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Springboks starting Pollard in Rugby World Cup final, All Blacks pick Retallick at lock

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:25 GMT

PARIS (AP) — South Africa selected Handre Pollard on Thursday to start at flyhalf in the Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand and packed its bench with forwards in a high-risk 7-1 split.Pollard was promoted from the reserves along with scrumhalf Faf de Klerk — the same halves combination that started in the Springboks’ victory in the final four years ago.New Zealand made only one change from the 44-6 rout of Argentina in the semifinals, bringing in Brodie Retallick at lock in place of Sam Whitelock, who drops to the bench. Whitelock is looking to become the only player to win the World Cup three times. The All Blacks went with their usual 5-3 split on the bench.The big surprise from Springboks management Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber was the bench split, with lock Jean Kleyn and No. 8 Jasper Wiese added for an extended ‘Bomb Squad’ of seven reserve forwards to face the resurgent All Blacks on Saturday in the first World Cup final between the two fierce rivals since ...

The suspect in the fatal Maine shootings is still at large. Residents are sheltering in place

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:25 GMT

LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — Authorities carried out a massive search Thursday for a U.S. Army reservist who they say killed 18 people and wounded 13 at a bowling alley and a bar in a mass shooting that sent panicked patrons scrambling under tables and behind bowling pins and gripped the entire state of Maine in fear.Schools, doctor's offices and grocery stores closed and people stayed behind locked doors in cities as far away as 50 miles (80 kilometers) from the scenes of Wednesday night's shootings in Lewiston.The Lewiston Police Department identified Robert Card as a person of interest in a mass shooting at a bowling alley and a bar in Lewiston, Maine, on Oct. 25, 2023. (The Lewiston Police Department)President Joe Biden ordered all U.S. flags to be flown at half-staff as condolences poured in from around the nation, including from Maine native and author Stephen King, who called it “madness.” The attacks stunned a state of only 1.3 million people that has one of the country’...

Denver pursues former DoubleTree Hotel for House1000 initiative

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:25 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — On Thursday, the City of Denver announced it is pursuing a master lease of the former DoubleTree hotel (the Site) at 4040 Quebec St. The effort is part of Mayor Mike Johnston's homeless initiative to bring 1,000 people without homes indoors and permanently close encampments by the end of the year. According to the city's dashboard, 168 people are currently connected to housing, with 61 of those individuals in leased units and two in shelters. Another 79 are housed in motel/hotel conversions. Worldwide travel advisory issued for US passengers "This milestone marks a critical advancement in our commitment to providing units and services for those experiencing homelessness," the city stated in a release.The master lease, if secured, would be for the third property in this initiative. Earlier this year, the Denver Housing Authority closed on its acquisition of the Best Western Central Park hotel at 4595 Quebec St., for conversion to permanent supportive housing and is ...

Trick-or-treat guide: events in the Denver metro area this weekend

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:25 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Halloweekend is upon Denver. If you can't wait until Tuesday to grab some candy, there are plenty of events starting Friday and going through the weekend and into Halloween. Will this Halloween’s weather make history? While there are a handful of trick-or-treating events this weekend, there are also a lot of "trunk-or-treating" events. This is when community members bring their cars to a specific location and hand out candy from the back of their cars. Many cars go all out with spooky decorations.Here are some of the candy handout events nearby:ArvadaOlde Town Arvada Trick or Treat, Oct. 27AuroraThe Aurora Highlands Model Home Trick-Or-Treat Event, Oct. 27-29Highpoint Church TRUNK or TREAT 2023, Oct. 28Trunk or Treat, Oct. 28Castle RockFangtastic Festival, Oct. 27Trunk or Treat, Oct. 29CentennialTrick or Treat at IKEA Centennial, Oct. 27Colorado SpringsCommunity Park Trick or Treat, Oct. 27DenverCook Park’s Annual Trunk or Treat, Oct. 27Trick-Or-Treat Trail, Oct. 2...

Suspect in killing of judge who presided over divorce case found dead in rural Maryland

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:25 GMT

WILLIAMSPORT, Md. (AP) — A man suspected of killing a Maryland judge last week was found dead Thursday, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.Authorities believe Pedro Argote, 49, was angry about losing custody of his children when he shot and killed the judge who presided over his divorce case. The Oct. 19 attack unfolded outside the home of Washington County Circuit Court Judge Andrew Wilkinson.Law enforcement launched a search for Argote immediately after the shooting. They discovered his Mercedes SUV in a wooded area in Williamsport, about 8 miles (13 kilometers) southwest of Hagerstown, where the judge was shot.Authorities searched the area where the vehicle was found but concluded Argote wasn’t there. But officials said this morning they had returned to the area to conduct “additional evidentiary searches.”Argote’s body was found in a heavily wooded area about a mile from the SUV, officials said. They did not release a suspected cause of death.The Washington Coun...

A (far) right mess! EU extremist party fined for admin snafu

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:25 GMT

Failure to update its website just cost the extreme-right Identity and Democracy Party €47,000.The Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations slapped the EU-level umbrella party of Marine Le Pen, Matteo Salvini, Alternative for Germany, and Belgium’s Vlaams Belang with a penalty of 5 percent of its annual budget for providing incorrect information about a board member.The authority, which ensures that the 10 European political parties follow the rules, is charged with imposing sanctions when parties “intentionally provide incorrect information,” said its director, Pascal Schonard, in a statement on Thursday.According to the authority, Identity and Democracy (ID) announced it had updated details on its board members in March 2022. However, it continued to refer to a former board member, whose name is redacted in the decision, in social media communications and on its website.ID first blamed tech problems for leaving the old name on the website, ...

Police took Army reservist suspected in Maine killings for evaluation after erratic behavior in July

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:25 GMT

LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — A U.S. Army reservist suspected of killing at least 18 people in Maine had been taken by police for an evaluation after military officials became concerned that he was acting erratically in mid-July, a U.S. official told The Associated Press.The official said commanders in the Army Reserve’s 3rd Battalion, 304th Infantry Regiment became concerned in mid-July that Robert Card was acting erratically while the unit was training at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in New York.The official said military commanders became concerned about Card’s safety and asked for the police to be called. New York state police took Card to the Keller Army Community Hospital at West Point for evaluation, the official said.The official was not authorized to publicly discuss information about the incident and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.A warrant is out for the arrest of Card, 40, in the attack in Lewiston that sent panicked bowlers scrambling&n...

Suspect in fatal shooting of Maryland judge has been found dead, sheriff’s office says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:25 GMT

(CNN) — A man suspected in the fatal shooting of a Maryland judge has been found dead, officials announced Thursday.The suspect, Pedro Argote, shot and killed Washington County Circuit Judge Andrew Wilkinson on October 19, hours after the judge ruled against him in a child custody case, authorities said.Argote’s body was found in a heavily wooded area about a mile from where his vehicle was found on Saturday, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook Thursday.“On October 26, 2023, at approximately 11:00 AM, during an expanded evidentiary search in the Williamsport, MD area, a deceased person was located,” the sheriff’s office wrote. “The deceased individual has been positively identified as Pedro Argote, the suspect wanted for the murder of Maryland Circuit Court Judge Andrew Wilkinson.”A news conference is scheduled for 3 p.m. Thursday.Wilkinson, a county circuit court judge, was in his own driveway – with his ...

How companies are helping employees stuck between work and caring for aging parents

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:25 GMT

Matthew Boyle | Bloomberg News (TNS)Ellen Kessler was visiting her mother in Florida last year when things took a bad turn.“She called me at 3 a.m. and was just hysterical, frightened that someone was in the house,” Kessler, who was staying at a hotel nearby, said. “I got there, and it was like she was not the same person. I didn’t know what to do.”Concerned about leaving her then 91-year-old mother on her own, Kessler decided to bring her back with her to Maryland, which she said was “the worst mistake I ever made.” Being away from home exacerbated her mother’s anxiety and added a demanding burden to daily life for Kessler, a 60-year-old senior director at hotel chain Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.Kessler’s bind has become increasingly common. More than half the U.S. labor force has caregiving responsibilities outside of work, and some 37 million Americans can spend an average of nearly four hours a day looking after an elder, according to U.S. government data. Workers who tend to ...

Patriots down 2 players at practice Thursday, return DL Keion White

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:25 GMT

FOXBORO — Patriots defensive lineman Keion White appeared at his first practice Thursday since suffering a concussion almost two weeks ago in a loss at Las Vegas.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Patriots’ first-round pick being helped by ‘mirror check’ and practice reps New England Patriots | Source: Patriots signing former 1st-round WR to active roster New England Patriots | Callahan: The Patriots can’t take Demario Douglas off the field anymore New England Patriots | Patriots-Dolphins injury report: Tyreek Hill sits out Wednesday, Bill Belichick lists 12 injured New England Patriots | Source: Patriots re-signing Malik Cunningham to practice squad The rookie defensive lineman missed four straight practices and last weekend’s upset of the Bills due to injury. White was the only player missing at Wednesday’s practice.While White returned, the Patriots were d...