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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
New Cardinals edge rusher Josh Sweat works to bring franchise same success he had in Philly
Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Walter Nolen III (97) works on a blocking drill with Cardinals defensive line coach Winston DeLattiboudere III during an NFL football practice Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon, right, and Cardinals defensive coordinator Nick Rallis watch defensive line drills during an NFL football practice Tuesday, June 10, 2025, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Walter Nolen III (97) works on a blocking drill with Cardinals defensive line coach Winston DeLattiboudere III during an NFL football practice Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon, right, and Cardinals defensive coordinator Nick Rallis watch defensive line drills during an NFL football practice Tuesday, June 10, 2025, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — The most recent time edge rusher Josh Sweat was seen on an NFL field, he was making life miserable for Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the Eagles' Super Bowl win in February. Now he hopes to lead the Arizona Cardinals to that sort of success. Advertisement 'All you got to do is approach every day with your max effort,' Sweat said on Wednesday during the second day of the team's minicamp. 'I promise you'll see a result. That's what made the difference for me.' The 28-year-old Sweat signed a $76.4 million, four-year contract in March as the centerpiece of the Cardinals' rebuild of the defensive front. General manager Monti Ossenfort also added free agent linemen Dalvin Tomlinson and Calais Campbell, and selected Walter Nolen III with the No. 16 overall pick out of Mississippi. On top of that, Darius Robinson — a first-round pick last season from Missouri — hopes to make a big jump after an injury-filled rookie season. This year's third-round pick Jordan Burch is also pushing for a role. But it's Sweat whom the Cardinals expect to lead the way. Advertisement 'I embrace it,' Sweat said. 'At the end of the day, I'm trying to be the best teammate I can be and help out however I can." Third-year coach Jonathan Gannon is pleased that Sweat has embraced more leadership heading into his eighth NFL season. Arizona finished 8-9 last season, which was a four-win improvement over 2023. Now the franchise is trying to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2021. 'Guys pick his brain about certain things,' Gannon said. 'He'll help in that way, because he's played a lot of ball. He's been successful. I always say, 'You want to know ball, talk to the players.' He's one of those guys you can talk to.' Advertisement Sweat's resume speaks for itself. He had 2 1/2 sacks of Mahomes in Philadelphia's 40-22 victory over Kansas City in the Super Bowl. He added eight sacks during the regular season and has been a consistent pass rush threat with 39 sacks over the past five seasons, including at least six each year. He was a Pro Bowl selection in 2021. 'I know he can impact a game,' Gannon said. 'That's one of the reasons we signed him.' Gannon is familiar with Sweat's talent after spending two seasons with him in 2021 and 2022 as the Eagles defensive coordinator. The Eagles made the Super Bowl in Gannon's final year before losing to the Chiefs, which was one of the big reasons he earned his first opportunity to be a head coach with the Cardinals. Advertisement Nick Rallis — Arizona's defensive coordinator — was also with the Eagles during those two seasons as linebackers coach. The hope is the familiar faces will help Sweat make a quick transition to a new franchise. 'From a standpoint of what his job description is — that's not going to change much,' Gannon said. 'Then it's just tweaking his game. There's some differences than what we did with him (in Philadelphia) to what we do now and he picked it up quick.' Sweat agreed: 'The scheme, you can play fast in it. Picking it up is easy. It's not going to take me very long at all.' ___ AP NFL:
Toronto Sun
13-05-2025
- Toronto Sun
Budget airline begins deportation flights for ICE with start of Arizona operations
Published May 13, 2025 • 4 minute read Passengers walk in front of Mesa Gateway Airport, where Avelo Airlines started making deportation flights on behalf of the federal government on Monday, May 12, 2025, in Mesa, Ariz. Photo by Ross D. Franklin / AP Photo PHOENIX — A budget airline that serves mostly small U.S. cities began federal deportation flights Monday out of Arizona, a move that's inspired an online boycott petition and sharp criticism from the union representing the carrier's flight attendants. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Avelo Airlines announced in April it had signed an agreement with the Department of Homeland Security to make charter deportation flights from Mesa Gateway Airport outside Phoenix. It said it will use three Boeing 737-800 planes for the flights. The Houston-based airline is among a host of companies seeking to cash in on President Donald Trump's campaign for mass deportations. Congressional deliberations began last month on a tax bill with a goal of funding, in part, the removal of 1 million immigrants annually and housing 100,000 people in U.S. detention centers. The GOP plan calls for hiring 10,000 more U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and investigators. Details of Avelo agreement with ICE not disclosed Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Avelo was launched in 2021 as COVID-19 still raged and billions of taxpayer dollars were propping up big airlines. It saves money mainly by flying older Boeing 737 jets that can be bought at relatively low prices. And it operates out of less-crowded and less-costly secondary airports, flying routes that are ignored by the big airlines. It said it had its first profitable quarter in late 2023. Andrew Levy, Avelo's founder and chief executive, said in announcing the agreement last month that the airline's work for ICE would help the company expand and protect jobs. 'We realize this is a sensitive and complicated topic,' said Levy, an airline industry veteran with previous stints as a senior executive at United and Allegiant airlines. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Avelo did not grant an interview request from The Associated Press. Financial and other details of the Avelo agreement _ including destinations of the deportation flights — haven't publicly surfaced. The AP asked Avelo and ICE for a copy of the agreement, but neither provided the document. The airline said it wasn't authorized to release the contract. Several consumer brands have shunned being associated with deportations, a highly volatile issue that could drive away customers. During Trump's first term, authorities housed migrant children in hotels, prompting some hotel chains to say that they wouldn't participate. Union cites safety concerns Many companies in the deportation business, such as detention center providers The Geo Group and Core Civic, rely little on consumer branding. Not Avelo, whose move inspired the boycott petition on and drew criticism from the carrier's flight attendants union, which cited the difficulty of evacuating deportees from an aircraft in an emergency within the federal standard of 90 seconds or less. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Having an entire flight of people handcuffed and shackled would hinder any evacuation and risk injury or death,' the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA said in a statement. 'It also impedes our ability to respond to a medical emergency, fire on board, decompression, etc. We cannot do our jobs in these conditions.' In New Haven, Connecticut, where Avelo flies out of Tweed New Haven Airport, Democratic Mayor Justin Elicker urged Avelo's CEO to reconsider. 'For a company that champions themselves as 'New Haven's hometown airline,' this business decision is antithetical to New Haven's values,' Elicker said in a statement. Protests were held outside airports in Arizona and Connecticut on Monday. In Mesa, over 30 protesters gathered on a road leading up to the airport, holding signs that denounced Trump's deportation efforts. In Connecticut, about 150 people assembled outside Tweed New Haven Airport, calling on travelers to boycott Avelo. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. John Jairo Lugo, co-founder and community organizing director of Unidad Latina en Accion in New Haven, said protesters hope to create a financial incentive for Avelo to back out of its work for the federal government. 'We need to cause some economical damage to the company to really convince them that they should be on the side with the people and not with the government,' Lugo said. Mesa is one of five hubs for ICE airline deportation operations Mesa, a Phoenix suburb with about 500,000 people, is one of five hubs for ICE Air, the immigration agency's air transport operation for deportations. ICE Air operated nearly 8,000 flights in a 12-month period through April, according to the advocacy group Witness at the Border. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. ICE contracts with an air broker, CSI Aviation, that hires two charter carriers — GlobalX and Eastern Air Express — to do most of the flights, said Tom Cartwright, who tracks flight data for Witness at the Border. Cartwright said it was unusual in recent years for commercial passenger carriers to carry out deportation flights. 'It's always been with an air broker who then hires the carriers, and the carriers have not been regular commercial carriers, or what I call retail carriers, who are selling their own tickets,' Cartwright said. 'At least since I have been involved (in tracking ICE flights), they've all been charter companies.' Avelo will be a sub-carrier under a contract held by New Mexico-based CSI Aviation, which didn't respond to questions about how much money Avelo would make under the agreement. Avelo provides passenger service to more than 50 cities in the U.S., as well as locations in Jamaica, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. Avelo does not operate regular commercial passenger service out of Mesa Gateway Airport, said airport spokesman Ryan Smith. In February 2024, Avelo said it had its first profitable quarter, though it didn't provide details. In an interview two months later with the AP, Levy declined to provide numbers, saying the airline was a private company and had no need to provide that information publicly. Toronto Maple Leafs Canada Editorials Toronto & GTA Toronto Maple Leafs
Japan Today
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Japan Today
ICE is reversing termination of legal status for international students around U.S., lawyers say
FILE - Students march at Arizona State University in protest of ASU's chapter of College Republicans United-led event encouraging students to report "their criminal classmates to ICE for deportations", Jan. 31, 2025, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File) By JANIE HAR and KATE BRUMBACK The federal government is reversing the termination of legal status for international students around the U.S. after many filed court challenges against the Trump administration crackdown, government lawyers said Friday. The records in a federal student database maintained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had been terminated in recent weeks, often without the students or their schools being notified. Judges around the country had already issued orders temporarily restoring the students' records in dozens of lawsuits challenging the terminations. More than 1,200 students nationwide suddenly lost their legal status or had visas revoked, leaving them at risk for deportation. Many said they had only minor infractions on their record or did not know why they were targeted. Some left the country while others have gone into hiding or stopped going to class. In one of the lawsuits, Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Kurlan read a statement in federal court in Oakland, California, that said ICE was restoring the student status for people whose records were terminated in recent weeks. A similar statement was read by a government attorney in a separate case in Washington, said lawyer Brian Green, who represents the plaintiff in that case. Green provided The Associated Press with a copy of the statement that the government lawyer emailed to him. It says: 'ICE is developing a policy that will provide a framework for SEVIS record terminations. Until such a policy is issued, the SEVIS records for plaintiff(s) in this case (and other similarly situated plaintiffs) will remain Active or shall be re-activated if not currently active and ICE will not modify the record solely based on the NCIC finding that resulted in the recent SEVIS record termination." SEVIS is the Student and Exchange Visitor Information Systems database that tracks international students' compliance with their visa status. NCIC is the National Crime Information Center, which is maintained by the FBI. Tricia McLaughlin, an assistant Homeland Security secretary, said ICE had not reversed course on any visa revocations but did 'restore SEVIS access for people who had not had their visa revoked.' Greg Chen, with the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said some uncertainty remained: 'It is still unclear whether ICE will restore status to everyone it has targeted and whether the State Department will help students whose visas were wrongly revoked.' Green, who is involved in lawsuits on behalf of several dozen students, said his cases only sought restoration of the student status and that he would be withdrawing them as a result of the statement Friday from ICE. But lawyers in the Oakland case are seeking a nationwide order from the court prohibiting the government from arresting or incarcerating students, transferring them to places outside their district or preventing them from continuing work or studies. Pam Johann, a government lawyer, said it was premature to consider anything like that given that ICE was in the process of reactivating student status records and developing a policy. 'We should take a pause while ICE is implementing this change that plaintiffs are seeking right now, on its own,' she said. But U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White asked her to humor the court and clarify ICE's statement. 'It seems like with this administration there's a new world order every single day,' he said. 'It's like whack-a-mole.' Last month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said his department was revoking visas held by visitors who were acting counter to national interests, including some who protested Israel's war in Gaza and those who face criminal charges. But many students whose status was terminated said they did not fall under those categories. A survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs research found that that even the visa revocations for students who participated in pro-Palestinian protests are not popular. About half of U.S. adults oppose this policy, and only 3 in 10 are in support. Among college educated adults, 6 in 10 strongly oppose, compared with 4 in 10 who aren't college graduates. In lawsuits in several states, students argued they were denied due process. Many were told that their status was terminated as a result of a criminal records check or that their visa had been revoked. International students and their schools were caught off guard by the terminations of the students' records. Many of the terminations were discovered when school officials were doing routine checks of the international student database. Jodie Ferise, a higher education attorney in Indiana, said some students at schools her law firm works with already left the country after receiving instructions to self-deport. 'This unprecedented treatment of student status had caused tremendous fear among international students," Ferise said. 'Some of them were too frightened to wait and hope for the administration to change course.' Earlier this week, before the government's reversal, Ferise said the situation could hurt international student enrollment. 'The world is watching, and we will lose students, not just by the technical revocation of their status, but by the message we're sending that we don't want them anyway and that it isn't safe to even try to go to school here,' she said. At least 1,220 students at 187 colleges, universities and university systems have had their visas revoked or their legal status terminated since late March, according to an Associated Press review of university statements, correspondence with school officials and court records. The AP has been working to confirm reports of hundreds more students who are caught up in the crackdown. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Suns complete their high-priced flop, won't make postseason after dismal year
Phoenix Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer pauses on the court after calling a timeout during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) talks with Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer, left, as Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, center, looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Phoenix Suns' Bradley Beal, left, shoots the ball against defending New York Knicks' OG Anunoby, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 6, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith) Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant jogs down the court during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Friday, March 28, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) gets hit in the face by Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Phoenix Suns' Devin Booker dribbles during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith) Phoenix Suns' Devin Booker dribbles during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith) Phoenix Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer pauses on the court after calling a timeout during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) talks with Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer, left, as Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, center, looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Phoenix Suns' Bradley Beal, left, shoots the ball against defending New York Knicks' OG Anunoby, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 6, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith) Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant jogs down the court during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Friday, March 28, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) gets hit in the face by Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Phoenix Suns' Devin Booker dribbles during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith) PHOENIX (AP) — The NBA's highest-paid team is officially among its lowest performers this season. The Phoenix Suns — with a roster that included an All-Star trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal — were eliminated from postseason contention Wednesday night when they fell 125-112 to the short-handed Oklahoma City Thunder for their eighth straight loss. Advertisement In a sign at just how bad the season has become, all eight of those losses were by double figures. The Dallas Mavericks wrapped up the final spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament and the Suns will go home after their regular-season finale against Sacramento on Sunday. 'There's not one thing or one person or one player or one coach that's the problem,' Booker said. 'When you've had a season this bad, it's a bunch of things. I think the most frustrating part is being that close a few years ago, and now being back to where we are.' Booker was referencing 2021, when the Suns reached the NBA Finals before losing to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games. The franchise has endured an agonizing backward slide after adding Durant and Beal in a pair of blockbuster trades. Advertisement The group never reached its perceived potential in two full seasons together. Not even close. The Suns finished with a 49-33 record last season before getting swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs. This season was even worse — Phoenix is 35-45 and became less competitive as the season progressed. Durant and Booker have been fairly healthy and productive this year, but Beal has been hurt for big chunks of the schedule and first-year coach Mike Budenholzer could never figure out a consistent playing rotation. At 36 years old, Durant was still one of the best scorers in the NBA, averaging 26.6 points per game and making his 15th All-Star team. Advertisement Phoenix actually started the season with an 8-1 record, but Durant went down with a calf strain and the tailspin started. Even when he returned, the Suns could never regain their early form. 'There's no answer for it, there's no words for it,' Booker said after the Suns lost by 38 to the Warriors on Tuesday night. 'Nothing I can say can really make it better.' Durant missed the past five games with a sprained ankle, which only exacerbated the freefall. Wholesale changes could be coming to the franchise over the next few months. Budenholzer — an Arizona native brought to the desert with much fanfare — might not be around to lead a second. Advertisement He didn't speculate on his future after Wednesday's loss. 'It's pretty raw right now, it's pretty fresh,' Budenholzer said. 'It's been tough. There's no doubt about it. We haven't been as good as we've needed to be and expected to be.' The only player who seems certain to be on the Suns next year is Booker, who has played all 10 of his NBA seasons in the desert. He said establishing a better team culture — no matter who is around — will be critical to bouncing back next season. 'I think that's one of the steps that we skipped,' Booker said. 'Learning through the wins and the loss, continuing to get better every day, no matter what the circumstances are. We had spots where we did it, but it has to be something that's turned on at all times.' ___ AP NBA:
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ketel Marte agrees to new $116.5 million, 6-year contract with Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks' Eugenio Suárez (28) celebrates his two-run home run against the Chicago Cubs with Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte, center, and manager Torey Lovullo during the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, March 28, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Arizona Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte scores a run against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning of an opening-day baseball game Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Arizona Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte scores a run against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning of an opening-day baseball game Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Arizona Diamondbacks' Eugenio Suárez (28) celebrates his two-run home run against the Chicago Cubs with Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte, center, and manager Torey Lovullo during the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, March 28, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Arizona Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte scores a run against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning of an opening-day baseball game Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) NEW YORK (AP) — Second baseman Ketel Marte and the Arizona Diamondbacks agreed Wednesday to a $116.5 million, six-year contract, becoming among the first players to negotiate a lower salary for 2027 ahead of a possible work stoppage. The deal for the two-time All-Star includes escalators for MVP awards and plate appearances that could raise its value to $149.5 million, agent Charisse Dash said. Arizona had not yet announced contract. Advertisement Marte agreed in March 2022 to a $76 million, five-year deal that started in 2023 and had $49 million in guaranteed money remaining: salaries of $16 million each in 2025 and '26, $14 million in 2027 and a $13 million team option for 2028 with a $3 million buyout. His new agreement calls for salaries of $14 million in 2025, $15 million in 2026, $12 million in 2027, $20 million in 2028 and $22 million each in 2029 and 2030. Marte has an $11.5 million player option for 2031. His salary could escalate in each succeeding season by up to $5.5 million: $3 million for MVP voting and $2.5 million for plate appearances. It would go up by $3 million for finishing among the top three in MVP voting and by $2 million for finishing fourth through seventh. It also would rise by $500,000 each for 500 and 550 plate appearances, and by $750,000 apiece for 600 and 625. Major League Baseball's collective bargaining agreement expires in December 2026, and a lockout is possible that would have potential to disrupt to the 2027 season. Advertisement Marte finished third in NL MVP voting last year and fourth in 2019. The 31-year-old hit .292 last year while setting career highs with 36 homers and 95 RBIs. He has a .282 career average with 143 homers and 515 RBIs in 11 big league seasons with Seattle (2015-16) and the Diamondbacks. Marte was MVP of the 2023 NL Championship Series, hitting .387 against the Phillies. Arizona has made several big-money moves after missing last year's playoffs, signing free-agent pitcher Corbin Burnes to a $210 million, six-year contract and agreeing to long-term deals with right-hander Brandon Pfaadt ($45 million for five years starting in 2026), shortstop Geraldo Perdomo ($45 million for four years starting in 2026) and right-hander Justin Martinez ($18 million for five years). ___ AP MLB:
