Bears receiver Velus Jones Jr. shoulders blame for dropped touchdown pass: “It’s real devastating”

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 21:02:35 GMT

Bears receiver Velus Jones Jr. shoulders blame for dropped touchdown pass: “It’s real devastating” INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Velus Jones Jr. slipped and fell on his rear while he slowed down for Tyson Bagent’s underthrown pass. Still, no Chargers defenders were anywhere near him when the ball fell straight through Jones’ arms, hit his chest and landed on the end zone turf.That dropped touchdown pass was probably the lowest point of yet another rough game for the Chicago Bears (2-6) — and nobody in their locker room was more visibly, gut-wrenchingly disappointed than Jones after Los Angeles’ 30-13 victory Sunday night.“It’s real devastating,” the second-year receiver said, his pained emotions obvious on his face and in his voice.“You prepare all week in practice and put in the work that’s needed, and you catch that 100 times after practice, 100 times on the JUGS (machine), and you get that small window of opportunity to show what you can do, and it don’t happen for you,” he added. “I feel like everything happens for a reason, and I feel like this is a ...

Passenger train slams into another in southern India, killing 13 people and injuring 25

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 21:02:35 GMT

Passenger train slams into another in southern India, killing 13 people and injuring 25 HYDERABAD, India (AP) — A passenger train crashed into another in southern India on Sunday, killing 13 people and inuring 25, officials said.The incoming train slammed into a stationary train in Andhra Pradesh state’s Vizianagaram district, causing a derailment of at least three rail cars, senior railway officer Saurab Prasad said.Prasad said a preliminary investigation found human error was the cause.Train crashes are common in India and are often blamed on human error or outdated signaling equipment.In June, more than 280 people were killed in one of the country’s deadliest rail crashes in decades when two passenger trains rammed into each other in eastern India.More than 12 million people ride 14,000 trains across India every day, traveling on 64,000 kilometers (40,000 miles) of track.Source

India police detain man as suspect in explosion that killed 3 people at Jehovah’s Witness gathering

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 21:02:35 GMT

India police detain man as suspect in explosion that killed 3 people at Jehovah’s Witness gathering NEW DELHI (AP) — Police in southern India detained a man for suspected involvement in setting off explosives at a Jehovah’s Witness gathering in southern India that killed at least three people and wounded 50 others, authorities said Monday.Hundreds of faithful were at a prayer session Sunday at the Zamra International Convention Center in the town of Kalamassery in Kerala state when the explosion took place. The state’s top police officer, Sheik Darvesh Saheb, said an initial investigation determined an improvised explosive device was used.The suspect was identified by police as Dominic Martin, who posted a video on Facebook claiming responsibility for the blast before surrendering to the police. Martin said in the video he feels the Jehovah’s Witness theology is wrong and that is what led him to carry out the blast.“They teach that all people of the world would perish and only they will live. What should we do with people who long for the ruin of the entire people in the wor...

Ravens have one of NFL’s best defenses but aren’t satisfied: ‘We didn’t play to our standard’

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 21:02:35 GMT

Ravens have one of NFL’s best defenses but aren’t satisfied: ‘We didn’t play to our standard’ The Ravens are tied for the best record in the AFC at 6-2.The offense has shown what it is capable of when clicking, rolling up more than 500 yards and 38 points behind four touchdowns from Lamar Jackson last week against the Detroit Lions.The defense is perhaps the best in the NFL, having allowed a league low in points per game (13.9) and total yards (1,902) through its first seven games. Then came Sunday’s weird and rocky performance against the Arizona Cardinals.Baltimore held on for a 31-24 win at State Farm Stadium in a game that wasn’t as close as the final score indicated, but one that played out similarly to how a lot of other games against lesser opponents have this season.“We didn’t play to our standard at the end of the day,” said inside linebacker Roquan Smith, who tied for a team-high 11 tackles with running mate Patrick Queen. “But that’s just a credit to those guys for coming out ready to play. And honestly, we’ve just g...

Week 8 updates: Chicago Bears trail Los Angeles Chargers 24-7 at halftime as Justin Herbert throws for 3 TDs

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 21:02:35 GMT

Week 8 updates: Chicago Bears trail Los Angeles Chargers 24-7 at halftime as Justin Herbert throws for 3 TDs The 2-5 Chicago Bears are playing the 2-4 Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium in a Week 8 matchup. Here’s what you need to know.Halftime: Herbert carves up Bears defense for 24-7 Chargers leadChargers quarterback Justin Herbert picked apart the Bears defense in the first half Sunday to fuel his team to a 24-7 lead.Herbert completed his first 15 passes and finished the half 21 of 25 for 212 yards and three touchdowns. After the Bears cut the Chargers lead to 10 points, Herbert led a nine-play, 75-yard drive in the final two minutes, capped by an 11-yard touchdown pass to Donald Parham Jr.The Bears were playing without starting safeties Eddie Jackson and Jaquan Brisker. Jackson, who has been battling a foot injury, was active for the game, but Duron Harmon started in his place. Backup Elijah Hicks started in place of Brisker, who was out with an illness.Bears rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent completed 10 of 15 passes for 121 yards with one interception in the half.After Bagent f...

Ravens follow familiar script to get past lowly Cardinals, 31-24: ‘We found a way’

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 21:02:35 GMT

Ravens follow familiar script to get past lowly Cardinals, 31-24: ‘We found a way’ The Ravens’ stint as the greatest show on turf was a short one.A week after scoring on each of their first four possessions and Lamar Jackson threw four touchdown passes and ran for another against the Detroit Lions, Baltimore’s offense hit a drought against the Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Still, it did just enough, finding the end zone four times and then doing what it does best: relying on its defense to make clutch plays when it mattered most.The Ravens (6-2) stopped Arizona on fourth down twice, intercepted Joshua Dobbs twice, and held the quarterback to 208 yards passing en route to a shaky 31-24 win over the Cardinals (1-7). The victory keeps Baltimore atop the AFC North on a day the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers lost and the Cincinnati Bengals won to each move to 4-3.“It was a tough game,” coach John Harbaugh said. “We weren’t as crisp and sharp as we wanted to be by any stretch and yet, we kept grinding, we kept fighting an...

Live updates | Israel deepens military assault in the northern Gaza Strip

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 21:02:35 GMT

Live updates | Israel deepens military assault in the northern Gaza Strip Israel expanded its military assault deeper into the northern Gaza Strip as the U.N. and medical staff expressed fears over airstrikes hitting closer to hospitals, where tens of thousands of Palestinians have sought shelter alongside thousands of wounded. Relief workers said the largest convoy of humanitarian aid to arrive in Gaza still fell far short of needs.The Palestinian death toll in the Israel-Hamas war exceeds 8,000, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza. In the occupied West Bank, more than 110 Palestinians have been killed in violence and Israeli raids.More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, most of them civilians slain in the initial Hamas rampage that started the fighting Oct. 7. In addition, 239 hostages were taken from Israel into Gaza by the militant group.Currently:1. Internet, phone service gradually returns to Gaza 2. People storm airportin Russia in antisemitic riot over arrival of plane from Israel3. Israeli media, traumatized by Hamas attack, becom...

Israel expands ground assault into Gaza as fears rise over airstrikes near crowded hospitals

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 21:02:35 GMT

Israel expands ground assault into Gaza as fears rise over airstrikes near crowded hospitals KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli troops and armor pushed deeper into the northern Gaza Strip on Monday, reaching built-up areas as the U.N. and medical staff warned that airstrikes are hitting closer to hospitals, where tens of thousands of Palestinians have sought shelter alongside thousands of wounded.The increasing ground operations came a day after 33 trucks carrying food, medicine and other supplies entered Gaza from Egypt, the largest convoy of humanitarian aid since the war between Israel and Hamas began. Relief workers said Monday the assistance still fell far short of needs in Gaza, which has been under siege for weeks.The Gaza Health Ministry said the death toll among Palestinians passed 8,000, mostly women and minors, as Israeli tanks and infantry pursued what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a “second stage” in the war ignited by Hamas’ brutal Oct. 7 incursion.The toll is without precedent in decades of Israeli-Palestinian violence. Over 1,400 people have d...

HERA and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development strengthen co-operation on cross border health threats

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 21:02:35 GMT

HERA and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development strengthen co-operation on cross border health threats The Commission's Health Emergency and Preparedness Response Authority (HERA) and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) are strengthening their cooperation on medical countermeasures to step up prevention, preparedness and response to serious cross border health threats. This is in line with the objectives of the EU Global Health Strategy and the Commission's push to reinforce global cooperation to tackle global health threats.The COVID-19 pandemic has shown the need for international cooperation to prevent, combat and contain serious cross-border health threats. Collaboration around infectious disease emergency preparedness and response is a joint interest internationally. As part of the working arrangement, HERA and AMED will exchange information on advanced research and development of medical countermeasures. They will also identify areas and potential projects to closely work together, for instance on priority pathogens that are of interest for both. HERA a...

Cornell University sends police to Jewish center after violent, antisemitic messages posted online

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 21:02:35 GMT

Cornell University sends police to Jewish center after violent, antisemitic messages posted online Cornell University administrators dispatched campus police to a Jewish center after threatening statements appeared on a discussion board Sunday.Cornell President Martha E. Pollack issued a statement explaining there were a series of “horrendous, antisemitic messages” threatening violence against the university’s Jewish community, specifically naming the address of the Center for Jewish Living.“Threats of violence are absolutely intolerable, and we will work to ensure that the person or people who posted them are punished to the full extent of the law,” Pollack said. “Our immediate focus is on keeping the community safe; we will continue to prioritize that.”The Cornell University Police Department is investigating and has notified the FBI of a potential hate crime, she said.Pollack said the website was not affiliated with the school in Ithaca, New York, about 227 miles (365 kilometers) northwest of New York City.“The virulence and destructiveness of antisemitism is...