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France’s Le Maire presses China on market access and lobbies for electric car investment

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:13:43 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — The French finance minister said Sunday he pressed Chinese leaders to open their markets wider to foreign companies and lobbied for investment in France’s electric car industry, as the European Union’s second-largest economy followed Washington in reviving post-COVID economic talks amid tension over Beijing’s surging trade surpluses.Bruno Le Maire also defended Paris’s controls on foreign access to technology after authorities said two Chinese citizens are under investigation for what news reports say is possible smuggling of French-made processor chips with military uses to China and Russia.Le Maire met Saturday with Vice Premier He Lifeng, Beijing’s top envoy on economic issues. He followed Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who visited Beijing on July 9-10 as part of U.S. efforts to revive frosty relations with China.Chinese officials gave Le Maire and Yellen a warm welcome as part of efforts to reverse an economic slump by reviving foreign investor interest. But Bei...

Rangers to acquire Scherzer from Mets in blockbuster from surprise AL West leaders, AP source says

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:13:43 GMT

The Texas Rangers agreed to acquire three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer in a blockbuster trade with the New York Mets on Saturday night, an all-in move for the surprise leaders in the AL West, a person with knowledge of the deal said.The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal hasn’t been announced.The Rangers will be adding the 39-year-old Scherzer with another former Mets pitcher with Cy Young credentials, two-time winner Jacob deGrom, sidelined by Tommy John elbow surgery, possibly all the way through the end of next season.According to multiple reports, the deal nets New York one of the top Texas prospects in infielder Luisangel Acuña, the younger brother of Atlanta star Ronald Acuña Jr. As part of the deal, Scherzer agreed to opt in on the final year of his contract in 2024 at $43 million, according to reports that also said the Mets were paying about $35 million of the remaining $58 million on the right-hander’s contract. The M...

RCMP in British Columbia lifts amber albert after two missing children located safe

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:13:43 GMT

SURREY, B.C. — Mounties in British Columbia said Saturday night they are relieved that the two children who were subjects of an amber alert issued about 10 days ago have been located safely.Surrey RCMP say the children were located safe Saturday evening and are being reunited with their family after they were allegedly abducted by their mother earlier this month.“We recognize that many have been following this investigation closely since the amber alert was issued,” police spokeswoman Cpl. Vanessa Munn said in a statement. “We sincerely appreciate the assistance from the public, media, community and policing partners, who all played an important role in helping to safely locate the children.”Police issued an amber alert on July 19 for an eight-year-old and her 10-year-old brother after last being seen in Kelowna, B.C., as investigators alleged they had been abducted by their mother.Mounties said their mother was believed to be living off-grid in a rural area ...

The Canadian Press no longer using names in B.C. Amber Alert case

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:13:43 GMT

Editors:The Canadian Press is choosing to no longer name any of the subjects related to the most recently lifted Amber Alert in B.C. The children have both been found safe. Clients may wish to ensure the children’s names and those of anyone else named in the case have been removed from their websites and guard against future use. Any questions can bedirected to [email protected]. THE CANADIAN PRESSThe Canadian Press

Buckle up: New laws from seat belts to library books take effect in North Dakota

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:13:43 GMT

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Hundreds of new laws will take effect Tuesday in North Dakota, including greater enforcement of seat belt use and restrictions regarding gender identity, sexual content in public libraries and ownership of farmland by foreign entities.North Dakota’s Republican-controlled Legislature adjourned April 30 after writing new laws and budgets for the next two years. Some contentious policy bills have already taken effect due to emergency clauses, which make legislation immediately into law when signed by the governor.Among those already in effect are revised laws outlawing all abortions, except in cases where women could face death or a “serious health risk.” Another exception for pregnancies caused by rape and incest applies only in the first six weeks, before many women know they are pregnant.Here is what to know about the new laws taking effect in North Dakota.SEAT BELTSNorth Dakota joins a majority of states with some form of a primary enforcement seat...

Russian missile attacks leave few options for Ukrainian farmers looking to export grain

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:13:43 GMT

PAVLIVKA, Ukraine (AP) — The summer winds carried the smell of burned grain across the southern Ukrainian steppe and away from the shards of three Russian cruise missiles that struck the unassuming metal hangars.The agricultural company Ivushka applied for accreditation to export grain this year, but the strike in mid-July destroyed a large portion of the stock, days after Russia abandoned the grain deal that would have allowed the shipments across the Black Sea without fear of attack.Men shirtless and barefoot, with blackened soles from ash, swept unburnt grain into piles and awaited the loader, whose driver deftly steered around twisted metal shrapnel, bits of missile and craters despite his shattered windshield.They hoped to beat the next rain to rescue what was left of the crop. According to the Odesa Regional Prosecutor’s Office, Russia struck the facility July 21 with three Kalibr- and Onyx-class cruise missiles. “We don’t have a clue why they did it,” explained Olha Romanova,...

Crash sends 3 to hospital while DPS troopers respond to car meet

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:13:43 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A crash sent three people to a hospital while DPS troopers were responding to dozens of cars gathering in north Austin Saturday night, a Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) public information officer said.DPS troopers responded to calls for about 100 vehicles in the parking lot of the Target at 8610 Research Blvd around 9:30 p.m. According to DPS Sgt. Deon Cockrell, a trooper responding saw the driver of a Mustang speeding without their headlights on. When the trooper tried to pull over the Mustang, Cockrell said the driver led troopers to the intersection of Ohlen Road and Payton Gin Road where the Mustang hit a Toyota. Austin-Travis County EMS medics took the two people who were inside the Toyota and the driver of the Mustang to the hospital. Austin police officers and firefighters with the Austin Fire Department also responded to the scene. 2 arrested after ‘street takeovers’ in February APD also told KXAN they responded to calls about cars participating in ...

As trade deadline looms, Oakland A’s right-hander shines at Coors Field

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:13:43 GMT

The Oakland A’s are having a mostly miserable season but do have some players playoff-contending teams might be interested in acquiring prior to Tuesday’s MLB trade deadline.One could be right-handed starting pitcher Paul Blackburn.Backed by a suddenly potent offense, Blackburn on Saturday allowed two earned runs over six innings to help the Athletics earn an 11-3 win over the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.“Paul did a great job tonight. It’s probably the best we’ve seen him,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “In this field, you’re going to scatter some hits and it’s just about limiting the damage, and I thought he did a great job in six innings.“After the fifth, I thought he was a little gassed. I talked to him and he wanted the sixth inning, and he went out there and showed why.”Making his 11th start this season, Blackburn (2-2) gave up nine hits in a 106-pitch, six-inning outing for Oakland. He struck out seven and walked none.“Tonight, we moved the ball wel...

Pockets of passionate fans in Australia not fully tied to Matildas’ fate at the Women’s World Cup

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:13:43 GMT

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — When Nigeria scored its third goal in the Women’s World Cup match that now has co-host Australia on the brink of elimination, the hundreds of Matildas fans watching on a giant screen in Melbourne’s Federation Square sent up a chorus of groans.In the sea of yellow and green jerseys, though, a few spectators cheered and exchanged high-fives.“You can see the joy all over here,” Nigeria fan Juwon Fayomi said.The Matildas’ 3-2 loss to Nigeria sent the tournament co-hosts into a must-win group-stage finale against Olympic champion Canada on Monday in Melbourne. So there’s a chance Australia could be knocked out in the group stage of the Women’s World Cup, a fate that no host country endured in the first eight editions.That undoubtedly could dampen some local enthusiasm. But because of Australia’s unique migration history, pockets of passionate fans still will be heavily invested in the Women’s World Cup matches.Almost one-third of Australians are fo...

Rangers agree to acquire Scherzer while losing 4-0 to Padres, their 6th loss in 8 games

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:13:43 GMT

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The slumping Texas Rangers agreed to acquire three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer on Saturday night during a 4-0 loss to Yu Darvish and the San Diego Padres, their sixth loss in eight games cutting their AL West lead to one game over Houston.The blockbuster trade with the New York Mets came as Rangers ace Nathan Eovaldi had his next start pushed back again and manager Bruce Bochy spoke of the need for the rotation to improve. Then Martín Pérez gave up four runs in the second inning, when the 32-year-old left-hander allowed five straight baserunners and two runs before getting his first out.The Rangers will add the 39-year-old Scherzer with another former Mets pitcher with Cy Young credentials, two-time winner Jacob deGrom, sidelined by Tommy John elbow surgery, possibly all the way through the end of next season. A person with knowledge of the deal spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal hasn’t been announced.“There’s ...