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DeSantis argues he’s top Trump alternative even as ex-president’s indictment overshadows 2024 race

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:17 GMT

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Republican White House candidate Ron DeSantis plowed ahead Saturday with efforts to portray himself as his party’s staunchest national conservative leader, even as the 2024 GOP race has been disrupted by drama surrounding the 37-count felony federal indictment for mishandling classified documents against former President Donald Trump.The Florida governor sought to project strength amid the turmoil by campaigning in Oklahoma — one of more than a dozen states scheduled to hold its Republican primary on Super Tuesday, weeks after the earliest states vote. He also notched the endorsement of the state’s Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt, the first governor to formally announce his support for DeSantis, while appearing at a rally in the state’s second-largest city of Tulsa. DeSantis has argued that his record in Florida has put him at the cutting edge of the next generation of Republicans. But Saturday, before a sweat-soaked audience fanning themselves with yard ...

Mission completed: Man City beats Inter Milan to end wait for first Champions League title

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:17 GMT

ISTANBUL (AP) — Billions of dollars have been spent and many tears shed on Manchester City’s journey to the summit of European soccer. The mission was completed in Istanbul’s Ataturk Olimpiyat Stadium on Saturday as the Abu Dhabi-backed club won the Champions League title for the first time and perhaps heralded the start of a new era of dominance in the competition. “It was written in the stars. It belongs to us,” said Pep Guardiola after the 1-0 win against Inter Milan, as tears flowed again from the manager, his players and a sea of blue-shirted fans.On this occasion, the emotion was pure ecstasy. The victory, courtesy of Rodri’s 68th minute goal, has been 15 years in the making since Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan transformed City into one of the richest teams in the world overnight.This was the final frontier for Pep Guardiola’s team, which also completed a rare treble of trophies after winning the Premier League title and FA Cup this season. The Cham...

Arcangelo wins Belmont Stakes to make Antonucci first female trainer to win

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:17 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Arcangelo took the lead at the top of the stretch and won the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, making Jena Antonucci the first female trainer to win the race in its 155 years.After the horse crossed the finish line, Antonucci doubled over and rested her arm and her head on the back of a chair. She kissed the horse on the nose when it returned to the area in front of the winner’s circle.Arcangelo finished the 1 1/2-mile race in 2:29.23 and by 1 1/2 lengths in front of favoured Fotre, with Tapit Trice third.“I give all the credit to the horse,” said jockey Javier Castello, who rode Mage to victory in the Kentucky Derby and got this mount when that colt did not run in the Belmont.“This is a wonderful horse. I’m really happy for her, you know, she’s a really good woman. She’s a good horseman.”The heartwarming victory put a positive note on a Triple Crown series marred by deaths of horses at Churchill Downs in the weeks around the Kentucky Derby and another on Preakness day fo...

McGregor knocks out Heat mascot in bizarre promotion

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:17 GMT

MIAMI (AP) — Conor McGregor knocked out the Miami Heat mascot in a mid-game bit that went wrong.Burnie — more specifically, the man who occupies Burnie’s costume — briefly sought medical attention Friday night after taking two punches from McGregor during a third-quarter stoppage of Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the Heat and the Denver Nuggets.The Heat said Saturday that the employee, who was not identified, received pain medication and was resting at home.McGregor was there as a promotional gimmick for a pain-relief spray — and was booed by many in the Miami crowd even before the bit started. The flame mascot was wearing oversized boxing gloves and a robe akin to what a fighter would wear entering the ring for a bout.McGregor hit Burnie with a left hook, knocking him down, then punched the mascot again after he hit the floor.McGregor then tried to “spray” the mascot with the pain-relief product, while several members of the Heat’s in-game promotional team dragged Bur...

Bally's holds first Chicago job fair

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:17 GMT

CHICAGO — Job seekers went to McCormick Place Saturday, as Bally's hosted its first job fair to staff their future Chicago casino location.A temporary casino is set to open later this summer inside the Medinah Temple in River North, while Bally's plans to build a permanent, nearly-$2 billion casino — including a hotel and theatre — along the river between Grand and Chicago avenue. Judge: Diamond Sports must pay full value of contracts to Diamondbacks, Guardians, Twins, Rangers WGN's Judy Wang reports on the job fair and how prospective employees are looking at the opportunities sitting in front of them.

Billboards in Denver designed to attract birds — here's why

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:17 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — There are some billboards in Denver, Colorado, that may be drawing some (feathered) crowds — but why would a billboard be designed to attract birds?It's part of a campaign by the Colorado-based Generation Wild, which aims to remind parents to motivate their kids to love the outdoors, according to the organization. Red Lobster Crabfest back after 4 years — with $5 martinis The project includes several billboards that integrate natural elements relating to the unique billboard's surroundings, and some of them are specifically designed to attract birds."It's going to show kids that this is one of the really cool things that you can do outdoors:to see and to watch birds," Mike Sukle, the founder of the advertising agency said.The billboard blends in with the sky, featuring light clouds and tree branches that are arranged to read the project's theme, "share this wonder-full world."It features actual branch-like perches that stick out of the board and some even have some...

State of Texas: ‘We are not backing down,’ Patrick digs in for special session property tax fight

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:17 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Nearly two weeks into the first of a promised several special sessions by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, there are no signs of breaking the impasse on property taxes. In fact, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick appears to be digging in.“That's a negotiation that we are not backing down from ever,” said Patrick at a news conference he called to mark a week into the special session. ‘Priced out:’ Texans fed up with the politics of property taxes The same day, at a separate event, Abbott reiterated his commitment to his competing plan, the same plan supported by Speaker of the House Dade Phelan. The House passed it, and immediately adjourned from the special session a day after the Governor called everyone back.Abbott wants the legislature to spend $17.6 billion on lowering school district property tax rates, “solely by reducing the school district maximum compressed tax rate.” That strategy, known as compression, simply gives school districts more money in return for lower tax rates.“...

Trump blasts federal indictment as ‘baseless’ at first events since charges were unsealed

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:17 GMT

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Former President Donald Trump blasted his historic federal indictment as “ridiculous” and “baseless” Saturday during his first public appearances since the charges were unsealed, painting the 37 felony counts as an attack on his supporters as he tried to turn dire legal peril to political advantage.Speaking at Republican state conventions in Georgia and North Carolina, Trump cast his indictment by the Department of Justice as an attempt to damage his chances of returning to the White House as he campaigns for a second term.“They’ve launched one witch hunt after another to try and stop our movement, to thwart the will of the American people,” Trump alleged in Georgia, later telling the crowd that, “In the end, they’re not coming after me. They’re coming after you.”The strategy is a well-worn one for Trump, who remains the front-runner for the 2024 GOP nomination despite his mounting legal woes, which also include criminal charges filed against him in March in New Y...

Kiszla: While first championship will be sweet, Nuggets’ lofty ambition is to win not one, not two …

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:17 GMT

MIAMI — The look in Nikola Jokic’s eyes went from murderous to euphoric in the second required for a long jump shot to leave the fingertips of Nuggets teammate Bruce Brown and rip a hole in the heart of the Miami Heat.“When (Brown) did a step-back three, I almost … I wanted to punch him. But when he made it, I was so happy,” Jokic admitted in the early minutes of Saturday morning, after the clock struck midnight on the Cinderella dance by Miami through the NBA playoffs.The Nuggets beat the Heat 108-95 to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals and move within one victory of the first championship in franchise history.As Brown put the exclamation point on Game 4 by drilling a 3-point shot with one minute, 21 seconds, remaining in the fourth quarter, the reaction of Jokic was priceless. Standing on the baseline near Denver’s bench, the two-time MVP shrugged his massive shoulders with upturned palms that shouted “What the heck are you thinking?” when Brown launched his...

Report: San Jose man dies while snorkeling during Hawaii honeymoon

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:17 GMT

A San Jose man died while snorkeling during his honeymoon on the Hawaiian island of O’ahu, and a thief took advantage of the commotion by stealing his widow’s belongings while others were giving him CPR, according to published reports.The man, identified as 49-year-old Steven Phan, was snorkeling when he suffered medical distress and was brought to shore. While some attempted to resuscitate him with CPR, a thief grabbed a bag containing Phan and his wife’s belongings and ran off, Honolulu news station KHON reported.A GoFundMe page for Phan’s newlywed widow Brittany says the couple was married just three months before Phan died on June 1, and describes him as a “true friend and amazing husband.”“We are all shocked, in disbelief, and heartbroken at the loss of such a great man as Steven. Steven always found a way to be a part of everyone’s lives, no matter the distance,” the page says.Police have not announced any arrests of the bag thef...