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North Korea confirms it is closing some diplomatic missions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:33 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea confirmed Friday that it’s closing some of its diplomatic missions abroad, a move that rival South Korea suspects is likely the latest sign of the North’s economic troubles amid persistent international sanctions.Earlier in the week, the South Korean government said North Korea was moving to close its embassies in Uganda, Angola and Spain, as well as a consulate in Hong Kong, because the sanctions have made it extremely difficult for them to continue illegal activities abroad to earn money for their operating expenses.According to South Korean government data, North Korea has diplomatic relations with more than 150 countries but operates just around 50 diplomatic posts abroad.The North Korean Foreign Ministry said Friday that it is “either closing or newly opening diplomatic missions in other countries” in line with unspecified changes in the international environment and the North’s external policy. South Korean officials couldn’t i...

Stock market today: Asian shares follow Wall St higher on hopes for an end to Fed rate hikes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:33 GMT

HONG KONG (AP) — Asian shares advanced on Friday after Wall Street roared higher on bets that market-rattling interest rate hikes are coming to an end. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 1.2% to 17,296.34, while the Shanghai Composite edged 0.1% higher to 3,026.32. Tokyo markets were closed for a holiday.In China, a services industry survey showed a slight improvement in October, though retail sales hit its lowest level in 10 months. Similar surveys for the manufacturing sector released early this week showed more sluggish market conditions overall. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 gained 1.2% to 6,978.40. South Korea’s Kospi surged 1% to 2,367.53. India’s Sensex was 0.8% higher and Bangkok’s SET rose 0.6%.Hopes that the Federal Reserve may finally be done with raising rates after it opted to keep its benchmark rate unchanged pushed shares higher around the world on Thursday. The Fed has jacked up rates furiously since early last year to try to slow the economy and starve high inflation of its ...

Paolo Banchero scores 30 points, Magic beat Jazz 115-113

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:33 GMT

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Paolo Banchero scored 30 points, making the deciding layup with 14 seconds left, in the Orlando Magic’s 115-113 victory over the Utah Jazz on Thursday night.Banchero added nine rebounds and five assists to help the Magic win for the third time in 15 games against Utah. He attacked the paint relentlessly for four quarters. Only one of his nine baskets came from the perimeter, and he made 11 of 15 free throws.“I just wanted to be aggressive and take advantage of the mismatches,” Banchero said.Franz Wagner added 21 points, and Cole Anthony had 18 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists to help the Magic cap a four-game trip with their second road victory.“I think us winning tonight just kinds shows our growth as a team,” Banchero said. “It’s a boost being able to go back home with some momentum.”Attacking the rim consistently paid off for Orlando. The Magic finished with 56 points in the paint and 13 second-chance points. Orlando also went 27 of 36 on free throw...

Cuylle has tiebreaking goal in Rangers’ 6th straight win, 2-1 win over Hurricanes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:33 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Will Cuylle scored the tiebreaking goal midway through the third period, Igor Shesterkin made 26 saves and the New York Rangers beat the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1 on Thursday night for their sixth straight win.Chris Kreider also scored for the Rangers, who have eight wins in their first 10 games for the second time in franchise history. The 8-2-0 start is second only to a 9-1-0 mark to begin the 1983-84 season.Seth Jarvis had the goal for Carolina, which had won three straight. Frederik Andersen finished with 24 saves.Cuylle converted a pass from defenseman Jacob Trouba to score his second career goal past Andersen at 10:21 of the third.BRUINS 3, MAPLE LEAFS 2, SOBOSTON (AP) — Jake DeBrusk and Charlie Coyle scored in the shootout and Boston beat Toronto.DeBrusk and Paval Zacha scored in regulation for the Bruins, who lead the Eastern Conference with a 9-0-1 record. Jeremy Swayman made 33 saves.Mitchell Marner and Auston Matthews scored for the Maple Leafs. Ilya Samsono...

Schmaltz scores twice, Coyotes hold off Canadiens 3-2

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:33 GMT

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Nick Schmaltz scored two goals, including the go-ahead goal in the third period, and the Arizona Coyotes defeated the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 on Thursday night.The game-winner came with 13:53 remaining on a Coyotes power play with Arber Xhekaj in the penalty box for cross-checking. Rookie Logan Cooley skated from the left side and hit Schmaltz with a pass to beat Jake Allen on the glove side.Schmaltz, who has four goals and a team-high 10 points, scored his first goal on a penalty shot. Lawson Crouse also scored for Arizona and Connor Ingram stopped 28 shots.Sean Monahan and Brendan Gallagher had the goals for the Canadiens and Allen stopped 33 shots.Schmaltz was awarded a penalty shot 6:17 into the game after Canadiens defenseman Justin Barron covered the puck in the crease — the third straight game that Montreal’s opponent has been awarded a penalty. Schmaltz beat Allen to the stick side.Less than a minute after Schmaltz’s goal, Monahan scored from the slot, his...

Titans wide receiver Treylon Burks carted off after landing hard late in fourth quarter vs. Steelers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:33 GMT

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Tennessee Titans wide receiver Treylon Burks was carted off in the final minutes against Pittsburgh on Thursday night with an injury.Burks tried to make a leaping fourth-down grab down the left sideline but saw the ball slip from his grasp. He landed hard out of bounds and appeared to be unconscious.Medical staff from both teams came out to treat Burks, the 18th overall pick in the 2022 draft. His face mask was cut off and he was placed onto a spinal board while players on both teams knelt on the Acrisure Stadium turf nearby. Burks appeared to be able to wiggle his toes as he was being loaded onto the cart.Tennessee head coach Mike Vrabel said Burks — who caught two passes for 23 yards — was “alert” and “moving” in the training room after the Titans fell to Pittsburgh 20-16.“It’s probably better than how it looked,” Vrabel said. Burks sustained a concussion as a rookie in Philadelphia when he was knocked out while making a touchdown grab in a blowout loss to ...

Marchessault’s hat trick leads Golden Knights to 5-2 win over Jets to improve to 10-0-1

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:33 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Jonathan Marchessault scored three goals for his sixth career hat trick, Logan Thompson made 28 saves, and the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Winnipeg Jets 5-2 on Thursday night.William Karlsson and Ivan Barbashev also scored as the Golden Knights improved to 10-0-1 and became the 13th team in NHL history to record a season-opening point streak of at least 11 games.Kyle Connor and Alex Iafallo scored for the Jets while Connor Hellebuyck made 21 saves.Karlsson put Vegas on the board first when he raced down the left side and one-timed a nifty backhand pass from Pavel Dorofeyev past Hellebuyck midway through the first. Karlsson extended his point streak to eight games with his fourth goal during the stretch giving him 10 points in that span.The teams exchanged goals in the second period, with Winnipeg tying the score when Connor skated from the blue line, through the left circle, across the slot and lasered a backhand into the net at 6:17.It took less than a minute for...

Pickett hits Johnson for late touchdown as the Steelers slip past Levis, Titans 20-16

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:33 GMT

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers know their margin for error is impossibly thin. They know no other way.The tighter the finish, the more the team they believe they can be — a team that rarely, if ever, shows itself for four quarters — emerges.“You can’t get nervous,” running back Jaylen Warren said. “We’re not ones to fold. When the pressure builds, we love it. We love it.”Sure looks like it.Kenny Pickett threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Diontae Johnson with 4:02 to go and Pittsburgh’s defense turned away Tennessee rookie quarterback Will Levis twice in the final minutes as the Steelers rallied for a 20-16 victory on Thursday night.Pittsburgh (5-3) bounced back from a dismal loss to Jacksonville on Sunday by doing what it has done so well for so long: hanging around long enough to pull it out in the end.Four of Pittsburgh’s five wins this season have come in games they trailed entering the fourth quarter. All five of Pittsburgh’s victories have...

Bulgaria commits to defense spending spree

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:33 GMT

Presented by ASD By JOSHUA POSANER with LAURA KAYALI, CALEB LARSON and WILHELMINE PREUSSENPRESENTED BY View in your browser or listen to audioSNEAK PEEK— Bulgaria will boost its defense spending, splashing out on combat aircraft, patrol ships and armored vehicles.— Andøya Spaceport has now officially opened what it says will be continental Europe’s first launchpad for small and medium rockets.— The Swedish Defense Materiel Administration signed a $605 million contract to buy American AIM-120 AMRAAM medium-range air-to-air missiles.Good morning, and welcome to Morning Defense. Tips to [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected] or follow us at @joshposaner, @LauKaya and @calebmlarson.DRIVING THE DAYBULGARIA TO KEEP BOOSTING DEFENSE SPENDING: The Bulgarian government plans to spend at least 2 percent of GDP on the military through 2027, Defense Minis...

Japan’s prime minister visits Manila to boost defense ties in the face of China’s growing aggression

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:33 GMT

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Japan’s prime minister began a two-day visit on Friday to the Philippines, where he’s expected to announce a security aid package and upcoming negotiations for a defense pact in a bid to boost Tokyo’s alliances in the face of China’s alarming assertiveness in the region. After a red-carpet welcome at the Malacanang Palace in Manila, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was set to hold talks with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on bolstering overall relations, primarily defense ties. China’s increasingly aggressive actions in the South China Sea will be high in the agenda, Philippine officials said.Two weeks ago, China’s ships separately blocked then hit a Philippine coast guard vessel and a supply boat near the disputed Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. Japan immediately expressed its strong support to the Philippines and the United States renewed its warning that it’s obligated to defend its treaty ally if Filipino forces come under an armed att...