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1 dead, 1 critical, several unaccounted for after explosion destroys 3 homes, damages others

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:43:40 GMT

PLUM, Pa. (AP) — One person is dead, another critically injured and several people are unaccounted for following a house explosion in western Pennsylvania that destroyed three structures and damaged at least a dozen others, authorities said.Allegheny County officials said three people were taken to hospitals after the blast that happened shortly before 10:30 a.m. Saturday in the borough of Plum. Officials later said one was critically injured and two others were listed as stable. More than 20 firefighters were evaluated, many for heat exhaustion.County spokesperson Amie Downs said emergency responders reported people trapped under debris after one house apparently exploded and two others were engulfed in flames. Crews from at least 18 fire departments were working to douse the flames with the help of water tankers from Allegheny and Westmoreland counties.Officials told reporters at the scene that they don’t know exactly who was home and who may have had visitors at the time of...

Giants coach Daboll happy with a few of the rookies after loss to Lions in preseason opener

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:43:40 GMT

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — If anything came out of their first preseason game, the New York Giants found out quickly the draft picks they were counting on are ready for prime time.Cornerback Deonte Banks, center John-Michael Schmitz — their top two picks — and cornerback Tre Hawkins all showed flashes in the Detroit Lions’ 21-16 win over New York on Friday night.Giants coach Brian Daboll said Saturday the game in Detroit contained the usual good and bad typically seen in an opening preseason game. He liked the way his team competed, adding the mistakes have to be cleaned up.“I thought a lot of our young guys in our two corners, our center, I thought they showed well in the game for us play with confidence, did their job,” Daboll said after watching film of the game. “So it was good to see those three young guys out there playing. They played a fairly high level.”The Giants are hoping Banks, the 24th pick in the draft, is ready to take on a starting role opposite veteran Ador...

Ozzie Albies homers as Atlanta Braves pound New York Mets 21-3 in doubleheader opener

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:43:40 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Ozzie Albies homered and drove in six runs, and the Atlanta Braves pounded the New York Mets 21-3 on Saturday in the opening game of a doubleheader.Atlanta connected six times in its fourth win in five games, running its major league-leading total to 224 homers. Matt Olson went deep twice in his seventh multihomer game of the season and No. 20 for his career. Sean Murphy, Austin Riley and Nicky Lopez also homered for the NL East leaders.Riley hit a two-run homer and Lopez added a three-run shot during an eight-run ninth inning against Mets infielder Danny Mendick.Lopez, making his first start since he was acquired in a trade with Kansas City on July 30, finished with four hits and five RBIs. He also pitched a scoreless ninth inning. Allan Winans (1-0), who was drafted by the Mets in 2018 before the Braves selected him in the minor league portion of the 2021 Rule 5 draft, got the win with seven scoreless innings.New York loaded the bases in the first via two walks and...

Bryce Harper returns to the Phillies’ lineup after missing 1 game with back spasms

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:43:40 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Two-time MVP Bryce Harper was back in the Philadelphia Phillies’ lineup for their game against the Minnesota Twins on Saturday night after sitting out one game with mid-back spasms.Harper was batting third as the designated hitter in manager Rob Thomson’s lineup. Harper left Thursday’s game against the Washington Nationals in the top of the fifth inning with spasms that were unrelated to back pain that kept him out of games in 2021. He said his issues started in the first inning in Thursday’s win over Washington but he wanted to continue to play.He is batting .293 with seven home runs and 39 RBIs. Following offseason Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, Harper has played in 12 games at first base and 83 total for the defending NL champion Phillies (65-52), who entered play Saturday holding the top wild-card spot.Also, Kyle Schwarber was in Philadelphia’s lineup in his customary leadoff spot Saturday after leaving in the seventh inning of Philadelphia’s 13...

Fields throws TDs to Moore and Herbert as the Bears beat the Titans 23-17

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:43:40 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Justin Fields threw touchdown passes to prized newcomer DJ Moore and Khalil Herbert on Chicago’s first two possessions, then watched as the Bears beat the Tennessee Titans 23-17 in the teams’ preseason opener Saturday.The Bears envisioned big plays in the passing game when they acquired Moore in a blockbuster trade with the Carolina Panthers. They got one from their new receiver, though it didn’t happen on a long throw.Moore and Herbert turned short passes into sprints to the end zone against a second-string defense after Tennessee’s Malik Willis led the Titans on a 75-yard touchdown drive to start the game.A third-round pick last year, Willis hit a wide-open Chris Moore in the middle for a 30-yard gain on the first play from scrimmage and scored from the 2 with Chicago using mostly reserves.DJ Moore caught a screen from Fields and went 62 yards untouched along the left side. Not a bad way to introduce himself to the Soldier Field crowd, after ...

Colts QB Richardson struggles; Bills safety Hamlin shines in Buffalo’s 23-19 preseason win

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:43:40 GMT

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Colts rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson threw an interception and was unable to generate much offense with his legs either during Indianapolis’ preseason-opening 23-19 loss to the Buffalo Bills in an outing decided by the third-stringers on Saturday.The Bills, meantime, got an emotional boost with safety Damar Hamlin credited with three tackles over two-plus defensive series in his first competitive game since going into cardiac arrest and being resuscitated on the field during a game at Cincinnati on Jan. 2. Hamlin showed no signs of hesitation and made a key impact on his second defensive snap by stopping running back Evan Hull for no gain on fourth-and-1 at the Buffalo 40 to end the Colts’ second possession.Trailing 13-10, the Bills went ahead for good with 6:11 left in the third quarter, when Matt Barkley hit Tyrell Shavers for a 22-yard touchdown pass. Shavers’ touchdown made up for his miscue earlier in the quarter when Kyle Allen’s pass tipped of...

Final Four: Australia makes it through to Women’s World Cup semifinals seeking history for Matildas

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:43:40 GMT

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — There will be a first-time winner of the Women’s World Cup this year, and maybe, just maybe, it will be host country Australia. The Matildas, serving as co-hosts of the tournament with New Zealand, became the first home team since the United States in 1999 to win a quarterfina l in nine Women’s World Cups. Australia has reached its first semifinal in team history and faces England on Wednesday for a chance to play for the title. “I genuinely really believe that this team can do great history in so many ways,” Australia coach Tony Gustavsson said, “not just winning football games, but the way that they can inspire the next generation, how they can unite the nation, how they can leave a legacy that is much bigger that football.”England, the European champion, advanced with a 2-1 victory over upstart Colombia. England also reached the semifinals in 2015 and 2019, only to finish third and fourth and never reach the Women’s World Cup f...

2 men have been indicted for an 8-year-old’s shooting death in Virginia last year

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:43:40 GMT

HOPEWELL, Va. (AP) — Two young men have been accused of first-degree murder and other charges related to the shooting death of an 8-year-old girl at the close of 2022 in a central Virginia city.Jamari Antonio Taylor, 20, of Hopewell and Rayquan Latrel Harvell, 18, of Chesterfield, were indicted on several counts between them on Wednesday, according to a Hopewell Police Department news release. They were in the Riverside Regional Jail on Saturday without bond, according to electronic records. P’Aris Moore was shot in the chest on Dec. 30 and died later at TriCities Hospital. The police chief at the time had said that the girl was playing in a front yard when a vehicle slowed down and fired a single shot. Police had said witnesses had reported seeing a sedan with tinted windows speeding through the area that could be related to the shooting. The police news release said an “extensive investigation” into the homicide led to the arrests that involved the Office of the Commonwealth...

Police: Armed man carjacked driver in Fort Lauderdale, took off with passenger, ditched car on I-95

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:43:40 GMT

A chaotic series of events in Broward County involving an armed carjacking and an alarming abduction has triggered a search for the man responsible.According to Fort Lauderdale Police, they received a call about a possible kidnapping near the 100 block of Southwest Second Avenue in Fort Lauderdale, just before 5:25 a.m., Saturday.Investigators said a man and a woman were inside a car when they were approached by the subject, who was armed with a gun.Police said the driver got out of the vehicle and ran away, while the woman remained in the passenger seat as the subject got in and drove away.FLPD and the Broward Sheriff’s Office quickly gathered information about the victim’s car.Detectives said the vehicle and the woman were later located along Interstate 95 near Oakland Park Boulevard.Police determined the subject fled on foot prior to officers’ arrival.The woman was taken to the hospital to be treated for injuries that were not life-threatening.As of late Saturda...

Firefighters make progress against deadly wildfires in Maui, as officials estimate it will cost billions of dollars to rebuild

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:43:40 GMT

(CNN) — As the Maui wildfire death toll mounts and search teams and their cadaver dogs continue the grim work of sifting through the ruins of burned buildings, officials estimated on Saturday that it will cost billions to restore the once-picturesque town of Lahaina.Firefighters have made some progress in containing the blazes, which have killed at least 80 people and leveled entire communities, but officials warn they do not know exactly how many people are still missing after wildfires earlier this week began eating through neighborhoods in western Maui.The blazes, fanned by powerful winds from Hurricane Dora hundreds of miles offshore, have become the deadliest natural disaster in Hawaii since statehood in 1959.As of Friday evening local time, all three fires were still active after initial reports came Tuesday. And while there have been some improvements in containment, the risk of flare-ups remains.People in Kaanapali were evacuating Friday night after spotting a fire...