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True or false: The Chicago Bears have a ton to build on as the year ends — including an impressive Soldier Field winning streak

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:45:48 GMT

With two games left in their season, the Chicago Bears are attempting to finish strong. Last weekend’s 27-16 defeat of the Arizona Cardinals was the Bears’ fourth win in the past six games. And their two losses in that span came in games in which they held a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter.Tthe Bears are playing a much better brand of football than they did in 2022 — not to mention the first four weeks of this season. But there’s still a lot to sift through and interpret as the powers that be at Halas Hall work to put the team on a championship course.The Atlanta Falcons will visit Sunday for the home finale at Soldier Field. A Week 18 trip to Lambeau Field awaits behind that. In the home stretch of the regular season, Tribune writers Dan Wiederer and Colleen Kane look into four notable topics through a “true or false” lens.True or false? The Bears’ home-winning streak has flown under the radar.Wiederer: True. I have to admit that wh...

Highlights from the opening day of the 27th annual BABC Slades Holiday Classic

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:45:48 GMT

Made the trek to Archbishop Williams for the opening day of the 27th annual BABC Slades Holiday Classic. Always a thrill to sit next to BABC founder Leo Papile and his trusty sidekick Cotton. Many thanks to Archbishop Williams athletic director Sean McDonagh and Sully Coady for their tireless work in ensuring the event went off without a hitch.Host team Archbishop Williams opened the festivities against Western Mass. power Springfield Central. Thanks to the brilliant all-around play of guard Tristan Rodriquez (35 points), the Bishops were able to hang tough for a half (35-35), before the Golden Eagles’ superiority took over in the second half.Zavion Monroe scored 22 points, while Rakesh Reid added a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds as Springfield Central rolled to a 77-56 victory.Worcester North (4-0) sent a loud message that it has no intentions of relinquishing its Division 1 state title any time soon. The Polar Bears turned in an impressive display on both sides...

Americans sour on primary election process and major political parties, poll says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:45:48 GMT

By NICHOLAS RICCARDI and LINLEY SANDERS (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — With the GOP presidential primaries just about to start, many Republicans aren’t certain that votes will be counted correctly in their contest, as pessimism spreads about the future of both the Democratic and Republican parties, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.About one-third of Republicans say they have a “great deal” or “quite a bit” of confidence that votes in the Republican primary elections and caucuses will be counted correctly. About three in 10 Republicans report a “moderate” amount of confidence, and 32% say they have “only a little” or “none at all.” In contrast, 72% of Democrats have high confidence their party will count votes accurately in its primary contests. Democrats are also slightly more likely than Republicans to have a high level of confidence in the Republican Party’s vote count being accurate.Republicans continue to be broadly d...

Callahan: The overlooked, underrated Patriot tying Bill Belichick’s secondary together

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:45:48 GMT

FOXBORO — Only 38 players across the NFL this season have recorded at least one sack, an interception, a forced fumble and 50 tackles.Hazard a couple guesses, and you should correctly land on a few familiar names: Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt, Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Willams and 49ers linebacker Fred Warner.But would you believe three of those 38 are Patriots? And would you believe one is a popular fan piñata, whose name regularly gets dragged through internet mud and toxic talk radio sludge?Yes, in addition to Jabrill Peppers and Jahlani Tavai, two late-blooming veterans enjoying career years, we have … Myles Bryant.Bryant’s membership in that group might shock you. But his teammates? Not at all, they claim.“I’m not surprised,” Tavai said.“Of course he’s in there,” added cornerback Jonathan Jones.Outside of Foxboro, Bryant is often associated with defensive lowlights. Two years ago, Bills slot receiver Isaiah McKenize repeated...

Iran holds funeral for a general who was killed by an alleged Israeli airstrike in Syria

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:45:48 GMT

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran held a funeral Thursday for a high-ranking general of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard who was killed by an alleged Israeli airstrike in Syria.Hundreds of mourners accompanied the flag-draped casket of Gen. Razi Mousavi from a central square of Tehran to a shrine in the north of the city where he was buried.The head of the Guard, Gen. Hossein Salami, praised Mousavi and vowed his death would be avenged.“We will never keep silent in the face of martyrdom of the sons of this nation,” Salami said. “Our revenge will be tough as always, but a revenge that could compensate for the martyrdom of Seyed Razi is nothing but the removal of Israel from the face of existence.”Iran does not recognize Israel and occasionally calls for destruction of the Jewish state. Salami described Mousavi as a close companion of Gen. Qassim Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, who was killed by a U.S. drone strike in Iraq in January 2020. He said Iran also woul...

A cargo ship picking up Ukrainian grain hits a Russian floating mine in the Black Sea, officials say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:45:48 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A civilian cargo ship struck a Russian mine in the Black Sea near Ukraine’s Danube ports Thursday, injuring two sailors, officials and analysts said, in an incident that underscored the dangers faced by those exporting Ukrainian grain during the war.The Panama-flagged vessel struck the floating mine during stormy weather as it went to pick up grain, according to Ukraine’s Southern Defense Forces, adding that churning seas often increase the risk from mines.As the fighting grinds on through the winter and likely into a third year after Russia’s February 2022 invasion, and with little recent change along the front line, Ukraine is aiming to strengthen its financial resources for what could be a protracted war.After Russia pulled out of a U.N.-brokered export agreement last summer, Ukraine launched a new Black Sea shipping corridor to get grain, metals and other cargo to world markets. That has given a boost to Ukraine’s agriculture-dependent economy.The mine incid...

China reaffirms its military threats against Taiwan weeks before the island’s presidential election

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:45:48 GMT

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Weeks before Taiwan holds elections for its president and legislature, China renewed its threat to use military force to annex the self-governing island democracy it claims as its own territory. Defense Ministry spokesperson Col. Wu Qian on told reporters Thursday at a monthly briefing that China’s armed forces would “as always take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard our national sovereignty and territorial integrity.” Taiwan’s 23 million people overwhelmingly favor maintaining the island’s de-facto independent status, leaving the Jan. 13 polls to be decided largely by concerns over housing prices, health care, employment and education. China has continued sending warships and fighter jets near Taiwan as an intimidation tactic, even as Taiwan’s military said it’s raising alert levels before the vote. The ruling party’s candidate, William Lai, holds a lead in most surveys, while the main opposition Nationalist Party’s candidate, Hou You...

Storm Gerrit disrupts trains and leaves thousands without power as it batters northern UK

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:45:48 GMT

LONDON (AP) — A storm that battered the U.K. with high winds and heavy snow and rain damaged houses, canceled trains and left thousands of people without electricity on Thursday across Scotland and parts of northern England.Workers faced wind speeds of 80 miles (128 kilometers) per hour in some coastal areas of Scotland as they tried to restore power that was cut off when falling branches and other debris hit utility lines.About 14,000 homes remained without power on Thursday morning.Police in Manchester in northwest England said they received numerous reports late Wednesday of homes damaged by a brief “localized tornado.” Photos showed roofs torn from houses and cars smashed by fallen trees, and residents reported garden sheds being blown away.The U.K.’s weather forecaster, the Met Office, said a “supercell thunderstorm” with a “strong rotating updraft” crossed the Greater Manchester area late Wednesday.Local officials said some 100 properties were evacuated overnight. Greate...

Chicago police looking for man who attempted to kidnap 14-year-old on city's North Side

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:45:48 GMT

CHICAGO — Chicago police are looking for a man who attempted to kidnap a 14-year-old on the city's North Side on Wednesday afternoon.Police say the child was on a sidewalk in North Park, in the 5400 block of N. Kimball Ave., at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday when a man jumped out of a car and tried to put his intended victim in a headlock. According to police, the child was able to squirm away.Police say the suspect is a man in his 30s with brown, wavy hair and is driving a black Jeep with the license plate EE81455.

Woman killed in sledgehammer attack while walking dog on California college campus

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:45:48 GMT

(KTLA) — Loved ones are devastated after a woman was killed in a violent attack on the campus of El Camino College near Torrance, California, over the weekend.The victim, identified only as a woman in her 60s, was walking her dog on Christmas Eve morning around 7 a.m. when the alleged attack happened, according to campus police.As the victim was collecting recyclables, she was suddenly attacked by a man with a sledgehammer, police said. He fled the scene before authorities arrived.A passerby had spotted the fallen woman next to the gymnasium building. Arriving officers found the woman unconscious and bleeding from her head. Gypsy Rose Blanchard, convicted in mom’s murder, to be released from prison Her dog had remained by her side. Paramedics transferred the woman to a local hospital where she died on Christmas Day from her injuries.After reviewing surveillance footage, campus police identified the suspect as Jeffery Davis, 40, a man they’ve spotted in the community before.El Cami...