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China appoints a new defense minister after months of uncertainty following firing of predecessor

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:02 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — China on Friday said it had appointed a new defense minister after months of uncertainty following the firing of his predecessor for reasons still unexplained. The official Xinhua News Agency announced former navy commander Dong Jun would serve in the largely ceremonial role, but offered no comment on the reasons for the switch or the current circumstances of previous minister Li Shangfu, who has not been seen or heard from since August. The uncertainty surrounding the leadership of the world’s largest standing military comes as Washington and its Asian allies are offering stronger resistance to China’s bid to assert itself as the dominant military power in the region. Dong’s naval background is significant in that China has largely asserted its territorial claims using its massive force of warships, coast guard cutters and fishing boats acting as a maritime militia in the South China Sea. China’s navy has also expanded its range to the Mediterranean Sea, ...

Body found in Illinois concludes search for missing St. Louis mother; ex-boyfriend charged with her murder

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:02 GMT

DES PLAINES, Ill. — The family of Marquisha Williams is heartbroken, but they say the discovery of her body in the Chicago area brings them some closure after Williams had been missing for over a week.The search ended Thursday in Des Plaines when Williams' body was found in the 2100 block of E. Algonquin Road at the Cook County Forest Preserve. Williams, a 29-year-old mother of four from St. Louis, went missing a week before Christmas.Prosecutors have charged Trenton Ivy, her ex-boyfriend, with murder. Ivy was arrested in Racine, Wisconsin, last week Friday on unrelated charges. Investigators say after his arrest, Ivy confessed to killing Williams in St. Louis. He also admitted to having a physical altercation and then dumping Williams' body at an undisclosed location.Williams' mother, Norvette Chavis Williams, said she last saw her daughter last Wednesday morning, Dec. 20, when she dropped off one of her kids. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines "I'm just glad that we found...

Man stabbed to death at Burger King in Des Plaines identified; police still searching for suspect

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:02 GMT

DES PLAINES, Ill. — The man who was stabbed to death Wednesday night at a Des Plaines Burger King has been identified, but police are still searching for the man who stabbed him.Des Plaines police have identified the victim as Mario Jara-Antemante, a 28-year-old man from Mt. Prospect.Investigators say Jara-Antemante got into a fight outside the Burger King on the 800 block of South Elmhurst Road on Wednesday night with a man, who then chased Jara-Antemante inside and stabbed him. Authorities say the suspect then ran north on Elmhurst Road. Police are still trying to find him. Jara-Antemante suffered multiple stab wounds and died shortly after being rushed to the hospital. A witness said Jara-Antemante tried to get away from his assailant but was tripped and then stabbed on the floor.As authorities wrapped up their on-scene investigation Thursday morning, they said the suspect remained at large and that they did not have a description of the suspect. T...

Friday Forecast: Showers decrease, overcast, low 40s

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:02 GMT

Friday: Showers likely early, decrease throughout the day. Staying overcast. chilly, North 5-15 mph winds, low 40s Friday Night: Partly cloudy, patchy fog possible, low 30s. NW/W 5-10 mphChicago Weather | Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center's Forecast (wgntv.com)Saturday: Partly cloudy, low 40s

WATCH: Rogue wave slams into Southern California beachgoers; 9 hospitalized

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:02 GMT

VENTURA, Cali. (KTLA) — Video captured the terrifying moment beachgoers were slammed into by a massive rogue wave in Ventura, California, on Thursday. The incident happened as locals were being warned about a massive swell pounding the Southern California coastline this week.The rogue wave submerged bystanders at Pierpont Beach on Seaward Avenue around 11 a.m. That area has been hit the hardest with what the National Weather Service called “tremendous wave energy.”A witness, Colin Hoag, captured cell phone video of the explosive wave and shared it with Nexstar's KTLA. As the waters suddenly flooded an observation zone, both people and vehicles were instantly swept away. Ventura Police shared a similar video, seen in the player above.Beachgoers were seen frantically running for their lives. The raging waters destroyed the windows of nearby beachfront buildings and hotels on its destructive path.Video captured the moment beachgoers were slammed into by a massive rogue wave in Ventura ...

SmileDirectClub is shutting down: What does that mean for customers?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:02 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Just months after filing for bankruptcy, SmileDirectClub announced it was shutting down its global operations and halting its teeth-aligner treatments.That leaves existing SmileDirectClub customers with a lot of questions and few available answers. The company is offering no more customer care support and few details about possible refunds are available yet. Multiple dental organizations and orthodontists also caution patients about safety concerns arising from “direct-to-consumer” dentistry.Here's what you need to know.WHAT IS THE COMPANY AND WHY IS IT CLOSING SHOP?SmileDirectClub — which served over 2 million people since its 2014 founding — once promised to revolutionize the oral-care industry by selling clear dental aligners that were marketed as a faster and more affordable alternative to braces. It sold its aligners directly to consumers by mail and in major retailers.When SmileDirectClub's stock began trading on the stock market in 2019, the company was v...

Shed at southeast Austin elementary school catches fire; No injuries reported

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:02 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Fire Department responded to a fire at a building on a southeast Austin elementary school campus Friday morning. According to AFD, a shed in the courtyard of Rodriguez Elementary School caught fire and extended slightly into the school's interior. The school is located at 4400 Franklin Park Drive, off of Teri Road. The department said the fire was out by 6 a.m. and crews were working on smoke removal. An AFD crewmember on scene told KXAN the department is treating the fire as suspicious until there is reason to believe otherwise and investigators are coming to the scene. Austin Independent School District Police also responded to the scene. AFD said the scene will be turned over to AISD police once the fire is out. AFD responds to fire in shed at Rodriguez Elementary School in southeast Austin Dec. 29, 2023 (AFD photo) AFD responds to fire in shed at Rodriguez Elementary School in southeast Austin Dec. 29, 2023 (AFD photo) AFD responds to fire in shed at ...

KXAN's top 10 Instagram posts of 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:02 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — KXAN covers news in an in-depth and investigative manner, and while most of our updates are shared on our website, we also share things on social media. Instagram is a place for us to share small snippets of the stories we cover, and we also use the platform to take the opportunity to interact a little more with our viewers.To receive news updates on social media, follow KXAN on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.We've compiled our top 10 most interacted with Instagram posts of 2023. (Data was tracked from Jan. 1, 2023, to Dec. 6, 2023).No. 10: PHOTOS: Wildfire burns dozens of acres near Ruby Ranch in BudaA wildfire in the Ruby Ranch subdivision in west Buda burned more than 50 acres in July. Video footage shows grass and brush burning, and plumes of smoke rising into the air. View this post on Instagram A post shared by KXAN News (@kxan_news) Wildfires are common in the summertime in Central Texas. Read about this fire here. No. 9: V...

$1 million in LCRA grants awarded to community projects across Texas

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:02 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Almost $1 million in grants have been awarded to several community projects across the state in the latest round of a Lower Colorado River Authority grants program.The LCRA awarded $996,929 to 45 projects across its wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas. The funds are part of the agency's Community Development Partnership Program (CDPP), which to date has awarded grants totaling more than $51 million.Four projects were granted $50,000 each, including the Southeast Caldwell County Volunteer Fire Department for a building extension to house two fire trucks, protective gear and an office. Another $50,000 grant went to Friends of the Palacios Library for new shelving and interior upgrades.The LCRA said more than a third of the new grants go to first responders, giving money for things like replacing outdated protective equipment, adding new rescue tools and purchasing life-saving equipment."First responders need proper protective gear, updated rescue t...

Celebrate the new year (and beyond) with these Colorado bubbles 

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:02 GMT

This New Year’s Eve, when you pop open a bottle of local bubbly, toast to 2023 memories and a new year full of hopes — but also say “cheers” to the notable sparkling wine scene that Colorado’s winemakers are cultivating.Rosé with Bubbles, from Centennial Cellars. (Provided by Centennial Cellars)From fizzy pét-nats to wines produced in Charmat tanks (akin to how Italian winemakers perfect their proseccos), plus party-ready cans that pop and fizz when you pull back the tabs, Colorado’s wine scene is, most definitely, sparkling.The number of Americans drinking sparkling wine has risen by 30 percent between 2019 and 2022, according to an analysis from Wine Intelligence, a division of International Wine and Spirits Research. The numbers show that people are reaching for bottles of bubbles more frequently and not just on special occasions, with about a quarter of respondents saying they drink sparkling wine at least a couple of times a week.The state’s winemakers are eag...