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NFL views Spain as likely next European city to host a game, being assessed for 2024

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:40:15 GMT

Spain is a strong contender to be the next international host of a regular-season NFL game and it could happen as soon as 2024.The league is holding five games in Europe this season — three in London followed by two in Germany — and has targeted Spain and France as the next European destinations as it aggressively tries to expand its international footprint.“We’re certainly looking at the viability of places such as Spain and France in Europe,” Brett Gosper, NFL Head of Europe and UK, told The Associated Press in an interview. “That’s why we’re always firsthand looking at stadia and cities if they align with our strategic objectives in those markets.”Brazil is among other countries that the league has identified as potential hosts. ESPN reported Sunday that the league has sent officials to Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, as well as to Madrid, to gather information.When asked if next season is viable for a new city, Gosper said: “We don’t have enough information to say that with ...

Wonderland ride gets stuck upside down for 25 minutes with passengers on board

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:40:15 GMT

Passengers on a ride at a popular Toronto-area amusement park got more of a scare than a thrill on Saturday after the roller coaster they were riding on got stuck upside down for nearly half an hour.A spokeswoman for Canada’s Wonderland, north of Toronto, said the incident happened aboard the Lumberjack ride at around 10:40 p.m.Grace Peacock says 45 people were on board at the time, but had no information on how the coaster got stuck.Video posted online shows two maintenance workers attending to the fulcrum of the ride’s axe-shaped pendulums while passengers sit mostly quietly, all suspended upside down.Peacock says the park’s maintenance team managed to bring the ride back to the ground by 11:05 p.m.She says first aid staff examined all affected guests, and two reported chest pains, but they received treatment at the park’s medical centre and did not need any further help.Peacock says the ride is closed Sunday while the park investigates what went wrong.

Friend, community members remember ‘humble,’ ‘genuine’ Mountie killed in shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:40:15 GMT

LANGLEY, B.C. — Brittni Drummond’s three-year old daughter, Rikki, doesn’t understand why her “police officer buddy” has been showing up on television in the last few days.Rikki’s friend was Ridge Meadows RCMP Const. Rick O’Brien, who was shot and killed while executing a warrant in Coquitlam, B.C., on Friday.“She just pointed him out and said, ‘He’s on the TV? Why?” said Drummond, a mother of two living in nearby Maple Ridge. “I told her that he’s a hero, and she said, ‘He’s catching the mad people.’Nicholas Bellemare, 25, has been charged with first degree murder and attempted murder with a firearm in the shooting incident that killed O’Brien and injured two other officers.After the incident, Drummond wrote an emotional post on Facebook, detailing meeting O’Brien on-duty on Sept. 11 while watching Rikki bike around their neighbourhood.Drummond, responding via text on social media,...

Missouri says clinic that challenged transgender treatment restrictions didn’t provide proper care

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:40:15 GMT

Missouri officials struck back at one of the clinics that unsuccessfully challenged new state restrictions on gender affirming care, accusing the clinic in a lawsuit of failing to provide proper care for transgender minors even before the new law took effect.Missouri’s Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced the counter lawsuit against St. Louis-based Southampton Community Healthcare on Sunday, two days after it was filed in court. The ACLU of Missouri, which represented the clinic in challenging the law that bans minors from beginning puberty blockers and outlaws gender-affirming surgeries, didn’t immediately respond Sunday to the new filing. And no one answered the phone at the clinic Sunday.The lawsuit said Southampton’s doctors admitted in court during the hearing over the new law that they failed to provide comprehensive mental health evaluations to all their patients. Bailey’s office argues that violated Missouri’s consumer protection ...

Wisdom hits go-ahead homer, playoff-hopeful Cubs beat Rockies 4-3

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:40:15 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Patrick Wisdom put Chicago ahead with a two-run homer in the sixth inning, Seiya Suzuki had two hits and scored twice, and the Cubs helped their playoff chances by beating the Colorado Rockies 4-3 on Sunday.Yan Gomes also drove in two runs for the Cubs, who remained a game in front of Miami for the final NL wild card.Jordan Wicks (4-1) allowed three runs over six innings for Chicago in its final home game of the regular season. The Cubs have won three straight after dropping seven of eight.Brendan Rodgers and Nolan Jones homered for the Rockies in their franchise-record 99th loss.Gomes’ sacrifice fly pulled the Cubs to 3-2 in the sixth. Wisdom followed with his 22nd homer of the season, a 432-foot drive that chased Ty Blach (3-3).Daniel Palencia, José Cuas and Julian Merryweather held the Rockies to one hit over the last three innings. Merryweather pitched around two walks in the ninth for his second save.The Cubs swept a series for the first time since Sept. 4-6 agai...

Clevinger pitches 6 strong innings; Chicago beats Boston 3-2 to win 1st series since early August

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:40:15 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — Mike Clevinger pitched six solid innings, Elvis Andrus had a two-run double and the Chicago White Sox beat the Boston Red Sox 3-2 in a rain-shortened game on Sunday, ending a string of 12 straight series losses.Trying to avoid their second 100-loss season in five years and the fifth in club history, the White Sox took two of three from the Red Sox and captured their first series since August 7-9 when they went 2-1 against the Yankees.Adam Duvall and Wilyer Abreu each hit a solo homer for the Red Sox, who are on pace to finish in the AL East basement for the third time in four years.The umpires called for the tap after the sixth inning and the game was called after an hour, 43--minute delay.Chicago outfielder Luis Robert Jr. left with a sore right knee after stealing his 20th base. He has 38 homers and 36 doubles, becoming the first White Sox player with 35 homers, 35 doubles and 20 steals.Clevinger (9-8) gave up two runs and five hits without striking out or walking a ...

'Expend4bles' opens with epic flop, ‘Nun 2’ claims top spot at box office

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:40:15 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sylvester Stallone and Jason Statham weren't enough to save “ Expend4bles ” from a debut box office flop. The fourth installment suffered the action-packed franchise's worst opening weekend while “ The Nun 2 ” took home the top spot for a third straight week, data firm Comscore reported on Sunday.The Lionsgate and Millennium's film, also known as “Expendables 4,” pulled in a mediocre $8.3 million for the big-budget project. It starred several popular names, including Stallone, Statham, Curtis “50 Cent" Jackson, Megan Fox and Dolph Lundgren. It's been nearly a decade since the franchise released a film, which opened with $15.8 million and eventually grossed $214 million globally.But times have certainly changed, as the film barely placed second behind “The Nun 2," a horror movie that earned $8.4 million in its first week. It's been a solid start for that Warner Bros.' project — a spinoff from the lucrative “Conjuring” franchise. So far, the Mich...

Taylor Swift attends Chiefs game amid Kelce dating rumors

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:40:15 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) — Travis Kelce seems to be a man of his word. After weeks of rumors that the Kansas City Chiefs tight end is dating music superstar Taylor Swift, Kelce offered the singer an invite to watch him play. She seems to have followed up on the invite. Swift was seen in a box suite at Arrowhead Stadium standing next to Travis's mother, Donna Kelce, ahead of the Chiefs' game against the Chicago Bears on Sunday. The dating rumors between the two have been swirling for a few weeks. Travis Kelce addresses Taylor Swift rumors, says he invited her to Chiefs game Travis Kelce discussed the rumors on his podcast, "New Heights," with his brother, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce. “I threw the ball in her court and told her, ‘I’ve seen you rock the stage in Arrowhead. You might have to come see me rock the stage in Arrowhead and see which one’s a little more lit,’” he said. Swift performed two concerts at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City back on July 7-8 during her E...

Severe Thunderstorm Watch for parts of Central Texas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:40:15 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Temperatures have hit 102º in Austin at Camp Mabry through 3 p.m. and continue to climb. Highs today should reach 103-105º before all is said and done. This easily smashed the previous record high for this day of 99º set in 1926, 2005 and 2011. We've also tied the record high (so far) at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (101º in 2005).A Heat Advisory remains in effect until 7 p.m.Scattered severe storms possible tonightThe excessive heat will destabilize the atmosphere enough to develop scattered storms, some of them severe, as we head into the evening.Generally storms should develop first in the Hill Country after 5 or 6 p.m. and then drop southeast through the area. At least 60% rain/storm coverage is expected, but some areas may miss out.Storms develop after 5 p.m. in the Hill CountryStorm chances increase for the Austin Metro later in the eveningMost of the area is in a Level 2 out of 5 severe weather risk tonight with large hail and damaging winds the pri...

Austin artist to paint mural in France ahead of Summer Olympics

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:40:15 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Artist Fabian Rey is adding a splash of color to Austin's sister city in France ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics.Austin-based muralist Fabian Rey is heading to Angers, France as part of the Echappée d’Art project, an international showcase. He'll be painting a mural in the French city from Sept. 25 through Oct. 11 in an effort "to spruce up the city in time for the Summer Olympics," he told KXAN.The City of Angers' Echappée d’Art program offers artists from around the world the opportunity to come "breathe art into the streets." Some of Rey's previous work includes the 2023 Tifo for Austin FC's first home game of the season at Q2 Stadium, the new Austin PBS building and the wrap around CapMetro's first electric bus.