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Chicago basketball report: Bulls chase consistency after rocky start — and could Skylar Diggins-Smith join the Sky?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:52 GMT

The Chicago Bulls are looking to set things straight after an up-and-down first week of the regular season highlighted by a blowout loss and buzzer- beater win.The Chicago Sky are looking ahead after naming a new head coach and general manager.Every Wednesday throughout the season, Tribune writers will provide an update on what happened — and what’s ahead for the Bulls, Sky and local hoops.Chicago Bulls finish whirlwind first week of the season 2-2The Bulls could not have gotten off to a rockier start — a blowout loss and a players meeting on the first night of the season. Players were furious after taking an “unacceptable” 124-104 beating from the Oklahoma City Thunder at home. They responded two nights later by scrabbling for an overtime win punctuated by an 18-point fourth quarter from DeMar DeRozan and a game-winning 3-pointer by Alex Caruso.But the win didn’t shake off any of the uncertainty facing the Bulls. They dropped a 118-102 loss to th...

Patriots coach Bill Belichick reacts to Josh McDaniels’ firing in Las Vegas

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:52 GMT

FOXBORO — Early Wednesday morning, the Raiders announced they fired head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler after going 9-16 under their leadership.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Bill Belichick dodges on Patriots’ inactivity at NFL trade deadline New England Patriots | Bill O’Brien offers blunt assessment of disappointing Patriots offense New England Patriots | Patriots sit tight at NFL trade deadline, what’s next? New England Patriots | Patriots-Dolphins film review: The simple reason Bill Belichick and Mac Jones lost again at Miami New England Patriots | Source: Josh Uche is Patriots’ most likely trade candidate ahead of deadline McDaniels and Ziegler left the Patriots for Las Vegas in Jan. 2022 and lasted just a season and a half together. The last time McDaniels was fired as a head coach in 2010, he spent one season working outside of New Engla...

Mass and Cass tents coming down in Boston now

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:52 GMT

The tents on Mass and Cass are coming down!At 8 a.m., the first tent poles were being pulled by a resident of the Mile even before police nearby entered the encampment.It was a chilly 38 degrees with an icy breeze and no one seemed to be in any rush.At 8:27 a.m., police began meeting off to the side after three sergeants had quietly ventured into the makeshift neighborhood that’s been home to human trafficking, drug use and abuse, and an eyesore that never seemed to stop festering.At 8:35 a.m., City Council President Ed Flynn came down to “thank police and other people helping here.” That included Mary Ann Ponti, director of outreach programs at St. Anthony Shrine.Ponti, who didn’t want to say much while working the scene, was attempting to help a woman who was pacing as the mayor’s tent ordinance was now all too real.As the Herald reported today, the Shrine is part of a team assembled to help give those who have moved in along this misery Mile a path o...

Chicago Bears — who rank 6th in the NFL in rushing — dismiss running backs coach David Walker

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:52 GMT

The Chicago Bears have dismissed running backs coach David Walker, a league source told the Tribune on Wednesday morning.It is the latest sign of tumult for a 2-6 team that has yet to win consecutive games under the two-season watch of general manager Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus.It is unclear yet what precipitated Walker’s removal.He is the second assistant coach from Eberflus’ staff to exit since the regular season began. In September, defensive coordinator Alan Williams resigned from the organization for what the Tribune learned from multiple sources was a conduct-related departure.The Bears remain in last place in the NFC North and are coming off a 30-13 blowout loss on “Sunday Night Football” to the Los Angeles Chargers. On Tuesday, just ahead of the league’s trade deadline, Poles sent the team’s 2024 second-round draft pick to the Washington Commanders in exchange for defensive end Montez Sweat.After leading the NFL in rushing a year ago ...

Bill Belichick dodges on Patriots’ inactivity at NFL trade deadline

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:52 GMT

FOXBORO — The Patriots stood pat at the NFL’s trade deadline Tuesday.On Wednesday, Bill Belichick took his first questions about the team’s inactivity at the deadline. Belichick deflected the first two questions, saying his focus was on preparing for Sunday’s game against Washington. On Tuesday, the Commanders (3-4) were among the most active teams at the deadline, trading defensive ends Chase Young and Montez Sweat for picks in the second and third round of next year’s draft.Pressed about any trade talks the Patriots (2-6) might have had Tuesday, Belichick repeatedly declined to offer specifics and called it “just another day.”Below is a complete transcript of Belichick’s comments Wednesday related to the trade deadline:Q: The trade deadline was yesterday. Was it a busy day for you guys?Belichick: “Yeah, we’re getting ready for Washington.”Q: Were you close on anything?Belichick: “Spent time getting ready for W...

Kids in San Diego County can trade in their Halloween candy for cash

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:52 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Now that Halloween has come and gone, trick-or-treaters throughout San Diego County may have more than enough candy to go around. Instead of indulging in all that sugar, The Super Dentists are encouraging kids to participate in their buy-back program instead. Volunteers to man Día de los Muertos altar in Hillcrest after vandalism incident How does it work? It's as easy as bringing in bags of Halloween candy to one of six of their offices throughout the region. Drop-off locations can be found here:Carmel Valley (11943 El Camino Real #200) Chula Vista (345 F Street, Suite 260) Eastlake (2226 Otay Lakes Road, Suites A & B) Kearny Mesa (9737 Aero Drive #210) Oceanside (3625 Vista Way) Escondido (390 West Valley Parkway)  Between Nov. 1-6, kids can receive $1 for each pound of candy they bring in to one of these offices. Pedestrians injured after being struck by vehicles on Halloween Several local schools are also participating in the ...

Make the next federal vote a ‘carbon tax election,’ Poilievre challenges Trudeau

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:52 GMT

OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is challenging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to a “carbon tax election,” and is calling on the Liberals to exempt all home heating from carbon pricing until the next federal vote.Poilievre threw down the challenge in an address to his caucus this morning, where he chided the Liberals’ decision to pause the levy only for home heating oil over the next three years.That decision, along with a pledge to increase the top-up to carbon rebates for rural Canadians, came amid weak polling for the Liberals in Atlantic Canada, where the federal carbon price came into effect in July, and where about one-third of homes use heating oil. The prime minister seems eager to go to battle with Poilievre over climate action, saying this morning that the Tories have no plan for climate change — which Trudeau says means they also have no plan on the economy.He has ruled out any further “carve-outs” to the carbon pricing system ami...

African countries to seek extension of duty-free access to US markets

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:52 GMT

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The extension of the U.S. program allowing sub-Saharan African countries duty-free access to U.S. markets is expected to be high on the agenda of the U.S. Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) trade forum that will begin in South Africa on Thursday.Officials including U.S. trade representative Ambassador Katherine Tai and deputy assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Joy Basu will meet African leaders and officials in Johannesburg over the next three days to discuss, among other issues, the possible extension of AGOA and ways to improve its benefits for African nations.The forum kicks off days after U.S. President Joe Biden announced his intention to boot Niger, Uganda, Central African Republic and Gabon off the list of beneficiaries as they have failed to comply with the eligibility criteria.AGOA is U.S. legislation that allows sub-Saharan African countries duty-free access to the U.S. market provided they meet certain conditions, including adherenc...

Uganda’s military says it has captured a commander of an extremist group accused in tourist attack

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:52 GMT

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — A Ugandan military spokesperson says troops have captured a commander of an extremist group whose fighters are accused of killing two tourists last month.Col. Deo Akiiki said Wednesday that a senior commander with the Allied Democratic Forces, a rebel whose nom de guerre is Njovu, was in military custody.Njovu was captured during an exchange of fire on Lake Edward on Uganda’s border with Congo. An unknown number of rebels drowned or were shot in the fighting Tuesday night, according to Akiiki.Njovu has been in charge of operations such as the murder in October of a South African tourist and her British husband while they were honeymooning in remote Queen Elizabeth National Park. Their Ugandan guide also was killed and their vehicle set on fire.The ADF has ties to the Islamic State group. Following the attack on the tourists, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni urged security agencies to ensure the group “is wiped out.”Ugandan troops are hunting down ...

Ontario scraps its portion of HST on purpose-built rentals

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:52 GMT

Ontario is scrapping its portion of the harmonized sales tax on eligible purpose-built rental housing in an effort to spur construction.The province has been saying it would remove its eight per cent portion of the tax if the federal government dropped the five per cent goods and services tax on rental housing builds.The federal government did that last month.Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy says the changes will apply to new rental housing units such as apartment buildings, student housing and senior residences built for long-term care rental accommodation.The rebates apply to projects that began construction this past September until Dec. 31, 2030.To qualify, new residential units must be in buildings with a minimum of four private apartment units or 10 private rooms, and be in a building where 90 per cent of units are long-term rentals.