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Maldivians vote in a runoff presidential election that will decide whether India or China holds sway

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:16 GMT

MALE, Maldives (AP) — Maldivians were voting Saturday in the runoff presidential election which has turned into a virtual referendum on which regional power — India or China — will have the biggest influence in the Indian Ocean archipelago nation.Neither main opposition candidate Mohamed Muiz nor incumbent President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih got more than 50% in the first round of voting earlier in September, triggering a runoff election. Solih, who was first elected president in 2018, is battling allegations by Muiz that he had allowed India an unchecked presence in the country. Muiz’s party, the People’s National Congress, is viewed as heavily pro-China. Muiz secured a surprise lead with more than 46% of votes in the first round, while Solih secured 39% votes.Abdullah Yameen, leader of the People’s National Congress, made the Maldives a part of China’s Belt and Road initiative during his presidency 2013 to 2018. The initiative is meant to build railroads, ports and highways to e...

China’s factory activity expands for first time in six months, in latest sign economy is recovering

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:16 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — China’s factory activity in September recorded its first expansion in six months, an official survey said Saturday, providing another sign that the world’s second-largest economy is gradually improving following its post-pandemic malaise.According to the government statistics bureau and an official industry group, the monthly purchasing managers’ index rose to 50.2 this month from 49.7 in August measured on a 100-point scale. Numbers above 50 indicate activity is increasing.Measures of production, new orders and employment all rose from August, the National Bureau of Statistics and the China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing said. But the bureau’s senior statistician, Zhao Qinghe, said the manufacturing industry still faces some difficulties in its recovery and development.Since China lifted its tough COVID-19 restrictions, its leaders have been trying to boost the economy with a series of measures and promising to support entrepreneurs who generate...

The Loop Fantasy Football Update Week 4: Panthers will have Young, not Dalton, facing Vikings

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:16 GMT

UPDATE: 12:36 a.m. Saturday The Loop, for one, was all excited about the prospect of watching ancient Andy Dalton face the Vikings’ defense on Sunday in Carolina. Even made him our Deepest Sleeper. But alas, No. 1 draft pick Bryce Young has been cleared to play in Sunday’s battle of The Winless in Charlotte, N.C.While the rookie QB is good to go, Panthers RB Miles Sanders is still considered questionable. If he cannot go, then look for more work for Chuba Hubbard. Not good work, but more work.Two top-tier running backs are still very iffy for this week. The Chargers are listing Austin Ekeler as doubtful, while the Giants say Saquon Barkley is questionable. But with the prospect of a Monday night game against San Francisco not too appealing anyway, we’d suggest you keep Saquads on the bench.Baltimore will be without two of its top receivers this week: former Gophers standout Rashod Bateman and former Pro Bowler Odell Beckham Jr.Players listed as questionable as of this morning includ...

Ryder Cup: Europeans know job is ‘not done’ after drubbing U.S. on day one

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:16 GMT

GUIDONIA MONTECELIO, Italy — Europe swept the opening session of the Ryder Cup for the first time in its history, a beating so thorough that none of the foursomes matches reached the 18th hole.And then somehow it got even worse for the Americans.Right when they were on the verge of escaping Friday with a manageable deficit, Europe delivered one punch after another on the 18th hole at Marco Simone. It left the Americans without a single win on opening day for the first time in Ryder Cup history, and it gave Europe a record-tying lead in its bid to regain the cup.Three fourballs matches came to the 597-yard closing hole, all of them looking like a red American point on the board.And then Viktor Hovland made a 25-foot birdie putt. Jon Rahm made a 35-foot eagle putt that slammed into the back of the cup. Justin Rose finished it with an 8-foot birdie putt, all those matches ending in a tie.For a moment, it looked like the day would end with Europe holding a 5-3 lead.Instead, it was 6 1/2...

Freddie Freeman hits 59th double of season in Dodgers’ 6-2 win over Giants

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:16 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Freddie Freeman hit his 59th double of the season and scored on a three-run homer by J.D. Martinez, and the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers beat the San Francisco Giants 6-2 on Friday night.Wilmer Flores homered and hit an RBI single for the Giants, who were managed by bench coach Kai Correa. San Francisco fired manager Gabe Kapler earlier in the day, three games before the end of his fourth season.Freeman doubled with one out in the sixth inning, matching Todd Helton in 2000 for the most doubles in a season in the majors since 1936 and the seventh-most all-time. Will Smith was hit by a pitch before Martinez delivered his 33rd home run, chasing Giants right-hander Keaton Winn (1-3).Smith hit a two-run homer in the first, and Freeman went deep in the third.Lance Lynn (13-11) allowed two runs on two hits, struck out four and walked four over six innings to win his third straight decision after he didn’t factor into a 10-inning win against the Giants his...

J.P. Crawford’s grand slam leads Mariners to 8-0 win over Rangers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:16 GMT

SEATTLE (AP) — J.P. Crawford hit his third career grand slam, Ty France and Josh Rojas hit solo homers and the Seattle Mariners stayed in the thick of the American League playoff race with an 8-0 win over the Texas Rangers on Friday night.A night after possibly saving Seattle’s playoff hopes with a two-out, two-run double in the ninth inning to pull out a 3-2 victory against the Rangers, Crawford again came through with a big swing to keep Seattle right on the heels of Houston in the chase for the final wild card spot in the American League.Seattle (87-73) remained one game behind Houston (88-72) the wild-card standings with two games left, while Texas (89-71) still needs a victory or an Astros loss to wrap up a playoff berth. There also still remains the possibility of a three-way tie for the division title.Crawford’s slam – his 19th homer of the season — was off reliever Brock Burke who came in specifically to face Crawford after Nathan Eovaldi faltered. Burke fell behind 3-1 in t...

Chicago Cubs tragic number hits 1 after a 4-3, 10-inning loss to the Milwaukee Brewers: ‘We’ve got to win every game’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:16 GMT

Christopher Morel folded his arms and leaned on the dugout railing, taking in the Milwaukee Brewers’ raucous celebration across the field.Morel stayed locked in on the scene as Chicago Cubs coaches and teammates grabbed their stuff to head into the clubhouse. The Brewers, with the division title wrapped up and nothing to play for this weekend, poured onto the field and mobbed walk-off hero Carlos Santana, who helped serve the Cubs another one-run heartbreaker Friday in a 4-3 loss in 10 innings.The same game has played out far too often over the last three weeks. Sporadic offensive production. Defensive miscues. Close games that don’t go in their favor. The Cubs (82-78) have lost four straight, and their season is down to survival mode — and even that is a generous description of their nearly nonexistent playoff hopes.They are on the brink of elimination. Everything must go the Cubs’ way to close out the season, the byproduct of going 6-14 since completing...

Polish opposition leader Donald Tusk seeks to boost his election chances with a rally in Warsaw

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:16 GMT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish opposition leader Donald Tusk is facing an uphill battle to win new hearts in his efforts to unseat the nationalist conservative government in Poland’s upcoming parliamentary election.The ex-prime minister and former European Union leader returned to Polish politics several years ago, seeking to breathe new life into his languishing party and win back power — and reverse what many view as a degradation of fundamental rights and ties with European partners under the governing populist Law and Justice party.Tusk, 66, is hoping a major rally that he organized for Sunday will energize his supporters.But he faces many obstacles, including divisions among his opposition ranks and, even more importantly, powerful government forces that depict him as disloyal to the nation.Shaping the campaign is a long and bitter personal rivalry between Tusk and Law and Justice chief Jaroslaw Kaczynski, who is the country’s 74-year-old de facto leader. Kaczynski, other g...

High School Football: Stillwater holds off Forest Lake late for dramatic victory

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:16 GMT

Stillwater has mastered both almost giving the game away, and refusing to lose. Case in point, Friday night.The Ponies had the ball in their own territory, leading 21-17 with the ability to run the clock down to roughly 40 seconds before needing to punt away to Forest Lake, who had no timeouts and sports a run-heavy offense.Game over — essentially.But, on third and 15, the Ponies fumbled the handoff exchange, giving Forest Lake the ball on the Stillwater 29-yard-line with approximately 70 seconds to play.Uh-oh.It was eerily similar to Stillwater’s 21-17 victory over Mounds View last week, where the Ponies were in victory formation late, only to fumble the snap and have the Mustangs return it nearly the length of the field for the go-ahead touchdown.Stillwater responded that night, marching back down the field to score the game-winning touchdown in the closing seconds. And, on Friday, it was the defense’s turn to come through. The Ponies forced Forest Lake to turn t...

High School Football: Savion Hart runs wild on both sides of rain delay as St. Thomas Academy downs Robbinsdale Armstrong

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:16 GMT

Only Mother Nature proved able to stop Savion Hart Friday night.And even she only halted the St. Thomas Academy senior running back for a time.Hart finished with 21 carries for 266 yards and three touchdowns as the Cadets topped previously unbeaten Robbinsdale Armstrong 44-13 before a homecoming night crowd at Gerry Brown Stadium.Although, after a halftime delay of well over two-and-a-half hours due to lightning in the area, much of that crowd was home in bed when the second half finally got started at 11:12 p.m. with St. Thomas Academy leading 30-13.That meant the game didn’t actually end until just after midnight –  five-plus hours after it kicked off at 7 p.m. Friday.“Waiting (over) two hours,” a smiling Hart said afterward. “No, I have not played in a game like this (before).”The Cadets – ranked No. 9 in the state in Class 5A – entered the game with a record of 3-1. The Falcons – ranked No. 5 – were 4-0 and had allowed a total of only 39 points all season...