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‘A day of joy’: Brittney Griner makes WNBA season debut after being jailed in Russia

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Brittney Griner stood for the national anthem before her first regular-season WNBA game since being jailed in Russia. Griner was outspoken for social justice in 2020 and didn’t take the court during the pregame anthem. But nearly a year behind bars in Russia changed her.“I was literally in a cage and could not stand the way I wanted to,” she said. “Just being able to hear my national anthem and see my flag, I definitely want to stand.”Griner had 18 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots Friday night for the Phoenix Mercury in a 94-71 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks.“Not good enough, didn’t get the dub,” said Griner, who nevertheless couldn’t be down in defeat.“I appreciate everything a little bit more, all of the small moments, like, ‘Oh, I’m so tired I don’t want to go to practice today,’ that has changed, honestly,” she said. “Tomorrow is not guaranteed, you don’t know what it’s going to look like. I feel a lot older somehow, too.”The 32-ye...

Plane believed to be carrying Ukraine’s Zelenskyy lands in Hiroshima for G7 summit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

HIROSHIMA, Japan (AP) — A plane believed to be carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has landed in Hiroshima for global diplomatic talks.Leaders of the world’s most powerful democracies have invited Zelenskyy as the Group of Seven tightens sanctions meant to punish Moscow and change the course of its 15-month invasion of Ukraine.Japan says Zelenskyy’s decision to visit Hiroshima stems from his “strong wish” to participate in talks that will influence his nation’s defense against Russia.U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan says that President Joe Biden and Zelenskyy would have direct engagement at the summit. A day earlier Biden announced his support for training Ukrainian pilots on U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets, a precursor to eventually providing those aircraft to Ukraine’s Air Force.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.Leaders of the world’s most powerful democracies warned China and North Korea against building up their nuclear arsenal...

Nevada Democrats scrap fentanyl bill, amend companion bill to adjust drug penalty proposal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — A bill that would enhance fentanyl penalties in Nevada did not pass after a hearing in an Assembly committee, while a companion bill was significantly amended in a last-minute shift for Nevada Democratic leadership’s plans to send fentanyl legislation to the governor’s desk.The amended legislation starts low-level trafficking charges at 28 grams of possession for fentanyl, which was formerly proposed at 4 grams. The alteration came on Friday evening in the Assembly Judiciary Committee, hours before the deadline for most bills to pass out of their second committee.For months, harm reduction experts and some Democrats have warned the legislation starting at 4 grams would repeat “war on drug” policies that criminalized low-level users. Those concerns animated bill hearings and back-door discussion, which were pushed by Democratic leadership but questioned by many rank-and-file Assembly members.Fentanyl trafficking charges in Nevada currently start a...

Venice Architectural Biennale gives overdue voice to long-silenced Africa

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

VENICE, Italy (AP) — Scottish-Ghanaian architect Lesley Lokko is giving a platform to voices that have long been silenced at this year’s Venice Architecture Biennale, which opens Saturday, the first ever curated by an African, featuring a preponderance of work by Africans and the African diaspora.The 18th architectural Biennale, titled “The Laboratory of the Future,” explores decolonization and decarbonization, topics about which Africans have much to say, Lokko said, citing the long exploitation of the continent for both human and environmental resources.“The Black body was Europe’s first unit of energy,’’ Lokko told The Associated Press this week. “We have had a relationship to resources since time immemorial. We operate at a place where resources are not stable. They are also often fragile. They’re often exploited. Our relationship to them is exploitative.”Lokko tapped global stars like David Adjaye and Theaster Gates among 89 participants in the main show — more than half of the...

Ukraine’s Zelenskyy arrives in Hiroshima for G7 summit as world leaders sanction Russia

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

By FOSTER KLUG, ADAM SCHRECK and ZEKE MILLER (Associated Press)HIROSHIMA, Japan (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy landed Saturday in Hiroshima for diplomatic talks with the leaders of the world’s most powerful democracies who have tightened sanctions meant to punish Moscow and change the course of its 15-month invasion of Ukraine.Japan says Zelenskyy’s decision to visit Hiroshima stems from his “strong wish” to participate in talks that will influence his nation’s defense against Russia.An EU official, speaking on condition of anonymity to brief reporters on the deliberations, said Zelenskyy will take part in two separate sessions Sunday. The first session will be with G7 members only and will focus on the war in Ukraine. The second session will include the G7 as well as the other nations invited to take part in the summit, and will focus on “peace and stability.”U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said that Presi...

Nuggets Podcast: Breaking down Denver’s 2-0 lead over the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat reporter Mike Singer is joined by sports reporter Bennett Durando to break down the first two games of the Western Conference Finals and preview Game 3 between the Nuggets and Lakers. Among the topics covered:Michael Malone is raising the political spice level against the national “narrative.” The latest domino to fall in Denver’s war on ESPN was Lisa Salters’ comment about not previously covering Nikola Jokic. Mike Singer shares his thoughts on the Nuggets’ fight for “respect,” even with a 2-0 series lead. And on the topic of fighting words, what to make of Bruce Brown’s comments about D’Angelo Russell?Durando and Singer marvel at the timing of Jamal Murray’s electrifying fourth quarter and discuss the importance of Denver’s transition game as the series moves to Los Angeles. Was altitude actually a problem for LeBron James and the Lakers in crunch time of Game 2...

Why is France trying to play into Russia’s hands?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

France is starting to supply weapons to Armenia. Initially, it involves the delivery of 50 armoured vehicles, but in the future, deliveries of French Mistral surface-to-air missile systems are also possible - writes James Wilson. This information has been published by several Israeli and European media outlets and later was confirmed by the statement of one Rachya Arzumanyan, a former high-ranking official of the separatist administration in the Armenian enclave of Karabakh, situated on the occupied Azerbaijani territory. Arzumanyan, speaking to the Armenian channel 1inTV, stated that “significant changes would occur in the military sphere in Armenia in the next two months”. He also added, "I cannot openly talk about it yet... We need to forget about cooperation with Russia in the military sphere... We don't have time to talk and wait."Earlier, several Ukrainian outlets and the state television channel of Moldova reported on the upcoming supplying of French weapons to Armenia, empha...

Xi Jinping's keynote address at China-Central Asia Summit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday 19 May delivered a keynote address at the China-Central Asia Summit held in the city of Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province - reports CGTN.The President spoke about "Working Together for a China-Central Asia Community with a Shared Future Featuring Mutual Assistance, Common Development, Universal Security, and Everlasting Friendship"He said: "I'd like to welcome you all to Xi'an for the China-Central Asia Summit to explore together ways for closer cooperation between China and the five Central Asian countries.  Xi'an, known as Chang'an in ancient times, is an important cradle of the Chinese civilization and nation. It is also the starting point of the ancient Silk Road on the east end. Over 2,100 years ago, Zhang Qian, a Han Dynasty envoy, made his journey to the West from Chang'an, opening the door to the friendship and exchanges between China and Central Asia. With their joint endeavor of hundreds of years, Chinese and Central Asian peo...

Video shows man brutally beaten by a mob of bicyclists in Downtown Los Angeles

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

Video captured the terrifying moment a mob of bicyclists attacked a man in Downtown Los Angeles on Thursday.The victim was knocked to the ground, kicked and stomped on by a group of young men in broad daylight near Hill and 6th Streets around 4 p.m.The attack took place in the jewelry district where the witness who captured the video said he was working on the 13th floor of an office building when he heard a loud commotion outside.When he looked down onto the street, that’s when he spotted the violent altercation.As the victim was being kicked and beaten, one of the suspects can be seen bashing the victim’s truck windshield with his bike handle.“It was horrible,” said the witness, identified only as Gary. “When I got to the window, I saw probably about six or seven kids on bicycles. There was a white pickup truck parked out front and I saw somebody smashing in the window with his bike.”Video of a driver being beaten by a mob of bicyclists in Downtown Los Angeles’ jewelry district on...

L.A. man fulfills dream of graduating from UC Berkeley nearly 30 years later

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

A Los Angeles man finally achieved his dream of graduating from UC Berkeley nearly 30 years after he first enrolled at the university.A dedicated student and father of two, Hatcher Parnell, 50, made the trip from L.A. to Oakland twice a week to attend classes. He’s now happily graduating with a degree in sociology.“It’s a culmination of 30 years,” said Parnell. “It’s very exciting. It was something that I set on to accomplish with a lot of support from family and friends.”Parnell nearly had enough credits to graduate from Berkeley in the late ‘90s but was forced to drop out because he couldn't afford to pay for classes anymore.“The main reason is back then, finances were really tough for me,” said Parnell. "I got to a point where I just couldn’t continue to pay to put myself through school.”Parnell took on various jobs on campus instead, including as a campus police officer, to earn money while putting his studies on the back burner.Parnell eventually moved back to Southern Californ...