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China’s July exports tumble by double digits, adding to pressure to shore up flagging economy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:52:25 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — China’s exports plunged by 14.5% in July compared with a year earlier, adding to pressure on the ruling Communist Party to reverse an economic slump.Exports fell to $281.8 billion as the decline widened from June’s 12.4% fall, customs data showed Tuesday. Imports tumbled 12.4% from a year earlier to $201.2 billion in a sign of weak domestic demand, widening from the previous month’s 6.8% contraction.The country’s global trade surplus narrowed by 20.4% from a record high a year ago to $80.6 billion.Chinese leaders are trying to shore up business and consumer activity after a rebound following the end of anti-virus controls in December fizzled out earlier than expected.Economic growth sank to 0.8% in the three months ending in June compared with the previous quarter, down from the January-March period’s 2.2%. That is the equivalent of 3.2% annual growth, which would be among China’s weakest in three decades.The ruling party has promised measures ...

In Utah and Kansas, state courts flex power over new laws regulating abortion post-Roe

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:52:25 GMT

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — State courts in Utah and Kansas are set to hear arguments Tuesday in legal challenges to new laws on abortion as judges tussle with legislatures over how to regulate the medical procedure and its providers after the overturning of Roe v. Wade.Those and other state courts have become key venues in the fight over abortion since last year, when the U.S. Supreme Court reversed the constitutional right to abortion and made the rules governing it a matter of state laws.In Utah, the state Supreme Court is expected to weigh a lower court’s decision to put a law banning most abortions on hold more than a year ago. In Kansas, providers are asking a district court judge to block a new restriction on how they dispense abortion medications as well as older rules governing what doctors must tell patients and a required 24-hour wait between the first in-person consultation and the procedure.In both states, the impact of the overturning of Roe remains unsettled as GOP-co...

Once Colombia’s most-wanted drug lord, the kingpin known as Otoniel faces sentencing in US

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:52:25 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — For years, the man known as Otoniel was seen as one of the world’s most dangerous drug lords, the elusive boss of a cartel and paramilitary group with a blood-drenched grip on much of northern Colombia.On Tuesday, Dairo Antonio Úsuga faces sentencing to at least 20 years in a U.S. prison. He pleaded guilty in January to high-level drug trafficking charges, admitting he oversaw the smuggling of tons of U.S.-bound cocaine and acknowledging “there was a lot of violence with the guerillas and the criminal gangs.” The U.S. agreed not to seek a life sentence in order to get him extradited from Colombia. Instead, federal prosecutors in Brooklyn are seeking a 45-year term for Úsuga, who is 51 and has a number of medical problems. His “desire for control and revenge simply cannot be overstated, nor can the degree of harm he inflicted,” prosecutors wrote in a recent court filing. They described his decadelong leadership of Colombia’s notorious Gulf Clan group...

Mississippi candidates for statewide offices square off in party primaries

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:52:25 GMT

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A bitter Republican primary for lieutenant governor is one of several races to watch in Mississippi party primaries. Republicans currently hold all eight statewide offices and a majority in the state House and Senate.Polls are open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday. Primary runoffs are Aug. 29. The general election is Nov. 7, with runoffs Nov. 28. Here is a preview of statewide contests: LIEUTENANT GOVERNORRepublican incumbent Delbert Hosemann is challenged by state Sen. Chris McDaniel and educator Tiffany Longino. In November, the Republican primary winner will face business consult D. Ryan Grover, who is unopposed for the Democratic nomination.Hosemann is seeking a second term as lieutenant governor after serving three terms as secretary of state. He has touted a teacher pay raise, millions in new funding for public education, and a budget surplus. Hosemann has also called McDaniel a “pathological liar” and accused his campaign of “despicable” behavior. McDaniel, of Elli...

POWERFUL T-STORMS PRODUCE DAMAGE/POWER OUTAGES ACROSS SECTIONS OF 17 STATES MONDAY; their storm gusts roar through Atlanta, Washington DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York—system responsible brought Chicago its gray, damp, cool weekend—WARMER TEMPS AND SPORADIC T-STORMS AHEAD THIS WEEKEND

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:52:25 GMT

FIRST WEEKEND OF AUGUST: COOLER THAN NORMALChicagoans came off the first weekend of August---a weekend which was cooler than normal and sporadically wet in the city with drenching rains soaking southern sections of the metro area where as much as 4 to 6" of rain was reported Friday night into Saturday---into a Monday which opened cloud but saw breaks in the clouds allow patches of blue sky and some mixed sunshine by and during the afternoon.Monday will go into the books with a high of 79 and a low of 67—which average out 2.4-deg below normal. It's the 3rd consecutive day to post a daily average temp deficit. Still. last week finished nearly a deg ABOVE NORMAL—this week is likely to post a 0.4-deg temp surplus with next week likely to approach a degree above normal. (NOTE: There has been a "cool bias" in recent official 6 to 10 and 8 to 14 day temp projections—a trend which seem likely to continue based on the latest forecasts and our in house model work).We had logged THREE DAYS abo...

Security guard fatally shoots woman after she attacks him with fire extinguisher, screwdriver 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:52:25 GMT

A security guard shot and killed a woman after she attacked him with several weapons in Hollywood. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, officers responded to a business in the 5400 block of Hollywood Boulevard around 3 p.m. on Monday. Upon arriving on scene, officers learned that the woman, believed to be a transient, attacked the grocery store security guard with a fire extinguisher and then a screwdriver, leading him to shoot her. "What occurred was a confrontation between an individual and a security guard at the Ralphs grocery store," said Lt. Robert Peters with the West Bureau Homicide Division. "During the confrontation, the individual armed themselves with a heavy fire extinguisher and was using it as a weapon, alternately putting the fire extinguisher down to arm themselves with a screwdriver." Food delivery robots under attack from vandals, thieves; local businesses starting to be affected When the suspect made an aggressive move towards the se...

L.A. man arrested for kidnapping after dragging woman toward apartment complex

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:52:25 GMT

A man was arrested for kidnapping after he allegedly forcefully dragged a woman toward an apartment complex in Adelanto.According to a San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department news release, deputies from the Victor Valley station responded to a 911 call in the 18000 block of Montezuma Street at 11:27 a.m. on SaturdayThe victim claimed that the suspect, later identified as Tyvell Thomas, 30, of Los Angeles, grabbed her from behind while she was walking past the complex and dragged her approximately 15 feet toward the apartments while she fought and yelled for him to let her go.After a witness saw the incident and yelled for Thomas to let her go, he let the victim go and disappeared into the apartment complex. Third suspect arrested in connection with murder of teen in Irvine While authorities were interviewing the victim, Thomas walked out of the complex and was subsequently arrested for kidnapping and transported to High Desert Detention Center. While he was being transported, T...

USA Basketball rolls past Puerto Rico in World Cup tune-up opener, 117-74

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:52:25 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — For an opening statement, USA Basketball's World Cup team made an emphatic one.Anthony Edwards and Cam Johnson each scored 15 points, and the U.S. used a 20-0 run in the second half on the way to rolling past Puerto Rico 117-74 on Monday night in the first World Cup tune-up for the Americans.Mikal Bridges scored 14 for the U.S., which finished with seven players in double figures and outscored Puerto Rico 67-31 in the second half.“A great night for us. ... I think the guys have really picked up what we're trying to install at both ends,” U.S. coach Steve Kerr said.Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 12, Jalen Brunson scored 11 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, and Bobby Portis and Brandon Ingram each scored 11 for the Americans. Tyrese Haliburton finished with 12 assists for the U.S., which held some huge stat edges — 53-27 in rebounding, 31-9 in points off turnovers, 10-2 in blocked shots and shot 56% compared to Puerto Rico's 37%.“It’s just us playing together,” Brunson said. ...

Lakers Legend Derek Fisher To Coach Crespi High In Encino

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:52:25 GMT

Lakers legend and fan-favorite Derek Fisher will coach the Crespi Carmelite High School basketball team for the 2023-24 season.The head coaching announcement came Monday afternoon through a school press release, welcoming Fisher in his new role.“Crespi Carmelite High School announces Derek Fisher as Head Basketball Coach,” Brian Bilek, Crespi director of athletics said in the announcement. “We are honored and excited to welcome Coach Fisher to the Crespi Family. Coach Fisher brings his strong work ethic, leadership, and discipline rooted in his Christian faith.”Fisher, 48, has prior head coaching experience with the NBA’s New York Knicks from 2014-2016 and the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks from 2019-2022.Over the last year, Fisher coached 8th-grade boys at Heritage Christian School through his youth program, the Team Derek Fisher Club.“My family and I are thankful and grateful for this opportunity to join the Crespi Family,” Fisher said in a sta...

The five most expensive homes reported sold in Saratoga in the week of July 31

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:52:25 GMT

A house in Saratoga that sold for $6.3 million tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in Saratoga in the past week.In total, five residential real estate sales were recorded in the area during the past week, with an average price of $3.2 million, $1,427 per square foot.The prices in the list below concern real estate sales where the title was recorded during the week of July 31 even if the property may have been sold earlier.5. $1.2 million, condominium in the 18900 block of Sara Park CircleThe property in the 18900 block of Sara Park Circle in Saratoga has new owners. The price was $1,150,000. The condominium was built in 1980 and has a living area of 1,192 square feet. The price per square foot is $965. The condominium features two bedrooms and two bathrooms.4. $1.6 million, condominium in the 20600 block of Oak Creek LaneThe property in the 20600 block of Oak Creek Lane in Saratoga has new owners. The price was $1,575,000. The condominium was built in 1...