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US, Philippines hold largest war drills near disputed waters

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:59 GMT

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The United States and the Philippines on Tuesday launch their largest combat exercises in decades that will involve live-fire drills, including a boat-sinking rocket assault in waters across the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait that will likely inflame China.The annual drills by the longtime treaty allies called Balikatan — Tagalog for shoulder-to-shoulder — will run up to April 28 and involve more than 17,600 military personnel. It will be the latest display of American firepower in Asia, where Washington has repeatedly warned China over its increasingly aggressive actions in the disputed sea channel and against Taiwan.The Biden administration has been strengthening an arc of alliances in the Indo-Pacific to better counter China, including in a possible confrontation over Taiwan. That dovetails with efforts by the Philippines under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to defend its territorial interests in the South China Sea by boosting joint military exe...

CPD: Male in critical condition after Southwest Side shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:59 GMT

BURBANK, Ill. — A male victim is in critical condition after being shot in the head Monday evening on the far Southwest Side, according to Chicago police.Police said a male of unknown age was standing in a parking lot in the 7600 block of South Cicero Avenue around 5:30 p.m. when he was hit in the head by gunfire.The victim was then taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in critical condition. Fire crews battle extra-alarm fire in Bridgeport Police have no one in custody as area detectives continue to investigating.If you or someone you know has information that can help police make a breakthrough in the investigation of this incident, anonymous tips can be filed online at cpdtip.com.No other information is available at this time.

Chicago Sky select Traylor, Malashka in WNBA draft

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:59 GMT

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Sky added a couple pieces to their lineup ahead of the 2023 WNBA season Monday.Monday night, the WNBA hosted their annual draft ahead of the leagues 28th season.The Chicago Sky did not own a pick in the first round, but they made sure to make a splash when their name was called.With the 23rd pick in the second round, the Chicago Sky selected Kayana Traylor, from Martinsville High School and Virginia Tech.With the 23rd pick of the 2023 #WNBADraft, we select @kayana_traylor!#skytown pic.twitter.com/3YyQtipWsG— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) April 11, 2023 Traylor, the 5-foot-9 guard, started her collegiate career at Purdue University before she transferred to Virginia Tech for the 2022-23 season.She helped the number 1 ranked Virginia Tech Hokies to the NCAA Women's Basketball Final Four, before falling to the champion Louisiana State Tigers.Trayler averaged 9.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, and three assists in 156 games during her three years of playing college baske...

What we know about those killed in Louisville bank shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:59 GMT

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDKY) — The Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) confirmed six people are dead, including the shooter, and eight others injured after a shooting Monday morning at a downtown bank. Police said the incident started around 8:30 a.m. at the Old National Bank on East Main Street, and officers were on the scene within three minutes. Louisville bank employee who killed 5, injured 8 livestreamed mass shooting: police They exchanged gunfire with the shooter — later identified as 25-year-old Connor Sturgeon — who died on the scene after being shot by officers, according to LMPD. Sturgeon had been livestreaming the attack, police said.LMPD identified the victims as:James Tutt, 64Joshua Barrick, 40Juliana Farmer, 45Thomas Elliot, 63Deanna Eckert, 57Tommy Elliott (Kentucky Public Pensions Authority)According to their LinkedIn pages, Tutt was a market executive, Barrick a senior vice president of commercial real estate banking, Farmer a loan analyst, and Elliot a senior vi...

White Sox legend Frank Thomas gets a big honor from Auburn

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:59 GMT

AUBURN, AL — The latest honor in his decorated career in baseball came from where he first became a national name in the sport.In the process, he joined the elite among the athletes to ever play for Auburn University.White Sox legend and Baseball Hall of Famer Frank Thomas had a statue unveiled at the school in honor of his achievements on the diamond there. A steady rain fell during the ceremony, but that didn't dampen the mood of the occasion as "The Big Hurt" was joined by his wife, Megan, an his six children. "I want to thank the Auburn family for doing this for me," said Thomas in a ceremony this weekend. "I'm so humble, I'm thankful. God is good, and I'm so proud of this moment." The statue is outside Plainsman Park, where Thomas made a name for himself as a player for the Tigers from 1987-1989. At the school on a football scholarship, the first baseman was a three-time All-SEC selection with Auburn and was a consensus All-American with the Tigers in 1989.In the 1989 MLB Draft...

How classified US documents quickly spread from gamer chat rooms to the rest of the internet

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:59 GMT

(The Hill) - One of the worst national security leaks in U.S. history may have begun with classified documents on Russia’s war in Ukraine and other issues spreading across fringe social media sites and messaging rooms for gamers.  The leak, which is being investigated by the Justice Department and Pentagon, was first reported last week by The New York Times.  Yet the earliest documents were spreading across servers on Discord, a messaging platform popular with gamers, for at least a little over a month, even though they are only now being investigated by the Justice Department and Pentagon.   Don’t use public phone charging stations: FBI Here’s how the documents appeared to have spread.  A ‘Wow Mao’ chatroomPhotographs of dozens of pages of the documents were shared on Feb. 28 and March 2 on Discord to a server called “Wow Mao,” The Washington Post reported.  The “Wow Mao” Discord server, seemingly named after a YouTuber’s account, may not have been the first Discor...

Dean's A-List Interviews: Oscar winner Russell Crowe talks 'The Pope's Exorcist'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:59 GMT

CHICAGO -- WGN’s Dean Richards sat down with Academy Award winning actor Russell Crowe about his latest film, "The Pope's Exorcist." Get Dean’s reviews and A-List interviews delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for Dean’s Downloads weekly newsletter. You’ll also get his Dean Cooks recipes too!

Minnesota native Brock Faber makes Wild debut 48 hours after Gophers heartbreak

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:59 GMT

CHICAGO — Brock Faber still isn’t over the heartbreaking loss in the NCAA championship game. He won’t be for a very long time. Not when the Gophers men’s hockey team was minutes away from winning it all.“It’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever gone through,” Faber said of the 3-2 overtime loss to Quinnipiac over the weekend. “It’s going to sting for a while.”Luckily for Faber, he has a pretty good distraction at the moment. Less than 48 hours after crying his eyes out in the Gophers locker room, the 20-year-old defenseman was in the Wild locker room preparing to make his NHL debut.“Just to be here is a dream come true for me,” Faber said before the Wild played the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday night at the United Center. “Throwing on that Wild jersey is pretty darn cool.”It’s been a whirlwind 48 hours for Faber. He flew home from the Frozen Four with his college teammates on Saturday nigh...

Gophers see Georgia quarterback prospect leave 2024 recruiting class

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:59 GMT

Georgia prep quarterback Aaron Philo de-committed from the U’s 2024 recruiting class on Monday.Philo, of Prince Avenue Christian School in Bogart, Ga., had pledged to Minnesota on March 2 after receiving a scholarship offer from the U on Jan. 31.Philo thanked the Gophers, including head coach P.J. Fleck and new co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Greg Harbaugh for the “great relationship built with me and my family.“However, after much prayer, thought and considerations I have decided to de-commit … and re-open my recruitment. Please respect my decision. Please no interviews at this time.”Related ArticlesCollege Sports | Gophers add transfer kicker David Kemp from Memphis College Sports | Gophers football: How will the U’s remade offense look in 2023? College Sports | Top in-state prep prospect Daniel Freitag headed to California for senior year College Sports | Gophers’ Daniel Jackson picks up where he l...

Black lawmaker who was expelled reinstated to Tenn. seat

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:59 GMT

By JONATHAN MATTISE, TRAVIS LOLLER and KIMBERLEE KRUESI (Associated Press)NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — One of the two Black Democrats who were expelled last week from the GOP-led Tennessee House was reinstated Monday after Nashville’s governing council voted to send him straight back to the Legislature.The unanimous vote by the Nashville Metropolitan Council took only a few minutes to restore Rep. Justin Jones to office just four days after Republicans stripped him of his seat.Moments later, Jones marched to the Capitol several blocks away. He took the oath of office on the steps and entered the building while supporters sang “This Little Light of Mine.”A loud round of applause erupted as Jones walked into the chamber with Democratic Rep. Gloria Johnson, who was also targeted for expulsion, but spared by one vote.“To the people of Tennessee, I stand with you,” Jones said in his first statement on the House floor. “We will continue to be your voice here. And no expulsion, no attempt to si...