The surging U.S. women’s curling team ran into a buzzsaw in the unlikely form of winless Italy on Monday in Cortina D’Ampezza.

Chasing the entire series, Team USA found itself down 7-2 after the ninth end and conceded the match, the Americans’ first loss since the opening day of competition.

The loss snapped a three-game win streak and dropped the U.S. to a still strong record of 4-2 in pool play with two matches remaining, starting Tuesday against Denmark at 7:05 a.m. CST.

Host Italy, a power in women’s curling the past several years, was a surprising 0-5 before Monday. Despite playing without the hammer, the Italians built an early 3-0 lead when skip Stefania Constantini knocked the U.S. out of the button and put three stones in scoring position with her last throw.

U.S. skip Tabitha Peterson, whose precise shooting on Sunday helped Team USA rally from down 4-1 to beat China 9-8 in the 10th end, only managed to knock one stone out of position as Italy stole two points.

The Americans — Tabitha and Tara Peterson, Cory Thiesse and Taylor Anderson-Heide — were chasing the rest of the match, never able to cobble together more than one point with their hammer. They didn’t score until Peterson salvaged a point on the last shot of the sixth end to make it 4-1.

Italy didn’t have a hammer until the seventh end, and Constantini used it in the ninth to knock a U.S. stone out of scoring position and snag two more points for a 7-2 lead.

Down five heading into the last end, the U.S. conceded.

“It was definitely a struggle for us out there, me especially,” Thiesse told NBC after the match. “Just kind of had a hard time getting a feel on the ice, and I felt like we were kind of chasing the whole game and couldn’t really get 100 percent out of all of our shots.”

Constantini was part of the Italy mixed doubles team that lost to the U.S. team of Thiesse and Korey Dropkin in the semifinals last week. Team USA went on to win the silver medal, Italy the bronze.

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BERLIN (AP) — An injured seabird sought help by pecking at the door of an emergency room at a hospital in Germany until medical staff noticed it and called firefighters to help with its rescue.

The cormorant, a shiny black waterbird, had a triple fishing hook stuck in its beak when it made its presence known at the glass door of the Klinikum Links der Weser hospital in the northern city of Bremen on Sunday.

An injured cormorant stands in front of the door of an emergency room at a hospital in Bremen, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (Feuerwehr Bremen/DPA via AP)

In a joint effort, medical staff and firefighters removed the fishhook and treated the wound, the Bremen firefighter department said in a statement. The bird was later released back into nature on the grounds of the hospital park.

“When an injured cormorant does approach humans, it is usually an animal in extreme distress that has lost its natural shyness,” the statement said.

A cormorant is a large bird with a long neck, wedge-shaped head and a distinctive sharp beak with a hooked tip. A fishhook in the bird’s beak would be extremely dangerous for the animal. Infections, pain and even starvation are possible, the firefighter department said.

A firefighter from the Bremen Fire Department holds an injured cormorant that had pecking at the door of an emergency room at a hospital in Bremen, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (Feuerwehr Bremen/ DPA via AP)

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By The Associated Press

Remembrances poured in Monday in honor of Robert Duvall, the Oscar-winning actor known for roles in “Apocalypse Now,” “Lonesome Dove,” Tender Mercies” and as the intrepid consigliere of the first two “Godfather” movies.

Duvall died Sunday at age 95 at at his home in Virginia, according to an announcement from his publicist and a statement posted on his Facebook page by his wife, Luciana Duvall.

Viola Davis

“I’ve always been in awe of your towering portrayals of men who were both quiet and dominating in their humanness. You were a giant … an icon … Apocalypse Now, The Godfather, To Kill a Mockingbird, Tender Mercies, The Apostle, Lonesome Dove … etc … Greatness never dies. It stays … as a gift. Rest well, sir. Your name will be spoken.” — the actor, Duvall’s co-star in “Widows,” on Instagram.

Adam Sandler

“Funny as hell. Strong as hell. One of the greatest actors we ever had. Such a great man to talk to and laugh with. Loved him so much. We all did. So many movies to choose from that were legendary. Watch them when you can. Sending his wife Luciana and all his family and friends our condolences.” — the actor, who starred with Duvall in “Hustle,” on X.

Michael Keaton

“another friend goes down. acted with and became friends. shared a great afternoon on my front porch talking about horses. he was greatness personified as an actor.” — the actor, Duvall’s co-star in “The Paper,” on Instagram.

Robert Patrick

“We talked horses, dogs, Clemson football, dancing the tango and Marlon Brando. At one point he told me to go find the letter Marlon had sent him after they worked together on The Godfather. It was typed and perfectly composed. Bobby was more proud of that letter than his Oscar. Marlon was the actor he looked up to.” — the actor, remembering a recent visit at Duvall’s home in Virginia, on Facebook.

Rob Schneider

“Powerful yet gentle as a bird in his unforgettable turn in “The Lonesome Dove,” Bob had the ability to make you forget instantly the conceit that you were watching a performance and gripped us with the sincerity and emotion of a consigliere as Tom in “The Godfather.” Equally hilarious as the surfer loving Army Officer in “Apocalypse Now,” he never gave a moment for the audience to not believe.” — the actor, on Facebook.

Jamie Lee Curtis

“The greatest consigliere the screen has ever seen. Bravo, Robert Duvall” — the actor, on Instagram

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SAG-AFTRA

“We celebrate the legacy of Robert Duvall, a true acting legend whose work shaped generations. Twice honored with SAG-AFTRA Actor Awards, his influence on the craft will endure. Our thoughts are with his wife, Luciana, and all who loved him.” — the union that represents actors and broadcasters, on X.

Mike Huckabee

“One of my best days was spending a full day with Robert Duvall & his lovely wife at his ranch — interviewed him for my then Fox News show. He was gracious, hospitable, & humble. Truly a gentleman & one of the greatest actors of all time. He didn’t ‘play’ a role— he WAS the role.” — the U.S. ambassador to Israel, on X.

LAKE CITY, Minn. — One person died in a weekend house fire in Lake City.

The Lake City Fire Department was dispatched shortly before 7 a.m. Sunday for a “fully involved structure fire” with multiple people trapped inside, according to a post on the department’s Facebook page.

When crews arrived on the scene, smoke and fire were showing on all four sides of the house as well as the roof line. The front porch had also collapsed on the two-story, multi-family building.

As firefighters searched the house, a young female was rescued from a second-floor window. She was stabilized and hospitalized. Another person was found dead.

The second floor of the home had partially collapsed. Crews spent about seven hours on the scene.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and the victim’s identity wasn’t immediately disclosed.

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