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  • Trump’s efforts to control the Federal Reserve put the U.S. economy in jeopardy | Editorial

    Trump’s efforts to control the Federal Reserve put the U.S. economy in jeopardy | Editorial

    Donald Trump was elected twice on a slogan to make America great, but nearly everything he does makes the country worse.

    Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill increased U.S. debt and boosted healthcare costs. His tariffs have raised prices, while cuts to regulations have left workplaces more dangerous. Trump has also weakened higher education, slashed lifesaving medical research, damaged relationships with allies, and undermined the rule of law.

    In short, many of Trump’s policies are making people sicker, poorer, and less safe. In that context comes Trump’s latest attack on the Federal Reserve, which will ultimately hurt all Americans.

    Since returning to office last year, Trump has pressured Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to speed up interest rate cuts in an effort to boost the economy. But the Fed has moved cautiously to avoid further inflation.

    Trump’s economic approach has been reckless and shortsighted.

    The killing of Renee Nicole Good and the moral rot of Trump’s reckless immigration enforcement plan | Editorial

    In July, he threatened to fire Powell. Last month, Trump said he may sue Powell for “gross incompetence.”

    On Friday, the U.S. Department of Justice opened a criminal investigation into Powell involving his testimony before the Senate Banking Committee regarding the increased costs of renovations to the Fed’s headquarters in Washington.

    Trump claimed not to know anything about the investigation, but he had previously criticized the renovation costs. Let’s be clear: Trump’s long-running attacks on the Fed chair are the only reason Powell faces any legal trouble.

    The Powell investigation shows yet again how Trump continues to pervert the once-independent Justice Department, using it as a political tool to go after his perceived enemies.

    Attorney General Pam Bondi continues to do Trump’s bidding. She has launched bogus investigations into other public officials, including former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

    Add Powell to the political hit list that is making a mockery of American justice.

    President Donald Trump shakes hands with Federal Reserve board member Jerome Powell after announcing him as his nominee for the next chair of the Federal Reserve, in the Rose Garden of the White House in 2017.

    In a rare sign of political courage, some Republican lawmakers mustered the nerve to criticize Trump’s attack on Powell.

    Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R., Alaska) said that “the administration’s investigation is nothing more than an attempt at coercion.”

    Sen. Thom Tillis (R., N.C.) said the “independence and credibility” of the Department of Justice “are in question.” He promised to oppose the nomination of a new Fed chair until the legal issues are resolved.

    But until more Republicans stand up to the president, expect more abuses of power.

    Trump’s attack is especially petty, since Powell’s term as Fed chair ends in May, though he can remain on the board through January 2028.

    Trump actually nominated Powell to be chairman during his first term in the White House. In a sign of Powell’s independence, former President Joe Biden renominated him to a second term.

    By most accounts, Powell has done an impressive job steering monetary policy through uncharted territory involving the pandemic, followed by inflation brought on by increased government spending.

    Trump’s pressure campaign on Powell has broader repercussions on America’s financial system.

    Five years on, a day that should live in infamy has instead propelled Trump’s grotesque return | Editorial

    The Fed’s independence is a cornerstone of U.S. financial markets, as it instills trust in investors, business leaders, economists, and other governments around the world that U.S. monetary policy is set without regard to political pressure.

    Without that firewall, presidents could push for rate cuts to boost the economy before an election, potentially causing higher inflation and instability down the road just for short-term political gains.

    In this instance, Trump clearly has his eye on revving up the economy before the midterms. (Trump would likely blame any subsequent inflation on Biden.)

    Politicizing the Fed creates instability and will harm investors and consumers in the long run. Reports of the Powell investigation already rattled financial markets, prompting investors to sell American stocks and bonds.

    To his credit, Powell has remained steadfast and made clear that the stakes surrounding the investigation are much bigger. “This is about whether the Fed will be able to continue to set interest rates based on evidence and economic conditions — or whether instead monetary policy will be directed by political pressure or intimidation.”

    But the damage to the Fed is already done, as Trump continues to place his political and financial interests ahead of those of the American people.

  • Her youngest son was killed in a mass shooting. Now, her eldest is charged with committing one.

    Her youngest son was killed in a mass shooting. Now, her eldest is charged with committing one.

    Two mass shootings, just years apart, forever altered Nyshyia Thomas’ life.

    In July 2023, her 15-year-old son, DaJuan Brown, was shot and killed when a mentally ill man dressed in body armor gunned down five people at random on the streets of Kingsessing.

    Then, two years later, almost to the day, police say Thomas’ son, Daquan Brown, was one of at least 15 people who fired guns aimlessly down the 1500 block of Etting Street, leaving three dead and 10 others wounded.

    It’s a symmetry almost too painful for the mother to reconcile: one son killed in a mass shooting, another behind bars, charged with committing one.

    Last month, Thomas, 37, sat inside the Philadelphia courthouse and faced the man who killed her youngest son and set in motion the crumbling of her family.

    From left to right: Daquan Brown, Nyshyia Thomas, Tyejuan Brown, and Nesiyah Thomas-Brown, at the funeral for 15-year-old DaJuan Brown in July 2023.

    This week, she will return, but to sit on the other side of the room — to see her eldest son in shackles, seated behind plexiglass, charged with three counts of murder, nine counts of attempted murder, and causing a catastrophe and riot.

    She said her 21-year-old son feared for his life when he fired his legally owned gun twice down Etting Street the night of July 7, and that prosecutors have charged him with killings he didn’t commit.

    But she also feels for the families of the victims — one of them her son’s close friend — and imagines that, if she were in their shoes, she would want everyone who fired a gun to face consequences.

    “From being on both sides of this, it’s overwhelming, it’s unfair,” she said. “But I understand.”

    Nyshyia Thomas (right) with Tyejuan Brown and Nesiyah Thomas-Brown inside their South Philadelphia home.

    The July 7 party on Etting Street was one of two on the block that weekend celebrating the July Fourth holiday and the lives of some young men from the neighborhood who had been killed in recent years. Daquan Brown grew up about a block away and went to see childhood friends, his mother said.

    Shortly after 1 a.m., police said, gunfire erupted. Officers responded to find that more than 120 bullets had been fired down the street in nearly all directions, striking neighbors’ homes and cars — and 13 partygoers.

    Three men died. Zahir Wylie, 23, was struck in the chest, and Jason Reese, 19, was shot in the head. Azir Harris, 27, who used a wheelchair after being paralyzed in an earlier shooting, was struck in the back.

    Initially, police thought someone had shot up the party in a targeted attack. But after reviewing video footage, interviewing witnesses, and analyzing ballistics, detectives now believe the partygoers may have unintentionally shot each other.

    Police investigate a mass shooting on the 1500 block of South Etting Street on July 7, 2025.

    After people heard what they thought was the sound of gunfire — someone at the gathering may have shot once into the air or a car passing by may have backfired — at least 15 people pulled out their weapons and sprayed dozens of shots down the block, police said.

    Brown, police said, was among them. As gunfire erupted, he took cover between cars and fired two shots down the block, according to two law enforcement sources who asked not to be named to discuss an ongoing investigation.

    Investigators don’t know whether any of the shots Brown fired struck or killed anyone, the sources said. A full ballistics report is still pending, though it may never be able to determine whose bullets struck each victim.

    Four other men have also been charged with murder and related crimes.

    Thomas has tried to come to terms with the police narrative. She is adamant that her son, having fired only two shots, shouldn’t be charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder. He feared for his life and acted in self-defense, she said.

    At the same time, she said, had it been her son who was shot and killed that night, she would not want to hear from anyone trying to make sense of it.

    Tyejuan Brown and a family member hold Nyshyia Thomas at the funeral of their son, DaJuan Brown, on July 15, 2023. DaJuan’s brother, Daquan, stands to right of Tyejuan.

    Still, she finds herself doing that. Brown, who worked as a security guard and has no criminal record, only started carrying the 9mm handgun because of what happened to his brother, she said.

    She remembered talking to him before he bought the weapon last year.

    “Mom, I lost my brother,” Thomas said he told her. “Y’all not burying me.”

    “I kissed him,” she said. “I told him I respect it.”

    Brown’s father, Tyejuan, is also jailed with him.

    On the night of July 7, she and Tyejuan, the father of her three children, were talking on the porch of her home when they heard dozens of gunshots coming from Etting Street. Tyejuan Brown, she said, took off running toward the party where his son was gathered.

    When Thomas reached the block, she said, she found Tyejuan and Daquan covered in blood from carrying bodies to police cruisers.

    But police said that when they reviewed surveillance footage from that night, they saw Tyejuan Brown rushing down the street holding a gun, which he is barred from owning because of drug, gun, and assault convictions.

    He was arrested in early August and charged with illegal gun possession.

    Nyshyia Thomas holds Tyejuan Brown during an interview in 2023 about the loss of their youngest son, DaJuan.

    Four days later, they came for his son.

    Until recently, Daquan Brown and his father were housed in the same block at Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility and would speak to each other through a shared cell wall.

    Brown is held without bail. Thomas said her family has gathered the $25,000 necessary for the father’s bail, but he has told them not to post it.

    “I’m not coming out without my son,” Thomas said he told her.

    On the outside, Thomas and her 15-year-old daughter, Nesiyah, are left to grapple with the absence of the three men in their lives they love most.

    “I lost one son to gun violence,” Thomas said. “I’ll be damned if I let the system take my other one from me.”

    Nyshyia Thomas hugs a photo of her son, DaJuan Brown, on what would have been his 18th birthday in September. Brown was shot and killed in a random mass shooting in July 2023.
  • Letters to the Editor | Jan. 13, 2026

    Letters to the Editor | Jan. 13, 2026

    Zero empathy

    We see the picture of the car with the bloody airbag and the stuffed animals in the glove compartment. We have viewed the crime on video in slow motion and from a few different angles. We think about or remember those mornings of getting our kids or grandkids to school, and we are brought to deep sadness and even tears. That is what we feel when we are human and part of a community. Vice President JD Vance has called the killing of Renee Good by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent “a tragedy of her own making.”

    Similarly, President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem are working hard to make sure the ICE agent doesn’t face accountability for his disgusting overreaction. There has been no apology. They have shown no remorse. Not even thoughts and prayers. Leaders do not lose their jobs over policy differences. They are removed from office because their behavior and lack of morality are unbecoming of their positions. This time it was Renee Good. She did not deserve this. The next time, it could be someone we know and love.

    Elliott Miller, Bala Cynwyd

    Predatory interest

    Regarding Donald Trump’s call to cap credit card interest rates, it is time for the federal government to intervene and regulate the predatory interest rates these companies have charged consumers for years. Between 2008 and 2015, while the prime rate remained at a historical low of approximately 3.25% and U.S. Treasury yields were near 1%, credit card companies continued to charge interest rates exceeding 20%, and in some cases, 30%. This disparity is unacceptable. There is an old saying: “Those who control the debt, control the debtor.” This is particularly evident when consumers making only minimum payments see their outstanding balances actually increase each month due to excessive interest. I urge Congress to take action to protect consumers from these practices.

    Paul Benedict, Broomall

    Might makes right?

    This country was born in war, in defiance of a king. We would do well to remember our origins. None of our ancestors wished to kneel before a throne and the tyranny it embodied. We were founded on resistance and should expect other peoples and other nations to react similarly. The aspirations of our forefathers are shared by others around the world, and none want to exchange one tyrant for another. The “might makes right” approach we have embarked on fails to recognize the human condition we all share: stiff necks and a yearning for freedom and self-determination. Subservience is not peace; it is a slow boil that will require cycles of war to contain, if it can be contained at all.

    War is death and always represents failure in human advancement, particularly when it is chosen. Often at the center of war is an ambitious man, a “man who would be king” who sends the precious youth of a society into harm’s way. The weight of war is etched on headstones and carried in the psyches of veterans. It is no way to live. This chapter of our evolution has been written so many times before in human history. How does this end?

    Kevin Deeny, Levittown

    . . .

    U.S. Sen. John Fetterman said on Fox & Friends: “I don’t know why we can’t just acknowledge that it’s been a good thing what’s happened … We all wanted this man gone, and now he is gone.” Respectfully, senator: “Good” doesn’t mean much if the United States broke the rules to get there. I won’t defend Nicolás Maduro. I want accountability for corruption and political violence. But the U.S. can’t claim to stand for democracy while it seizes a foreign leader by force and calls it justice. Supporters point to Panama, but even then, we handed power to the democratic opposition. Trump sidelined María Corina Machado — whose coalition won Venezuela’s 2024 election — and installed a Maduro loyalist instead. Democracy isn’t restored if you ignore the vote or refuse new elections. Two wrongs don’t make a right. Pennsylvania deserves leaders who remember that.

    Lauren Steinmeyer, Ardmore

    Join the conversation: Send letters to letters@inquirer.com. Limit length to 150 words and include home address and day and evening phone number. Letters run in The Inquirer six days a week on the editorial pages and online.

  • Dear Abby | Grandson has distanced himself from family

    DEAR ABBY: My grandson “Ethan” and his fiancee lived with his mother until four years ago. When they moved out, they decided not to give his parents their new address. It has been several years since my daughter has seen her son. Apparently, they occasionally text.

    Ethan was married seven months ago. He didn’t invite his parents as he felt they would “make it about themselves” and distract from his day. He said I’d be invited to his wedding and would receive a nice picture from the photographer. The wedding date came and went. I saw pictures on social media, so I knew it had transpired. At the time, my gut feeling was that he felt awkward inviting me and his aunt but not his parents.

    In the past, I have sent Ethan a check on his birthday and at Christmas and helped him financially with vehicle repairs. Although I was not invited, I sent a congratulatory card for the wedding, with a significant check enclosed. He cashed the check but did not acknowledge receipt of the card.

    Because neither he nor his wife acknowledged my wedding gift, I am debating what to do for his next birthday. Should I ignore the occasion, or be an example of unconditional love and send a card? I will not send him money, as I think it was beyond rude not to acknowledge my wedding check. What would Dear Abby do?

    — ESTRANGED BY ASSOCIATION

    DEAR ESTRANGED: Dear Abby would recognize that not being invited to the wedding, after being told I would be, was a breach of etiquette. That I lovingly sent a check as a wedding gift, which was cashed with no acknowledgment, would indicate (to me) that my grandson has chosen to distance himself from me. By all means, send a birthday card if you wish, but please don’t be surprised when it, too, garners no response.

    ** ** **

    DEAR ABBY: My 25th class reunion is coming up, and I’m debating whether to go because I’m not sure how to handle a conversation that is sure to come up. I was very close to my classmates until five years ago, when my husband and I faced a series of family tragedies that took all of my time and energy. The worst was losing a daughter who would have been graduating this year.

    I’m ready to reconnect with my old friends, but how do I deal with casual conversations without making light of the situation or being a wet blanket? If someone asks, “How is your daughter doing?” I need to have a reasonable response that isn’t going to be awful for both of us. The thought of having to talk about it makes me want to stay home. Advice?

    — UNDECIDED IN LOS ANGELES

    DEAR UNDECIDED: Please accept my sympathy for the loss of your daughter. If someone at the reunion hasn’t already heard about her death and asks how she’s doing, respond with the truth, which is that she passed away several years ago. If someone asks for the details, simply say you don’t want to discuss it further and change the subject.

  • Horoscopes: Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026

    ARIES (March 21-April 19). You’re in charge of the crew today. The less you say, the more likely they are to listen and obey. And if you can get away with saying nothing except that which can be said with action, even better!

    TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Remember when you didn’t want to express your thoughts and opinions because you honestly weren’t having any? Some subjects just fail to capture your imagination, and that’s good to know. There are hotter topics out there for you, so keep moving.

    GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Everyone wants love, attention and credit for what they do. Some want the whole circus — passion, applause and bragging rights — whether they earned it or not. So, sprinkle your effort where it bounces back. Stop tossing it into black holes.

    CANCER (June 22-July 22). You made a few habits without realizing what you were doing, and now every time you enact a certain behavior, a string of other (possibly unwanted) behaviors follows. The easiest way to break this pattern is to change environments entirely.

    LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You know it’s love by what you’re willing to pay for it. In addition to time, thought and energy, inconvenience and discomfort may be part of the price. And if that seems expensive and not quite worth it, that’s good information, too.

    VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). It’s a classic scenario: the subject falls in love with the biographer, the patient projects romance onto the therapist, the model adores the photographer. You may notice a similar dynamic today. Few things are more seductive than genuine interest.

    LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). There’s something you enjoy simply for the sake of it, and it’s calling you back. What would it take to get absorbed in this again? A change of venue? A guard against interruption? Do it. Pure enjoyment restores you.

    SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). However much attention you need, that’s the amount of attention you need. It is, arguably, out of your control. So, there’s no benefit from feeling ashamed or proud of the amount. But there’s a lot of benefit to finding a way to fulfill the order.

    SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Perhaps the way you look has little bearing on the outcome today, but the way you feel about the way you look has a definite impact. Taking time to put a little extra thought into presentation will make a big difference in your attitude.

    CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Your work is developing in a remarkably layered, generous and meaningful way. Each step forward reveals new insights that enrich the whole and make the journey a pleasure in itself. It hasn’t always gone like this, so you cherish the moment.

    AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Emotions are the fire that forges relationships. Too much heat and things can bend in ways you don’t quite understand until it has all cooled off. You may return to a relationship as an armored person with wisdom in your arsenal.

    PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). While having fewer possessions means more freedom, fewer relationships can be confining. Every friendship is a world. Your experience will be limited to the worlds open to you. Making new friends doesn’t take a lot of time now, though it does take initiative.

    TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Jan. 13). This is your Year of Cosmic Connections, in which the right people find you at the right moments. Conversations open doors. Introductions ripple outward. You’re reminded that chemistry isn’t accidental, but, boy, is it fortuitous. More highlights: Travel invites you somewhere thrilling. Love grows easier, warmer and wonderfully mutual. A financial upgrade is tied to your reputation. Taurus and Sagittarius adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 41, 4, 44, 3 and 13.

  • Sixers takeaways: Big Three’s impact, Kyle Lowry’s ovation, and more in a win over the Raptors

    Sixers takeaways: Big Three’s impact, Kyle Lowry’s ovation, and more in a win over the Raptors

    It was evident from the beginning that the 76ers are a completely different team with the Big Three in the lineup.

    On the road, there’s no better scorer than Tyrese Maxey.

    VJ Edgecombe continues to display his shotmaking and versatility.

    And they will always love Kyle Lowry in Toronto.

    Sixers ride 80-point first half, Tyrese Maxey’s 33 points to beat the Raptors 115-102

    Those things stood out in Monday’s 115-102 victory over the Raptors at Scotiabank Arena.

    Better with Embiid and George

    Early in the season, some questioned if the Sixers played better without Joel Embiid. The team lost its first four matchups when the Big Three of Embiid, Maxey, and Paul George all played. So there were some doubts about the group’s ability to lead the squad.

    But if the starts of the last two games they played together have proven one thing, it’s that the Sixers (22-16) are actually a way better team with them in the lineup.

    The Sixers looked lost without the full trio early on during Sunday’s 116-115 overtime loss to the Raptors (24-17). But on Monday, the Sixers looked like a bona fide Eastern Conference championship contender.

    “Opened the floor up,” Maxey said to reporters about the presence of Embiid and George on Monday night. “And you’ve got to guard them. You’ve got to guard them every [second] out there on the court. That opened up the game for everybody else.”

    Sixers center Joel Embiid (left) defends Raptors forward Collin Murray-Boyles during the first half.

    Maxey scored 18 of his game-high 33 points in the first quarter in Monday’s rout. Embiid tallied 11 of his 27 points in the frame, while George had eight of his 15.

    Following their lead, the Sixers shot 14-for-17 — including going 7 of 8 on three-pointers — and made all 10 free throws while ending the first quarter with a 45-28 advantage.

    The Sixers built a 31-point second-quarter cushion before taking an 80-51 halftime lead. Their 80 points were the most of any half since scoring 80 in the first half against the Sacramento Kings on Dec. 13, 2022.

    Sixers mailbag: Will Joel Embiid make the All-Star Game? Will Jared McCain be here after the trade deadline?

    But Embiid (left knee injury management and left groin soreness) and George (left knee soreness) missed Sunday’s game. And the Sixers struggled mightily without them to start the game.

    They shot 37.8% from the field — including making just 2 of 14 three-pointers — in the first half. They had six assists and nine turnovers in the half. The Sixers finished with 22 turnovers compared to just 11 assists that night.

    On Monday, they had 22 assists and 16 turnovers. Most important, the Sixers have won three straight and six of their last seven games when the Big Three play.

    The Sixers’ Paul George (right) fouls Raptors forward Brandon Ingram during the first half of Monday’s game.

    In addition to shooting 9-for-17, Embiid had eight rebounds, four assists, two steals, and seven turnovers. George made 5 of 13 shots, along with four rebounds, six assists, and one turnover.

    Top road scorer

    Maxey is the league’s top road scorer, averaging 32.1 points in his 18 games away from Xfinity Mobile Arena. His highlight was the career-high 54 points scored against the Bucks on Nov. 20 in Milwaukee.

    But he had an impressive showing during this back-to-back series against Toronto. The All-NBA caliber point guard’s 33 points came after finishing with a game-high 38 on Sunday.

    On Monday, Maxey made 10 of 16 shots — including shooting 6-for-9 on three-pointers — along with four rebounds, two assists, and one turnover. It was his 19th performance with at least 30 points.

    Excelling on the road in hostile environments is a valuable trait, especially for a team that will play eight of its 11 games in February away from home.

    Don’t look now but the Sixers have turned a dire situation into a hopeful one behind their new Big Four

    Versatile rookie

    Edgecombe headed into Monday night’s game as the NBA leader in loose balls recovered with 45. He was also ninth in the league in steals at 1.6 per game. And the 6-foot-5 shooting guard ranked third among rookies in scoring (16.1).

    “VJ’s probably two biggest qualities, or one, he does a little bit of everything,” coach Nick Nurse told the media before Sunday’s game. “He really can defend. He makes plays. He’ll rebound and block shots, steal the ball. He’ll shoot threes and make big buckets. He does a lot of everything well.

    “And two, he’s super composed. He kind of has the same demeanor all the time, same work ethic all the time. He walks around like a guy that’s been in the league 10 years.”

    Edgecombe’s versatility was on full display on Monday.

    The 20-year-old scored 15 points on 5-for-6 three-point shooting. He also had a team-high eight assists, one steal, and two turnovers.

    Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe (right) defends the Raptors’ Immanuel Quickley on Monday night.

    Greatest Raptor

    Lowry made his imprint as an NBA player during his nine seasons in Toronto. In Canada, he’s regarded as the greatest Raptor of all-time for being a six-time All-Star and leading the franchise to its only NBA title in 2019. And the fans still adore him whenever he returns to face his former squad.

    Before Sunday’s game, Lowry spoke to the media for close to 10 minutes. He talked about everything from playing in his 20th season to mentoring the Sixers’ young players, his relationship with former Raptors teammates Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka, and his thoughts on one day seeing his No. 7 Raptors jersey retired and hanging in the Scotiabank Arena rafters.

    “If it does, it will be a super emotional day,” he told the media. “I put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into that 7. And to know it probably won’t ever be worn again will be pretty special. I think something for my basketball legacy is pretty, pretty, pretty darn cool.”

    Lowry didn’t play on Sunday. But his appearance on Monday was one for the ages for the 39-year-old in his 20th NBA season.

    Kyle Lowry returns to Toronto as a Raptors legend and Sixers leader: ‘I embrace it, and they embrace me’

    While he hasn’t mentioned anything about retirement, there’s a sense that this could be his last game played in that arena. And the 18,127 in attendance let the North Philly native know how much they still love him.

    The Raptors fans began chanting “We want Kyle” in reference to Nurse inserting him into the game during the midway point of the fourth quarter. Then, with 2 minutes 30 seconds left, there were louder chants. Those chants continued until the Sixers inserted him with 1:57 left to a standing ovation.

    He missed his three shot attempts, but got another standing ovation while holding the ball in the closing seconds. Lowry walked off the court clutching the game ball.

    “It was a great team win for us,” Lowry said to reporters. “And, you know, I got an opportunity to experience probably one of the greatest basketball moments of my personal career.”

  • Sixers ride 80-point first half, Tyrese Maxey’s 33 points to beat the Raptors 115-102

    Sixers ride 80-point first half, Tyrese Maxey’s 33 points to beat the Raptors 115-102

    TORONTO — Tyrese Maxey scored 33 points, Joel Embiid had 27 and the 76ers used an 80-point first half to beat the Toronto Raptors 115-102 on Monday night.

    VJ Edgecombe and Paul George each scored 15 points as the Sixers bounced back from Sunday’s overtime loss to Toronto to win for the sixth time in eight games.

    Embiid (left knee and left groin) and George (left knee) were back in the lineup after sitting out Sunday.

    Kyle Lowry returns to Toronto as a Raptors legend and Sixers leader: ‘I embrace it, and they embrace me’

    Fans chanted “We want Lowry!” in the fourth quarter, then rose for a standing ovation when former Raptors player Kyle Lowry checked in for Maxey with 1 minute, 57 seconds left to play.

    Lowry starred for the Toronto team that won the 2019 NBA championship. He airballed a three-pointer on his first attempt and missed all three shots he took.

    Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey (left) scored a game-high 33 points.

    Immanuel Quickley scored 18 points and Brandon Ingram had 17 points and 10 rebounds. Scottie Barnes scored 15 points for Toronto.

    Barnes, who hit the game-winning free throw Sunday, was named Eastern Conference player of the week on Monday.

    Philadelphia’s 80 first-half points were the most by a Raptors opponent this season. The 76ers made 27 of 37 field goals in the opening half, including 13 of 20 from long range, and shot 13 -for-13 at the free throw line.

    Sixers mailbag: Will Joel Embiid make the All-Star Game? Will Jared McCain be here after the trade deadline?

    Maxey scored 18 points in the first quarter to help Philadelphia build a 45-28 lead after one. He connected on 6 of 7 attempts, including 3 of 4 from distance.

    After shooting 8 for 31 from long range Sunday, the Sixers combined to make 7 of 8 three-pointers in the first. They followed that by making four straight to begin the second.

    Ingram returned after missing two games because of a sore right thumb. RJ Barrett (left thumb) sat for the second straight game.

    Philadelphia’s biggest lead was 33 points, 87-54, after an Edgecombe three with 8:24 remaining in the third.

    The Sixers host the Cleveland Cavaliers (22-19) on Wednesday at Xfinity Mobile Arena (7 p.m., ESPN).

  • Flyers fall again to the Lightning 5-1, extend losing streak to three games

    Flyers fall again to the Lightning 5-1, extend losing streak to three games

    All good things must come to an end.

    After being one of the NHL’s best teams following a loss — 9-1-2 after losing in regulation and 13-2-5 following any loss — the Flyers have now lost two straight in regulation for the second time this season. The last time that happened was in November.

    Following Saturday’s 7-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, they were handed a 5-1 defeat by the same squad, both at the Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    The Flyers have now lost three straight, including the 2-1 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday. It also matches the longest losing streak of the season, set in mid-December.

    Flyers look to avenge Saturday’s blowout loss in rematch with the Lightning: ‘You’ve got to minimize your mistakes’

    Once again, the Lightning took an early 1-0 lead. This time, it was Pontus Holmberg beating Dan Vladař on a bouncing puck. The Flyers stepped up in the neutral zone, something they struggled with on Saturday, but Tampa Bay regained control, and once they got the puck in the Flyers’ end, they pinned them deep.

    Eventually, the Lightning’s Zemgus Girgensons got the puck in the right circle and put it toward the front of the net with Holmberg and Travis Sanheim battling. The puck bounced around, and after Holmberg’s shot was initially blocked by Sanheim, his second attempt beat Vladař.

    Just 33 seconds into the second period, Jake Guentzel made it 2-0 Tampa Bay with his 20th of the season. Off the opening faceoff, the Lightning dumped the puck in, and the Flyers seemed to be OK as they worked it around the boards.

    Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar (right) and Cam York sit on the ice after Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point (center) scored a second period power play goal on Monday. Point was injured hurt on the play.

    But Trevor Zegras was double-teamed by Anthony Cirelli and Guentzel and lost the puck. Guentzel, who is playing for USA Hockey at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics, got the puck above the left circle and fired it past a screened Vladař.

    The Lightning took a 3-0 lead on a power-play goal by Brayden Point in front. On the play, Point got his own rebound but was injured in the process as his right leg seemed to get twisted with Cam York. Named to Canada’s Olympic team, Point dropped his gloves immediately and grabbed his right knee before being helped off the ice.

    Before the goal, Darren Raddysh’s stick seemed to hook Sean Couturier up high in the Lightning’s zone and could have been called.

    Flyers goalie Sam Ersson tries to shake off ‘embarrassing’ effort against Lightning

    The Flyers had some chances early on, notably Owen Tippett driving down the left boards, past Maxwell Crozier, and setting up Couturier for a shot that rang off the pipe when they were trailing 1-0. Rodrigo Ābols was also robbed when it was 2-0, when a point shot by Emil Andrae went off the end boards to him in front, and he had two good whacks at the puck.

    Down 3-0, the Flyers started to turn it up and got on the board during four-on-four action.

    After Vladař made a save on Raddysh off his mask, Christian Dvorak got the puck and headed up ice on a two-on-one with Nick Seeler. Dvorak kept the puck and sent a snapshot past goalie Jonas Johansson. It was Dvorak’s 10th of the year and extended his point streak to four games (one goal, three assists).

    Philly had chances to cut further into the lead, especially with a delayed penalty called on Lightning defenseman Erik Černák. The Flyers had a six-on-five and had five shot attempts, including shots by Carl Grundström, who missed practice on Sunday due to illness, and Rasmus Ristolainen.

    But the power play struggled and went 0-for-2 with two shot attempts, zero shots on goal, and an icing call.

    Tampa Bay added another goal with 31 seconds left in the middle frame on a goal by Brandon Hagel, and Nikita Kucherov had an empty-net goal in the third period.

    Breakaways

    Forward Travis Konecny returned after missing Saturday’s game with an upper-body injury and after leaving Sunday’s practice with a lower-body injury. He had five shot attempts, including a chance in the second period down the left side, across 14 minutes, 21 seconds of ice time. The alternate captain also had 14 penalty minutes, with a 10-minute misconduct for abuse of an official. … Nikita Grebenkin and Ābols also dropped the gloves. … The Flyers allowed two power-play goals in four opportunities for Tampa Bay. … Point left the game with a lower-body injury. … Vladař allowed four goals on 25 shots.

    Up next

    The Flyers hit the road for two games in two nights, playing the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday (7:30 p.m., TNT, truTV, HBO Max) and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday (7 p.m., ESPN).

  • Trump says Iran wants to negotiate as the death toll in protests rises to at least 646

    Trump says Iran wants to negotiate as the death toll in protests rises to at least 646

    DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic over its crackdown on protesters in nationwide demonstrations that activists said Monday had left at least 646 people dead.

    Iran had no direct reaction to Trump’s comments, which came after the foreign minister of Oman — long an interlocutor between Washington and Tehran — traveled to Iran this weekend. It also remains unclear just what Iran could promise, particularly as Trump has set strict demands over its nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal, which Tehran insists is crucial for its national defense.

    Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking to foreign diplomats in Tehran, insisted “the situation has come under total control” in remarks that blamed Israel and the U.S. for the violence, without offering evidence.

    “That’s why the demonstrations turned violent and bloody, to give an excuse to the American president to intervene,” Araghchi said, in comments carried by Al Jazeera. The Qatar-funded network has been allowed to report live from inside Iran, despite the internet being shut off.

    However, Araghchi said Iran was “open to diplomacy.” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said that a channel to the U.S. remained open, but talks needed to be “based on the acceptance of mutual interests and concerns, not a negotiation that is one-sided, unilateral, and based on dictation.”

    Meanwhile, pro-government demonstrators flooded the streets on Monday in support of the theocracy, a show of force after days of protests directly challenging the rule of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television aired chants from the crowd, which appeared to number in the tens of thousands, who shouted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”

    Others cried out: “Death to the enemies of God!” Iran’s attorney general has warned that anyone taking part in protests will be considered an “enemy of God,” a death-penalty charge.

    On Monday, the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Virtual Embassy Iran issued an urgent warning to U.S. citizens in Iran to “leave now,” citing the surge in violence and communications blackout.

    Trump acknowledges proposal for talks

    Trump and his national security team have been weighing a range of potential responses against Iran, including cyberattacks and direct strikes by the U.S. or Israel, according to two people familiar with internal White House discussions who weren’t authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

    “The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night. Asked about Iran’s threats of retaliation, he said: “If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”

    Meanwhile, Trump announced Monday that countries doing business with Iran will face 25% tariffs from the United States. Trump announced the tariffs in a social media posting, saying they would be “effective immediately.”

    It was the first direct action from the president, who believes exacting tariffs can be a useful tool in prodding friends and foes on the global stage to bend to his will.

    Brazil, China, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Russia are among economies that do business with Tehran.

    The White House did not immediately offer any further details on the new tariffs.

    Trump said that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports of the death toll in Iran mount and the government continues to arrest protesters.

    “I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.”

    Iran, through the country’s parliamentary speaker, warned Sunday that the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if Washington uses force to protect demonstrators.

    More than 10,700 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests, said the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years and gave the latest death toll early Tuesday. It relies on supporters in Iran crosschecking information. It said 512 of the dead were protesters and 134 were security force members.

    With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the toll. Iran’s government hasn’t offered overall casualty figures.

    Those abroad fear the information blackout is emboldening hard-liners within Iran’s security services to launch a violent crackdown. Protesters flooded Tehran’s streets on Saturday night into Sunday morning. Online videos purported to show more demonstrations Sunday night into Monday, with a Tehran official acknowledging them in state media.

    At 2 p.m. Monday, Iranian state television showed images of demonstrators thronging Tehran toward Enghelab Square, or “Islamic Revolution” Square, in the capital. It had been airing statements all morning from Iranian government, security, and religious leaders to attend the demonstration.

    It called the rally an “Iranian uprising against American-Zionist terrorism,” without addressing the underlying anger in the country over the nation’s ailing economy. State television aired images of such demonstrations around the country, trying to signal it had overcome the protests.

    Fear pervades Iran’s capital

    In Tehran, a witness told the AP that the streets were empty at the sunset call to prayers each night. By the Isha, or nighttime prayer, the streets are deserted.

    Part of that stems from the fear of getting caught in the crackdown. Police sent the public a text message that warned: “Given the presence of terrorist groups and armed individuals in some gatherings last night and their plans to cause death, and the firm decision to not tolerate any appeasement and to deal decisively with the rioters, families are strongly advised to take care of their youth and teenagers.”

    Another text, which claimed to come from the intelligence arm of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, also directly warned people not to take part in demonstrations.

    The witness spoke on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing crackdown.

    The demonstrations began Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency, which trades at more than 1.4 million to $1, as iran’s economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Iran’s theocracy.

    Video shows corpses outside capital

    Meanwhile, video circulating online purports to show dozens of bodies in a morgue on the outskirts of Iran’s capital.

    People with knowledge of the facility and the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said Monday that the video shows the Kahrizak Forensic Medicine Center.

    In the footage, people are seen walking by dozens of bodies in bags laid out in a large room, attempting to identify those there. In some cases, bodies can be seen lying outside on blue tarps. A large truck can be seen in part of the footage.

  • Nick Sirianni had a worse year than Kevin Patullo, Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, or anyone on the Eagles

    Nick Sirianni had a worse year than Kevin Patullo, Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, or anyone on the Eagles

    Nick Sirianni had a very bad year.

    He hired an overmatched offensive coordinator, watched his franchise quarterback regress, and did nothing to curtail the serial insubordination of A.J. Brown, then oversaw an offense that delivered the Eagles’ worst playoff loss in 22 years.

    “At the end of the day, we didn’t do a good enough job,” Sirianni said, “and that starts with me.”

    Yes, it does.

    Kevin Patullo’s offense wastes two Quinyon Mitchell interceptions in crushing Eagles playoff loss

    How impotent was Sirianni?

    For the last two seasons, Brown frequently has criticized the passing game both in person and on social media. This came to a head when Brown called the offensive issues a “[expletive]-show” on Nov. 11.

    Later that week, owner Jeffrey Lurie had to step in and muzzle the wide receiver. At practice. In public.

    Some folks consider Sirianni to be a brilliant coach. Really? Do you think Andy Reid or Bill Belichick would have needed Clark Hunt or Robert Kraft to come to practice to muzzle Tyreek Hill or Randy Moss?

    The enduring image of the offseason surely will be Sirianni, Patullo, and Hurts on the sideline during a timeout discussing the final play of the final drive on Sunday. As Patullo spoke to what appeared to be a befuddled and reluctant Hurts, Sirianni stood there, mostly silent, looking like a cross between a deer in headlights and a dog hearing a high-pitched whistle.

    You know what he didn’t look like?

    A confident head coach.

    More and more, Sirianni seems less a coaching savant and more a dude who happens to be in the right place at the right time to take advantage of the best rosters in Eagles history.

    Culture creatures

    Since Lurie’s admonishment to Brown, and in violation of league rules, Brown has boycotted the media. That included Sunday’s game and Monday’s locker clean-out. As he did so often this season, he left his teammates to clean up his mess.

    ‘It’s too soon to think about that’: Jalen Hurts puts off talking about Kevin Patullo’s future

    It was unprofessional — but then, unprofessionalism always has been an issue during Sirianni’s five-year tenure. He sets that tone and creates that culture.

    When the Eagles won in Kansas City in 2023, he taunted Chiefs fans as he walked up the tunnel.

    When the Eagles beat the Browns at home in the middle of the 2024 season, Sirianni taunted Eagles fans as he left the field, then, incredibly, brought his three young children to what was certain to be a fractious postgame news conference.

    Sirianni issued an apology after that incident, but, two weeks ago, after the Eagles won in Buffalo, Sirianni taunted Bills fans as he walked up the tunnel — a taunt that drew a side-eye eye roll from Brown, who was walking beside him.

    On Sunday, he charged down the sideline to hurry Brown off the field, then had a few choice words for Brown, who barked back at him, then, a few moments later, tried to get after Sirianni again.

    This ended the lost season nicely, considering it began when defensive tackle Jalen Carter, having walked toward the Cowboys huddle to taunt a young lineman, then spat on Dak Prescott and was ejected.

    It’s hard to blame the players. After all, why should they be expected to control themselves if their coach can’t control himself?

    Focus

    Left tackle Jordan Mailata, the team’s de facto spokesman and often the adult in the room, was asked both at midseason and after Sunday’s loss about the Eagles’ biggest issue. Each time, his answer was the same:

    “Focus.”

    Another clear measurable of a lack of discipline: penalties.

    In 2024, the Eagles committed 103 penalties for 793 yards, 37 of them pre-snap penalties. In 2025, they committed 117 penalties for 1,073 yards, 42 of them pre-snap calls. Those are increases of 14%, 35%, and 14%, respectively.

    This is a team that was expected to defend a Super Bowl title.

    This was a disaster.

    Sirianni’s disaster.

    That’s why it’s amazing how little culpability has fallen at Sirianni’s feet.

    Nakobe Dean and Jaelan Phillips want to be back with the Eagles, but one has a greater chance than the other

    Granted, Patullo didn’t take advantage of his first OC opportunity … but, after losing at home to the Bears in Game 13, Sirianni inserted himself into the game-planning process. After Sirianni’s insertion, the Eagles played three playoff teams. They averaged just 17 points.

    Hurts, mired in self-preservation mode, ran the ball 33% less often this season than his previous three seasons and scored only eight rushing touchdowns after averaging 14 the three previous seasons. Patullo makes the calls, but the buck stops with Nick.

    Brown dropped two passes in Sunday’s wild-card loss to the visiting 49ers and, during the regular season, too often seemed … indifferent? Disengaged?

    “I have a special relationship with him,” Sirianni said after Sunday’s dustup.

    Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown had a critical drop in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s NFC wild-card game.

    If that’s true, then Sirianni needed to mobilize that connection, because Brown just had the worst of his four seasons as an Eagle.

    There were other issues.

    Saquon Barkley’s rushing total dropped from 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns to 1,140 yards (865 fewer yards), and seven touchdowns (six fewer scores). For context, only 21 backs gained at least 865 yards this season and/or scored more than six touchdowns.

    The offensive line regressed, and while injuries to Lane Johnson, Landon Dickerson, and Cam Jurgens limited their performance and availability, the performance of their backups left much to be desired.

    At any rate, now that it’s over and the distractions have faded, we can better assess Sirianni’s role in the lost season of 2025. The football world will zoom out to the “30,000-foot view,” as Sirianni likes to call his CEO style of coaching.

    What they see will not be pretty.

    None of this is irredeemable. Sirianni is still a newish head coach, only five years in, and, at 44, he’s a relatively young man.

    It’s the first time he’s been in a situation dealing with overpaid divas who won him a Super Bowl.

    Maybe, if he’s in this situation again, he’ll act the way a head coach should act.

    With backbone.

    And conviction.

    What now for Kevin Patullo, A.J. Brown after the Eagles offense went belly-up again in the playoff loss to the 49ers?