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Kim says North Korea’s 1st spy satellite is ready for launch

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:31 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his country has completed the development of its first military spy satellite and ordered officials to go ahead with its launch at an undisclosed date, state media reported Wednesday. Establishing a space-based surveillance system is one of Kim’s key objectives to advance his military capability to pressure the United States to abandon what he called its hostile policies, such as its military drills with ally South Korea and international economic sanctions on North Korea. Previous missile and rocket tests have demonstrated North Korea can send satellites into space, but many experts question whether it has cameras sophisticated enough to use for spying from a satellite because only low-resolution images were released after past launches. During his visit to the country’s aerospace agency Tuesday, Kim said that having an operational military reconnaissance satellite is crucial for North Korea to effectively u...

Stock market today: Asia trading mixed ahead of earnings

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:31 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares were trading mixed Wednesday, as investors took a wait-and-see attitude ahead of earnings reports and possible moves by central banks. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 slipped 0.2% in morning trading to 28,590.40. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 edged up 0.1% to 7,370.70. South Korea’s Kospi gained less than 0.1% to 2,573.12. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost 0.6% to 20,521.13. The Shanghai Composite shed 0.3% to 3,383.18. News that China’s economic growth accelerated in the latest quarter, to 4.5%, did not have much of an impact on share prices. While consumption and retail sales have grown, other indicators, such as industrial output and fixed-asset investments, were weaker and indicate an uneven recovery. “It may still be a worst-is-over story, but recovery has shown to be more gradual than a one-shot wonder,” said Yeap Jun Rong, market analyst at IG.Wall Street closed little changed after a day of meandering trading. The S&P 500 edged up 0....

9 Indonesian fishermen feared dead, 11 rescued off Australia

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:31 GMT

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Nine Indonesian fishermen are feared drowned and another 11 have been rescued after spending six days without food or water on a barren island off the northwest Australian coast in the aftermath of a powerful tropical cyclone, authorities said Wednesday.Two primitive wooden Indonesian fishing boats were caught in the path of Cyclone Ilsa, which on Friday became the most powerful storm in eight years to cross the Australian coast, with winds gusting at an apparent record of 289 kilometers (180 miles) per hour.One of the boats, Putri Jaya, sank in “extreme weather conditions” on April 11 or 12 while Ilsa was gathering strength over the Indian Ocean as it tracked southeast toward the coast, Australian Maritime Safety Authority said in a statement, citing survivors.The other boat, Express 1, ran aground with 10 men aboard in the early hours of April 12 on Bedwell Island, a sandy outcrop some 300 kilometers (200 miles) west of the Australian coastal tourist tow...

Minnesota House passes government/elections bill that calls for redesigning state flag and seal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:31 GMT

Minnesota is taking another step closer to redesigning its state flag and committing its Electoral College votes to presidential candidates who win the national popular vote.Members of the House on Tuesday voted to approve those and other changes in a $1.5 billion state government and elections package. The 182-page bill boosts spending for the state government agencies, the Legislature and government IT by $400 million in the next two-year budget. It also retools how Minnesota defines “major” political parties — a move that will make it harder for third parties to get on the ballot.Past that, the bill also boosts funding for the public election subsidy, something backers say will encourage more candidates to take state campaign cash and reduce the influence of special interests.Major legislative packages called “omnibus bills” are the norm at the Minnesota Capitol, where lawmakers often lump spending and other policies into big bills. The state government package contains many appr...

Kim Gardner faces more legal trouble regarding prosecutor no-show at murder trial

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:31 GMT

ST. LOUIS - As the St. Louis Circuit Attorney joined her legal team in court on Tuesday to call for a judge to dismiss Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s case calling for her removal from office, another judge was threatening to jail her for contempt of court.Circuit Judge Scott Millikan’s order said Gardner “must appear before this court to show cause why you should not be held in indirect criminal contempt of this court and be sentenced to a term of imprisonment, be required to pay a fine, or both."The judge’s action came after Gardner’s assistant, who was prosecuting an Arch grounds murder from September 2021, did not show up for day 1 of the trial on Monday. Millikan said there was no word from Gardner’s office as to why. As a result, the judge said the case may have to be dropped and suspect Jonathon Jones set free, though police said he and an accomplice were caught on camera shooting the victim to death. His attorney is invoking the defendant’s right to a speedy trial ...

You Paid For It: Resident injured on sidewalk badly need of repair

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:31 GMT

ST. LOUIS - A St. Louis resident said she was seriously hurt on a sidewalk in her neighborhood that's badly in need of repair. She said the city should have fixed it a long time ago.Sheilah Barnett said she’s been pleading for help footing the bills for her injuries and asking for help getting the city to repair the sidewalk."Coming from the store, and I tripped and fell, and I slid a few feet," Barnett said. "I couldn’t bend my wrist when I got up. It was just hanging like that." Top story: Overland armored car robbery video reveals surprising actions She expressed her feelings while going through the issue."Oh, like I don't matter for one thing, and I paid my dues to society as far as working and paying my taxes in all," Barnett said. "I just feel they don't care about the lower class people.”A spokesperson from St. Louis Mayor's Office released the following statement:"Whenever city residents encounter a service issue, the city encourages them to file a service request with the...

Seattle Kraken upset Avalanche in Game 1, handing a playoff series deficit to Avs team that never faced one in 2022 Stanley Cup run

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:31 GMT

Finally greeted by the stakes they’ve longed to have back since the mundanity of regular-season hockey set in six months ago, and matched with the proverbial happy-to-be-here opponent, the Avs played with their seafood.A team that never trailed a series en route to the 2022 Stanley Cup now finds itself swimming against the current in the first round.The Seattle Kraken proved to be more than plucky Tuesday night at Ball Arena, stealing Game 1 of the playoffs 3-1 from the Avalanche. It completed an underdog sweep to ring in the playoffs: All four higher-seeded teams in the Western Conference lost Game 1 at home.Colorado had won six consecutive playoff series Game 1s dating back two years. And the defending champions entered this postseason on a blistering eight-game point streak to win the Central Division and earn the Seattle matchup. But the wild card Kraken pounced early in the first and second periods, and the Avalanche couldn’t cash in on two power play opportunities ...

Kraken-Avalanche Game 1 Quick Hits: Seattle here to scrap and Colorado will have to find an answer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:31 GMT

Initial observations from the Avalanche’s 3-1 loss to the Seattle Kraken in Game 1 of their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series.1. Kraken are here to scrapSeattle’s playoff debut wasn’t always pretty, but the Kraken made it clear they came to the postseason to scrap. They did their offensive work early in each periods – Eeli Tolvanen scored 3 minutes, 26 seconds into the contest, then Alex Wenneberg blasted home a tally 80 seconds into the second period and Morgan Geekie 4:03 into the third. After that, Seattle settled in and did what they do best: Rely on depth and play feisty defense. The Kraken allowed just 16 Avalanche even strength shots and 21 shots total over the first 40 minutes to carry a lead into the third period and made life difficult for Colorado. Nothing new, really. The three regular-season games between these teams? 3-2 Seattle, 2-1 Colorado (SO) and 3-2 Seattle in overtime. The Avs will work for scoring opportunities the rest of this series.2. No time for ...

Man arrested for bar shooting that left woman hospitalized in Orange County

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:31 GMT

A man was arrested for a bar shooting that left a woman hospitalized in Santa Ana on Sunday.The suspect was identified as Armando Alvarez, 22, according to Santa Ana police.Officers responded to a shooting inside the Proof Bar & Lounge located at 215 N. Broadway around 1:05 a.m.When police arrived, they found an adult female suffering from a gunshot wound to her upper torso, authorities said.She was transported to a local trauma center where she remains in stable condition on Tuesday night, police confirm.Alvarez was tracked down and taken into custody near the area of 5th Street and Sycamore Avenue. Officers also located a firearm during the arrest. 2 juveniles arrested after man found shot to death in Anaheim The suspect was arrested on charges of attempted murder and booked into the Santa Ana Jail."The circumstances and motive surrounding this shooting are currently being investigated," police said. "Detectives are attempting to identify and locate any witnesses who can she...

Rihanna buys L.A. ‘Mansion in the Sky’ formerly owned by Matthew Perry

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:31 GMT

There’s a reason it’s called the "Mansion in the Sky" and you’re going to want to see this. Pop star and Fenty makeup brand CEO Rihanna purchased a $21 million penthouse in Los Angeles, formerly owned by actor Matthew Perry, according to Top Ten Real Estate Deals.Rihanna purchased $21 million 'Mansion in the Sky' formerly owned by Matthew Perry. (Source: Michael MacNamara and Jason Speth)The luxurious four-bedroom, 9,290-square foot penthouse is located on the 40th floor in The Century condominium building. Famed for its panoramic city, ocean and mountain views, the massive estate includes a living room with two fireplaces, a game room, a home theater, four outdoor terraces, and a dining room with surrounding glass walls. Rihanna paid $21 million for new L.A. penthouse with panoramic views. (Source: Michael MacNamara and Jason Speth)The penthouse has a game room and home theater. (Source: Michael MacNamara and Jason Speth)The chef's kitchen has island seating and a dining table...