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AP PHOTOS: In idyllic Kashmir’s ‘Great Winter,’ cold adds charm but life is challenging for locals

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:35:44 GMT

SRINAGAR, India (AP) — The skies are overcast. On the plains, temperatures have dropped below freezing. High on the mountains, peaks are draped in thick snow.This is the time of “Chillai Kalan,” also called “The Great Winter,” a Kashmiri phrase that defines the harshest 40 days of cold in disputed Kashmir that commence in late December and extend into January and early February.Renowned for its breathtaking landscapes, Kashmir in winter transforms into a wonderland. Tourists fill its hotels to ski, sledge, and trek the Himalayan landscape.But winter also brings the region’s most challenging weather conditions, affecting daily routines in agriculture, transportation and other livelihoods.For locals, the major source of heat is the kanger, a pot filled with hot coal embers tucked inside their pheran, a traditional knee-length cloak. Almost ensnared by its warmth, people only step outside for work and other essentials.The subzero temperatures in Kashmir, a disputed region between...

Mario Zagallo, the World Cup winning player and coach for Brazil, dies at age 92

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:35:44 GMT

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Mario Zagallo, who won two World Cups as a player, one as a coach and another as an assistant coach for Brazil, has died. He was 92.The first person to win the World Cup both as a player and a manager, Zagallo is for many Brazilian soccer fans synonymous with patriotism, grit and glory.Brazilian soccer confederation president Ednaldo Rodrigues said in a statement in the early hours of Saturday confirming Zagallo’s death that Zagallo “is one of the biggest legends” of the sport.No cause of death was released by the federation or his family.“We offer solidarity to his family members and fans in this moment of grief for the departure of this great hero of our soccer,” Rodrigues said. Several Brazilian clubs where Zagallo played and coached also expressed their sorrow for his death.Zagallo’s social media channels called him “a dedicated father, a loving grandfather, a caring father-in-law, a loyal friend, a victorious professional and a great human being.” “A...

JuJu Watkins scores 28, No. 9 USC rallies in fourth quarter to deal Oregon State first loss, 56-54

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:35:44 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — JuJu Watkins scored 28 points, Kayla Padilla connected for two crucial 3-pointers during the fourth quarter and No. 9 Southern California rallied for a 56-54 win over Oregon State to deal the Beavers their first loss on Friday night.Watkins is second in the nation in scoring, averaging 26.8 points per game. She scored the Trojans’ first nine points and then had a run of nine unanswered points in the second half to get USC back in the game.Padilla had 14 points, including four 3-pointers, as the Trojans (11-1, 1-1 Pac-12) won despite shooting 22 of 68 from the floor.Talia von Oelhoffen led Oregon State (12-1, 1-1) with 18 points and Donovyn Hunter added 13.A pair of free throws by von Oelhoffen put Oregon State up 42-36 with 3:44 remaining in the third quarter before Watkins took control with nine straight points to give the Trojans a 45-42 advantage early in the fourth quarter.Watkins’ run included two baskets that were the result of USC’s defens...

Brink has 20 points, 18 rebounds as No. 8 Stanford women beat Washington State 74-65

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:35:44 GMT

STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — Cameron Brink had 20 points and 18 rebounds, Kiki Iriafen scored 17 points and No. 8 Stanford beat Washington State 74-65 Friday night. The Cardinal (13-1, 1-0 Pac-12) won for the 73rd straight meeting and have not lost to the Cougars (11-4, 0-2) since the teams started playing each other in 1983. Brink had her fifth game with at least 20 points and 15 rebounds.Charlisse Leger-Walker scored 22 points to lead Washington State, and Bella Murekatete added 13 points.After falling behind 35-34 at halftime, Stanford found its groove in the third quarter. After going back-and-forth through the first five minutes of the second half, Brooke Demetre hit a step-back 3-pointer to cap off a 10-0 run and gave the Cardinal a 54-44 lead at the 2:18 mark of the third quarter.Stanford had its biggest lead of the game after Iriafen scored on a three-point play for a 69-54 lead. The Cougars cut the deficit to just four points with under two minutes left in the fourth quarter, bu...

AP PHOTOS: Raucous British fans put on a show at the world darts championship

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:35:44 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Luke Littler, a 16-year-old on debut at the World Darts Championship, came within one match of winning the sport’s biggest prize and a jackpot of 500,000 pounds ($630,000). But that wasn’t even close to being the strangest sight at what is probably the most colorful event in the British sporting calendar.For three weeks from December through January, it is party time at the Alexandra Palace — or “Ally Pally” — in London, when grown men dress like babies and revelers turn up in ever more outrageous costumes. In Wednesday’s epic final, which was won by world No. 1 Luke Humphries, fans came dressed as everything from the characters from Alice in Wonderland to pop and rock stars like Elton John, David Bowie and Michael Jackson. A woman could be seen limbo dancing between a group of men dressed as traffic cones and the sight of someone wearing a foam dartboard on their head was never too far away.It all adds to an occasion that feels distinctly British as fans joined togeth...

Zach LaVine embraces a quiet return with the Chicago Bulls after missing 17 games — but questions still linger after win

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:35:44 GMT

It’s time for Chicago Bulls fan to begin tracking a new era of this season.The first 36 games of the season were divided into two segments: before and after Zach LaVine’s injury. The Bulls opened with a dismal 5-14 stretch before LaVine was sidelined with a right foot injury, then bounced back with a 10-7 run while their star sat was out. Friday opened a new chapter on a new version of the team with LaVine back on the court.LaVine made his return after 38 days in a 104-91 win over the Charlotte Hornets. It was a somewhat quiet reintroduction: 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting, five rebounds and four assists in 28 minutes. The Bulls relied on Coby White, who had 22 points and 6 assists, to fuel the offense.Playing under a minutes restriction, LaVine came off the bench alongside center Nikola Vučević, who also returned from injury after missing two games. After the win, LaVine acknowledged that he’ll need several games to get back to top form.“I’m g...

Bridge repair prompts temporary lane closures on westbound I-8 in El Cajon

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:35:44 GMT

EL CAJON, Calif. -- The westbound Interstate 8 freeway between Main St. and Loren Drive in El Cajon will be undergoing road construction for 80 hours as repairs to a bridge from the 1960s is getting an overhaul. The project started at 9 p.m. Friday and is expected to finish by 5 a.m. Tuesday. Caltrans says drivers should expect delays as they will be shutting down all lanes except for the fast lane overnight and just shutting down one lane throughout the daytime hours. SeaWorld guests removed from attraction after ride stops “It’s aged, it's weathered with the changes in traffic loading. We started to see a few more cracks into the bridge,” said Everett Townsend from District 11 Caltrans.CHP officers will be keeping a close eye on the construction, and they wanted remind drivers to pay attention when the workers are on the freeway. “Slow down into these workstations, remember 55 is the max on these, you don’t have to hit it,” said Capt. Michael Vargas from the California Highway ...

Turkish justice minister says 15 suspects jailed ahead of trial for spying for Israel

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:35:44 GMT

ISTANBUL (AP) — A court in Istanbul has ordered 15 of 34 people detained on suspicion of spying for Israel be held in prison awaiting trial, Turkey’s justice minister said late Friday.The suspects were arrested Tuesday for allegedly planning to carry out activities that included “reconnaissance” and “pursuing, assaulting and kidnapping” foreign nationals living in Turkey.Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said in a social media post that 26 suspects were referred to the court on a charge of committing “political or military espionage” on behalf of Israeli intelligence. Eleven were released under judicial control conditions and eight were awaiting deportation.Israel’s foreign intelligence agency Mossad is said to have recruited Palestinians and Syrian nationals inside Turkey as part of the operation against foreigners living in Turkey, state-run Anadolu news agency reported.The agency cited a prosecution document as saying the operation targeted “Palestinian nationals and their families … ...

Michigan Republicans set to vote on chair Karamo’s removal as she promises not to accept result

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:35:44 GMT

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan Republicans plan to discuss the removal of state GOP Chairwoman Kristina Karamo during a meeting Saturday after many of the party’s leaders have called for her resignation following a year of leadership plagued by debt and infighting. Karamo has made it clear she will not recognize the vote if removed Saturday, claiming the meeting is not official and has been illegally organized. The unfolding situation could set the stage for a court fight to determine control of the highest position within the Michigan GOP.The internal dispute takes place as Michigan Republicans look to rebound from 2022 midterms in which they suffered historic losses. The party is aiming this year to flip an open U.S. Senate seat while also helping the Republican presidential nominee win the battleground state.Michigan is among several swing states where parties overtaken by far-right leadership have struggled to overcome infighting and money issues. Similar situations have u...

Orthodox Christmas: Why it’s celebrated by some believers 13 days after Dec. 25

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:35:44 GMT

While much of the world has Christmas in the rearview mirror by now, people in some Eastern Orthodox traditions will celebrate the holy day on Sunday.Certain Eastern Orthodox churches, including those in Russian and other traditions, follow the ancient Julian calendar, which runs 13 days later than the Gregorian calendar, used by Catholic and Protestant churches as well as by much of the secular world for everyday use. Other Orthodox, including those in the Greek tradition and, now, some Ukrainian churches, celebrate Christmas on the same date as Western churches.Why are there different dates for Christmas?Technically, there aren’t. All Eastern Orthodox agree that Dec. 25 is the date of Christmas, or the Feast of the Nativity, as they call it. The question is whether Dec. 25 falls on Dec. 25 or Jan. 7. That requires a little unpacking.The ancient church set its religious feasts based on the Julian calendar, but after more than a millennium, that calendar had increasingly gotte...