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Bob Raissman: Stephen A. Smith passing Charles Barkley as NBA playoffs biggest media star

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:45 GMT

ESPN’s coverage of the Stephen A. Smith Show, aka the NBA Playoffs, got off to a rough start last week with a case of laryngitis figuratively throwing water on SAS’ big audio dynamite.Just the thought of Smith, 55, losing his voice during the playoffs must scare the hell out of the Bristol Faculty. They have a lot invested in him. SAS is “the logo.” Clearly, when it comes to Mr. Smith, the Bristol Factory is not concerned with overexposure during the NBA playoffs. The only thing left for him to do is work courtside as a game analyst.Still, going into the postseason the suits added five alternative playoff game telecasts from his “living room” (“NBA in Stephen A’s World”) to Smith’s current Diner-sized menu, which includes the daily “First Take” show, “NBA Countdown” pregame program, appearances on “SportsCenter” and (separate from ESPN) his “Know Mercy” podcast on Audacy....

Arrests made in animal rights plot to disrupt Grand National

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:45 GMT

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Three people were arrested in connection with a plan by animal rights activists to disrupt the prestigious Grand National horse race on Saturday.All three were arrested on “suspicion of conspiracy to cause public nuisance,” Merseyside Police said.A 25-year-old woman and a man were arrested while protesting outside Aintree racecourse near Liverpool, where the famous steeplechase takes place.Earlier Saturday, a 33-year-old woman was arrested in the Greater Manchester area “in connection with potential coordinated disruption activities” at Aintree, police said. Their names were not disclosed.Animal Rising had called on protesters to gather outside the racecourse to demand an end to “animal cruelty for entertainment.” The group tweeted a video that it said shows one of its spokespeople being arrested at the protest.Police said they have been working with race organizers ahead of and during the Grand National Festival, which started Thursday.“We are aware of som...

No consensus on Syrian Arab League return after Saudi summit

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:45 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — After meeting in Saudi Arabia to discuss Syria’s political fate, a group of regional leaders promised Saturday to continue talks to reach a political solution to the Syrian conflict, but stopped short of endorsing its return to the Arab League.The meeting, which included top diplomats from the Arab Gulf countries as well as Egypt, Jordan and Iraq, was convened days after Syria’s foreign minister visited Saudi Arabia for the first time since the kingdom cut off diplomatic relations with Syria in 2012.Syria and Saudi Arabia said Thursday they were moving toward reopening embassies and resuming flights between the two countries for the first time in more than a decade.Syria was widely shunned by Arab governments over Syrian President Bashar Assad’s brutal crackdown on protesters in a 2011 uprising that descended into civil war. The breakdown in relations culminated with Syria being ousted from the Arab League.However, in recent years, as Assad consolidated con...

Man dead in Little Italy shooting

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:45 GMT

One man is dead after a shooting in Toronto’s Little Italy neighbourhood.Toronto police were called to the Bloor Street West and Delaware Avenue area just after 10:30 p.m. on Friday for reports of gunshots.Officers arrived on the scene and located a male victim that had been shot multiple times. He was pronounced dead at the scene.Toronto police said a suspect, or a group of suspects, fled the scene in a dark-coloured sedan. The Homicide Unit is investigating.SHOOTING:Bloor St W & Delaware Ave10:46pm– multiple reports for sounds of gunshots– officers arrived on scene– located a male victim with multiple gunshot wounds– male pronounced deceased at the scene – Homicide is now investigating– susp fled in dark sedan#GO828737^se— Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) April 15, 2023

Diar DeRozan was escorted out of Scotiabank Arena after receiving online threats

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:45 GMT

DeMar DeRozan’s daughter, Diar DeRozan, reportedly had to be escorted out of Scotiabank Arena by security on Wednesday after receiving online threats for her heckling of Toronto Raptors’ free throw shooters, according to TNT and Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes.Diar went viral after her high-pitch scream could be heard every time the Raptors shot from the free-throw line. The Raptors missed a total of 18 free throws which proved costly in Toronto’s 109-105 season-ending loss to the Chicago Bulls in the NBA play-in tournament.Diar DeRozan deserved her own highlight reel tonight ???? pic.twitter.com/nUMNKrGtVQ— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 13, 2023“As long as she was there with her father, I wasn’t worried about anything happening,” DeRozan told Haynes. “It was just a precautionary measure and I appreciate that.”Many on social media applauded Diar’s efforts, with some even calling her the MVP of the game.The Bu...

Explosive thrown at Japan PM at campaign event; no one hurt

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:45 GMT

WAKAYAMA, Japan (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was evacuated unharmed Saturday after someone threw an explosive device in his direction while he was campaigning at a fishing port in western Japan, officials said. Police wrestled a suspect to the ground as screaming bystanders scrambled to get away and smoke filled the air.Although no one was hurt, and Kishida continued campaigning Saturday, the chaotic scene was reminiscent of the assassination nine months ago of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, which also came on a campaign tour and continues to reverberate in Japanese politics. Kishida was visiting Saikazaki port in Wakayama prefecture to support his ruling party’s candidate in a local election, and the explosion occurred just before he was to begin his speech. A young man believed to be a suspect was arrested Saturday at the scene after he allegedly threw “the suspicious object,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters. Matsuno refused to comment on...

Storms possible east of I-35 this afternoon

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:45 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Overnight showers and thunderstorms left .10" to .33" from Austin to San Marcos eastward. Some of our higher rain totals.43" 5 miles northeast of La Grange.32" Rosanky.27" San Marcos Municipal Airport El Niño watch issued: Here’s what that means There will be another chance of showers and thunderstorms from our I-35 counties eastward beginning after 3 p.m. The dry line will be moving across during the middle and late afternoon hours. Dew points will be higher east of the interstate during the day leading to the better chance for measured precipitation. Strong to possibly severe thunderstorms late this afternoonSome of the thunderstorms could be strong to possibly severe. The Storm Prediction Center indicates that Fayette County has a SLIGHT risk for severe storms with a potential of large hail and damaging winds. The risk is MARGINAL for Hays, much of Travis and eastern Williamson Counties into Bastrop, Caldwell, and Lee Counties.Storms could be severe between 3 ...

Opinion: Colorado farmers will have the Right to Repair their tractors but what about everyone else?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:45 GMT

All across the heartland, farmers are getting their equipment ready for planting season. It’s a critical period; if you are going to maximize the value of your crop, you better get the seed in the ground during the two- to three-week optimal planting window. And if your tractor breaks down during that window, you better get it fixed — fast.For too many mechanical breakdowns, a fast fix is a lot harder than it should be. Tractor-makers lock farmers out of repairing their equipment by withholding necessary software tools, forcing farmers to use a dealer technician. That can lead to repair delays and equipment downtime of days to weeks, putting farmers’ crops–and their ability to make a living—at risk.Whether you own a tractor, a smartphone or a dishwasher, you should be able to fix your stuff. That’s the call of the Right to Repair movement, which has brought farmers together with consumers and even hospitals to call for an end to manufacturer-imposed repair restrictions. ...

Two Denver-area billboards lead to years of litigation and legislation

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:45 GMT

Two digital billboards at the intersection of I-25 and U.S. 36 have spurred a change to state laws and been the subject of four legal cases, the latest of which was filed two weeks ago.The litigious saga, which dates back several years, pits the Loveland-based billboard company StreetMediaGroup against the Colorado Department of Transportation. The state agency has fared far better than the company in their courtroom skirmishes.The patch of pavement northwest of where I-25 meets U.S. 36 has a street address of 7300 Broadway and plays home to Podium Karting and a Mastercraft boat dealer. In 2015, the property’s owner built two billboards, one facing I-25 and one facing U.S. 36.The following January, CDOT determined permits would be needed if the billboards were going to include ads for products that are not sold at 7300 Broadway. So, a subsidiary of StreetMedia applied. CDOT then denied that application, finding the two billboards would be distractingly close to on-ramps. From that o...

Bill would let Colorado enforce federal hospital price transparency rules

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:45 GMT

A bill in the Colorado legislature would let the state enforce federal price transparency laws, with the goal of getting enough data to create a cost comparison tool that more people are likely to use.Federal law already requires hospitals to publish lists of the prices they charge to insurance plans and people paying out of pocket, as well as minimum and maximum prices. They also have to post a list of 300 “shoppable” services and their prices for easier comparisons.SB23-252 would duplicate that requirement in state law, and direct the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing to assess if hospitals are complying. If they aren’t, the Colorado Attorney General’s Office would have the option to investigate them for deceptive trade practices.“Transparency and sunshine will hopefully in the long run lead to lower prices,” said Sen. Julie Gonzales, a Denver Democrat and one of the bill’s co-sponsors.The posted price files aren̵...