
Betts, Freeman homer back-to-back, lift Dodgers to 4-2 win over Padres
Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman homered back-to-back to regain the lead in the seventh inning, and the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 4-2 for their third straight win
1970-01-01 08:00

On this day in 2006: Liverpool win thrilling FA Cup final against West Ham
Pepe Reina saved three penalties and his own reputation as Liverpool won a thrilling FA Cup final against West Ham on this day in 2006. Reina almost threw the cup away in normal time at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium with mistakes which gifted the Hammers two goals. But he was the hero of the shoot-out, saving from Bobby Zamora, Paul Konchesky and Anton Ferdinand to break the gallant Hammers’ hearts. Liverpool’s seventh FA Cup win mirrored the result which saw them crowned champions of Europe in Istanbul 12 months earlier, and – just like against AC Milan – Reina only had his shot at glory thanks to another superhuman effort from Steven Gerrard. Liverpool skipper Gerrard equalised twice – the second a 30-yard thunderbolt in injury-time – and then scored his penalty despite suffering cramp in the closing minutes of the game. The 125th FA Cup final was the best in years, and certainly the most exciting since Manchester United’s 3-3 draw with Crystal Palace in 1990. For a long time, the magic of the cup looked like giving West Ham another FA Cup triumph in the year former managers Ron Greenwood and John Lyall died. They were two goals ahead inside half an hour and were leading as the stadium announcer called for four minutes to be added on at the end of normal time. Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez praised Liverpool heroes Gerrard and Reina, but insisted his FA Cup triumph was a team effort. “You must give the credit to all my players. A lot of them had cramps after 62 games this season, but they kept going to the end,” he said. Maybe we like to do it the difficult way, but it's not good for the heart Rafael Benitez “We know about the quality of Steve. He will get lots of credit, but I prefer to talk about my team and our supporters, who were like an extra player. “Maybe we like to do it the difficult way, but it’s not good for the heart. It would be better if we could start by winning and then stay calm. “It was a fantastic final with two teams fighting really hard. The character of the team can be a key factor for the future because we can be sure we can win these kinds of games.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Players really want to come – Erik ten Hag optimistic for transfer window Dean Smith cancels Leicester day off to sort ‘lingering’ issues at troubled club Julen Lopetegui only wants committed players at Wolves
1970-01-01 08:00

Fletcher's 1st big league homer, 4 RBIs lift D-Backs over Giants 7-5
Dominic Fletcher hit his first major league home run, doubled in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning and had four RBIs to help the Arizona Diamondbacks rally past the San Francisco Giants 7-5, ending their three-game losing streak
1970-01-01 08:00

France dominates, Abreu gets warm welcome as Astros beat ChiSox
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1970-01-01 08:00

A's rally for 4 in 10th, beat Rangers 9-7 on Rooker's 3-run homer
Brent Rooker hit a three-run homer off Brock Burke in the bottom of the 10th inning, rallying the Oakland Athletics to a 9-7 win over the Texas Rangers that snapped a five-game losing streak
1970-01-01 08:00

Lakers topple Warriors to advance, Heat reach East finals
The Los Angeles Lakers ran defending champions Golden State out of the NBA playoffs in dominant style on Friday, beating the Warriors 122-101 to advance...
1970-01-01 08:00

Kerr says Warriors star trio have 'plenty left in tank' after playoff ouster
Golden State coach Steve Kerr acknowledged Friday that the 2022-23 iteration of the Warriors "is not a championship team," but he believes Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green...
1970-01-01 08:00

Curry, Thompson's struggles from long distance means rare early playoff exit for Warriors
Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson have dominated opposing teams by burying 3-pointers when left wide open or getting clean looks
1970-01-01 08:00

Football transfer rumours: Man Utd step up Rice interest; Liverpool lead Barella race
Saturday's transfer round-up includes news on the future of Declan Rice, the fight for Nicolo Barella, Emi Martinez's many suitors and more.
1970-01-01 08:00

AP News Digest 3:45 a.m.
Here are the AP’s latest coverage plans, top stories and promotable content. All times EDT. For up-to-the minute information on AP’s coverage, visit Coverage Plan. —————————- TOP STORIES —————————- TITLE-42-IMMIGRATION-ASYLUM — The U.S. turned the page on pandemic-era immigration restrictions with relative calm at its border with Mexico as migrants adapted to strict new rules aimed at discouraging illegal crossings and awaited the promise of new legal pathways for entering the country. By Valerie Gonzalez, Elliot Spagat and Giovanna Dell'Orto. SENT: 910 words, photos. ELECTION 2024-IOWA — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump will share the spotlight in Iowa, providing a chance to sway influential conservative activists and contrast their campaign styles in Republicans’ leadoff voting state. By Thomas Beaumont and Michelle L. Price. SENT: 890 words, photos. UPCOMING: 990 words after noon event with DeSantis; Trump rally at 8 p.m. CONGRESS-DEBT LIMIT — One outcome is clear as Washington reaches for a budget deal to end the debt ceiling standoff: The ambitious COVID era of government spending is giving way to a new focus on stemming deficits. It’s a turnaround from just a few years ago, when Congress passed trillions in emergency aid to halt the pandemic and rebuild the U.S. economy. By Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro. SENT: 1,090 words, photos. CENSUS-CHALLENGES-BIG-CITIES — Some of the largest U.S. cities challenging their 2020 census numbers aren’t getting the results they hoped for from the U.S. Census Bureau — an effort by Memphis to increase its official population resulted in three people being subtracted from its count during an initial appeal. By Mike Schneider. SENT: 770 words, photos. SCABBY-THE-RAT — For decades, a giant, inflatable rat with beady eyes, sharp teeth and a pustule-covered belly has been looming over union protests, drawing attention to construction sites or buildings with labor disputes. Over the decades, Scabby the Rat has become an icon at the site of labor disputes and weathered multiple legal challenges. Now Scabby’s challenge is staying relevant in the age of new technology and social media. By Mae Anderson. SENT: 1,090 words, photos, video. This story moved as the Sunday spotlight. G7-JAPAN-FINANCE — The Group of Seven’s top financial leaders united Saturday in their support for Ukraine and their determination to enforce sanctions against Russia for its aggression. By Business Writer Ellen Kurtenbach. SENT: 890 words, photos. ————————————————————————— SPOTLIGHTING VOICES ————————————————————————— BBC-BLACK COLLEGE WORLD SERIES - Players convened in Alabama’s capital city for the Black College World Series seeking a championship and just maybe a pro shot. The event comes at a time when only 6.2% of players on MLB’s opening day rosters were Black and none came from HBCUs. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos. ————————————————————————— RUSSIA UKRAINE WAR ————————————————————————— RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR — Ukrainian military commanders say their troops recaptured more territory from Russian forces at the scene of the war’s longest and bloodiest battle, for the eastern city of Bakhmut. It wasn’t clear if this marked the start of Kyiv’s long-expected counteroffensive. SENT: 940 words, photos. —————————- MORE NEWS —————————- FBN-COMMANDERS SALE — A group led by Josh Harris that includes Magic Johnson has agreed to buy the NFL’s Washington Commanders from longtime owner Dan Snyder and his family. SENT: 530 words, photos, audio. FATAL-SHOOTING-ABORTION — A man who didn’t want his girlfriend to get an abortion fatally shot her during a confrontation in a Dallas parking lot, police say. SENT: 330 words, photos. MAYOR MISSING TEXTS-SETTLEMENT — The city of Seattle will pay $2.3 million to settle a lawsuit brought by employees who helped reveal that thousands of then-Mayor Jenny Durkan’s text messages had been deleted in 2020 amid protests over George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police. SENT: 600 words. PHOTO-GALLERY-EUROVISION — The Eurovision Song Contest field has been narrowed to the 26 acts who will sing their hearts out for a chance at glory and national bragging rights. SENT: 300 words, photos. SCI-LAUNCH TO JUPITER — A crucial radar antenna on a spacecraft bound for Jupiter is no longer jammed. Flight controllers in Germany freed the antenna after nearly a month of effort. SENT: 230 words, photo. DANGEROUS AIR BAGS — A Tennessee company could be heading for a legal battle with U.S. auto safety regulators after refusing a request that millions of potentially dangerous air bag inflators be recalled. SENT: 770 words photo, audio. ———————————————————— WASHINGTON/POLITICS ———————————————————— ELECTION 2023-KENTUCKY-SECRETARY OF STATE — Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams won bipartisan praise for expanding voter access during the COVID-19 pandemic. He now must persuade Republican primary voters who have been bombarded for years with false claims about rigged elections. SENT: 1,080 words, photos. ELECTION CONSPIRACIES-VOTER ROLLS — Virginia’s top election official says she plans to withdraw the state from a bipartisan effort aimed at ensuring accurate voter lists and combating fraud. SENT: 680 words, photos. KARI-LAKE-ELECTION — A judge is hearing arguments over whether to dismiss the only surviving legal claim in Republican Kari Lake’s challenge of her loss to Democrat Katie Hobbs in the Arizona governor’s race. SENT: 540 words, photos. —————————- NATIONAL —————————- TRIBES-BORDER-CROSSING — The Pascua Yaqui Tribe has drafted regulations in an effort to formalize the border-crossing process for their relatives in Mexico coming to their reservation in Arizona. Like dozens of Native American nations across the U.S., the Pascua Yaqui Tribe was sliced in two by modern-day international borders. When deer dancers and musicians living in Sonora, Mexico, make the trip into the U.S. for ceremonies, they may be detained or have their cultural objects confiscated. SENT: 920 words, photos. BUFFALO-SUPERMARKET-SHOOTING — It’s hard for Jamari Shaw, 16, to have fun at the park with his younger brothers in their East Buffalo neighborhood. He’s too busy scanning for danger, an aftereffect of a gunman’s attack that killed 10 Black people at a local grocery store. SENT: 700 words, photos. PACIFIC NORTHWEST-HEAT WAVE — Temperatures are expected to start climbing significantly Saturday in parts of the Pacific Northwest as an early heat wave takes hold, possibly breaking records and worsening wildfires already burning in western Canada.. SENT: 670 words, photos, audio. NORTH-CAROLINA-ABORTION — North Carolina’s Democratic governor will veto legislation that would ban nearly all abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy, capping a week of attempting to generate enough opposition to block the Republican measure he said is much more restrictive than meets the eye. SENT: 290 words, photos. HANDGUNS-YOUNG ADULTS-EXPLAINER — A judge’s ruling striking down a federal law that bans licensed federal firearms dealers from selling handguns to young adults under 21 is the latest example of how a landmark Supreme Court decision is transforming the legal landscape around firearms. SENT: 1,110 words, photo. REL-PITTSBURGH-SYNAGOGUE-SHOOTING — The head of security for Pittsburgh’s Jewish community says there has been an “uptick in hate speech” on the internet in the early stages of the trial of the man accused of killing 11 worshippers at a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018. SENT: 790 words, photos. PRO-DEMOCRACY ACTIVISTS-CHINA — A Boston man has been accused of working with Chinese government officials to keep tabs on Chinese activists and dissidents in the area. SENT: 540 words. ————————————— INTERNATIONAL —————————————- VATICAN-HERCULES-RESTORED — Vatican Museum restorers are working to remove centuries of grime from the largest known bronze statue of the ancient world: the gilded Hercules Mastai Righetti. The 13-foot-tall (four-meter-tall) figure of the half-human Roman god has stood in the same niche for more than 150 years. It has barely garnered notice among other antiquities because of the dark coating it had acquired. SENT: 560 words, photos. ————————————————— HEALTH/SCIENCE ————————————————— MED-MENOPAUSE DRUG — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new type of drug to treat hot flashes caused by menopause. SENT: 270 words, photo, audio. ————————————————— BUSINESS/ECONOMY ————————————————- TWITTER-NEW-CEO-INTERVIEW — Elon Musk has announced that NBC Universal’s Linda Yaccarino will serve as the new CEO of Twitter. Yaccarino is a longtime advertising executive credited with integrating and digitizing ad sales at NBCU. Her challenge now will be to woo back advertisers that have fled Twitter since Musk acquired it last year for $44 billion. SENT: 560 words, photo. FEDERAL-RESERVE-INFLATION — Federal Reserve governor Philip Jefferson has said that inflation remains too high and there has been “little progress” made toward bringing it down to the central bank’s 2% target, a pessimistic assessment given signs in a report earlier this week that price increases might be slowing. SENT: 590 words, photo. —————————————- ENTERTAINMENT —————————————- MUSIC-REVIEW-JONAS BROTHERS — Married with kids, the Jonas Brothers are all about love on their new album ‘The Album,” where every lyric hides a nudge to their homes. The brother pop trio bring that carefree vibe they are known for with experimentation into new genres that make it more special and fresh. The Associated Press’ Martina Rebecca Inchingolo writes in a review that the brothers, who broke hearts all over the world as they said, ‘I do,’ reflect in the album about fatherhood and sibling dynamics. SENT: 400 words, photo. ————————— SPORTS ————————— BKN—LAKERS ADVANCE — LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers never trailed in their third home victory over Golden State in seven days. They’re also the first team since 2014 to eliminate Stephen Curry’s Warriors from the playoffs before the NBA Finals. And now they’re in the Western Conference finals. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos by 6 a.m. With BKN-WARRIORS-LAKERS — The Los Angeles Lakers eliminated the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors with a 122-101 victory in Game 6 of their second-round series (sent). BKN—HEAT ADVANCE — Inside the Miami Heat locker room, now officially halfway to the season’s ultimate goal, Erik Spoelstra stepped onto the NBA championship logo on the center of the floor and gathered his team around him. “There’s been nothing about this season that’s been easy,” Spoelstra said. He’s right, and the Heat aren’t complaining about that, either — since this anything-but-easy season is still going. UPCOMING: 710 words, photos by 6 a.m. With BKN--KNICKS-HEAT — Jimmy Butler scores 24 points, Bam Adebayo added 23 and the Miami Heat are headed back to the Eastern Conference finals after topping the New York Knicks 96-92 (sent). BKL—MERCURY-GRINER — Brittney Griner returned to game action for the first time since a nearly 10-month detainment in Russia on drug-related charges ended with a prisoner swap in December. The seven-time All-Star, who missed the entire 2022 season because of the detainment, finished with 10 points and three rebounds for the Phoenix Mercury in a WNBA preseason game against the Los Angeles Sparks. SENT: 620, photos. —————————- HOW TO REACH US —————————- At the Nerve Center, Vincent K. Willis can be reached at 800-845-8450 (ext. 1600). For photos, ext. 1900. For graphics and interactives, ext. 7636. Expanded AP content can be obtained from AP Newsroom. For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, contact apcustomersupport@ap.org or call 844-777-2006. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Zelenskyy to meet with Pope Francis at Vatican in Rome visit Vatican experts uncovering gilded glory of Hercules statue struck by lightning Census Bureau rejects many big-city challenges that claimed the 2020 headcount missed their people
1970-01-01 08:00

Anything can happen in football – Pep Guardiola wary of threat posed by Everton
Pep Guardiola is wary of an Everton side he feels should not be in a relegation battle. Guardiola takes treble-chasing Manchester City to Goodison Park on Sunday for a match crucial at both ends of the Premier League table. Leaders City need points to retain their advantage over title rivals Arsenal while the Toffees are battling for survival. Everton have endured a miserable campaign but they dramatically boosted their hopes of beating the drop by claiming a stunning 5-1 win at European hopefuls Brighton on Monday. “They have the history and the quality of team to not be in this position,” said City manager Guardiola. “Brighton is one of the toughest places to go and the result had a real impact, I am sure, not just in the table but in their mood. “Brighton have had incredible results against Wolves and Man United but immediately they were surprised by two early goals. “The defensive structure, the physicality Everton have, is really good and anything can happen in a football game.” The importance of the fixture means City cannot afford to ease up ahead of the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid next Wednesday. The champions played out a 1-1 draw with the Spanish giants at the Bernabeu Stadium on Tuesday. The challenge facing them at Goodison will be completely different and Guardiola recognises it requires a change of mindset. “The way they play is special, we have to adapt as quickly as possible,” he said. “There are four games left in the Premier League and it is really important for us to be there, to keep our destiny – or what you play for – in our hands and we have to prepare as best as possible. “When we play for all competitions, you have to switch and adapt.” The human being can have incredible energy that you don't believe you have. Pep Guardiola Guardiola admits his side’s current schedule is draining but, with the team still firing on three fronts, he expects their determination and winning mentality to carry them through. He said: “Winning helps to be better. It you win the previous game your mental recovery is better. “The human being has incredible resources to move forward, keep going. If you desire mentally, the human being can have incredible energy that you don’t believe you have.” City will check on the fitness of defender Nathan Ake, who missed the game in Spain through injury. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Moises Caicedo has no point to prove against admirers Arsenal – Roberto De Zerbi Jurgen Klopp happy Liverpool ‘could show up a little bit’ before end of season On this day in 2006: Liverpool win thrilling FA Cup final against West Ham
1970-01-01 08:00

Moises Caicedo has no point to prove against admirers Arsenal – Roberto De Zerbi
Roberto De Zerbi expects Brighton to lose key players in the summer but does not feel Moises Caicedo has added incentive to impress during Sunday’s Premier League clash with Arsenal. Influential midfielder Caicedo expressed his desire to leave Albion amid January bids from the title-chasing Gunners but subsequently signed a new contract at the Amex Stadium after the offers were rejected. The 21-year-old Ecuador international and Argentina’s World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister, 24, continue to be heavily linked with rival clubs ahead of the transfer window opening next month. Seagulls head coach De Zerbi has already begun planning for next season, having last week clinched the signing of Brazilian forward Joao Pedro from Watford for a reported fee of almost £30million. The Italian is braced for some big-name departures in the coming months but wants his squad fully focused on a tricky weekend trip to Emirates Stadium and the ongoing push for Europe. “I don’t know what will happen next season but I think if you want to improve your team, you have to decide (make plans) before the next season,” he said. “I think we will lose some important players and we have to be ready to restart stronger than this season.” Asked if Caicedo has extra motivation to perform in north London, De Zerbi replied “No, I think no. “He’s playing for Brighton now and only Brighton. I have no doubts but I want only players focused in our team and our club. “He’s playing very well. He always is one of the best players on the pitch.” Pedro’s imminent arrival in a club-record deal was confirmed before Brighton’s Europa League quest was damaged by a 5-1 thrashing at the hands of relegation-threatened Everton. De Zerbi believes the transfer is a statement of intent as Albion bid to build on the best league campaign in the club’s 122-year history. “Joao Pedro is a very important signal,” he said. “I spoke with him last month and I am really pleased to work next year with him. I think Joao Pedro can be a top player for us. “He’s a young player and he’s a right player for us. It’s a good deal for Brighton.” Brighton have injury concerns ahead of the trip to the capital, with Solly March and Adam Webster joining Tariq Lamptey, Adam Lallana, Jakub Moder and Jeremy Sarmiento on the sidelines, while Joel Veltman is a doubt. Webster’s absence should result in a recall for on-loan Chelsea defender Levi Colwill. Although England Under-21 international Colwill is expected to remain at Stamford Bridge next term, De Zerbi hopes to keep hold of him. “I would like to work with him another two, three, four years because it’s difficult to find another left centre-back with his quality,” he said. “He’s a good guy. This year his improvement has been fantastic and I hope he can stay with us.” Seventh-placed Brighton will bid to dent Arsenal’s title pursuit by bouncing back from Monday’s embarrassing heavy loss to the lowly Toffees. While De Zerbi is a big admirer of Mikel Arteta’s men, he is optimistic about registering a second away win of the season against the Gunners following November’s 3-1 Carabao Cup success. “Arsenal are one of the best teams in the Premier League,” he said. “They play in a clear way. I like them in terms of style of play, I love this style. “But we are playing well and we have the quality to reach the result. “We are fighting for the Europa League. If you are fighting for a dream, every game is tough.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Anything can happen in football – Pep Guardiola wary of threat posed by Everton Jurgen Klopp happy Liverpool ‘could show up a little bit’ before end of season On this day in 2006: Liverpool win thrilling FA Cup final against West Ham
1970-01-01 08:00