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Russia’s sanctioned interior minister visits Saudi Arabia just after trip by Ukraine’s Zelenskyy

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:25:49 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A top Russian official who faces sanctions in the West over Moscow’s war on Ukraine visited Saudi Arabia early Tuesday and held talks with his counterpart in the kingdom, state media reported. Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev’s visit to Riyadh came just days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed an Arab League summit held in Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port city of Jeddah on Friday. The visits underline how the kingdom and Gulf Arab states, traditionally the security clients of the United States, have been maintaining their relations with Moscow amid the Ukraine war. The state-run Saudi Press Agency said Kolokoltsev met with Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud.“During the session, they discussed ways to enhance security cooperation paths between the two countries’ ministries of interior, in addition to discussing a number of issues of common interest,” the report said, without elaborating. ...

California’s Newsom faces tough question: Who would replace Feinstein?

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:25:49 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s ongoing medical struggles have raised a sensitive political question with no easy answer: Who would California Gov. Gavin Newsom pick to replace her if the seat becomes vacant?Despite calls from within her own party to resign, Feinstein, who turns 90 next month and is the oldest member of Congress, has given no indication that she is considering stepping down. Her frail appearance, confused interactions with reporters in Washington and the growing list of health challenges disclosed by her office continue to fan questions about her fitness for the job — now and into the future.Should a vacancy occur, a range of names, from obscure to famous — including Oprah Winfrey — have been floated in California circles as possible replacements. Newsom, who is mentioned as a possible future presidential contender, would also have to deal with political complexities, some of his own making: In 2021 he promised to appoint a Black woman should Feinste...

What Denver Nuggets’ schedule for NBA Finals will be if Miami, Boston win Eastern Conference Finals

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:25:49 GMT

For the first time in franchise history, the Denver Nuggets are headed to the NBA Finals.After sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, all that’s left to figure out is who’ll they’ll play next. Although, it’s looking extremely likely it’ll be the Miami Heat.Miami leads the Boston Celtics 3-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals, with Game 4 set for Tuesday night in Miami. No team has ever come back from a 3-0 series deficit in NBA history, so the Nuggets can probably start booking their travel plans now.Boston is the only team remaining with a better record than the Nuggets, so if the Celtics are able to pull off the impossible, they will have home court advantage in the NBA Finals.Here’s how the series schedule works for each outcome:If Miami closes out the series…GameLocationDateTimeTVGame 1Miami at DenverThursday, June 16:30 p.m. ABCGame 2Miami at DenverSunday, June 46:30 p.m.ABCGame 3Denver at MiamiWednesday, June 7...

PHOTOS: Denver Nuggets sweep Los Angeles Lakers in NBA Western Conference Finals

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:25:49 GMT

The Denver Nuggets swept the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Western Conference Finals, winning Game 4 113-111 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Monday, May 22, 2023. Denver will head to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.About 1,000 miles away at a Ball Arena watch party, fans cheered and cried watching the Nuggets clinch their first-ever NBA Finals berth.Related ArticlesDenver Nuggets | LeBron James on Nikola Jokic’s basketball IQ after Nuggets sweep Lakers: “He sees plays before they happen” Denver Nuggets | Nikola Jokic’s Game 4 triple-double punches Nuggets’ first trip to the NBA Finals Denver Nuggets | Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic named Western Conference Finals MVP after sweep of Lakers Denver Nuggets | Nuggets 3-pointers: Denver struck in Game 4 as soon as LeBron James cooled off Denver Nuggets | Kiszla: Michael Malone with Nuggets five wins away from...

LeBron James on Nikola Jokic’s basketball IQ after Nuggets sweep Lakers: “He sees plays before they happen”

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:25:49 GMT

LOS ANGELES — Add LeBron James to the list of generational players to praise Nikola Jokic in defeat this postseason.James credited Jokic’s series after the Nuggets completed a Western Conference Finals sweep of the Lakers on Monday, and the 38-year-old implored people to appreciate Jokic’s game beyond merely the statistics.“I know how great he is. I know how great Jokic is,” James said. “There are certain guys in this league that play the game a certain way, a certain way that I like to play the game as well, and he’s one of them where you are always off balance when you are guarding a player like that because of his ability to score, rebound, shoot. He sees plays before they happen. There’s not many guys in our league like that.”Jokic was named MVP of the Western Conference Finals after averaging 27.8 points, 14.5 rebounds and 11.8 assists. He ended the series with his eighth triple-double of the playoffs, breaking Wilt Chamberl...

Kiszla: On night Nuggets earn first-ever trip to the NBA Finals, franchise owner Stan Kroenke salutes center Nikola Jokic: “We’ve got a chance to do something nice.”

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:25:49 GMT

LOS ANGELES — On the glorious night when the Nuggets ended a tortuous 47-year wait to earn their first invitation to the NBA Finals, team owner Stan Kroenke admired the 17 championship banners hanging in the rafters of the arena where the Lakers have long ruled.“We’ve got work to do. But this is a nice start,” Kroenke told me Monday, dreaming of a time when the Nuggets are basketball royalty that bow to nobody, not even King LeBron James.Nikola Jokic, once a pudgy kid from Serbia who felt “off-balance my whole life” and never dreamed he had a shot of playing in the NBA, has grown into the man capable of turning a long-suffering franchise, maybe best known for its funky old rainbow skyline uniforms, into undisputed champs.With a driving layup, Jokic hit the winning basket in a 113-111 victory to eliminate James and the Lakers, then was serenaded on L.A.’s home floor with fans loudly chanting: “Let’s go Nuggets!”A NuggetsR...

Keeler: “I haven’t had this good a day in three months.” Nuggets’ sweep of LeBron James, Lakers rocked Ball Arena, brought longtime fans to tears.

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:25:49 GMT

Rick Driscoll kept the angels up late Monday. Even from a mile high, you could just about hear him dancing on Cloud 9, rocking a Carmelo Anthony jersey and waving his harp at Chick Hearn and Wilt Chamberlain.“He was a huge sports fan,” Denee Driscoll said as she watched her late husband’s beloved Nuggets clinch their first-ever NBA Finals berth from 1,000 miles away at a Ball Arena watch party. “And he would be thrilled right now.”Rick Alan Driscoll, lifelong Nuggets fan, passed away this past February. He went to eight or 10 games a year, blue and gold through thick and thin. As a member of Iron Workers Local 24, he gave the skyline his hands and Chauncey Billups his heart.“You know, it’s bittersweet,” Denee said softly before Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals. “But it’s awesome.”Nuggets 113, Lakers 111? Awesome. A 4-0 sweep? Awesome. ESPN’s talking heads left completely, hopelessly speechless? Awesome.“I’m so excited,” Denee beamed. “I haven’t had this good a day in three mo...

Jokic leads Nuggets past LeBron’s Lakers 113-111, into their first NBA Finals

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:25:49 GMT

By GREG BEACHAMLOS ANGELES (AP) — Nikola Jokic is a player unlike almost anything the NBA has ever seen, and now he’s taking his Denver Nuggets somewhere they’ve never been.Jokic had 30 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists, and the Nuggets advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time in team history Monday night, sweeping the Western Conference finals with a 113-111 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.Jamal Murray scored 25 points for the top-seeded Nuggets, who overcame LeBron James’ 31-point first half and a 15-point halftime deficit with a tenacious finish in Game 4 to earn their first conference title in their 47 NBA seasons.“It’s incredible,” Murray said. “It’s a lot of fun. It’s surreal. We’re going to keep making history, that’s the thing. We’re going to keep that mindset.”Jokic earned his eighth triple-double of the playoffs by the third quarter, breaking Wilt Chamberlain’s 1967 NBA record for triple-doubles in a single postseason. The bulky Serbian center with a point guard’...

A’s suffer 11-2 rout at hands of Mariners in series opener

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:25:49 GMT

By DAIMON EKLUND (Associated Press)SEATTLE (AP) — The A’s lost their fifth straight game and eighth out of nine Monday night as the Mariners blew them out in Seattle.Mariners outfielder Jarred Kelenic hit his 10th homer of the season in the first inning off starter Kyle Muller (1-4), giving Seattle a 2-0 lead it never gave up.Kelenic also singled twice and had three RBIs. Jose Caballero launched a three-run homer and Julio Rodríguez had three hits, including two doubles, and scored three times as the Mariners matched a season high for runs.Luis Castillo pitched six scoreless innings for the Mariners.Castillo (3-2) snapped a two-start losing streak and surpassed 1,000 strikeouts for his career. The right-hander had eight strikeouts and two walks against Oakland (10-39), which has lost five in a row and eight of nine.Caballero followed Kelenic’s first-inning home run with a three-run shot in the second to give the Mariners a quick 5-0 lead.Kelenic drove in another run with...

Child attacked and robbed at San Francisco park

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:25:49 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) – A child was robbed and violently beaten by a group of people at Alta Plaza in San Francisco over the weekend. KRON4 spoke with a man walking his dog who believes he saw the group involved before it happened on Friday night."It almost never happens in this neighborhood,” said the parkgoer, who wanted to remain anonymous. “I've been in this area walking dogs since 2001." Two victims identified in fatal morning crash on Hwy-101 in Sunnyvale The man believes he saw the group of people involved in the robbery and attack of a child Friday night."I was walking my dogs Friday,” he said. “I saw a couple of kids by the playground in a rowdy way greeting each other. Later when I left there was 15-20 of them in the semi-circle sitting there drinking stuff vigorously."San Francisco police say around 9:30 p.m. officers responded to a robbery at Alta Plaza on Clay Street. A girl told police that she was with a boy when they were approached by several people who pushed...