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Unbeaten France has lots of reasons to be worried about Italy in crunch Rugby World Cup match

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:49 GMT

Title contender France has plenty of reasons to be concerned about Italy in their crunch Rugby World Cup match on Friday in Lyon.Both are chasing a quarterfinal spot. France is unbeaten and is looking to top Pool A. Italy has lots of motivation.Italy was caned by New Zealand 96-17 last week in Lyon but the Azzurri are usually thrashed by the All Blacks. Italy has no fear factor at all, though, when it comes to neighbor France.Their derby is often feisty, and the All Blacks did France no favor by riling up Italy to save some face for the humiliation they suffered a week ago.“We are looking forward to a chance this week to at least get a performance that has a lot more respectability,” Italy coach Kieran Crowley says.This could be Crowley’s last game in charge of Italy. He was hired from Treviso in May 2021 after the disastrous 16-month reign of Franco Smith. Crowley transformed the team’s fortunes by improving their fitness, discipline and attack and selecting promising stars.N...

‘It’s scary out here’: DC residents weigh in on city’s steps to tackle violent crime

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:49 GMT

toggle audio on and off change volume download audio As D.C. grapples with an uptick in violent crime, WTOP's Mike Murillo spoke to some residents in Ward 8 who don't feel steps taken by lawmakers and police are turning things around. $(function () { $('.wtop-audio-container .fa-play').on('click', function(){ var audio_filename = $('div.wtop-audio-file').data("mp3-url"); ga('send', 'event', 'Audio', 'play', audio_filename); }); }); The D.C. Council took steps Tuesday that effectively extended several emergency crime bills through the spring, but many people who live in areas most impacted by crime don’t feel the work the c...

One MCC member expelled and two others get long bans after clashing with Australia players in Ashes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:49 GMT

LONDON (AP) — The Marylebone Cricket Club expelled one member and handed long suspensions to two others on Thursday following their clashes with Australia’s players during an Ashes test at Lord’s in July.There were unprecedented scenes of uproar at the home of cricket after Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey threw down the stumps when England batter Jonny Bairstow wandered out of his crease without checking if the ball was dead.The crowd accused Australia of cheating and Australian players Usman Khawaja and David Warner were abused in the Long Room by MCC members as they returned to their dressing room.The MCC, which owns Lord’s and is the custodian and arbiter of the laws of cricket, apologized and said Carey was in the right, even if many, including players in the England team and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, believed Australia broke the unwritten “spirit of cricket.”Three unnamed MCC members were punished after being charged with “abusive, offensive or inappropr...

Denver weather: More sunshine and fall-like temperatures

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:49 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Abundant sunshine will be across the Front Range on Thursday with below-average highs in the upper 60s in the Denver weather forecast. Weather today: Lots of sunshineEven though Denver will see plenty of sunshine on Thursday, temperatures will be a few degrees below average in the upper 60s. Going leaf-peeping? Here’s where FOX31 recommends stopping Winds will be light through the afternoon, making it a comfortable day.Pinpoint Weather: Daily forecast on Oct. 5 Weather tonight: Early morning cloudsDenver starts the night with clear skies, but a boundary moves in from the north overnight, adding clouds. Winds will pick up as the clouds move in with lows around the 40-degree mark.Pinpoint Weather: Overnight forecast on Oct. 5 Looking ahead: Dry and mild weekendEarly clouds will slowly clear through Friday afternoon, but it will be fairly cool as highs struggle to get out of the upper 50s. Photos: Leaf-peeping across Summit County Temperatures rebound through the ...

Taste America: A culinary celebration of Miami’s diverse flavors

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:49 GMT

It’s been said many times, Miami is a melting pot of different cultures and we’re all just melting too. But now we get to taste all of the ingredients inside of that melting pot. The James Beard Foundation is inviting all of South Florida out for an event that will make your taste buds sing. Foodies make room in your bellies because Taste America is coming.Lauren Melamed: Taste America is apart of the James Beard Foundation Culinary Series, where they celebrate some of the top chefs in each city.On October 10, ten local chefs will cook up some of their most unique dishes that showcase Miami’s diverse culinary scene.Lauren Melamed: This is the most marquee quintessential walk around tasting, where you are going to be getting the best flavors in Miami.But don’t just take our word for it. Ask some of the chefs. Chef Tristan Epps: I’m going to be representing some of the Afro Caribbean flare we have here in Miami. Tristan Epps of the Ocean Social restaurant...

EU to US: Help, we can’t cope without you on Ukraine

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:49 GMT

GRANADA, Spain — Top EU officials have a message for Washington after Republican lawmakers blocked a new aid package for Ukraine: We need you to help Kyiv hold its own against Russia.Arriving in Granada, Spain, for a gathering of European leaders, the bloc’s top diplomat Josep Borrell said Europe wouldn’t be able to shoulder the entire burden of foreign support for Ukraine on its own.“Europe cannot fill the gap of the U.S.,” he told journalists a few days after congressional Republicans refused to approve a stopgap funding measure for Kyiv. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen struck a similar tone, underscoring that the EU plans to approve €50 billion in support for Ukraine in the coming months but that Washington’s help remains crucial.“I am very confident in support for Ukraine from the United States,” she said, adding that what remained unclear was the timing of when the support would arrive. Charles Michel, the Europe...

Britain’s Labour Party is winning over business chiefs, poll suggests

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:49 GMT

LONDON — Labour leader Keir Starmer’s pre-election love-in with business is continuing to bear fruit, according to a new poll.The focaldata survey, carried out for Lodestone Communications and shared with POLITICO’s London Influence newsletter, comes as both parties seek to repair battered ties with business after a chaotic few years in Westminster.Nearly half (49 percent) of the 751 C-suite business representatives surveyed now believe Starmer, the U.K. opposition leader, is most “in touch” with the needs of businesses and employers. That compares with just 34 percent who think Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is most in touch with business needs — and represents an increase of 7 percentage points for Starmer since April.The survey also finds that 70 percent of business leaders expect a Labour majority at the next election — down just 1 percentage point in the last six months — with almost two-thirds (64 percent) expressing some level of optimism at the prospect.T...

MEPs confirm EU’s new climate chiefs

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:49 GMT

Lawmakers in the European Parliament have approved Maroš Šefčovič and Wopke Hoekstra as the EU’s new climate leadership duo. During a plenary session in Strasbourg, MEPs voted for Hoekstra’s appointment as climate action commissioner by 279 to 173 with 33 abstentions, and in favor of Šefčovič as new Green Deal chief by 322 to 158 with 37 abstentions. They replace Frans Timmermans, who quit the Commission in August to run in the upcoming Dutch election. Both can now formally take up their jobs; Hoekstra is expected to represent the EU at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai starting November 30. The vote came after hours-long fractious hearings that saw conservatives and Socialists threatening to vote down each other’s candidates. Former Dutch foreign minister Hoekstra belongs to the center-right European People’s Party, while Šefčovič is a Slovak Social Democrat. MEPs in the environment committee, however, eventually approved both candidates — with the...

The 10 best moments from the Orioles’ historic 2023 regular season

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:49 GMT

During the rebuild, coming up with 10 great moments from an Orioles season would’ve been a herculean task.This year, keeping it to 10 is the challenge.In a season with 101 wins, 48 comebacks, 11 extra-inning wins, six walk-offs, five prospect debuts, four All-Stars, two clinch celebrations and one playoff appearance, the 2023 Orioles provided more than their fair share of memorable moments.Here are the 10 best, in chronological order.Adley Rutschman’s 5-for-5 opening day at Fenway ParkEntering the season, the Orioles were expected to win about 75-78 games, according to projections systems and sportsbooks. Rutschman’s dominant performance on opening day kicked off the season and was the first piece of evidence that the Orioles were ready to exceed expectations.The second-year catcher made history in the Orioles’ 10-9 win over the Boston Red Sox on March 30. He went 5-for-5 with a home run to become the first hitter to do so on opening day since 1937. Since...

Russia launches more drone attacks as Ukrainian President Zelenskyy attends a European forum

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:49 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia targeted Ukraine with drones in another massive attack early Thursday as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to Spain to rally support from Western allies at a summit of some 50 European leaders.Ukraine’s air force said that the country’s air defenses intercepted 24 out of 29 Iranian-made drones that Russia launched at the southern Odesa, Mykolaiv and Kirovohrad regions.Andriy Raykovych, the head of the Kirovohrad regional administration, said that an infrastructure facility in the region was struck and emergency services were deployed to put out a fire. He said there were no casualties.The attack came as Zelenskyy arrived in Granada in southern Spain to attend a summit of the European Political Community, which was formed in the wake of Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.“The key for us, especially before winter, is to strengthen air defense, and there is already a basis for new agreements with partners,” he said in a statement pos...