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Fragile cease-fire in Gaza is back on track after hourslong delay in 2nd hostage-for-prisoner swap

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:14:51 GMT

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — The tense cease-fire between Israel and Hamas appeared to be back on track early Sunday after the release of a second group of militant-held hostages and Palestinians from Israeli prisons, but the swap followed an hourslong delay that underscored the truce’s fragility.The exchange was delayed Saturday evening after Hamas accused Israel of violating the agreement, which has brought the first significant pause in seven weeks of war marked by the deadliest Israeli-Palestinian violence in decades, vast destruction and displacement across the Gaza Strip, and a hostage crisis that has shaken Israel. The deal seemed at risk of unraveling until Qatar and Egypt, which mediate with Hamas, announced late Saturday that the obstacles to the exchange had been overcome. The militants released 17 hostages, including 13 Israelis, while Israel freed 39 Palestinian prisoners.Thousands of people gathered in central Tel Aviv late Saturday to call for the release of...

Top diplomats of South Korea, Japan and China meet to restart trilateral summit, revive cooperation

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:14:51 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The top diplomats from South Korea, Japan and China met Sunday to discuss when to resume their leaders’ trilateral summit after a four-year hiatus and how to strengthen cooperation among the three Northeast Asian neighbors.Closely linked economically and culturally with one another, the three countries together account for about 25% of the global gross domestic product. But efforts to boost trilateral cooperation have often hit a snag because of a mix of issues including historical disputes stemming from Japan’s wartime aggression and the strategic competition between China and the United States.Meeting in the southeastern South Korean city of Busan, the foreign ministers of the three countries were to exchange opinions on preparations to restart the trilateral summit, ways to improve three-way cooperation and other regional and international issues, according to Seoul’s Foreign Ministry.In September, senior officials of the three nations agreed to restart ...

Opening statement: Top-ranked De La Salle turns back Southern California powerhouse

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:14:51 GMT

DUBLIN — The nightcap of nine games played Saturday at the NorCal Tip-Off Classic was a matchup De La Salle guard Leo Ricketts had eagerly awaited since the schedule came out.The Spartans, ranked No. 1 by the Bay Area News Group and 13th in the state by Cal-Hi Sports, opened their season against Southern California power Centennial-Corona at Dublin High.The Huskies, two years removed from winning the Open Division state championship, were ranked sixth in the state by Cal-Hi.De La Salle gave up the first basket, a 3-pointer by 6-foot-8 Arizona-bound senior Carter Bryant, and never trailed again after sophomore guard Ibrahim Monawar sliced through the lane for a 4-3 lead.The Spartans held off a second-half rally in which Centennial cut a double-digit deficit to one and prevailed 62-51, an early statement for a team that could be playing deep into the postseason.Ricketts, who had hot moments as a junior last season, particularly during a wild MLK victory at home over then-nationa...

Saturday Night Five: Smith bolts, Washington escapes and Cal wins big as the Pac-12 turns out the lights

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:14:51 GMT

Instant reaction to Pac-12 developments on and off the field …1. That’s all, folksWe’ll start at the end, with the last game of the last Saturday of the last season of Pac-12 football before 10 schools  scatter to the winds.The final final score: Cal 33, UCLA 7.The result changed nothing about the conference race — Washington will face Oregon for the championship next week in Las Vegas — but it was materially significant for at least one, and perhaps both participants.The Bears earned their sixth win and are bowl eligible for the first time since 2019, an impressive achievement given that they were 3-6 a few weeks ago.All the low-level grumbling about coach Justin Wilcox’s job security should cease and desist. The Bears have the right combination of offensive coordinator (Jake Spavital), quarterback (Fernando Mendoza) and tailback (Jaydn Ott) to succeed next season in the ACC. And they have a head coach who’s willing to embrace the challenge...

Schager throws for 320 yards and a TD, Hawaii beat Colorado State 27-24

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:14:51 GMT

HONOLULU (AP) — Brayden Schager was 30-of-43 passing for 320 yards and a touchdown, Matthew Shipley kicked a 51-yard field goal as time expired and Hawaii beat Colorado State 27-24 Saturday night.On third-and-3 from the Rams 45 in the closing seconds, Schager hit Chuuky Hines for an 11-yard gain to set up Shipley’s winner. Colorado State (5-7, 3-5 Mountain West) took the opening kickoff and went 75 yards in nine plays to take a 7-0 lead when Justin Marshall scored on a 21-yard run and Jordan Noyes kicked to 22-yard field goal to give the Rams a 10-7 lead with 9:27 remaining in the second quarter. Hawaii (4-8, 2-5) responded with a five-play, 75-yard drive that culminated with Tauaefa’s first career touchdown less than 3 minutes later.Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala ran for a 8-yard touchdown in the third quarter and Matthew Shipley kicked a 35-yard field goal with 13:32 to play that made it 24-10. Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Louis Brown IV with abo...

Min Woo Lee serves up a victory at the Australian PGA Championship

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:14:51 GMT

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Min Woo Lee started celebrating his first Australian PGA Championship title on the next-to-last hole Sunday when he put on a chef’s hat and did a synchronized clap along with the boisterous crowd before jogging off to the 18th.He narrowly missed par at the last but still closed with a 3-under 68 to finish 20 under for the tournament and a three-shot win over Japan’s Riyuka Hoshino, who also closed with 68.Lee, who is ranked No. 45 and comes from Western Australia, has made “let him cook” his popular catch phrase.And so, with a four-shot lead going into the final hole, he put on a chef’s hat and clapped his hands above his head in time with the crowd at the 17th, the so-called Party Hole at Royal Queensland Golf Club.He also brought the crowd alive with a long chip for an eagle at the par-5 ninth.“The best atmosphere shot I’ve ever hit,” Lee said. “That one, at that point, it was getting close.“I was in a pretty average position. To chip that in — it ...

George scores 25 points while fellow LA stars are quiet in the Clippers’ 107-88 win over Mavs

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:14:51 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Paul George had 25 points and nine rebounds, Terance Mann added 17 points and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Dallas Mavericks 107-88 on Saturday night for their fourth victory in five games.James Harden had just eight points and seven assists, while Kawhi Leonard missed his first nine shots before finishing with eight points for the Clippers, who didn’t need all four of their stars to shine. Russell Westbrook had 14 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, but the Clippers largely dominated with only George scoring consistently in a comfortable victory over the normally high-scoring Mavericks.“That’s the beauty of this team,” said Harden, whose only field goals were two 3-pointers. “On any given night, we’ve got guys that can step up and contribute, whether it’s with scoring or whether it’s other things. For us as a group, the only thing that matters is winning. So however that looks, there’s going to be different ways, different ...

Maryland police investigate deadly motorcycle crash in Waldorf

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:14:51 GMT

Maryland State Police have identified the man who died in a crash involving an SUV and a motorcycle Friday night.Officials said 33-year-old Kevin Thompson of Brandywine was driving a motorcycle near Crain Highway and Acton Lane in Waldorf, Maryland, when the crash occurred.At around 8 p.m., Thompson’s 2001 Harley Davidson motorcycle collided with a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox operated by 28-year-old David Moore of Upper Marlboro, according to a news release. Thompson was pronounced dead at the scene.An initial investigation by the department revealed that Moore failed to yield to oncoming traffic while turning left, pulling into the travel path of Thompson and his motorcycle.Officials did not detail any charges or injuries related to the crash, saying that an investigation is ongoing.Any who witnessed the crash is asked to contact Maryland State Police at 301-392-1200.The approximate location of the crash is included below. WTOP’s Ivy Lyons and Terik King contr...

Ott’s 100-yard kickoff return propels Cal to 33-7 victory over UCLA in Pac-12 finale

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:14:51 GMT

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Jaydn Ott had a 100-yard kickoff return, Jeremiah Hunter had a pair of touchdown receptions and California became bowl eligible for the first time in four years with a 33-7 victory over UCLA Saturday night in the final regular-season game under the current iteration of the Pac-12 Conference.Fernando Mendoza had a pair of TD passes and Mateen Bhaghani kicked four field goals for the Golden Bears (6-6, 4-5 Pac-12), who won their last three games after four straight losses.UCLA, which announced with Southern California last June that it was moving to the Big Ten Conference in 2024, has dropped three of its last four. The Pac-12 then was hit by a massive wave of defections in late July and August after the conference was unable to secure a lucrative television extension. Cal will join the Atlantic Coast Conference next year.The Bruins (7-5, 4-5) committed four turnovers that resulted in 13 Cal points. The loss will also increase speculation about Chip Kelly’...

Mayden accounts for 2 TDs, Browning kicks 4 FGs to help SDSU beat Fresno State 33-18

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:14:51 GMT

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Jack Browning kicked four field goals, Jalen Mayden had a long touchdown run and a short TD pass, and San Diego State beat Fresno State 33-18 Saturday night. Malik Sherrod ripped off a 62-yard touchdown run to give Fresno State a 7-0 lead with 9:19 to go in the first quarter. Browning made a 32-yard field goal about 4 minutes later and a 39-yarder on the first play of the second quarter before Mayden pulled the hand off on a zone-read and raced around the left end, down the sideline to make it 13-7 with 8:03 left in the second quarter and San Diego State (4-8, 2-6 Mountain West) led the rest of the way. Browning added a 41-yard field goal about 5 minutes later before Dylan Lynch connected from 43-yards out as time expired to cut Fresno State’s deficit to 16-10 at halftime.Sherrod scored on a 1-yard run that made it a one-score game with 10:08 to play but the Aztecs answered with 14-play, 78-yard drive that took more than 7 minutes off the clock and culminated ...