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Saudi Arabia’s Huge U.S. Investments Lose Money — but Buy Influence

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:31 GMT

Congress’s investigation into Saudi Arabia’s acquisition of the PGA Tour golf league hints at the extent of Saudi government penetration into the U.S. economy, extending far beyond simply golf. On Monday, the Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations released a 276-page report detailing the PGA’s merger with LIV Golf, the entity bankrolled by the Public Investment Fund, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. The merger has been widely criticized as an attempt to “sportswash” Saudi Arabia’s sordid human rights record. The report, however, also listed the Public Investment Fund’s other public equities, including considerable stakes in many of the U.S.’s largest corporations. “What company will dare to cut ties with Saudi the next time its sociopathic leader goes on a wild killing spree?”Experts interviewed by The Intercept warned that this growing Saudi role in the U.S. economy constitutes a new avenue for foreign influence in U.S. affairs.“U.S. officials a...

Houston’s ‘other’ 1st round draft pick Cam Whitmore has Rockets headed to Summer League playoffs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:31 GMT

Cam Whitmore, the Houston Rockets other first-round draft pick, refuses to be overshadowed.Much of the buzz surrounding the Rockets the past few weeks focused on the addition of No. 4 overall pick Amen Thompson. However, it’s been Whitmore — who fell to the 20th spot in the NBA draft — turning heads in the Summer League after Thompson went down with an ankle injury.Whitmore had 26 points on 11-of-21 shooting in Thursday night’s win over Golden State, including three 3-pointers and a handful of emphatic dunks. He also had a Summer League record-tying eight steals as the Rockets (4-0) secured one of the four playoff spots.The Summer League semifinals are Sunday with the championship game on Monday in Las Vegas.At one point, the 6-foot-7 Whitmore was considered one of the best two-way players in this year’s draft and a potential top five pick by pundits after earning Big East Rookie of the Year honors as a true freshman at Villanova. He averaged 12.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.4 ...

Tennessee fined more than $8 million for over 200 infractions in football program

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:31 GMT

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The NCAA fined Tennessee more than $8 million on Friday and issued a scathing report outlining more than 200 infractions during the three-year tenure of former coach Jeremy Pruitt. The Volunteers escaped a postseason ban.The sprawling report said Tennessee committed 18 Level I violations, the most severe, and said most involved recruiting infractions and direct payments to athletes and their families – benefits that totaled approximately $60,000.The NCAA praised Tennessee for its cooperation and the Vols escaped the postseason ban penalty. But the infractions panel noted that decision was a difficult one given the circumstances.“The panel encountered a challenging set of circumstances related to prescribing penalties in this case,” it said in its decision. “The panel urges the Infractions Process Committee and the membership to clearly define its philosophy regarding penalties — which extends beyond postseason bans — and memorialize that philosophy in an upda...

Kwiatkowski wins mountaintop Tour stage, Pogacar cuts into Vingegaard’s lead with late attack

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:31 GMT

LE GRAND COLOMBIER, France (AP) — Former world champion Michal Kwiatkowski soloed to the top of the Grand Colombier mountain on the Tour de France and Tadej Pogacar cut a little more time off Jonas Vingegaard’s lead in the fight for the yellow jersey on Friday.Kwiatkowski, a seasoned veteran with the Ineos Grenadiers team, was part of an early breakaway and went solo about 11 kilometers from the daunting mountaintop finish.Vingegaard and Pogacar watched each other closely. Well shepherded by his UAE Team Emirates teammates, Pogacar did not attack before the last 500 meters of the 17.4-kilometer-long ascent, yet managed to gain some precious time.Pogacar crossed the line in third position behind Kwiatkowski and Maxim van Gils, four seconds ahead of Vingegaard. He was awarded a time bonus of four seconds for his third-place finish to cut Vingegaard’s overall lead to just nine seconds ahead of two big mountain stages scheduled in the Alps over the weekend before Monday̵...

World's best drum corps perform in Fort Collins this weekend

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:31 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Some of the best ensembles in Drum Corps International, also known as the Marching Music's Major League, will stop in Fort Collins this weekend.On Saturday, DCI is hosting Drums Along the Rockies, one of many shows on a national competitive tour. There will be eight world-class corps and an open-class corps, including Denver's very own Blue Knights. Did you know Colorado has one of the world’s best drum corps? Most of the groups have been rehearsing all day, every day since the middle of May. Performers from all over the world travel to audition for a contract at a corps months in advance, and this weekend you have the chance to see the production they worked so hard to create.There are tens of other corps touring the country that will not be here this weekend, but the highest-scoring corps of all, the Blue Devils from Concord, California, will be. The local group, Blue Knights, will perform last with a bonus encore for their home show. They are currently ranked n...

Crews put out house fire in Davie; no injuries reported

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:31 GMT

A fire broke out at a home in Davie. Davie Fire Rescue arrive at the scene of the home at 13300 SW 26th Street, Friday afternoon. 7Skyforce hovered over the scene as crews worked to contain the fire. According to fire rescue, the fire started in the home’s garage after a problem happened with solar panels that were placed on the roof. No injuries were reported and fire rescue recovered pet birds from the garage.

FBI finds skulls, other human remains decorating Kentucky man’s apartment

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:31 GMT

(CNN) — When FBI agents arrived at James Nott’s Kentucky apartment with a search warrant on Tuesday, they asked if anyone else was home.“Only my dead friends,” Nott replied.That’s according to the FBI, who in a criminal complaint detailed 40 human skulls and other remains they found decorating Nott’s home, tying him to a ring of people allegedly buying and selling human body parts illegally – including a Harvard Medical School morgue manager, who is accused of stealing cadaver parts.The skulls were strewn around Nott’s house; one had a headscarf wrapped around it and another was found on the mattress where he slept, according to the complaint. The agents also found spinal cords, femurs, hip bones and a Harvard Medical School bag, according to the affidavit submitted by the FBI.Nott has not been charged with crimes connected with the body parts. But he is facing a federal charge of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person due to his status as a convicted felon.In 2011, Not...

Boris Johnson says NATO ‘vacillation’ on Ukraine will embolden Putin

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:31 GMT

LONDON — NATO “vacillating” over Ukraine’s admission to the alliance risks pushing it “back into the orbit of Moscow,” former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson charged Friday.Johnson — a vocal supporter of Ukraine who was ousted from office last year after a host of scandals — accused the organization of ignoring the lessons of history and ducking the chance to send the “right message” to Russian President Vladimir Putin at the NATO summit in Vilnius this week.Ukraine had hoped that this year’s NATO gathering would end with a clear declaration from members of the military alliance that it can become a member once its war with Russia ends.But a communiqué released by allies Tuesday fell short, promising instead NATO will “be in a position to extend an invitation to Ukraine when allies agree and conditions are met.” Frustration over the process spilled into the open, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying there appeared to be “...

Man arraigned on weapons charges after 12-year-old fatally shot in Mattapan

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:31 GMT

A 22-year-old man was arraigned on weapons charges Friday in connection with the shooting death of a 12-year-old boy in Mattapan on Thursday. Walter Hendrick is facing charges including improper storage of a firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition. He was arrested on Thursday after gunshots rang out, according to police. Hendrick is expected to be released on $2,500 bail and is expected back in court in September. In the meantime, the boy who was killed is being remembered by friends and family members after his life was cut short. “Mr. Hendrick did make statements indicating ownership of the involved firearm,” said prosecutor Nicole Gemba while discussing allegations against Hendrick. Boston police said first responders were called to a triple-decker off Fessenden Street just after 2 p.m. Thursday for a report of a shooting. Once on scene, police said officers found the boy inside the home with a gunshot wound. The boy was taken by ambul...

Striking actors begin picketing alongside writers in fight over the future of Hollywood

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:31 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Some of the nation’s top movie stars could be on the picket lines Friday when striking screen actors protest alongside writers on the first full day of a walkout that has become Hollywood’s biggest labor fight in decades.The picketing comes a day after the main actors’ union voted to join screenwriters in a double-barreled strike for the first time in more than six decades. The dispute immediately shut down production across the entertainment industry after talks for a new contract with studios and streaming services broke down.The famous faces of Oscar and Emmy winners will likely be seen with some regularity on picket lines in New York and Los Angeles, adding star power to the demonstrations outside studios and corporate offices.In recent weeks, many actors made a show of solidarity with writers, who walked out in May. Now 65,000 members of the actors’ union will formally join them on strike.The two guild...