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Dominican Republic rallies past Italy; Canada wins in World Cup romp

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:24:18 GMT

Karl-Anthony Towns and the Dominican Republic stayed perfect at the Basketball World Cup, with a trip to the second round in their sights.Towns and Andres Feliz each scored 24 points, and the Dominican Republic connected on 16 3-pointers in an 87-82 win over Italy in a Group A game at Manila on Sunday.Feliz had seven of those 3s for the winners (2-0). Towns finished with 11 rebounds and Jean Montero had 12 points, nine assists, six rebounds and three steals.“Getting the job done,” Towns said. “I think we did a great job and found a way to win. Andres and everybody down the line was amazing. This was a great team win.”Italy (1-1) led 12-0 to open the game but led only 39-38 at the half — and lost coach Gianmarco Pozzecco to a second-quarter ejection after he picked up his second technical foul.The game changed entirely in the third; the Dominican Republic outscored Italy 31-17 in those 10 minutes, then held off a rally in the fourth.Marco Spissu led Italy with 17 points, while Simone...

Grilled Pork Chops / Belkys

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:24:18 GMT

Hungry for a delicious and easy main course meal? That’s what’s on the menu today, as we grab a Bite with Belkys. Ingredients:2 tsp. salt4 tsp. pepper4 tsp. sweet or hot paprika4 tsp. dark brown sugar4 bone-in or boneless pork chopsNeutral oil, like grapeseed, as neededMethod of Preparation:Mix the salt, pepper paprika and brown sugar in a small bowl. Blot the pork chops dry with paper towels then set them on a sheet pan. Season on both sides with the spice rub, rubbing the seasonings into the meat with your fingers or the flat of a fork.Lightly drizzle the chops with neutral oil on both sides. Let sit at room temperature while you turn on your stovetop or light your outside grill.On the stovetop, cook chops in a grill pan on medium-high heat for about two minutes until you see grill marks form. Then rotate each chop a quarter turn and cook for another two minutes.When the bottoms of the chops are browned, flip then cook the other side the same way. The total cook time w...

Genetic tests confirm Prigozhin died in plane crash, Russia says

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:24:18 GMT

Russian investigators on Sunday confirmed the death of Wagner mercenary group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin in a plane crash last Wednesday, citing genetic tests indicating his identity.Prigozhin’s name was among those of the 10 passengers on the flight manifest for the private jet, which crashed in Russia’s Tver region while travelling from Moscow to St. Petersburg. Wagner sympathizers had held out hope that the mercenary leader, who staged an aborted coup against Russian President Vladimir Putin in June, was somehow still alive.But in a statement published on the Telegram messaging service on Sunday, Russia’s Investigative Committee said the identities of all of the plane’s passengers had been confirmed with “molecular-genetic examinations.”A former loyalist who was dubbed “Putin’s chef” for his role as a catering executive supplying the Kremlin, Prigozhin became embittered toward the Russian government’s handling of the war on Ukraine. After Prigozhi...

Myanmar expels East Timor’s diplomat in retaliation for supporting opposition forces

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:24:18 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar’s military-installed government has ordered East Timor’s senior diplomat to leave the country in retaliation for the East Timorese government holding meetings with Myanmar’s main opposition organization, the Foreign Ministry said Sunday. The statement said East Timor has conducted engagements with Myanmar’s shadow National Unity Government, which views itself as the country’s legitimate administration after the military seized power from the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb. 1, 2021.The National Unity Government also serves as an umbrella organization for opponents of military rule.The Foreign Ministry said it informed the charge d’affaires of the East Timor Embassy in Yangon, Myanmar’s biggest city, on Friday to leave the country no later than Sept. 1. The charge d’affaires is believed to be the first foreign diplomat expelled from Myanmar since the army takeover.Many countries have downgraded their relations with Myanm...

Sunday Forecast: Sunny, mid 70s, High Swim Risk

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:24:18 GMT

Sunday Forecast: Lots of sunshine, a bit cool for the season. NE 5-15 mph. Air quality is in the good category. High swim risk this morning along the Lake Michigan shore in IL and IN. High 74, near 70 by the lake. Chicago Weather | Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center's Forecast (wgntv.com)Sunday Night: Mostly clear & comfortable. NE 5-10 mph. Lows near 60 Monday: Mostly sunny & a bit warmer. E 5-10 mphHigh near 80, cooler lakeside. Extended outlook calls for a slight chance of early morning scattered showers on Tuesday then clearing skies. High temps get back into the mid 80s. A get back into the 70s on Wednesday with plenty of sunshine. Upper 70s and sunny on Thu. Back to warm as we finish out the week. Mid to upper 80s on Friday and near 90 for next Saturday. 

2024 Republicans want to eliminate the Education Department. What would that look like?

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:24:18 GMT

(The Hill) - Multiple Republican presidential candidates made it clear at this week’s debate that the Department of Education is in danger if they are elected.“Let’s shut down the head of the snake, the Department of Education,” Vivek Ramaswamy said. “Take that $80 billion, put it in the hands of parents across this country.” Conservatives see the department, which has more than 4,400 employees and in its current form dates back to 1979 after first being established in 1867, as a prime example of Washington’s meddling in Americans’ lives. The time has come to “shut down the Federal Department of Education,” former Vice President Mike Pence said Wednesday.  Who qualifies for $0 student loan payments? But what would it mean to actually shutter the massive agency?How could the department be eliminated?Killing the Department of Education (DOE) is easier said than done. Conservatives have said since the creation of the department they want to get rid of it. From President Ron...

3 US Marines killed, 20 injured during a training exercise in Australia

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:24:18 GMT

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — A United States Marine Corps aircraft carrying troops crashed on a north Australian island Sunday, killing three Marines and injuring 20 during a multination training exercise, officials said.Three had been confirmed dead on Melville Island and five of the 23 on board were flown in serious condition 80 kilometers (50 miles) to the mainland city of Darwin for hospital treatment after the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft crashed around 9:30 a.m., a statement from the Marines said.“Recovery efforts are ongoing,” the statement said, adding the cause of the crash was under investigation.A U.S. military official reported to Australian air traffic controllers a “significant fire in the vicinity of the crash site,” according to an audio recording of the conversation broadcast by Nine News television.Helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft had been deployed to return from the remote location with the rest of the injured, Northern Territory Police Commissioner...

1 dead, 4 injured after collision in north Austin

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:24:18 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — One person died after a collision in north Austin early Sunday morning, according to Austin-Travis County EMS. Officials said first responders arrived in the 9900 block of North Lamar Boulevard for an auto-pedestrian collision that occurred at approximately 3:45 a.m.ATCEMS said two vehicles and five patients were involved, and a “deceased on scene” pronouncement was made for one of the adults involved.Medics took two patients to the hospital with serious, potentially life-threatening injuries, according to ATCEMS.A third person was also taken to the hospital with potentially serious injuries, and the fourth patient was evaluated for minor injuries and refused to be taken to the hospital.

1 injured in I-35 crash overnight in Austin

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:24:18 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — One person was taken to the hospital with potentially life-threatening injuries after a crash on Interstate 35 in Austin, according to Austin-Travis County EMS. The two-vehicle crash happened around 4:30 a.m. near downtown Austin in the 1200 block of N. I-35 northbound. EMS said one adult was pinned in their vehicle, but they were extricated and taken to Dell Seton with serious, potentially life-threatening injuries. ATCEMS said it had no other information about the collision.

Other voices: The Supreme Court temporarily halted the corrupt Sackler deal. A permanent fix is needed.

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:24:18 GMT

While the U.S. Supreme Court is sharply divided along ideological lines, it might surprise many Americans to learn that unanimous rulings happen every term, even in cases where lower courts have reached opposing conclusions.We see a good chance of the high court coming together for a 9-0 vote in the months ahead to shoot down a terrible injustice that festered in bankruptcy courts for years — until the notorious Sackler family inadvertently put a spotlight on it.The Sacklers made billions engineering an opioid epidemic that ruined countless lives and killed off Americans by the hundreds of thousands. You might have seen them portrayed on TV in Hulu’s “Dopesick” series, or the current “Painkiller” series on Netflix. Sackler family members have denied many of the allegations against them, and none has accepted full responsibility for the opioid plague.Their company, Purdue Pharma, admitted that it used false marketing to con doctors into prescribing...