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Tokyo company aims to be 1st business to put lander on moon

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:19:36 GMT

A Japanese company is about to attempt what no other private business has done: land on the moon.Tokyo’s ispace company put its own spacecraft into orbit around the moon a month ago. On Tuesday, flight controllers will direct the craft, named Hakuto, Japanese for white rabbit, to descend from 60 miles (100 kilometers) high and land. The 7-foot lander is carrying a mini lunar rover for the United Arab Emirates and a toylike robot from Japan designed to roll around in the moon dust.Hakuto took a long, roundabout route to the moon following its December liftoff, beaming back photos of Earth along the way. Only three governments have successfully landed on the moon: Russia, the United States and China. An Israeli nonprofit tried to land on the moon in 2019, but its spacecraft was destroyed on impact. ___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all c...

Little Village residents organize citizens patrol to help protect street vendors

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:19:36 GMT

CHICAGO — After a string of armed robberies last November, a group of people in Little Village decided they needed to do something.Community members decided to organize groups of people, in most cases in sizes of 5-7 people, into a citizen patrol who get up in the early hours of the morning to help protect street vendors, who they say are some of Little Villages most vulnerable workers.WGN's Erik Runge went for a ride along with the group one chilly March morning.The driver on that particular morning was Mercedes Alverez, President of Little Village Park. Alverez started making rounds around 3:30 a.m. near 26th Street and Central Park Avenue, checking in with businesses and knocking on doors to make sure everything is going okay. On anniversary of Geraldo’s Al Capone vault broadcast, WGN unlocks another mystery safe While she is not a police officer — Alverez has no formal training — she does know the streets of Little Village and the vendors who work them.At one of the stops alon...

Veteran East Palo Alto cop promoted to police chief

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:19:36 GMT

EAST PALO ALTO – A 23-year veteran of the East Palo Alto Police Department is taking over as top cop.Jeff Liu, the interim police chief, was promoted to police chief on April 14, the city said in a statement. His selection was announced at a City Council meeting on April 18.Liu began his law enforcement career in East Palo Alto as an officer in September 2000. He was promoted to sergeant in January 2009 and commander in March 2015. In January 2021, Liu took over as acting police chief and was later named interim police chief.The city said Liu was picked as police chief following an extensive recruitment and selection process that involved community members, city employees and the council.“With over 20 years of experience working here in the city of East Palo Alto, Jeff has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to our residents,” Vice Mayor Antonio Lopez said. “His heart, passion and love for the community are qualities that will ensure East Palo Alto continues to be a shining exampl...

Oakland police detective expected to be charged with perjury, threatening witness in homicide case

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:19:36 GMT

OAKLAND — The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office issued an arrest warrant for an Oakland police detective and prosecutors are expected to charge him with felonies on Tuesday, according to sources and a media report.As first reported by KTVU, a no-bail warrant has been issued for Phong Tran, a longtime homicide detective, who has been under scrutiny after a murder case against two men was thrown out last month. The warrant is for felony perjury, threatening a witness and at least half a dozen other allegations.A source with knowledge of the investigation confirmed KTVU’s report and said Tran will be charged Tuesday.As previously reported by this news organization, Tran returned from a recent leave of absence last year to resume detective work with the department, where he has investigated hundreds of cases including homicides as recently as February, when he was called to the scene of a fatal shooting and suspected marijuana robbery at an Oakland home, author...

Alex Cobb pitches SF Giants’ first shutout since Madison Bumgarner to beat Cardinals

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:19:36 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants didn’t exactly loudly announce their new, full-strength lineup to the rest of the league Monday night. But they belabored the St. Louis Cardinals starter and came up when it counted to back up the best outing they’ve gotten from a starting pitcher this season.Making his Giants debut, Mitch Haniger broke a scoreless tie in the seventh inning with a sacrifice fly, before J.D. Davis broke the game open with a three-run blast a batter later, powering the way to a 4-0 win in their first of four games against the Cardinals, behind nine brilliant innings from Alex Cobb.Never needing more than 15 pitches to complete an inning, an efficient and effective Cobb became the first Giants’ starter to throw a complete-game shutout since Madison Bumgarner in 2016 and only their second pitcher since to complete nine innings, period (Carlos Rodón, 2022, at SD). With his second career shutout, Cobb joined the Marlins’ Sandy Alcantara and the Yankees...

Bay Area Sudanese community calls for end to violence

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:19:36 GMT

(KRON) -- The Bay Area Sudanese community is coming together after their loved ones have become trapped in the middle of fighting in Sudan.“I still have half of my family over there who is constantly sending us videos, bombings, gunshots and houses being burned,” said Alees Elshiek, a Sudanese woman living in Hayward.Elshiek said half of her family has been able to flee to the east but she doesn't know how long their safety will remain. Refugees from North Sudan are now pouring into South Sudan.“Our organization works with South Sudanese refugees from previous violence with Sudan. So much turmoil. All these countries have their problems, but spill over into each other," said David Watermulder with Helping Hands for South Sudan.Watermulder runs Helping Hands for South Sudan, a Bay Area nonprofit that works with students in South Sudan to pay for school. Elshiek is a part of the Sudanese Association of Northern California. The group held a rally on Saturday in San Franc...

China recogerá muestras de la cara oculta de la Luna en una futura misión espacial

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:19:36 GMT

BEIJING, China – La futura misión espacial china Chang’e-6 recogerá muestras de la superficie de la cara oculta de la Luna, en lo que será “la primera misión de su tipo en la historia de la humanidad”, explicaron este lunes responsables del programa espacial del país asiático.Las Chang’e 6, 7 y 8 formarán parte de la “cuarta fase” de la exploración lunar del país asiático, apuntó el director del programa de exploración lunar chino, Wu Weiren, citado por la agencia estatal Xinhua.La 7 tendrá como objetivo alunizar en el polo sur de nuestro satélite, donde buscará agua, mientras que la 8 inspeccionará los materiales en dicha región.En conjunto, las tres sondas “formarán el modelo básico de una estación de investigación en la Luna”, que se espera que esté completa “antes de 2028”, aseveró el científico, que agregó que los expertos están “trabajando duro para promover el establecimiento de la Estación Internacional ...

Maple Leafs rally, top Lightning in OT for 3-1 series lead

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:19:36 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Auston Matthews knows as well as anyone that Toronto’s job is not finished.The Maple Leafs took advantage of another late collapse by the Tampa Bay Lightning, moving to the brink of their first playoff series win in nearly two decades Monday night with a 5-4 overtime win in Game 4 of the best-of-seven matchup.Toronto hasn’t won a playoff series since 2004 and has been ousted from the first round each of the past six postseasons, including a year ago when Tampa Bay rallied from 2-1 and 3-2 deficits to advance in seven games.“The fourth one is the hardest to get,” Matthews said after Alexander Kerfoot scored on the power play at 4:14 of overtime to give the Maple Leafs a 3-1 series lead.“It’s feel different,” coach Sheldon Keefe said, though he also noted it’s important for the team not to get ahead of itself.“We’ve got a tough task,” the coach added, looking ahead to Game 5 in Toronto on Thursday night.The Lightning have won 11 of 12 p...

Gray goes 7, Gallo homers to help Twins beat Yankees 6-1

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:19:36 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Sonny Gray pitched seven scoreless innings and Joey Gallo homered as the two former Yankees propelled the Minnesota Twins to a 6-1 win against New York on Monday night.Jorge Polanco added two hits and three RBIs for Minnesota. Polanco has hit safely in all four games this season after his start was delayed due to left knee inflammation in the spring. Gallo has three homers in six games since being activated from the injured list.“They went out there today, had huge days and I’m sure this is one of those nights they will sleep good and they will feel good when they lay their head on the pillow when it’s dark in the room,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said of Gray and Gallo. “They’re going to go to bed feeling really good, and they should.”The Twins have won three of the first five meetings with their longtime nemesis this year. The Yankees are 100-41 against Minnesota in the regular season since 2002, the best record for any team versus one opponent during that spa...

Today in History: April 25, Union fleet captures New Orleans

Published Fri, 14 Feb 2025 00:19:36 GMT

Today in History Today is Tuesday, April 25, the 115th day of 2023. There are 250 days left in the year. Today’s Highlights in History: On April 25, 1945, during World War II, U.S. and Soviet forces linked up on the Elbe (EL’-beh) River, a meeting that dramatized the collapse of Nazi Germany’s defenses. On this date: In 404 B.C., the Peloponnesian War ended as Athens surrendered to Sparta.In 1507, a world map produced by German cartographer Martin Waldseemueller contained the first recorded use of the term “America,” in honor of Italian navigator Amerigo Vespucci (veh-SPOO’-chee). In 1859, ground was broken for the Suez Canal. In 1862, during the Civil War, a Union fleet commanded by Flag Officer David G. Farragut captured the city of New Orleans. In 1898, the United States Congress declared war on Spain; the 10-week conflict resulted in an American victory.In 1901, New York Gov. Benjamin Barker Odell, Jr. signed an automobile registration bill which imposed a 15 mph speed limit on ...