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Fiji upends Australia in Rugby World Cup boilover. South Africa and England roll on

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:38 GMT

SAINT-ETIENNE, France (AP) — Fiji defeated Australia 22-15 for the first time in 69 years and sent a jolt of euphoria through the Rugby World Cup on Sunday.A week after an agonizing loss to Wales when the last pass was spilled with the tryline open, the Fijians had to win in Saint-Etienne to stay in the hunt for their first quarterfinal in 16 years. They lived to fight on while putting the heat back on Wales and Australia, who meet next Sunday. One of the trio won’t make it out of Pool C.Famed for being rugby’s greatest ad-libbers, Fiji put the razzle-dazzle away and won in a very un-Fijian traditional way: Breakdown domination, brick-wall defense, and relentless commitment for 80 minutes.The Fijians were disciplined, composed and clinical in a heavily defensive game of few chances. Flanker Levani Botia and inside back Josua Tuisova led them with three turnovers each.“I’m emotionally drained,” said Simon Raiwalui, Fiji’s coach only since February. “I couldn’t be prouder.”This result...

Homers by Alvarez, Meyers support Valdez’s 7 strong innings in Astros 7-1 win over Royals

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:38 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Yordan Alvarez and Jake Meyers homered and Framber Valdez pitched seven strong innings as the Houston Astros beat the Kansas City Royals 7-1 on Sunday.The Astros salvaged the final game of the series, expanding their American League West lead to 1 1/2 games as Texas lost to Cleveland 9-2.Valdez pitched around three Astros errors for his fifth consecutive quality start, allowing one unearned run on five hits and a walk, striking out five.Falling behind early, Valdez (12-10) had trouble locating his changeup. He threw first-pitch strikes to 11 of 26 batters while missing the strike zone with 16 of 39 changeups.Meyers led off the fourth with his 10th homer and Alvarez hit his 28th leading off the fifth, the 38th allowed by Jordan Lyles (4-17), tying a Royals record. Kansas City is 48-102.Houston collected leadoff hits in all but one inning against Lyles, who limited the damage as the Astros were 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position. He completed six innings...

WWI-era plane crashes near American Heritage Museum in Hudson

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:38 GMT

A World War I-era plane crashed near the American Heritage Museum in Hudson on Sunday morning, Stow officials said.Stow fire crews responded to the crash at the museum on Barton Road.The museum has exhibits covering all major American wars, as well as an aircraft collection.Investigators believe the plane’s front landing gear failed, causing it to flip over upon landing.The pilot was not hurt. The FAA has been notified of the crash and will investigate.No other details were immediately available.This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.

Chapman’s 9th-inning double lifts Blue Jays over Red Sox 3-2 for 3-game sweep

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:38 GMT

TORONTO (AP) — Matt Chapman hit a game-ending double off the center-field wall in the ninth inning, lifting the Toronto Blue Jays over the Boston Red Sox 3-2 on Sunday for a three-game sweep.Toronto, which swept its ninth series this season, entered in the AL’s third and final wild card spot, a half-game behind Texas and a half-game ahead of Seattle.The sweep of Boston put the Blue Jays back in the postseason picture after they were swept by Texas in a four-game series last week.“To get three wins like that and get right back in the mix is huge for us,” Chapman said.The Blue Jays won in their final at-bat for the sixth time this season and the second time in two days. Whit Merrifield’s infield single in the 13th inning gave Toronto a 4-3 win Saturday.“It’s fun to build off that energy,” Chapman said. “I think it gets guys excited. Hopefully we can just build off that energy and keep it rolling through this last stretch.”Toronto has 12 games remaining, six each against the New York Y...

Flynn: ‘Voters want stability in city government:’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:38 GMT

The decision by voters to oust controversial incumbent City Council candidates Kendra Lara and Ricardo Arroyo in last Tuesday’s primary shows residents are looking for more ethical, stable leadership, Council President Ed Flynn said on a CBS segment aired Sunday.“I think the voters want stability in city government,” Flynn said on a Keller at Large segment. “They want elected officials that can work with the mayor, that can work with their colleagues, be responsible, be ethical, provide positive leadership.”Both Councilors Arroyo and Lara, considered progressive candidates in their races, were defeated quickly in the Tuesday primary after facing a heap of controversy in the last year.Following Arroyo’s defeat, Enrique Pepén and Jose Ruiz will face off in the Nov. 7 general election for the District 5 council seat representing Hyde Park, Mattapan and Roslindale. William King and Benjamin Weber will compete for Lara’s District 6 seat represent...

McCarty trying to avoid government shutdown

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:38 GMT

Speaker Kevin McCarthy said he wants to avoid a U.S. government shutdown because it would undermine his party’s leverage in negotiations over spending cuts sought by Republicans.“I want to make sure we don’t shut down,” McCarthy said on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures. “I don’t think that is a win for the American public and I definitely believe it’ll make our hand weaker if we shut down.”With the federal government rapidly approaching its Sept. 30 end of the fiscal year, the Republican leader cited signs of progress on getting spending bills through the House. He didn’t provide specifics.Some House Republicans last week said they are convinced Congress won’t be able to avert a partial shutdown of many agencies or even reach a deal to temporarily extend government funding.McCarthy’s insistence on averting a shutdown has put him in a clash with House GOP conservatives who are calling for spending cuts, border security measures and other demands that Democrats have said they oppose. ...

Trump dodges when pressed on Jan. 6 Capitol riot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:38 GMT

NEW YORK — Former President Donald Trump repeatedly declined in an interview aired Sunday to answer questions about whether he watched the Capitol riot unfold on television, saying he would “tell people later at an appropriate time.”Trump, the current front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, refused to say on NBC’s “Meet the Press” how he spent Jan. 6, 2021, once the insurrection began and whether he made phone calls as his supporters stormed the seat of American democracy.“I’m not going to tell you. I’ll tell people later at an appropriate time,” Trump told moderator Kristen Welker after she asked if he spent that afternoon watching the attack on television in a dining room at the White House.Trump’s former aides have said he sequestered himself in the room off the Oval Office to watch, at times even rewinding and rewatching some parts.In the interview, taped Thursday at Trump’s golf club in New ...

Orioles clinch playoff berth for first time since 2016, then walk off Rays, 5-4, in 11 innings: ‘Greatest day of my life’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:38 GMT

The Orioles have spent much of Brandon Hyde’s tenure being looked down upon. They’ve spent almost six months craning necks upward.Sunday, the Orioles clinched their first playoff berth since 2016, the culmination of a rebuilding process that fully launched in the winter of 2018 when Mike Elias was brought in as executive vice president and general manager and hired Hyde as manager to steward a club designed to struggle.“Just really happy for the players that are in that clubhouse,” Hyde said. “These guys have earned [the right] to celebrate. This is just the first step, and hopefully, we have a few more celebrations the rest of the way.”They inherited the worst team in the majors, an organization with bad contracts and bad infrastructure. In each of Hyde’s first three years, Baltimore finished with one of baseball’s five worst records, twice losing at least 108 games as his lineups and pitching staffs were littered with overmatched pla...

Chicago White Sox lacked patience at the plate and more takeaways from the Minnesota Twins series loss

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:38 GMT

Chicago White Sox starter Dylan Cease’s ninth pitch while facing Kyle Farmer in the fifth inning could have been called strike three.Instead, the high slider was called ball four.“It could have been called either way,” Sox manager Pedro Grifol said.A possible inning-ending strikeout/throw-out situation became two runners on with one out. Edouard Julien followed with a three-run home run, which helped propel the Minnesota Twins to a 4-0 victory against the Sox in front of 17,641 on Sunday at Guaranteed Rate Field.Jorge Polanco also homered for the Twins, who took three of four in the series. It was the final division game of the season for the Sox, who finished 23-29 against the American League Central.“We’ve got to do better in general against everybody,” Sox right fielder Gavin Sheets said. “Division, in division, out of division. We’ve just got to do better. That’s the main goal next year: win more games. Obviously in division ...

Orioles fans elated by MLB playoff berth, walk-off win: ‘We deserve this’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:38 GMT

The Orioles clinched a playoff spot and earned a come-from-behind, walk-off victory Sunday over their division rival, the Tampa Bay Rays, in extra innings before a raucous, and sometimes nervous, crowd of 37,297 at Oriole Park.With the Texas Rangers losing in Cleveland, Baltimore earned its first postseason berth since 2016. Less than an hour later, the Orioles brought the crowd to a roar as star catcher Adley Rutschman scored the winning run in the 11th inning on a sacrifice fly by Cedric Mullins.The 5-4 win gives the Orioles a two-game American League East lead over the Rays with 13 games remaining in the season. Baltimore last won the division in 2014.The tension of the race was palpable Sunday. For Sean Monroe, the stress of the finale of the Orioles’ four-game series with the Rays had crept up on him as he stepped away from his spot at the right field flag court to collect himself.One victory stood in the way of the team securing a wild-card spot. The possibility of winni...