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Dubai Air Show opening as aviation soars following pandemic lockdowns, even as wars cloud horizon

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:04:32 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The biennial Dubai Air Show opens Monday as airlines are poised to make major aircraft purchases after rebounding from the groundings of the coronavirus pandemic, even as Israel’s war with Hamas clouds regional security.That conflict, as well as Russia’s war on Ukraine, likely will influence the five-day show at Al Maktoum Airport at Dubai World Central. It is the city-state’s second airfield after Dubai International Airport, which is the world’s busiest for international travel and home base for the long-haul carrier Emirates.While commercial aviation takes much of the attention, arms manufacturers also have exhibitions at the show. Two major Israeli firms — Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. and Israel Aerospace Industries are participating.Rafael also sponsored a meeting of air force commanders Sunday at a luxury Dubai hotel, highlighting the balancing act being struck by the UAE amid anger in the Arab world over the I...

South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott abruptly ends 2024 presidential bid, shocking even his campaign staff

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:04:32 GMT

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Tim Scott abruptly announced late Sunday that he was dropping out of the 2024 race, a development that surprised his donors and stunned his campaign staff just two months before the start of voting in Iowa’s leadoff GOP caucuses.The South Carolina senator, who entered the race in May with high hopes, made the surprise announcement on Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Night in America” with Trey Gowdy, one of his closest friends. The news was so unanticipated that one campaign worker told The Associated Press that campaign staff found out Scott was dropping out by watching the show.“I love America more today than I did on May 22,” Scott said Sunday. “But when I go back to Iowa, it will not be as a presidential candidate. I am suspending my campaign. I think the voters who are the most remarkable people on the planet have been really clear that they’re telling me, ‘Not now, Tim.’”Scott’s impending departure comes as he and t...

Sunday Forecast: Mostly clear, slightly breezy

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:04:32 GMT

Sunday Night: Mostly clear & a bit breezy. SW/NW 5-15 mph. Low near 40Monday: Mostly sunny & mild. WSW 5-15 mph. High: 61Chicago Weather | Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center's Forecast (wgntv.com)Extended outlook calls for continued dry and unseasonably mild. A chilly start to Tuesday with lows in the mid 30s but highs in the mid to low 60s. We'll stay mild and sunny with highs in the mid to low 60s until Thursday. Then some increasing clouds and chance of showers returns Thursday night. Showers and temps in the mid 50s likely for this coming Friday. 

Texas officer killed while trying to rescue hostages, police say

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:04:32 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — An Austin police officer is dead after he was struck by gunfire while trying to rescue two people being held hostage during a Saturday morning standoff situation. Austin Police were called to a reported stabbing at a home on the city's southwest side shortly before 3 a.m. The department said officers entered the house in order to free other victims. When they did, the suspect shot at the officers. Those officers retreated from the home in order to call in SWAT.A SWAT team arrived a short time later. As they tried entering the home, police said there was an exchange of gunfire between SWAT and the suspect. ‘We heard more gunfire’: Neighbors discuss scary moments of hostage situation Two SWAT team members were struck. Both were taken to an area hospital where one died. Austin Police Interim Chief Robin Henderson identified that officer as Jorge Pastore."My heart is heavy today," said Henderson in a social media post. "Please help me and our APD family pay tribute to...

Wet night with occasional showers on Monday

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:04:32 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Tonight through early Monday morning should bring fairly widespread rain with near 90% of Central Texas getting wet. BLOG: Peak fall foliage in Central Texas coming soon As we head through Monday we'll see rain tapering off to occasional showers. Lingering showers should continue through Monday night before drier weather returns on Tuesday.Rain tapers to showers on MondayRainfall looks beneficial, but amounts don't look all that high. Most areas should pick up 0.25"-1.0" by the time we wake up Tuesday morning. Still, we'll continue to take what we can get.Expected rainfall by Tuesday morningTuesday begins a warm-up that should feature at least some sunshine. Wednesday has the sunniest weather of the week with more clouds, but warmer temperatures coming in late in the week and into next weekend.Highs next few daysWe're seeing signs of our NEXT storm arriving either Sunday or the following Monday bringing us the potential for more beneficial rain. Winter Weather O...

Timberwolves down Warriors in convincing fashion for sixth straight win

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:04:32 GMT

It used to feel like a daunting task to go into San Francisco and have to take on Golden State. It was the type of game fans would chalk up as a loss ahead of time. They’re the Warriors. At home, they were invincible.Frankly, throughout Minnesota’s 116-110 victory Sunday in California, the Wolves looked like the significantly better team.Part of that is because Golden State is no longer the big, bad Warriors. They lean heavily on the aging Steph Curry, and don’t have much surrounding him as Klay Thompson and Draymond Green regress and the Warriors haven’t found nor developed pieces around the older core to pick up the slack.But another, major part of the equation is how good Minnesota appears to be. The Wolves’ top nine players look like significantly superior players in totality versus Golden State’s rotation.So while Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns are vitally important to Minnesota’s success — Edwards finished with 33 points ...

Review: Children’s Theatre’s ‘Grinch’ is funny, flamboyant, ultimately touching slice of Seuss

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:04:32 GMT

That Grinch can be scary. Created by Dr. Seuss in 1957, this Christmas hater makes Ebenezer Scrooge seem a pleasant fellow. While Seuss’s book, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” and its 1966 animated adaptation allow you to keep this villain at a lighthearted distance, it’s quite something else to meet him in the flesh — or in the fur, as it were.You do so early in Children’s Theatre Company’s 11th staging of its musical take on the tale. It’s a work the Minneapolis company first commissioned and premiered in 1994, becoming the first theatrical version of a Seuss book his estate had ever approved.When Reed Sigmund’s Grinch took the stage at the opening weekend performance I caught in 2022, snarling, grumbling and giving off a threatening air, several wailing children had to be evacuated to the crying room at the theater’s rear. But Sigmund and director Peter Brosius seem to have toned things down a bit this year.For CTC’s 2023 edition of “Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Chris...

Expect delays; what L.A. commuters need to know after fire closes I-10 downtown

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:04:32 GMT

After a massive fire near downtown Los Angeles Saturday that severely damaged I-10, the freeway from Alameda Street to Santa Fe Avenue is indefinitely closed, creating a traffic nightmare for an estimated 300,000 commuters who use that corridor every day.  The blaze was first reported early Saturday around 12:30 a.m. at a pallet yard underneath the freeway near East 14th and Alameda streets. It engulfed both sides of 14th Street underneath the 10, eventually melting some of the freeway’s steel guardrails and damaging firetrucks, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. In a press conference on Sunday, Mayor Bass, along with officials from the L.A. Department of Transportation and Metro among others, said commuters who need to travel to or through downtown L.A. will need to prepare alternative routes, leave earlier than normal and plan for delays.   Gov. Gavin Newsom, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass discuss 10 Freeway fire response, updates The following interchanges are either bei...

Big Game: Stanford has problem against run, question at QB

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:04:32 GMT

Stanford doesn’t have much time to fix its run defense.After allowing almost 300 yards on the ground in a 62-17 loss at Oregon State on Saturday, the Cardinal will face Jaydn Ott, the leading rusher in the Pac-12, when Cal comes to Stanford Stadium for the 126th Big Game.The second-leading rusher in the Pac-12, Damien Martinez of Oregon State, ran for 146 yards and four touchdowns on 15 carries Saturday. The Beavers amassed 281 yards on 38 carries before kneeling the ball twice to end the game.“We have to fit the run better,” Stanford coach Troy Taylor said. “There were times where we didn’t fit it correctly and then there’s times you’re getting beat physically, and then there’s times you’re missing tackles, so it’s all three of those things. And we have to get better on the offensive side of the ball and be able to maintain drives as well. We faced a really good football team but our expectations are much higher than what we showed tonight.”It re...

Warriors fall to Timberwolves, lose third straight despite Curry’s 38 points

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:04:32 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — The Minnesota Timberwolves boasts the No. 1 offense in the NBA and mucked up the Warriors offense to near unwatchable levels. With no clear second scorer other than Steph Curry emerging, the Warriors lost 116-110 to the Timberwolves on Sunday night behind a poor scoring night.The Warriors have now lost three straight and four of their last five games. They are 1-3 at home and have a 6-5 record overall.Curry again led the way with 38 points, but no second scorer emerged as the Warriors shot 38.5% from the field and a dismal 27.9% from 3. Minnesota, built similarly to the Cleveland Cavaliers, forced the Warriors into the a half-court offense that plays against their preferred pace. Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns kept the Warriors away from the rim and Minnesota outscored them 62-38 in the paint.Klay Thompson scored 16 points on 5-of-16 from the field and 3-of-10 from 3. Dario Saric scored 11 points and Jonathan Kuminga had 10.The Warriors play the Timberwolve...