Live updates | US faces tough climb to end Ryder Cup losing streak in Europe

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 21:03:21 GMT

Live updates | US faces tough climb to end Ryder Cup losing streak in Europe GUIDONIA MONTECELIO, Italy (AP) — Europe has history on its side as the Sunday singles matches begin in the Ryder Cup. No team has ever lost a five-point lead on the final day. Europe needs to win only four points from 12 matches to regain the Ryder Cup.The first match is compelling enough — Scottie Scheffler against Jon Rahm. Not only have they traded places as No. 1 in the world this year, this is a rematch from two years ago at Whistling Straits. Scheffler birdied the opening four holes in a 4-and-3 victory.Scheffler is No. 1 in the world. The last No. 1 player to lose in singles was Rahm two years ago.Also worth watching is Patrick Cantlay against Justin Rose. The European crowd has targeted Cantlay for not wearing a cap amid an unsubstantiated report that it’s a form of protest for not being paid. Cantlay said there’s no truth to that and simply the hat isn’t a good fit for him.Cantlay had the last word Saturday night. He birdied the last three holes to at lea...

Flood Watch in Effect this Sunday

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 21:03:21 GMT

Flood Watch in Effect this Sunday We’re nearing the light at the end of the tunnel as we welcome October with some big weather changes arriving early this week, but before then more storms will be possible this Sunday.With the potential for heavy rain with totals as high as 6 inches in isolated areas leading to the risk for flash flooding in spots, the National Weather Service has issued a Flood Watch for metro and coastal Miami-Dade and Broward Counties through 8PM this evening.The morning will feature sunshine with scattered showers rolling onshore. It’s not until the afternoon when it should turn more active with scattered to numerous thunderstorms developing across the area. This is when the flood threat will be the highest. It’s not until the evening gradually improving conditions should build in with fewer showers and storms.Overnight tonight will continue to feature the risk for some showers, especially by the coast, as a weak front crosses through the area and heads south.By Monday, South F...

Revolution become 10th team in MLS history to go unbeaten in their first 15 home matches of a season

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 21:03:21 GMT

Revolution become 10th team in MLS history to go unbeaten in their first 15 home matches of a season FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Dave Romney scored a go-ahead goal in the 85th minute and the New England Revolution beat Charlotte 2-1 on Saturday night to become the 10th team in MLS history to go unbeaten through their first 15 home matches of a season.New England (14-6-10) is the only team without a home loss this regular season, with 11 wins and four draws. The Revs have won three of its four meetings with Charlotte, including a 1-0 victory on the opening day of the season.Charlotte (7-11-12) suffered just its fourth loss in the last 18 matches in all competitions, with 11 draws.Noel Buck opened the scoring for New England in the 64th minute.Karol Swiderski tied it at 1-all in the 84th before Romney headed home a cross by DeJuan Jones at the back post.The Revolution, who announced a crowd of 37,701, host the Columbus Crew on Wednesday while Charlotte plays Toronto.

Mountcastle leads AL East champion Orioles over last place Red Sox 5-2 for 101st win

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 21:03:21 GMT

Mountcastle leads AL East champion Orioles over last place Red Sox 5-2 for 101st win BALTIMORE (AP) — Ryan Mountcastle hit a tiebreaking RBI double in the seventh inning and scored on an infield hit to lead the AL East champion Baltimore Orioles to their 101st victory of the season, 5-2 over the last-place Boston Red Sox 5-2 on Saturday night.Baltimore (101-60), which hosts an AL Division Series starting Oct. 7, is finishing its winningest season since going 102-57 in 1979.“I want our guys to understand how great of an accomplishment that is,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “We won every series against the AL East. That’s an incredible accomplishment as well with all the talent, how good the teams are in our division.”After Boston’s Kutter Crawford allowed one hit in six innings, Josh Winckowski (4-4) gave up a single to Adley Rutschman leading off the seventh. Pinch-runner Jorge Mateo stole second standing up, and Mountcastle doubled to right with two outs for a 1-0 lead.Heston Kjerstad’s infield single that second baseman Pablo Reyes couldn’t field enabled Mount...

Patriots-Cowboys preview: Mac Jones, Dak Prescott and what to watch for Sunday

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 21:03:21 GMT

Patriots-Cowboys preview: Mac Jones, Dak Prescott and what to watch for Sunday Two years ago, the Cowboys pulled away from Foxboro with a shocking overtime win.The Pats had dropped a 35-29 finish to fall to 2-4. They eventually recovered and reached the playoffs. But somehow, now at 1-2, their future feels less certain than it did then.Back then Mac Jones was a rookie fresh off the first fourth-quarter comeback of his career amid one of the greatest seasons ever for a first-year quarterback. Today, Jones still lacks a signature win, with only one fourth-quarter comeback on his resume. The Patriots have again been installed as underdogs against Dallas in their first meeting since then.Dropping to 1-3 would only amplify pressure on Jones and the team, which escaped the Jets last weekend only by the mercy of a missed Hail Mary. A win in Dallas, of course, would represent much more.It would mean a statement made for a team proving itself in a pressurized season. Here’s what should make or break the Patriots on Sunday.When the Patriots runHello, old friend.Ez...

NFL Notes: How the Patriots learned Christian Gonzalez is a budding star

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 21:03:21 GMT

NFL Notes: How the Patriots learned Christian Gonzalez is a budding star Late in the first half of their loss to Miami in Week 2, the Patriots’ defensive staff approached rookie Christian Gonzalez with a laughable task: shadow 7-time Pro Bowler, 4-time All-Pro and likely future Hall of Fame wideout Tyreek Hill.At the time, Gonzalez was the only healthy cornerback atop their depth chart. The Dolphins led 10-3 and were about to open a 2-minute drill. That drive eventually finished with a touchdown, one Miami scored by pulling Hill away from Gonzalez and pitting him against safety Kyle Dugger.The Pats then trotted into their locker room, frustrated by their 14-point deficit; a starkly different feeling than what Gonzalez’s teammates experienced upon hearing his new assignment.“I was like, ‘Oh, here we go,'” Dugger remembered. “Because I know how talented (Gonzalez) is.”“Honestly, it was a no-flinch situation,” said Pats safety Jalen Mills. “All right, let’s do this. He knows what he’s h...

Ukraine aid is dropped from government funding bill. That raises questions about future US support

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 21:03:21 GMT

Ukraine aid is dropped from government funding bill. That raises questions about future US support WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional supporters of Ukraine say they won’t give up after a bill to keep the federal government open excluded President Joe Biden’s request to provide more security assistance to the war-torn nation.Still, many lawmakers acknowledge that winning approval for Ukraine assistance in Congress is growing more difficult as the war between Russia and Ukraine grinds on. Republican resistance to the aid has been gaining momentum in the halls of Congress. Voting in the House this past week pointed to the potential trouble ahead. Nearly half of House Republicans voted to strip $300 million from a defense spending bill to train Ukrainian soldiers and purchase weapons. The money later was approved separately, but opponents of Ukraine support celebrated their growing numbers.Then, on Saturday, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., omitted additional Ukraine aid from a measure to keep the government running until Nov. 17. In doing so, he closed the door on a ...

The UK defense secretary suggests British training of Ukrainian soldiers could move into Ukraine

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 21:03:21 GMT

The UK defense secretary suggests British training of Ukrainian soldiers could move into Ukraine LONDON (AP) — Britain’s new defense secretary has suggested that British military training of Ukrainian soldiers, which currently takes place in U.K. bases, could move into western Ukraine.In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, Grant Shapps said he was in discussion with the British army about “eventually getting the training brought closer and actually into Ukraine as well.”However, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was quick to rule out speculation that British forces were being deployed to Ukraine imminently. Shapps’ suggestion was not for the “hear and now,” Sunak told reporters, but a possibility “for the long term.”“There are no British soldiers that will be sent to fight in the current conflict. That’s not what’s happening,” Sunak said.More than 23,500 recruits from Ukraine have received combat training in army bases across the U.K. since the start of 2022, receiving instruction on skills including weapons handling and battlefield first aid. Earlier this year Britain’...

Nigeria’s leader increases wages to avert a strike that could shut down the government

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 21:03:21 GMT

Nigeria’s leader increases wages to avert a strike that could shut down the government ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria’s leader increased the wages of some government workers in last-minute efforts to appease labor unions whose planned strike this week could shut down government offices in all sectors of Africa’s largest economy.Low-grade workers will in the next six months be paid an additional 25,000 naira ($32) a month, President Bola Tinubu said Sunday in a nationwide broadcast to mark Nigeria’s 63rd independence anniversary. The increase expected to take effect this month takes the minimum wage to 55,000 naira ($71), still far below the 200,000 naira ($258) the unions had requested. The labor unions did not immediately comment on Tinubu’s announcement. The unions representing Nigeria’s government workers announced they will go on an indefinite strike starting Tuesday to protest the government’s austerity measures. In office since May 29, Tinubu’s policies aimed at fixing Nigeria’s ailing economy have more than doubled the cost of living for more than 21...

A populist ex-premier who opposes support for Ukraine leads his leftist party to victory in Slovakia

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 21:03:21 GMT

A populist ex-premier who opposes support for Ukraine leads his leftist party to victory in Slovakia PRAGUE (AP) — A populist former prime minister and his leftist party have won early parliamentary elections in Slovakia, staging a political comeback after campaigning on a pro-Russian and anti-American message, according to almost complete results.Former Prime Minister Robert Fico and the leftist Smer, or Direction, party had 22.9% of the votes, the Slovak Statistics Office said early Sunday after counting 99.98% of the votes from some 6,000 polling stations. Saturday’s election was a test for the small eastern European country’s support for neighboring Ukraine in its war with Russia, and the win by Fico could strain a fragile unity in the European Union and NATO.Fico, 59, has vowed to withdraw Slovakia’s military support for Ukraine in Russia’s war if his attempt to return to power succeeds. The country of 5.5 million people created in 1993 following the breakup of Czechoslovakia has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine since Russia invaded last February, donating arms and op...