PARIS (AP) — The emir of Qatar spoke Tuesday of “a race against time” to secure hostage releases as part of the diplomatic push for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza in which his country is playing a key role. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani was speaking on a state visit to France, at a dinner in …

Here is The Associated Press Wisconsin prep basketball poll for the week of February 27, with first-place votes in parentheses, record, total points and last week’s ranking, as voted upon by a statewide panel of sports writers and broadcasters: Division 1 School Record Points Last Week 1. De Pere (8) 23-1 80 1 2. Arrowhead 22-2 72 2 3. Kettle …

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A mower sparked a prairie fire that has burned a huge swath of grassland in central Nebraska roughly the size of the state’s largest city of Omaha, state officials said Tuesday. The fire, first reported Monday morning less than 10 miles (16.1 kilometers) northeast of North Platte, destroyed one home, damaged another and burned down about …