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Portraits of those held hostage by Hamas after attack on Israel

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:31 GMT

Five hostages of Hamas have been freed, offering some hope to the families of others snatched in southern Israel during the militants’ deadly rampage on Oct. 7. But the families of those still in captivity have questions, such as why progress has been so slow, why some and not others are being released and whether Israel’s punishing bombardment of the Gaza Strip puts their loved ones in danger. Israel on Oct. 30 announced its first hostage rescue — that of army Pvt. Ori Megidish. Hamas had earlier released Americans Judith Raanan, 59, and her daughter, Natalie, 18. Also let go were Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, along with Nurit Cooper, 79. Their husbands remain in captivity. Hamas has said it would let the others go in return for thousands of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, which has dismissed the offer. Here are stories of some of the 239 hostages still being held.Alex DancygAlex Dancyg left Poland at age 9, sailing by ship to a new life in Israel in 1957. But Poland never lef...

Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey lead 76ers to sixth straight win, 106-103 over the Boston Celtics

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:31 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid had 27 points and 10 rebounds, Tyrese Maxey scored 25 points and the Philadelphia 76ers won their sixth straight game, 106-103 over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night.The 76ers are the only 6-1 team in the Eastern Conference and their lone loss came on opening night.Kristaps Porzingis led the Celtics with 29 points and Derrick White, back after missing two games for the birth of his child, had 19.The Sixers were amped for the first game between the long-time rivals since their Eastern Conference semifinal matchup last season.The 76ers blew a 3-2 series lead and collapsed in Game 6 and 7 losses that ushered in a summer of upheaval. Coach Doc Rivers was fired and replaced by Nick Nurse. James Harden soon demanded a trade and never again played for the Sixers.The Celtics didn’t stand pat after coming up a game short last season of making back-to-back trips to the NBA Finals. The Celtics acquired the 7-footer Porzingis and five-time all-defensive selec...

Aaliyah Edwards leads No. 2 UConn over Dayton 102-58 in Paige Bueckers return for the Huskies

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:31 GMT

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Aaliyah Edwards scored 23 points and Paige Bueckers made her long-awaited return from injury as No. 2 UConn opened its season Wednesday with a 102-58 rout of Dayton.It was Bueckers’ first game since the Huskies loss to South Carolina in the 2022 National Championship. She scored eight points in 21 minutes while on a coach-imposed minutes restriction. She also had seven rebounds, four assists and a steal.Azzi Fudd had 13 points for UConn. Aubrey Griffin added 12, Qadence Samuels scored 11 and Nika Muhl and Caroline Ducharme each added 10.Ivy Wolf had 16 points to lead Dayton. The Flyers are coached by former UConn star Tamika Williams-Jeter, who won two national titles playing for the Huskies in 2000 and 2002NO. 16 NORTH CAROLINA 102, GARDNER-WEBB 49CHAPLE HILL, N.C. (AP) — Indya Nivar had 17 points and 11 rebounds to lead a trio of transfers with impressive debuts and North Carolina beat Gardner-Webb in the season opener for both teams.Joining Nivar with a dou...

Mintz scores career-high 26 points in Syracuse’s 89-77 win over Canisius

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:31 GMT

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Judah Mintz scored a career-high 26 points and Syracuse defeated Canisius 89-77 on Wednesday night.Mintz, a sophomore guard who had 20 points in a season-opening win over New Hampshire on Monday, scored 12 straight points in a 16-3 run that gave the Orange (2-0) a 20-point lead with nine minutes remaining.A 3-pointer by Tre Dinkins got the Golden Griffins (0-1) within nine points with four minutes left but consecutive dunks by Maliq Brown, including one off an alleyoop assist from Notre Dame transfer JJ Starling, restored a double-digit lead.Mintz, who scored 19 points in the second half, shot 8 of 15 from the field and 8 of 9 from the line. Starling added 17 points and seven assists, Justin Taylor 13 points and Chris Bell 12. The Orange shot 54%. Florida State transfer Naheem McLeod had nine rebounds, five blocks and seven points.Dinkins scored 17 points to lead the Golden Griffins. Tahj Staveskie and Frank Mitchell added 12 points each, with Mitchell grabbing...

Reform-minded Loudoun Co. prosecutor trails challenger by more than 1,000 votes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:31 GMT

The race for Loudoun County’s top prosecutor is still too close to call, but incumbent Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj is trailing challenger, Bob Anderson, by around 1,000 votes, according to vote totals Wednesday, the day after Virginians went to the polls.Anderson’s narrow lead comes as late-arriving mailed ballots and provisional ballots are still being tallied, according to the Virginia Department of Elections. He has 66,835 votes while Biberaj is close behind with 65,814 votes, as of 9 p.m.Anderson held the commonwealth attorney’s post in Loudoun more than 20 years ago. Though the race has yet to be called, he’s already declared victory.The people of Loudoun Co have spoken and last night they chose Bob Anderson as their next Commonwealth’s Attorney.As of now, all mailed in, early voting, and day of ballots of voters that have been cast have been counted. There are no outstanding ballots at this moment.— Bob Anderson For Lo Co Commonwealth Att...

Goldin scores 19 as No. 10 Florida Atlantic opens with 75-62 win over Loyola Chicago

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:31 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Vladislav Goldin had 19 points and 10 rebounds and No. 10 Florida Atlantic beat Loyola Chicago 75-62 in the teams’ season opener on Wednesday night.Nick Boyd scored 13, while Johnell Davis and Brandon Weatherspoon added 12 apiece. Boyd and Weatherspoon each hit three 3-pointers, and the balanced Owls showed why they have their sights on the NCAA championship coming off a surprising run to the Final Four. With all five starters back and only one player gone from a team that went 35-4 and got knocked out by San Diego State in the semis on a buzzer-beating jumper, FAU is off to a good start.The Owls went on a 17-2 run in the first half to break open a two-point game. They withstood several pushes in the second half by Loyola — no stranger to surprising Final Four runs — and opened their sixth season under coach Dusty May on a winning note.Philip Alston led the Ramblers with 15 points. Loyola’s Sister Jean was on hand for the game, which was part of a doubleheader s...

Temperate winter weather leaves migrants outdoors

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:31 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Tuesday marked another cold night for folks living in encampments, whose numbers have grown as migrants time out of their stay at city-funded shelters.Many of the migrants bused into Denver come from a climate where they have never experienced severe cold or large amounts of snow. But now they are forced to get used to living in tents during the cold weather. FOX31 analysts: After Prop HH, special tax relief session most viable option The city of Denver housed them for several weeks, but the migrants have no other housing options after being bused here. With little recourse, families are surviving as best they can.One mother, who asked not to be identified, is living in a tent with her husband and three children, who are 8, 10 and 12 years old."Our family likes the city, and we would prefer to stay here if we can," the mother said.Like other families, they arrived in Denver during the change of season, where elements are like none they've ever seen before."At nigh...

Minnesota court dismisses 'insurrection clause' challenge, allows Trump on ballot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:31 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Former President Donald Trump will stay on the Minnesota primary ballot after the state supreme court on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit seeking to end his candidacy under a rarely-used constitutional provision that forbids those who “engaged in insurrection” from holding office.The Minnesota Supreme Court declined to become the first in history to use Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to prevent someone from running for the presidency. The court dodged the central question of the lawsuit — does Trump's role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol disqualify him from the presidency — by ruling that state law allows parties to put whomever they want on the primary ballot. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox "There is no state statute that prohibits a major political party from placing on the presidential nomination primary ballot, or sending delegates to the national convention supporting, a candidate who is ineligible to hold o...

Israel-bound Coloradans to bring duffel bags full of needed supplies

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:31 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — At Denver's Jewish Outreach Initiative, final preparations are underway for a major trip scheduled for Sunday.Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield and five other members of Colorado's Jewish community will be making the lengthy trip to Israel as they look to help with the ongoing conflict. They'll be bringing hundreds of pounds of clothing, electronics and medical supplies to help the Israeli army."Is it scary? Yeah, it’s a little scary," Lehrfield said. "But as we teach our children, bravery is not being scared. It's doing things even though you are scared."Lehrfield said in addition to passing out those supplies, they'll be helping in stores and on farms, where many of the typical workers have been called up as reservists."We’ll be picking up some of the slack," he said. "If you think about 360,000 reservists, that means all the jobs that they used to do and all the things they used to take care of have not been taken care of.” FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news...

Photos: Pup's rattlesnake bite leads to medical battle

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:31 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Snake bites are never fun, but for one rescue dog, a rattlesnake bite led to a scary situation.Fenrir, a German shepherd, is now in a foster home after spending over three weeks with the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region. He had a run-in with a rattlesnake before he was surrendered because of the injury. Fenrir had been bit on his neck, leading to complications and continuous care requirements. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox Within a few hours, Fenrir's snout had at least doubled in size, and he was transferred to an emergency veterinary clinic for overnight care and supervision, the Humane Society said.That was nowhere near the end of his medical journey.Fenrir is seen here with a swollen snout, a reaction to the rattlesnake bite. (Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region.)Fenrir peers out of a cone. (Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region.)Fenrir is in much better shape after his lengthy recovery. (Humane Society of the ...