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UN steps up criticism of IMF and World Bank, the other pillars of the post-World War II global order

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:28 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — From the ashes of World War II, three institutions were created as linchpins of a new global order. Now, in an unusual move, the top official in one — the secretary-general of the United Nations — is pressing for major changes in the other two.Antonio Guterres says the International Monetary Fund has benefited rich countries instead of poor ones. And he describes the IMF and World Bank ’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic as a “glaring failure” that left dozens of countries deeply indebted.Guterres’ criticism, in a recent paper, isn’t the first time he’s called for overhauling global financial institutions. But it is his most in-depth analysis of their problems, cast in light of their response to the pandemic, which he called a “stress test” for the organizations.His comments were issued ahead of meetings called by French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Thursday and Friday to address reforms of the multilateral development banks and other issues.Neither t...

Collier leads Lynx past Los Angeles again

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:28 GMT

Napheesa Collier scored 25 points and grabbed six rebounds, and the Lynx beat the host Los Angeles Sparks 77-72 Friday for their third win in four games.Kayla McBride added 16 points and five rebounds for shorthanded Minnesota. Jessica Shepard, the team leader with 9.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game, was out with an illness.McBride’s last two points were a pair of free throws for a five-point lead with 18.2 seconds remaining.Collier, who has scored at least 22 points in four of five games, was 9 of 13 from the field. She gave the Lynx a 74-70 lead with 1:06 left by driving the lane, getting fouled and sinking the free throw.Minnesota (3-7) finished 17 of 25 from the free-throw line. It was 24 of 25 last Sunday when it used a late 17-0 run for a 91-86 win over the Sparks at Target Center. The teams play again Tuesday in Los Angeles.Nikolina Milić added 10 first-half points off the bench before getting into foul trouble.Jordin Canada led Los Angeles (5-5) with 22 points.Brutal in t...

Rickie Fowler’s wild ride gives him a 1-shot lead in the US Open

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:28 GMT

By DOUG FERGUSON (AP Golf Writer)LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rickie Fowler finished off a round that was entertaining even by Hollywood standards, and then walked off the 18th green Friday in the U.S. Open with the lead, and with the calm of someone who has been in this position before.Just not recently. “It’s been a while since I’ve felt this good in a tournament, let alone a major,” said Fowler, winless since February 2019 in the Phoenix Open. “It’s going to be a challenge, but I’m definitely looking forward to it.”And there was nothing calm about his day at Los Angeles Country Club. Fowler made only four pars in his round of 2-under 68. He has 18 birdies through 36 holes, an astounding rate for a U.S. Open, and he needed them all for his first 36-hole lead in a major.Along the way, he tied the 36-hole scoring record at the U.S. Open.Los Angeles Country Club tried to fight back after a record opening day of low scores, and help arrived ...

Applications for L.A. County's guaranteed income program open to foster youth

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:28 GMT

Applications will soon open for a guaranteed income program for foster youth in Los Angeles County.The program, called “Breathe,” will provide 200 eligible residents with $1,000 a month for three years. Selected recipients will receive their monthly payments through debit cards. No bank account is required to participate.To be eligible, applicants must be: - Between 21 years old and under 24 (won’t turn 24 until September 1, 2023, or later) when applying- Be a former LA County DCFS Foster Youth who was in care on or after their 18th birthday (aka "aged out")- Live in a Los Angeles County neighborhood that falls at or below 100% of the County’s Area Median Household Income (AMI)- Have a household income that falls at or below 100% AMI for a single-person household or 120% AMI for a household of two or more persons- Have been negatively financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic- Not be currently enrolled in another Guaranteed Income project offered by the County, a city,...

Oakland A’s update: The 2024 question gets answered, Pache returns and the losing streak grows

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:28 GMT

OAKLAND — Let there be no ambiguity: Even after this week’s events in Nevada, the Oakland A’s will still play the 2024 season at the Coliseum.But what happens after next year remains unknown.The A’s will play at the 55-year-old facility for at least another full season, a team spokesman confirmed Friday evening. The MLB team, which is looking to construct a new 30,000-season ballpark along the Las Vegas Strip in the coming years, signed a 10-year extension with the City of Oakland in 2014.On Thursday, Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo signed into law a $380 million public financing package to help build a retractable roof stadium, estimated to cost a total of $1.5 billion, for the A’s on the property of the current Tropicana Hotel & Casino.The A’s and owner John Fisher must now file a relocation plan to MLB, explaining in detail why moving the franchise from Oakland to Clark County is necessary. That will begin a months-long approval process which will...

A's situation similar to when Giants almost left SF, ex-MLB team president says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:28 GMT

(KRON) -- Despite Nevada lawmakers approving public funding for a ballpark this week, Oakland A's fans don't lose hope. Former Miami Marlins President David Samson says A's fans shouldn't lose hope on their team leaving Oakland for Las Vegas. "I don't want anyone to give up hope. I think it's not an absolute that the A's are going to Vegas," Samson told KRON4 on Friday.Perhaps Samson's optimism is rooted in what happened three decades ago with the San Francisco Giants. Who remembers when the Orange and Black almost left the Bay Area entirely? Manfred comments on A’s reverse boycott, move to Vegas; Oakland mayor responds A similar situation happened with Giants, who almost moved to Florida, but this happenedSamson compared the situation of the Giants, who at the time were about to move to Tampa Bay, to the A's current situation."I remind you of a team in your area. The San Francisco Giants were a minute and a half before moving to Tampa Bay, before there was expansion in Tampa Bay,...

McClanahan gets MLB-best 11th win, Arozarena has HR and 4 RBIs in Rays’ 6-2 win over Padres

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:28 GMT

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Shane McClanahan pitched into the seven inning to get his major league-leading 11th win, Randy Arozarena homered and drove in four runs, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the San Diego Padres 6-2 on Friday night.Tampa Bay is now 51-22 (.699 winning percentage) — easily the best record in baseball, seven wins more than the Atlanta Braves. The Rays have won 11 of their last 14 games and are 15-7 in interleague play.McClanahan (11-1) came into the game with the majors’ second-lowest ERA at 2.18. After allowing just one run and three hits with five strike outs in 6 2/3 innings, he lowered that to 2.12. The Padres’ only damage against him was a solo home run by Nelson Cruz in the seventh when the Rays had a 6-0 lead.Tampa Bay reliever Pete Fairbanks came in to work out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the ninth to earn his seventh save by getting Fernando Tatis Jr. to hit into a 4-6-3 double play to end the game. The Rays teed off on San Diego starter Yu Darvish (...

Matar, aterrorizar, expulsar: testimonios detallan las atrocidades cometidas por una milicia respaldada por Wagner en Sudán

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:28 GMT

Nota del editor: este informe incluye detalles de agresiones sexuales y violencia.(CNN) — Los gritos atravesaron el aire cuando un coche lleno de mujeres y niños entró en Chad procedente de Sudán, asolado por la guerra. Una mujer, en avanzado estado de gestación, yacía en el asiento trasero, sin vida y empapada en sangre. Sus hijos, a sus pies, gemían.“Me senté a su lado en el coche”, dijo Butheina Nourin, describiendo su peligrosa huida de la región sudanesa de Darfur junto a la mujer muerta. “Se llamaba Fátima. No sé su apellido”.Combatientes del poderoso grupo paramilitar sudanés Fuerzas de Apoyo Rápido (RSF, por sus siglas en inglés) y sus aliados armados vigilaban los puestos de control a lo largo de su ruta, relató Nourin, exigiendo dinero a cada pasajero a cambio de un paso seguro.Este brutal método de extorsión se ha generalizado en Darfur, según decenas de testigos que relataron incidentes similares a CNN.La vasta región occidental de Sudán es ...

Schwarber homers on 1st pitch, Phillies beat A’s 6-1 and stretch win streak to 4

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:28 GMT

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Kyle Schwarber homered on the first pitch of the game, J.T. Realmuto and Alec Bohm also went deep and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Oakland Athletics 6-1 on Friday night for their fourth straight victory.Oakland lost its third in a row following a season-high, seven-game winning streak. At 19-53, the A’s are just above Kansas City (18-51) for worst record in the major leagues.A day after Nevada enacted $380 million in public financing for a ballpark for A’s, the game drew 16,084 to the Oakland Coliseum, the team’s fifth-largest home crowd this season. Oakland is proposing to move to Las Vegas after its Coliseum expires at the end of the 2024 season. The A’s entered the day averaging a major league-low 8,363.Taijuan Walker (7-3) allowed one run and seven hits in a season-high eight innings. He walked none and tied a season high with eight strikeouts as the Phillies won for the 11th time in 13 games.JP Sears (1-4) gave up four runs a...

San Diego State seeks info from the Mountain West related to a potential exit, an AP source says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:28 GMT

San Diego State University has sent a letter to the Mountain West seeking information related to a potential exit next year, according to a person familiar with the situation.The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Friday night due to the sensitivity of the situation.According to multiple reports, SDSU wants an extension of the deadline to give formal notice it is leaving the Mountain West to avoid having to pay double the exit fee. SDSU hopes to join either the Pac-12 or the Big 12 but has not received a formal invitation. The person said the school, which has been in the Mountain West since its inception in 1999, is doing due diligence to be prepared to make a decision if it is invited to change conferences.ESPN first reported that SDSU sent the letter to the Mountain West on Tuesday.Talk of SDSU potentially moving to the Pac-12 intensified after Southern California and UCLA announced last summer that they will move to the Big Ten in August 2024.However,...