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Biden and Xi agree to restore some military-to-military communications between the U.S. and China

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:29:37 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed Wednesday to restore some military-to-military communications between their armed forces as the two leaders met for hours on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco.Both sides pledged cooperation that would bring the U.S and China closer to resuming regular talks under what’s known as the Military Maritime Consultative Agreement, which until 2020 had been used to improve safety in the air and on the sea. A senior U.S. official said after the Biden-Xi meeting ended that the military communication agreements mean that U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin can meet with his Chinese counterpart once that person is named. The official spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss a private meeting.This also opens the door for agreements at less-senior levels, including that the commander of U.S. Pacific forces in Hawaii can engage with counterpart theater commander...

Vikings thriving on Dobbs-Hockenson connection founded in summer throwing sessions

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:29:37 GMT

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — T.J. Hockenson has found a summer home in Tennessee, where a small group of NFL players spearheaded by his close friend tight end George Kittle train together between seasons.The sessions take place at Kittle’s 75-acre property outside of Nashville, where there’s a workout facility in a remodeled barn and a football field in the San Francisco 49ers star’s yard. The group brings in their own physical therapists and speed and strength specialists, too.Sometimes, Joshua Dobbs joins them.“There’s not a ton of quarterbacks down there, so whenever we could throw with Josh we were all hyped and excited,” Hockenson said. “It was one of those days we weren’t going to miss, because he’s got a great ball and he’s a great quarterback and he’s a great dude.”Little did he know this casual connection made in recent summers would form the foundation for one of the NFL’s most productive passing duos. Over two games with the Minnesota Vikings, Dobbs has targeted Hocken...

UAE president visits Dubai Air Show as Russian arms company shows attack helicopter used in Ukraine

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:29:37 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The leader of the United Arab Emirates toured the Dubai Air Show on Wednesday as a sanctioned arms supplier displayed an attack helicopter used in Russia’s war on Ukraine, highlighting his country’s continued ties to Moscow despite Western sanctions targeting it. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan toured the show with his brother, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a vice president and deputy prime minister of this autocratic country of seven sheikhdoms. They stopped by a stand for EDGE, an Emirati defense company, where Sheikh Mohammed signed a drone in front of onlookers before attending a meeting there. Outside, Russian pilots sat inside a KA-52 attack helicopter as it was pulled down the runway at Al Maktoum International Airport. Those helicopters have been repeatedly used in Ukraine and its manufacturer, Russian Helicopters, is sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury. Inside a Russian pavilion on the runway, far away from the indoor stands of...

Biden and Xi agree on curbing fentanyl production and resuming military talks. Follow live updates

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:29:37 GMT

President Joe Biden walks down the steps of Air Force 1 at San Francisco International Airport as Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) kicks off in San Francisco, Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023. Biden was greeted by California Gov. Gavin Newson, fourth right, first partner, Jennifer Siebel Newson, third right, Rep. Kevin Mullin, right, and others. (Brontë Wittpenn/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)(AP/Brontë Wittpenn) President Joe Biden walks down the steps of Air Force 1 at San Francisco International Airport as Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) kicks off in San Francisco, Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023. Biden was greeted by California Gov. Gavin Newson, fourth right, first partner, Jennifer Siebel Newson, third right, Rep. Kevin Mullin, right, and others. (Brontë Wittp...

QB Josh Allen blames himself for Bills firing coordinator Dorsey and vows to be better

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:29:37 GMT

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — A subdued-looking Josh Allen blamed himself on Wednesday for overseeing a stagnating and turnover-prone offense that cost Buffalo Bills coordinator Ken Dorsey his job.Jolting as it was for the quarterback to learn of Dorsey’s firing a day earlier, Allen turned his attention forward. Unable to change the past, Allen stressed “the offense is not broken,” saying the unit can perform to playoff-caliber expectations over the final stretch of a season in which the Bills (5-5) have little margin left for error.“I take that very personally. It hurts a lot to see someone you care about go through a situation like that, and to know that if I could have done more, if this offense could have done more, we wouldn’t have to do something like that,” Allen said as Buffalo prepares to host the division rival New York Jets (4-5) on Sunday.“Our backs are against the wall. The clock’s ticking on what we can do this season and it starts this Sunday to try to turn this thing aro...

NL Cy Young Award Voting Ballots

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:29:37 GMT

Name, AffiliationChapter1st2nd3rd4th5thCharles Odum, Associated PressATLSnellStriderSteeleWebbSteeleJJ Cooper, Baseball AmericaATLSnellWebbSengaSteeleBurnesDavid Brandt, Associated PressAZSnellGallenStriderWheelerSteeleBarry M. Bloom, SporticoAZGallenSnellStriderSteeleWebbJordan Bastian, MLB.comCHIWebbSnellWheelerStriderGallenKatsushi Nagao, Kyodo NewsCHISnellWebbWheelerGallenSteeleC. Trent Rosecrans, The AthleticCINSnellWebbWheelerStriderGallenCharlie Goldsmith, Cincinnati EnquirerCINSnellWebbGallenStriderBurnesManny Randhawa, MLB.comCOLSnellWebbGallenStriderBurnesThomas Harding, MLB.comCOLSnellStriderSengaSteeleWebbBill Plunkett, Orange County RegisterLASnellBurnesSengaGallenStriderFabian Ardaya, The AthleticLASnellWebbGallenSteeleWheelerAndre Fernandez, Miami HeraldMIASnellGallenStriderSteeleWebbEnrique Rojas, ESPN DeportesMIASnellStriderGallenSteeleBurnesAdam McCalvy, MLB.comMILSnellWebbStriderWheelerGallenSteve Megargee, Associated PressMILSnellWebbSteeleGallenStriderTim Britto...

A woman is ordered to pay nearly $39K to American Airlines for interfering with a flight crew

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:29:37 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — A woman from Hawaii has been ordered to pay nearly $39,000 in restitution to American Airlines for interfering with a crew on a flight last year, according to authorities.Federal prosecutors said Tuesday that 29-year-old Cayla Farris was sentenced to more than three months of time served in connection with her actions plus three years of supervised probation.A U.S. District judge said Farris will have to obtain approval before boarding an aircraft while she’s on probation.According to authorities, Farris was on a Feb. 13, 2022, flight from Phoenix to Honolulu when she began using profanity and threatened the flight crew and other passengers.The plane’s captain decided to turn the aircraft around and landed at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport because Farris’ behavior prevented the crew members from continuing their duties.Farris pleaded guilty in September to a charge of interference with a flight crew member. The judge ordered her to pay $38,952 restitution to...

Dense fog causes delays in Ethiopia-Sierra Leone game as World Cup qualifying in Africa begins

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:29:37 GMT

EL JADIDA, Morocco (AP) — Ethiopia and Sierra Leone played to a 0-0 draw on Wednesday in a World Cup qualifying game that was delayed several times because of dense fog.The halftime break lasted about one hour as the fog lingered, and the referee stopped play twice in the second half before the match ended after 15 minutes of stoppage time.The game was played at El Abdi Stadium in the port city of El Jadida on the Atlantic coast of Morocco.Ethiopia and 16 other African teams are playing their home matches in other countries because they don’t have stadiums that meet international standards.Elsewhere, two Spanish-born players combined to give Equatorial Guinea a 1-0 win over Namibia as African qualifying for the 2026 World Cup got started.Emilio Nsue scored from inside the box in the 67th minute after controlling a cross from Iban Salvador at home in Malabo.Both teams have qualified for the African Cup of Nations, which will be held in Ivory Coast in January.Also Wednesday, Con...

Ruling in lawsuit to bar Trump from Colorado ballot may come by Friday

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:29:37 GMT

DENVER (AP) — A Colorado judge on Wednesday heard closing arguments on whether former President Donald Trump is barred from the ballot by a provision of the U.S. Constitution that forbids those who “engaged in insurrection” from holding office.The hearing came on the heels of two losses elsewhere for advocates trying to remove Trump from the ballot under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which bars from office those who swore an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution and then “engaged in insurrection” against it. The measure has only been used a handful of times since the period after the Civil War, when it was intended to stop former Confederates from swamping government positions. Teacher fired after showing footage of school tragedies during lockdown drill Last week, the Minnesota Supreme Court dodged the question of whether the provision applies to Trump, who is so far dominating the Republican presidential primary. It dismissed a lawsuit to toss him off that state's primary ball...

‘Next Goal Wins’ stars walk red carpet at Taika Waititi’s underdog sports movie’s premiere

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:29:37 GMT

A good underdog story has a lot of heart … but don’t take it from us. We caught up with the cast of “Next Goal Wins” at the movie’s premiere to see what they had to say about the film.Oscar Kightley (as Tavita): “Mark my words: things are going to change. I got us a new coach.”Soccer coach Thomas Rongen has the toughest challenge of his career: turn the American Samoa soccer team, the weakest team in the league, into winners.Oscar Kightley (as Tavita): “We haven’t had one goal in the history of our country trying to having a soccer team.”The movie doesn’t just tell the story of the soccer team. It also showcases the Samoan culture — on-screen and at the premiere.One aspect they really wanted to highlight was the story of Jaiyah Saelua, the first fa’afafine or transgender player, to compete in the World Cup, played by Kaimana.Kaimana: “She is a legend in the FIFA world, and I just feel really honored,...