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China says Taiwan encirclement drills a ‘serious warning’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:59:32 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Recent Chinese air and sea drills simulating an encirclement of Taiwan were intended as a “serious warning” to pro-independence politicians on the self-governing island and their foreign supporters, a Chinese spokesperson said Wednesday.The three days of large-scale air and sea exercises named Joint Sword that ended Monday were a response to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s meeting with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California last week during a transit visit to the U.S. China had warned of serious consequences if that meeting went ahead.“The People’s Liberation Army recently organized and conducted a series of countermeasures in the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters, which is a serious warning against the collusion and provocation of Taiwan independence separatist forces and external forces,” Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Cabinet’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a biweekly news conference. “It is a necessary action to defend national sovereig...

Florida set to execute ‘ninja killer’ for 1989 murders

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:59:32 GMT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida has ramped up executions under Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, with a man known as the “ninja killer” set to die Wednesday for the 1989 slayings of a couple visiting the state from New Jersey.Louis Bernard Gaskin, 56, was scheduled to be executed at 6 p.m. by lethal injection for the deaths of Robert Sturmfels, 56, and Georgette Sturmfels, 55, on Dec. 20, 1989, in their Flagler County winter home on Florida’s northeast coast. It will be the state’s 100th execution since the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976. There are another 297 people on Florida’s death row.Gaskin, who was dubbed the “ninja killer” because he wore all-black ninja clothing during the crimes, shot his victims with a .22-caliber rifle, investigators said. He was convicted of first-degree murder.Property that he stole from the Sturmfels’ home — a clock, two lamps and a videocassette recorder — was found at his residence and were intended to be Christmas gifts f...

2nd Black lawmaker could be returned to Tennessee House

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:59:32 GMT

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Commissioners in Memphis are scheduled to decide Wednesday whether to return a Black Democrat to the Republican-led Tennessee House after he and a Black colleague were kicked out of the Legislature following their support of gun control protesters.The Shelby County Board of Commissioners set a vote to determine whether Justin Pearson will be sent back to the Legislature in Nashville.Republicans banished Pearson and Rep. Justin Jones last week over their role in a gun control protest on the House floor in the aftermath of a deadly school shooting in Nashville that left three children and three adults dead. AThe Nashville Metropolitan Council took only a few minutes Monday to unanimously restore Jones to office. He was quickly reinstated to his House seat.The House’s vote to remove Pearson and Jones but keep white Rep. Gloria Johnson drew accusations of racism. Johnson survived by one vote. Republican leadership denied that race was a factor, however.Ahead of the...

Texas State returns the favor, beats No. 19 Texas in Austin

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:59:32 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — History repeated itself Tuesday in Austin.Steady offense led the Texas State Bobcats to a 9-3 win over the No. 19 Texas Longhorns at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. Like last year, the squads split a two-game series with the visiting team winning. Texas won Monday's game at Bobcat Ballpark 5-2.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersLast season, the Bobcats dropped their home game 9-8 to the Longhorns before going into the Disch and winning 6-4.Freshman Chase Mora went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and a double to lead a 13-hit attack for the Bobcats. Peyton Lewis also had three hits and August Ramirez came off the bench to go 2-for-3 with two doubles and three RBIs.When the Longhorns scored, they at least did it in style. Dylan Campbell and Michell Daly hit line-drive solo home runs in the first and second innings while Peyton Powell doubled home a run in the fifth. T...

Wolves’ playoff hopes dwindle to one win-and-in game after offense goes cold late in play-in loss to Lakers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:59:32 GMT

An offense that started so strong for Minnesota went so cold at an inopportune time Tuesday.After scorching the nets for three quarters, the Timberwolves went mind-numbingly cold in the fourth quarter, squandering a double-digit lead to fall 108-102 to the Los Angeles Lakers in overtime of a play-in game in Los Angeles.Minnesota will now return home, where it will meet either Oklahoma City or New Orleans on Friday. If the Wolves win that game, they’ll be the No. 8 seed with a first-round playoff date with Denver. If they lose it, their season will be over.LeBron James found Dennis Schroeder for a corner triple with 1.4 seconds to play to break a tie and put the Lakers up three. That came after the Timberwolves struggled themselves to get a shot in the game’s closing minute.But Minnesota found a way to knot the game in an unconventional method. Mike Conley hoisted up a shot from the corner at the horn that hit the backboard, but the guard was fouled by Anthony Davis, who ...

Playoff Bound: Lakers topple shorthanded Timberwolves in Play-In overtime thriller

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:59:32 GMT

With 1.4 seconds left, Los Angeles Lakers backup point guard Dennis Schroeder hit what appeared to be the game-winning shot in the fourth quarter over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the opening round of the NBA Play-In Tournament. The celebration was short-lived.About a second later, Lakers star Anthony Davis fouled Wolves guard Mike Conley on a three-point attempt. Conley would sink all three free-throw shots to send the game into overtime.In a game that, at times, appeared to be out of reach for the Lakers, the waning seconds of the fourth was a microcosm of the team's performance in its lone Play-In game.Down 11 at the half, it took extra time and 45 minutes from LeBron James and 42 minutes from Davis for the Lakers to eek out a 108-102 win over the short-handed Timberwolves. James and Davis combined for 54 points, 25 rebounds and 10 assists. Karl-Anthony Towns led Minnesota with 24 points and 11 boards. The win propelled the Lakers out of the Play-In Tournament and secured them t...

Sierra Madre residents on edge over increasing number of bear encounters, attacks

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:59:32 GMT

The number of bears sightings, break-ins and close encounters is growing in a Sierra Madre community, leaving residents on edge.Locals and city officials said bear attacks are becoming too common and they’re concerned it’s only a matter of time before an encounter turns deadly.City leaders said they’re trying to create a plan that will make residents feel safer while also protecting the wild bears.Video from recent encounters shows bears of all sizes being spotted, with some clawing their way inside a kitchen or taking a dip in a backyard pool.“It’s more than a nuisance,” Glenn Lambdin, Former Sierre Madre mayor. “And it has already gone into the danger zones. I think we’re sitting on a time bomb that’s going to explode and we don’t know when.”Bear encounters growing in Sierra Madre, leaving residents concerned. (Sandy Duvall)Bear encounters growing in Sierra Madre, leaving residents concerned. (KTLA)Bear encounters growing in Sierra Madre, leaving residents concerned. (KTLA)Bear...

Berkeley police arrest man for sexual assault

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:59:32 GMT

(KRON) -- The Berkeley Police Department arrested a man on suspicion of sexual assault on April 5, it said in a press release. The announcement comes on the same day that another man was arrested in connection with multiple sexual assaults in Berkeley and Palo Alto. The arrest made on April 5 was for an incident that occurred March 26 on the 2000 block of Blake Street. At about 9:15 p.m., a woman in her 20s was grabbed from behind, pulled into a parking lot and sexually assaulted for several minutes, police said. UC Berkeley sexual assault suspect connected to assault in Palo Alto Police identified the suspect as 20-year-old Jonathan Castellanos Miller using forensic evidence collected at the scene. An arrest warrant was issued on April 5, and he was arrested that day outside of Berkeley city limits. BPD served a search warrant at an address associated with Castellanos Miller and found evidence of the assault, handcuffs and two replica guns. The Alameda County District Attorney's ...

Informan al Departamento de Estado de la detención de un estadounidense en Libia

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:59:32 GMT

(CNN) — El Departamento de Estado de EE.UU. tiene conocimiento de la detención de un ciudadano estadounidense en Libia por una milicia con base en Trípoli.“El Departamento de Estado de EE.UU. es consciente de los informes de un ciudadano de Estados Unidos en Libia detenido por una milicia con sede en Trípoli. Cuando un ciudadano de Estados Unidos es detenido en el extranjero, el Departamento trabaja para proporcionar toda la asistencia adecuada. El Departamento de Estado de EE.UU. y nuestras embajadas y consulados en el extranjero no tienen mayor prioridad que la seguridad de los ciudadanos estadounidenses en el extranjero”, dijo un portavoz del Departamento de Estado a CNN.La advertencia de viaje del Departamento de Estado para Libia es de nivel 4: advertencia a los estadounidenses de que no viajen debido a la delincuencia, el terrorismo, los disturbios civiles, los secuestros y los conflictos armados.The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc.,...

Lakers beat Wolves in OT, Hawks top Heat in play-in openers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:59:32 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James had 30 points and 10 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Lakers claimed the seventh spot in the Western Conference playoffs with a grueling 108-102 overtime victory over the short-handed Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA’s play-in tournament Tuesday night.Dennis Schröder scored 21 points and iced the win with two free throws with 8.4 seconds left for the Lakers, who will face second-seeded Memphis in the first round starting Sunday.Karl-Anthony Towns scored 24 points and Mike Conley hit three free throws with 0.1 seconds left in regulation to tie it for the Wolves, who will host New Orleans or Oklahoma City on Friday for the eighth spot and a first-round date with top-seeded Denver beginning Sunday. The Pelicans host the Thunder on Wednesday night.Anthony Davis had 24 points, 15 rebounds and one tremendously ill-advised foul on Conley, who scored 23 points. Los Angeles survived a back-and-forth meeting with Minnesota, which gave an inspired effort while pla...