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Novak Djokovic: Ron DeSantis would ‘run a boat from the Bahamas’ to allow world No. 1 into the US to play at Miami Open

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:10:22 GMT

(CNN) — Time might have run out for Novak Djokovic to be admitted US entry to play at Indian Wells, but US politicians — notably Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — are lobbying for regulations to change and allow the world No. 1 into the country in time for the Miami Open.The US still requires international visitors to be vaccinated against Covid-19, and the Serbian, who has previously said he remains unvaccinated, confirmed he had applied for special permission to enter the country ahead of both tournaments.However, Indian Wells organizers announced on Sunday that Djokovic had withdrawn from the tournament, where main draw play began Wednesday.DeSantis said he would “run a boat from the Bahamas” for Djokovic to compete in the Miami Open tennis tournament later this month.“I would run a boat from the Bahamas here for him. I would do that a hundred percent,” DeSantis said at a press conference in Tampa Wednesda...

81-year-old stuck in snowbank survives nearly a week on croissants and candy

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:10:22 GMT

(CNN) — An elderly man survived on croissants, candy and biscotti for nearly a week alone in his car, stuck in a snowbank on a desolate California highway.Jerry Jouret, 81, set out from his mountain house in Big Pine, California, on February 24 to return to his family home in Gardnerville, Nevada — just over three hours away in good driving conditions.According to his grandson Christian, Jouret thought he could beat the impending snowstorm. He was wrong.During the drive, Jouret accidentally veered onto a smaller road and his SUV became stuck near Gilbert Pass, he told CNN.Temperatures in the area dropped from the mid-30s into the teens overnight.The mathematician and former NASA employee were ill-prepared for the weather, wearing only a light windbreaker, his grandson said. “He’s pretty small,” Christian added. “He doesn’t have a whole lot of meat on his bones.”A light quilt and a hotel bath towel were the only things Jouret had to kee...

Punches thrown on Southwest plane in Dallas, according to witness and video

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:10:22 GMT

 (CNN) — Punches were thrown on a Southwest Airlines plane in Dallas Monday, according to a witness and video, marking the latest incident of unruly passenger behavior.Passengers bound for Phoenix were boarding Flight 117 at Dallas Love Field Airport when a man in a tan blazer confronted another man and hit him with a flurry of punches, passenger Caitlin Johnson told CNN Wednesday.“And the next thing you know he starts punching the man,” Johnson said.She said passengers jumped in to help de-escalate the situation.In Johnson’s video, the man in the blazer can be seen holding the other man in a headlock and calling him obscenities as passengers try to intervene.“You guys stop it,” one passenger is heard saying, while another says, “Get off of him” and “let go.”Once the passengers managed to separate the two men, the man wearing the blazer swings at the other man, the video shows.“No! Do not hit him again,” a ...

Woman arrested for Burlington credit card scam, allegedly made $500K in fraudulent charges

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:10:22 GMT

A 19-year-old woman has been arrested for her alleged role in a credit card scam that police say involved her making over half-a-million dollars’ worth of fraudulent charges, including the purchase of a Tesla and trip to Hawaii before her arrest.Ariel Foster of Boston is now facing a charge of Larceny Over $1,200, according to the Burlington Police Department.In a statement, Burlington Police Chief Thomas Browne said her arrest came weeks after detectives were called to the Lovisa jewelry store in the Burlington Mall for a report of a credit card machine breach on Feb. 22.Browne said an investigation found that on three dates that month, some items scanned at the register had their prices increased, and that the cost of the items was then allegedly refunded to a credit card belonging to Foster, an employee at the store.Police identified eight such transactions, adding up to a total loss of $547,187. Authorities also determined Foster was at the store when the breaches occurred...

Having been there, lost that, Kevin Love warns Heat about perils of life in NBA play-in round

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:10:22 GMT

Miami Heat newcomer Kevin Love has lived the NBA play-in tournament. He doesn’t want to go back. With good reason.While for some lower seeds, the play-in round, where one or two victories can secure a spot in the first round, is a second chance at making things right, it also can be a path fraught with peril for teams that under the NBA’s previous format would have advanced directly to the best-of-seven opening round.“We certainly have an uphill climb to get to where we need to be,” Love said, with the Heat at No. 7 in the East headed into Friday night’s rematch against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Miami-Dade Arena, “and, more than anything, that’s just not to be in the play-in.“We’re right there, and we feel like we can’t keep setting ourselves back. We need to start winning these next several games in order to put ourselves in a good spot and able to not have to be in the play-in.”Love speaks from experience.Last seas...

Lonzo Ball could face a 3rd knee surgery, raising questions about his return to Chicago Bulls for the 2023-24 season

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:10:22 GMT

The end of a lengthy recovery still isn’t in sight for Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball, who reportedly could require a third surgery on his right knee.ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Thursday that Ball could require a third procedure, which would result in at least six months of additional recovery. The report did not specify what the procedure would entail, but the surgery would most likely occur by the end of March.If the procedure requires a six-month recovery window, it could raise questions already for Ball’s availability for the start of the 2023-24 season.Ball underwent a meniscus surgery last January and an arthroscopic debridement on Sept. 28 as he attempted to recover from a baffling knee injury that has sidelined him for nearly 14 months. The last time he played basketball was Jan. 14, 2022, and he has not been able to run or jump without pain since.The Bulls medical staff has worked in tandem with Ball’s representative team, which has allo...

Jets feeling more optimistic about landing star QB Aaron Rodgers: report

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:10:22 GMT

On Tuesday, Jets brass flew out to California to meet with Aaron Rodgers after receiving permission from the Packers to talk to the star quarterback. Jets owner Woody Johnson, general manager Joe Douglas, coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett traveled to the west coast with the hopes of acquiring the former four-time MVP.Now it appears Gang Green is closer to landing the 39-year-old quarterback.The Jets are “optimistic” that they will land Rodgers in a trade, according to ESPN’s Dianna Russini.Rodgers is scheduled to make $59.5 million guaranteed if he plays in 2023, part of the three-year, $150 million contract extension he signed last year.While the Packers and Jets will continue to engage in trade compensation conversations, they could also restructure Rodgers’ contract to allow for an easier cap hit. But Rodgers’ salary cap hit is only $15.8 million in 2023 and $32.5 million in 2024.Currently, the Jets are $1.7 million over ...

Police say Oshawa man assaulted snowplow driver for blocking driveway with snow

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:10:22 GMT

The stresses of cleaning up after a major winter storm apparently reached a boiling point in Oshawa last weekend, where police allege a homeowner assaulted a snowplow driver who blocked his driveway with a mountain of snow.It happened on Saturday night in the Wilson Road and Greenhill Avenue area at around 9:30 p.m. following a storm that dropped up to 30 centimeters of snow on parts of the Greater Toronto Area.Durham Regional Police officers responded to calls for an altercation between a homeowner and snowplow driver.“A pile of snow blocked the male’s driveway after last week’s snowstorm causing him to become upset and assault the snowplow driver,” police said in a release Friday.Police have charged Scott Patton, 32, of Oshawa, with a single count of assault.

Liberals to amend Criminal Code terrorism provisions that block aid to Afghanistan

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:10:22 GMT

OTTAWA — The Liberal government introduced a bill today to alter terrorism provisions of the Criminal Code that block humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino is proposing amendments to the Criminal Code that provide a carveout for Canadian aid workers to carry out duties in areas controlled by terrorists without being prosecuted.Humanitarian groups say Global Affairs Canada has told them for more than a year that purchasing goods or hiring locals in Afghanistan would involve paying taxes to the Taliban, which would mean contributing to a terror group.Canada’s allies moved much more swiftly to alter national laws and issue exemptions after the August 2021 Taliban takeover of Kabul to ensure aid workers could keep working in Afghanistan.Groups such as World Vision Canada say they’ve held back on launching donation appeals because of the rules, despite Afghanistan being one of the countries for which Canadians are most likely to pledge money.T...

Credit card debt up 15 per cent in Q4, younger Canadians feel hardest pinch: Equifax

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:10:22 GMT

TORONTO — Canadian credit card debt soared in the last three months of 2022 amid rising interest rates and stubbornly high inflation with younger Canadians in particular relying on credit to make ends meet.Canadians’ credit card debt increased by more than 15 per cent from the same period a year earlier and totalled more than $100 billion for the first time, according to credit monitoring agency Equifax.Overall consumer debt rose in the fourth quarter of 2022, with total debt at $2.37 trillion, up more than six per cent from the same period in 2021, the agency said in its latest quarterly credit trends report.Equifax said the effects of higher interest rates are yet to be fully felt on homeowners as many have not yet renewed their mortgages, but younger Canadians are feeling the pinch of inflation particularly hard. The financial stress on Canadians is apparent in the latest data, especially for non-homeowners, said Rebecca Oakes, vice-president of advanced analytics at Equifax Cana...