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Pandas, fentanyl and Taiwan — takeaways from Biden’s long-awaited meeting with Xi

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:22 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — It was a meeting a year in the making. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping sat down together on Wednesday just outside of San Francisco, where Asian leaders gathered for an annual summit. It was almost exactly one year since their last encounter in Bali, Indonesia, on the sidelines of another global gathering. In addition to a formal bilateral meeting, Biden and Xi shared a lunch with top advisers and strolled the verdant grounds of the luxury estate where their meeting took place.Biden said afterwards that the meeting included “some of the most constructive and productive discussions we’ve had.” He added that they will “keep the lines of communication open” and Xi is “willing to pick up the phone” — no small thing in the world of high-risk, high-stakes diplomacy between Washington and Beijing. In another potential sign of warmer feelings, Xi signaled later in the night that China would send new pandas to the United States after the three at ...

Rolison scores 12 as Nevada knocks off Pacific 88-41

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:22 GMT

RENO, Nev. (AP) — Tyler Rolison, Jarod Lucas and Kenan Blackshear each scored 12 points to help Nevada defeat Pacific 88-41 on Wednesday.Rolison also contributed five rebounds for the Wolf Pack (3-0). Lucas shot 4 for 13, including 2 for 7 from beyond the arc. Blackshear finished 6 of 10 from the field.The Tigers (1-2) were led by Tan Yildizoglu, who recorded 10 points. Judson Martindale added seven points for Pacific. Greg Outlaw also recorded six points and three steals.___The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.Source

Kings overcome LeBron’s triple-double, hold on in 4th quarter for 125-110 win over Lakers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:22 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Domantas Sabonis had 29 points and 16 rebounds, and the Sacramento Kings overcame LeBron James’ 108th career triple-double and the Lakers’ fourth-quarter comeback bid for their fourth straight victory, 125-110 over Los Angeles on Wednesday night.De’Aaron Fox and Kevin Huerter scored 28 points apiece for the Kings, who snapped Los Angeles’ three-game winning streak with their fifth win in six games over their downstate rivals. Huerter hit six 3-pointers.James had 28 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in his first triple-double of his 21st NBA season, breaking his tie with Jason Kidd for the fifth-most in NBA history.The Kings have won three straight over the Lakers in Los Angeles, and their three top scorers staked them to a 26-point lead early in the fourth quarter. The Lakers surprisingly kept their starters in the game and made a 30-13 run, but ran out of time while never getting closer than nine points.D’Angelo Russell scored 28 po...

Warriors’ Draymond Green suspended 5 games for grabbing Rudy Gobert; 3 players fined

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:22 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA has suspended Golden State’s Draymond Green for five games for grabbing Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert around the neck “in an unsportsmanlike and dangerous manner,” the league said Wednesday night.Also penalized by the league for their roles in the incident, which happened early in Tuesday’s game between the Timberwolves and Warriors, were Gobert, his Minnesota teammate Jaden McDaniels and Golden State guard Klay Thompson — all fined $25,000 by the league.But Green will pay the biggest price, both in terms of games missed and money lost. The suspension will cost him $769,704 in forfeited salary.“The length of the suspension is based in part on Green’s history of unsportsmanlike acts,” the NBA said in the release announcing the penalties. Those sanctions were handed down by Joe Dumars, the NBA’s Executive Vice President and Head of Basketball Operations — and a longtime mentor of Green’s.The incident started when Thompson and McDaniels “...

Garnett scores 20 in Louisiana’s 107-56 victory over Louisiana College

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:22 GMT

LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) — Kentrell Garnett’s 20 points helped Louisiana defeat Louisiana College 107-56 on Wednesday.Garnett shot 7 for 12, including 6 for 11 from beyond the arc for the Ragin’ Cajuns (2-1). Kobe Julien added 16 points while going 4 of 8 from the floor, including 3 for 4 from 3-point range, and 5 for 6 from the line, and he also had five assists. Joe Charles shot 6 for 11, including 0 for 4 from beyond the arc to finish with 13 points, while adding 10 rebounds and five assists.Jon’Quarius McGhee led the Wildcats in scoring, finishing with eight points. Jude Akabueze added eight points for Louisiana College. In addition, Drew Tebbe finished with eight points.___The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.Source

McLaughlin scores 19, Northern Arizona knocks off Seattle U 62-60

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:22 GMT

SEATTLE (AP) — Trenton McLaughlin scored 19 points as Northern Arizona beat Seattle U 62-60 on Wednesday.McLaughlin added six rebounds and four steals for the Lumberjacks (1-2). Rockwell Reynolds scored 13 points and added seven rebounds. Carson Basham finished 5 of 6 from the floor to finish with 10 points.The Redhawks (2-1) were led in scoring by Alex Schumacher, who finished with 24 points, six rebounds and four assists. Cameron Tyson added 14 points for Seattle U. In addition, Vasja Pandza had eight points.___The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.Source

Israel signals wider operations in southern Gaza as search of hospital has yet to reveal Hamas base

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:22 GMT

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli forces dropped leaflets warning Palestinians to flee parts of southern Gaza, residents said Thursday, signaling a possible expansion of operations to areas where hundreds of thousands of people who heeded earlier evacuation orders are crowded into U.N.-run shelters and family homes.Meanwhile, soldiers continued searching Shifa Hospital in the north, in a raid that began early Wednesday but has yet to uncover evidence of the central Hamas command center that Israel has said is concealed beneath the complex. Hamas and staff at the hospital, Gaza’s largest, deny the allegations.Broadening the offensive to the south — where Israel already carries out daily air raids — threatens to worsen an already severe humanitarian crisis in the besieged territory. Over 1.5 million people have been internally displaced in Gaza, with most having fled to the south, where food, water and electricity are increasingly scarce.The war, now in its sixth week, was ...

Cambodia inaugurates new Chinese-funded airport serving popular tourist destination of Angkor Wat

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:22 GMT

SIEM REAP, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodia on Thursday inaugurated its newest and biggest airport, a Chinese-financed project meant to serve as an upgraded gateway to the country’s major tourist attraction, the centuries-old Angkor Wat temple complex in the northwestern province of Siem Reap.The Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport is located on 700 hectares (1,730 acres) of land about 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of Angkor Wat and boasts a 3,600-meter- (11,810-foot) long runway. It can handle 7 million passengers a year, with plans to augment it to handle 12 million passengers annually from 2040. The airport began operations Oct. 16, with the first flight to land coming from neighboring Thailand. The old airport it replaces was about 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) from the famous tourist site.Thursday’s inauguration was presided over by Prime Minister Hun Manet, Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentian, the governor of China’s Yunnan province, Wang Yubo, and other officials.Speaking...

A 'warm' and windy Thursday, and a beautiful weekend in the 50s ahead. But big pattern change looms with much cooler temps in store for Thanksgiving Day

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:22 GMT

ANOTHER WARM DAY is on the way Thursday—from all indications the WARMEST DAY of the current mild spell and quite possibly the  2nd warmest OR WARMEST day of November 2023 to date with a high reaching 68 amid powerful SSW winds ahead of an incoming cold front---winds which are to gust to 35 mph at times.Clouds will be increasing Thursday—but rains with the incoming front are to hold off until after dark.  Those showers may linger into early Friday—but gusty NW winds are to clear skies with high temps Friday likely to come in nearly 20-deg lower than Thursday's upper 60s.-MORE EVENTFUL CHANGES ARE DUE NEXT WEEK—THAT'S THANKSGIVING WEEK.First, a wet, windy autumn storm is to sweep into Chicago with a chilly rain developing Monday night and continuing into Tuesday.  Colder air sweeping into the back side of the storm could take the rain to some mixed snow in parts of the area—Tuesday—particularly later in the day and west and northwest of the city.CHILLIER AIR takes up residen...

EU is providing additional €110 million in humanitarian aid to support Ukrainians affected by the war

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:22 GMT

As Russia's war against Ukraine continues, the humanitarian situation in the country remains dire. The onset of winter poses further challenges to the already vulnerable communities impacted by the war.The Commission is therefore allocating €110 million in humanitarian aid of which €100m will go to operations in Ukraine and €10m to support Ukrainian refugees and host communities in Moldova. This new funding will help the EU's humanitarian partners to provide essential services like cash assistance, food, water, shelter, healthcare, psychosocial support and protection.The latest allocation brings the total for EU humanitarian aid in response to Russia's war in Ukraine to €843m.In light of last year's deliberate attacks by Russia on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, the EU is also prioritising emergency energy support by deploying a further 84 power generators from its rescEU strategic reserves. Overall, more than 5,000 power generators have been sent to Ukraine via the EU Civil Protec...