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Artist Zeng Fanzhi depicts ‘zero-COVID’ after a lifetime of service to the Chinese state

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:50 GMT

SHENZHEN, China (AP) — In one painting, a child sits, mouth wide open, as a worker in white medical garb extends a long cotton swab toward her tonsils. In another, a masked officer and medical workers stand guard in front of an apartment cordoned off with ropes and seals reading “CLOSED,” as residents look on with frustration and despair.These are some of the portraits that Zeng Fanzhi, 85, has painted to commemorate three years of China’s strict “zero-COVID” controls, which sparked nationwide protests a year ago. But Zeng, a retired architect living in Shenzhen, is not a harsh critic of the measures, under which millions of people were tested, locked in apartments, or carried off to quarantine centers.Zeng has spent much of his life in service to the Chinese state, designing monuments in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square and coal plants for the Ministry of Coal. He’s a member of Shenzhen’s state-sponsored artist’s association and his paintings feature on stamps and win prizes.The artist h...

Man seriously injured in west end stabbing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:50 GMT

A man has suffered serious injuries after being stabbed in the west end of the city.Police say they were called to the area of Bloor Street West and Dundas Street West just after 7:30 p.m. Sunday night for reports someone had been stabbed.When they arrived they found a man suffering from a stab wound. They were taken to a nearby trauma centre in serious condition.There is no word on suspects at this time or what may have led up to the stabbing.

Irregular meals, benches as beds. As freed hostages return to Israel, details of captivity emerge

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:50 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Plastic chairs as beds. Meals of bread and rice. Hours spent waiting for the bathroom. As former hostages return to Israel after seven weeks of Hamas captivity, information about the conditions of their confinement has emerged.The 58 hostages freed under a cease-fire deal over the past three days have largely stayed out of the public eye, with most still in hospitals.Nearly two months after Hamas militants dragged them into Gaza during a bloody cross-border attack on Israel that also killed 1,200 people, most freed hostages appear to be in stable physical condition. Information about the conditions of their captivity has been tightly controlled, but family members of the released hostages have begun to share details about their loved ones’ experiences. Merav Raviv, whose three relatives were released by Hamas on Friday, said they had been fed irregularly and had eaten mainly rice and bread. She said her cousin and aunt, Keren and Ruth Munder, had each lost aro...

CPD: 14 people robbed at gunpoint in 3 hours

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:50 GMT

CHICAGO — Police are offering a warning to residents in several neighborhoods across the city after 14 people were robbed at gunpoint in a span of about three hours on Sunday morning. According to Chicago police, the robberies happened between 5:06 a.m. and 7:53 a.m. Tips from Chicago crime experts on how to avoid robberies, minimize harm Officers say during each robbery, a group of four men exited a black Audi G5, with the license plate number BW72037, and pointed guns against the victim's heads while demanding property. The men then stole wallets, purses, cell phones and money from the victims. Police say during four of the robberies, the victims were battered, and a victim was shot in one of the incidents. Police did not provide an update on the condition of the victim who was shot during one of the robberies. Chicago police provided the following timeline of the armed robberies that took place on Sunday:1900 block of West 21st Street at 5:06 a.m. on the Lower West Si...

Retailers see record number of online sales on Black Friday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:50 GMT

CHICAGO — Retailers are gearing up for Cyber Monday after Black Friday shoppers spent record amounts online.For some families, it is still a tradition, but for others, the thrill of shopping till they drop may be gone."I was actually shocked for being Black Friday that there were so few people here today," one black Friday shopper said. Thousands expected to pass through Chicago’s airports, train stations amid holiday travel rush The National Retail Federation expects shoppers will spend more money this year than last year, but the pace of growth is slowing. Many retailers ordered fewer goods for the season and started holiday sales well before Thanksgiving weekend."It's not just about convenience but it's about consumers taking advantage of these early deals to spread their spending around," WalletHub Editor Christie Matherne said.Despite the change in consumer behavior, retailers could still bring in record numbers this Cyber Monday with Adobe Analytics estimating sales to top $...

No. 15 Texas overcomes slow start, Abmas pours in 23 for 86-63 win over Wyoming

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:50 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Max Abmas scored a season-best 23 points to lead No. 15 Texas to an 86-63 win over Wyoming on Sunday.Abmas, a former star at Oral Roberts, shot 8 for 14 from the field, 3 for 6 from long distance and hit all four of his free throws.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersThe Longhorns (5-1) shot poorly for the first 11 minutes and the game was tied at 15. Then, Abmas hit two 3-pointers and Brock Cunningham (eight rebounds, three steals) added another 3 in a span of 1:42 that helped the Longhorns take the lead.Abmas added an off-balance 3-pointer while falling out of bounds that beat the halftime buzzer and gave Texas a 41-26 lead.He has a long history as a top scorer, having averaged 21 per game in four seasons at Oral Roberts. He averaged 13.6 points in his first five games at Texas.“Obviously, you hope he misses, but hope's not a strategy,” Wyoming coach...

Review: So much flavor to savor in History Center’s ‘I Am Betty’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:50 GMT

“Know that Betty Crocker believes in you.”Those words emerged from radios throughout America in the 1920s, offering support to women discouraged at the quality of their cooking and baking skills. With Betty Crocker’s helpful suggestions, often isolated homemakers came to feel part of an expansive community of women sharing similar experiences.But Betty Crocker didn’t exist. She was a fictitious creation of the Minneapolis-based Washburn-Crosby Company, a flour miller that soon merged with competitors to form General Mills (after establishing a radio station, WCCO, partially in order to get this kitchen companion’s words on the air).So how did a Minnesota-based company manage to make this imaginary character the second-most-popular woman in America next to First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, according to a 1945 poll? The answer can be found in “I Am Betty,” a delightful new musical currently premiering at the History Theatre.With a century’s worth of musical styles and a multitude of vivid...

Broncos rookie Drew Sanders gets snaps at outside linebacker for first time all season

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:50 GMT

The Broncos knew they were going to load up defensively against the Cleveland Browns in Sunday’s game at Empower Field.At times they played with four down linemen and one safety (Justin Simmons). They broke out a 4-4 look at one point.One move from the 29-12 win that might have staying power regardless of opponent: Sliding rookie Drew Sanders to the edge and playing him at outside linebacker rather than inside.Payton this spring called Sanders, a third-round pick, a prototype for the “Mike” inside linebacker spot eventually, but right now Denver decided it needs his athleticism and 6-foot-5, 233-pound frame on the field some how, some way.Sanders had mostly played spot duty as a rusher, but rotated in first with Nik Bonitto in Denver’s base defense and later with Baron Browning. He also had his normal sub pass-rushing role.“He did a great job,” Browning said. “I think he’s a guy that needs to be on the field with us. This is a way we can get him on the ...

Naked guy spotted on iconic Disneyland Ride

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:50 GMT

Disneyland guests on the “It’s a Small World” ride got something of an unexpected and unwelcomed show Sunday when a man stripped down and got up close and personal with some of the set pieces on the iconic attraction, theme park officials confirmed to KTLA. Video of the streaker posted by TMZ shows the man, eerily lit in blue and pink lights, walking around nearly in the buff to the sound of children singing “It’s a Small World After All.”  Guests take a relaxing ride through It's a Small World at Disneyland. (Credit: Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)“I am on Small World and there was a streaker, I cannot believe this happening,” Ashley Esqueda posted to X, formerly Twitter.  Disneyland officials told KTLA that the man stepped out of the ride's vehicle as the attraction was in operation and that park employees stopped the ride as soon as they were made aware of the situation. “At some point, somebody snapped him outside of the ride ... and it looks like he went for the full b...

CIF state football: NorCal matchups are set. What are the top storylines?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:50 GMT

DE LA SALLE: NEW REGIONAL OPPONENT FOR SPARTANSDe La Salle figured its regional opponent would be Clovis North or Folsom. Clovis North is undefeated and captured the Central Section Division I championship on Friday. Folsom has lost twice, to Serra and De La Salle, and won the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I title on Friday.The California Interscholastic Federation went with Clovis North for De La Salle, giving the Bay Area power a home game on Friday night after sending the Spartans to Folsom for a regional last season.Instead of facing the Sacramento-area powerhouse and its spread offense for the fifth time since October 2021, De La Salle will play run-dominated Clovis North, which has put together its first undefeated season since it began playing varsity football in 2009.“If they had chosen us to play Folsom, we would have been excited, don’t get me wrong,” DLS coach Justin Alumbaugh said. “But some new competition is always nice. It’s not like we were hoping for Clovis North or ...