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AP Sports Story of the Year: Realignment, stunning demise of Pac-12 usher in super conference era

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:00 GMT

The commissioners from three of the remaining power conferences in college sports appeared together in a crowded convention center ballroom and were asked to ponder what was wrought by three tumultuous years of realignment that culminated in the destruction of a 108-year-old institution.“Obviously, not happy about the ultimate outcome to the Pac-12, but I’m in this position to give us the best options and future possible and we took advantage of the moment.” Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark explained during the session in Las Vegas.That moment came over a span of six weeks this past summer. The Pac-12 was ripped apart and redistributed by its competitors, regardless of geography. The stunning demolition, set in motion a year earlier, was accelerated when the Pac-12 couldn’t secure a media rights deal to match its competitors.The redrawing of the college sports map and demise of the Pac-12, a conference that claims the most NCAA championships and a legacy that includes the likes of ...

Vladimir Putin has officially registered as a candidate for the Russian presidential election

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:00 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday presented documents to Russia’s Central Election Commission to register as a candidate in the 2024 presidential election. “He submitted them,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian state media.Supporters of Putin on Saturday formally nominated him to run in the 2024 presidential election as an independent candidate.The nomination by a group of at least 500 supporters, under Russian election law, is mandatory for those running not on a party ticket. Independent candidates also need to gather at least 300,000 signatures of support from 40 regions or more.The group that nominated Putin included top officials from the ruling United Russia party, prominent Russian actors and singers, athletes and other public figures. Putin has used different tactics over the years. He ran as an independent in 2018 and his campaign gathered signatures. In 2012, he ran as a nominee of the Kremlin’s United Russia party, so there was no need fo...

Locked out of local government: Residents decry increased secrecy among towns, counties, schools

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:00 GMT

Cheryl Geidner figured council members in Volant, a tiny borough north of Pittsburgh, would adopt a preliminary year-end budget despite no discussions at public meetings on the proposed financials.She never figured they’d raise property taxes by 57%.“There had never been a mention of that,” said Geidner, a property owner who helps oversee a business with her husband, John, in the town of 126 residents. “You didn’t see the budget. You didn’t see the ordinance. I think everybody was somewhat taken aback.”The plan, given final approval last week, will steeply increase tax bills: A property assessed at $100,000, for example, would have been billed $700 in 2023. In 2024, that bill will rise to $1,100. The council’s silence leading up to the decision highlights what some observers say is a striking trend toward secrecy among local governments across the U.S. From school districts to townships and county boards, public access to records and meetings in many states is worsening over time, o...

Pope approves blessings for same-sex couples if the rituals don’t resemble marriage

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:00 GMT

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis has formally approved allowing priests to bless same-sex couples, with a new document explaining a radical change in Vatican policy by insisting that people seeking God’s love and mercy shouldn’t be subject to “an exhaustive moral analysis” to receive it.The document from the Vatican’s doctrine office, released Monday, elaborates on a letter Francis sent to two conservative cardinals that was published in October. In that preliminary response, Francis suggested such blessings could be offered under some circumstances if they didn’t confuse the ritual with the sacrament of marriage.The new document repeats that rationale and elaborates on it, reaffirming that marriage is a lifelong sacrament between a man and a woman. And it stresses that blessings should not be conferred at the same time as a civil union, using set rituals or even with the clothing and gestures that belong in a wedding.But it says requests for such blessings should not be denied full stop. I...

Celebrity birthdays for the week of Dec. 24-30

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:00 GMT

Celebrity birthdays for the week of Dec. 24-30:Dec. 24: Actor Grand L. Bush (TV’s “The Visitor,” film’s “Demolition Man”) is 68. Actor Stephanie Hodge (“Unhappily Ever After”) is 67. Bassist-synthesizer player Ian Burden of Human League is 66. Actor Anil Kapoor (“Slumdog Millionaire”) is 64. Actor Wade Williams (“Prison Break,” “The Bernie Mac Show”) is 62. Singer Mary Ramsey of 10,000 Maniacs is 60. Actor Mark Valley (“Boston Legal”) is 59. Actor Diedrich Bader (“The Drew Carey Show”) is 57. Actor Amaury Nolasco (TV’s “Deception,” “Prison Break”) is 53. Singer Ricky Martin is 52. “Twilight” series author Stephenie Meyer is 50. TV host Ryan Seacrest (“American Idol”) is 49. Actor Michael Raymond-James (“Once Upon a Time,” “True Blood”) is 46. Actor Austin Stowell (“12 Strong”) is 39. Actor Sofia Black-D’Elia (“Your Honor,” “The Mick”) is 32. Singer Louis Tomlinson of One Direction is 32.Dec. 25: Actor Hanna Schygulla (“Barnum,” ″Casanova”) is 80. Singer John Edwards of The Spinners ...

Snow, flurries on the way today as temperature drops in GTA

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:00 GMT

It’s a mild and rainy start to the work week but things will look and feel a lot more like winter by Monday evening.A temperature drop throughout the day Monday will set things up for a potentially icy and snowy evening commute, and there is a possibility we could be waking up to snow on the ground on Tuesday morning.“Rain, switching over to snow as we head into this evening,” says CityNews chief meteorologist Natasha Ramsahai. “It is going to be slick driving tonight and into tomorrow.”Monday’s guaranteed high of 6 C has already been reached as of 8 a.m. as cold air starts to move in leading to an overnight low of -4 C. Showers are expected to turn into wet flurries and then snow by the late evening.Areas in the north part of the GTA could see as much as five centimetres of snow, with up to three centimetres possible in areas south of Highway 401.Tuesday will see sun and cloud and a chance of flurries with a guaranteed high of -1 C. Things will r...

Pope says priests can bless same-sex unions, union should not be subject to moral analysis

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:00 GMT

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis has formally approved allowing priests to bless same-sex couples, with a new document explaining a radical change in Vatican policy by insisting that people seeking God’s love and mercy shouldn’t be subject to “an exhaustive moral analysis” to receive it.The document from the Vatican’s doctrine office, released Monday, elaborates on a letter Francis sent to two conservative cardinals that was published in October. In that preliminary response, Francis suggested such blessings could be offered under some circumstances if they didn’t confuse the ritual with the sacrament of marriage.The new document repeats that rationale and elaborates on it, reaffirming that marriage is a lifelong sacrament between a man and a woman. And it stresses that blessings should not be conferred at the same time as a civil union or even with the clothing and gestures that belong in a wedding.But it says requests for such blessings should not be denied full stop. It offers an extensi...

13-year-old boy reported missing in Roseland

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:00 GMT

CHICAGO — A 13-year-old boy in Roseland is missing.Jaikese Grafton was last seen in the area of 94th and Harvard on Sunday.Grafton was wearing a black coat, white t-shirt, blue jeans with red stitching and silver and blue gym shoes.He is 5'3" and weighs around 96 lbs. with black hair and brown eyes.Anyone with information can call 911 or 312-745-6110.

Applesauce pouches may have been contaminated with lead on purpose: FDA official

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:00 GMT

(The Hill) – Recalled applesauce pouches that left many children sick with lead poisoning could have been tainted on purpose, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Jim Jones, the FDA deputy commissioner for Human Foods, said the investigation is still ongoing, but signs point to an intentional act to poison the puree. “We’re still in the midst of our investigation," Jones said in an interview with Politico. "But so far, all of the signals we’re getting lead to an intentional act on the part of someone in the supply chain and we’re trying to sort of figure that out." Kids in 22 states sickened by fruit pouches tained with lead: FDA Weis, WanaBana and Schnucks are three of the brands found to have contaminated pouches. All have ties to a manufacturing facility in Ecuador, which is now under inspection by the FDA.Jones told Politico he thinks the facility didn't believe the contaminated applesauce would have ended up in countries with a robust regulatory process. ...

Dean's A-List Interviews: Kumail Nanjiani, Elizabeth Banks and more

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:00 GMT

Check out Dean's A-List interviews with Kumail Nanjiani, Elizabeth Banks, Awkwafina and Keegan-Michael Key in the new animation film 'Migration.' Get Dean's reviews and A-List interviews delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for Dean's Downloads weekly newsletter. You'll also get his Dean Cooks recipes too!