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20 and up: LeBron James defies time, propels Lakers to conference finals

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:51 GMT

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — As his NBA career approaches the dawn of its third decade, LeBron James plays almost exclusively alongside teammates who grew up watching him dominate their game.He has played against the sons of his basketball contemporaries, and he has played against one of his own 18-year-old son’s former high school teammates. That son, Bronny, is headed to college at USC in the fall, an achievement that sparks a father’s proud smile whenever he mentions it.Signs of time’s passage are all around the 38-year-old James, yet the new top scorer in NBA history is defying all conventional wisdom about growing older in his mercilessly athletic sport.When he’s fully healthy — which is admittedly true less often than he would like — the third-oldest active player in the league still sprints, dunks, throws no-look passes and competes with the intensity that has kept him at the top for 20 punishing NBA seasons.“Bron is just different,” Lakers big man Anthony Davi...

Denver weather: Cloudy, below average start to workweek

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:51 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Extra clouds stick around on Monday for the Front Range with below-average temperatures and the chance for an afternoon shower in the Denver weather forecast.Weather today: Overcast with a late showerCloudy skies will be over the metro area Monday with below-average highs in the middle 60s. Stray island dog saved by local woman now heading to Colorado Showers will pop up in the afternoon in the high country and they can move into the Front range in the early evening hours.Pinpoint Weather: Daily forecast on May 15. Weather tonight: Slow clearingThe extra clouds will exit the area Monday night with light winds. Overnight lows will be comfy and seasonal in the middle 40s.Pinpoint Weather: Overnight forecast on May 15. Looking ahead: Warmer with scattered showersTuesday is back to the middle 70s with more sunshine in the forecast. Evening showers are possible with an isolated thunderstorm. Wednesday is looking very similar with partly cloudy skies, highs in the 70s, a...

Neighbors describe overnight Pompano Beach apartment fire

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:51 GMT

Fierce flames shot through an apartment building near Northwest Seventh Avenue off Atlantic Boulevard in Pompano Beach and neighbors described chaos as they made their escape.Fire Rescue crews arrived at the scene after the blaze ignited around 3 a.m., Monday.Phylicia Eubanks said she was screaming in panic as she had no idea where she could go with her children.“I opened my back door and there was a bunch of black smoke,” she said. “I tried to go through my room door, but [the smoke] was worse. Then I just kept screaming, ‘I have kids,’ ‘Where do we go,’ and ‘How do we get out?’ several times.”More than half a dozen fire trucks blocked off the area as firefighters tackled the flames.Eubanks said she saw the fire get bigger and worse. The smoke was so thick neighbors said they could not see their surroundings.“None of us could really see,” said Briana Rivera. “We almost fell down the stairs trying to get d...

Taylor Swift interrupts ‘Bad Blood’ to defend concertgoer at Philadelphia tour stop

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:51 GMT

 Taylor Swift appeared to help a concertgoer in the crowd of her latest “Eras Tour” stop in Philadelphia on Saturday, and videos of the moment are circulating on social media.Videos from the show at the Lincoln Financial Field showed Swift interrupting her 2014 hit “Bad Blood” to defend a person in the crowd.“She’s fine,” Swift is first heard yelling into the crowd, noticeably perturbed by what she had seen. She paused again to say, “She wasn’t doing anything,” before yelling, “Hey, stop,” two more times.It’s unclear from the videos what transpired in the crowd to prompt the reaction, but Swift is seen resuming “Bad Blood” — perhaps an apt song for the moment — without a hitch shortly after the interruption.CNN has reached out to Lincoln Financial Field and a representative for Swift for comment.Saturday’s show wasn’t entirely full of bad blood. Other ...

Vice Media files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy ahead of planned sale

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:51 GMT

(CNN) — Vice Media filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Monday to facilitate a sale of the company and safeguard its future, according to court documents and a statement from the struggling media group.The company, which publishes news, technology and lifestyle websites such as Vice, Motherboard and Refinery29, made the filing in the Southern District of New York. The filing stated that the company had assets and liabilities worth between $500 million and $1 billion.A group of creditors, which includes Fortress Investment Group, Soros Fund Management and Monroe Capital, had made a conditional bid for “substantially all of the company’s assets,” Vice said. The lenders had agreed to provide approximately $225 million, and would assume “significant liabilities” upon closing of the deal.The sale process, which should conclude in the next two to three months, would allow other parties to submit “higher or ...

China sentences elderly US citizen to life in prison on spying charges

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:51 GMT

(CNN) — A 78-year-old American citizen has been sentenced to life in prison by a Chinese court on spying charges.John Shing-Wan Leung, who is also a Hong Kong permanent resident, was convicted of espionage and given a life sentence Monday by the Intermediate People’s Court in the eastern city of Suzhou, according to a statement on the court’s social media account.Leung was detained on April 15, 2021 by state security authorities in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, according to the brief statement, which did not provide details on his charges.The court also confiscated personal property worth 500,000 yuan ($71,797), the statement added.Chinese authorities and state media have not previously disclosed any information on Leung’s detention or the court process that led to his conviction. Cases involving state security are usually strictly handled behind closed doors, where the judicial system has a conviction rate of around 99%, according to legal observers.Th...

Column: Dusty Baker reflects on highs and lows in Chicago as he prepares to face the Cubs — perhaps for the last time

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:51 GMT

Dusty Baker said his life hasn’t changed much since his longtime quest to manage a World Series champion came to fruition last year.“The only difference has been life in the world,” Baker said. “I’m noticing now more than ever that I’ve gotten smarter now, according to other people.”After winning a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox on Sunday on the South Side, Baker‘s Astros return to Houston on Monday to begin a three-game series against the Cubs.It might be the final time Baker faces his former team, which he managed for four memorable seasons from 2003-06.Baker, 73, signed a one-year deal after last year’s title and doesn’t know what the future holds. The Astros could go in a different direction, or he might decide to hang it up and watch his son, Darren, play.Darren, a 24-year-old second baseman who was teammates with Andrew Vaughn at Cal, was hitting .346 entering Sunday with an .864 OPS at Triple-A Roche...

Chicago baseball report: Christopher Morel still measuring up with the Cubs — and will Liam Hendriks return to the White Sox this week?

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:51 GMT

A dismal Sunday afternoon ended a bad week for the Chicago Cubs and White Sox.The Cubs’ promising start in April has hit a road block in May, while the Sox remain in a free fall after series losses to the Kansas City Royals and Houston Astros.Every Monday throughout the season, Tribune baseball writers will provide an update on what happened — and what’s ahead for the Cubs and Sox.Liam Hendriks getting closerLiam Hendriks’ return to the Sox appears imminent, though manager Pedro Grifol wouldn’t give a date before Hendriks’ appearance Sunday with Triple-A Charlotte.“We’ll talk to him after and see where we go from there,” Grifol said Sunday morning.Hendriks struck out the only batter he faced in a 3-2, 10-inning win over the Durham Bulls.Hendriks said he originally planned to return to Chicago on Sunday and be ready for the series that begins Tuesday against the Cleveland Guardians. He allowed four runs on two home runs in two-thi...

Toronto mayoral debate set for tonight as polls show Olivia Chow widening lead

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:51 GMT

New polling ahead of the Toronto mayoral byelection suggests the race’s clear frontrunner is widening their lead.The fresh polling comes as some of the main candidates get set to participate in the campaign’s second debate on Monday evening.The top six polling candidates have been invited to the televised debate at the Daily Bread Food Bank in Etobicoke. Ana Bailão, Brad Bradford, Olivia Chow, Mitzie Hunter and Josh Matlow have confirmed their attendance. Former Toronto police chief Mark Saunders declined the invitation.The debate is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. and will be streamed live on the Daily Bread’s website.The latest survey from Liaison Strategies suggests the current frontrunner Chow’s lead is growing over other top candidates. The poll conducted Friday and Saturday surveyed more than 1,200 decided and undecided Toronto voters.The results have Chow with 20 per cent support amongst all voters and 30 per cent support amongst only decided voters. It i...

Fixing instead of replacing: Average age of vehicles on US roads hits a record high

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:51 GMT

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — With new and used cars still painfully expensive, Ryan Holdsworth says he plans to keep his 9-year-old Chevy Cruze for at least four more years. Limiting his car payments and his overall debt is a bigger priority for him than having a new vehicle.A 35-year-old grocery store worker from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Holdsworth would probably be in the market for a vehicle within a few years — if not for the high cost. For now, it’s out of the question.“You’re not going to get one for a price you can afford,” he said.Holdsworth has plenty of company. Americans are keeping their cars longer than ever. The average age of a passenger vehicle on the road hit a record 12.5 years this year, according to data gathered by S&P Global Mobility. Sedans like Holdsworth are even older, on average — 13.6 years.Blame it mainly on the pandemic, which in 2020 triggered a global shortage of automotive computer chips, the vital component that runs everything from radios to ga...