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Dolphins clear major cap space with restructures of Tyreek Hill, Terron Armstead contracts

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:18 GMT

The Miami Dolphins continue to set themselves up financially for the start of free agency Monday, and are now well below the salary cap after two immense moves.After they restructured outside linebacker Bradley Chubb’s contract for $14 million in cap relief, as reported Thursday morning, the Dolphins first cleared another $11.876 million by reworking left tackle Terron Armstead’s deal and a whopping $18 million with a restructure of wide receiver Tyreek Hill’s contract, ESPN reported Friday.Between the three moves and the release of tight end Cethan Carter on Tuesday, the Dolphins go from $16 million over the cap to about $29 million under. They’re also clearing $13.6 million from releasing cornerback Byron Jones, but since Miami is making that move with a post-June 1 designation, those savings can’t be realized until then.Free-agency negotiations begin Monday at noon. Free agents can first sign with new teams Wednesday.Contract restructures largely alt...

Jalen Brunson’s ‘sore foot’ gets more concerning after he limps off in Knicks’ loss to Kings

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:18 GMT

Jalen Brunson’s injury is now officially a concern.It’s not a good sign for a player to miss two games and last just a half before he’s removed with a “sore foot,” the same injury that had Brunson on the status report for six straight days and counting. A confusing part of the pain, beyond the vague descriptions from Tom Thibodeau, is that Brunson moved and played well in Thursday night’s 122-117 loss to the Kings, dropping 19 points in just 19 minutes.But he was also in clear discomfort and spotted limping to the locker room with trainer Anthony Goenaga. The Knicks are in the middle of a Western Conference trip with back-to-back games this weekend against the Clippers and Lakers.“When you’re dealing with a bruised foot like that, it’ll feel great when you have a little time off — which Brunson has had,” TNT analyst Stan Van Gundy, a longtime coach who is close with Thibodeau, said during the broadcast. “But the...

Rain & wind expected in San Diego County, again

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:18 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Rain and winds are expected to make a gusty return to San Diego County Friday into Saturday, the National Weather Service said. Light precipitation is forecast to spread eastward and southward across the region Friday morning with the most significant rainfall expected to occur into the night. Weather officials say that will continue into Saturday with a wet morning anticipated. How the recent storms impacted San Diego’s water supply in reservoirs Rainfall levels across the county are expected to range from one-half to one inch near the coast, one to one and a half inches in the mountains, and one quarter of an inch or less in the high desert with less expected in the lower desert, NWS said.As for winds, periods of strong gusts are expected to blow southwest to west in the mountains and deserts through Saturday. In the meantime, NWS says the strongest winds will be Friday morning along the lower desert slopes with gusts around 60 mph in some areas.Be sure to grab your...

Railroads warned about car flaw that could cause derailments

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:18 GMT

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — U.S. railroads were warned to take certain cars out of service Thursday after Norfolk Southern discovered loose wheels on a car involved in last weekend’s derailment in Ohio.It’s not clear that the loose wheels caused the derailment near Springfield last Saturday because the National Transportation Safety Board has just begun investigating that crash — the latest in a string of high-profile derailments that have been grabbing headlines. But the railroad said the loose wheels on the car could cause a derailment.Norfolk Southern said in a statement that after the railroad discovered “additional cases of unusual wheel movement,” it acted quickly to notify accident investigators and the rest of the industry. The Association of American Railroads trade group responded Thursday by issuing an advisory about the suspect cars.The trade group said the problem was linked to new wheel sets that were installed on specialized steel coil cars beginning in August. The...

Ford to cut 1,100 jobs in Spain after other European layoffs

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:18 GMT

MADRID (AP) — Ford Motor Co. announced Friday that it will cut around 1,100 jobs at its plant in the eastern Spanish city of Valencia.The cuts are in addition to the 2,300 layoffs largely in Germany and the U.K. that the automaker announced last month as part of a “leaner, more competitive cost structure in Europe.”Ford Spain said in a statement that it notified unions on Friday of what it said was “a profound restructuring of its operations,” which comes even as Ford champions the Valencia plant as its preferred site to assemble “next-generation” electric vehicles on the continent.The plant is Ford’s only such facility in Spain and employed 5,400 people.Ford has said its strategy to offer an all-electric fleet in Europe by 2035 has not changed and that production of its first European-built electric car is due to start later this year.The cuts were “mainly due to the already announced discontinuing production of the S-Max and Galaxy models in April 2023,” Ford Spain said in an emai...

Boston nonprofit organizers charged with defrauding city

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:18 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — A couple who run a nonprofit aimed at reducing violence in Boston, already charged with using the organization as their own personal bank, now face allegations that they misused COVID-19 relief funds, federal prosecutors said.Monica Cannon-Grant, 42, who founded Violence in Boston Inc., and Clark Grant, 39, were charged on Thursday in a superseding indictment with misusing funds received from the city of Boston and lying about their income in order to receive assistance intended for residents struggling to pay their rent.The couple, who bought a house in Taunton, now face a total of 27 charges, including 17 counts of wire fraud, prosecutors said in a statement.Grant’s attorney said via email Friday that she had no comment. An email seeking comment was sent to Cannon-Grant’s attorney.According to the superseding indictment, Cannon-Grant and Grant, who ran Violence in Boston Inc., used some of the organization’s more than $50,000 in pandemic relief fund...

House votes to declassify info about origins of COVID-19

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:18 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House voted unanimously Friday to declassify U.S. intelligence information about the origins of COVID-19, a sweeping show of bipartisan support near the third anniversary of the start of the deadly pandemic.The 419-0 vote was final approval of the bill, sending it to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law.Debate was brief and to the point: Americans have questions about how the deadly virus started and what can be done to prevent future outbreaks. The order to declassify focused on intelligence related to China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology, citing “potential links” between the research that was done there and the outbreak of COVID-19. U.S. intelligence agencies are divided over whether a lab leak or a spillover from animals is the likely source of the virus.Experts say the true origin of the coronavirus pandemic may not be known for many years — if ever.Lisa Mascaro, The Associated Press

Grossi set for second term at helm of UN nuclear watchdog

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:18 GMT

VIENNA (AP) — The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency is set for another four-year term at the helm of the U.N. nuclear watchdog as it grapples with monitoring Iran’s nuclear activities and tries to shore up the safety of power plants in Ukraine.The IAEA said that its 35-nation board of governors on Friday reappointed Argentine diplomat Rafael Mariano Grossi by acclamation for a second term as the organization’s director-general, beginning in early December.The annual meeting of the IAEA’s 176 member countries, the general conference, will have to sign off formally on the reappointment when it meets in September.Grossi said in a statement that he was “deeply honored” by the board’s unanimous decision.“It comes at a time when we face many major challenges and I’m fully committed to continue to do everything in my power to implement the IAEA’s crucial mission in support of global peace and development,” he said. Grossi took charge of the Vienna...

DeSantis makes long-anticipated 1st Iowa trip ahead of 2024

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:18 GMT

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is in Iowa on Friday to introduce himself to an expectant audience of Republicans, making a long-awaited visit ahead of a likely 2024 presidential bid.DeSantis’ planned appearances in Davenport and Des Moines mark his first trip to the leadoff voting state and come as anticipation over his expected White House campaign has been building. With the Iowa caucuses less than a year away, Republicans in the state are ready to take a harder look at DeSantis, a top-tier presidential prospect viewed as a rival to former President Donald Trump.“A lot of people are excited with DeSantis — people that I talk to. There has been so much talk. The expectations are really high for him,” said Emma Aquino-Nemecek, an eastern Iowa county Republican committee member who is curious about DeSantis but feels deep loyalty to Trump.DeSantis is scheduled to appear with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Friday morning in Davenport and that evening in Des Moines t...

Michigan State shooter’s note says he felt hated, rejected

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:18 GMT

A man who fatally shot three students and wounded five others on the Michigan State University campus left a note describing himself as being “hated,” “a loner” and an “outcast.”Anthony McRae, 43, also wrote “I’m tired of being rejected,” in the note, which was dated the day before the Feb. 13 shooting and released Friday by police.“They made me who I’m am today a killer,” the note read. “I’m a person,” and “They hate me why? why? why? why?”McRae, who lived in nearby Lansing, had no apparent connection to the East Lansing school. The rampage began about 8 p.m. on Feb. 13 when shots were fired inside a classroom at Berkey Hall on the north end of campus. Police believe McRae then walked into the nearby student union building firing more shots.The campus was placed on an hourslong lockdown, which ended when McRae shot himself in an industrial area about 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) from campus.The note was found in his pocket.“There’s a group of us, 20 of us and I’m the ...