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Pac-12 picks: Washington’s history of desert doom in spotlight as Huskies visit Tucson

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:24 GMT

It’s hardly uncommon for Pac-12 teams to struggle in specific venues, or against certain opponents. Oregon, for instance, has experienced remarkable difficulty against Stanford over the years. Washington State has dominated its series with Oregon State of late.In Washington’s case, there’s an unexpected antagonist. It’s not a team or a stadium. It’s a state. UW has a longstanding aversion to playing in Arizona.And guess where the seventh-ranked Huskies are headed this week?In advance of UW’s tangle with unranked Arizona, the Hotline examined two decades of points spreads and results of games in Tucson and Tempe.The picture is uglier than we imagined.The Huskies have played 17 games in the desert in the past 20 years and are 4-13 against the spread.In the Pac-12’s expansion era, which began in 2011, they are just 2-7 against the betting line when visiting Arizona and Arizona State.Perhaps it’s the heat. Or the travel. Or a lack of motivation. It could be...

Oakland pedestrian struck, killed by stolen car on International Boulevard

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:24 GMT

(KRON) -- A pedestrian was killed after being struck by a stolen vehicle and a second car on International Boulevard in Oakland Tuesday night, police said.The deadly accident happened around 9:30 p.m. "When officers arrived, they learned that a vehicle was traveling westbound in the 5400 block of International Boulevard when it struck a pedestrian in the roadway. The impact from the collision pushed the pedestrian further into the roadway where a second vehicle struck the pedestrian," Oakland Police Department officer Darryl Rodgers wrote.The stolen vehicle became disabled from the collision's impact. Multiple people who were inside the vehicle bolted out on foot and fled the scene, Rodgers said.The second vehicle also fled the scene after striking the pedestrian, according to police. The victim was left behind and died at the scene. Police said the first vehicle that hit the victim had been reported as stolen from a neighboring city.  Officers said they found th...

Bay FC announces new head coach

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:24 GMT

(KRON) – The National Women’s Soccer League’s newest professional sports franchise has announced Albertin Montoya as the Bay Football Club’s first head coach.Originally from Cuba, Montoya relocated to the Bay Area at the age of six. Montoya has experience and success coaching at the professional, collegiate, and youth national and club level. Montoya also was recognized as the Soccer America Women’s Coach of the Year and FIFA Women’s World Coach of the Year finalist in 2010. In addition to his professional coaching career, Montoya founded Montoya Soccer Academy, an elite youth soccer program based in Los Altos, California. Soccer star Paulinho becomes torchbearer in Brazil for his sometimes-persecuted Afro-Brazilian faith Montoya plans to begin his role immediately to develop the club’s complete coaching staff and roster.“As the inaugural Head Coach of Bay FC, I’m honored to be a part of the foundation upon which our team’s history will be built,” said Bay FC Head Coach Albertin ...

Menendez Indictment Looks Like Egypt Recruiting Intelligence Source, Say Former CIA Officials

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:24 GMT

Media coverage of embattled New Jersey Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez’s indictment has focused on things like gold bars and wads of cash found stuffed in his clothing — the cartoonish elements of the corruption allegations leveled by the Department of Justice.National security experts, however, say the indictment’s reference to Egyptian intelligence officials and Menendez’s disclosure of “highly sensitive” and “non-public” information to Egyptian officials suggest that, more than a garden-variety corruption scheme, there may be an intelligence element to the charges.Egypt’s elicitation of information resembles a textbook recruitment pass, an intelligence operation intended to recruit an asset, four former CIA officers told The Intercept.According to the indictment, Menendez, chair of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was sometimes asked to supply information to an Egyptian businessman who would then communicate it to Egyptian officials. The most sensitive information Me...

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg kicks off developer conference with focus on AI, virtual reality

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:24 GMT

MENLO PARK, California (AP) — Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg kicked off the tech giant’s Connect developer conference on Wednesday with a focus on virtual and augmented reality and artificial intelligence. The company, which renamed itself Meta two years ago, unveiled the next version of its virtual reality headset, the Quest 3. It will cost $499 and begin shipping Oct. 10. Standing in a courtyard at his company’s Menlo Park, California headquarters, Zuckerberg told the audience of developers, employees and journalists that Meta is “focused on building the future of human connection” — and painted a near-future where people interact with hologram versions of their friends or coworkers and with AI bots built to assist them.“Soon the physical and digital will come together in what we call the metaverse,” he said. Zuckerberg introduced an AI personal assistant people can interact with using any of Meta’s messaging apps — along with a smattering of AI characters he called “a bit m...

After Ireland loss, Springboks to test Rugby World Cup readiness of Pollard against Tonga

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:24 GMT

TOULON, France (AP) — South Africa will assess the Rugby World Cup readiness of flyhalf Handre Pollard after selecting him on Wednesday to start in the final pool game against Tonga for his first test in more than a year.Pollard was added to the squad as an injury replacement and became a likely starter against Tonga after questions were raised over the Springboks’ goal-kicking in the defeat to top-ranked Ireland last weekend.Pollard is in line for his first international since August 2022. Defending champion South Africa still needs to confirm its place in the quarterfinals.The Springboks made 12 changes in all from the starting team that lost to the Irish 13-8, with only captain Siya Kolisi, lock Eben Etzebeth and No. 8 Jasper Wiese retained. Veteran No. 8 Duane Vermeulen starts at flanker.Pollard is the pivot in what’s otherwise the same backline that played against minnow Romania two games ago, with scrumhalf Grant Williams again on the right wing.Deon Fourie, who ca...

Colts QB Anthony Richardson takes next step in concussion protocol by returning to practice

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:24 GMT

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson was back on the practice field Wednesday.Whether he starts Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams is still to be determined.Coach Shane Steichen told reporters the highly touted rookie would take all the snaps with Indy’s starting offense, clearing another hurdle in the concussion protocol before reclaiming his starting job.“They’re still in the protocol still but they’re going to practice today,” Steichen said, referring to Richardson and three-time Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly, who both missed last weekend’s 22-19 overtime victory at Baltimore.Neither Richardson nor Kelly spoke with reporters Wednesday. Richardson, the fourth overall pick in April’s draft, was selected as the starter in mid-August. He started each of Indy’s first two games but couldn’t finish either because of injuries.In the season-opening loss to Jacksonville, Richardson left in the final minute with what he described as a bruised knee ...

Maxwell bowls Australia to consolation win against India in third ODI ahead of Cricket World Cup

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:24 GMT

RAJKOT, India (AP) — Glenn Maxwell returned from injury to help Australia snap its five-match losing streak with a 66-run win over India in their third and final ODI on Wednesday as both teams finalized preparations for the upcoming Cricket World Cup.India had already won the series, which finished 2-1 to the hosts.All-rounder Maxwell claimed 4-40 in 10 overs of spin as India was bowled out for 286 in 49.4 overs in an unconvincing pursuit of Australia’s 352-7 after the visitors chose to bat first.“It is nice to get some momentum going into the ODI World Cup. I have put in a lot of hard work to get fit,” Maxwell said. “The idea was to chop and change with Mitchell Marsh (who didn’t field or bowl). We will be as flexible as possible and that will be the role of all-rounders in the World Cup.”Marsh’s 84-ball 96 with three sixes and 13 fours had earlier helped Australia rectify its batting issues and fellow opener David Warner (56 in 34) also scored his third successive half-centu...

Stock market today: Wall Street loses more ground amid ongoing September swoon

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:24 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street continued losing ground Wednesday as stocks continued falling amid already sharp losses for September so far. The S&P 500 fell 0.7% in afternoon trading. It’s coming off a 1.5% tumble from the day before that dragged it to its lowest level since June. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 253 points, or 0.8%, at 33,366, as of 1:52 p.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.6% lower.Pressure on stocks continued from the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.62% from 4.55% late Tuesday. It’s been generally charging higher as traders accept a new normal where interest rates will stay high for longer. High yields mean bonds are paying more in interest, which makes investors less willing to pay high prices for stocks and other riskier investments.After more than a decade where the Federal Reserve would often cut rates in order to help the economy, still-high inflation is now discouraging the Fed from lowering rates quick...

Uruguay wins at Rugby World Cup after 3 yellow cards for Namibia

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:14:24 GMT

LYON, France (AP) — Uruguay made the most of three yellow cards for Namibia to win 36-26 and dash the Africans’ hopes of a first ever Rugby World Cup victory on Wednesday.A great 14-0 start had Namibia dreaming of ending a record 25-match losing run in the tournament but three players sent to the sin-bin in the second half helped Uruguay to wipe out a 20-12 halftime deficit.One of the yellows to replacement prop Des Sethie was upgraded to red with 17 minutes to go but the game finished 14 on 14 after Uruguay received a late yellow.Uruguay posted only its fourth ever win at the Rugby World Cup.Despite playing a fourth game in 18 days, Namibia made a quickfire start with some poor play by Uruguay contributing.Namibia stunned its opponent by taking the lead with barely a minute on the clock. An errant Uruguay pass was gladly intercepted by Gerswin Mouton, who sprinted 60 meters unchallenged to dive between the posts. Tiaan Swanepoel had the easiest of conversions.Namibia pulled f...