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Upset of blue blood Kansas elevates UCF’s profile in red-hot Big 12
UCF’s new quarterback KJ Jefferson is already part of big things going on with UCF athletics.
The former Arkansas star and latest addition to the UCF football team was at Addition Financial Arena on Wednesday night, amid the fans who stormed the court after the Knights upset No. 3 Kansas 65-60.
“I actually ran out there as well,” Jefferson said. “It was a great atmosphere. It was my first time being in Orlando and my first time at a basketball event [at UCF] and for the basketball team to come out and get a big victory over Kansas was big-time .. the atmosphere was great, I loved it and I can’t wait for football season.”
Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando SentinelKansas guard Johnny Furphy walks off the floor dejected as jubilant UCF fans rush the court after Wednesday at Addition Financial Arena. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)Football coach Gus Malzahn also was in attendance, and he praised the basketball Knights (10-4, 1-1 Big 12) for their accomplishment.
“I just want to congratulate Coach [Johnny] Dawkins and our basketball team,” Malzahn said at a press conference to introduce new quarterback KJ Jefferson. “It was an unbelievable win, unbelievable atmosphere. One of the biggest games in school history on our campus and they seized the moment, so that was a real special thing.”
Dawkins was captured on video by the UCF media crew, showing how incredibly excited he was after the huge win. Kansas is the highest ranked team UCF has ever defeated, dating to a 2011 victory over No. 4 UConn, 68-63, in the Battle of Atlantis Tournament at Paradise Island, Bahamas.
LET’S GOOO @Coach_Dawkins pic.twitter.com/DGqf11JpLE
— UCF Knights
Fruit Stripe Gum to bite the dust after a half century of highly abbreviated rainbow flavors
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Fruit Stripe Gum, something of a childhood icon for many gum chewers over the past five decades, will soon head over the rainbow with its multicolored zebra mascot Yipes — seemingly for good.
The manufacturer of Fruit Stripe Gum, the Chicago company Ferrara Candy Co., gave the magazine Food & Wine a statement Tuesday that it is discontinuing the product; on Wednesday, an unidentified company spokesperson did the same for CNN. Ferrara did not respond to multiple requests from The Associated Press on Thursday seeking confirmation of its decision.
Fruit Stripe may have been best known for its oversized packs of spectral-striped gum sticks, each bearing a distinct fruit flavor that typically faded away quickly upon chewing. For years, the packs contained temporary tattoos of brand mascot Yipes the rainbow zebra that kids could apply to their arms, legs and faces; gum chewers often joked that the tattoos lasted far longer than the gum’s flavor did.
So notorious was the gum’s ephemeral taste that it ended up in a fittingly brief gag on the animated sitcom “Family Guy.”
Yipes also had a minor cult following, especially once the company coined “Yipes! Stripes!” as a commercial catchphrase.
The gum was first launched by bygone candy maker Beech-Nut in 1969, but ended up at Ferrara following a series of corporate handoffs and mergers. Ferrara itself is a unit of the Italian conglomerate Ferrero.
General Daily Insight for January 12, 2024
General Daily Insight for January 12, 2024
We’re not backing down! As ambitious Mars eggs on optimistic Jupiter at 5:42 am EST, we can tap into that competitive side that we don’t always show. There is no shortage of passion to fuel us, whatever we’re doing. Watch out, though — when sensitive Luna lashes out at Jupiter, overconfidence may have us losing sight of our goals. Thankfully, the Moon smooths things over with pained Chiron, heightening our empathy and healing potential. We should always remember our true motivations!
AriesMarch 21 – April 19
You’re taking control of your life — and others can see it! You may have gone through a period where it felt like every day brought a new problem, but you’re finally able to find a rhythm that works for you. Unfortunately, this could lull you into a false sense of security, where you feel comfortable enough to introduce heavier responsibilities into your already full schedule. One misstep might throw off your whole operation! Try to stick with what you have for the time being.
TaurusApril 20 – May 20
You don’t have to be a boxer to fight back! If someone is spreading unfair rumors about you or refusing to give you the credit that you deserve, then it’s time to stand up for yourself. That being said, you need to fight any temptation to give them a taste of their own medicine, as lying or exposing the other person’s unrelated secrets will not help you out of this situation. Stick to the situation at hand, and let the facts be your champion.
GeminiMay 21 – June 20
Someone may be pushing you to act out of character. You know who you are inside, but there could be people around you who are trying to get you to show a nastier side of yourself, one that is a bit meaner or overly defensive. You don’t have to sink to their level — even if they’re throwing unfair shots at you. It’s better to stand on your own than to stand with someone who works to manipulate you away from your truth.
CancerJune 21 – July 22
You might be competing against many other people throughout the day. Regardless of your typical attitude toward competition, when it comes to something that you really want, you’re probably willing to step up to the plate. This could be for a person that you want to spend more time with, a dream career opportunity that you are pursuing, or even an official contest for a prize. Give it your best shot — or you risk getting stuck wondering what would have happened.
LeoJuly 23 – August 22
You can let your hard work do the talking at the moment. A superior or an authority figure may begin questioning you, but you’d be wise to let your record speak for itself. Words can be cheap, but when all you’re talking about is the facts, proven by promises you fulfilled in the past and know that you can deliver on again, you can certify the value of your statements. Others should see that, so go show them what you’re really made of!
VirgoAugust 23 – September 22
Who you are is enough, Virgo. You may currently base much of your worth on winning or reaching a certain standard that you set for yourself. Unfortunately, this can become stressful if you fall short of the standards that you set for your performance. When such cognitive dissonance strikes, you attempt to cope through negative self-talk. This can make you into your own worst enemy rather than building yourself up! Don’t talk yourself out of what you can actually achieve if you don’t give up.
LibraSeptember 23 – October 22
Someone in your life potentially understands your needs — whether you’ve known them for years or just met. Keep your eyes peeled for a business partner or advisor, who’s more trustworthy than others you’ve known in the past. While it could even feel like you need to compete with this person at first, once you join forces, you’ll probably discover that you’re stronger together. Instead of becoming defensive when someone shows you a better way to do something, hear them out.
ScorpioOctober 23 – November 21
You’re a person that others can count on. There may be a call to action that comes for you during the day, either to serve people that you know personally or to assist the community at large, especially your hometown. Anxieties could make you resist committing yourself at first, but the universe will support you to go after this dream of building up the people around you. Who knows, you might even meet a new friend through the work that you do!
SagittariusNovember 22 – December 21
Your dedication may beat out the talent of someone else. No matter how naturally gifted they are, you may have been more faithful to studying or practicing your skills. Being so diligent will likely let you gain an edge over the competition. While others could be relying on their wits and instincts, you have more knowledge and preparation behind your actions. Your excellence might make them realize that they weren’t as ready as they thought. Show them what consistency can do!
CapricornDecember 22 – January 19
Creativity is calling, Capricorn! You may have a bit of extra time to yourself at present, either for a vacation or just a day to rest. Either way, this means you have more freedom to follow your heart! Take advantage of any openings — in addition to being fun on their own, showing off your courage can impress others who’d usually be closed off to this kind of free expression. There are delightful opportunities available to be found by being spontaneous.
AquariusJanuary 20 – February 18
You might not want to contend with those who are trying to compete with you. While you’re likely just expressing yourself the only way that you know how, others could be taking it as a criticism of how they live their lives. Sometimes your comfort in being who you are can trigger other people around you — especially those who are not comfortable in their own skin! They may then react to you with frustration. Don’t let their mindset change you.
PiscesFebruary 19 – March 20
You might find yourself competing for someone’s time and attention. There may be multiple people trying to catch the eye of this person for one reason or another, though you probably want to draw their focus to you simply so that you can get to know them better. Your intentions might be more genuine than those of others — they’re potentially attempting to get something from this person rather than be their true friend or supporter. Show them that you don’t have an ulterior motive.
US, British militaries launch massive retaliatory strike against Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen
By LOLITA C. BALDOR and TARA COPP (Associated Press)
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and British militaries bombed more than a dozen sites used by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen on Thursday, in a massive retaliatory strike using warship- and submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles and fighter jets, U.S. officials said.
The U.S. Air Force’s Mideast command said it struck over 60 targets at 16 sites in Yemen, including “command-and-control nodes, munitions depots, launching systems, production facilities and air defense radar systems.”
President Joe Biden said the strikes were meant to demonstrate that the U.S. and its allies “will not tolerate” the militant group’s ceaseless attacks on the Red Sea. And he said they only made the move after attempts at diplomatic negotiations and careful deliberation.
“These strikes are in direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea — including the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles for the first time in history,” Biden said in a statement. He noted the attacks endangered U.S. personnel and civilian mariners and jeopardized trade, and he added, “I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary.”
Associated Press journalists in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, heard four explosions early Friday local time. Two residents of Hodieda, Amin Ali Saleh and Hani Ahmed, said they heard five strong explosions hitting the western port area of the city, which lies on the Red Sea and is the largest port city controlled by the Houthis. Eyewitnesses who spoke with the AP also said they saw strikes in Taiz and Dhamar, cities south of Sanaa.
The strikes marked the first U.S. military response to what has been a persistent campaign of drone and missile attacks on commercial ships since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. And the coordinated military assault comes just a week after the White House and a host of partner nations issued a final warning to the Houthis to cease the attacks or face potential military action. The officials described the strikes on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations. Members of Congress were briefed earlier Thursday on the strike plans.
The warning appeared to have had at least some short-lived impact, as attacks stopped for several days. On Tuesday, however, the Houthi rebels fired their largest-ever barrage of drones and missiles targeting shipping in the Red Sea, with U.S. and British ships and American fighter jets responding by shooting down 18 drones, two cruise missiles and an anti-ship missile. And on Thursday, the Houthis fired an anti-ship ballistic missile into the Gulf of Aden, which was seen by a commercial ship but did not hit the ship.
In a call with reporters, senior administration and military officials said that after the Tuesday attacks, Biden convened his national security team and was presented with military options for a response. He then directed Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who remains hospitalized with complications from prostate cancer surgery, to carry out the retaliatory strikes.
In a separate statement, U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the Royal Air Force carried out targeted strikes against military facilities used by the Houthis. The Defense Ministry said four fighter jets based in Cyprus took part in the strikes.
Noting the militants have carried out a series of dangerous attacks on shipping, he added, “This cannot stand.” He said the U.K. took “limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defense, alongside the United States with non-operational support from the Netherlands, Canada and Bahrain against targets tied to these attacks, to degrade Houthi military capabilities and protect global shipping.”
The governments of Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand and South Korea joined the U.S. and U.K. in issuing a statement saying that while the aim is to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea, the allies won’t hesitate to defend lives and protect commerce in the critical waterway.
Russia, however, requested an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council on the strikes. France, the current council president, said it will take place Friday afternoon.
The rebels, who have carried out 27 attacks involving dozens of drones and missiles just since Nov. 19, had warned that any attack by American forces on its sites in Yemen will spark a fierce military response.
A high-ranking Houthi official, Ali al-Qahoum, vowed there would be retaliation. “The battle will be bigger … and beyond the imagination and expectation of the Americans and the British,” he said in a post on X.
Al-Masirah, a Houthi-run satellite news channel, described strikes hitting the Al-Dailami Air Base north of Sanaa, the airport in the port city of the Hodeida, a camp east of Saada, the airport in the city of Taiz and an airport near Hajjah.
The Houthis later Friday said the strikes killed five people and wounded six, without elaborating on who the casualties were.
A senior administration official said that while the U.S. expects the strikes will degrade the Houthis’ capabilities, “we would not be surprised to see some sort of response,” although they haven’t seen anything yet. Officials said the U.S. used warplanes based on the Navy aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and Air Force fighter jets, while the Tomahawk missiles were fired from Navy destroyers and a submarine.
The Houthis say their assaults are aimed at stopping Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. But their targets increasingly have little or no connection to Israel and imperil a crucial trade route linking Asia and the Middle East with Europe.
Meanwhile, the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution Wednesday that demanded the Houthis immediately cease the attacks and implicitly condemned their weapons supplier, Iran. It was approved by a vote of 11-0 with four abstentions — by Russia, China, Algeria and Mozambique.
Britain’s participation in the strikes underscored the Biden administration’s effort to use a broad international coalition to battle the Houthis, rather than appear to be going it alone. More than 20 nations are already participating in a U.S.-led maritime mission to increase ship protection in the Red Sea.
U.S. officials for weeks had declined to signal when international patience would run out and they would strike back at the Houthis, even as multiple commercial vessels were struck by missiles and drones, prompting companies to look at rerouting their ships.
On Wednesday, however, U.S. officials again warned of consequences.
“I’m not going to telegraph or preview anything that might happen,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters during a stop in Bahrain. He said the U.S. had made clear “that if this continues as it did yesterday, there will be consequences. And I’m going to leave it at that.”
The Biden administration’s reluctance over the past several months to retaliate reflected political sensitivities and stemmed largely from broader worries about upending the shaky truce in Yemen and triggering a wider conflict in the region. The White House wants to preserve the truce and has been wary of taking action in Yemen that could open up another war front.
The impact on international shipping and the escalating attacks, however, triggered the coalition warning, which was signed by the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom.
Transit through the Red Sea, from the Suez Canal to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, is a crucial shipping lane for global commerce. About 12% of the world’s trade typically passes through the waterway that separates Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, including oil, natural gas, grain and everything from toys to electronics.
In response to the attacks, the U.S. created a new maritime security mission, dubbed Operation Prosperity Guardian, to increase security in the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden, with about 22 countries participating. U.S. warships, and those from other nations, have been routinely sailing back and forth through the narrow strait to provide protection for ships and to deter attacks. The coalition has also ramped up airborne surveillance.
The decision to set up the expanded patrol operation came after three commercial vessels were struck by missiles fired by Houthis in Yemen on Dec. 3.
The Pentagon increased its military presence in the region after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks in Israel to deter Iran from widening the war into a regional conflict, including by the Houthis and Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria.
____
Associated Press writers Ahmed al-Haj in Sanaa, Yemen; Jack Jeffery in London; Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations; and Zeke Miller, Aamer Madhani and Seung Min Kim in Washington contributed to this report.
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