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China names Li Qiang premier nominally in charge of economy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — China on Saturday named Li Qiang, a close confidant of top leader Xi Jinping, as the country’s next premier nominally in charge of the world’s second-largest economy now facing some of its worst prospects in years. Li was nominated by Xi and appointed to the position at Saturday morning’s session of the National People’s Congress, China’s ceremonial parliament. That came a day after Xi, 69, secured a norms-breaking third five-year term as state leader, setting him up to possibly rule for life. Li is best known for having enforced a brutal “zero-COVID” lockdown on Shanghai last spring as party boss of the Chinese financial hub, proving his loyalty to Xi in the face of complaints from residents over their lack of access to food, medical care and basic services. Li, 63, came to know Xi during the future president’s term as head of Li’s native Zhejiang, a relatively wealthy southeastern province now known as a technology and manufacturing powerhouse.Prior to the pandemic,...

1 injured after being stabbed outside banquet hall north of Toronto

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

Toronto police say one person suffered life-threatening injuries, and a firearm was recovered following a violent incident outside of a banquet hall north of the city.Investigators received reports of gunshots in the Highway 427 and Steeles Avenue area just after 9:30 p.m. on Friday.Police later said that a victim walked into a hospital with stab wounds. Their injuries are considered life-threatening.A firearm was also located at the scene, and one person is in police custody.Paramedics tell CityNews no other victims were assessed.

Paul Lisnek discusses latest in Biden's budget proposal, Chicago's runoff election

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

CHICAGO — WGN Political Analyst Paul Lisnek discusses the latest on President Joe Biden's budget and the latest news in Chicago's upcoming runoff election. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesWatch the video in the player above for the story.

COPA reports officer-involved shooting in Lincoln Park

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

CHICAGO — An officer-involved shooting was reported Friday night in Lincoln Park, according to COPA.COPA said the shooting happened in the 2300 block of North Clark Street.Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesAccording to the Chicago Fire Department, one injured person was taken to a hospital from the scene.Police at the scene told WGN-TV the person was taken to the hospital as a precautionary. COPA is asking for anyone with information to call them at 312-746-3609 or report tips online.This story will be updated.

Class 2A state boys hockey semifinal: Edina pulls away late, tops Cretin-Derham Hall

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

Puck luck was not wearing purple and gold Friday night.And that means an emotional season for the Cretin-Derham Hall boys hockey team could still end with some hardware, just not the one every team strives for.Ryan Flaherty scored twice in the third period to break open a close game and Edina took down Cretin-Derham Hall 4-1 in a Class 2A boys hockey semifinal at Xcel Energy Center.Edina celebrates after defeating Cretin-Derham Hall 4-1 in a Class 2A semifinal game of the State Boys Hockey Tournament at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Craig Lassig / Special to the Pioneer Press)Cretin-Derham Hall fans celebrate after a goal scored by forward Attila Lippai during the first period of a Class 2A semifinal game of the State Boys Hockey Tournament at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Craig Lassig / Special to the Pioneer Press)Cretin-Derham Hall forward Nate Chorlton (4) and Edina forward Mason West (9) battle for control of the puck d...

Indigenous human remains found at site of major Duluth freeway project

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

DULUTH, Minn. — Human remains, determined to be Indigenous, were found during construction of the Twin Ports Interchange, pausing work in one area of the project.The Duluth Police Department responded Feb. 14 to the report of a “possible human bone” in a construction area of the Lincoln Park neighborhood where U.S. 53 is being rebuilt, Duluth Police Department spokesperson Mattie Hjelseth said in an email to the Duluth News Tribune.“An archaeologist was on scene when officers arrived and the archaeologist stated the bone is a partial jaw bone. The medical examiner’s office was consulted. The Fond du Lac Band was advised and collected the bone,” Hjelseth said, citing the incident report.Officials from the Minnesota Department of Transportation and other state agencies interviewed by the News Tribune on Thursday were intentionally vague about what was found and where it was found, citing state and federal laws.“As a result of a MnDOT-related project, culturally sensitive material has ...

Timberwolves fall in overtime to Brooklyn

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

The Timberwolves may have to sit down and discuss what team they truly want to be over the final stretch of the season.Because if the plan is to be a lights-out defense, as they’ve suggested when things are good, they are not putting in the requisite work on a consistent basis to be just that.After a three-game stretch against Golden State, Los Angeles Clippers and L.A. Lakers in which Minnesota held all three opponents to sub-43 percent shooting, the Wolves’ defense has disappeared in the three games that followed.Minnesota tried late but was unable to salvage another lackluster defensive showing for three quarters Friday night at Target Center, falling 124-123 to Brooklyn in overtime.Minnesota did tighten things up in the fourth quarter against a Brooklyn team that’s sans a real closer and has subsequently struggled late in games since the Kevin Durant trade. When the Wolves want to defend, they can.That opened the door for Naz Reid to bang home a game-tying trip...

Renowned Minnesota runner Garry Bjorklund convicted in Eden Prairie DWI crash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

One of northeastern Minnesota’s most famous and accomplished runners, 71-year-old Garry Bjorklund, was convicted for gross misdemeanor driving while intoxicated Wednesday and was placed on probation for three years, following a crash that involved him driving the wrong way into oncoming traffic.According to a criminal complaint, police were called to an Eden Prairie collision at about 6 p.m. Aug. 8. There, officers found a Ford facing west in an eastbound lane of traffic. The report said Bjorklund was standing with his hands on the hood of the vehicle, which had collided with a Tesla on the scene.When he was asked to step away from the vehicle, Bjorklund reportedly lost his balance and fell, while maintaining that he was “not drunk.”When officers asked Bjorklund if he knew what date it was, he said he believed it was the 8th of October or November.Bjorklund submitted to a breath test that indicated a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.26%, and he was placed under arrest.Officers found...

‘In the Dark’ true-crime podcast finds new home with Conde Nast, The New Yorker

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

Nine months after being left in the dark by the parent company of Minnesota Public Radio, the award-winning true crime podcast “In the Dark” has found a new home with the New Yorker magazine and Conde Nast Entertainment.Conde Nast announced this week that the staff of the St. Paul-based podcast — including co-creators Madeleine Baran and Samara Freemark — will initially work with the the New Yorker’s reporters and editors to produce and distribute the third season of “In the Dark” as part of the publisher’s expanding audio division. The podcast staff are likely to work on additional narrative series across the publisher’s magazine portfolio.To date, “In the Dark” has produced two full series, the first based on the disappearance of 11-year-old Jacob Wetterling in 1989 in St. Joseph, Minn., and the second centered on the murder case against Curtis Flowers, a Black man sentenced to die after being tried six times for th...

Movie review: Ghostface takes Manhattan in ‘Scream VI’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:00 GMT

“Scream” movies are like pizza — when they’re good, they’re great, and even when they’re not as good, they’re still satisfying. Thankfully, “Scream VI” is a tasty slice. Even though with each new installment, the “Scream” franchise creeps closer and closer to the fictional in-movie “Stab” franchise that these films are ostensibly skewering, writers James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick keep the blade sharp, while directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett bring a brawny, bruising and bloody style to this “requel sequel.”This is the second “Scream” movie not directed by Wes Craven (“Ready or Not” directors Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett took over with the previous “legasequel”), and the first without franchise star Neve Campbell as Sydney Prescott. While it’s a shame that Campbell didn’t return due to an inadequate salary offer, it was time to let Sydney ride off into the sunset, to release her from Ghostface-chasing duty. There’s a new “Scream” queen in town — Melissa Barrera — and s...