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Messi to travel with Argentina but uncertain for game against Bolivia in World Cup qualifying

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:40 GMT

BUENOS AIRES (AP) — Lionel Messi will travel with the Argentina squad to Bolivia for its South American World Cup qualifier on Tuesday, but his presence on the field remains uncertain.Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said he hopes to make a decision on Monday over whether to play the Inter Miami star.The world champions started their qualifying campaign with a 1-0 victory against Ecuador, thanks to Messi’s goal. The 36-year-old Argentina captain scored with a free kick.Messi was okay to travel, Scaloni said Sunday at a news conference. He did not rule out making a decision about the striker’s presence in La Paz on the same day of the match. “Leo was tired the other day and asked to be substituted,” Scaloni said. “But it’s not needed that we speak to him before matches. We see as it goes.”Scaloni said he would like to play the same team that beat Ecuador in Buenos Aires, but changes might be required for Argentina to play more than 3,000 meters above sea l...

Wales barely holds off Fiji to win in another classic Rugby World Cup meeting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:40 GMT

BORDEAUX, France (AP) — The tryline was right there in front of Semi Radradra. All he needed to do was gather a long pass out to the vacant left wing and Fiji could have pulled off one of the great Rugby World Cup comebacks.Alas, the center spilled the ball, Wales players breathed a huge sigh of relief and they celebrated a breathless 32-26 win in the latest instalment of their gripping World Cup rivalry on Sunday.In the game of the tournament so far, Wales struggled to hold off the entertainers from the Pacific Islands, who started explosively and finished like a train at Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux.It was the hour in the middle that cost them dear as Wales just about doused the threat of the dangerous Fijians, even claiming an attacking bonus point for going over for four tries. Josh Adams, the top try-scorer in the 2019 World Cup, got off the mark four years later with the first of them.This was the fifth straight World Cup where these two teams have met in the pool stage and Fiji’...

Loyd wins scoring title, but late run lifts Sparks over Storm 91-89

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:40 GMT

SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle’s Jewell Loyd scored 28 points, setting a league record on her way to the scoring title, but the Los Angeles Sparks closed out the regular season with a 12-2 run to pull out a 91-89 victory over the Storm on Sunday.Loyd sank 9 of 22 shots for the Storm (11-29), who end the season on a four-game losing streak. She hit 4 of 9 from 3-point range and finishes the season with a record 939 points. Former teammate Breanna Stewart, now playing for the New York Liberty, was second with 919 as the league expanded its regular season to 40 games. Loyd led the league with an average of 24.6 points per game. Stewart averaged 23.0. Loyd scored 25 or more points 21 times this season. No other player had more than 15.Nneka Ogwumike had 22 points to pace the Sparks (17-23), who trailed most of the game before outscoring the Storm 20-11 in the final period.Ezi Magbegor pitched in with 16 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for Seattle. Magbegor grabbed a team-record 3...

Stewart hits 2-run double in 9th, Mets beat Twins 2-0 despite 14 Ks by López

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:40 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — DJ Stewart hit a two-run double in the ninth inning and the New York Mets overcame a career-high 14 strikeouts by Minnesota starter Pablo López to beat the Twins 2-0 on Sunday and avoid a three-game sweep.López went eight innings for the Twins, who began the day with a 7 1/2-game lead in the AL Central over Cleveland.Stewart doubled to right-center off reliever Griffin Jax (6-9), who took over for López in the ninth. Francisco Lindor led off with a bloop double and Jeff McNeil was hit by a pitch — the third time a Mets batter was plunked in the game. Stewart connected on a full count two batters later.New York left-hander Brooks Raley (1-2) struck out a pair of Twins in the eighth to earn the win. Adam Ottavino allowed a leadoff double in the ninth to Carlos Correa but held on for his ninth save.López was brilliant, getting his 200th strikeout of the season when he fanned Lindor in the first. The right-hander became the ninth Twins pitcher to accomplish that feat,...

Washington’s defense takes over to help the Commanders rally past the Cardinals 20-16

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:40 GMT

Washington Commanders safety Darrick Forrest (22) takes the field before the start of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals at FedEx Field in Landover, Md., Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)(AP/Susan Walsh) Washington Commanders safety Darrick Forrest (22) takes the field before the start of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals at FedEx Field in Landover, Md., Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)(AP/Susan Walsh) LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Throughout the second half, Montez Sweat looked around at his defensive teammates and asked who was going to be the closer the Washington Commanders needed.Turned out it was Sweat getting the job done.The edge rusher strip-sacked Joshua...

Moroccans sleep in the streets for 3rd night following an earthquake that took more than 2,100 lives

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:40 GMT

AMIZMIZ, Morocco (AP) — People in Morocco slept in the streets of Marrakech for a third straight night as soldiers and international aid teams in trucks and helicopters began to fan into remote mountain towns hit hardest by a historic earthquake.The disaster killed more than 2,100 people — a number that is expected to rise — and the United Nations estimated that 300,000 people were affected by Friday night’s magnitude 6.8 quake.Amid offers from several countries, including the United States and France, Moroccan officials said Sunday that they are accepting international aid from just four countries: Spain, Qatar, Britain and the United Arab Emirates.“The Moroccan authorities have carefully assessed the needs on the ground, bearing in mind that a lack of coordination in such cases would be counterproductive,” the Interior Ministry said in a statement.While some foreign search-and-rescue teams arrived on Sunday as an aftershock rattled Moroccans already in mourning and shock, other ai...

Crews work to repair gas leaks in Miami Lakes, Lauderhill

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:40 GMT

Crews in Miami Lakes and Lauderhill worked to repair a pair of gas leaks.Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded to the scene of the first gas leak in the area of Northwest 151st Street and 7th Court, just after 8 a.m., Sunday.Florida City Gas crews also responded and completed repairs. They were able to restore service to two businesses affected.Road closures in the area have since been lifted.Shortly after noon, Lauderhill Fire Rescue units responded to the scene of the second gas leak along the 400 block of Northwest 39th Avenue.Officials said this was a small leak that was possibly caused by workers who cut the gas line by mistake.Hazmat crews were at the scene to secure the situation, but no injuries have been reported.

Can innovation help farmers adapt to climate change?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:40 GMT

Quincy residents rally against hate after known white supremacist group gathers near migrant shelter

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:40 GMT

Dozens of Quincy residents came together Sunday to show their support for the migrants who are living in a community center there after a large gathering of a known white supremacist group the night before.The people gathered at the family welcome center at Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy was in response to the protest outside the temporary shelter.The college says the protest only lasted about 10 minutes before the group dispersed. People holding signs in support of the migrants joined city officials outside the college on Sunday evening.“Most people want to welcome the migrants with love and care and respect and we understand that their journey has been difficult and that we’re here to provide them with support,” said Mimi Balsamo.Quincy City Councilor Anne Mahoney said, “We’re going to stand up for the people you are trying to intimidate and we’re not going to let you initimdate them and I think we all need to work together to stand up to ha...

Red Sox place pitcher James Paxton on IL with knee inflammation, ending his season

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:40 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — Boston Red Sox left-hander James Paxton was placed on the 15-day injured list with right knee inflammation, a move manager Alex Cora says will end his season.“It’s been barking at him,” Cora said Sunday at Fenway Park before a series finale against AL East-leading Baltimore. “We looked at pushing him back. I don’t think it makes sense to push him. He’s been through so much in his career.”Originally, the team pushed back the start of the 34-year-old Paxton to Tuesday against the New York Yankees, but decided it was best to shut him down. Cora said Nick Pivetta will take Paxton’s turn in the rotation the rest of the season.Paxton tore the ulnar collateral ligament in a start with Seattle in April 2021 and had surgery a week later. Paxton had a $6 million deal for the 2022 season while he was rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. He didn’t pitch that year because of a few setbacks during the recovery process.“It was good,” said Cora, of his season. “The medical staff did an ...