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Australian prime minister announces China visit hours before leaving for US to meet Biden

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:05:00 GMT

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will visit China in early November, his office said Sunday hours before he was set to fly to the United States to meet President Joe Biden.Albanese’s office also said China agreed to review the crippling tariffs it placed on Australian wine that have effectively blocked trade with the winemakers’ biggest export market since 2020.Albanese will become the first Australian prime minister to visit China in seven years when he travels to Beijing and Shanghai from Nov. 4-7.He will meet President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang in Beijing and then attend the China International Import Expo in Shanghai.The visit to China and a potential breakthrough in the wine dispute mark a further repair in bilateral relations since Albanese’s center-left Labor Party won elections last year after nine years of conservative rule in Australia.“I look forward to visiting China, an important step towards ensuring a stable and product...

Thousands gather in the Loop in support of Palestinians amid ongoing conflict

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:05:00 GMT

CHICAGO — Thousands gathered in the Loop on Saturday to support Palestinians as the conflict between Hamas and Israel intensifies.Protesters from all over the Midwest gathered in Chicago as they demanded a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the U.S. support of Israel, amid the conflict in the Middle East.The massive crowd garnered support from Chicago alderpeople who came out to speak."We have witnessed the dehumanization of Palestinians to the point that they are trying to convince people that it is okay. That it is okay to drop bombs on children, that it is okay to continuously murder and slaughter the people of Palestine in the name of the people in the United States," Alderwoman Rossana Rodriguez said while speaking during Saturday's protest.On Oct. 7, Hamas attacked Israel, killing around 1,400 Israelis and taking nearly 200 hostage. Palestinians say the attack was the result of oppression under Israeli occupation.Since the attack, Israel has responded with airstrikes in Gaza, lea...

Men’s hockey: North Dakota hands No. 1 Gophers first loss

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:05:00 GMT

GRAND FORKS, N.D. >> One night after a dominating performance in their first true road game of the season, the top-ranked Minnesota Gophers found the script flipped in their disfavor, suffering their first loss of the season.North Dakota’s defenders kept the Gophers seemingly off balance much of the night, limiting Minnesota to just one goal and winning 2-1 to earn a split of the series.Jaxon Nelson scored the only goal for the Gophers (3-1-0), who survived an early push by the home team, but fell behind in the second period and could not fully climb out of the hole. Justen Close had 32 saves for Minnesota, several of them of the highlight-reel variety, but saw his shutout streak of more than 152 minutes snapped.After a scoreless first period, North Dakota played a dominant 20 minutes in the middle frame, taking a 1-0 lead when Jayden Perron tipped a Garrett Pyke shot past Close. The Hawks out-shot Minnesota 9-3 in the period, and had a pair of power plays. For the game, Minne...

Minnesota Attorney General and Secretary of State challenge Mille Lacs County judge’s rulings on felon voting rights

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:05:00 GMT

Minnesota officials are taking action to defend a new state law restoring felon rights after a Minnesota judge barred felons on probation from voting.Attorney General Keith Ellison on Friday said he is intervening in two cases now before the Minnesota Court of Appeals seeking to overturn orders from Mille Lacs County Judge Matthew Quinn, who in at least six cases this month told people he sentenced they could not vote. The attorney general’s involvement comes after public defenders sought appeals court intervention earlier in the week.Ellison and attorneys for the people Quinn sentenced are arguing the judge exceeded his authority in deeming newly restored felon voting rights unconstitutional. With local elections a little over two weeks away, they’re asking the appeals court to toss the judge’s ruling, which they say was an improper exercise of judicial power. The motions are called writs of prohibition.“Voting rights are not up for debate in a criminal sentencing,” Ell...

Top-ranked Colorado Mines football surges past Black Hills State in second half to move to 8-0

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:05:00 GMT

In its first week as the top-ranked football team in Division II, Colorado School of Mines got a tiny scare Saturday afternoon. Heavy emphasis on tiny.Trailing at halftime for the first time in RMAC play this season, the Orediggers scored 28 unanswered points over the final two quarters to beat Black Hills State 42-17 on Saturday afternoon in Spearfish, S.D.Quarterback John Matocha threw three of his five touchdown passes in the second half — two going to receiver Max McLeod — and finished with 323 yards on 23-of-35 passing. The effort pushed Matocha past former Oredigger Justin Dvorak at the top of the RMAC’s all-time total offensive yards leaderboard, with the senior now at 14,834 career yards after his 50th start for Mines (8-0, 6-0 RMAC).Related ArticlesCollege Sports | Zac Larrier throws a 94-yard touchdown and No. 22 Air Force shuts down Navy 17-6 College Sports | CSU receiver Louis Brown IV answering coaches’ challenge College Sports | ...

Nuggets’ Zeke Nnaji agrees to four-year contract extension, source says

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:05:00 GMT

Zeke Nnaji and the Nuggets have agreed to a four-year, $32 million contract extension, a league source confirmed to The Denver Post.The deal, which was first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, includes a player option for 2027-28, a league source said.Nnaji, 22, is entering his fourth season in the league, the last of his rookie scale deal with a cap figure of $4.3 million. Monday is the deadline for 2020 first-round picks entering the last year of their rookie deals to sign contract extensions. The Nuggets, who begin their 2023-24 season Tuesday against the Lakers, selected Nnaji 22nd overall out of Arizona.The 6-foot-9 big man is expected to take on a larger role this season, leading the way in backing up center Nikola Jokic as the Nuggets attempt to repeat as champions. Nnaji has averaged 5 points and 2.6 rebounds in 13.4 minutes per game across the first three years of his career. Nagged by various injuries, he hasn’t appeared in more than 53 games in a season ye...

San Fernando politician, environmental justice advocate Cindy Montañez dies

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:05:00 GMT

San Fernando Councilmember and former California State Assembly member Cindy Montañez died on Saturday in her San Fernando home at the age of 49, officials confirmed. “It is with inconsolable grief and deep sadness that we announce the passing of Councilmember Cindy Montañez, current CEO of TreePeople, and former California State Assembly Member,” San Fernando officials said in a statement. The cause of death was not released, but Montañez had recently been diagnosed with aggressive and terminal cancer.Montañez set historical records as a public official including being the youngest person elected to the San Fernando City Council at the age of 25, the youngest woman ever to serve in the state legislature at 28, and Chair of the Assembly Rules Committee at age of 30.To honor her legacy and commitment to service and education, the Los Angeles Unified Board of Education announced the renaming of a local elementary school. Gridley Street Elementary will become Gridley-Montañez...

Total domination: Serra sends message that it’s still the best in WCAL

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:05:00 GMT

SAN MATEO — Serra’s seniors have played in championship games – section and state – in each of the past two seasons. The San Mateo school has speed and dynamic playmakers on the outside, but the bedrock of its impressive run at the top of the Bay Area has been Serra’s battle-tested front seven.Facing upstart Archbishop Riordan, with its dazzling passing attack and a mammoth offensive line that averaged over 300 pounds per starter, Serra wasn’t phased by its imposing West Catholic Athletic League opponent.Padres starters such as linebacker Danny Niu, who had a sack and interception, had faced staunch challengers before. And just as the Padres had done for the previous 11 league games, Serra controlled the line of scrimmage in a 53-7 running clock victory. “We know that size-wise, we might be underestimated,” Niu said after the Padres extended its WCAL winning streak to a dozen. “But we have a bunch of dogs in the trenches and backfield.”Serra’s Danny Niu (1) reacts after ...

Luke Bailey throws TD pass to Trey Radocha with no time remaining to lift Drake past San Diego 25-20

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:05:00 GMT

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Luke Bailey threw two touchdown passes, including a 38-yarder to Trey Radocha with no time remaining, and Drake beat San Diego 25-20 on Saturday. The right-handed Bailey scrambled to his left before heaving his game-winning TD pass into the end zone to Radocha, who jumped for the ball between two defenders. Isaiah Williams scored on a 1-yard touchdown run that gave San Diego a 20-19 lead with 42 seconds to play before Bailey’s final toss capped a 7-play, 75-yard drive.Bailey was 18-of-43 passing for 287 yards for Drake (4-3, 4-0 Pioneer League). He lofted his first touchdown pass from near midfield to Mitchell January, who made an over-the-shoulder catch and stumbled into the end zone for a 49-yard touchdown. Williams had 65 yards rushing on 16 carries. Dom Nankil was 10-of-18 passing for 180 yards for San Diego (1-6, 1-3). Ja’seem Reed made five catches for 125 yards and Re-al Mitchell added 10 for 80. ___Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll througho...

McIvor-to-Taylor pass makes the difference as Abilene Christian tops Stephen F Austin 34-27

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:05:00 GMT

NACOGDOCHES, Texas (AP) — Blayne Taylor made a leaping catch of a Maverick McIvor pass in the back of the end zone with 6:20 to play and Abilene Christian held on to defeat Stephen F. Austin 34-27 on Saturday night.Darius Moore and Colt Cooper combined for a 9-yard sack and Luke Gambs and Colby Warkentin combined for a 1-yard sack before Preston Weeks threw incomplete on 4th-and-6 with 40 seconds to go on SFU’s last possession.The last touchdown produced the largest lead of the game. The Lumberjacks (3-5, 0-3 United Athletic Conference) led 7-3 after one quarter and 17-13 at the half but the Wildcats (4-3, 2-1) were up 27-24 after three quarters.McIvor was 13-of-25-passing for 140 yards and two touchdowns, his 6-yarder to Cooper McCasland making it 27-24 late in the third. Jay’Veon Sunday had 147 yards on 16 carries, including an 82-yard burst up the middle for a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter.Weeks was 24 of 40 for 278 yards with two touchdowns and two intercepti...