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With Aaron Donald still drawing attention, Rams look for more from pass rush

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:28 GMT

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) — Growing pains were expected from the Los Angeles Rams’ significantly overhauled pass rush.After the Rams totaled eight sacks through their first five games, which puts them 28th in the NFL, defensive lineman Aaron Donald said he hopes the group is close to turning potential into more production.“I think guys play hard,” Donald said Thursday. “We play with a lot of effort, so we gotta continue to do that. But as a front, as a pass-rush unit, we gotta do a little bit better getting after the quarterback, winning our one-on-ones, a little bit more technique in pass-rush situations.”Those sorts of issues rarely popped up when Donald was flanked by established players such as A’Shawn Robinson in the middle and Leonard Floyd on the edge. But a salary-cap crunch forced the Rams (2-3) to turn to unheralded former backups such as defensive lineman Bobby Brown III and rookies like outside linebacker Byron Young and defensive tackle Kobie Turner this season.T...

UFC creates its own drug-testing program in wake of split with USADA over McGregor

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:28 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The UFC is moving on from the United States Anti-Doping Agency and is creating its own drug-testing program in a feud that involves former champion Conor McGregor.The mixed martial arts organization also sent a legal letter to USADA to demand a retraction and apology for a statement it issued Wednesday regarding the end of its deal with the UFC.In a statement to The Associated Press, USADA CEO Travis Tygart said, “We stand by our statement and our credibility.”Drug Free Sport International will be in charge of the collection process under the new program that begins in January when the UFC’s deal with USADA ends. Former FBI Special Agent George Piro, best known for interrogating former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, will be in charge of the new program.“You identify people and entities in this space that can make something that is already working well and you make them better,” said Jeff Novitzky, UFC senior vice president of athlete health and performan...

12-year-old bias-motivated stabbing suspect had hit list, Nazi fascination

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:28 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — A 12-year-old accused of stabbing a classmate at a Denver school last week has been charged with attempted murder and bias-motivated crime.FOX31 is not naming the seventh grader but because of the charges is reporting the suspect is Hispanic and the victim is Black. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox The victim's father, Ted Temple, said his son told him the suspect had repeatedly called him the N-word at school, "frequently ... to his face."Just a week before the attack, Temple said school leaders at Marie Greenwood Academy — a public school with grades ranging from early childhood to eighth — told him the suspect had been disciplined for calling a female student the N-word on numerous occasions."Where did he get this from at this age, this much hate?" Temple said.Child suspect's court hearing reveals new detailsA spokesman for Denver Public Schools said student privacy laws prevent the district from confirming if the 12-year-old su...

DeSantis directs state division to coordinate chartered flights for Floridians stranded in Israel

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:28 GMT

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is taking action to help Floridians who are stranded in Israel amid the conflict.The governor on Thursday said he is sending chartered flights to rescue these residents.“We’re leading in Florida. I just signed an executive order. We’re going to be sending our own planes, and we’re going to be bringing people right back to Florida from Israel,” he said.DeSantis has directed the Florida Division of Emergency Management to coordinate the flights, and the website to request assistance is up and running. Those who qualify will fly for free.For more information, and to access the application form, click here.

A mother shielding her son, a 26-year-old attending a music festival and 2 brothers are among the Americans killed in Israel

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:28 GMT

(CNN) — A mother who shielded her son from gunfire, a “pro-peace” academic, young people who attended a musical festival and two brothers are among at least 27 Americans who have been killed in the warfare between Israel and Hamas, family members and officials say.Brothers Igal Wachs, 53, and Amit Wachs, 48, were killed when Hamas gunmen stormed their village of Netiv HaAsara, which borders Gaza, Igal’s ex-wife Liat Oren-Wachs told CNN.Both were dual Israeli-American citizens and members of the village’s security team, said Oren-Wachs, who believes the pair were killed trying to defend their community. Amit had lived in Netiv HaAsara all his life and leaves behind a wife, two daughters and a son, Oren-Wachs said.“They were both very family oriented,” she said.The brothers are among the US citizens who were killed after the Gaza-based militant group launched a devastating attack on Israel early Saturday that left at least 1,200 dead.The number of Am...

Deadly attacks on Israel and a bitter Polish election

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:28 GMT

Listen on Spotify Apple Music Google Play EN_Google_Podcasts_Badge Created with Sketch. Acast Amazon Music In this episode of EU Confidential, we discuss the EU’s muddled response to the heinous attack on Israel in which Hamas killed over a thousand civilians and took dozens of people hostage, sparking outrage and disbelief.Then we turn our focus to Poland. Host Suzanne Lynch brings...

Despite Washington chaos, Americans still want to support Ukraine

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:28 GMT

Ivo Daalder, former U.S. ambassador to NATO, is CEO of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and host of the weekly podcast “World Review with Ivo Daalder.”Europe is fearful that the United States will no longer provide military support to Ukraine — and its not alone. During a surprise visit to NATO headquarters early this week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy voiced similar concerns.The immediate reason for this is Congress’ failure to include additional funding in a short-term bill to keep the U.S. government open last month. But the deeper worry is that America’s political dysfunction has reached a point where anything seems possible — even Donald Trump’s return to the presidency.There is plenty of material to justify these fears. Despite his legal woes, Trump remains the front-runner in the contest to secure the presidential nomination for the Republican Party. The House of Representatives voted to unseat its Speaker for the first time in its nearly 250-year history. And...

Blame Barbie! Glitter brings sparkle to Starmer and sadness to the EU

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:28 GMT

Welcome to Declassified, a weekly humor column.Spare a thought in these difficult times for glitter. A bunch of the shiny stuff (which is just microplastics wearing its fanciest going-out-on-a-Friday-night outfit) was dumped on Keir Starmer just as the U.K. Labour leader was about to give his big party conference speech in Liverpool. It was an odd choice from the protester, who was from a previously unheard-of group named People Demand Democracy. Hit someone in the face with a cream pie or bash them over the head with an egg and they look a bit foolish for a while afterward. Pour glitter on them and they look, well, glittering!And that’s particularly true if the politician in question is seen, as Starmer is, by many as being rather dull (for older readers, the Lighthouse Family of politics. Don’t Google that band, especially if you are about to operate heavy machinery). Police are looking for Barbie and/or Ken in connection with the glitter attack.Speaking of People Dema...

How to watch the Polish election like a pro

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:28 GMT

WARSAW — Poles vote Sunday to elect a new government in a race that could convulse the EU.Vying for dominance are the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party and the opposition Civic Coalition, along with three smaller groups that could prove kingmakers.With PiS leading in the polls, critics say a third term for the euroskeptic conservatives will further strangle the independent judiciary, women’s and minority rights, and put the accelerator on Warsaw’s collision course with Brussels.The election has been overshadowed by concerns about media freedom and electoral fairness. As if that weren’t enough, the PiS government has thrown another curveball at the opposition by holding a controversial referendum on migration, national security and the retirement age on election day. Critics have called the plebiscite a politically motivated ploy to sway the electorate into casting their votes for PiS. Here’s what you need to know to watch the October 15 election like a pro:How doe...

Why Israel-Hamas is Erdoğan’s new ‘mission impossible’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:28 GMT

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been frustrated in his efforts to mediate in the Russia-Ukraine war. But after Hamas’ shock massacre in Israel he’s looking for another chance to play the peacemaker.As global powers including the U.S. and the Gulf countries seek behind the scenes to prevent the Israel-Hamas conflict from spreading, the Turkish president has been engaged in his own hectic brand of diplomacy.“I’m having talks with regional leaders … trying to figure out how we can mediate and stop this war,” he said this week, after conversations with, among others, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and Russian President Vladimir Putin.He’s also spoken to Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Palestinian chief Mahmoud Abbas, as well as the Egyptian, Lebanese and Qatari leaders.Turkish state TV even said Wednesday night that Turkey had started a negotiation process for the release of prisoners held by Hamas in Gaza.Ther...