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Hewitt: 7 March Madness storylines to watch, and predicting the bracket

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:13 GMT

This year’s men’s NCAA Tournament is as wide open as it’s ever been.As an Associated Press Top 25 voter, I can attest to that. Filling out a poll this season was a weekly challenge harder than past years. There are certainly a handful of favorites to cut down the nets in Houston in April, but there are no dominant teams. The gap has closed between high-major, blueblood programs and the rest of the pack. The extra year of eligibility due to the pandemic – making for more experienced teams across the landscape – and the introduction of NIL are among the factors.All of this is to say – this should be another incredibly exciting tournament. Let’s dive into some of the top storylines as the tourney begins Thursday with a 12:15 p.m. tip between Maryland and West Virginia.Can Kansas repeat?The defending champion Jayhawks had a terrific regular season even after losing Ochai Agbaji and Christian Braun, winning the Big 12 regular-season title and winning 17 Quadrant 1 games – an NCAA m...

US releases video of Russian jet dumping fuel on its drone

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:13 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The Pentagon has released footage of what it says is a Russian aircraft conducting an unsafe intercept of a U.S. Air Force surveillance drone in international airspace over the Black Sea.The 42-second video, released Thursday, shows a Russian Su-27 approaching the back of the MQ-9 drone and beginning to release fuel as it passes, the Pentagon said.The U.S. military said it ditched the MQ-9 Reaper in the sea on Tuesday after the Russian fighter jet poured fuel on the unmanned aerial vehicle, in an apparent attempt to blind its optical instruments and drive it out of the area, and then struck its propeller.The released excerpt does not show events before or after the apparent fuel-dumping confrontation.Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley have spoken to their Russian counterparts about the destruction of the U.S. drone following the encounter with Russian fighter jets. The calls with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Sho...

Poland detains 9 people suspected of spying for Russia

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:13 GMT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish authorities said Thursday that the nation’s security services have detained members of a Russian espionage ring, alleging that they were preparing acts of sabotage in Poland and had been monitoring railroad routes used for the transport of weapons into Ukraine.Interior Minister Mariusz Kamiński said the Internal Security Agency had arrested nine people suspected of spying for Russia in the case. Three were detained on Wednesday.He said at a news conference in Warsaw that the suspects were preparing “sabotage actions aimed at paralyzing the supply of equipment, weapons and aid to Ukraine.”He said the security agents also seized cameras, electronic equipment and GPS transmitters, which the suspects planned to place on transports carrying aid to Ukraine.Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak suggested that the group had entered from neighboring Belarus, a Russian ally that borders NATO member Poland. “The threat was real,” Błaszczak said on state radio.Pr...

Bank turmoil casts shadow over Europe interest rate decision

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:13 GMT

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said last week that a big interest rate increase was “very likely” at Thursday’s meeting. That was before Silicon Valley Bank collapsed in the U.S. and European bank shares plunged as fears spread of more widespread troubles at a time when banks are adjusting to rapidly rising interest rates.Markets are watching to see if the ECB will stick to its path of steep rate increases aimed at fighting inflation or dial back to a quarter-point hike.Lagarde and the ECB have not made a public statement on the recent banking upheaval, including a stock plunge from major Swiss lender Credit Suisse and its move for financing from the Swiss central bank this week. ECB officials typically observe a silent period a week before a rate decision to avoid excessive market swings and speculation based on officials’ comments. European finance ministers have said that their banking system has no direct exposure to the f...

Taiwan chip pioneer warns US plans will boost costs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:13 GMT

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — U.S. government efforts to shift production of processor chips from Asia to the United States will double their cost and slow the spread of their use in phones, cars and other products, the billionaire founder of the global industry’s biggest manufacturer warned Thursday.Morris Chang of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. said he supports U.S. efforts to slow China’s development of chip technology on security grounds. But Chang said he can’t understand why Washington wants to move so much manufacturing from efficient Asian sites to the United States.The Biden administration is promising tens of billions of dollars to support construction of U.S. chip foundries and reduce reliance on Asian suppliers, which Washington sees as a security weakness. TSMC is building an Arizona facility and plans a second for a total investment of $40 billion.TSMC has estimated chip costs in Arizona at 50% above its flagship production line in Taiwan, but the real level looks cl...

Freight train carrying hazardous material derails in Arizona

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:13 GMT

TOPOCK, Arizona (AP) — A freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed in western Arizona, near the state’s border with California and Nevada, on Wednesday evening, an official said.The train derailed near the town of Topock, Anita Mortensen, a spokeswoman for the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office said, adding that she was not aware of any spills or leaks.The derailment occurred near milepost 9 of Interstate 40, Mortensen said, which is a rural, non-residential area about 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of Lake Havasu City.Mortensen said she had no details about how many cars were on the train, or what materials it had been carrying when it derailed. No injuries have been reported.The sheriff’s office had notified the National Transportation Safety Board and the railroad company BNSF, the two entities that she said would be responding to the accident, she said.Neither replied immediately to requests for comment on Wednesday night.This incident comes weeks after a freight train der...

Canadian Tire, Costco, but no Loblaws: Poll reveals Canada’s most respected retail stores

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:13 GMT

Canadian Tire, Costco, and Staples have been deemed Canada’s top three most respected general merchandise retail stores in 2023, with results coming from a survey conducted by Maru Public Opinion.The three companies top the list for the second consecutive time, first reported in Dec. 2021. This year’s data collection window was larger than the previous year due to previous COVID-19 pandemic restrictions that limited shoppers in 2021.“As a genuinely Canadian icon, Canadian Tire has a built-in legacy brand bonus. While other Canadian retail chains have been bought out or failed, the franchise model of Canadian Tire has both dug deep roots into the community-based retail landscape and continued to evolve to compete toe-to-toe with others,” said John Wright, executive vice president of Maru Public Opinion.“They have a loyal following that is to be envied and which has aided them through the toughest of economic times. How many others can boast of having had...

Spotty rain ahead of line of strong storms tonight

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:13 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Two rounds of showers and storms are expected today, one likely to be stronger than the other.Spotty to scattered light rain is possible through the early afternoon hours ahead of a brief clearing late afternoon. The main storm event is still slated for tonight. Today will be the warmest day of the next 7 with afternoon highs returning to the low 80s and noticeable humidity, courtesy of a warm southerly wind.A late-evening cold front brings an increased risk of strong to severe storms. While hail and wind damage are possible, widespread storm damage is not currently expected.Line of storms moves through late tonight into early Friday morning2 out of 5 risk for scattered severe storms tonightDownload our KXAN Weather App for GPS-based warnings and alerts as dangerous weather threatens. Strong winds and uncomfortably cold temperatures will settle in behind the front. Afternoon highs are likely to get stuck in the 50s Friday through Monday afternoon with overnight lows...

Leander starts rainwater harvesting program in an effort to conserve water

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:13 GMT

LEANDER, Texas (KXAN) -- In an effort to conserve water, the city of Leander is starting a rainwater harvesting program that provides the community a discounted price on collection barrels for their homes. The 50 gallon rain barrels are designed to collect rainwater that flows off the roof of a home that can then be used for different applications, such as watering home gardens and washing vehicles. Water system struggling to keep upThe city of Leander is currently in a moderate drought. The city has experienced 4.28" of rain since the start of the year, according to KXAN's meteorologist team. As the city continues to grow in size and population, it is trying to find ways to conserve water. The city hired a water conservation program coordinator last summer to bring new ideas and education to the community. "We've had a lot of growth. It was very rapid, and our water system has struggled to keep up," Bill Teeter, Leander's conservation coordinator, explained. The city is no stranger...

First look: Eat Street Crossing is a delicious playground by two Twin Cities food power couples

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:13 GMT

Eat Street Crossing, a new food hall in Minneapolis from the teams behind Zen Box Izakaya and Bebe Zito, is now open — and they can count me a fan.Named for the stretch of Nicollet Avenue known for plenty of global restaurants, Eat Street Crossing is in a gorgeous brick building once home to the Twin City Scenic Company, a notable theater art studio founded in the 1890s. Pioneer Press Eat editor Jess Fleming and I were able to check out the space on a preview night before its official opening last weekend.The bar is front and central at Eat Street Crossing on Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)With super-tall vaulted ceilings and well-worn brickwork, the space has a fun vibe that’s both industrial and eclectic. There’s a good amount of seating; in exchange, though, navigating the space on a busy day could be tough. And unlike other new markets with spacious parking lots, like Malcolm Yards, you’ll likely have to whip out your parallel parking skills on the...