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Remains of former Chinese premier Li Keqiang to be cremated and flags to be lowered

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:31 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — The remains of former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang are to be cremated on Thursday, with flags around the country to be flown at half-staff to mourn the official who helped guide the world’s second-largest economy for a decade. Li died Friday of a heart attack at 68. Mourners gathered at his childhood home in the city of Hefei in an apparently spontaneous outpouring of grief seen by some as a rebuke of state leader and head of the ruling Communist Party Xi Jinping. Li was once seen as a potential top leader, but the trained economist was shunted aside in a leadership shakeup last year and replaced with Xi loyalist Li Qiang. Even before then, Xi had consolidated power and sidelined potential rivals with an anti-corruption campaign and by altering the constitution to allow himself to rule indefinitely. Xi has also thoroughly reshuffled economic and financial leadership positions and set up an entity called the Central Financial Commission in moves that are seen as shifting...

3 astronauts return to Earth after 6-month stay on China’s space station

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:31 GMT

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Three Chinese astronauts returned to Earth on Tuesday morning after six months aboard China’s orbiting space station. Jing Haipeng, Zhu Yangzhu and Gui Haichao emerged in good health from the return capsule near the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on the edge of the Gobi Desert, the official Xinhua News Agency said. The station’s new three-person crew arrived to the Tiangong station last week. The station is essentially complete, so the new crew will conduct medical and scientific experiments and maintain equipment. China made its first crewed space mission in 2003 and plans to put astronauts on the moon before 2030. It has brought samples back from the lunar surface and landed a rover on the less explored far side of the moon. Future plans include sending a new telescope to probe deep into the universe.China built its own space station after it was excluded from the International Space Station, largely due to U.S. concerns over Chinese military control over th...

Seager stars with 2-run HR, stellar defense to lead Rangers over D-backs 3-1 in World Series Game 3

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:31 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — Corey Seager launched a two-run homer and made a slick defensive play in the eighth inning to start a crucial double play, Max Scherzer combined with four relievers for a gem on the mound and the Texas Rangers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-1 to take a 2-1 lead in the World Series on Monday night.Texas overcame injuries to Scherzer and slugger Adolis García in improving to 9-0 on the road this postseason, this time in front of more than 48,000 fans at Chase Field.“We’re just coming ready to play every night, no matter where we are,” Seager said. “That’s what the focus is.”The 29-year-old Seager — in the second year of a $325 million contract — once again showed he was worth every penny on the game’s biggest stage.The shortstop smoked a two-run homer into the right-field seats as part of a three-run third after Diamondbacks rookie starter Brandon Pfaadt left a first-pitch changeup high in the zone. The ball left Seager’s bat at 114.5 mph, which was the hardest-hit Fal...

Maui police release 16 minutes of body camera footage from day of Lahaina wildfire

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:31 GMT

HONOLULU (AP) — Maui police held a news conference on Monday to show 16 minutes of body camera footage taken the day a wildfire tore through Lahaina town in August, including video of officers rescuing 15 people from a coffee shop and taking a severely burned man to a hospital. Chief John Pelletier said his department faced a deadline to release 20 hours of body camera footage in response to an open records request and wanted to provide some context for what people would see before the video came out. Earlier this month, Maui County provided the AP with 911 call recordings in response to an open records request. The 16 minutes of video released at the news conference in Wailuku showed officers evacuating a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf shop at a supermarket on Front Street, which later burned. Fifteen people had taken refuge inside the coffee shop. Officers ushered them out as smoke swirled in the sky around them, loaded the group into police SUVs and took them to the Lahaina Civic Cente...

5 injured in crash along Lake Shore Drive

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:31 GMT

CHICAGO — Fire officials say five people were hospitalized after a crash along Lake Shore Drive on Monday evening.The crash happened near East 31st Street and South DuSable Lake Shore Drive. Driver killed after crashing into utility pole, home in Palatine According to fire officials, four people were critically injured in the crash and a fifth victim was taken to the hospital in fair condition. Authorities have not provided the names or ages of anyone injured in the crash.Currently, it is unclear what led to the crash or how many vehicles were involved.

'They’ve done a complete 180': City to use shuttered Kmart as migrant shelter after reversing course

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:31 GMT

CHICAGO — An old department store near Ford City Mall on the Southwest Side could soon become a shelter as the city works to accommodate the recent influx of migrants who are being bused to Chicago, changing course on earlier opposition to the plan.In a letter sent out to 23rd Ward residents, Ald. Silvana Tabares (23rd) said the city has notified her office about plans to use the location as it works to move migrants out of Chicago police stations. City council committee advances plan for migrant camp at vacant South Side lot According to Tabares, the plans for the facility were initially proposed by the governor’s office back in February, but the city had opposed the facility, deeming it unsafe. Tabares said the city has since reversed course on the decision and notified her office that it now intends to use the long-shuttered K-Mart as a migrant shelter.The new shelter would utilize the vacant building and parking lot in the 7000 block of South Pulaski Road, in West Lawn, to hou...

UAW reaches deal with GM that ends strikes against Detroit automakers pending votes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:31 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — The United Auto Workers announced Monday that it reached a tentative deal with General Motors, capping a whirlwind few days in which GM, Ford and Stellantis agreed to generous terms that would end the union's six weeks of targeted strikes, pending approval of the rank and file.The deal UAW President Shawn Fain closed on his 55th birthday is modeled on the ones agreed to with crosstown rivals Ford and Jeep-maker Stellantis, and would give workers higher raises than they've received in years. If approved, it would also claw back some concessions the UAW agreed to almost two decades ago, when the automakers were in desperate financial shape.Analysts say Fain’s combative stance with the companies paid off for the workers, winning them pay and cost-of-living raises that would top 30% by the time the contracts expire in April 2028. Workers would get an immediate 11% pay bump upon ratification.But analysts say the deals run the risk of...

Saddlebrook community in San Marcos under boil water notice

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:31 GMT

SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) -- A boil water notice was issued for the Saddlebrook community in San Marcos on Monday due to a line break, Maxwell Special Utility District said on its website.While under the boil water notice, customers should boil water prior to consumption for washing their hands/face, brushing their teeth, for drinking and more, the water district said. Water should be brought to a "vigorous rolling boil" and then it should be boiled for two minutes.Once the boil water notice is rescinded, the water district said it will issue another notice.

Dane Mizutani: If this is the end, Vikings quarterback Cousins deserved better

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:31 GMT

Kirk Cousins showed tremendous strength when everybody would have forgiven him had he shown tremendous weakness instead.After getting helped onto the cart on Sunday afternoon at Lambeau Field, more than likely knowing at that point that he had suffered a torn Achilles tendon, Cousins provided a heartwarming moment that has since gone viral on social media.The cameras caught him putting on a beanie, looking up at the big screen and taking a few seconds to cheer on his teammates.It was the personification of leadership, continuing to lift everybody else around him, even in his darkest hour.That’s who Kirk Cousins is. That’s who Kirk Cousins has always been.It’s hard to believe he might have played his final snap with the Vikings after tearing his Achilles tendon on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers.If this is the end, Cousins deserved better. He was a punchline for far too long. He has proven to be much more than that throughout his tenure in Minnesota.As soon as ...

Surveillance cameras capture dramatic images of Central West End attack

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:31 GMT

ST. LOUIS – Surveillance cameras operated by the Central West End Security Initiative captured the dramatic moments Sunday morning when a mother carrying her child was attacked in St. Louis.The child’s father is seen pushing back the attacker while the mother carries the child away near Euclid Avenue and West Pine Boulevard.St. Louis police reported the series of attacks that took place near that intersection in a short period of time. Anthony McGee, 19, was quickly taken into custody after witnesses called the police.McGee is facing multiple charges, including first-degree assault, first-degree kidnapping, and resisting arrest. Police allege McGee attacked the mother and daughter, struck another woman in the head with a bottle, and chocked an 82-year-old woman on a sidewalk, resulting in both her arms being broken. Prosecutors wonder about other victims after deathbed scam Clayton Police recently arrested McGee and allege he punched a woman walking south along Big Bend Boulevard....