England finishes third at Rugby World Cup after holding off Pumas

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:52:37 GMT

England finishes third at Rugby World Cup after holding off Pumas PARIS (AP) — England finished third at the Rugby World Cup for the first time by stopping waves of late Argentina attacks and prevailing 26-23 in their riveting playoff on Friday.The Pumas brought the game alive by rallying from 13-0 down to lead by one point straight after halftime. England hit straight back and stayed in front just enough thanks to the boot of captain Owen Farrell, who was mercilessly booed all night.In the last five minutes, the Pumas missed a late penalty to tie the score and England replacement George Ford pulled off a try-saving tackle on wing Mateo Carreras.Third place will give England comfort after it was written off before the tournament. England and Argentina combined for only three wins in nine matches in the Six Nations and Rugby Championship but scratched their way out of the same pool to reach the semifinals in the easiest half of the World Cup draw.Seven weeks after their drab pool game in which 14-man England beat Argentina on goalkicks, the same te...

Stock market today: Wall Street falls, bringing the S&P 500 index 10% below its July peak

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:52:37 GMT

Stock market today: Wall Street falls, bringing the S&P 500 index 10% below its July peak NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks stumbled on Wall Street, bringing the S&P 500 10% below the peak it reached in July and putting the benchmark index into what’s called a “correction.”The S&P 500 fell 0.5%, or 19.86 points, to close at 4,117.37 Friday and is now 10.3% below its July 31 high of 4,588.96. That marks its 10th loss in the last 12 days. Stocks have fallen the past three months as investors face the reality of higher interest rates, with Federal Reserve officials talking about keeping rates “higher for longer” and the yield on the 10-year Treasury reaching levels not seen since 2007. Analysts say investors are also concerned near-term about an escalation of tensions in the Middle East and the strength of company earnings.The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 366.71 points, or 1.1%, to 32,417.59. The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks slipped 20.07 points, or 1.2% to 1,636.94, its lowest level in about four years.The Nasdaq was the bright spot in the market, g...

Son scores again as Tottenham beats Crystal Palace 2-1 to extend Premier League lead

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:52:37 GMT

Son scores again as Tottenham beats Crystal Palace 2-1 to extend Premier League lead LONDON (AP) — Son Heung-min scored again as Tottenham beat Crystal Palace 2-1 away on Friday to provisionally extend its Premier League lead to five points. After a sluggish start, Tottenham took the lead in the 53rd when Palace defender Joel Ward turned a cross-shot from James Maddison into his own net. Son then netted his eighth league goal of the season to ensure Tottenham stayed unbeaten after 10 games. Jordan Ayew pulled a goal back for Palace in stoppage time, but Tottenham held on through a total of 11 minutes added on to move five points clear of Manchester City and Arsenal. City visits rival Manchester United on Sunday, while Arsenal hosts last-place Sheffield United on Saturday. Tottenham didn’t have a shot on target in the first half despite having more than 70% possession, and it took an own goal to break the deadlock.Pape Sarr cut the ball back for Maddison and his smashed effort across goal bounced off Ward and into the Palace net.Ange Postecoglou brought on wing...

Maine’s close-knit deaf community is grieving in the wake of shootings that killed 4 beloved members

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:52:37 GMT

Maine’s close-knit deaf community is grieving in the wake of shootings that killed 4 beloved members FALMOUTH, Maine (AP) — Maine’s close-knit community of deaf and hard of hearing people is grieving in the wake of the Lewiston shootings that killed beloved members, many of whom were ardent advocates.The shootings, at a bowling alley and a bar in Lewiston, killed at least four people in the deaf community, the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf said Friday. The shootings killed 18 people in total and injured 13 others.Joshua Seal, 36, was a sign language interpreter among those killed while he was playing in a cornhole tournament at Schemengees Bar with friends. In the past couple years, he became known as an interpreter during Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s pandemic briefings.His wife Elizabeth Seal said in a Facebook post that he was “a wonderful husband, my best friend, and my soulmate. He was also a wonderful boss, an incredible interpreter, a great friend, a loving son, brother, uncle, and grandson.”“It is with a heavy heart that I share with ...

Maine shelter-in-place order lifted after 48 hours, but suspect still at large

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:52:37 GMT

Maine shelter-in-place order lifted after 48 hours, but suspect still at large LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — Authorities scoured the woods and hundreds of acres of family-owned property, sent dive teams with sonar to the bottom of a river and scrutinized a possible suicide note Friday in the second day of their intensive search for an Army reservist accused of fatally shooting 18 people and wounding 13 at a bowling alley and a bar in Maine.Authorities lifted their shelter in place order Friday evening, nearly 48 hours after the shootings.The names and pictures of the 16 males and 2 females who died were released as State Public Safety Commissioner Mike Sauschuck asked for a moment of silence at a news conference. Their ages ranged from 14 to 76.Law enforcement officials said they have not seen suspect Robert Card since his vehicle was left at a boat ramp Wednesday shortly after the shootings. Sauschuck didn't say if they have any indication if Card is alive or dead, only that investigators are leaving all their options open.“We’re going to be all over the place,” Sau...

Alpine Rescue Group prepares for wintry weekend

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:52:37 GMT

Alpine Rescue Group prepares for wintry weekend DENVER (KDVR) -- As the wintery weekend approaches search and rescue groups are preparing for their efforts to help people who head into the high country unprepared. The Alpine Rescue Team, which has provided search and rescue services in Colorado for over 60 years, recorded over 130 calls per year since 2014. That much experience has put their group ready for when rescues are needed and they know how to prepare. View the latest Weather Alerts in Denver and across Colorado on FOX31 They have over 70 team members preparing for what is sure to be a snowy weekend in the high country. "A little snow or storm down in Denver can really mean a huge winter storm up in the mountains so we have to be prepared," said Steve Wilson, an Alpine Rescue team member. Those preparations started way before this week, to fine-tune their efforts if someone needs help. "From removing the summer-specific equipment that we have in our vehicles, putting new batteries into avalanche transceivers, making su...

Berthoud teacher named 2024 Colorado Teacher of the Year

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:52:37 GMT

Berthoud teacher named 2024 Colorado Teacher of the Year DENVER (KDVR) -- Turner Middle School teacher Jessica May was surprised with a ceremony Friday, naming her the 2024 Colorado Teacher of the Year.Ms. May has been teaching several subjects including math, science, social studies and language arts in the Thompson School District for decades, according to a release from the Colorado Department of Education. She currently teaches family and consumer sciences. How do ski areas make snow? CDE said the selection committee acknowledged her "innate abilities to connect with her students."As 2024 Colorado Teacher of the Year, Ms. May represents the entire teaching profession for the state and is automatically nominated for the National Teacher of the Year competition. She and other states' nominees will be honored at a special ceremony at the White House and get the opportunity to go to NASA's Space Camp."Ms. May exemplifies the ideal educator who not only imparts real-world knowledge to her middle school students but fosters strong connect...

Explosion 1 million times brighter than the Milky Way creates rare elements

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:52:37 GMT

Explosion 1 million times brighter than the Milky Way creates rare elements (CNN) — The James Webb Space Telescope and other observatories witnessed a massive explosion in space that created rare chemical elements, some of which are necessary for life.The explosion, observed on March 7, was the second brightest gamma-ray burst ever witnessed by telescopes in more than 50 years of observations, over one million times brighter than the entire Milky Way Galaxy combined. Gamma-ray bursts are short emissions of the most energetic form of light.This particular burst, called GRB 230307A, was likely created when two neutron stars — the incredibly dense remnants of stars after a supernova — merged in a galaxy about one billion light-years away. In addition to releasing the gamma-ray burst, the merger created a kilonova, a rare explosion that occurs when a neutron star merges with another neutron star or a black hole, according to a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature.“There are only a mere handful of known kilonovas, and this is the first ...

‘He cannot hear the shooting’: Deaf man originally from Chelsea, Mass. identified as victim of Lewiston, Maine shootings

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:52:37 GMT

‘He cannot hear the shooting’: Deaf man originally from Chelsea, Mass. identified as victim of Lewiston, Maine shootings Steve Vozzella was playing in a cornhole tournament with fellow members of the deaf community when he was shot and killed during the mass shootings in Lewiston, Maine.Sandra Brum shares a 21-year-old son with Steve. She said Steve grew up in Chelsea, Massachusetts, graduated from the Beverly School for the Deaf. “He died painful, last minute, unexpected,” Brum said. “He cannot hear the shooting at the bowling alley.  He can not hear nothing.”Brum said Steve also worked at the United States Postal Service Sorting Facility in South Boston until recently.“Brother Vozzella was only 45-years-old,” his union APWU said in a statement. “He had much more life to live before it was stolen from him in an all-too-common senseless act of gun violence.”“He’s wonderful! Very friendly, very humble, laid back, just a butterfly,” Brum said of Steve. “He’s a great guy.”Steve got married and moved to Maine this year. Sandra said it was Steve’s wife who called to tell her the news of his death.“He ...

Battenfeld: Joe Biden’s move to skip New Hampshire primary could come with steep price in November

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:52:37 GMT

Battenfeld: Joe Biden’s move to skip New Hampshire primary could come with steep price in November Joe Biden risks losing a key purple state by flipping off New Hampshire voters in an election that could come down to just a few electoral votes.The president’s campaign has made a calculated risk that Granite State voters will forget Biden’s snub of refusing to put his name on the primary ballot.Chances are they won’t forget. New Hampshire has four electoral votes and in a close election losing them could be a major blow to Democrats’ hopes of holding on to the White House.But Biden has chosen South Carolina over New Hampshire and Iowa by endorsing the Palmetto State primary first in line – rewarding the place that rescued his 2020 campaign.South Carolina is now the leadoff voting state in the selection process under Democratic National Committee rules, but New Hampshire is ignoring that DNC list, vowing to hold its primary first under its own state law. Iowa Democrats are also working to preserve their early January caucus.“While the president wishes to participate in the pr...