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World leaders warn China and North Korea on nukes as Ukraine’s Zelenskyy travels to G7 summit

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 16:11:18 GMT

By FOSTER KLUG, ADAM SCHRECK and ZEKE MILLER (Associated Press)HIROSHIMA, Japan (AP) — Leaders of the world’s most powerful democracies warned China and North Korea against building up their nuclear arsenals, pivoting to major northeast Asian crises ahead of the arrival later Saturday of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.The focus on Asia at the Group of Seven summit comes as leaders tighten sanctions meant to punish Moscow and change the course of its 15-month invasion of Ukraine. Japan confirmed that Zelenskyy’s decision to attend the G7 in person stemmed from his “strong wish” to participate in talks that will influence his nation’s defense against Russia.U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that President Joe Biden and Zelenskyy would have direct engagement at the summit, a day after Biden announced his support for training Ukrainian pilots on U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets, a precursor to eventually providing those aircraft to...

Xander Bogaerts felt Sox days were numbered long before free agency

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 16:11:18 GMT

SAN DIEGO — Xander Bogaerts thought he’d be in Boston for his entire career.It was a sentiment he expressed frequently during his Red Sox days, and he reflected upon that on Friday afternoon, while sitting in his new home dugout at Petco Park, wearing the colors and logo of his new squad, preparing to face the organization he’d been a part of since his first professional game as a teenage prospect, the team he’d long thought he’d be playing for until the day he decided not to play anymore.Then, he admitted that seeds of doubt began to take root in his mind long before he opted out of his contract last November.“I don’t know the date, but somewhere in March (2022),” the 30-year-old shortstop said, a bit wistfully. “You never know what happens at the end of the year, but yeah, somewhere around that time.”It’s easy to connect the dots to the Red Sox signing free-agent shortstop Trevor Story, which happened on March 23, 2022.Th...

2 hurt in gas explosion at ballpark of Padres' minor league team

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 16:11:18 GMT

A gas explosion at the Lake Elsinore minor league baseball stadium in Riverside County sent two people to the hospital on Friday afternoon.Authorities received reports of the explosion at Lake Elsinore Diamond Stadium, or Storm Stadium, around 4:21 p.m., according to the Riverside County Fire Department and Cal Fire.Two people were burned and were transported to a local hospital with moderate injuries.The stadium is home to the Lake Elsinore Storm, a Single-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres.“Tonight’s game in Lake Elsinore has been postponed due to an accident in the home clubhouse. While no players were involved, our thoughts and prayers go out to the contracted workers who were injured. We will be providing assistance to the Storm and those affected by the incident, and we will provide updates on their game schedule when appropriate,” the Padres said in a statement.The stadium was evacuated and the Storm's game against the Inland Empire 66ers on Friday night was postpo...

SAN among angriest airports in US: study

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 16:11:18 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Airports can be bittersweet knowing you're embarking on a new journey but also dreading the heavy traffic that comes with it.Forbes Advisor conducted a Twitter study finding that San Diego International Airport (SAN) is among the top 10 angriest airports in the U.S.The financial adviser website looked at more than 37,000 tweets directed at the 60 busiest airports in the U.S. from March 2022 to March 2023, and then analyzed the sentiment of each tweet to determine where travelers are most annoyed. Tickets going fast for San Diego Fair Concert Series opening performances San Diego International Airport ranks No. 7 on the list, finding words such as "waiting," "security," "line," "rental" and "canceled" that popped up most in tweets. The study shows that 56% of Twitter posts that @-mentioned SAN were deemed as "angry tweets."The findings reveal that out of all the angry U.S. airport tweets, “delays,” “security” and “hours” are the most commonly used words.Last December, ...

Japan says Zelenskyy will visit Hiroshima to join G7 summit session on Ukraine

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 16:11:18 GMT

HIROSHIMA, Japan (AP) — Japan announced Saturday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will travel to Japan to join Group of Seven leaders in a session on Ukraine.Zelenskyy is expected to arrive in Hiroshima, the site of the world’s first atomic attack in western Japan, later Saturday.He will join leaders of the G7 wealthy nations at a session on Ukraine on Sunday. He was originally scheduled to join a session online on Friday, but that plan changed after Zelenskyy expressed a “strong wish” to participate in person, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.Japan had earlier refused to confirm Zelenskyy’s visit and insisted until late Friday night that he would only participate online.Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will hold talks with Zelenskyy during his Hiroshima visit, the ministry statement said.The Associated Press

Search for 4 kids missing after deadly Amazon plane crash leaves Colombia on edge

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 16:11:18 GMT

BOGOTÁ, Colombia (AP) — Colombians were on edge Friday as authorities searched for four Indigenous children who were on a small plane that crashed in the Amazon jungle this month but have not been found. The three adults aboard died.The crash happened in the early hours of May 1 when the Cessna single-engine propeller plane with six passengers and a pilot declared an emergency due to an engine failure. The small aircraft fell off radar a short time later and a frantic search for survivors began.Colombian troops found the wreckage Tuesday along with the bodies of the pilot, a guide and the children’s mother. But there was no sign of the youngsters.The children, members of the Uitoto Indigenous community, were identified as Lesly Jacobombaire Mucutuy, 13; Soleiny Jacobombaire Mucutuy, 9; Tien Noriel Ronoque Mucutuy, 4; and Cristin Neriman Ranoque Mucutuy, 11 months.On Wednesday, there appeared to be a breakthrough when Colombian President Gustavo Petro took to Twitter to announc...

Japan’s Toyota discloses improper crash tests at Daihatsu subsidiary

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 16:11:18 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota has found improper crash tests for a model and suspended shipments, in the latest in a series of embarrassing woes plaguing Japan’s top automaker.The latest problem, disclosed late Friday, affects 56,111 Toyota Raize hybrid vehicles produced by Daihatsu Motor Co., a manufacturer specializing in small models that is wholly owned by Toyota.It also affects 22,329 vehicles sold as the Daihatsu Rocky, according to the automakers. The vehicles were all sold in Japan.In the faulty crash tests, results for a pole used to measure impact on the left side were used for the right, when both sides had to be tested, Daihatsu said.Just a week ago, Toyota Motor Corp. acknowledged there had been a data breach at its online Connected service, run by a group company. The breach spanned a decade, meaning that drivers’ information on more than 2 million vehicles had been at risk for leaks. No breaches were reported. Last month, a separate crash test problem for Daihatsu models sold a...

Police: Dreadhead Cowboy arrested in Northwest Indiana after allegedly assaulting officer

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 16:11:18 GMT

HAMMOND, Ind. — A man was arrested Thursday evening in Hammond after he elbowed a police officer after they told him he couldn't have or ride his horse within city limits.According to information from the Hammond Police Department, Adam Hollingsworth, also known as the Dreadhead Cowboy, was riding his horse in the 7000 block of Indianapolis Boulevard. ‘I’m going to kill you’: Northwest Indiana man allegedly threatens woman, leads police on pursuit while drunk When officers were telling him it was against a city ordinance to have or ride a horse within city limits, police said he "threw an elbow" and struck an officer.According to online court records, he was charged with battery against a public safety official, resisting law enforcement and disorderly conduct.In September 2020, Hollingsworth was arrested after he rode his horse on the Dan Ryan Expressway. ‘Dreadhead Cowboy’ faces 3 charges after riding horse on Dan Ryan He said his goal then was to turn more attention to gun v...

Meeting planned to discuss temporarily housing migrants at Wilbur Wright College

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 16:11:18 GMT

CHICAGO — A meeting is planned for next week to discuss plans to temporarily house migrants at Wilbur Wright College.This comes as more than 675 migrants are staying at Chicago police stations as of Friday morning. See where you can help migrants arriving in Chicago People like Mr. Romero, who traveled to the United States from Columbia.He said the trip took four months and at times, he traveled through the jungle and had to drink insect-filled water. Romero is currently staying at the Chicago Police Department's 12th District and said he has been for about a day. He said he feels safe being in a place with officers but is hoping to find a place where he can have a bed and get comfortable soon. As of Wednesday, about 115 migrants were calling the 12th district their home. Police sources confirm to WGN-TV a message was sent internally saying the station was over capacity and couldn't handle any more asylum-seekers. The memo also noted the deteriorating sanitary conditions and lack...

Truck driver sentenced to two years in jail for 2019 crash that killed South St. Paul couple

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 16:11:18 GMT

A dump truck driver was sentenced to two years in jail Friday for causing a four-vehicle crash that killed a South St. Paul couple in Rosemount in 2019.William Craig, 47, and Colette Craig, 48, had set out on a sunny October day to tour the fall colors along the Mississippi River. They were headed west on Minnesota 55 in Rosemount, when Fred Tamu Fonji rear-ended them in his loaded dump truck. The couple was pronounced dead at the scene.Fred Tamu Fonji (Courtesy of the Dakota County sheriff’s office)A Dakota County jury in February convicted Fonji, 49, of Roseville, of two counts of criminal vehicular homicide-gross negligence and one count of careless driving. He faced consecutive prison terms of nearly five years on one count and six years on the other.On Friday, Judge Kathryn Landrum told a full courtroom that she struggled with coming up with a sentence.“We all have to know and appreciate that not paying attention to the road when we’re driving could have horrific criminal...