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Fred VanVleet eviscerates officials as frustrations run high for Raptors

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:35 GMT

Another night, another strong effort against a quality opponent and another loss. It’s been a frustrating season and a frustrating 1-3 road trip for the Toronto Raptors and safe to say, emotions are running high.On Wednesday night Fred VanVleet wanted the world to know he’d had enough — with the way he thinks the Raptors have been officiated at least.After Toronto’s 108-100 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, the Raptors point guard paused for moment, and said “I don’t mind, I’ll take a fine, I don’t really care.”The fine will be substantial as the calm, measured and forthright veteran proceeded to eviscerate referee Ben Taylor in particular and the state of NBA officiating in general in a manner unlike you’ll ever hear again.“I thought Ben Taylor was f—–g terrible tonight,” he began. “I think that most nights, you know out of the three [referees] there’s one or two that just f–k the game up. It’s been like that a couple of games in a row. Denver was tough, obv...

AP News in Brief at 6:04 a.m. EST

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:35 GMT

Major Russian missile barrage slams targets across UkraineKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia unleashed “a massive rocket attack” that hit critical infrastructure and residential buildings in 10 regions of Ukraine, the country’s president said Thursday, with officials reporting at least six deaths in the largest such night-time attack in three weeks.Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the barrage that came while many people slept as an attempt by Moscow “to intimidate Ukrainians again.”“The occupiers can only terrorize civilians. That’s all they can do,” Zelenskyy said in an online statement.The war has largely ground to a battlefield stalemate over the winter. The Kremlin’s forces started targeting Ukraine’s power supply last October in an apparent attempt to demoralize the civilian population. The barrages later became less frequent, with analysts speculating Russia may have been running low on ammunition. The last massive barrage took place on Feb. 16. U.S. intelligence doesn’t believe R...

Business backlash pushing GOP to weaken anti-ESG proposals

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:35 GMT

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Conservative Republicans who want to thwart socially and environmentally conscious investing are now being pushed to water down their proposals after backlash from powerful business groups and fears that state pension systems could see huge losses.In both Kansas and Indiana, where the GOP has legislative supermajorities, bankers associations and state chambers of commerce criticized the strongest versions of anti-ESG legislation currently under consideration as anti-free market.In Kansas, their opposition prompted a Senate committee’s chair to drop the toughest version of its bill — applying anti-ESG rules to firms handling private investments — before hearings began this week. The Kansas committee was slated to vote Thursday but could postpone action on a milder version of an anti-ESG bill after the head of the state pension system for teachers and government workers warned that it could see $3.6 billion in losses over 10 years if the bill were passed. And...

1 dead in Vaughan shooting, 2 found shot in North York; police investigating possible connection

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:35 GMT

Police are investigating whether two separate shootings, one fatal, are connected after the victims were found in two different locations, in North York and Vaughan.York Regional Police officers initially responded to the Dufferin Street and Summeridge Drive area near Highway 7 in Vaughan for a weapons call just after 3:30 a.m. on Thursday.Police told CityNews officers found a man at the side of a road with gunshot wounds. He was rushed to hospital, where he later died.A short time later, around 4 a.m., Toronto police say a man and a woman were found with gunshot wounds on Skipton Court, near Keele Street and Sheppard Avenue West, in North York. However, the shooting occurred in York Region.Paramedics transported the two victims to hospital with serious injuries, which police say are not believed to be life-threatening.It is not yet known if the weapons call in Vaughan is connected to the victims found near Keele and Sheppard. However, police confirm those victims were initially inj...

Simu returns, Nickelback rocks: What to watch for at this weekend’s Juno Awards

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:35 GMT

Some of Canada’s top music talents are headed to the Juno Awards in Edmonton this weekend.The annual celebration of homegrown music takes place over two nights in Alberta’s capital, with pop singer the Weeknd leading the nominees with six, though he’s not expected to attend.Most of the trophies will be handed out Saturday at a gala dinner for the music industry. The main show airs Monday on CBC-TV and CBC Gem — a shift from the Junos’ usual Sunday night slot in order to avoid overlapping with the Oscars.“Kim’s Convenience” star Simu Liu returns as host of the Junos broadcast, where a handful of marquee awards will be handed out, alongside performances from Jessie Reyez, Tenille Townes and a 50th anniversary tribute to Canadian hip-hop.Here are five other things to watch for on Junos weekend:  THE LEADERS: Among his six nominations, Toronto hitmaker the Weeknd is up for album of the year for “Dawn FM,” single of the year for ̶...

Tiger Woods' girlfriend seeks to nullify nondisclosure agreement

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:35 GMT

STUART, Fla. (AP) — Tiger Woods' girlfriend wants to nullify a nondisclosure agreement following a six-year relationship with the professional golfer.Attorneys for Erica Herman filed a complaint seeking declaratory judgment on Monday in Martin County, Florida, circuit court, according to online court records. The couple had been living together in the area, according to the complaint. Martin County is located directly north of Palm Beach County.Woods and Herman have not publicly announced the end of their relationship, which began in 2017. She had been seen regularly with him at major championships, such as the 2019 Masters he won for his 15th major and during his Presidents Cup captaincy in Australia later that year. ‘Shut your mouth’: GOP senator clashes with union leader during hearing But she was not at his Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas the first week in December, or at the Genesis Invitational he hosted at Riviera three weeks ago.According to the complaint, a ...

Increasing risk of strong storms Thursday night

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:35 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A slightly cooler morning to get our Thursday started courtesy of a sneaky cold front that nudged its way in yesterday.This front will briefly reverse course, moving north as a warm front today and allowing afternoon temperatures to return to return to the 80s under a mix of sun and clouds. NEW BLOG: Spring forecast: Will our wet season fix the drought? The cold front will then return to Central Texas later this evening trigger storms and showers along its trek south. Not everyone will get wet, but those that do could get some locally heavy rainfall.Storms start to organize along cold front Thursday nightStorms/showers along the I-35 corridor around midnight - 3AMA low severe storm risk is in place for our northern counties tonight into early Friday morning.Low risk of strong to severe storms in northern counties Thursday evening into the overnight hoursPotential for 0.5"-1" in isolated spots under heavier downpours tonightWe'll quickly transition back to the warm...

Crash involving children shuts down MoPac south of 290

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:35 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin Police shut down southbound MoPac between US 290 and William Cannon after two vehicles crashed early Thursday morning. APD said one person was transported to the hospital after the crash, which happened around 2:30 a.m.At least four people were involved. Police said children were involved in the crash but did not know how many children were involved.Police say the following lanes are closed as of 5:30 a.m.: WB 290 flyover to SB MoPacOnramp to SB MoPacSB MoPacAccording to APD, four people were in one of the vehicles. APD said two are in critical condition. It did not have information on the other two. Police did not have information about the people in the second vehicle.

Fire burns garage in western Travis County

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:35 GMT

WESTERN TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- Pedernales Fire Crews say they are fighting a garage fire on Angel Light Drive. It's in the 800 block of Angel Light Drive; that is east of Briarcliff along the Colorado River. The department told KXAN there are reports of several vehicles inside the garage but no one was reported to be inside. The fire was contained to the garage. The department asked everyone in a tweet at 4:46 a.m. to avoid the area for safety and let crews finish their work. It said it had reports that no one was inside the home.

Noah Feldman: Supreme Court’s skepticism of student loan plan has upside for liberals

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:35 GMT

The future is looking grim for President Joe Biden’s signature $400 billion student debt forgiveness plan. It seems almost certain that the Supreme Court’s conservative justices will accept the state plaintiffs’ argument that they have standing to challenge the program even though it’s far from obvious how it affects them.On the merits, the justices showed interest in two alternative legal theories of why the debt forgiveness is beyond the president’s power to do without Congress. Regardless of which one the court adopts, the program seems very likely be struck down by a 6-3 vote.That sounds bad for liberals. But on closer examination, the legal result may not be such a disaster for liberal principles of legal interpretation. Leave aside whether you think that the loan forgiveness is good public policy, a question on which there is room for disagreement, even among progressives. What’s troubling the conservative justices, legally speaking, is the ...