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China’s defense minister promises to boost cooperation with Russian ally Belarus

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:54:52 GMT

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu on Thursday visited Belarus and said his country would increase military cooperation with Russia’s neighbor and ally, where Moscow is deploying tactical nuclear weapons.Shangfu met with strongman President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk and said “the purpose of my visit to Belarus is precisely the implementation of important agreements at the level of heads of state and the further strengthening of bilateral military cooperation.”Neither side gave details of what the cooperation will entail, but the two countries have agreed to hold joint military exercises next year.Li visited Russia just before going to Belarus.Russian troops that were deployed in Belarus were part of Russia’s invading force in Ukraine and Russian troops and weapons remain there.Belarusian forces have not taken part in the Ukraine war and Lukashenko on Thursday said China’s military assistance would not be directed against third countries. Lukashenko has p...

Ecuadorians vote Sunday for president after a campaign dominated by demands for safety

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:54:52 GMT

GUAYAQUIL, Ecuador (AP) — Ecuadorians will choose a new president Sunday, less than two weeks after the South American country was shaken by the assassination of one of the candidates — a crime that laid bare people’s fears over unprecedented violence in their once-calm nation.The winner faces a universal demand for safety, but how the incoming administration will fund crime-fighting promises remains to be seen. Much of the country’s increasingly polarized society yearns for the prosperity seen under the presidency of Rafael Correa, now a fugitive from Ecuadorian justice, but few readily acknowledge it left the country with a huge fiscal deficit and billions in debt.Sunday’s ballot has the names of eight candidates, including Fernando Villavicencio, the anti-corruption crusader who was killed Aug. 9 while leaving a campaign rally in Quito, the capital. His was the third and most prominent in a string of killings of political leaders this year.Voting in Ecuador is mandato...

Utah man shot by FBI brandished gun and frightened Google Fiber subcontractors in 2018, man says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:54:52 GMT

PROVO, Utah (AP) — Five years before a Utah man was killed by authorities trying to arrest him on charges including threatening to assassinate President Joe Biden, he threatened and pointed a gun at utility workers who he thought were on his property.Caiden Taylor, who was then working as a Google Fiber subcontractor, told KSL-TV he feared for his life during the August 2018 encounter outside Craig Robertson’s home in Provo, Utah.“I was just there to do a job,” Taylor said. A Provo police incident report describes how Taylor and another worker rang Robertson’s doorbell to tell him they planned to access the utlity pole via a public easement through his backyard. They proceeded to set up their equipment after getting no answer until Robertson came into the backyard waving a handgun at them, accusing them of trespass. They told the police that Robertson had pointed a gun at them — a charge he later denied to officers.“I was actually up on the power pole with a whole spool ...

Pacific Salmon Commission raises forecast for B.C. Fraser River pink salmon run

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:54:52 GMT

VICTORIA — The run of pink salmon in British Columbia’s Fraser River is exceeding expectations this summer.The Pacific Salmon Commission is increasing its projections of pink salmon returns to possibly 11.6 million, up from an estimate of between 6.1 million and 8.6 million fish. The commission, which was formed by the governments of Canada and the United States in 1985 to implement the Pacific Salmon Treaty, says the increase is based on the “abundance” of pink salmon being caught in marine test fisheries in B.C. coastal waters.Environmentalists and Indigenous leaders suggest the larger-than-forecast returns are linked to the closure of open-net Atlantic salmon farms off the Discovery Islands on the pink salmon migration routes.The salmon commission says it could not comment on those suggestions and no one from Fisheries and Oceans Canada was immediately available. Open-net fish farms off B.C.’s coast are a long-running subject of debate, with environmental ...

Former district attorney in western Pennsylvania gets prison time for attacking a woman

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:54:52 GMT

SOMERSET, Pa. (AP) — A former western Pennsylvania district attorney was sentenced Thursday to up to seven years in prison after a jury convicted him of attacking a woman in her home.Somerset County’s former elected District Attorney Jeffrey Thomas was sentenced to between just over two years to seven years in prison after a Somerset County jury found him guilty earlier this year of strangulation and criminal trespassing, both felonies, and simple assault, unlawful restraint, indecent assault and false imprisonment. He was acquitted of sexual assault and aggravated indecent assault.Thomas, 37, a Republican, is required to register with police as a sex offender for 15 years, the state attorney general’s office said. Thomas’ attorney, Ryan M. Tutera, said in a phone interview Thursday they consider the sentence to be too high but that it could have been more “devastating” had he not been acquitted of several charges. Tutera said Thomas maintains he’s innocent of the charge...

Jonathan Toews makes decision on future, thanks Blackhawks fans

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:54:52 GMT

CHICAGO — The longtime captain of the Blackhawks had two things to say on social media on Thursday - one saying thanks to his former team and the other his intention for the 2023-2024 season.On Instagram on Thursday, Toews posted a lengthy thank you to the Blackhawks along with their fans four months after taking the ice with the franchise for the final time. Hours later, he announced on the social media platform that he was not retiring, but rather stepping away from the NHL for the 2023-2024 season.The Blackhawks announced before the season finale that a contract extension would not be offered to the captain, who has spent his entire NHL career with the franchise. Toews is a free agent, but won't sign anywhere this offseason.Here is the statement he released on Instagram on Thursday.I’d like to announce that I am not fully retiring, but I am taking time away from the game again this season. I cannot deny my love for the game of hockey and still feel the passion for competing at my...

See the Bulls' 2023-2024 regular season schedule

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:54:52 GMT

CHICAGO — After the announcement of the NBA's in-season tournament gave fans a glimpse of what's to come for the Bulls this upcoming season, the league gave the rest of the dates for the 2023-2024 slate on Thursday. It will include the team having the opportunity to open in front of home fans for the first time in seven years.Here is the full 2023-2024 Chicago Bulls regular season schedule that was released on Thursday afternoon. .@WGNNews pic.twitter.com/bIa63cLfNu— Larry Hawley (@HawleySports) August 17, 2023The team will play their first two games of the season at the United Center, which is one of the highlights of the 2023-2024 slate that was released in full on Thursday.They'll open up with a contest against the Thunder on Wednesday, October 25 and then play two nights later on Friday, October 27 against the Raptors, with both games starting at 7 p.m. central time. It's the first time the Bulls will open a season at home since the pandemic-shortened 2020-2021 season, whe...

Maywood teen charged for leading police on 132 mph chase

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:54:52 GMT

CHICAGO -- A Maywood teenager allegedly led police on a high-speed chase for nearly 20 minutes before being taken into custody early Wednesday morning.According to the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office, the Villa Park Police Department attempted to pull over a reportedly stolen 2013 Hyundai Genesis near North Avenue and Route 83 just before 1:15 a.m. on Wednesday. Man dies after being found shot multiple times in alley on West Side When officers attempted to perform a traffic stop, the driver fled going upwards of 104 mph on North Avenue. The Villa Park PD followed the driver onto I-355 where they allegedly reached speeds of 132 mph.The 18 minute pursuit continued to Schaumburg, back to Villa Park, and eventually ending when the driver crashed into a parked car on the 500 block of Vallette Street in Elmhurst. The driver attempted to flee on foot, but officers were able to take the suspect into custody a short time later.The driver was later identified as a 17-year-old from M...

Tim Anderson has his suspension reduced by MLB

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:54:52 GMT

NEW YORK — Nearly two weeks after his fight in a game against the Guardians in Cleveland, Tim Anderson found out the verdict on his appeal of a lengthy suspension.In the end, he got a minor reduction. On Thursday afternoon, Major League Baseball announced that Anderson's suspension has been reduced one game, and he will now have to sit out five games after throwing punches with Cleveland's Jose Ramirez at Progressive Field on August 5.It's unknown if the fine he received in the fight was either reduced or rescinded.Anderson will begin serving the suspension on Friday when the White Sox travel to Colorado to face the Rockies for a three-game series. The shortstop would be scheduled to return to the team on Wednesday for the third and final game of a series with the Mariners at Guaranteed Rate Field. The much-replayed fight was not the best of moments for Anderson in what has been a difficult season for the two-time All-Star. After each took offense to the other when Ramirez slid into...

9-year-old bicyclist seriously injured after being struck by truck in Aurora

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:54:52 GMT

AURORA, Ill. — A 9-year-old bicyclist was injured Wednesday night when a Chevy truck hit him in Aurora, police said Thursday. The driver was traveling westbound on E. New York St. near Kautz Rd. when the collision occurred. Video shows armored vehicle robbery at Lansing Chase Bank ATM Emergency crews responded around 5:45 p.m. and transported the juvenile to a local hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the truck did not sustain any injuries, police added. Members of the Aurora Emergency Management Agency. The Aurora Police Department’s Traffic Division is conducting a crash investigation. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesAnyone with information about the crash is asked to call the Aurora Police Department’s Traffic Division at (630) 256-5330.