Pep Guardiola says Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland both deserve to win Ballon d’Or

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 02:16:06 GMT

Pep Guardiola says Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland both deserve to win Ballon d’Or MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland both deserve to win this year’s Ballon d’Or award for the world’s best soccer player. Messi, a seven-time winner of the sport’s biggest individual honor, fulfilled his life’s ambition by leading Argentina to victory at last year’s World Cup. Haaland led City to a treble of trophies, including the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup titles in his first year at the club, scoring 52 goals. Guardiola, who coached Messi at Barcelona and repeatedly described him as the greatest player of all time, believes it is impossible to separate the two when the Ballon d’Or winner is announced on Oct. 30. “I always said that the Ballon d’Or had to be of two sections — one for Messi and one for the others,” the City manager said Friday. “Haaland should win. We won the treble because he scored 52 goals but, of course, Messi — his worst season is ...

Jim Jordan fails to win speakership on third ballot and loses ground as more Republicans oppose his nomination

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 02:16:06 GMT

Jim Jordan fails to win speakership on third ballot and loses ground as more Republicans oppose his nomination WASHINGTON (AP) — Jim Jordan fails to win speakership on third ballot and loses ground as more Republicans oppose his nomination.Source

Andre Iguodala, a four-time NBA champion with Golden State, retires after 19-year NBA career

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 02:16:06 GMT

Andre Iguodala, a four-time NBA champion with Golden State, retires after 19-year NBA career SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Andre Iguodala, a four-time champion with the Golden State Warriors during a 19-year NBA career, is retiring.“It’s just the right time,” the 39-year-old Iguodala told Andscape on Friday in a telephone interview. “Time started to get limited for me and I didn’t want to put anything in the back seat. I didn’t want to have to try to delegate time anymore. Especially with on the court, off the court with family. A lot.”He said family has a lot of do with his decision.“You want to play at a high level. But then family is a lot. My son is 16 and then two girls. So, (I’m) looking forward to seeing them grow up in those important years,” he said.Iguodala, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2004 NBA draft out of Arizona, played in 1,231 games. He spent eight seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, one in Denver, six with Golden State, two in Miami and the last two back with the Warriors. He was part of NBA champions in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022 and the MVP of the Fin...

Photos: Denver Zoo animals receiving medical treatment

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 02:16:06 GMT

Photos: Denver Zoo animals receiving medical treatment DENVER (KDVR) -- Have you ever seen a lion getting dental work or a rhino getting a CT scan? Today is your lucky day. In honor of National Veterinary Technician Week, the Denver Zoo posted on its Instagram pictures of its veterinary technicians giving different animals medical treatment, and the pictures of the unusual patients are absolutely amazing. Photos: Angelfish at the Denver Zoo gets a CT scan Certified Veterinary Technician Nicole Vazzano with a Denver Zoo lion during its procedure. (Courtesy of Denver Zoo)Certified Veterinary Technician Jessy Long giving a CT scan. (Courtesy of Denver Zoo)Lion getting dental work (Courtesy of Denver Zoo)Certified Veterinary Technician Nicole Vazzano with a Denver Zoo rhino during its procedure. (Courtesy of Denver Zoo)Denver Zoo dental work (Courtesy of Denver Zoo)French angelfish gets a CT scan (Photo credits: Jimmy Johnson) Rare tree kangaroo arrives at the Denver Zoo National Veterinary Technician Week has been held on the third w...

A suspect is still on the run after killing a judge at his home in a ‘targeted attack’ after a child custody ruling, sheriff says

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 02:16:06 GMT

A suspect is still on the run after killing a judge at his home in a ‘targeted attack’ after a child custody ruling, sheriff says (CNN) — A suspect is still on the loose after he shot and killed a state judge at his home Thursday, hours after the judge ruled against him in a child custody case, a Maryland sheriff said Friday.“This was a targeted attack against Judge (Andrew) Wilkinson,” Washington County Sheriff Brian Albert said.The suspect, Pedro Argote, 49, “is considered armed and dangerous,” Albert said. Argote is 5-foot-7 and 130 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes, the sheriff’s office said. He may be driving a silver 2009 Mercedes GL450 with Maryland plates.Argote did not attend the divorce hearing earlier Thursday at which Wilkinson granted child custody to Argote’s partner, Albert said.Wilkinson, a county circuit court judge, was in his own driveway – with his wife and son at home – when he was shot, Albert said. The 52-year-old was found around 8 p.m. in the northern Maryland city of Hagerstown, then taken to a medical facility where he died, the sheriff’s office said.Wil...

Police: South Florida couple arrested for human trafficking

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 02:16:06 GMT

Police: South Florida couple arrested for human trafficking A Pembroke Pines couple was arrested by the Miami Springs Police Department on a series of serious charges, including human trafficking and prostitution-related offenses, officials said.Matthew Vincent, 30, and Deja Washington, 23, were arrested on Thursday outside of the Clarion Inn & Suites Miami International Airport, located at 5301 NW 36th St. in Miami Springs. Police said the arrest stemmed from an anonymous tip received by The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office Human Trafficking Task Force, leading to the rescue of a female victim who had been forced into sex work. According to the arrest report, Deja Washington and Matthew Vincent had manipulated the victim into engaging in sex work, taking her earnings, and subjecting her to various forms of coercion. Police said the victim stated that she had been instructed to dance at strip clubs in Hallandale Beach and engage in sexual acts with clients.After a detailed investigation, both Vincent and Washington were arrested....

Multiple arrests made in Fall River after group of teens confront officers during disturbance call

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 02:16:06 GMT

Multiple arrests made in Fall River after group of teens confront officers during disturbance call At least seven people were arrested in Fall River this week after police responded to a group of juveniles allegedly causing a disturbance.The Fall River Police Department said the arrests came after officers were initially called to a CVS pharmacy on President Avenue around 3:10 p.m. on Wednesday.According to the police department, a caller had reported that “a large group of juveniles” was causing a disturbance at the business at 1620 President Ave.Authorities said that upon police arriving, the group appeared to disperse into a nearby McDonald’s, leading to officers entering the restaurant to “ensure that there were no additional disturbances inside,” according to a post on the Fall River PD Facebook page.Management at the McDonald’s then informed police that the juveniles were not welcome at the restaurant “due to the fighting behavior which had taken place prior to them entering the business.”The police department said that when t...

How climate change could affect when and where people travel

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 02:16:06 GMT

How climate change could affect when and where people travel By Sam Kemmis | NerdWalletTravelers encountered many weather surprises this summer, from wildfires in Europe to knee-deep mud at Burning Man. Indeed, it was the hottest summer on record around the globe, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.“The dog days of summer are not just barking, they are biting,” said U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres in a prepared statement published Sept. 6. “Our planet has just endured a season of simmering — the hottest summer on record. Climate breakdown has begun.”Shifting weather patterns are raising questions about where, when, how and whether tourists will travel.For example, does it still make sense to visit Italy in July, despite high temperatures, large crowds and minimal air conditioning? Or should “peak” travel season move to the more hospitable autumn or spring months?Tourism destinations are starting to take note — and get worried — about the toll climate change could take on this enormous industry.Hot dest...

AI bots are helping 911 dispatchers with their workload

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 02:16:06 GMT

AI bots are helping 911 dispatchers with their workload By Amanda Hernández, Stateline.orgIn the middle of a storm, 911 call centers often find themselves inundated with reports of fallen trees, flooded roads and panicked residents. Every call matters, but with multiple reports of the same incident pouring in, the pressure on emergency services can become overwhelming.Amid the chaos, a technological ally has emerged: artificial intelligence. In the United States, AI is quietly transforming how non-emergency calls are handled in dispatch centers. An AI-powered system can triage and coordinate the flood of reports, promptly alerting the relevant agencies.For now, AI-powered systems only manage non-emergency calls, which typically come from a non-911 phone number but are answered in the same centers, allowing human dispatchers to focus on emergencies.The integration of AI technology into 911 centers is partly a response to an acute staffing crisis and the pressing need to address the mental health challenges that emergency responders face. ...

Hamas says it is releasing two US hostages

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 02:16:06 GMT

Hamas says it is releasing two US hostages JERUSALEM — Hamas said Friday it was releasing two American citizens they were holding captive in Gaza since their Oct. 7 raid on Israel.The Palestinian militant group said in a statement that in an agreement with the Qatari government it was freeing a mother and daughter for humanitarian reasons.U.S. and Israeli officials did not immediately comment on the statement.Israel says Hamas has taken 203 people from Israel into Gaza.