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Polls open in Greece’s first election since international bailout spending controls ended

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:48 GMT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Polls have opened in Greece’s parliamentary election, the first since the country’s economy ceased to be subject to strict supervision and control by international lenders who had provided bailout funds during its nearly decade-long financial crisis.The two main contenders in Sunday’s vote are conservative Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, 55, a Harvard-educated former banker, and 48-year-old Alexis Tsipras, who heads the left-wing Syriza party and served as prime minister during some of the financial crisis’ most turbulent years.Although Mitsotakis has been steadily ahead in opinion polls, a newly introduced electoral system of proportional representation makes it unlikely that whoever wins the election will be able to garner enough seats in Greece’s 300-member parliament to form a government without seeking coalition partners.The winner of Sunday’s election will have three days to negotiate a coalition with one or more other parties. If that fails, the mand...

Debt limit talks appear deadlocked as GOP won’t budge on spending cuts; vote may require Dem support

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:48 GMT

By KEVIN FREKING, SEUNG MIN KIM and ZEKE MILLER (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — Debt limit negotiations between the White House and House Republicans appeared deadlocked during weekend negotiations, as GOP lawmakers held tight to demands for sharp spending cuts, rejecting alternative ways to reduce deficits. President Joe Biden and world leaders are keeping watch from afar hoping high-stakes discussions would make progress on avoiding a potentially catastrophic federal default.The Biden administration and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., are racing for a budget deal that would pave the way to increase the nation’s debt limit. Republicans are rejecting a White House plan that would impose less strict cuts while also increasing revenues. The two sides are up against a deadline as soon as June 1 to raise its borrowing limit, now at $31 trillion, so the government can keep paying the nation’s bills.“We’re going to get a chance to talk later today...

Loons net dramatic late goal for 1-0 win over Portland

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:48 GMT

Minnesota United manager Adrian Heath has continued to put faith in struggling striker Luis Amarilla; it is not paying off.With Amarilla held scoreless in nearly 70 minutes Saturday, the Paraguayan has not scored an open-play goal in more than 650 minutes this season.But Loons rising star Bongi Hlongwane remained hot and bailed out his struggling teammate with a last-second goal to give MNUFC a 1-0 win over Portland Timbers at Providence Park.Hlongwane’s 94th-minute goal Saturday pairs with his goal Wednesday, which was the difference in a 1-0 win over Houston Dynamo. The 22-year-old leads team with four MLS goals and two more in U.S. Open Cup play.After Hlongwane ripped off his jersey in celebration, he did the Robin Lod celebration, pulling and firing an arrow a la Robin Hood. It was a nice gesture for Lod, who was lost to a torn meniscus on Wednesday.MNUFC defense was stout throughout and were able to leapfrog the Timbers (4-6-4, 16 points). After going winless in six match...

Matthew Tkachuk plays hero again in another OT win for Panthers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:48 GMT

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Matthew Tkachuk finished a feed from Sam Reinhart at the 1:51 mark of overtime to help the Florida Panthers beat the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1 on Saturday night for a 2-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference final.Less than two days after scoring the winner in a four-overtime thriller, Tkachuk came through again, this time on the power play after a faceoff win by the Panthers. Sam Bennett sent a pass to the left side for Reinhart, who zipped the puck across to Tkachuk for the easy finish against a sprawled-out Antti Raanta.Tkachuk immediately skated toward the door on the boards leading to the Florida locker room, motioning to his teammates that it was time to roll out and celebrate.It marked Tkachuk's third overtime winner in the playoffs, which includes a Game 5 road win in the first-round upset of Boston following the Bruins’ record-setting regular season. And just like that, Florida won on the road for the eighth straight time in the playoffs — including star...

PHOTOS: Denver Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Lakers 119-108 in Game 3 of NBA Western Conference Finals

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:48 GMT

LOS ANGELES – This wasn’t what Hollywood had in mind.As the Lakers’ season all-but hung in the balance Saturday evening, Denver bulldozed into the City of Angels and re-wrote the script. Ugly, scrappy and united, the Nuggets took a commanding 3-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals with a stunning 119-108 victory.The crowd, dotted with A-list celebrities like Denzel and Jack, sat dumbstruck. With 2:13 left in the fourth quarter, and the Nuggets sitting on a double-digit lead, Lakers fans started heading for the exits.It was an ignominious ending to an ignominious showing from the Lakers, who prior to Saturday night, hadn’t lost at home during the playoffs.By virtue of a Jamal Murray’s 37-point showing, 30 of which came in the first half, and a collective effort so overwhelming L.A. couldn’t compete, Denver inched ever so close to its first trip to the NBA Finals.They can end it in Game 4 here Monday night.Click here to read more.

Kiszla: On the verge of their first NBA Finals appearance, Nuggets ready to kick it down that freakin’ door

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:48 GMT

LOS ANGELES — Pinch yourself, Nuggets Nation. The dream is real. For the first time in their NBA history, the Nuggets are on the doorstep of the Finals.Knock politely? No way. No how.After rocking the L.A. Lakers 119-108 on Saturday night, the Nuggets are ready to kick down that freakin’ door.“I’ve never looked at the history of the Nuggets as a weight or a burden. I’ve looked at it as an opportunity to be the first team to win a championship,” coach Michael Malone told me as we stood outside the Denver locker room after the victory.Eddie Murphy was here at Crypto.com Arena, with his feet on the floor near midcourt, wearing sunglasses. Indoors. At night. In an building drenched in Hollywood glitz, Jake Gyllenhaal turned the head of every lady in the house. And at 86 years old, Jack Nicholson is still so cool he doesn’t even feel the need to comb his hair.So many stars.But on this spring night in SoCal, Nuggets guard Jamal Murray outshined th...

Pedestrian found dead on Monterey Park road

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:48 GMT

Police are investigating after a person was found dead on a busy Monterey Park road on Saturday.Officers received reports of someone lying down in the middle of Atlantic Boulevard near the 60 Freeway overpass around 1:36 a.m., according to Monterey Park police.When authorities arrived, the pedestrian was unresponsive and pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators believe the victim had been struck by a hit-and-run driver.The victim’s gender or identity has not been released. No suspect description is known as the investigation continues.Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call Monterey Park police at 626-307-1200.

CCS softball playoffs: Willow Glen’s Clincy dominates, sets up showdown with St. Francis juggernaut

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:48 GMT

Open DivisionAlanna Clincy started the season as a closer for Willow Glen, splitting pitching duties with fellow freshman Lea Crawford.Midway through the season, coach Don Spingola pushed her into the starting role, a transition Clincy described as “rough.”But since finding her groove in late-April, opponents have been the only ones who have looked unnerved when Clincy is pitching. “I’m more comfortable because I was pushed to do it,” Clincy said.MILPITAS – Willow Glen pitcher Alanna Clincy throws a pitch. Milpitas and Willow Glen played in a CCS Open Division softball game at Milpitas high school in Milpitas, Calif. on Saturday, May 20, 2023 (Joseph Dycus/Bay Area News Group) She entered Saturday having struck out 42 over her last three starts, and that dominance continued at Milpitas in the Central Coast Section Open Division quarterfinal. Clincy K’ed 13 as No. 5 Willow Glen romped past No. 4 Milpitas 10-1.“She’s very calm and collected and she doesn’t let little things...

Hawaii-bound plane crashes off Half Moon Bay coast

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:48 GMT

A Hawaii-bound small plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean several hours after take-off from a North Bay airport, authorities said.In a statement Saturday night, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson said a twin-turboprop deHavilland DHC-6 flying out of Santa Rosa to Honolulu landed in the water off Half Moon Bay around 2:15 p.m.“Initial information indicates that two people were on board,” the statement read in part.According to a social-media post from the National Transportation Safety Board, the agency said shortly before 6 p.m. Saturday that it was investigating the crash about 40 miles off the coast.Preliminary flight data lists the plane leaving Santa Rosa airport shortly before 8:25 a.m. Saturday and flying southwest for just over two hours before abruptly doubling back toward California just after 10:30 a.m.Check back for updates.NTSB is investigating a crash of a Viking Air DHC-6-400 Twin Otter in the Pacific Ocean 40 miles off the coast of Half Moon Ba...

CCS baseball playoffs: Valley Christian makes most of opportunities against M-A ace

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:48 GMT

Division INo. 1 Valley Christian 6, No. 8 Menlo-Atherton 3Despite trailing 5-0 after only two innings, Menlo-Atherton might have at least a mild case of the “what-ifs” after losing to the Bay Area News Group’s No. 1-ranked team on Saturday.The Bears’ ace, Texas Longhorns-bound right-hander George Zaharias, had a rare bad game, lasting 4⅓ innings and yielding six earned runs, seven walks and making an error. But Zaharias’ off-day wasn’t the only reason M-A lost.The visitors outhit Valley Christian 11-6, but 10 of those knocks were singles. The Warriors, meanwhile, turned a few of those walks into the equivalent of extra base hits with six steals.Valley Christian starting pitcher Michael Castaneda also worked 4⅓ innings. He allowed two runs and starred at the plate with a double and two RBI, one on a sacrifice fly. He picked up the win while Jacob Hudson pitched the seventh for the save.Davis Phillips had three hits for M-A. Rowan Kelly and Trevor Heinz each had two.The Warriors (27-3...