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SF 49ers Q&A: Shooting the breeze with Brock Purdy’s blind-side protectors

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:10 GMT

SANTA CLARA – When Trent Williams took a seat near the practice field at training camp, naturally plunking down to his right was Aaron Banks.Williams is the 49ers’ 10-time All-Pro left tackle. Banks is a second-year starter at left guard. Their cohesion not only anchors the offensive line but protects the blindside of their quarterback.To better grasp the Williams-Banks bond, they sat together for an exclusive question-and-answer session with this news organization:Question to Trent Williams: Now that you’ve played a season together, what have you learned about Aaron?Williams: “I learned a lot about Banks in the last year, a lot more than his (2021) rookie year. It’s his determination and will to just continue to be better, adding IQ to the work ethic, to already the size and attributes. I’ve just got a different respect for him after this past year.”Question to Aaron Banks: Is there something about playing next to Trent that opened your eyes that you didn’t know from watching on fi...

What would California Forever look like? Here are artist renderings from the developer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:10 GMT

A group of billionaires from Silicon Valley have invested in Flannery Associates, a company that has spent more than $800 million buying up land in Solano County to build a new city. Calling itself California Forever, the group has published a series of idyllic artist renderings to show what the project might look like.The images on the group’s website show rolling hills and towns, waterfront villas and a village square. Kayakers paddle in wetlands and kids ride bikes. One image shows workers building a home.Scroll through the images and then read the full story about a plan hatched by a former Wall Street trader that has sparked outrage and worries from local residents to members of the U.S. Congress.   Artist renderings of a purported utopian plan, building a dream city in rural Solano County by a company, Flannery Associates, made up of ultra-wealthy Silicon Valley investors. (Courtesy of California Forever) Artist renderings of a purported utopian plan,...

Max Verstappen wins Italian GP for record 10th straight F1 victory

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:10 GMT

MONZA, Italy (AP) — Runaway Formula One leader Max Verstappen secured a record 10th straight win with victory at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday, with a Red Bull one-two on Ferrari’s home track.“That’s a nice stat,” Verstappen said on team radio immediately after the win.Another flawless performance from the two-time defending champion saw Verstappen beat teammate Sergio Pérez by 6.802 seconds. Carlos Sainz Jr. was third, 11.082 behind Verstappen and just ahead of Charles Leclerc as the two Ferrari drivers battled for the final spot on Monza’s iconic podium.“I never would have believed that was possible but we had to work for it today and that made it definitely a lot more fun,” Verstappen said.Verstappen had started second, behind Sainz, but eventually got past him at the start of lap 15 and from then on — just like the rest of the season — no one could match the Red Bull pace.The record became all but a foregone conclusion as Verstappen began to pull away, swift...

Italy, Latvia, Serbia and Canada clinch spots in Basketball World Cup quarterfinals

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:10 GMT

For the first time in 25 years, Italy is going to the quarterfinals of the Basketball World Cup. Latvia is going for the first time ever, and Serbia is on its way there as well.So is Canada — which ousted defending champion Spain to claim the last spot.The final spots in the knockout round were decided Sunday, with Italy, Latvia, Canada and Serbia grabbing their quarterfinal spots.Slovenia, Germany, Lithuania and the U.S. all qualified on Friday. And Lithuania pulled off a stunner on Sunday, topping the U.S. in its second-round finale.ITALY 73, PUERTO RICO 57At Manila, Philippines, Stefano Tonut and Giampaolo Ricci each scored 15 points and Italy reached the World Cup quarterfinals with win over Puerto Rico on the final day of second-round play at FIBA’s biggest tournament.Italy (4-1) will play either the U.S. or Lithuania in Tuesday’s quarterfinals in Manila. The Italians are assured of their best World Cup finish since placing sixth in 1998. They were ninth in 2006, 10th in 2019 a...

Edouard scores 2 for Crystal Palace in 3-2 win over Wolves in Premier League

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:10 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Odsonne Edouard scored twice for Crystal Palace in its 3-2 win over Wolverhampton on Sunday, helping his team earn a second victory in the Premier League this season.Eberechi Eze produced a sublime finish to also net for Palace in an exciting game between two sides who had scored just four goals between them in three rounds coming into the match.Wolves equalized through substitute Hwang Hee-chan and had a consolation from Matheus Cunha in its third loss so far this campaign.Eze played a starring role against Palace and thought he should have had a penalty early in the first half when he went down under Joao Gomes’ challenge. VAR official Stuart Attwell deemed the contact was insufficient to award a spot kick.Almost immediately, the visitors should have found themselves a goal down when goalkeeper Jose Sa’s poor pass was nicked off the toes of Craig Dawson by Jefferson Lerma, who teed up Jordan Ayew. Wolves captain Max Kilman blocked the shot on the line.Pedro Net...

Rookie Ludvig Aberg surges to European Masters win and into Europe’s Ryder Cup selection picture

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:10 GMT

CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland (AP) — Swedish rookie Ludvig Aberg surged to a two-shot win at the European Masters on Sunday and right into the Ryder Cup picture for Europe when the six captain’s picks are announced Monday.Aberg stunned long-time leader Matt Fitzpatrick by reeling off four straight birdies from Nos. 14 to 17 to card a 6-under 64 for a 19-under total of 261. Fitzpatrick faded to a tie for third, three shots back.The 23-year-old Aberg turned professional only in June after being named the best college player in the United States for a second straight year at Texas Tech University.In the sun-bathed Swiss Alps on Sunday, Aberg made himself a great option for Europe captain Luke Donald for the Ryder Cup in four weeks’ time in Rome, Italy.“I figured a win would put me in a good position,” Aberg acknowledged. “Honestly, I’ve done a pretty good job of not thinking about it too much.”Fitzpatrick had led by three strokes when he birdied the 14th but just 30 minutes – and back-to-...

Atletico’s home game against Sevilla postponed due to forecasts of intense rain in central Spain

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:10 GMT

MADRID (AP) — Atletico Madrid’s Spanish league home game against Sevilla has been postponed ahead of forecasts of heavy rain in central Spain, the Spanish league said Sunday.The Spanish league said it postponed the match after considering the warnings from Spain’s national weather service and the recommendation of Madrid’s municipal government.Atletico was set to host Sevilla at its stadium at 6:30 p.m. local time.Authorities have asked residents in Madrid to stay indoors and avoid driving. Rail services have also been suspended on some lines.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerSource

Salah scores in Liverpool’s 3-0 win over Aston Villa as speculation swirls about his future

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:10 GMT

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Mohamed Salah put aside intense speculation about his future by scoring again for Liverpool in its dominant 3-0 win over Aston Villa that made it three straight victories in the Premier League for Jürgen Klopp’s team on Sunday.Salah, the subject of a reported bid on Friday worth 150 million pounds ($188 million) by Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, tapped home a finish in the 55th minute to round off the scoring at Anfield as Liverpool built on recent wins against Bournemouth and Newcastle.Dominik Szoboszlai drove in the opening goal in the third minute before Villa right back Matty Cash unwittingly guided the ball into his own net in the 22nd after Darwin Núñez hit the post and the ball rebounded out.Liverpool stayed unbeaten and on 10 points from four games heading into the international break. By the time the Premier League returns in two weeks, Liverpool fans will be hoping Salah is still at the club.With the transfer window not closed for Saudi clubs u...

Give Russia security guarantees for lasting peace in Ukraine, Hungary says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:10 GMT

The West should give Russia security guarantees and ban Ukraine from joining NATO, a senior Hungarian minister said on Sunday in comments likely to further strain Budapest’s already rocky relations with Kyiv. To ensure lasting peace, “the Western world that supports Ukraine must give security guarantees to Russia, but definitely not NATO membership to the Ukrainians,” said Gergely Gulyás, minister in charge of the prime minister’s office, at a university event. The remarks echoed comments by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán last week that the West “should make a deal with the Russians on the new security architecture to provide security and sovereignty for Ukraine but not membership in NATO.” He also said Ukraine has no chance of winning the war. In June, Orbán said that Kyiv was “no longer a sovereign state” and financially “non-existent,” sparking fury from Ukraine. “Ukraine does not trade its territories or so...

Should Anthony Volpe be ‘smack in the middle of the Gold Glove conversation?’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:10 GMT

HOUSTON — Growing up a Yankees fan in Watchung, New Jersey, Anthony Volpe idolized Derek Jeter. So it was customary for Volpe to practice the former captain’s signature jump throw from shortstop.“Probably every time I have taken ground balls,” Volpe said when asked how often he practiced the play as a kid.On Saturday, the Yankees’ 22-year-old shortstop had the chance to imitate the play in a game when the Astros’ Mauricio Dubón hit a ball toward the hole. Volpe, ranging to his backhand side, threw as his feet left the ground. The toss just beat Dubón to first base.While fans in the Bronx have seen more extreme versions of the play over the years, Aaron Boone connected the dots between Volpe and Jeter after the game, a 5-4 Yankees win.“Took a page out of his guy’s book,” the manager said. “Jeets was his guy, so I’m sure he’s seen that a lot in his mind and in his dreams. It was a really good play with a...