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Callahan: Celtics’ fatal flaw overshadows found formula in Game 1 loss vs. Sixers

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:18 GMT

For as long as this series lasts, it will be a simple test against the Sixers.The Celtics can survive volcanic James Harden eruptions, like his 45-point outburst Monday night.They can navigate a no-show from Derrick White, who scored four points and sat down the stretch.They can even endure the return of expected MVP Joel Embiid, who lost three of four regular-season matchups and has yet to beat Boston when it matters most.But what the Celtics cannot, will not and did not survive Monday is losing the ball.Boston lost Monday’s 119-115 thriller when Malcolm Brogdon gifted a go-ahead, fast-break layup to Tyrese Maxey at 28.9.seconds to play, and Marcus Smart’s pass for Jayson Tatum instead found Paul Reed with less than 10 seconds left. The Celtics finished with 16 turnovers. Philly had six.That was it. That was the game.Yes, between Smart’s dump of a dump-off and Brogdon’s brain fart, Tatum hit two foul shots to push the C’s ahead 115-114. Tatum had curle...

Verdugo delivers third walk-off this season as Red Sox beat Blue Jays 6-5

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:18 GMT

He did it again.For the third time this season Alex Verdugo sent the Fenway Faithful home happy, crushing a walk-off solo home run into the Red Sox bullpen to lead off the bottom of the ninth and cap a wild 6-5 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.It was his second walk-off hit in three days, and with six walk-off RBI as a member of the Red Sox he now stands second only to David Ortiz (17) in club history since the 2000 season.Hearing him speak in the Red Sox clubhouse afterwards, you can tell it’s not a fluke.“I live for it, man. I live for that moment,” Verdugo said. “You don’t go up there thinking about failure, you go up there thinking I have a chance to help out the team to win a ballgame and I thrive for that moment.”Verdugo’s big home run was the final exclamation point on a statement win for the Red Sox, who turned the tables on a Blue Jays team that completely owned Boston a year ago.Last year Toronto beat the Red Sox 16 out of 19 meeting...

SENTRI members tried to smuggle drugs over border: CBP

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:18 GMT

SAN DIEGO — Two men were detained last week in separate attempted smuggling incidents at the San Ysidro and Otay Mesa ports of entry, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.The first incident happened around 5:15 a.m. Wednesday at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. CBP officers were inspecting a pick-up truck being driven by a 71-year-old man going through the dedicated commuter lane, CBP said in a news release. Officers noticed the spare tire on the truck had been tampered with and referred the vehicle to secondary inspection. After scanning the truck, a narcotic detector dog was requested.Fifty-four concealed packages containing narcotics were found in the spare tire by officers, CBP said. The drugs were identified as methamphetamine with a total weight of 49.03 pounds and a street value estimated at $322,480. Hiker dies on El Capitan Trail in Lakeside The second incident happened around 4:50 a.m. Thursday at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry when a 21-year-old man attempted to en...

Palestinian prisoner dies in Israel after long hunger strike

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:18 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — A Palestinian prisoner died in Israeli custody early Tuesday after a hunger strike of nearly three months, Israel’s prison service announced.Khader Adnan began his strike shortly after being arrested on Feb. 5. Adnan, a member of the Islamic Jihad militant group, had gone on hunger strike several times after previous arrests. That included a 55-day strike in 2015 to protest his arrest under so-called administrative detention, in which suspects are held indefinitely without charge or trial.Israel’s prison service said Adnan had been charged this time with “involvement in terrorist activities” but had refused medical treatment while legal proceedings moved forward. It said he was found unconscious in his cell early Tuesday and transferred to a hospital where he was declared dead.Israel is currently holding over 1,000 Palestinian detainees without charge or trial, the highest number since 2003, according to the Israeli human rights group HaMoked.Israel says the controv...

Stock market today: Asia shares mixed on holiday mode trade

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:18 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares were mixed Tuesday with some markets closed or anticipating holidays and investors showing muted reaction to the latest historic U.S. banking failure.Japan’s Nikkei 225 edged up 0.2% to 29,175.44 in morning trading. Trading in Tokyo will be closed for Golden Week holidays the rest of the week. Trading was closed in Shanghai for Labor Day. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 dipped 0.2% to 7,319.40. South Korea’s Kospi gained 0.8% to 2,522.09. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was virtually unchanged at 19,885.48. The Reserve Bank of Australia was holding a policy meeting, but no change was expected. Economic and inflation reports are also expected in Europe ahead of the central bank meeting later in the week. Markets are also bracing for what is hoped to be the last interest rate hike by the U.S. Federal Reserve for some time. Oil prices and currencies were little changed. Recent China’s manufacturing data showed a contraction, reflecting how the ...

Devils blank Rangers in Game 7, face Canes in second round

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:18 GMT

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Unexpected hero Akira Schmid rebounded from his only bad game and made 31 saves in Game 7 to lead the New Jersey Devils to a 4-0 victory over the New York Rangers on Monday night in an entertaining first-round playoff series.Michael McLeod and Tomas Tatar scored second-period goals in the series decider and Erik Haula and Jesper Bratt added insurance goals in the third in the game between the longtime Hudson River rivals.Coming off a franchise best 52-win season, the Devils will open the Eastern Conference semifinals on Wednesday against the Metropolitan Division-winning Hurricanes in Raleigh, N.C. Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is on Friday night. Igor Shesterkin was outstanding in defeat, stopping 20 shots, including Jack Hughes’ breakaway late in a scoreless first period.Schmid who had played in a total of 24 regular-season games, was the difference in this series, posting two shutouts. After New York had a pair of 5-1 wins in the opening two games i...

72 vehicles crash, 6 killed in dust cloud pile-up on I-55 in Illinois

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:18 GMT

DIVERNON, Ill. (AP) — A windstorm in central Illinois kicked up dangerous clouds of blinding dust off farm fields Monday, causing numerous crashes that killed at least six people on Interstate 55, police said.The late morning crashes involved 40 to 60 cars and multiple tractor-trailers, two of which caught fire, Illinois State Police Maj. Ryan Starrick said.He said at least six people died, all in the northbound lanes, and more than 30 people on both sides of I-55 were transported to hospitals with injuries.88-year-old Shirley Harper, of Franklin, Wisconsin, was identified as one of the victims in Monday's crash, according to Illinois State Police. 7 bodies found in search for two missing Oklahoma teens: authorities “The only thing you could hear after we got hit was crash after crash after crash behind us,” said Tom Thomas, 43, who was traveling south to St. Louis.I-55 was shut down in both directions in Montgomery County, 75 miles (120 kilometers) north of St. Louis, and likely ...

Second City’s first all-Asian cast brings progress – and punchlines – to the stage

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:18 GMT

CHICAGO — The long march of progress often happens in stages, but sometimes it happens on stages.In the ongoing quest for representation, an all- Asian cast and crew is producing an original show at the most well-known comedy theater in America: The Second City. It’s part of a first-of-its kind program: The Victor Wong Fellowship, designed to promote Asian American artists.Luke Moghimi Connell is a 22-year-old comedian who is part of the cast.“All the writers, performers, they’re all Asian," he said. "Asian musical director. The director, the producer. So, it’s literally everyone involved in the project is Asian American and that’s just mind-blowing to me."It’s a step forward for performers of Asian descent, a group so often overlooked and underrepresented in the nation’s comedy scene.Huy Nguyen is one of 16 Victor Wong Fellows.“Honestly, sometimes it’s been disheartening when you go to callbacks of auditions and you don’t see another Asian person there with you, or any Asian Americ...

High winds, low humidity, sub-par rainfall and pre-season lack of vegetation contributes to deadly I-55 dust storm Monday

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:18 GMT

Major pattern change promises an end to the chilly, showery weather of recent days with significant warming in sight late this week— most pronounced next weekI was in Springfield this past weekend for this year’s Lincoln Academy 59th convocation ceremony. It was held in the Illinois House of Representatives chamber in the State Capitol. What an honor—and how amazing to meet so many of our fellow Illinoisans including the Governor and First Lady and members of the Academy from across the state. There is so much to say about all of this—but I just wanted to share some photos with you.The entire proceeding was streamed and recorded by the Lincoln Academy, including our acceptance comments: https://thelincolnacademyofillinois.org/DEADLY DOWNSTATE DUST STORM ON I-55Precipitation shortfall plus 50 MPH wind gusts and pre-growing season lack of vegetation contributed to deadly downstate dust storm on I-55MONDAY’S 50-DEGREE MAX TEMP WAS THE COLDEST DAYTIME MAY 1st IN THE PAST 7 YEARS SINCE 2...

Multiple dead after Illinois dust storm causes multi-vehicle pileup

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:18 GMT

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) - At least six people are dead and dozens have been hospitalized after a multi-vehicle pileup south of Springfield, Illinois. According to Illinois State Police, shortly before 11 a.m. CT Monday, officers were called to multiple crashes on both the northbound and southbound sides of Interstate 55. Around the same time, authorities whiteout conditions due to the wind blowing dirt from farm fields across the highway. Monday night, officials said 72 vehicles were involved in the crash. A total of 37 people - the youngest, 2 years old, and the oldest, 80 - were transported to area hospitals with injuries ranging from minor to life-threatening.Six people were killed, all in crashes in the northbound lanes, Illinois State Police said.Officials said that one of the people who died has been identified as 88-year-old Shirley Harper of Franklin, Wisconsin. The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office is working to identify the other five individuals and notify their ...