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Lucid remains worthy but fledging Tesla rival

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:51:42 GMT

It’s difficult to consider the 2023 Lucid Air Pure the entry-level vehicle of the young carmaker’s five trims. It’s the brand’s least expensive and least powerful sedan. But it would be many manufacturers’ flagship offering.The 2023 Lucid Air Pure is a continuation of the car’s debut in late 2021 as a 2022 model. Its starting price is $77,400, with Lucid’s latest, the top-line Sapphire, priced at $249,000 (no options). Performance is the key for all trims, a “meager” 430 horsepower to the highest in the mainstream car industry, the Sapphire’s 1,234 horsepower.With its single-motor, rear-wheel drive layout, the Air Pure is exemplary for daily driving requirements. If it were the only trim, Lucid enthusiasts would be satisfied. But even within the launching point of the trims level, an additional $5,000 gets the reviewed two-motor upgrade and an additional 50 horsepower.From there, more power, more elegance and more technology push the Lucid into rarified...

Pac-12 rewind: Week 10 featured 94 points in L.A., 17 in Pullman, a blowout in SLC and poor clock management in Boulder

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:51:42 GMT

Recapping the Week 10 action across the Pac-12 …Theme of the week: The race takes shapeVictories by Washington (over USC) and Arizona (over UCLA) helped narrow the conference race with three weeks remaining. UW and Oregon stand above the masses while Arizona, Utah, Oregon State and USC form the clear second tier. As a result, six teams have a path to Las Vegas for the final championship game in Pac-12 history. We would be shocked if the matchup doesn’t include either Washington or Oregon and mildly surprised if it doesn’t feature both Pacific Northwest powers.Theme of the year: Bowl bidsArizona’s victory over UCLA made the Wildcats bowl-eligible for the first time since 2017 and assured the Pac-12 of having at least seven teams in the postseason. Adding an eighth eligible team, much less a ninth, will be difficult: Colorado and Washington State are the closest to the six-win threshold, but both teams need two more victories.Game of the week I: Washington 52, ...

The 2023 Lexus RX 500h F Sport Performance SUV

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:51:42 GMT

What is a RX 500h? The RX 500h is a luxury midsize hybrid SUV built in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada and sold worldwide by Lexus. Building on more than 20 years of hybrid technology and experience, the RX 500h edition introduces a new hybrid electric drive system for the Lexus brand. The 2023 RX 500h mates a high torque 2.4L liter inline 4 cylinder gas turbo engine with a 6 speed automatic transmission, and an electric hybrid motor in the eAxle rear differential, that turns it into a Direct4 all wheel drive SUV.The RX 500h F Sport turbocharged and hybridized power train is unique within this models midsize SUV class and it is the fasted ever version of the RX SUV. With a combined output of 366 horsepower (HP) and 406 lb-ft of torque, the RX 500h goes from 0 to 60 MPH in only 5.9 seconds. This is a very quick SUV with a lot of luxury features.This week Lexus sent me a 2023 Lexus RX 500h F Sport SUV to test drive and review. The base window sticker price for this F Sport model is $61,600...

Nick Martinez becomes free agent after Padres, pitcher declined options for 2024 and 2025

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:51:42 GMT

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Pitcher Nick Martinez has become a free agent after San Diego and the right-hander declined options for 2024 and 2025.San Diego turned down options at $16 million annually and Martinez declined options at $8 million a year.Martinez made $10 million this year, when he went 6-3 with a 3.43 ERA in nine starts and 54 relief appearances in his second season with the Padres. The 33-year-old went 4-4 with a 3.47 ERA with eight saves in 10 starts and 37 relief appearances for the Padres in 2022. He spent the previous four seasons in Japan with the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters and then the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLBSource

Live updates | Israeli warplanes hit refugee camps in Gaza Strip, killing scores

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:51:42 GMT

Israeli airstrikes hit two refugee camps in the central Gaza Strip on Sunday, killing scores of people, health officials said. The strikes came as the U.S. keeps urging Israel to take a humanitarian pause from its relentless bombardment of Gaza and rising civilian deaths. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Ramallah in the West Bank for a previously unannounced meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Blinken on Saturday met with Arab foreign ministers in Jordan, after holding talks in Israel with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who insists there could be no temporary cease-fire until all hostages held by Hamas are released. President Joe Biden suggested that progress was being made on the humanitarian pause.The Palestinian death toll in the Israel-Hamas war reached 9,700, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza. In the occupied West Bank, more than 140 Palestinians have been killed in violence and Israeli raids.More than 1,400 people in Israel ...

What to stream this week: Chris Stapleton, Call of Duty, ‘The Killer,’ Tim Allen’s Santa return

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:51:42 GMT

Country superstar Chris Stapleton’s fifth studio album and a documentary about Albert Brooks that includes Steven Spielberg, David Letterman, Ben Stiller, Larry David, Chris Rock and Wanda Sykes 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 Michael Fassbender playing a hitman in David Fincher’s “The Killer,” Tim Allen putting on his Santa suit for season two of “The Santa Clauses” and “The Buccaneers,” Apple TV+’s eight-episode series answer to “Bridgerton.”NEW MOVIES TO STREAM— Michael Fassbender plays an unnamed hitman in David Fincher’s “The Killer,” debuting on Netflix on Friday, Nov. 10. It’s based on a French graphic novel and adapted by Andrew Kevin Walker, who also wrote the screenplay for “Seven” (or “Se7en” for the purists), this nameless assassin has some very specific rules for his chosen profession which he monolog...

Moldova is voting in local elections as authorities accuse Russia of meddling

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:51:42 GMT

CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) — Moldovans are casting ballots in nationwide local elections on Sunday as authorities say that Russia has been conducting “hybrid warfare” to undermine the vote in the European Union candidate country.While local elections in Moldova, a country of about 2.5 million people situated between Romania and Ukraine, wouldn’t usually garner much international attention, ongoing accusations of Russian meddling add a geopolitical dimension to the vote.Sunday’s ballot will elect nearly 900 mayors and 11,000 local councilors for a four-year term, including key positions such as mayor of the capital, Chisinau. The ballot will be monitored by around 1,500 national and international observers.Two days before the election, Moldova Prime Minister Dorin Recean announced a ban on candidates from the pro-Russia Chance Party. On Friday, Moldova’s national intelligence agency published a report alleging that Russia was trying to “influence the electoral process” through the ...

Rams QB Matthew Stafford won’t play at Green Bay because of thumb injury

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:51:42 GMT

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford won’t play Sunday against the Green Bay Packers because of a sprained ligament in his right thumb.Stafford was among the players the Rams (3-5) listed as inactive before Sunday’s game.The news wasn’t all bad for the Rams as rookie receiver Puka Nacua will be available after being listed as questionable because of a knee issue. The Packers will be missing linebacker Quay Walker (groin) and safety Rudy Ford (calf).Stafford hadn’t practiced all week after hurting his thumb in a 43-20 loss at Dallas. The injury to the thumb on his throwing hand occurred on a failed 2-point conversion pass in the final seconds of the first half.The Rams had listed Stafford as questionable on their Friday injury report. Rams coach Sean McVay had said he would be willing to go all the way up until right before the game to determine Stafford’s availability and noted that “you use all the time necessary for a player like him.”Stafford’s inj...

Oui Oui: NCAA first as basketball powers No. 6 South Carolina, No. 10 Notre Dame play in Paris

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:51:42 GMT

Women’s college basketball is starting big this year. Eiffel Tower big. No. 6 South Carolina and No. 10 Notre Dame tip off the season Monday in Paris, the first time a women’s game will be played in the City of Light. “I think it’s pretty darn cool to be trendsetters,” said Dawn Staley, the South Carolina coach. Tipoff is 1 p.m. ET on ESPN.The international start follows a year of landmark growth for the game, both in arenas and on TV. NCAA data showed four programs — South Carolina, Iowa, Iowa State and UConn — finished with season attendance averages of better than 10,000. A season ago, the Gamecocks were the only ones to surpass that mark. ESPN said after the NCAA Tournament that March Madness had the most viewers since 2009, including a record 9.9 million tuning in for the championship game between Iowa and LSU. The regular season also had its most viewers since 2014-15. “There couldn’t be a better time to do this,” said game organizer Lea Miller-Tooley a...

Untouchable Djokovic downs Dimitrov in straight sets for record-extending 7th title at Paris Masters

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:51:42 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Novak Djokovic will head to the ATP Finals oozing with confidence.The top-ranked Serb will take on his rivals at the year-end event starting next weekend on an 18-match winning streak, fresh from a 40th Masters 1000 tournament win.Djokovic, who has not lost a match since his defeat to Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final in July, won a record-extending seventh title at the Paris Masters on Sunday with a quick and easy 6-4, 6-3 win over Grigor Dimitrov in the final.Djokovic, who had been pushed to three sets in his three previous matches, enjoyed a comfortable afternoon under the roof of the Palais Omnisports.“Incredible. To be able to win it after quite challenging circumstances for me this week,” said Djokovic, who was hampered by a stomach virus in Paris. “Basically, coming back from the brink of losing three matches in a row, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I was very close to losing those matches and somehow managed to find an extra gear when it was needed.”Djoko...