Новости за 24.03.2016

BOSTON - With a late-season losing streak barely behind them, the Boston Celtics entered their final regular-season matchup with Toronto searching for a statement win.

HAVANA - Colombia's government and leftist rebels have missed the target for reaching a deal to end the country's half-century conflict.

BEIJING - A Chinese man has pleaded guilty in eastern China to killing his girlfriend in the United States where the pair were students in Iowa, a court said Thursday.

BOSTON - One worker died in an ammonia leak Wednesday at a seafood warehouse in the Seaport District in south Boston, authorities said.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand - New Zealanders will find out Thursday whether they will keep the British Union Jack on their flag or replace it with a silver fern after more than 2 million people voted in a nationwide ballot.

AUBURN HILLS, Michigan - If the Detroit Pistons had played this well last season, they would have sailed into the playoffs without much trouble.

INDIANAPOLIS - Bills that would revive a stalled privatization deal for a banquet center at Indiana Dunes State Park and shelter private college police departments from many public records law requirements are among several awaiting decisions by Gov. Mike Pence.

INDIANAPOLIS - Seven Indiana researchers or research teams have won a combined $454,000 in federal grants to pursue their wide-ranging humanities projects.

SAN ANTONIO - San Antonio forward Kawhi Leonard left the Spurs' game against the Miami Heat midway through the third quarter Wednesday night after suffering a bruised right quadriceps.

CLEVELAND - The only drama was guessing when Kyrie Irving would cut into his birthday cake.

WASHINGTON - Fresh off the pain of losing by 15 at home to the Washington Wizards, the Atlanta Hawks couldn't afford another disappointment. With every other team in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff picture winning, the Hawks were plenty motivated to bounce back.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina - Less than 24 hours in Buenos Aires, and Barack Obama is already doing the tango.

OAKLAND, California - Clippers coach Doc Rivers expects Blake Griffin to return before the regular season ends from a broken hand the star forward suffered by punching an assistant equipment manager.

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - Florida State freshman Dwayne Bacon announced Wednesday night that he will submit his name for the NBA draft but will not hire an agent.

NEW YORK - NBA Digital has added new statistics to the NBA app, including some that track player defensive performance.

OAKLAND, California - Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr gave a social media shout out to California coach Cuonzo Martin on Wednesday to offer his support and thanks during a rough stretch for the Golden Bears program.

KISSIMMEE, Florida - Preston Tucker and Colby Rasmus drove in runs and rookie Michael Feliz pitched four innings for the Houston Astros in a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night.

SAN FRANCISCO - A federal appeals court Wednesday cleared the way for the Department of Justice to allow states to have their inmates' death penalty appeals expedited through federal court.

BEIJING - A late-night coal mine accident in northern China has killed 19 miners, Chinese state media reported Thursday.

KEY BISCAYNE, Florida - The Czech Republic's Lucie Hradeka beat slumping Canadian star Eugenie Bouchard 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 on Wednesday in the first round of the Miami Open.

CHICAGO - The Chicago Teachers Union voted Wednesday to walk off the job on April 1 and close down the schools for the day in a battle with district officials over funding and a new contract.

LOS ANGELES - A Chinese businessman has pleaded guilty to conspiring to hack into the computer systems of U.S. defense contractors, including Boeing, to steal data on military projects, according to court records released Wednesday.

SEATTLE - Washington freshmen Marquese Chriss and Dejounte Murray have both declared for the NBA draft and will hire agents, ending their college careers after one season.

LOS ANGELES - Ken Howard, the strapping character actor who starred in the 1970s TV drama "The White Shadow" and was currently serving as president of SAG-AFTRA, has died at age 71.

NEW YORK - Vietnamese poet Ocean Vuong and fiction writer Catherine Lacey, a native of Tupelo, Mississippi, are among this year's 10 recipients of the Whiting Awards, $50,000 prizes given to young writers of exceptional promise.