Hendrickson joins Ravens, Crosby still on Raiders and QB Jones re-signs with Colts

The Baltimore Ravens landed their starpass rusher in Trey Hendrickson,Maxx Crosby is back in Las Vegasfor now andDaniel Jonesis staying in Indianapolis as part of a busy start to the new league year.

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The biggest move Wednesday came when the Ravens agreed to a four-year, $112 million contract with four-time Pro Bowl defensive end Trey Hendrickson a day after backing out of a deal with the Raiders for Crosbyover a failed physical, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press.

Hendrickson was an All-Pro for Cincinnati in 2024 when he led the NFL with 17 1/2 sacks. He played in only seven games because of injuries last season and had four sacks but has reached double digits in sacks four times in the previous five seasons.

It was a quick pivot for the Ravens after the surprising development Tuesday night when Baltimore pulled out of the trade that was supposed to send two first-round picks to Las Vegas.

A person with knowledge of Baltimore's decision told the AP that Crosby failed his physical. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because those results are private.

Crosby had surgery in January to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. He missed the final two games of the season because of the injury despite wanting to play through it at the time.

The Raiders, who have been among the biggest spenders in the opening days of free agency, now must figure out what to do with Crosby. Las Vegas still has plenty of cap room to keep the five-time Pro Bowler on the roster with his $30 million salary if the team can't find another trade. Crosby was back in the team facility in Nevada on Wednesday, a person with knowledge said on condition of anonymity.

Jones and the Colts agreed on a two-year contract that is worth up to $100 million, a person with knowledge of the contract told the AP. The person requested anonymity because the deal had not yet been announced.

Jones will receive $88 million over the next two seasons with $50 million guaranteed instead of playing on the $37.8 million transition tag. He can make an additional $12 million through incentives.

Jones led the Colts offense to a productive 10-game start. But following the bye week, Jones played through a hairline fracture in his left leg and then wound up suffering a season-ending torn right Achilles tendon in early December.

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Jones set career highs in passer rating (100.2) and completion rate (68%) as Indianapolis ranked fifth in the NFL in scoring at 28.9 points per game before he went down for the season.

All the people are speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because teams haven't announced the moves or other developments.

Washington agreed to termswith edge rusher K'Lavon Chaisson on a one-year contract worth $12 million with $10.3 million guaranteed, according to Athletes First, the agency that represents him. Coming off ranking last in the NFL on defense, the Commanders also reached deals with linebacker Leo Chenal and cornerback Amik Robertson, after losing out to Baltimore on Hendrickson.

In other news, the Ravens and Bills both restructured the contracts of star quarterbacks Lamar Jackson andJosh Allento create more room under the salary cap to start the league year.

Baltimore had been hoping to sign Jackson to an extension before the start of the new league year Wednesday. But that hasn't happened. Instead the Ravens have restructured Jackson's deal to create cap space, according to a person with knowledge of the deal, speaking on condition of anonymity because the contract hadn't been finalized.

Jackson has two years remaining on the five-year, $260 million contract the Ravens gave him in 2023.

Buffalo's move with Allen frees up approximately $12 million in much-needed salary cap space for the team entering the NFL's new year, a person familiar with the discussions told the AP.

AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi and AP Sports Writers Stephen Whyno and John Wawrow contributed to this report

AP NFL:https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

byVaclavien Pynzarien

in

March 11, 2026

Hendrickson joins Ravens, Crosby still on Raiders and QB Jones re-signs with Colts

The Baltimore Ravens landed their starpass rusher in Trey Hendrickson,Maxx Crosby is back in Las Vegasfor now andDaniel J...

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Chile's Kast sworn in as president in biggest right-wing shift in decades

By Alexander Villegas and Fabian Cambero

Chile's Jose Antonio Kast takes office in the country's biggest right-wing shift in decades

VALPARAISO/SANTIAGO, March 10 (Reuters) - Jose Antonio Kast was sworn in as Chile's president on Wednesday, ushering in the country's sharpest shift to the ‌right in decades as voters, alarmed by rising insecurity, backed a broader conservative turn sweeping ‌parts of Latin America.

Regional presidents including Argentina's Javier Milei, Ecuador's Daniel Noboa and Paraguay's Santiago Pena, as well as Spain's ​King Felipe, traveled to Chile to attend the transfer of power ceremony in the coastal city of Valparaiso, where Congress is located.

Kast takes over from left-wing President Gabriel Boric, to whom he lost the 2021 election, at a time when Chileans are worried about rising crime and the economy.

A shooting that left ‌one police officer brain dead earlier ⁠in the day in the southern city of Puerto Varas highlighted those security concerns and led Kast to send his new security minister, Trinidad Steinert, to ⁠the city once the ceremony concluded.

"There's going to be a before and an after. Whoever attacks a (police officer) attacks Chile," Kast told reporters when asked about the shooting earlier in the day.

"We're going to find them, ​judge ​them and apply the full force of the law."

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Kast ​has promised to clamp down on migration ‌and crime while boosting economic growth through deregulation, spending cuts and market-friendly policy. Chile is the world's largest copper producer and Kast was elected during an economic upswing, but takes office as the Iran war rattles global markets.

The political transition also saw increased tensions between the incoming and outgoing administration over heightened pressure from the U.S. over a proposed Chinese undersea cable project.

"(Kast) will have to manage ‌an increasingly challenging international geopolitical landscape," said Guillermo Holzmann, ​a political analyst from the University of Valparaiso, noting economic ​risks from the Iran war, the U.S.' ​security strategy in the region and China's influence in Latin America.

"These decisions will ‌require sophisticated diplomacy and strategic medium- and ​long-term vision."

Kast, who swore in ​his ministers during the ceremony, will also face a divided Congress that could hamper an agenda he's vowed to deliver quickly.

"Speedy and effective delivery on his three priority issues - security ​immigration, and the economy - will ‌be essential," said Nicholas Watson, managing director of Teneo consultancy, adding that "a barrage of initiatives ​is expected over the next three months."

(Reporting by Alexander Villegas and Fabian Cambero; Editing ​by Aidan Lewis, Cassandra Garrison and Alistair Bell)

byVaclavien Pynzarien

in

March 11, 2026

Chile's Kast sworn in as president in biggest right-wing shift in decades

By Alexander Villegas and Fabian Cambero Chile's Jose Antonio Kast takes office in the country's ...

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Maxx Crosby's surgeon says pass rusher is 'doing very well' in rehab from surgery after Ravens pulled out of trade

The Baltimore Ravens were concerned enough about Maxx Crosby's recovery from offseason knee surgery that theteam pulled outof its expensive trade for the pass rusher. His surgeon, however, believes Crosby is right where he needs to be in his recovery.

Dr. Neal ElAttrache told ESPN that Crosby is "doing  an excellent job attacking his rehab," and that the timing of his physical with the Ravens was unfortunate, as the pass rusher's prognosis will improve the further out he gets from surgery.

ElAttrache's full statement read:

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"Maxx Crosby is doing very well in the early part of his rehab and recovery from surgery to treat a significant meniscus tear and the related stress injury to the bone and cartilage in his knee. He is certainly on track in his planned program … he feels very well and is already much improved compared to before surgery.

"We truly respect the work of the Ravens staff with Maxx regarding the contract physical exam. We also understand the challenge the staff faces when tasked to provide a future risk assessment based on an evaluation early in the recovery process. This is especially challenging when dealing with an elite player like Maxx considering the level of commitment necessary for a team to obtain him. The timing of this assessment is unfortunate because the apparent risk will lessen as his recovery progresses and his return to performance over the next few months becomes clear.

"At this point, Maxx is doing an excellent job attacking his rehab and his knee is responding very well. We look forward to Maxx returning to his elite level of performance this season as planned and for several more to come."

NFL teams interested in trading for Crosby, including the Ravens, reportedly had team doctors meet with ElAttrache, per The Athletic. Both Ravens doctors and independent doctors reportedly believed Crosby's short-term prognosis was positive, but hislong-term status was a much bigger question. That's ultimately what caused Baltimore to pull out of the deal.

It's tough to know what happens next for both Crosby and the Raiders. The team is reportedly open to every option,including keeping the pass rusherdespite splurging on free agents after it looked as though Crosby's salary was off the books. Teams less concerned about Crosby's medicals could re-engage the Raiders in trade talks, but the market for Crosby has lessened in the opening days of free agency. Teams that presumably would have given up significant draft picks have bolstered their defensive lines by instead signing players on the free-agent market.

Given Crosby's immense talent, it wouldn't be a surprise if trade discussions continued to take place. Whether a deal gets done could depend on how teams feel about Crosby's status after a closer look at his medical exams, something Crosby's surgeon says should improve the further the pass rusher is removed from surgery.

byVaclavien Pynzarien

in

March 11, 2026

Maxx Crosby's surgeon says pass rusher is 'doing very well' in rehab from surgery after Ravens pulled out of trade

The Baltimore Ravens were concerned enough about Maxx Crosby's recovery from offseason knee surgery that theteam pull...

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IEA agrees to record release of emergency oil reserves in an effort to calm surging prices

PARIS (AP) — The International Energy Agency agreed Wednesday to release the largest volume of emergency oil reserves in its history, in a bid to counter the effects on energy markets of the war in the Middle East.

Germany Oil Reserves

The Paris-based organization said it will make 400 million barrels of oil available from its members' emergency reserves. It's a larger stock than the 182.7 million barrels that were released in 2022 by the IEA's 32 member countries in response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

"Without sufficient routes to market and with no more available storage, Middle East oil producers have started to reduce production," IEA executive director Fatih Birol said. "And we have seen further attacks and damage to energy and energy-related infrastructure. Refinery operations have also been disrupted, with major implications for jet fuel and diesel supplies in particular."

IEA member countries currently hold over 1.2 billion barrels of public emergency oil stocks, with a further 600 million barrels of industry stocks held under government obligation.

In response to U.S. and Israeli strikes, Iran hasattacked commercial shipsacross the Persian Gulf, escalating a campaign of squeezing the oil-rich region asglobal energy concerns mount.

Iran has effectively stopped cargo traffic in the narrow Strait of Hormuz through which about a fifth of all oil is shipped from the Persian Gulf toward the Indian Ocean. It has alsotargeted oil fields and refineriesin Gulf Arab nations, aiming at generating enoughglobal economic painto pressure the United States and Israel to end their strikes.

Germany, Austria and Japan said earlier Wednesday they would release parts oftheir oil reservesfollowing an IEA request for members to release the record 400 million barrels to help temper energy price spikes due tothe Iran war.

Group of Seven energy ministers met Tuesday at IEA headquarters in Paris to look at ways to bring down prices. Birol said afterward that they discussed all available options, including making IEA emergency oil stocks available to the market.

The IEA reserves were established in 1974 following the Arab oil embargo.

"This is a major action aiming to alleviate the immediate impacts of the disruption in markets," Birol added. "But, to be clear, the most important thing for a return to stable flows of oil and gas is the resumption of transit through the Strait of Hormuz."

Birol said that 15 million barrels per day of crude oil and another five million barrels per day of oil products normally pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

"This amounts to around 25% of the world's oil trade via sea. And now the flows of oil, gas and other commodities through the strait have all but stopped."

The G7 is comprised of the leading industrialized nations of Canada, the United States, France, Italy, Japan, Germany and Britain. Austria is not a member.

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The group's leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, met Wednesday via videoconference to discuss energy issues.

During his introductory remarks, French President Emmanuel Macron praised the IEA decision to release emergency oil stocks, saying it amounted to the equivalent of "20 days of the volume being exported through the Strait of Hormuz." The amount being released by G7 nations, alone, comprises 70% of the total, he said.

"I think it's very important to see as well everything we can do in order to increase our global production," Macron added.

Germany's economy ministry, Katherina Reiche, said the IEA asked Germany to release 2.64 million tons of its oil reserves. It was not immediately clear how much Austria was releasing.

She said it would take a couple of days before the delivery of the first quantities.

"Germany stands behind the IEA's most important principle of mutual solidarity," Reiche said.

The German government also said it will introduce a measure to allow gas stations in Germany to raise fuel prices no more than once a day. The federal government wants to introduce this as quickly as possible, Reiche said.

According to the IEA, export volumes of crude and refined products are currently at less than 10% of prewar levels.

In Austria, starting Monday, price increases at gas stations will be allowed only three times a week, the country's economy minister said. Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer said his country was releasing part of the emergency oil reserve and extending the national strategic gas reserve, adding: "One thing is clear: in a crisis, there must be no crisis winners at the expense of commuters and businesses."

IEA nations have released emergency stocks on five previous occasions: During the 1990-1991 Gulf War, after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, during the Libyan civil war in 2011, and twice after theRussian invasion of Ukraine.

Birol noted that the situation in natural gas markets is also very challenging, with Asia the most severely affected region.

"There are few options to replace the missing LNG cargoes from Qatar and the Emirates," he said. "Global energy supply has been reduced by around 20%."

Grieshaber reported from Berlin. Associated Press reporters John Leicester and Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed to this report.

byVaclavien Pynzarien

in

March 11, 2026

IEA agrees to record release of emergency oil reserves in an effort to calm surging prices

PARIS (AP) — The International Energy Agency agreed Wednesday to release the largest volume of emergency oil reserves in ...

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How NBA players are turning technical fouls into philanthropy

With four minutes and 35 seconds left in the third quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers' 110-97 victory over the New York Knicks on Sunday, Luka Dončić — upset over what he considered a missed call — made a gesture with his hands that indicated the referees were receiving money for slanted officiating.

The NBA didn't take too kindly to the implication, announcing Tuesday that Dončić would be fined $50,000 for the "unprofessional gesture."

Where will that $50,000 go? Thanks in large part to the National Basketball Players' Association, Dončić's check will ultimately be put to good use thanks to the "Fined and Philanthropic" program, a union initiative that turns players' fines into matching grants for charitable causes.

While the program has been in place since 2015, it has kicked into high gear over the last two years because of the arrival of Erika Swilley, executive director of the union's foundation. After nearly two decades working with NBA teams, Swilley has taken it upon herself to help players use the union's matching grant program.

"One thing that I'm trying to do in my role is change how players think about philanthropy and their strategy," Swilley told NBC News. "I want them to realize that they have a unique platform to really give back and help others and that there's ways for them to go deeper than your traditional turkey giveaways or backpack giveaways, which are all great. But how do you take that same money and feed a family for a year? Take that same money and impact a classroom for a school year?"

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When an NBA player is fined, for anything from a technical foul to, in Dončić's case, an inappropriate gesture, the money is split between the league and the union. Because players typically contest fines, the total amount of fine money usually isn't known until the end of the season.

But whatever the final amount is, the NBPA allows players to tap into the fund. Active players can get as much as $25,000 in matching grants for causes of their choice. Some retired players can get up to $15,000.

And with Swilley's involvement, those causes have become more specific.

In December, for example, four Washington Wizards players partnered with the Greater Washington Urban League to provide 12 families with $75,000 in rent-debt relief, with money from the matching program going not only toward the families' rent but also into investment accounts the families could unlock after they completed a financial literacy course.

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"I think players appreciate knowing that their fine money is being used for good, and not only for good, but really on their behalf," Swilley said. "And I had one player tell me it stings a little bit less when they get that fine."

One of the players who has taken advantage of the program is Chicago Bulls guard Collin Sexton. Sexton, a Georgia native, is involved with multiple charitable organizations based in the Atlanta area: The nsoro Foundation, which aids youths aging out of foster homes, and the Mighty Millie Foundation, which provides resources in the fight against childhood cancer.

Sexton has used matching grants to donate to both foundations after he learned about the program from players association meetings. He told NBC News that players were pleased to learn how exactly their fines were being applied.

Sexton admits the charitable component also makes the paycheck deduction slightly more palatable.

"Especially, like, technical fouls with the referees or little scuffles here and there," Sexton said. "It's like, 'You know what? It's going it's going to a good cause, and it's going to go somewhere that can definitely use it.'"

For a player like Sexton, who came into the league with a goal of giving back, the union's philanthropic effort has been particularly meaningful.

"One thing growing up, if I ever made it, I was like, 'I'm gonna give back to my community,'" Sexton said. "I feel like sometimes we think about 'I want to receive this, I want to receive that,' but you get so much joy out of giving. And once the NBPA was letting me know about the matching, I was like, 'I already want to do this for my community. I already want to give back.' And it was a no-brainer."

He added: "Leadership in the community isn't about being above anyone. It's more about the feeling of being less alone because you're a part of something bigger than yourself. It creates gratitude when you know you're helping others."

So the next time you see Sexton, Dončić or any other NBA player use profanity to a referee or a little extra oomph during a heated scuffle, you may just be witnessing the start of a good deed.

byVaclavien Pynzarien

in

March 11, 2026

How NBA players are turning technical fouls into philanthropy

With four minutes and 35 seconds left in the third quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers' 110-97 victory over the New Yor...

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South Africa deploys troops in Johannesburg to tackle organized crime

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Soldiers weredeployed on the streetsof South Africa's biggest city on Wednesday after the president announced plans to use the army in several provinces in Africa's leading economy to help police fight gang violence and illegal mining.

South Africa Army deployed

Soldiers were seen in the Johannesburg suburb of Riverlea in the first major deployment since President Cyril Ramaphosa said inhis annual speech to the nationlast month that he would use the army against organized crime, which he called the greatest threat to democracy and the country's economic development.

An Associated Press reporter saw a convoy of more than a dozen military vehicles move through the Riverlea suburb, with soldiers jumping out the vehicles to enter some apartment blocks. Riverlea is one area of Johannesburg affected by both gang-related violence and illegal mining.

South Africa's police and the Department of Defense, which oversees the military, did not immediately provide details on the deployment.

The authorities had previously said the military deployment in different parts of the country would start on March 1, but it was delayed while soldiers were given training in law enforcement protocols. The army will operate under police command during the deployment.

Ramaphosa said in a notice to the Speaker of Parliament that 550 soldiers would be involved in an initial deployment in the Gauteng province, which includes Johannesburg, to help combat crime and preserve law and order. That deployment would last until the end of April, he said.

The government plans a wider deployment in five of its nine provinces, according to details submitted by police to Parliament. The deployment will focus on illegal mining in the Gauteng, North West and Free State provinces, and gang violence in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces.

Parts of the national deployment could last more than a year, police officials said.

South Africa hashigh rates of violent crime. Police reported 6,351 homicides from October to December 2025, an average of nearly 70 a day in a country of around 62 million people, while there are also high numbers of attempted murders and violent assaults.

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Ramaphosa identified gang violence and illegal mining as especially problematic and connected them both to organized crime. Some of the other areas identified for army deployment included the neighborhoods in and around South Africa's top tourist city of Cape Town, which have been notorious for years for gang-related violence.

There was no immediate indication if Wednesday's deployment included other parts of the country the president said would be targeted.

South Africa has deployed the army several times in recent years to help with outbursts of crime and disorder, including in 2021,when riots and lootingin two provinces sparked by the imprisonment of former President Jacob Zuma and frustrations over COVID-19 lockdowns led to the deaths of more than 350 people.

Ramaphosa has said that this deployment of soldiers was carefully considered given the army was used to crush pro-democracy protests during South Africa's decades of enforced racial segregation under the apartheid system, which ended in 1994.

He said the deployment had "become necessary due to a surge in violent organized crime that threatens the safety of our people and the authority of the state."

The deployment has largely been welcomed, though some political parties have said it is an admission that police have largely failed to curb crime.

Associated Press writer Gerald Imray in Cape Town, South Africa contributed.

AP Africa news:https://apnews.com/hub/africa

byVaclavien Pynzarien

in

March 11, 2026

South Africa deploys troops in Johannesburg to tackle organized crime

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Soldiers weredeployed on the streetsof South Africa's biggest city on Wednesday after the preside...

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Jack Quinn scores 3 and Buffalo Sabres beat San Jose Sharks 6-3 for 8th straight win

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Jack Quinn capped his three-goal outing with an empty-netter, and the Buffalo Sabres won their eighth straight by beating the San Jose Sharks 6-3 on Tuesday night.

Sharks Sabres Hockey

Jason Zucker and Beck Malenstyn broke the game open by scoring four minutes apart in the second period. Alex Tuch also scored, posting his 300th career point with Buffalo, in his 600th career NHL game, and captain Rasmus Dahlin and Ryan McLeod had three assists each.

Alex Lyon stopped 17 shots, improving to 15-2 in his past 17 starts.

Macklin Celebrini, Kiefer Sherwood and Alexander Wennberg scored for San Jose, which opened a five-game road trip a point behind eighth-place Seattle in the Western Conference standings. Yaroslav Askarov finished with 20 saves.

Celebrini's goal was the 19-year-old Canadian Olympian's 33rd and 90th point in his 62nd game of the season. The only NHL players in their teens to reach 90 points in fewer games are Sidney Crosby (54 games in 2006-07) and Wayne Gretzky (56, 1979-80).

The Atlantic Division-leading Sabres, coming off a thrilling 8-7 win over Tampa Bay, improved to 29-5-2 in their past 36 outings — a run that began with a 10-game win streak.

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At 40-19-6, Buffalo continued closing in on ending an NHL-record 14-season playoff drought. Buffalo's 40 wins are the second most in its past 15 years, and two short of matching the team's 2022-23 season total.

The Sabres took a 3-1 lead on Malenstyn's goal 4:59 into the second period. Buffalo's Peyton Krebs chipped the puck out of his zone, and Malenstyn chased it down before working his way around defenseman Sam Dickinson and beating Askarov on the glove side.

Zucker made it 4-1 by tapping in a rebound after Aksarov stopped Quinn's one-timer from the left circle.

Up next

Sharks: At Boston on Thursday night.

Sabres: Host Washington on Thursday night.

AP NHL:https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

byVaclavien Pynzarien

in

March 11, 2026

Jack Quinn scores 3 and Buffalo Sabres beat San Jose Sharks 6-3 for 8th straight win

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Jack Quinn capped his three-goal outing with an empty-netter, and the Buffalo Sabres won their eight...

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