill on the orders of the Ukrainian president a year ago and was close to death on the day he was exchanged for Russian prisoners of war.He experienced first-hand the day the final square of the besieged city fell and now recalls it with both deep sadness, but a sense of purpose for Ukraine’s future.The air strikes had been relentless for weeks, but the skies fell silent while Russian and Ukrainian officers negotiated terms of surrender. At the time, Vershinin said, it seemed like the only chance for both the men and women with him underground – and for Mariupol.Azovstal’s last stand also became a rallying point for many countries hesitating about support for Ukraine.“Beginning with Mariupol, the world started to wake up i...