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Golden Boot winner Denis Bouanga scores only goal as LAFC knocks out Seattle 1-0 in MLS playoffs

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:03:25 GMT

SEATTLE (AP) — Denis Bouanga scored his fourth goal of the MLS Cup playoffs in the 30th minute, goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau made seven saves, and defending champion Los Angeles FC advanced to the Western Conference final with a 1-0 win over the Seattle Sounders on Sunday night.Bouanga got one chance at goal and didn’t miss, scoring in his sixth straight game and sending LAFC home for the conference championship game against the Houston Dynamo next Saturday.It also kept alive LAFC’s hopes of becoming the first back-to-back champion since the LA Galaxy in 2011-12.Bouanga was the Golden Boot winner during the regular season with 20 goals and he added three more in LAFC’s opening round victory over Vancouver. His goal came despite Seattle controlling play for most of the first half and having two great chances in the opening five minutes that were denied by Crepeau.Bouanga’s shot was the only attempt LAFC put on goal in the first half and it finished with only two shots on target in the m...

Jokic has near triple-double, leads Nuggets over Spurs, 132-120

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:03:25 GMT

DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic had a season-high 39 points to go with 11 rebounds and nine assists, and the Nuggets spoiled the Denver debut of Victor Wembanyama with a 132-120 win over San Antonio on Sunday night, sending the Spurs to their 12th straight loss.Wembanyama, the top pick in the June draft, finished with 22 points, 11 rebounds, six steals and four blocks in 24 minutes to become the first rookie with those stats.“I like bringing something new to the game,” he said. “I’m glad I can already put my name in history a little bit. It’s a good feeling.”Wembanyama’s big night couldn’t stop San Antonio’s slide. It is the third longest losing streak in franchise history. The Spurs lost 13 in a row in the 1988-89 season and 16 in a row last season.Michael Porter Jr. scored 25 points and Reggie Jackson had 20 for Denver, which improved to 8-0 at home. The Nuggets had dropped four of five on their recent road trip, including a loss to Houston on Friday night that eliminated them from the...

‘Get Ready With Me’: Video genre that focuses on everyday life is everywhere — and not slowing down

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:03:25 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — “Get Ready with Me” — to go on a date, go to work or … get fired?“Get Ready with Me” videos are everywhere these days, and they’re as straightforward as the name suggests. Social media users, often influencers, invite viewers to watch them get ready to do something or go somewhere. And embedded in the storyline are the skin care, the makeup, the hairdo and all the glam that goes into looking hot — and, of course, the personal stories about life or love that arrest your attention.GRWM videos, as they’re also known, are part of a trend of “with me” content that has gained popularity over the past decade. Think “Clean with Me” videos where users watch people clean their homes for inspiration or pleasure. Or hours-long “Study with Me” videos for students who want buddies for intense cramming sessions but don’t have any friends nearby. More than a decade after debuting on YouTube in the days when creator content was still relatively new, “Get Ready with ...

What to stream this week: Harrison Ford, Paris Hilton, Peter Gabriel and Robin Hood battles robots

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:03:25 GMT

Super Mario, an Elvis Christmas special and Paris Hilton enjoying motherhood are some of the new television, movies, music and games headed to a device near you.Also among the offerings worth your time as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists are Peter Gabriel’s long awaited album, a Robin Hood game with robots and Harrison Ford’s last hurrah as Indiana Jones swings onto Disney+.NEW MOVIES TO STREAM— The biggest box-office hit of the year not named “Barbie” is coming to Netflix. “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” hits the streaming service Sunday, Dec. 3, after its previous run on Peacock. The film, which grossed nearly $1.4 billion in theaters, has fared slightly better than the infamous 1993 “Super Mario Bros.” In my review, I praised the primary-color visuals but wrote that “as nice as it is to look at ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie,’ it’s not anywhere near as fun as it would be to play it.”— Todd Haynes’ “May December” is a deliciously disquieting drama loos...

Georgia case over railroad’s use of eminent domain could have property law implications

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:03:25 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — It’s a fight over land in one of rural Georgia’s poorest areas, but it could have implications for property law across the state and nation.A hearing is scheduled to begin Monday to help determine whether a railroad can legally condemn property to build a rail line 4.5 miles (7.25 kilometers) long that would serve a rock quarry and possibly other industries.A hearing officer will take up to three days of testimony, making a recommendation to the five elected members of the Georgia Public Service Commission, who will ultimately decide.The line would be built by the Sandersville Railroad, which is owned by an influential Georgia family. It would connect to the CSX railroad at Sparta, allowing products to be shipped widely. Sparta is about 85 miles (135 kilometers) southeast of Atlanta.People in the rural neighborhood don’t want a train track passing through or near their property, in part because they think it would enable expansion at a quarry owned b...

Global watchdog urges UN Security Council to consider all options to protect Darfur civilians

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:03:25 GMT

CAIRO (AP) — An international watchdog urged the United Nations Security Council on Monday to consider all options to protect civilians in Sudan’s Darfur region after the latest attacks on non-Arabs killed hundreds of civilians.The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which was born out of the notorious Janjaweed militias, has been at war against the Sudanese military since mid-April, when months of tension exploded into open fighting in the capital, Khartoum, and other urban areas in the African nation. The conflict wrecked the country and forced more than 6 million people out of their homes, either to safer areas inside Sudan or to neighboring countries.In the first week of November, the RSF and their allied Arab militias attacked the town of Ardamata, a few kilometers (miles) north of Geneina, the provincial capital of West Darfur, Human Rights Watch said. After taking over a military base in Ardamata, the attackers rampaged through the camp for displaced people and other nearby re...

North Korea restores border guard posts amid rising tensions over its satellite launch, Seoul says

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:03:25 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea said Monday North Korea is restoring frontline guard posts that it had dismantled during a previous period of inter-Korean rapprochement, deepening tensions that spiked over the North’s recent spy satellite launch.The two Koreas each earlier dismantled or disarmed 11 of their guard posts inside their heavily fortified border under a 2018 deal meant to ease frontline military confrontations. But the deal is now in danger of being scraped, as both Koreas openly threaten to breach it amid rising animosities over the North’s satellite launch.After North Korea claimed to place its first military spy satellite into orbit last Tuesday, South Korea said it would partially suspend the deal and resume front aerial surveillance in response. South Korea called its step “a minimum defensive measure” to respond to the launch that it says involved the North’s intentions of improving its missile technology as well as establishing a space-based surveillanc...

Why do they give? Donors speak about what moves them and how they plan end-of-year donations

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:03:25 GMT

What motivates people to donate to charities or causes they care about is often deeply personal. Donors name relatives or friends who have survived or died from illnesses. They recount tearful conversations with their children. They point to their aspirations for how their communities and the larger world could be improved. In advance of GivingTuesday, The Associated Press interviewed people from across the country with a variety of life experiences about why they give, which organizations they choose to support and how they plan their giving throughout the year. While not all will participate in GivingTuesday, which started in 2012 as a hashtag, the date has become a central part of nonprofit fundraising and a kind of last chance to meet their budget goals for the following year. These interviews have been edited for length: HOUSTON — A longtime resident of Houston, Monica Fulton, 51, prioritizes giving to organizations serving the city’s residents. She’s volunteered with the Houst...

First 1 inch snow comes early this year; cold air moves in with bitter wind chills

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:03:25 GMT

A plunge in temps ahead for Monday and Tuesday, with cold air dropping into the upper 20s and bitter wind chills accentuating the chill. However, relief is on the way as the cold spell is expected to be brief, with temperatures rebounding into the 40s later this week, offering a respite from the wintry cold.First 1" Snowfall Comes Early This YearAdding the snow from late October and O'Hare has received 2.7" for the season.  Midway's seasonal total is 1.1", less than normal snow for November which is 1.5".

Nikola Jokic pays Victor Wembanyama respect after first matchup: “He’s gonna change the game, 100%”

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:03:25 GMT

Michael Malone commended Julian Strawther for his courage in the face of potential humiliation. But the truth is, the No. 29 draft pick didn’t even consider the possibility of a slam dunk attempt until it was too late, when the No. 1 draft pick was rising about four feet above him.Strawther avoided getting posterized into oblivion by fouling. Victor Wembanyama wasn’t able to finish the dunk through contact, leaving Strawther nervously laughing as Ball Arena applauded him.“He was really far out, so my initial mindset was, ‘OK, I’m gonna contest the layup here,'” Strawther told The Denver Post. “But when I saw him reach his arm back … at that point it was like, ‘Whatever happens happens. I’m here. There’s no going back. There’s no teleporting out of it.'”The building continued to buzz with amazement just from watching an “almost” sensational moment. That’s how awe-inspiring the 7-foot-4 San...