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Iran navy seizes tanker near Oman that was on way to Houston

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:49 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s navy seized a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday heading to the U.S. amid wider tensions over Tehran’s nuclear program, the latest-such capture in a waterway crucial for global energy supplies.The U.S. Navy’s Mideast-based 5th Fleet identified the vessel as the Advantage Sweet. Satellite tracking data for the vessel from MarineTraffic.com showed it in the Gulf of Oman, just north of Oman’s capital, Muscat, on Thursday afternoon. It had just come from Kuwait and listed its destination as Houston.The Advantage Sweet issued a distress call at 1:15 p.m. while in international waters as Iran seized the vessel, the Navy said. “Iran’s actions are contrary to international law and disruptive to regional security and stability,” the 5th Fleet said in a statement. “Iran should immediately release the oil tanker.”The Navy initially said Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard se...

Packers take pass-rusher Van Ness at No. 13 in NFL draft

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:49 GMT

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The Green Bay Packers’ lack of pass-rushing depth was apparent when they struggled to get to opposing quarterbacks after Rashan Gary tore his anterior cruciate ligament last November.They are confident Lukas Van Ness can help change that.Rather than getting a pass catcher for new starting quarterback Jordan Love in the opening round, the Packers selected Van Ness with the 13th overall pick in the NFL draft Thursday night. Van Ness was in Wisconsin when he got the news while watching the draft from Fontana, where his parents have a home.“I couldn’t ask for a better result,” said Van Ness, who prepared for the draft by working out in California with a group that included Packers defensive tackle Kenny Clark. “I’m so happy to be Packer. I can’t wait to get out there and wear that green.”Green Bay began the week with the No. 15 overall pick in the draft, but they moved up two spots as part of the blockbuster trade that sent four-time MVP quarterb...

Titans take Northwestern O-lineman Skoronski at No. 11

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:49 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Only four NFL teams allowed more sacks last season than the Tennessee Titans. That made protecting the quarterback better a top priority with Northwestern offensive tackle Peter Skoronski the easy choice Thursday night for the Titans at No. 11 overall in the NFL draft.It’s not the quarterback or trade that many expected from new general manager Ran Carthon in his first draft. Ryan Tannehill turns 35 in July and has one year left on his contract with a salary cap hit of $36.6 million. Carthon made clear he expects his first draft pick to play immediately somewhere as a rookie after the Titans targeted Skoronski from the beginning, not sure if the lineman would be there when they picked. “We had other contingency plans just in case, and we got lucky and he was there,” Carthon said. “And so it made the pick real easy for us to pull off at 11.”The Titans gave up 49 sacks last season behind a patchwork offensive line hit hard by injuries. Only Ch...

Paredes drives in 5 as Rays pound Cease, White Sox 14-5

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:49 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Isaac Paredes had a career-high five RBIs, and the Tampa Bay Rays handed the Chicago White Sox their eighth straight loss with a 14-5 victory on Thursday night.Brandon Lowe homered, tripled and drove in three runs for Tampa Bay in the opener of a four-game series. Lowe, Yandy Díaz, Luke Raley and Josh Lowe each had three hits as the AL East leaders bounced back nicely after they were shut out in back-to-back home games by Houston. The Rays (21-5) have scored an MLB-best 171 runs and launched 51 homers in their first 26 games.“We’re a very, very good team offensively,” Brandon Lowe said. “We’ve got some guys that aren’t clicking right now. When they do click, we’re going to be even hotter as a team.“I don’t even think we’re at the peak of what we could be.”Tampa Bay collected 16 hits.Raley, who finished with three RBIs, moved from right field to the mound for the ninth and allowed two runs.Manager Kevin Cash said he “volunteere...

Steelers trade up, draft Georgia tackle Broderick Jones

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:49 GMT

PITTSBURGH (AP) — When Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin took a group of Georgia draft prospects out to dinner a year ago, he asked them who he needed to keep an eye on down the road.The answer he received was unanimous: massive offensive tackle Broderick Jones.Tomlin hadn’t heard of the 6-foot-5, 310-pound until that point. The seed, however, was planted. Over the course of the last 12 months, it grew alongside what the Steelers saw as Jones’ significant potential while he helped the Bulldogs win a second straight national title.Given an opportunity to grab an offensive lineman capable of protecting second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett’s blind side for the next half-decade at least, Tomlin and the Steelers didn’t hesitate. Pittsburgh moved up three spots in the first round of Thursday’s NFL draft to select Jones with the 14th overall pick, deciding a player who won’t turn 22 until May was worth the modest investment. The Steelers sent the 17...

Vikings take USC WR Jordan Addison at No. 23 in NFL draft

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:49 GMT

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings picked USC wide receiver Jordan Addison with the 23rd overall selection of the NFL draft on Thursday night, giving star Justin Jefferson a viable sidekick after the jettisoning of veteran Adam Thielen.Addison was the fourth consecutive wide receiver taken after none went in the first 19 slots, following Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Ngjiba (Seahawks), TCU’s Quentin Johnston (Chargers) and Boston College’s Zay Flowers (Ravens).The 2021 Biletnikoff Award winner for the nation’s top wide receiver at Pittsburgh, the speedy and polished Addison transferred to USC for his final college season. With uncertainty beyond this year at quarterback with Kirk Cousins on an expiring contract, the Vikings passed on a chance to take Kentucky’s Will Levis, who was widely expected to be gone by the time No. 23 came up. Three of the first four picks — Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson — were quarterbacks.The Vikings drafte...

Chargers draft TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston at No. 21

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:49 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Chargers provided quarterback Justin Herbert with another weapon, selecting TCU wide receiver Quentin Johnston with the 21st pick in the NFL draft Thursday night.Johnston led the Horned Frogs in receiving the last three years. He had 60 receptions for 1,069 yards and eight touchdowns last season as TCU went from unranked at the beginning of the season to the College Football Playoff title game, which it lost to Georgia.Johnston joins a talented Chargers receiving room that already has Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Joshua Palmer. General manager Tom Telesco and coach Brandon Staley were looking for someone who can stretch the field or generate mismatches for explosive pass plays.Los Angeles also needs to build depth at the position since Allen is going into his 11th season and missed seven of the first nine games last season with a hamstring injury. Williams was sidelined for five games.The Chargers selected Johnston over Zay Flowers (Boston Colle...

Buxton, Correa go long in Twins’ rout of Royals; Greinke 0-4

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:49 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa homered back-to-back for the Minnesota Twins, who routed the Kansas City Royals 7-1 on Thursday.Buxton and Correa teed off on Royals veteran right-hander Zack Greinke in the fourth inning. Buxton’s opposite-field shot was a three-run blast over the high wall in right-center field to make it 6-1. Correa followed that up with a line-drive homer into the bullpens in left-center.Twins starter Tyler Mahle allowed one run — a solo homer by Vinnie Pasquantino in the top of the fourth — but exited after four innings and 66 pitches with right posterior elbow soreness. Mahle didn’t sound too worried after the game, calling it “just inflammation,” but said he didn’t know yet whether he’d make his next start.“No one’s really concerned about it,” he said. “So just sit back for a few days and let it calm down and it should be fine.”Reliever Brock Stewart (1-0), who was recalled from Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday...

Megabus expands bus service in Kingston during summer months

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:49 GMT

Megabus has announced that starting May 3rd, the company will be increasing the frequency of its bus service through several key cities, including in Kingston during the summer months. According to an email to customers, Coach Canada’s Montreal and Kingston service will increase to daytime hourly trips offering 16 daily departures to/from Toronto Thursdays through Mondays.The expansion of trips means that Megabus will offer rides from Kingston to Toronto starting at 3:00 am, with its last trip departing at 9:30pm daily. It will also offer trips from Toronto to Kingston starting at 7:30am with its final trip at 11:30pm.In addition to an expansion of service to and from Kingston, the number of departures from Toronto to Niagara Falls will be tripled during tourist season, with most trips serving the Table Rock Transit Station at Niagara Falls.“With summertime and warmer weather upon us, we’re expecting heavy volumes of travelers in Canada,” said Colin Emberson, VP Commercial for Megab...

Denver weather: Slick morning commute possible from rain, snow

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:49 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Another round of rain and snow showers will move into Denver's weather forecast Thursday night into early Friday. This will lead to a slick commute Friday morning in some areas ahead of a nice weekend. Because of this, a Pinpoint Weather Alert Day has been issued for Friday, with a focus on the early morning.Weather tonight: Rain and snow showers, breezyWinter weather advisories are in effect from Thursday evening until Friday morning, mostly for elevations above 6,500 feet. Because of accumulating snowfall and strong wind gusts, travel could be very difficult at times. As a cold front moves through the area we will see increasing clouds and wind gusts reaching over 30 mph in the Denver metro. Clouds will be followed by rain showers this evening that will transition to snowfall overnight. Weather tomorrow: Clearing in the morning for DenverThere will be a few morning showers and a couple of inches of snowfall, mostly for elevations above 6,500 feet. The chanc...