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Putin makes surprise trip to Mariupol

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:00 GMT

Russian President Vladimir Putin made a surprise visit to Mariupol, Russian state media reported on Sunday (19 March), in what would be the Kremlin leader's first trip to the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine's Donbas region since the start of the war.The visit came after Putin travelled to Crimea on Saturday (18 March) in an unannounced visit to mark the ninth anniversary of Russia's annexation of the peninsula from Ukraine, and just two days after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for the Russian leader.Mariupol, which fell to Russia in May after one of the war's longest and bloodiest battles, was Russia's first major victory after it failed to seize Kyiv and focused instead on southeastern Ukraine.Putin flew by helicopter to Mariupol, Russian new agencies reported citing the Kremlin. It is the closest to the front lines Putin has been since in the year-long war. Driving a car, Putin travelled around several districts of the city, making stops a...

Kazakh exit polls put ruling party on course for election victory

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:00 GMT

With the votes still being counted, three major exit polls in Kazakhstan put the Amanat party on course for a comfortable victory in the election to a parliament that has gained powers under the country’s new constitution. The projected results also point to a lively, if divided, opposition in the new Mazhilis, writes Political Editor Nick Powell.After constitutional reforms that made both forming a political party and election campaigning significantly easier, it seems that most Kazakh voters have stuck with the Amanat party, formerly led by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. He left the party last year, as part of reforms that moved Kazakhstan away from a super-presidential form of government to a presidential-parliamentary system.Three different exit polls all put Amanat within a percentage point of 54%. Known as Nur Otan (Radiant Fatherland) until last year, Amanat (Commitment) signifies President Tokayev’s call for reform of the whole party. It seems it has successfully adapted t...

UK foreign secretary visits Kazakhstan, meets President Tokayev

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:00 GMT

Kazakhstan is the United Kingdom’s primary trading partner in Central Asia, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the UK James Cleverly said during his meeting with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Astana as part of his first visit to the nation on 18 March. According to the President’s press office, Tokayev and Cleverly spoke about strengthening bilateral cooperation in political, trade, economic, investment, and humanitarian fields.“Your visit will give a very strong impetus to further enhance mutual cooperation between Kazakhstan and the UK. I took note of your recent speech at the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office that outlined the long-term vision for British foreign policy. Indeed, it is a very important speech,” Tokayev said. The Kazakh President expressed appreciation for the positive dynamics of relations with the UK. “I would like to assess our mutual cooperation as very successful, particularly, in the economic spher...

Watch a replay of the L.A. Marathon Finish Line Cam presented by Volvo

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:00 GMT

Around 22,000 athletes participated in the 38th running of the Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday, March 19, 2023. The L.A. Marathon Finish Line Cam presented by Volvo was positioned on Avenue of the Stars in Century City and captured video of elite runners and the rest of the field completing the course. Official L.A. Marathon Runner Tracker: Find your runnerBy participating in the Los Angeles Marathon, athletes supported The McCourt Foundation's mission to help find a cure for neurological diseases and build a healthier world.

NCAA Tournament winners and losers: The Pac-12 falters early while little guys thrive and bluebloods exit

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:00 GMT

The Pac-12 did not find redemption in the NCAA Tournament. With two rounds down, three teams have been eliminated and only one, UCLA, remains alive.The conference was as bad in March as it looked all season, when the thin top and the soft middle were on display for all to see (and criticize).But not all disappointment is created equally.Let’s assign the Pac-12’s woes in the NCAAs into three buckets:— Arizona’s gruesome exit.The loss to Princeton, in which the Wildcats were outscored 24-8 down the stretch by a No. 15 seed, is arguably the worst loss in school history.(At least when Arizona melted down against No. 15 Santa Clara three decades ago, it lost to a future Hall of Famer in Steve Nash.)We questioned Arizona’s toughness prior to the NCAAs but didn’t expect that it would be an issue in the first round. But  the Wildcats lacked energy, fortitude and grit — the essential building blocks for March success — against Princeton.Combine...

Kurtenbach: The Warriors bet big on Jordan Poole. They can’t afford to wait for his best game any longer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:00 GMT

When the Warriors signed Jordan Poole to a nine-figure contract extension before this season, it was with the belief that he would be the future of the franchise.He might end up being that when his new contract starts after this season.But the Warriors can’t afford to wait on Poole to find his best game any longer.The Warriors need Poole to play like a $100 million player today if this team wants to make something of this 2022-23 campaign.If the Warriors can’t get that, the offseason will be here in a matter of weeks, not months, and the Dubs’ front office (and whomever is running it) might take the extra weeks to re-assess the team’s long-term plans.Now, the expectation for this season was never that Poole would need to make a leap. But the guard plateauing wasn’t expected, either.Related ArticlesGolden State Warriors | Grizzlies hand Warriors their 11th straight road loss Golden State Warriors | Kevon Looney battles through ...

Valspar Championship Scores

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:00 GMT

SundayAt Innisbrook, A Salamander Golf and Spa Resort – CopperheadPalm Harbor, Fla.Purse: $8.1 millionYardage: 7,340; Par: 71Final RoundTaylor Moore71-67-69-67—274Adam Schenk66-69-70-70—275Tommy Fleetwood68-69-69-70—276Jordan Spieth67-70-69-70—276Wyndham Clark72-66-70-70—278Sam Burns69-73-70-67—279Cody Gribble72-65-70-73—280Webb Simpson71-68-68-73—280Matt Wallace71-67-70-72—280Zac Blair71-70-68-72—281Patton Kizzire68-73-67-73—281J.T. Poston70-68-71-72—281Nick Taylor72-70-69-70—281Justin Thomas69-70-72-70—281Erik Van Rooyen70-73-71-67—281Cameron Percy72-71-69-70—282Doc Redman74-69-68-71—282Rory Sabbatini74-65-73-70—282MJ Daffue69-74-71-69—283Kyoung-Hoon Lee74-68-75-66—283Adam Long71-68-71-73—283Denny McCarthy72-69-72-70—283Sean O’Hair71-72-68-72—283Davis Riley69-68-72-74—283Sam Ryder72-71-69-71—283Michael Thompson74-66-69-74—283Doug Ghim69-70-74-71—284Stephan Jaeger66-72-72-74—284David Lingmerth72-68-69-75—284Andrew Novak72-70-71-71—284Chad Ramey70-71-68-75—284Alex Smalle...

Valspar Championship Par Scores

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:00 GMT

SundayAt Innisbrook, A Salamander Golf and Spa Resort – CopperheadPalm Harbor, Fla.Purse: $8.1 millionYardage: 7,340; Par: 71Final RoundTaylor Moore71-67-69-67—274-10Adam Schenk66-69-70-70—275-9Tommy Fleetwood68-69-69-70—276-8Jordan Spieth67-70-69-70—276-8Wyndham Clark72-66-70-70—278-6Sam Burns69-73-70-67—279-5Cody Gribble72-65-70-73—280-4Webb Simpson71-68-68-73—280-4Matt Wallace71-67-70-72—280-4Zac Blair71-70-68-72—281-3Patton Kizzire68-73-67-73—281-3J.T. Poston70-68-71-72—281-3Nick Taylor72-70-69-70—281-3Justin Thomas69-70-72-70—281-3Erik Van Rooyen70-73-71-67—281-3Cameron Percy72-71-69-70—282-2Doc Redman74-69-68-71—282-2Rory Sabbatini74-65-73-70—282-2MJ Daffue69-74-71-69—283-1Kyoung-Hoon Lee74-68-75-66—283-1Adam Long71-68-71-73—283-1Denny McCarthy72-69-72-70—283-1Sean O’Hair71-72-68-72—283-1Davis Riley69-68-72-74—283-1Sam Ryder72-71-69-71—283-1Michael Thompson74-66-69-74—283-1Doug Ghim69-70-74-71—284EStephan Jaeger66-72-72-74—284EDavid Lingmerth72-68-69-75—284EAndrew ...

Nowell, late 3s lift Kansas State past Kentucky in NCAAs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:00 GMT

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Markquis Nowell scored 23 of his 27 points after halftime, and Kansas State overcame a horrid start from outside by hitting a couple of clutch 3-pointers while topping Kentucky 75-69 in Sunday’s second round of the NCAA Tournament.The win sends the third-seeded Wildcats (25-9) to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2018, and it came thanks to a series of big shots that finally pushed them through in a tight game.They’ll play the winner of the Michigan State-Marquette in the East Region semifinals.Kansas State missed its first 13 3-pointers and sat at 2 for 17 for the game when the outside shots started falling. There was Nowell burying a step-back 3 against Cason Wallace to bring Kansas State within 60-59, followed a bit later by Ismael Massoud burying one from the right wing at the 2:21 mark that gave Kansas State the lead for good at 64-62.Keyontae Johnson added one more from that side of the court in front of the Kansas State bench, pushing t...

South Carolina advances to Sweet 16 with rout of USF

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:00 GMT

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Zia Cooke scored 21 points and Aliyah Boston had her 81st career double double as top-seeded South Carolina shook off a slow start to power past eighth-seeded South Florida and into the Sweet 16 with a 76-45 victory Sunday.The Gamecocks improved to 34-0 with their 40th straight win overall and moved four victories away from a second straight national title. They’ll head to Greenville, where they won the Southeastern Conference Tournament two weeks ago, to play for a spot in the Final Four.Boston, the program career record holder for double doubles, finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds, coming out of her final game at home to a huge ovation.South Florida (27-7) entered looking for a program-record 28th win this season and its first berth in the Sweet 16, but after a feisty start, couldn’t hang with the Gamecocks. No. 3 NOTRE DAME 53, No. 11 MISSISSIPPI STATE 48SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Lauren Ebo had 10 points, 18 rebounds and four blocks to help Notre Dame bea...