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Myanmar confirms that a key northeastern city near China has been seized by an armed ethnic alliance

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:53 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar’s military government has acknowledged that it withdrew its forces from a key city on the northeastern border with China after it was taken over by an alliance of ethnic armed groups it has been battling for months.The Three Brotherhood Alliance took control of Laukkaing late Thursday after Myanmar military forces laid down their arms and were allowed to withdraw, both sides said Saturday.Photos and videos on social media showed a vast amount of weapons that the alliance claimed to have captured.Laukkaing is the capital of the Kokang Self-Administered Zone, which is geographically part of northern Shan state in Myanmar.The Three Brotherhood Alliance is comprised of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, the Ta’ang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army. The MNDAA is a military force of the Kokang minority, who are ethnic Chinese. The capture of the city was a primary goal of the alliance’s offensive launched on Oct. 27.Myanmar government spokespe...

Frustrated LeBron sounds off on Lakers’ struggles after 10th loss in 13 games, 127-113 to Memphis

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:53 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James didn’t sugarcoat his increasingly sour feelings after the Los Angeles Lakers spiraled to their 10th loss in 13 games Friday night, falling 127-113 to the Memphis Grizzlies.“We just suck right now,” a visibly perturbed James said after he scored 32 points in the Lakers’ fourth consecutive loss.Anthony Davis had 31 points in Los Angeles’ latest discouraging defeat since winning the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament. The Lakers — who gave up a season-high 23 3-pointers to a Memphis team that’s last in the NBA in 3-point shooting percentage — have beaten only San Antonio, Oklahoma City and Charlotte since raising the trophy in Las Vegas four weeks ago.Before the game, coach Darvin Ham said he felt confident in his job security because of his discussions with owner Jeanie Buss and general manager Rob Pelinka. After the Lakers’ latest dismal effort, Ham praised his team’s areas of improvement while expressing a curious frustration with the publ...

Warriors guard Chris Paul fractures left hand, will require surgery

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:53 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Golden State guard Chris Paul fractured his left hand Friday night in the Warriors’ 113-109 victory over the Detroit Pistons and will have surgery next week.The Warriors made the announcement after the game regarding the 38-year-old Paul, who is expected to return this season.Paul missed a 3-pointer from the right wing with 6:08 left in the third quarter and moved to try to corral the long rebound when he made contact with Detroit’s Jaden Ivey. Paul grabbed at his hand before going to the locker room. “That’s tough, I feel so bad for Chris, I know he’s had a couple of hand surgeries before I believe, maybe on the other hand,” coach Steve Kerr said. ”I saw him holding it and instantly was worried. Just got the word after walking off the floor. So I feel terrible for Chris and obviously guys will step up and be ready to play. We’ve got to hold down the fort without him.” Paul was acquired from Washington on draft day for Jordan Poole after ...

Bulgarians celebrate the feast of Epiphany with traditional rituals

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:53 GMT

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Thousands of Orthodox Christian worshippers dived into the wintry waters of rivers and lakes across Bulgaria on Saturday to retrieve crucifixes cast by priests in Epiphany ceremonies commemorating the baptism of Jesus Christ.The legend goes that the person who retrieves the wooden cross will be freed from evil spirits and will be healthy throughout the year. After the cross is fished out, the priest sprinkles believers with water using a bunch of basil.The celebration of Epiphany, or the Apparition of Christ, as Bulgarians call it, began in the capital, Sofia, with a water-blessing ceremony. Senior Orthodox clergy said prayers for the prosperity of the people and blessed the colors of representative army units — a tradition abandoned in 1946 and re-established in 1992.The most attractive Epiphany ceremony was held again in the small mountain city of Kalofer in central Bulgaria, where dozens of men wearing traditional white embroidered shirts waded into the Tun...

Bangladesh’s main opposition party starts a 48-hour general strike ahead of Sunday’s election

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:53 GMT

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Bangladesh’s main opposition party has started Saturday a 48-hour general strike as the South Asian nation is gearing up to hold its next general election.The Election Commission said voting would start Sunday and last for eight hours across the country in over 42,000 ballot stations to receive the more than 119 million registered voters. Ballot boxes, among other election supplies, have been sent over in preparation for the vote, the commission said. The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by former premier Khaleda Zia, and other opposition groups are boycotting the election, saying they can’t guarantee its fairness under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who is seeking to return to power for a fourth consecutive term.The BNP has vowed to disrupt the election, calling for strikes and urging people to join the boycott. On Saturday morning, a small group of party supporters marched across Shahbagh neighborhood in the capital, Dhaka, calling on ...

United Arab Emirates acknowledges mass trial of prisoners previously reported during COP28

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:53 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United Arab Emirates on Saturday acknowledged it is conducting a mass trial of 84 inmates previously reported by dissidents as it hosted the United Nations COP28 climate talks last month.The trial likely includes a prominent activist lauded by rights group abroad.The state-run WAM news agency quoted the country’s attorney general, Hamad al-Shamsi, as saying the 84 defendants face charges of “establishing another secret organization for the purpose of committing acts of violence and terrorism on state territory.”The statement did not name the suspects, though it described “most” of those held as members of the Muslim Brotherhood, a pan-Arab Islamist group long targeted in the autocratic UAE as a threat to its hereditary rulers. Al-Shamsi said the accused all had a lawyer assigned to them and that after nearly six months of research, prosecutors referred the accused to trial. The statement said the trial was still going on. In December, the...

Hezbollah fires rockets at Israel in ‘initial response’ to killing of top leader from allied Hamas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:53 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia fired dozens of rockets at northern Israel on Saturday, warning that the barrage was its initial response to the targeted killing, presumably by Israel, of a top leader from the allied Hamas group in Lebanon’s capital earlier this week. The rocket attack came a day after Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said that his group must retaliate for the killing of Saleh Arouri, the deputy political leader of Hamas. Nasrallah said that if Hezbollah does not retaliate for Arouri’s killing in its stronghold south of Beirut, all of Lebanon would be vulnerable to Israeli attack.Nasrallah appeared to be making the case for a response to the Lebanese public, even at the risk of escalating the fighting between Hezbollah and Israel. But he gave no indication of how or when the militants would act.Hezbollah said Saturday that it launched 62 rockets toward an air surveillance base on Mount Meron and that it scored direct hits. The Israeli militar...

Dear Abby: I’m hurt that I was chided for taking photos of her baby

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:53 GMT

DEAR ABBY: We recently attended the wedding of a close family member on my husband’s side. All went seemingly well until the next day when I was sharing snapshots of the beautiful day with my stepdaughter.Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: I refuse to spend another holiday with my brother-in-law, Mr. Violent Advice | Dear Abby: Nobody interceded with the bride, and I was left out of the wedding Advice | Dear Abby: My neighbors seemed so friendly until this incident Advice | Dear Abby: My friend was insulted when the waitress asked him to leave Advice | Dear Abby: My often-requested list of new year’s resolutions I promptly received what I’ll call a form letter via text from her, saying: “Hi! As the holidays approach, we’re sending this message to our close family members. With flu season coming up and a rise in COVID cases, we’re asking everyone to not kiss the baby. ...

LeDee and San Diego State host UNLV

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:53 GMT

UNLV Rebels (7-5) at San Diego State Aztecs (12-2, 1-0 MWC)San Diego; Saturday, 4 p.m. ESTFANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Aztecs -9.5; over/under is 140BOTTOM LINE: San Diego State hosts the UNLV Rebels after Jaedon LeDee scored 21 points in San Diego State’s 74-47 victory against the Fresno State Bulldogs.The Aztecs are 7-0 on their home court. San Diego State is fourth in the MWC with 9.2 offensive rebounds per game led by LeDee averaging 3.3.The Rebels have gone 1-0 away from home. UNLV has a 1-2 record in games decided by 3 points or fewer.San Diego State makes 44.9% of its shots from the field this season, which is 2.8 percentage points higher than UNLV has allowed to its opponents (42.1%). UNLV averages 12.0 more points per game (77.5) than San Diego State gives up (65.5).The Aztecs and Rebels face off Saturday for the first time in MWC play this season.TOP PERFORMERS: LeDee is scoring 21.5 points per game and averaging 8.5 rebounds for the Aztecs. Reese Waters is averaging 12...

La Salle visits Fordham following Medor’s 24-point game

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:53 GMT

La Salle Explorers (9-5, 0-1 A-10) at Fordham Rams (7-7, 1-0 A-10)New York; Saturday, 12 p.m. ESTFANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Rams -5; over/under is 145BOTTOM LINE: Fordham plays the La Salle Explorers after Japhet Medor scored 24 points in Fordham’s 119-113 overtime win over the George Washington Revolutionaries.The Rams are 4-4 on their home court. Fordham is the A-10 leader with 12.0 offensive rebounds per game led by Abdou Tsimbila averaging 3.3.The Explorers are 0-1 in A-10 play. La Salle averages 76.7 points while outscoring opponents by 4.6 points per game.Fordham averages 8.3 made 3-pointers per game, 1.6 more made shots than the 6.7 per game La Salle gives up. La Salle averages 76.7 points per game, 2.8 more than the 73.9 Fordham allows to opponents.The Rams and Explorers match up Saturday for the first time in conference play this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Medor is averaging 13 points and 3.1 assists for the Rams. Will Richardson is averaging 10.0 points and 2.5 rebounds wh...