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Vatican: Pope Francis tasks cardinal with mission aimed at paving ‘paths to peace’ in Ukraine

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:23:37 GMT

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis has tasked a leading Italian cardinal with a mission in hopes it can “ease tensions” in the Ukraine war and lead to a path of peace, the Vatican said Saturday.In a brief written statement, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said that Francis had entrusted the mission to Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, who is close to the pontiff. Bruni said the timetable and the mechanics of the mission “are currently under study.” Just a week earlier, Francis held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Vatican. Afterwards, Zelenskyy, when asked about their meeting, indicated he thought that any mediation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who ordered the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, was impossible. At the end of April, flying back to Rome from a pilgrimage in Hungary, Francis indicated to reporters aboard the plane that the Vatican was involved in some kind of peace mission but declined to give details. “I can confirm that Pope Francis has tasked Cardi...

Small plane crashes in Croatia on flight from Slovenia, unclear how many were aboard

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:23:37 GMT

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Emergency teams in Croatia have found the remains of a small plane that crashed Saturday in a remote area, police said. The Cirrus 20 aircraft was found in “forested and inaccessible terrain” in northwestern Croatia following an hourslong search that involved 150 people and an army helicopter, said a police statement. Authorities did not specify how many people were on the plane. State HRT network says the search will continue overnight. The plane went missing from the radar earlier Saturday while flying from the Slovenian town of Maribor toward Croatia’s Adriatic Sea coast town of Pula, police said.The Associated Press

California woman searching for missing wedding dress

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:23:37 GMT

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. (KTLA) — A southern California woman is desperately seeking the public’s help in finding her missing wedding dress. Rebecca Nguyen, of Mission Viejo, is on the hunt for her wedding dress after a family member accidentally donated it to Goodwill.  Texas to charge EV owners $400 to register vehicles, $200 every year Nguyen got married in 2017 and she left her wedding dress at her parents’ house to keep it safe. Her parents later divorced, and in the process of them moving, her wedding dress was accidentally donated to Goodwill in Brea.  In a Facebook post that has been shared over 2,000 times, Nguyen shared her story and pleaded for the public’s help in finding her dress. "If you have it, please consider selling it back to me," Nguyen wrote. "I will pay more than you paid for it. You can even wear it for your wedding! I don’t mind sharing the joy and beauty of the dress. Please feel free to share this so I can get as many eyes on this post a...

Ed Sheeran surprises students at Florida high school with 'tiny concert'

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:23:37 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A group of students from two Tampa-area high schools were surprised by Grammy Award winner and singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran on Friday.Sheeran, who is set to perform at the city's Raymond James Stadium on Saturday, gave tickets to the students and played what he called a "tiny concert" for them.Sheeran also donated some guitars to the schools he visited."Times forever frozen still for a group of Middleton and Blake High School students," the school district posted on Facebook. "Thank you Ed Sheeran for stopping by and supporting our students!" Jimmy Buffett hospitalized, forced to reschedule concert In a video shared by the school district, Sheeran can be seen carrying a guitar into band practice while students finished rehearsal. Most appeared to be concentrating on their performance, and didn't notice he was there until their song was over."Thanks so much, guys," Sheeran said, before announcing he had "tickets for all of you guys to come" to his Saturday show...

Charley Walters: Twins batters are major leagues’ strikeout kings

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:23:37 GMT

Minnesota Twins starters Sonny Gray, Joe Ryan, Pablo Lopez, Bailey Ober and Louie Varland are a combined 16-3 this season. That’s pitching. As hitters, though, the Twins lead the majors in strikeouts with 438 in 45 games.Asked at a recent Twin Cities Dunkers gathering why Twins hitters lead the majors in strikeouts, chief baseball executive Derek Falvey joked, “Next question.”Falvey added that strikeouts don’t mean fewer runs, and that he expects the Twins by the end of the season to be somewhere in the middle of the majors.Meanwhile, the Twins’ Triple-A St. Paul Saints have the most strikeouts in all the minor leagues, 452 in 41 games.>> The first-place Twins are averaging 20,469 attendance per game, 18th in baseball.>> The Cubs team the Twins played the other day at Target Field has only one player — starter Kyle Hendricks — left from the 2016 club that won the World Series.Hendricks is the son of former Kellogg High and Minnesota state golf standout John Hendricks, 65...

Canada loses to Switzerland, US qualifies for quarters after 5th win at ice hockey worlds

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:23:37 GMT

RIGA, Latvia (AP) — Switzerland rallied from a goal behind to top Canada 3-2 in a clash of two undefeated teams at the ice hockey world championship on Saturday.Tyler Toffoli put Canada ahead midway through the second period on a power play but the Swiss answered with goals from Nico Hischier and Dario Simon in the frame.Andres Ambuhl stretched the advantage to two in the final period, then Michael Carcone deflected in a slap shot by Brad Hunt for Canada to reduce the lead to one with 3:38 to go.Canada pulled goaltender Samuel Montembeault for an extra attacker but the Swiss held firm.The United States shut out Denmark 3-0 in Tampere to stay perfect.Alex Tuch scored one goal and added two assists to earn the U.S. a fifth victory from five games.Cutter Gauthier broke the deadlock midway through the final period on a power play, Tuch doubled the advantage and Rocco Grimaldi finished it off with an empty net goal.Goaltender Casey DeSmith stopped 22 shots for the shutout.The Ameri...

Race horse’s death hours before Preakness extends sport’s woes seen at Churchill Downs

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:23:37 GMT

By STEPHEN WHYNO (AP Sports Writer)BALTIMORE (AP) — Death darkened the site of the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, much as it had the site of the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago: A horse was euthanized after getting injured during an undercard race at Pimlico, marring yet another big Triple Crown day for a sport already reeling after more than a half-dozen fatalities at Churchill Downs.Black barriers were propped up on the dirt track to shield the eyes of audibly gasping spectators as the 3-year-old colt, Havnameltdown — trained by back-from-suspension Hall of Famer Bob Baffert — was put down because of what a team of veterinarians termed a “non-operable” left front leg injury. All the while, 2Pac’s “California Love” blared from the infield speakers at what is intended as an annual day-long celebration of thoroughbred racing.The somber scene, which included jockey Luis Saez being carried on a stretcher to an ambulance that took him to a hos...

Broncos’ Justin Simmons “excited to get the ball rolling” with coach Sean Payton: “He’s been there and done it”

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:23:37 GMT

Broncos safety Justin Simmons looked at home bouncing around the third annual March for Peace at the Boys & Girls Club in Montbello on Saturday morning.He helped the final stages of setup for the event, shook hands, and caught up with friends and acquaintances as people filed into the event organized by teenagers Naja’Ray West and Nashara Ellerbee.This is familiar for Simmons, even familial.“He’s like a brother to us. We love him,” West said of Simmons.The trio has worked together for an extended period of time on community events and issues. Last year, Simmons played a role in nominating the teenagers for the NFL’s Changemaker Award. They’ve spent countless hours together and they show no sign of slowing down.“It’s the most rewarding thing about giving back, pouring into Nashara, pouring into ‘Ray’Ray’ and seeing them accomplish their dreams and their goals and to elevate those each and every year,” Simmons said. “Each year they’ve done this event, it’s just grown, ...

Kickin’ It with Kiz: Sean Payton more like Mike Shanahan than Nathaniel Hackett

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:23:37 GMT

What has struck me about Sean Payton’s tenure as coach of the Broncos is how quiet it has been. No stories about how he is buddies with the players or his special football analytics. It feels — dare I say — adult?— Brennan, BrooklynKiz: When the Broncos blundered by hiring Nathaniel Hackett, it couldn’t have been much worse if general manager George Paton had put a starry-eyed ball boy in charge of our local NFL team. As is often the case after a failed hire, the pendulum has swung dramatically in the other direction. Payton carries himself like a gridiron king. He’s supremely confident and domineering. Dare I say arrogant? Reminds me more than a little of Mike Shanahan. Does the way Payton conducts his football business guarantee the Broncos will get back to the Super Bowl? No. But it gives the team a shot it never had with Hackett. Clown time is over at Broncos Headquarters.Rockies manager Bud Black has a great job with great pay and no pressure...

Horse trained by Bob Baffert euthanized on track after racing injury on Preakness undercard

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:23:37 GMT

By STEPHEN WHYNO (AP Sports Writer)BALTIMORE (AP) — A horse trained by Bob Baffert was euthanized on the track after injuring a leg during a race on the Preakness undercard Saturday and sending his unseated jockey to the hospital.Hours before the second leg of the Triple Crown, favorite Havnameltdown buckled forward and threw jockey Luis Saez off his back during the sixth race, and continued running around the final turn in some distress.The 3-year-old colt was looked at by chief veterinary officer Dr. Dionne Benson and others, who determined the injury to his left front leg was inoperable and decided the horse should be put down, according to a statement from 1/ST Racing, which owns and operates the track.Saez was conscious and taken to Sinai Hospital for evaluation, complaining of leg pain, track officials announced. He was attended to by medical personnel on the track for several minutes before being put on a stretcher and into an ambulance.Havnameltdown’s death comes...