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China replaces its defense minister months after its foreign minister was removed from office

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:02:49 GMT

TAIPEI. Taiwan (AP) — China has replaced Defense Minister Gen. Li Shangfu, who has been out of public view for almost two months, state media reported Tuesday. No further information was given. Li is the second senior Chinese official to disappear this year, following former Foreign Minister Qin Gang, who was removed from office in July with no explanation offered. Li, who became defense minister during a Cabinet reshuffle in March, hasn’t been seen since giving a speech on Aug. 29. There is no indication that the disappearances of Qin and Li signal a change in China’s foreign or defense policies, although they have raised questions about the resilience of president and ruling Communist Party leader Xi Jinping’s circle of power. Xi has a reputation for valuing loyalty above all and has relentlessly attacked corruption in public and private, sometimes in what has been seen as a method of eliminating political rivals and shoring up his political position amid a deteriorating economy a...

Menor es herido de bala en el condado Fairfax

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:02:49 GMT

Un menor fue herido de bala la tarde del martes en el área de Lincolnia en el condado Fairfax en Virginia. La edad exacta de la víctima no estuvo inmediatamente disponible, pero la policía del condado Fairfax dijo que un “menor” recibió múltiples impactos de bala en la parte inferior de su cuerpo. La víctima fue llevada al hospital con heridas que no amenazan su vida, según las autoridades. De acuerdo a la policía, la balacera se registró en la cuadra 4600 de N. Chambliss Street sobre las 4:20 p.m.No estuvo claro de inmediato qué llevó al tiroteo, pero las autoridades dijeron que no había una amenaza para el público. Varios sospechosos huyeron en un BMW blanco. Cualquier persona con información debe llamar al 911. Source

Nuggets celebrate first championship with banner, rings and win over the Lakers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:02:49 GMT

The Denver Nuggets raised their championship banner Tuesday night, then they dropped the hammer on the Los Angeles Lakers with a 119-107 victory fueled by Nikola Jokic's triple-double.Jokic had 29 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists in the NBA's season opener. Jamal Murray added 21 points, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 20, Aaron Gordon had 15 and Michael Porter Jr. had 12. Get a look at the Denver Nuggets’ lavish championship rings All of LA's starters also scored in double figures, led by LeBron James' 21 points in 29 minutes — his playing time is being monitored at the start of his 21st season.Taurean Prince scored 18 points his debut for the Lakers, his fifth team in nine seasons, Anthony Davis had 17 points, Austin Reaves 14 and D'Angelo Russell 11.The Lakers trailed by 18 early but trimmed that deficit to 63-54 at halftime and used a 13-0 run spanning the third and fourth quarters to pull within 87-84 before Aaron Gordon stopped the run with a 3-pointer.The Lakers never got ...

Couple takes legal action against MDPD after officer threatens to shoot man

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:02:49 GMT

It’s been over a month since the day that a man and his family in Southwest Miami-Dade won’t ever forget. Now, they’re taking legal action against a police department.“More than anybody, I want answers because it was my life, I was the one facing the barrel of the gun,” said the victim.On Sept. 20, 7News broke the story of a man who said he’d just pulled into his complex from work when he realized he was being followed by an unmarked police SUV — and before he knew it, he said he was held at gunpoint and had his life threatened by an officer.He then sped off at the sight of the video-taking wife, of the man who was just pulled over.“It’s just not fair that a police officer threatens to take somebody’s life,” said the victim’s wife.Cohen has put Miami-Dade Police on notice.“My clients were terrified,” said Brandon Cohen, the family’s attorney. “We have every intention of filing a civil suit agai...

Dania Beach man reunites with dog after being apart for 91 days

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:02:49 GMT

The dog fight is over for a Dania Beach man whose beloved pooch was adopted out by Broward County Animal Care. The Yorkipoo was supposed to be under protective care while he was in the hospital.7 Investigates was there for the reunion.Here’s Karen Hensel.Timothy Sweat/Bear’s owner: “My baby bear. I know. I miss you so much. Oh my goodness. Daddy’s here.”Timothy Sweat has spent the last 91 days fighting for this moment.Timothy Sweat: “My little baby boy. My little baby boy.”On July 26, someone tried to take his dog Bear while they were on a walk in Dania Beach. Timothy fought the person off but he was severely beaten and rushed to the hospital Police took Bear to animal care for safe keeping but the shelter did not keep the Yorki-poo safe for Timothy.Timothy Sweat: “The second I got out of the hospital, still bleeding, still had the tags on me, I got to the animal shelter and they just politely walked out and said, ‘He’s go...

US has ‘high confidence’ Palestinian militants to blame for Gaza hospital blast

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:02:49 GMT

U.S. intelligence officials say they have “high confidence” that last week’s deadly blast at a Gaza hospital was caused by a failed rocket launch by Palestinian militants, not an Israeli strike.In a briefing to reporters on Tuesday, the intelligence officials said they based their assessment on analysis of videos of the projectile’s flight, as well as an examination of the blast’s effects on the hospital and surrounding area. They were granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.Analysis of videos shot from four locations, including from two cameras that captured the projectile’s flight, showed the rocket was launched from within the Gaza Strip and traveled northeast, according to one of the officials. About 10 seconds after the launch, analysts assess the motor combustion became “unstable,” one of the officials said.“We can tell that in part based on the fluctuating intensity of the rocket plume about five seconds after that there’s a flash in the video,” s...

Dentists, bakers and trained killers: It’s the French navy’s elite crew

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:02:49 GMT

ABOARD THE FRENCH HELICOPTER CARRIER TONNERRE — John Denver’s “Country Roads,” a folk song from 1971, resounds through the Tonnerre. It’s 7:30 a.m., and some of the crew aboard the Mistral-class amphibious helicopter carrier are already eating breakfast — loading up on coffee, bread and jam ahead of a planned exercise to storm a Spanish beach. It’s been a short night, and plans for the landing have changed several times. The French assault vessel — 199 meters long, 32 meters wide and able to carry 21,500 tons — is a key element in the European Union’s first live military exercise in October off the southern coast of Spain. In the training scenario chosen by top EU military officials, European troops had to assault a beach to rescue the government of a fictitious ally called Seglia. That’s exactly what the Tonnerre (Thunder in English), was designed to do. Called a Landing Helicopter Dock in NATO-speak, the ship can carry helicopters, armore...

Global Gateway: If not now, when?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:02:49 GMT

 David McAllister is the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the European Parliament.On Wednesday, many are assembling in Brussels for the first Global Gateway Forum — a platform for global stakeholders, such as governments, financial institutions, the private sector, civil society and international organizations, to expedite the European Union’s Global Gateway projects.In today’s globalized world, transregional infrastructure projects have become an integral part of international relations. And as we face an estimated €13 billion shortage to meet the U.N.’s development goals for 2024, China has penetrated this worldwide financing gap with targeted offers, creating a sphere of dependency that reaches as far as Europe.By March 2022, 147 countries — including 18 EU members — had already signed Memorandums of Understanding with China to become part of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Backed by unrivaled financial muscle, this strategy has since been increasing Beijing’s p...

Meet the Labour think tank guiding Keir Starmer’s path to power

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:02:49 GMT

LONDON — It began as a vehicle to stop the U.K. Labour Party from splitting under Jeremy Corbyn and to win back control from the hard left.Now under Keir Starmer, Labour Together has evolved into a highly influential think tank quietly shaping the direction of the party which, according to current polling, is on course to form the next government.Headed by Josh Simons, a former Harvard postdoc who has worked on AI ethics for Facebook, Labour Together divides its time between developing policy and measuring public opinion.The think tank maintains a low profile in Westminster but has close links to Labour HQ — those who run it are in regular contact with senior officials including campaign director Morgan McSweeney, strategy director Deborah Mattinson and policy chief Stuart Ingham.It’s also doing some serious fundraising, having amassed more than £1.8 million in donations since Starmer became leader in April 2020.In party circles Labour Together is seen as particularly close to McSwe...

As Lebanon’s border simmers, life in downtown Beirut goes on (for now)

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:02:49 GMT

Jamie Dettmer is opinion editor at POLITICO Europe. LEBANON — Walking in downtown Beirut, with its gleaming apartment blocks, outdoor cafes and stylish restaurants, one would never know Lebanon is possibly a missile or two away from a war — one that would make the 2006 conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah seem minor by comparison.Since Hamas launched its attacks on southern Israel two weeks ago, Hezbollah and the Israeli Defense Forces have been trading fire across the border — and these incidents have been intensifying. Twelve thousand people have fled their homes in southern Lebanon and 25 have been killed, among them 16 Hezbollah fighters and five Israeli soldiers.On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited troops on the country’s northern border, warning that Hezbollah would be making “the mistake of its life” if it decided to fight another war in support of its ally Hamas. “We will strike it with a force it cannot even imagine, and the signifi...