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Britain’s top diplomat visits China for the first time in 5 years, hoping to stabilize ties

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:07:20 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Britain’s top diplomat, James Cleverly, began a long-awaited visit to China on Wednesday as the two countries attempt to stabilize bilateral ties that have frayed badly in recent years. The trip is the first by a United Kingdom foreign secretary to China in more than five years, underscoring the downturn in relations over Beijing’s curbing of civil liberties in Hong Kong, a former British colony, abuses against Muslim minorities in the Xinjiang region, China’s support for Russia and Britain’s close security ties with the United States. Cleverly met first with Vice President Han Zheng, who said the visit will “further promote the sound and stable development of bilateral relations.” Cleverly will meet later in the day with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, who is both the ruling Communist Party’s top official for foreign affairs and recently resumed his former post as foreign minister after the still-unexplained disappearance of his predecessor, Qin Gang. On Tues...

Colorado’s first Psychedelic Cup celebrates mushroom home growers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:07:20 GMT

Colorado’s mushroom season will extend into the fall this year with an event geared toward celebrating home growers who specialize in cultivating the psychedelic variety.Denver’s inaugural Psychedelic Cup, coming to Mile Station, at 2027 W. Colfax Ave,) on Nov. 2, aims not only to bring local growers together but also to collect data to learn more about what’s in the fungi.Competition coordinator Jonathan Cherkoss said the idea for the Psychedelic Cup came from seeing similar ones happen around the country. Colorado is uniquely suited for such an event, he said, since voters opted to decriminalize several psychedelic substances last November. That includes psilocybin and psilocin, two compounds found in “magic mushrooms.”Psilocybin and psilocin, two psychoactive compounds found in “magic mushrooms,” were decriminalized in Colorado last November by voters, meaning it is no longer illegal to grow, consume, possess or share a personal amount of the substances. (Photo ...

Romanian explosions: Burn victims arriving in European hospitals for emergency treatment

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:07:20 GMT

In the aftermath of Saturday's (26 August) deadly explosions at a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) station in Crevedia near Bucharest, Romania has requested EU assistance for the treatment of severe burn victims. In total nine countries (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, and Sweden) have offered to receive patients via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. Patients have already arrived in Belgium, Italy, Austria, Germany, and Norway.“The tragic explosions in Romania have left dozens of people, including first responders, in need of urgent medical care. My thoughts remain with the victims, their families and colleagues at this time. European countries reacted immediately with offers to treat the victims at their hospitals. Already 12 patients transferred via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism are receiving emergency care in Belgium, Italy, Austria, Germany, and Norway. I thank all countries for extending their solidarity to Romania at this dark hour when i...

Police in hours-long standoff with armed man in Orange County

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:07:20 GMT

Authorities in Orange County were involved in an hours-long standoff with an armed man in the parking lot of a strip mall on Tuesday night.Calls about the incident, located in the 1900 block of 17th Street, came into the Santa Ana Police Department just after 4 p.m.  Aerial footage from Sky5 showed the suspect, armed with a handgun in the parking lot, pacing back and forth, shouting at authorities who were barricaded behind their vehicles with guns drawn. The handgun appeared to be wrapped around the man's hand with a green cloth.A white pickup truck with an open driver's side door could be seen just behind police lines. It is unclear if the vehicle belongs to the suspect, but police were seen searching the vehicle at one point. An armed suspect, seen here, who has refused to surrender himself to police for more than six hours on Aug. 29, 2023. (KTLA)An armed suspect seen pacing in the parking lot outside a Hobby Lobby who has refused to surrender to police on Aug. 29, 202...

A’s finally beat Mariners, drop Seattle into tie for AL West lead

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:07:20 GMT

By Cameron Van TilThe Associated PressSEATTLE — The A’s built an early lead on home runs by Seth Brown and Shea Langeliers Tuesday night, then hung on to defeat the Seattle Mariners for the first time this season when closer Trevor May struck out Eugenio Suarez with the tying runners in scoring position to preserve a 3-1 victory.The major league-worst A’s ended the Mariners’ two-day stay alone atop the AL West by hanging on for their first win in nine games this season against Seattle.“We’re definitely in the seat of spoiler and we want to ruin as many dreams as possible,” said May, who was born in Longview, Wash., two hours away from Seattle.Seattle had won 12 of its previous 13 games, turning a 7 1/2-game deficit into a one-game lead over Texas. The Rangers won 2-1 at the New York Mets, matching the Mariners at 75-57. Houston is a percentage point back at 76-58.Star Seattle outfielder Julio Rodríguez was scratched of a pinched nerve in his left foot that left him day t...

Red Flag warnings in effect for parts of North Bay as fire danger rises

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:07:20 GMT

(KRON) -- Red Flag warnings have been issued for parts of eastern Napa County beginning Tuesday night, according to the National Weather Service Bay Area. The warnings, which go into effect in North Bay interior mountain areas, take effect at 11 p.m. Tuesday and last through 8 p.m. Wednesday.The NWS warns of gusty north winds of 35-40 mph and afternoon relative humidity of 13 to 20%. Burglars targeting boats on Oakland estuary Red Flag warnings are issued amid dry and windy conditions that potentially lead to critical fire weather danger. During such warnings, the NWS advises people not to burn outdoors as weather conditions will be conducive to rapid fire spread, and to keep in touch with local officials for up-to-date information regarding the need for evacuations.Today's Red Flag Warning was the first one issued by the NWS Bay Area since October 2021.Areas around Santa Rosa and Cloverdale are also under the warning. Conditions for rapid fire spread are most prominent along the ...

Hurricane Idalia strengthens to a dangerous Category 3 storm as it steams toward Florida’s Big Bend region

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:07:20 GMT

CEDAR KEY, Fla. (AP) — Hurricane Idalia strengthens to a dangerous Category 3 storm as it steams toward Florida’s Big Bend region.Source

Thai police say man kills his family after online scam leaves them in massive debt

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:07:20 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — At least 11 people are suspected to be involved with a loan scam that allegedly drove a man to kill his wife and two young boys before trying to take his own life in their family home, Thai police said Wednesday.Sanit Dokmai has been charged with premeditated murder after police found the bodies of his wife and two sons, who were 9 and 13, with slash wounds Monday inside a house in Samut Prakan province, Bangkok’s eastern suburb, said local police chief Rangsan Kamsook.Rangsan said Sanit was conscious Wednesday but in critical condition and unable to speak nor eat due to severe wounds at his throat. Police believe Sanit’s motive came from a huge debt the family was in. Police said Sanit is a debt guarantor for his friend in an amount of 400,000 baht ($11,400). The friend ran away and left Sanit to pay off the debt, then his wife tried to take out a loan to help and got scammed, said provincial police chief Pallop Araemlah. Rangsan said the investigation of the money t...

Pope heads to Mongolia to minister to its few Catholics and complete centuries-old East-West mission

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:07:20 GMT

VATICAN CITY (AP) — When Pope Francis travels to Mongolia this week, he will in some ways be completing a mission begun by the 13th-century Pope Innocent IV, who dispatched emissaries east to ascertain the intentions of the rapidly expanding Mongol Empire and beseech its leaders to halt the bloodshed and convert.Those medieval exchanges between Roman pope and Mongolian khan were full of bellicose demands for submission and conversion, with each side claiming to be acting in the name of God, according to texts of the letters that survive. But the exchanges also showed mutual respect at a time when the Catholic Church was waging Crusades and the Mongol Empire was conquering lands as far west as Hungary in what would become the largest contiguous land empire in world history.Some 800 years later, Francis won’t be testing new diplomatic waters or seeking to proselytize Mongolia’s mostly Buddhist people when he arrives in the capital Ulaanbaatar Friday for a four-day visit. His trip is n...

Russia earns less from oil and spends more on war. So far, sanctions are working like a slow poison

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:07:20 GMT

The Russian ruble’s wobble in value has exposed a crack in President Vladimir Putin’s fortress economy, a vulnerability quickly plastered over by the Kremlin’s economic team in a move that allowed the currency to regain its footing, at least for now.Yet the patch — an emergency interest rate increase — cannot hide the dilemma at the heart of the Russian economy: how to fund the military while not undermining the national currency and overheating the economy with corrosive and politically embarrassing inflation.Life in Moscow presents a facade of normality despite sweeping sanctions tied to the war in Ukraine and the departure of hundreds of name-brand Western companies. Outdoor seating at restaurants and bars on the popular Bolshaya Nikitskaya street were packed on a recent evening with well-dressed residents enjoying balmy August weather. Loud music from DJs boomed from a nearby courtyard eatery. Malls haven’t changed at first glance, but where Zara and H&M on...