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The two remaining lawsuits againstCleveland BrownsquarterbackDeshaun Watsonhave been dismissed by the women who filed them just weeks before they werescheduled to go to trial in February and March.

Both were among 27 lawsuits filed against Watson since March 2021, all by women who accused him of sexual misconduct. Of the 27 cases, 24 ended with confidential settlements and one was withdrawn shortly after being field in 2021. The last remaining two were dismissed with prejudice in Houston Friday Jan. 6, indicating they also were settled with confidential terms.

Plaintiffs attorney Tony Buzbee represented 26 of the 27 women, including one of the final remaining plaintiffs, Lauren Baxley, who previously declined to settle after filing suit in March 2021. She was one of the first women tocome forward publiclyand accuse Watson of misconduct during a massage session.

"Case is settled," Buzbee said Monday. "That's all I can say about it. That's the last case so that ends my involvement with Deshaun Watson litigation."

Watson denied wrongdoing and said some of the encounters with these women were consensual. But the NFL investigated and eventuallysuspended him for 11 games in 2022.

The Baxley case was set for trial in Houston on March 30. The other remaining case was set for trial Feb. 18 and involved the only plaintiff who wasn't represented by Buzbee. That woman's attorney didn't immediately return a message seeking comment.

That plaintiff had accused Watson of forcing her into oral sex during a massage session at theHoustonian Hotelin December 2020. Watson's attorney, Rusty Hardin, called her lawsuit a"sham" after it was filed in October 2022. He didn't immediately return a message seeking comment.

All cases generally allegedmisconduct during massage sessionsin 2020 and early 2021, when Watson played for the Houston Texans. That team alsoreached confidential settlements with 30 womenwho made claims related to Watson's behavior and accused the team of enabling his behavior and failing to prevent it. In March 2022, the Texans traded him to the Browns, who gave him a five-year contract worth $230 million guaranteed.

But because of the suspension and injuries, Watson only has played in 19 games for the Browns since then. Last season, Watson, 30, didn't play at all after undergoing surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon.

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer@Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Final two Deshaun Watson lawsuits dismissed by women who filed them

Tennis superstar Serena Williams could be on her way back to the court after being listed by theInternational Tennis Integrity Agencyas eligible to return on Feb. 22.

This comes nearly six months after Williams registered with the sports drug testing organization and, as of Monday, has been listed on the ITIA's website reinstatement page. While there is no official plan in place for Williams' return, thisprocess has opened a pathway for a return if she so chooses.

When news broke last year that Williams had signed up to re-enter the ITIA drug testing pool, she responded to fans via social media. "Omg yall I'm NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy."

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Williams is one of the most decorated competitors in the sports history but has not competed since the 2022 U.S. Open. She stepped away from the sport in 2022 to focus on family and other business ventures outside of her tennis career. At the time, Williams did not want to use the word "retiring," but chose to say she was evolving away from tennis.

Pro athletes who return to testing under ITIA supervision must provide information on their whereabouts, times when they can give samples and their location when not at official events. Athletes who retire while on the list and choose to come back later must be available for six months of testing before they can be allowed to officially return to competition.

Among Williams' treasure chest's worth of accolades are 73 career titles (23 Grand Slams), four Olympic gold medals and a career singles record of 858-156.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — An Alabama circuit judge on Monday denied Alabama basketball player Charles Bediako's motion for a preliminary injunction, ending the 7-foot center's collegiate eligibility and his season with the Crimson Tide.

County Circuit Court Judge Daniel Pruet cited that Bediako "failed to demonstrate that he is entitled to the injunctive relief that he seeks," according tocourt documents.

Bediako was playing under a temporary restraining order that allowed the former NBA G League player to join Alabama in the middle of the season despite questions regarding his collegiate eligibility.

NCAA President Charlie Baker said in a statement that he was glad the court "upheld the rules of our members."

"Common sense won a round today," Baker said. "The court saw this for what it is: an attempt by professionals to pivot back to college and crowd out the next generation of students. College sports are for students, not for people who already walked away to go pro and now want to hit the 'undo' button at the expense of a teenager's dream. While we're glad the court upheld the rules our members actually want, one win doesn't fix the national mess of state laws. It's time for Congress to stop watching from the sidelines and help us provide some actual stability."

Alabama said it was disappointed in the ruling and called for consistency from NCAA decision-makers.

"We are disappointed in today's court ruling, denying the injunction for Charles Bediako," the school said in a statement. "While we understand the concern around competitive and developmental implications of former professional athletes participating in college, it is important to acknowledge reality. The NCAA has granted eligibility to over 100 current men's basketball players with prior professional experience in the G League or overseas. Granting eligibility to some former professionals, and not to others, is what creates the havoc we are currently in and why consistency from decision-makers is so desperately needed."

The 23-year-old Bediako was averaging 10 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in five games Alabama went 3-2 in those games.

Attorneys for both sides — Bediako and the NCAA — argued their cases Friday. Bediako sued college basketball's sanctioning body in an effort to regain eligibility despite leaving Alabama for the NBA draft in 2023, signing a two-way NBA contract and playing the last three seasons in the developmental G League.

Bediako spent two seasons (2021-23) at Alabama, averaging 6.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks, and helped the Crimson Tide make the NCAA Tournament twice. He wasn't selected in the 2023 draft, but he played for the Motor City Cruise in the NBA's G League as recently as mid-January.

His lawyers argued that Bediako remains within his five-year college eligibility window. The NCAA denied Alabama's initial petition, and NCAA President Charlie Baker and SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey have made it clear they are opposed to Bediako's reinstatement.

Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats said Friday that, regardless of the outcome of the case, Bediako will be allowed to remain on scholarship and work toward a college degree.

Alabama (16-7, 6-4 Southeastern Conference), which faces Mississippi on Tuesday, did not immediately comment on the court decision.

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign uphereandhere(AP News mobile app). AP college basketball:https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-pollandhttps://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Lawyers for the Venezuelan men who were sent to a notorious prison in El Salvador last year argued in court Monday that due process for their clients would mean giving them the immediate right to return to the U.S. for a court hearing, or have remote hearings about their cases.

The men, who were detained by federal immigration authorities, were held for four months in the Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT, aSalvadoran megaprisonknown for its harsh conditions. They were sent back to Venezuela in July as part of a prisoner swap between the two nations, andhave said they suffered physical and psychological abuse while imprisoned in CECOT.

In December, a federal judge ruled the Trump administration should not have sent the 137 Venezuelan men to CECOT after invoking the Alien Enemies Act, finding that the men were denied due process.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ordered the federal government to either facilitate the return of the men to the United States or otherwise follow due process and provide them with hearings. The men are now living in Venezuela or in nearby countries.

Lee Gelernt, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union who is representing the plaintiffs in this case, argued Monday that his clients who have made it out of Venezuela and to a third country should have the immediate right to either return to the U.S. for a hearing, have a remote hearing, or at the very least be able to file habeas claims on paper.

For those still in Venezuela, a paper filing is probably the best place to start given the turmoil in the South American country, the lawyer said.

Boasberg asked Department of Justice attorney Tiberius Davis why the 137 men shouldn't be treated the same asKilmar Abrego Garciaand returned to the U.S., especially because the Supreme Court previously ordered Abrego returned to the same condition he was in before he was mistakenly deported.

"Obviously, if the court ordered that, we could do that," Davis said. He said trying to coordinate remote hearings, for legal, jurisdictional, and practical reasons, would be the "worst" option.

Davis said the Trump administration would prefer if any of the 137 individuals arrived at a U.S. port of entry or had boarding letters, saying "that is the least problematic" pathway here.

Gelernt and Davis both agreed that these individuals, if they were to present themselves at a port of entry, would not be allowed into the U.S. freely. They would be taken into U.S. custody and their individual immigration proceedings would continue from there, Davis said.

Boasberg said he would rule on how the government is to proceed within the next week or so.

The men were sent to CECOT in March after Trumpinvoked the Alien Enemies Act, a wartime law,declaring the Venezuelan gangTren de Aragua an invading force.Their removal to El Salvador cameeven as Boasberg, in a ruling at the time,blocked the deportations and ordered any flights carrying migrants subject to the presidential invocation to return to the United States.

Trump said heinvoked the Alien Enemies Actto target members of the gang, which the administration deems a foreign terrorist organization and accuses of engaging in "mass illegal migration to the United States to further its objectives of harming United States citizens." By invoking the law, Trump was able to swiftly detain and remove immigrants he claimed were members of the gang at the time.

The men who spoke to NBC News,as well as the families of former detainees and their attorneys,strongly denied any ties to gangs and said they were unfairly targeted because oftattoos that may be popular in Venezuela and are unrelated to Tren de Aragua.

A New York Times investigation, which relied on interviews with prosecutors and law enforcement officials as well as court documents and media reports in multiple countries, found that most of the men sent to CECOT did not have criminal records in the United States or in the region. It found at least 32 of the more than 200 men sent to CECOT, including the 137 under the Alien Enemies Act, faced serious criminal accusations or convictions in the United States or abroad. Very few of them appeared to have any documented evidence connecting them to Tren de Aragua.

Three of the Venezuelan men told NBC Newsafter their release from CECOT and return to Venezuela that they experienced physical and psychological torture, including one man's allegation that he was sexually assaulted at the prison.

By Renju Jose

SYDNEY, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Australian leaders on Tuesday urged calm and called on protests to remain peaceful after clashes between police and demonstrators opposing Israeli President Isaac ​Herzog's visit to Australia erupted in Sydney.

Police said 27 people were arrested, including 10 for ‌allegedly assaulting officers, after violence broke out on Monday evening when people failed to leave a planned protest site in central Sydney ‌and police moved to clear access for pedestrians.

There were no reports of serious injuries, New South Wales state police said in a statement.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was "devastated" by the violence and urged protesters to express their views peacefully.

"Australians want two things. They don't want conflict brought here. They want killing to stop, ⁠whether it's Israelis or Palestinians, but ‌they do not want conflict brought here," Albanese told radio station Triple M.

"The causes are not advanced by these sorts of scenes - they are undermined."

Thousands gathered in central ‍Sydney on Monday to protest against Herzog's visit to Australia, which comes after a mass shooting at a Jewish religious event at Bondi Beach in December that killed 15 people.

Police had been authorised to use rarely invoked powers during ​the protest, including directing crowds to move, restricting their entry to certain areas and searching vehicles. A ‌legal challenge to those restrictions was dismissed by a Sydney court on Monday. Herzog was not present at the protest site.

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Television footage showed some protesters trying to push through blockades as officers forced them back. Some were seen lying on the ground while police tried to restrain them.

Police used tear gas and pepper spray to disperse the crowd.

New South Wales state Premier Chris Minns defended police actions, saying officers were ⁠required to make rapid decisions in tense and volatile situations, ​and urged calm.

"The circumstances are difficult for the police, who ​are trying to keep the public and public safe," Minns told the ABC.

In a statement, the Palestine Action Group Sydney said protesters were unable to leave the event because ‍they were surrounded by ⁠police on all sides.

"The police began charging the crowd with horses, indiscriminately pepper spraying the crowd, punching and arresting people," the group said.

Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna said police actions were justified and ⁠that they showed restraint.

"It was really quite precarious at times for our officers who were significantly outnumbered by the protesters and ‌the people who wanted to act in a violent and offensive manner," McKenna said.

(Reporting ‌by Renju Jose in Sydney; editing by Lincoln Feast.)

A small plane made an emergency landing in the middle of a Georgia highway on Feb. 9, crashing into three SUVS and leaving two motorists injured, local police told USA TODAY.

The pilot landed the single-engine plane in the middle of highway 369 in northeast Georgia after the aircraft experienced a mechanical failure, Gainesville Police Department Capt. Kevin Holbrook said. One of the plane's fuel tanks crashed through the rear of an SUV and injured a motorist.

Holbrook said "nothing but luck" prevented the crash from becoming a "mass casualty" event.

"This is a large commercial area where a number of restaurants are just within feet of the road," the captain told USA TODAY. "We're very, very fortunate we didn't have a mass casualty situation."

Videoof the emergency landing shows the plane hit the ground in the middle of the roadway and twist at high speed into traffic. Photossharedby police show the single-engine plane stopped between a Pizza Hut and Golden Corral.

Federal Aviation Administration officials are on the scene investigating the crash, according to police. The road remained closed as of about 5:30 p.m. local time. The incident was reported to police at about noon.

The crash comes just months after a United Parcel Service cargo planecrashed into an industrial sitein Kentucky, leaving 15 people dead.

Was anyone hurt?

Two motorists were taken to the hospital in connection with the incident, local authorities said. The pilot and a co-pilot onboard the plane were uninjured, according to Holbrook.

Where did the crash happen?

The crash happened near the intersection of Browns Bridge Road and Pearl Nix Parkway in Gainesville, about 50 miles northeast of Atlanta, police said.

According to Holbrook, the plane went down on a stretch of six-lane highway that serves about 100,000 vehicles daily.

Gainesville, a city ofnearly 50,000, is the seat of Hall County.

Where was the plane going?

The plane was departing from Gainesville regional airport, about a mile away from the scene, according to Holbrook.

The police captain said the pilot made an emergency landing after realizing the mechanical failure and determining the plane would not be able to return to the airport.

Watch the crash

Video and photos of the crash show the damage that happened as a result.

The front of the plane appeared dented in footage, and a propeller blade was twisted. An SUV in one of the photos from the scene had its front bumper knocked off.

Two people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries after a small plane crashed into cars while making an emergency landing on a road in Gainesville, Georgia, police said.https://t.co/Wk2ww5qZ9kpic.twitter.com/eHe8xolzRY

— ABC News (@ABC)February 9, 2026

ABC News shared footage of the crash on social media.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Small plane crashes into vehicles after emergency landing on roadway

The long 15-week wait is almost over as the NASCAR Cup Series regular season returns with its biggest annual event,the Daytona 500. This year will mark the 68th running of what has come to be known as "The Great American Race" on the high banks of Daytona International Speedway.

In all, 41 drivers will take the green flag on Sunday, Feb. 15 — out of 45 entrants — including former seven-time series champion Jimmie Johnson, who is being granted an Open Exemption Provisional, meaning the two-time Daytona 500 winner is locked into the field, but cannot earn championship points or prize money.

William Byron is looking to become the only driver ever to win three straight Daytona 500s after joining select company with his second straight win in the 2025 edition. That list includes Richard Petty (1973-74), Cale Yarborough (1983-84), Sterling Marlin (1994-95) and Denny Hamlin (2019-20).

This year's Daytona 500 will feature eight previous winners, with Hamlin entering with the most Harley J. Earl trophies at three.

Daytona 500 TV/streaming schedule

All times Eastern

Wednesday, Feb. 118 p.m.:Front-row qualifying (FS1)

Thursday, Feb. 127 p.m.:Qualifying duel 1 (FS1)8:45 p.m.:Qualifying duel 2 (FS2)

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Sunday, Feb. 152:30 p.m.:Daytona 500 (Fox)

Daytona 500 race details

Track:Daytona International Speedway (2.5-mile high-banked tri-oval) in Daytona Beach, FloridaBanking:Turns - 31 degrees | Tri-oval - 18 degrees | Backstretch - 3 degreesRace length:200 laps for 500 milesStage lengths:Stage 1 - 65 laps | Stage 2 - 65 laps | Stage 3 - 70 laps

Daytona 500 qualifying format

The biggest race on the NASCAR calendar also features a unique qualifying format not used on any other race weekend. On Wednesday night all entered cars will turn one lap at top speed, the order of which is determined by a Tuesday night draw of numbers. The top 10 drivers then go into a shootout with the top two times from that session setting the front row for Sunday's race.

The remaining cars are dropped — as evenly as possible, along with the top two qualifiers — into two 60-lap qualifying "duels" to be run Thursday night that set the field from spots three through 41. The finishing order for the first duel determines the inside row slots and the finishing order from the second duel sets the outside row.

The four open (non-chartered or provisional) entries will not make the field.

Top drivers and best bets for the Daytona 500

Owing to the unpredictable nature of the Daytona 500, two-time defending champion William Byron enters with the third-best odds at +1200. Ryan Blaney enters the week with the best odds at 10-to-1 while his Penske teammates aren't far behind as Joey Logano is +1100 and Austin Cindric is at +1400.All odds courtesy of BetMGM.

Best odds to win the Daytona 500

• Ryan Blaney +1000

• Joey Logano +1100

• William Byron +1200

• Austin Cindric +1400

Yahoo Sports' Nick Bromberg recommendsspreading smaller bets around a handful of drivers rather than big wagers on one or two top names. He suggests good mid-tier value can be found in 23XI Racing's Bubba Wallace (+2200) as Wallace has the highest average Daytona finish of anyone in the field at 14.4, including two second-place runs. If you're looking for a longshot, Bromberg points out that Josh Berry's (+3500) Wood Brothers team has an alliance with the aforementioned favored Penskes while Erik Jones (+4000) has five straight top-20 finishes at Daytona and won this event back in 2018.

Daytona 500 entry list

Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletAustin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske FordAustin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletNoah Gragson, No. 4 Front Row Motorsports FordKyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports ChevroletBrad Keselowski, No. 6 RFK Racing FordDaniel Suárez, No. 7 JR Motorsports ChevroletKyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletChase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports ChevroletTy Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing ChevroletDenny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing ToyotaRyan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske FordA.J. Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing ChevroletChris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Racing FordChase Briscoe, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing ToyotaChristopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing ToyotaJosh Berry, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing FordJoey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske FordBubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing ToyotaWilliam Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports ChevroletTodd Gilliland, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports FordRiley Herbst, No. 35 23XI Racing ToyotaChandler Smith, No. 36 Front Row Motorsports Ford*Zane Smith, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports FordJustin Allgaier, No. 40 JR Motorsports Chevrolet*Cole Custer, No. 41 Haas Factory Team FordJohn Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club ToyotaErik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club ToyotaJ.J. Yeley, No. 44 NY Racing Team Chevrolet*Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing ToyotaRicky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports ChevroletAlex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports ChevroletCody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing FordTy Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing ToyotaRyan Preece, No. 60 RFK Racing FordAnthony Alfredo, No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet*Casey Mears, No. 66 Garage 66 Ford*Corey Heim, No. 67 23XI Racing Toyota*Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports ChevroletCarson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports ChevroletB.J. McLeod, No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet*Jimmie Johnson, No. 84 Legacy Motor Club ToyotaConnor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletShane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletCorey LaJoie, No. 99 RFK Racing Ford*

*-Open entry, not guaranteed to make the 41-car field.

Daytona 500 race week weather

According to Yahoo Weather, the forecast is ideal all week with daytime highs ranging from 67-76 degrees. There is only a single-digit percentage chance of rain all week … except for race day. That chance climbs to a 25% chance of rain right around the scheduled green flag (2:30 p.m. ET) on Sunday.