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Need last-minute gifts? Presidential hopefuls offer ornaments, gift wrap — and Trump mug shot merch

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:48 GMT

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The field of 2024 presidential candidates may have some options for shoppers scrambling for a last-minute holiday gift.As the campaign for the White House kicks into full gear, the contenders are offering an onslaught of holiday-themed merchandise, many of which capture some of the surreal aspects of the 2024 race. Donald Trump, for instance, is embracing his status as the first former president to face criminal charges by emblazoning his mug shot on Christmas sweaters, gift wrap and stockings. Trump and his supporters have embraced the image of him intensely glaring into a Fulton County Jail camera since he surrendered on charges that he illegally tried to interfere in Georgia’s 2020 election.Trump’s campaign is hardly backing away from his status, offering items emblazoned with the mug shot almost immediately after it was taken in August, with nearly daily emails offering supporters a mug, T-shirt or poster bearing the image, along with the words “Never...

Sturdivant scores 21, leads big finish for Georgia Tech against UMass

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:48 GMT

HONOLULU (AP) — Kyle Sturdivant scored 21 points and sealed the win with a pair of free throws, capping Georgia Tech’s rally from a double-digit deficit to defeat Massachusetts 73-70 at the Diamond Head Classic on Thursday night.Georgia Tech closed the game on an 18-6 run in which Sturdivant scored eight points, including the final six.After trailing by 11 with 13 minutes left, the Yellow Jackets tied it on a layup by Baye Ngondo and again on a 3-pointer by Naithan George with 3 minutes remaining. Sturdivant then added a layup and a couple of free throws for a 71-67 lead with 16 seconds left. Rahsool Diggins’ 3-pointer cut it to one with 9 seconds left before Sturdivant hit a pair from the line for the final margin.Ngondo and Deebo Coleman scored 12 points each for Georgia Tech (7-3).Matt Cross had 17 points and nine rebounds for UMass (6-3). Diggins scored 15, Jayden Ndjigue 11 and Josh Cohen 10.Much like the first half when UMass took an early 15-6 lead, the Minutemen ...

Ja Morant has 20 points in first home game following suspension, Grizzlies beat Pacers 116-103

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:48 GMT

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Ja Morant had 20 points and eight assists in his first home game following a 25-game suspension to help the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Indiana Pacers 116-103 on Thursday night.Desmond Bane led Memphis with 31 points and also had seven assists. Jaren Jackson Jr. added 21 points and seven rebounds. Bane was 11 of 26 from the field and 5 of 12 from 3-point range, while Morant shot 7 of 15. It the second straight game all three have scored at least 20 points, both victories.“Having those two guys (Bane and Jackson) alongside of me who can pretty much go and score the ball at will at different levels is big time for us,” Morant said. “I feel like it makes us tougher to guard.”Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins added: “We’ve got a pretty good record when those guys score 20-plus points.”Memphis was still relishing in Morant’s return Tuesday night in New Orleans when he scored 34 points and made the winning, spinning layup as time expired. He was suspended by the NBA ...

Today in History: December 22, Lech Walesa becomes Poland’s first popularly elected president

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:48 GMT

Today in HistoryToday is Friday, Dec. 22, the 356th day of 2023. There are nine days left in the year.Today’s Highlight in History:On Dec. 22, 1990, Lech Walesa (lek vah-WEN’-sah) took the oath of office as Poland’s first popularly elected president.On this date:In 1858, opera composer Giacomo Puccini was born in Lucca, Italy.In 1894, French army officer Alfred Dreyfus was convicted of treason in a court-martial that triggered worldwide charges of anti-Semitism. (Dreyfus was eventually vindicated.)In 1941, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill arrived in Washington for a wartime conference with President Franklin D. Roosevelt.In 1944, during the World War II Battle of the Bulge, U.S. Brig. Gen. Anthony C. McAuliffe rejected a German demand for surrender, writing “Nuts!” in his official reply.In 1984, New York City resident Bernhard Goetz shot and wounded four young Black men on a Manhattan subway, alleging they were about to rob him.In 1989, Romanian President Nicolae Ceausescu (...

Kirill Kaprizov scores with 4.9 seconds left in OT as Wild beat Canadiens 4-3

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:48 GMT

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Kirill Kaprizov scored with 4.9 seconds remaining in overtime, lifting the Minnesota Wild to a 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night.Kaprizov took a pass from Marcus Johansson and beat Canadiens goalie Sam Montembeault to help the Wild avoid a shootout. It was Kaprizov’s third goal in two games after scoring twice against Boston on Tuesday.Thursday was the fourth overtime game for the Wild in their last five contests.“I just think our focus level, our poise and confidence in the tight games has looked good,” said Wild head coach John Hynes, who improved to 9-3-0 since taking over behind the bench. Defenseman Brock Faber scored his second career NHL goal, Matt Boldy also scored and Marco Rossi had a goal, two assists and a fight for a “Gordie Howe hat trick” to spark the Wild.Kaprizov was previously scoreless for six straight games before a two-goal night in Boston on Tuesday. He finished with three points for his 71st career multi-p...

The year ahead in 54 minutes

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:48 GMT

Listen on Spotify Apple Music Google Play EN_Google_Podcasts_Badge Created with Sketch. Acast Amazon Music For the final episode of the year, host Jack Blanchard and a series of expert guests look ahead to 2024 and what is certain to be an extraordinary year of world politics.The Spectator’s Katy Balls and the Times’ Patrick Maguire survey the election prospects of Rishi...

At least 5 US-funded projects in Gaza are damaged or destroyed, but most are spared

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:48 GMT

Less than a year before a Hamas attack out of Gaza sparked a war, one of the oldest and largest sports complexes in the Palestinian territories got a much-needed overhaul: brand-new basketball, volleyball and tennis courts, a soccer field, a running track and, for the first time, accessible bathrooms. It was a $519,000 upgrade, funded by United States taxpayers.Now, the roof of the Gaza Sports Club appears to be shredded to ribbons, its AstroTurf field crushed under the weight of massive tanks that can be seen in satellite photos obtained by The Associated Press.Since early October, at least five U.S.-funded community and youth projects in Gaza appear to have been damaged or destroyed, likely by the U.S.-backed Israeli military. However, both in the past and now, Israeli strikes in Gaza appear to have largely spared major infrastructure projects funded by the U.S. government, which has shared their GPS coordinates and other details with the Israeli military for years.Israel’s offens...

Key takeaways from AP report on US-funded projects in Gaza that were damaged or destroyed

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:48 GMT

Since Israel launched its offensive in Gaza following a deadly Hamas attack on Oct. 7, tens of thousands of buildings have been destroyed. Although most major U.S.-funded infrastructure in Gaza has been spared, an AP analysis of satellite imagery has found at least five sites built or expanded with U.S. taxpayer funds appear to have been damaged. Meanwhile, the U.S. government is sending billions of dollars to bolster the Israeli military as it continues its bombardment of the Gaza Strip.1. The U.S. shares coordinates of U.S.-funded infrastructure with Israeli officials.According to past USAID mission directors for Gaza and the West Bank, USAID works closely with Israeli officials to ensure that U.S.-funded infrastructure is spared during conflicts. Dave Harden, who served as USAID mission director from 2013 to 2016, said he worked “extremely closely” with the Israeli officials. “I would give them the coordinates and tell them not to hit it,” he said.2. Despite coordination, some U....

Prized pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto agrees with Dodgers on $325 million deal, according to reports

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:48 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Prized free-agent pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to a $325 million, 12-year contract, according to multiple reports.Yamamoto is set to join Japanese countryman Shohei Ohtani with the Dodgers, who signed the two-way superstar to a record $700 million, 10-year deal last week.The Dodgers did not confirm the agreement with Yamamoto on Thursday night. MLB.com and ESPN were among the outlets citing anonymous sources in reporting the deal.The New York Yankees and New York Mets were among the many clubs that pursued Yamamoto.It’s the third major pitching coup for the NL West champion Dodgers this offseason. In addition to Ohtani, the team signed right-hander Tyler Glasnow to a $136.5 million, five-year contract after he was traded from the Tampa Bay Rays to Los Angeles.Ohtani made a video pitch to Glasnow to join him in Hollywood.“It was important to Shohei that this wasn’t the one move we were going to make,” Dodgers Presid...

The Blue Mediterranean partnership: Advancing a sustainable future

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:50:48 GMT

At the recent COP28 in Dubai, we made concrete progress in our global efforts to combat climate change and protect our shared environment. For the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), a key moment at COP28 was the signing of the Blue Mediterranean Partnership (BMP) Statement of Intent, which signifies a cooperation agreement, with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Commission (EC), Agence Française de Développement (AFD), Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP), Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) as well as other donors and beneficiary countries. Central to the BMP is its Cooperation Fund, which represents a pivotal step towards a more sustainable future for the southern Mediterranean and Red Sea regions by initially mobilising an estimated €1 billion in investments for Blue Economy projects. Significantly, the UfM, which was one of the first champions of this vital initiative, will serve as a member of its governanc...