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England boldly picks Marcus Smith at fullback against Fiji for Rugby World Cup quarterfinals

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:13 GMT

MARSEILLE, France (AP) — England made the bold decision to start Marcus Smith at fullback for the Rugby World Cup quarterfinal against Fiji on Sunday.Smith, typically a flyhalf, was handed his first international start at No. 15 for the pool match against Chile in what was regarded as an experiment.England coach Steve Borthwick is going with the same ploy for his team’s biggest match of the tournament, with Freddie Steward — who has been a solid option at fullback for the past two years — not even making the matchday 23.Steward is reliable under the high ball but that might not be important against Fiji, whose attacking game relies on its power runners and offloading more than up-and-unders and an aerial threat. That might explain Borthwick’s preference for Smith, who has more flair as a broken-field runner.Owen Farrell reverts to flyhalf, meaning George Ford drops to the bench.___England: Marcus Smith, Jonny May, Joe Marchant, Manu Tuilagi, Elliot Daly, Owen Farrell, Al...

Czech parliament’s lower house approves government plan to keep ballooning deficit under control

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:13 GMT

PRAGUE (AP) — The Czech parliament’s lower house on Friday approved dozens of measures proposed by the government designed to keep the ballooning budget deficit under control.Czech citizens are a step closer to paying more for beer and medicine while businesses will face higher corporate taxes.In the 200-seat house, 108 lawmakers from the ruling coalition voted in favor of the plan, while 86 opposition members were against.When the government introduced the package in May, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said the proposed cuts, tax increases and austerity measures are necessary because the pace of the debt rise is “threatening.”Fiala said Friday the measures should reduce the budget deficit by 97 billion Czech crowns ($4.2 billion) next year and by 150 billion ($6.5 billion) in 2025.As a result, the deficit of 3.5% of the gross domestic product expected for this year should drop to 1.8% next year and to 1.2% in 2025. The package still needs approval from the upper house, the Senate, where...

Denver weather: Pinpoint Weather Alert Day for freeze warning

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:13 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Denver weather will stay cool and breezy Friday ahead of a freeze warning in effect. Friday is a Pinpoint Weather Alert Day with the first freeze of the season occurring overnight. Time to prepare your sprinkler system before the first freeze Pinpoint Weather advisories in Colorado on Friday, Oct. 13, 2023 (KDVR) Weather today: Cool with sunny skiesTemperatures start out Friday morning in the upper 30s and lower 40s.Slowly, temperatures on Friday will rise into the middle to upper 50s under mostly sunny skies. Pinpoint Weather forecast in Colorado on Friday, Oct. 13, 2023 (KDVR) Weather tonight: First hard freezeA freeze watch is set to go into effect late Friday through Saturday morning. During this time, temperatures will fall below freezing, making it the first hard freeze for the Denver area. First freeze in Denver: How to protect your plants from the cold Pinpoint Weather Friday night forecast in Colorado on Oct. 13, 2023 (KDVR) Looking ahead: Slow...

Hamas calls for worldwide protests prompting increased security measures in South Florida

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:13 GMT

In response to a call by Hamas leaders for a global “Day of Rage” on a holy day for Muslims, South Florida is stepping up security measures despite no specific credible threats. The call for worldwide protests has raised concerns and prompted heightened vigilance across the region. “We’re going to have a police presence throughout October 13th because of the threat,” said Rabbi Ariel Yeshurun of Skylake Synagogue. “We are asking everyone to be extra vigilant, cautious, and open up your eyes and ears.”Skylake Synagogue Hebrew School in North Miami Beach is among the institutions taking precautionary steps in response to the call for protests on a significant religious day. “To call on his believers — his followers — to sacrifice blood and soul to kill innocent people, on a day that is designated in the Muslim faith to prayer. It’s uh, I mean I think, it’s overwhelming,” expressed Rabbi Yeshurun. Rabbi Yoni ...

Alaska Airlines has created a coffee that it says tastes better in the sky

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:13 GMT

New York (CNN) — Drinking bad coffee is just one of the many downsides of flying. Alaska Airlines thinks it has a solution.Alaska has created a custom blend with Portland-based roaster Stumptown to make a coffee that’s immune from the altitude-changing effects that airborne-served coffee typically creates, including tasting bitter and weak.The custom coffee, a first for a major airline, will exclusively be served on every Alaska flight, including its regional carrier Horizon Air, by December 1.Taste and smell are inextricably combined and people’s sense of smell is significantly altered in the sky. Food and drinks taste different because pressurized cabins lower blood oxygen levels, which reduces the ability of olfactory receptors (i.e. the ability to smell). The extremely dry air of the cabin, with its humidity levels lower than that of the Sahara Desert, also affects the nose.To combat those effects, Alaska turned to Stumptown’s Holler Mountain, a medium-dark blend, for the base, ...

Oklahoma judge could be removed for her text exchanges during a murder trial

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:13 GMT

(CNN) — An Oklahoma judge may be forced to step down for allegedly exchanging over 500 text messages with a bailiff in which she mocked trial participants and talked offensively about the state’s attorneys while she presided over a murder trial in June, according to a petition filed Tuesday.Texts cited in the filing described Lincoln County District Judge Traci Soderstrom making fun of attorneys, jurors and witnesses and showing bias against state prosecutors while also showing bias in favor of the defendant and complimenting the defense attorney, the filing claims.The petition came after a probe into the judge’s phone use by the Council on Judicial Complaints.Soderstrom’s attorney did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment.According to the petition, Soderstrom was presiding over a first-degree murder trial. The defendant was found guilty of second-degree manslaughter, a verdict that Soderstrom accepted, and imposed a four-year sentence, time served, resulting in no ad...

France cracks down on pro-Palestinian protesters amid security concerns

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:13 GMT

Paris police used used teargas and water cannons to break up a rally in support of Palestinians in the French capital on Friday amid fears the Israel-Hamas conflict could spill over into France.Despite the French government’s ban on pro-Palestinian demonstrations in the country, thousands of protesters waved the Palestinian flag and chanted “Palestine will win,” “Israel murderer,” “Macron accomplice” and “we are all Palestinians,” French media reported. According to French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, more than 100 antisemitic cases have been reported in France since Hamas launched its surprise attack in Israel last Saturday.The protests follow French President Emmanuel Macron’s televised address in which he urged French citizens to remain united in the wake of the attack on Israel, which has killed 1,300 Israelis and more than 1,500 people in Gaza following Israel’s retaliatory strikes.Macron has said 13 French nationals lost their lives in ...

More than 1,000 Ukrainians seek evacuation from Israel, with 200 trapped in Gaza, Kyiv says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:13 GMT

KYIV — Viktoriia Gryshchenko, an intellectual property rights specialist from Kyiv, arrived in Israel only 10 days ago, looking forward to a temporary break from Russia’s war on her homeland. “But I only escaped from war into another war. And I say that with a bitter smile on my face,” said Gryshchenko, who had not left Kyiv since the start of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine more than 19 months ago. On the morning of October 7, she awoke in Petah Tikva, a city 10 kilometers east of Tel Aviv, just as if she were back in Kyiv on February 24, 2022, as Hamas launched thousands of missiles at Israel. In addition to rocket barrages, Hamas militants stormed into Israel, killing hundreds and kidnapping dozens more. In response, Israel launched a large-scale assault and siege of Gaza. “I can compare both wars. And Hamas is acting just like Russia. Identical attacks, identical atrocities,” Gryshchenko told POLITICO. “I can see this is the same evil that came...

J.C. Jackson gaining confidence back in return with Patriots

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:13 GMT

FOXBORO — It’s rare to make a plug-and-play addition in the NFL, but that’s exactly what the Patriots did last week when they reacquired cornerback J.C. Jackson in a trade with the Chargers on Thursday and had him ready to play 36 defensive snaps three days later.The Patriots lost 34-0 to the Saints, but Jackson didn’t have any major issues in his return to the Patriots’ defense 19 months after he signed a five-year, $82.5 million contract with the Chargers. Jackson allowed two catches on four targets for 15 yards, per PFF’s charting.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Patriots mailbag: What QB options are available after 2023 season? New England Patriots | Callahan: The Patriots defense can help the offense with this one fix New England Patriots | Patriots-Raiders injury report: S Kyle Dugger added to list of 16 injured players Thursday New England Patriots | Patriots downplay Jalen Mi...

Will Tyquan Thornton get thrown into Patriots’ injury-ravaged receiver mix?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:13 GMT

FOXBORO — The timing was impeccable for Tyquan Thornton’s return to practice from injured reserve this week for the PatriotsWith wide receivers Demario Douglas and JuJu Smith-Schuster missing two straight practices in concussion protocol, the Patriots need reinforcements fast at the position.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Patriots mailbag: What QB options are available after 2023 season? New England Patriots | Callahan: The Patriots defense can help the offense with this one fix New England Patriots | Patriots-Raiders injury report: S Kyle Dugger added to list of 16 injured players Thursday New England Patriots | Patriots downplay Jalen Mills’ tweet about reduced playing time New England Patriots | Two Patriots wide receivers trending toward missing Sunday’s game at Las Vegas DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne and rookie Kayshon Boutte are the only healthy wide receivers on the 53-...