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Internet, phone service gradually returns after vanishing for most of Gaza amid heavy bombardment

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:07 GMT

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Two days after cellular and internet service abruptly vanished for most of Gaza amid a heavy Israeli bombardment, the crowded enclave was coming back online Sunday as communications systems were gradually being restored.That’s a welcome development for Gaza following a communications blackout that began late Friday as Israel expanded ground operations and launched intense airstrikes that illuminated the night sky with furious orange flashes. A rare few Palestinians with international SIM cards or satellite phones took it upon themselves to get the news out.By Sunday morning, though, phone and internet communications had been restored to many people in Gaza, according to telecommunications providers in the area, Internet-access advocacy group NetBlocks.org and confirmation on the ground.After weeks of a total Israeli siege, Palestinians in Gaza felt the vise tightening. Social media had been a lifeline for Palestinians desperate to get news and to...

Suzuki scores in shootout and Allen makes 42 saves as Canadiens come back to beat Jets 4-3

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:07 GMT

MONTREAL (AP) — Goaltender Jake Allen made 42 saves as the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Winnipeg Jets 4-3 in a shootout Saturday night.Montreal captain Nick Suzuki scored to open the shootout and Allen shut the door the rest of the way after a scoreless back-and-forth overtime period.“We had more than enough chances to bury and get that fourth one, we had a power play at the end of the third, too,” said Jets defenseman Brenden Dillon. “I think the team as a whole is feeling good about our game and where it’s at right now.“We found a way to get a point tonight, but frustrating we didn’t get two.”Jets interim coach Scott Arniel gave credit where it was due after the game.“You know what, we threw out 45 shots and there were legitimate A1 chances that we had, and give the goaltender credit. He made some big stops for them,” said Arniel, filling in for head coach Rick Bowness, who’s on leave from the team after his wife Judy had a seizure Sunday.“We could’ve blown that one out, maybe ...

Gordon runs for 271 yards as Oklahoma State tops Cincinnati 45-13 in Bedlam tune-up

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:07 GMT

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Ollie Gordon II rushed for 271 yards and two touchdowns, and Oklahoma State defeated Cincinnati 45-13 on Saturday night to win its fourth straight heading into a showdown with rival Oklahoma.Gordon joined Barry Sanders as the only Oklahoma State players to rush for at least 250 yards in consecutive games. He has rushed for at least 100 yards in five straight contests and gained 858 yards from scrimmage the past three games. Leon Johnson III had five catches for 149 yards and Brennan Presley scored two touchdowns — one rushing and one receiving — for the Cowboys (6-2, 4-1 Big 12), who moved into a five-way tie for the conference lead.Cincinnati rushed for 277 yards but did not capitalize. Myles Montgomery ran for 90 yards and Corey Kiner had 79 for the Bearcats (2-6, 0-5), who have lost six straight.In the second quarter, Bowman connected with Johnson for a 67-yard gain, leading to a 28-yard field goal by Alex Hale that put the Cowboys up 10-7 — a score that ...

Garbers throws 2 TD passes, UCLA defense posts 7 sacks in 28-16 victory over Colorado

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:07 GMT

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Ethan Garbers threw two touchdown passes, UCLA’s defense sacked Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders seven times and the 23rd-ranked Bruins broke open a close game at halftime with three second-half touchdowns in a 28-16 victory over the Buffaloes on Saturday night.UCLA led 7-6 at halftime after committing four turnovers in the first half, but scored touchdowns on three of its first four drives in the second half to take control. “Usually you don’t win games when you have four turnovers in the first half. I thought our defense was outstanding,” coach Chip Kelly said. “The drive at the beginning of the second half was key, and kind of got the momentum back on our side.”The Bruins (6-2, 3-2 Pac-12) came into the game tied for 10th in the nation with 24 sacks. The seven sacks of Sanders is the first time they have had that many in a game since 2019. Linebacker Laiatu Latu sacked Sanders twice.It is the third time this season Sanders has been sacked at least se...

AP Top 25 Takeaways: No. 6 OU upset; No. 8 Oregon flexes; No. 1 UGA, No. 2 FSU roll before CFP debut

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:07 GMT

The upsets have arrived.Kansas made it two weeks in a row with an unranked team beating a top-10 team, when the Jayhawks knocked No. 6 Oklahoma out of the ranks of the unbeaten Saturday to snap an 18-game losing streak against the Sooners.OU’s loss comes a week after then-No. 10 North Carolina lost to Virginia at home, and three days before the first College Football Playoff rankings are released. Before the Tar Heels were tripped up, there hadn’t been a top-10 team to lose to an unranked team since Week 1.Kansas’ upset wasn’t as stunning of Virginia’s. These are not your older brother’s Jayhawks (6-2). Coach Lance Leipold has Kansas bowl eligible for the second year in a row. That’s only happened one other time in the history of the program.“It’s time, for me to start talking about how far we’ve come,” Leipold said.In just three seasons in Lawrence, Leipold has turned around what was the worst Power Five program in the country. The Jayhawks...

Israel strikes near Gaza’s largest hospital after accusing Hamas of using it as a base

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:07 GMT

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli warplanes carried out airstrikes early Sunday near Gaza’s largest hospital, which is packed with patients and tens of thousands of Palestinians seeking shelter. Israel has said Gaza’s militant Hamas rulers have a command post under the hospital, without providing much evidence.The strikes came a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a “second stage” in Israel’s war on Hamas, three weeks after Hamas launched a brutal incursion into Israel Oct. 7. Ground forces pushed into Gaza over the weekend as Israel pounded the territory from air, land and sea.The bombardment — described by Gaza residents as the most intense of the war — knocked out most communications in the territory late Friday, largely cutting off the besieged enclave’s 2.3 million people from the world. Communications were restored to many people in Gaza early Sunday, according to local telecoms companies, Internet-access advocacy group NetBlo...

Live updates | Israeli military intensifies strikes on Gaza including underground targets

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:07 GMT

Internet and phone connectivity disrupted by Israel’s heavy bombardment of Gaza were restored for many people on Sunday, even as the Israeli military intensified its strikes on the besieged enclave from the land, air and sea.The Israeli strikes had knocked out most communications in the territory late Friday and largely cut off its 2.3 million people from the world. Communications were restored to many in Gaza early Sunday, according to the telecoms company Paltel, Internet-access advocacy group NetBlocks.org and confirmation on the ground.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday called the 3-week-old Israel-Hamas war a fight for Israel’s existence and said “‘Never again’ is now.”The Palestinian death toll passed 7,700, most of them women and children, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza. In the occupied West Bank, more than 110 Palestinians have been killed in violence and Israeli raids.More than 1,400 people were slain in Israel during a surprise incurs...

Naz Reid is loved by Timberwolves fans and players, alike. Here’s why.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:07 GMT

He is a reserve player who happens to be a favorite of not only Timberwolves’ fans, but also the players.The ovations he receives are starting to rival those of Anthony Edwards. For awhile there, Naz Reid was a lovable cult hero. But an entire Target Center crowd extends far beyond the reaches of the circles of Reddit.Reid is simply, universally, loved.“Naz is the best, man,” Wolves point guard Mike Conley summed up after Minnesota’s home victory Saturday over Miami.As Reid beamed in the locker room, Kyle Anderson told him his 25-point, eight-rebound performance was some “6th Man of the Year (stuff).” Yet any praise he receives from his peers pales in comparison to what he’s showered with in his kingdom known to most as Target Center.Every member of the roster is introduced individually prior to each home opener. When “At 6-foot-10, from LSU” was called out by Timberwolves’ public address announcer Jedidiah Jones, the crowd hit a new decibel level – it was time for Naz Reid. Reid’s ...

Afghanistan on a high after upsetting England and Pakistan at Cricket World Cup

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:07 GMT

The Afghanistan team arrived in India with an aim to qualify for the Cricket World Cup semifinals. And after the half-way stage of the tournament they have already put the defending champion England and 1992 winner Pakistan on the verge of elimination.Afghanistan shocked England by 69 runs at Delhi in one of the greatest World Cup upsets and then followed that with an authoritative eight-wicket win over Pakistan in Chennai.With probably the best spin attack at the World Cup, Afghanistan will fancy their chances against Sri Lanka and the Netherlands in the upcoming games before facing high-flying South Africa and a rejuventaed Australia in their final two matches.Whether Afghanistan could achieve their ultimate target of qulaifying for the semifinals or not, they have surely made their mark with their two stunning victories over England and Pakistan.Ex-Pakistan captain Rashid Latif, who coached Afghanistan 10 years ago, believes it will be big achievement for the Afghans if they fini...

K’Andre Miller’s OT goal gives Rangers 4th straight win, 4-3 over Canucks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:07 GMT

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — K’Andre Miller scored his first goal of the season in overtime lifting the New York Rangers over the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 on Saturday night.Miller took a pass from Chris Kreider and buried it behind Canucks’ goaltender Casey DeSmith at 3:48 of the extra period, giving the Rangers (6-2-0) their fourth win in a row.“It’s always good to get the first one out of the way,” Miller said. “I thought we had great team effort from start to finish.”Carson Soucy had tied the game for Vancouver with a blast from the blue line at 15:42 of the third period.J.T. Miller, on the power play, and defenseman Tyler Myers, short-handed, scored goals for the Canucks (5-2-1), who had won three in a row but were playing back-to-back nights. Filip Hronek had two assists.“On a back-to-back usually we come out flat,” Canucks captain Quinn Hughes said. “When we get tired in the second or third, mistakes kick in. There was none of that.“For us, if we’re going to play like...