PARIS (AP) — Israel’s status in European soccer is not in question, UEFA said Thursday, ahead of playoff games involving the men’s national team next month amid the conflict with Hamas. Israel will face Iceland on March 21 in a European Championship qualifying playoff being played in neutral Budapest, Hungary. The winner will be away to Ukraine or Bosnia-Herzegovina in …

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Melodic Colombian Spanish fills a hospital treating soldiers wounded fighting Russian forces in eastern Ukraine. Ukraine’s ranks are depleted by two years of war. As it battles the Russian war machine, Ukraine is welcoming hardened fighters from one of the world’s longest-running conflicts. Professional soldiers from Colombia bolster the ranks of volunteers from around the world …

CLEVELAND (AP) — Other than a few years after they moved to Baltimore, the Cleveland Browns have always played their games on the shores of Lake Erie. That could change in the future. The team is reportedly nearing a deal to buy 176 acres in a suburb south of Cleveland, a site that could be used to build a new …

Minnesota Wild general manager and three-time U.S. Olympian Bill Guerin will be responsible for overseeing the building of the United States teams competing in the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off tournament next year and the 2026 Winter Games, USA Hockey announced on Thursday. The hiring of Guerin as GM is a carryover from three years ago, when he was tabbed as …

Players 6, Teams 2 Winners Player, Club Asked Offered Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Tor $19,900,000 18,050,000 Austin Hays, Bal 6,300,000 5,850,000 Taylor Ward, LAA 4,800,000 4,300,000 Mauricio Dubón, Hou 3,500,000 3,000,000 Jacob Webb, Bal 1,000,000 925,000 Phil Bickford, NYM 900,000 815,000 Losers Player, Club Asked Offered Jazz Chisholm Jr., Mia $2,900,000 $2,625,000 José Suarez, LAA 1,350,000 925,000

BERLÍN (AP) — Una fragata de la armada alemana zarpó el jueves hacia el mar Rojo, con el objetivo de participar de una misión de la Unión Europea para defender los buques de carga de los ataques de los rebeldes hutíes de Yemen, respaldados por Irán, que trastornan el comercio. La Hessen partió del puerto de Wilhelmshaven, en el mar …

WASHINGTON (AP) — They were warned that criticism of Israel’s conduct during its war on Hamas in Gaza could cost them politically. But in the four months since Israel’s blistering offensive was ignited by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, progressives in Congress who have called for a cease-fire are seeing record fundraising dollars as they fight to remain in office. Members …

BENGALURU, India (AP) — Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella urged in a speech to more than a thousand Indian computer code developers on Thursday that they use the company’s artificial intelligence tools being deployed across its products. Speaking in Bengaluru, India’s “Silicon Valley,” Nadella noted that more than 13.2 million Indian developers are currently on GitHub, an internet hosting service for …

The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here. Hofstra Pride (13-10, 6-4 CAA) at Hampton Pirates (5-18, 0-10 CAA) Hampton, Virginia; Thursday, 7 p.m. EST FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Pride -11; over/under is 146.5 BOTTOM LINE: Hampton …

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A wayward kangaroo was corralled safely by sheriff’s deputies Thursday after it was spotted hopping around the pool area of a Florida apartment complex. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office released video and still photos of the kangaroo, including some footage shot from a helicopter. The agency also released audio of a female resident of the complex …