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Finland joins NATO in major blow to Russia over Ukraine war

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:11 GMT

By LORNE COOK and MATTHEW LEE (Associated Press)BRUSSELS (AP) — Finland joined the NATO military alliance Tuesday, dealing a major blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin with a historic realignment of Europe’s post-Cold War security landscape triggered by Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.The Nordic country’s membership doubles Russia’s border with the world’s biggest security alliance. Finland had adopted neutrality after its defeat by the Soviets in World War II, but its leaders signaled they wanted to join NATO just months after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine sent a shiver of fear through its neighbors.In praising Finland’s membership, U.S. President Joe Biden noted it came on the 74th anniversary of the signing of NATO’s founding treaty on April 4, 1949.“When Putin launched his brutal war of aggression against the people of Ukraine, he thought he could divide Europe and NATO. He was wrong,” Biden said. “Today, we...

Thanks to sister’s gift, Michael King pitches to his own beat

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:11 GMT

As Michael King stepped to the mound Saturday, he did so to a familiar sound.King, pitching in a major league game for the first time since July 22 after a stress fracture in his right elbow ended his breakout 2022 campaign, showed some rust. The right-hander allowed two earned runs over 1.2 innings in the Yankees’ 7-5 loss to the Giants, but simply returning to the bump qualified as an accomplishment after King’s freak injury a season ago.Doing so also gave the 27-year-old a chance to reintroduce his warm-up song, “Messin’ with the King,” to the Yankee Stadium crowd. The tune, a rap written by his recording artist sister, Olivia, has been welcoming King to the hill since his junior season at Boston College with these opening lines:I step to the mound and I put on my crown,I royally put them down after you hear this sound,Even the crowd knows you in for it now…“I love the lyrics,” King told the Daily News of the track, which features O...

‘What in the world happened to Duncan Robinson?’ also a talking point beyond Heat realm

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:11 GMT

The subject was underachieving, the playoff race, but mostly 3-point shooting. Of the latter, both arguably could be considered experts, as Tim Legler made a recent appearance on JJ Redick’s Old Man and the Three podcast.As the discussion between the former NBA guards turned to the Miami Heat and specifically Duncan Robinson, it was as if Legler no longer could hold back.“It’s mind boggling to me, this entire time, for the last couple of years here: What in the world happened to Duncan Robinson, in terms of the way they view him?” Legler practically blurted. “Because the guy was record setting for the franchise, with his 3-point shooting, prolific. Had big moments in the postseason.”What has happened this season has become abundantly apparent, and for reasons beyond the finger injury that first hampered Robinson in November and December and then the finger surgery that had him out for six weeks starting in January.Since breaking Tim Hardaway’...

Trump arraignment live updates: Protesters clash as former president set to arrive for his day in court

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:11 GMT

Former President Donald Trump will face a historic arraignment Tuesday in New York, following an indictment on criminal charges stemming from prosecutors’ long-running investigation into his business dealings. He will be the first current or former United States president ever in that position.Trump, 76, is expected to appear before State Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan in Manhattan around 2:15 p.m. EST.The charges, expected to remain under seal until Trump appears in court, are believed to relate to his notorious hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Trump is expected to face multiple charges, including at least one felony related to business fraud, but it’s unclear whether they all relate to the hush money. The indictment stems from an investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office spanning more than four years.Five pool photographers will be allowed inside the courtroom for the arraignment, Merchan ruled late Monday. V...

'We want to come back': Aztecs react to national championship loss

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:11 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego State University Aztecs fought until the very end, but came up just short of a NCAA men's national title.However, the loss to UConn didn't stop SDSU's players and coaches from speaking out on the historic season they put together this year.Aztecs senior Keshad Johnson says it was a dream situation. “To make it this far, this is a lot of people’s dreams, I experience things like that I actually dreamed of, like I actually walked on the Final Four court in a stadium...,” Johnson said. “I really feel like a winner, despite the defeat, I feel like a winner believe it or not.” Aztecs shown outpouring of support for historic season SDSU head coach Brian Dutcher praised his players for being about the "right things.""We’re about good people that are good students that play really good basketball, and you could feel good about that as a fan and as a citizen of San Diego," Dutcher said.Dutcher thanked San Diegans for embracing the team throughout the tournament. ...

Jo Koy to stop in San Diego on world tour

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:11 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Comedian Jo Koy on Monday announced that his 2023 world tour will include a stop in San Diego.Jo Koy will perform at Pechanga Arena San Diego on Nov. 4. The show is slated for 8 p.m.Tickets to the all-ages show will go on sale at noon Thursday, April 6 at AXS.com. Prices will range from $45.50 to $84.50, according to the ticketing website. The All-American Rejects ready to rock San Diego The tour announcement comes eight months after Jo Koy's film "Easter Sunday" hit theaters. The Universal Pictures comedy was praised for its Filipino representation.The comedian has several Netflix specials, the most recent of which -- "Jo Koy: Live From the Los Angeles Forum" -- hit the streaming service last year.

Drivers to face restrictions downtown for Leafs and Raptors playoffs, Blue Jays home games

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:11 GMT

It’s the most wonderful time of the year for sports fans in Toronto with the return of baseball coinciding with basketball and hockey playoffs, but it also means increased traffic downtown.The Toronto Raptors will likely be hosting a do-or-die play-in game next Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, and those dates align with the Blue Jays return to the newly-refurbished Rogers Centre.Police are warning drivers there will be a number of pre- and post-game road closures, and are encouraging fans to take transit or carpool.“To ensure the safe flow of pedestrian and vehicular traffic, a number of road restrictions will be in effect at the end of every playoff game. There will also be pre-game restrictions on dates where both the Scotiabank Arena and Rogers Centre have overlapping events scheduled,” police said in a release.Bremner Boulevard and York Street will be the most crucial intersection impacted, as it will only allow local traffic. However, drivers will also face pre...

Wall Street opens flat ahead of this week’s labor data

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:11 GMT

BANGKOK — Stocks are opening flat on Wall Street Tuesday as investors brace for the first of three government employment reports coming this week. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq are up 0.1% at the open, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average is unchanged. Data on job openings in February is due to be reported this morning, with economists forecasting about 10.4 million. Along with the weekly unemployment report on Thursday and the March jobs report on Friday, the data could paint a sharper picture of the U.S. labor market for the Federal Reserve to consider at its next meeting. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story appears below. Wall Street pointed modestly higher Tuesday ahead of the first of three government employment reports this week which could draw a sharper outline of the U.S. employment situation ahead of the Federal Reserve’s next meeting.Futures for the benchmark S&P 500 rose about 0.3%, while the Dow industrials inched up less than 0.2%.On Tuesday...

Canada’s national office vacancy rate hit an all-time high in Q1: CBRE

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:11 GMT

TORONTO — CBRE says Canada’s national office vacancy rate hit an all-time high in the first quarter of the year.The real estate firm says the country’s overall office vacancy rate amounted to 17.7 per cent, while downtown office vacancies sat at 18.4 per cent and the suburban rate landed at 16.8 per cent.Toronto’s downtown office vacancy rate reached 15.3 per cent, the highest level Canada’s largest office market has seen since 1995. Vancouver’s downtown office vacancy rate rose to 10.4 per cent, the highest it’s been since 2004.Ottawa and Montreal both recorded their all-time highest downtown office vacancy rates at 13.2 per cent and 16.5 per cent, respectively.CBRE says tech companies rightsizing their businesses and rethinking their spaces are to blame for many of the vacancy rate increases. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 4, 2023.The Canadian Press

‘General Hospital’ turns 60: A behind-the-scenes look

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:11 GMT

ABC’s “General Hospital” marks its 60th anniversary this week, making it the longest-running scripted show currently in production on American television.The soap is marking the milestone with a fan favorite storyline, the Nurses Ball, a gala that raises money for charity. This week the residents of the fictional city of Port Charles dress to the nines and walk a red carpet. In a guest appearance, Chandra Wilson of “Grey’s Anatomy” plays fashion editor Sydney Val Jean.“She’s a big fan of the show,” said executive producer Frank Valentini of Wilson. “She taped all the scenes on the red carpet and was working at ‘Grey’s’ the same day. I’m just so crazy about her.”Valentini is pumped about this year’s musical performances too, as a number of the cast can sing and dance.“Some of the numbers are some of the best things we’ve ever done, and we’ve done some really good stuff.”While viewers enjoy the ball as it plays out this week, Valentini and head writers, Dan O’Connor and Chris Va...