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China blasts Germany after Baerbock calls Xi Jinping a ‘dictator’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:33 GMT

China on Monday condemned German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock after she labeled Chinese President Xi Jinping a “dictator.”“China is strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposes the German side’s remarks, which are extremely absurd, a serious infringement of China’s political dignity and an open political provocation,” China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Monday according to local news. “China has made serious inquiries to the German side through diplomatic channels,” she added. Last week, Baerbock gave an interview to Fox News underlining Germany’s support for Ukraine — in which she fired a broadside at Xi. “If Putin were to win this war, what sign would that be for other dictators in the world, like Xi, like the Chinese president?” the foreign minister said. In recent months, Baerbock has been a sharp-tongued critic of the Chinese government. She has questioned China’s global ambitio...

Chicago baseball report: Cubs try to recover from disastrous road trip, while White Sox are trying to ‘play fast’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:33 GMT

The Chicago Cubs get a day off Monday to try to regroup from a disastrous road trip against the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks.They are setting themselves up to need help over the final two weeks to get into the playoffs.The White Sox have their final road trip of the season, visiting the Washington Nationals and Boston Red Sox.Every Monday throughout the season, Tribune baseball writers will provide an update on what happened — and what’s ahead for the Cubs and Sox.Michael Fulmer in wait-and-see mode on severity of his injuryMichael Fulmer felt 100% ready to come off the injured list.When the Cubs activated him before Monday’s series opener against the Rockies, Fulmer thought he had been good to go in the days leading up to the move.“I mean, I’d been begging to get activated for a few days by then,” Fulmer said Sunday.He was supposed to throw a live batting practice pregame Monday, but the Rockies wouldn’t remove the tarp because...

Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez shines again in tough loss

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:33 GMT

FOXBORO — The truth of Christian Gonzalez’s fourth-quarter interception was it had been building.The Patriots defense sensed Miami would grow impatient sometime in Sunday night’s game. Either Tua Tagovailoa or play-caller Mike McDaniel would force a long ball to Tyreek Hill, the premier deep threat in the entire league. Finally, Tagovailoa did.In the fourth quarter, Tagovailoa faked a wide hand-off around midfield and hurled a high-arching pass down the left sideline. Hill had zipped by safety Jabrill Peppers and into open space. Except far behind Peppers, ranging over from a rare snap of playing deep safety, was Gonzalez.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Matthew Judon gives impassioned state of the Patriots address after loss New England Patriots | Patriots react to rare 0-2 start: ‘Something’s got to happen’ New England Patriots | Mac Jones’ plan to make sure Patriots don’t spiral after...

9 juveniles who escaped from a detention center in Pennsylvania are in custody, police say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:33 GMT

MORGANTOWN, Pa (AP) — Nine juveniles who escaped from a detention center in Pennsylvania have been captured, state police said Monday.“We’re going to interview all nine of them,” “I know there’s stuff in the works right now to decide where they are going to go after that takes place,” Pennsylvania State Police Trooper David Beohm.All will be charged with escape. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.MORGANTOWN, Pa (AP) — Authorities say four of the nine juveniles who escaped from a detention center in Pennsylvania have been caught.The Pennsylvania State Police said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the four were taken into custody early Monday.The juveniles had escaped from Abraxas Academy at around 8:00 p.m. on Sunday following a riot.Pennsylvania State Police Trooper David Beohm said the four were taken into custody shortly before 6 a.m. on Oak Grove Road.State and local police were called late Sunday to take control of the juvenile cente...

Iran-US prisoner swap appears in motion as nearly $6B in once-frozen Iranian assets reaches Qatar

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:33 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran and the United States will exchange prisoners on Monday after nearly $6 billion in once-frozen Iranian assets reached Qatar, a key element of the planned swap, officials said.Despite the deal, tensions are almost certain to remain high between the U.S. and Iran, which are locked in various disputes, including over Tehran’s nuclear program. Iran says the program is peaceful, but it now enriches uranium closer than ever to weapons-grade levels.Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani was the first to acknowledge the swap would take place Monday. He said the cash sought for the exchange that had been held by South Korea was now in Qatar. An individual with direct knowledge of the deal, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity given the exchange had yet to be concluded, later said that both Iranian and U.S. officials had been notified by Qatar that the money had been transferred to the Gulf Arab nation, which serv...

Trial in Cyprus for 5 Israelis accused of gang raping a British woman is to start Oct. 5

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:33 GMT

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — BodyThe trial of five Israelis accused of gang raping a British woman in a Cyprus hotel room is scheduled for next month, when they will enter pleas to charges including rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment and abduction, Cypriot police said Monday.Police said the trial will begin Oct. 5. Defense lawyers objected to a prosecution request for the suspects to remain in custody until then. A Famagusta District court judge is to rule Tuesday on whether to keep the suspects in detention or release them.Yannis Habaris, a lawyer representing three of the suspects, said there are “many contradictory” points which “undermine the veracity of the claims” in the alleged victim’s statement to police.Habaris said his clients will plead not guilty to the charges because “as things now stand, we don’t think that any crime has been committed.”Lawyers representing the other two suspects didn’t immediately respond to attempts for comment. A police inve...

Military drone crashes during test flight in Iran, injuring 2

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:33 GMT

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — A military drone crashed during a test flight in northern Iran on Monday, wounding two people and damaging buildings, state media reported.Debris fell in different parts of the northern city of Gorgon, according to the official IRNA news agency.The semiofficial Tasnim news agency released a video showing white smoke rising from different areas and the sound of anti-aircraft batteries.Defense Ministry spokesman Reza Talaeinik told state TV that the test flight in a remote area went off track due to a “technical failure.” He did not specify the type of drone, but images of the wreckage circulating on social media suggested it was the type that carries bombs. Iran is a major producer of both civilian and military drones, and has supplied attack drones to Russia for its war on Ukraine.The Associated Press

China’s foreign minister heads to Russia after meeting with US national security adviser

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:33 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — China’s top diplomat is heading to Russia for security talks after two days of meetings with U.S. President Joe Biden’s national security adviser over the weekend in Malta.Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who simultaneously holds the ruling Communist Party’s top foreign policy post, will be in Russia from Monday to Thursday for China-Russia strategic security consultations, the Foreign Ministry said in a brief statement.The U.S. and China are at odds over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. China has refrained from taking sides in the war, saying that while a country’s territory must be respected, the West needs to consider Russia’s security concerns about NATO expansion. It has accused the U.S. of prolonging the fighting by providing arms to Ukraine, weaponry that the U.S. says is needed to defend against Russian aggression.Wang’s trip to Moscow comes a day after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un left Russia following a six-day visit that i...

Hundreds of flying taxis to be made in Ohio, home of the Wright brothers and astronaut legends

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:33 GMT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The same Ohio river valley where the Wright brothers pioneered human flight will soon be manufacturing cutting-edge electric planes that take off and land vertically, under an agreement announced Monday between the state and Joby Aviation Inc. “When you’re talking about air taxis, that’s the future,” Republican Gov. Mike DeWine told The Associated Press. “We find this very, very exciting — not only for the direct jobs and indirect jobs it’s going to create, but like Intel, it’s a signal to people that Ohio is looking to the future. This is a big deal for us.” Around the world, electric vertical takeoff and landing, or eVTOL aircraft are entering the mainstream, though questions remain about noise levels and charging demands. Still, developers say the planes are nearing the day when they will provide a wide-scale alternative to shuttle individual people or small groups from rooftops and parking garages to their destinations, while avoiding the congested thorough...

Chow and Ford to hold face-to-face meeting at Queen’s Park

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:33 GMT

Toronto’s deficit and shelter crises could be among the topics discussed as Mayor Olivia Chow and Premier Doug Ford meet Monday for the first time since Chow took office.Chow is expected to press Ford for funding help or possibly a new fiscal arrangement to help deal with the city’s ballooning budget shortfall, which is expected to top $1.5 billion over the next year.City staff say at least $1 billion of the city’s annual budget is related to services downloaded to Toronto from other levels of government, including emergency shelters, welfare, and other social services.The City has suggested that a municipal sales tax for Toronto would be a good way to raise funds, which would require the approval of the provincial government. In the past, Ford has suggested that is not something he is willing to do.The province’s plans to revitalize Ontario Place could also be on the agenda. Some of the land owned by the City is involved in the project, and Chow has expresse...