US to move aircraft carrier out of Mideast amid Iran tension
The Pentagon announced Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020, that the USS Nimitz, the only Navy aircraft carrier operating in the Middle East, will return home to the U.S. West Coast. Navy via AP)WASHINGTON โ The Pentagon has decided to send home the only Navy aircraft carrier operating in the Middle East, a move that will reduce American firepower in the region amid heightened tensions with Iran. Sending the aircraft carrier, the USS Nimitz, home to the U.S. West Coast would seem at odds with the idea that a show of force is needed to deter Iran. โSome friendly health advice to Iran: If one American is killed, I will hold Iran responsible. The U.S. has maintained a near-continuous aircraft carrier presence in the Persian Gulf region since the USS Abraham Lincoln was sent in May 2019 amid concerns that Iran was considering attacking U.S. interests in the region.
The Latest: 2 games in Germany's 2nd division called off
(Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)Spectators wearing face masks to protect against coronavirus watch the Champions League group F soccer match between Zenit St.Petersburg and Borussia Dortmund at the Saint Petersburg stadium in St. Petersburg, Russia, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___Two soccer games in Germanyโs second division have been called off after a staff member at Wรผrzburger Kickers tested positive for the coronavirus. The club says its entire team has been ordered by local health authorities to isolate โuntil further notice.โThe decision forced the postponement of Wรผrzburgโs games on Wednesday against St. Pauli and on Saturday against Darmstadt. ___More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Navy jet crashes in California, but pilot ejects safely
The Navy says a fighter jet has crashed in the Mojave Desert but its pilot safely ejected. The F/A-18E Super Hornet from Naval Air Station Lemoore in California's Central Valley went down Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020 in Superior Valley south of Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)CHINA LAKE, Calif. โ A Navy fighter jet crashed Tuesday in the Mojave Desert, but its pilot safely ejected, the Navy said. โThe pilot ejected safely and was taken to a local medical facility for examination,โ it said. Last month, a Marine Corps fighter pilot safely ejected from a F-35B jet after colliding in mid-air with another plane during a refueling operation in a remote desert area of Southern California.
US Navy pilot killed in crash in Death Valley National Park
CNN VideoThe US Navy confirmed Thursday that the pilot of the F/A-18E Super Hornet that crashed Wednesday in Death Valley National Park died as a result of the crash. "The Navy has confirmed that the pilot of the F/A-18E died in the crash," US Naval Air Forces said in a statement. In accordance with Department of Defense policy the name of the pilot is being withheld for 24 hours to allow for family notification. The crash took place in Death Valley National Park at a spot known to aviation enthusiasts as Star Wars Canyon, according to park spokesman Patrick Taylor, who told CNN that seven visitors had suffered minor injuries as a result. As a general rule, military jets are not allowed to fly over national parks, but an exception was made over this section of Death Valley when it became a national park 25 years ago.
Michigan State's Winston No. 1 in top 25 NCAA player rankings
1 is Cassius Winston of Michigan State, No. 20 is Xavier Tillman Jr. of Michigan State and named to honorable mention is University of Michigan guard Zavier Simpson. Xavier Tillman, Jr., F, Michigan State19. Cole Anthony, Fr., G, North Carolina4. Markus Howard, Sr., G, Marquette1.
Michigan State's Winston No. 1 in top 25 NCAA player rankings
1 is Cassius Winston of Michigan State, No. 20 is Xavier Tillman Jr. of Michigan State and named to honorable mention is University of Michigan guard Zavier Simpson. Xavier Tillman, Jr., F, Michigan State19. Cole Anthony, Fr., G, North Carolina4. Markus Howard, Sr., G, Marquette1.