Premier Li Keqiang has announced that the Chinese government has lowered its economic growth target for 2023 to "around 5%", the lowest level in more than a quarter century. This adjustment is due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic which weighed heavily on the country's performance throughout 2022.

Li made the announcement at the start of an annual series of important legislative meetings and set a goal of a 3% increase in consumer price index along with creating around 12 million new urban jobs in 2023. Monetary policy will be "prudently targeted" in order to maintain stability and momentum for high quality development.

China's annual military spending will also increase by 7.2% from last year, reaching a total of 1.55 trillion yuan ($220 billion). This is notably lower than the $800 billion the US is projected to spend in 2023.

Despite these setbacks, analysts generally expect China to

Former President Donald Trump returned to the famed Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Saturday, delivering a low-energy speech that repeated his accusation that the 2020 Presidential election was stolen. Despite a rather lackluster audience, Trump held firm that there would be an epic struggle to rescue America from "the people who hate it and want to absolutely destroy it." He denounced policies like gender affirming care and teaching children about race, adding that "when Biden came in...he put everything right back into place where it was."

From here, Trump pivoted to paint the pivotal 2024 Presidential race as a fight between populist conservatives and the self-interested Republican establishment, loudly proclaiming that "either they win or we win." His chief rival for the Republican nomination, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, was not mentioned by name, however Trump implied his criticism towards what he refers to as the big donors' desired cuts to Social Security and Medicare.

The Alex Murdaugh trial ended with a guilty verdict and life sentence on Thursday night. After crime and animosity filled the coastal town of Wortham, South Carolina for nearly a year, the Murdaugh family found closure in a case that stunned the entire community.

Alex Murdaugh, an opioid addict, was found guilty of the murders of his wife and son, Maggie and Paul (“Pau Pau”). The Murdaugh family legacy, a long-standing history within Wortham, fueled a heightened sense of tension amongst the community during the trial.

The Murdaugh trial generated an abundance of media attention, especially due to the darkly mysterious nature of the murders. From double first names and alcohol to missing guns and plenty of dogs, the trial was anything but ordinary. Consisting of mostly circumstantial evidence, the court moved quickly in rendering a guilty verdict.

The Murdaugh trial has drawn comparisons to

Actor Jake Gyllenhaal took the UFC 285 stage by storm with an electrifying fight scene in the middle of the weigh-ins. Gyllenhaal, who is set to star in the remake of the 1989 film “Road House”, faced off against former UFC fighter Jay Hieron in a fake fight at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The two actors went back and forth, with the audience witnessing Gyllenhaal taking several punches while facing the fence. Gyllenhaal then responded with a flying knee and proceeded to perform a devastating ground-and-pound which prompted referee Chris Tognoni to intervene.

Gyllenhaal had clearly prepared for this performance. He was in impressive shape and proudly showed off his bulging biceps and ripped physique as he stepped on the scale for the pre

Stipe Miocic, one of the greatest mixed martial artists in the history of the UFC, is set to make a return to the Octagon. UFC President Dana White has confirmed that Miocic will face the winner of Saturday’s heavyweight title fight between Jon Jones and Ciryl Gane in July. Jones, making his much-awaited return to the UFC at heavyweight, will aim to become the youngest champion in the promotion's history if he can secure victory over Gane.

White has also made it clear that a one-time champion and Miocic's former foe, Francis Ngannou, will not be allowed to step back into the UFC.

Ngannou had notable wins over both Jones and Gane before departing from the UFC as a free agent, and Jones is poised to take on both of them in reverse order if he can

At an international conference in New Delhi this week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov defended Russia's position in the war in Ukraine, making the claim that the war was actually imposed on it by the West. Amidst a crowd of top diplomats and academics at the Raisina Dialogue conference, Lavrov made a false claim that was met with criticism and a wave of laughter from the audience.

Lavrov backed this claim by noting that NATO had made commitments not to expand in 1999 and 2010, but failed to keep its promise. He argued that this was accompanied by NATO beefing up Ukraine's military, and that security needs to be indivisible, with no country allowed to harm the security of another. He noted that NATO had failed to provide oil commitments and legal commitments, and that the West had done similar interventions in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Iran.

In response to the criticism this false claim

Trump's rhetoric was fiery and controversial as he addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Saturday, framing the 2024 presidential race as an existential battle for the future of the country. The former president, seeming to position himself as a "warrior" of justice, claimed the Republican party's only chance for success was his leadership.

"We have no choice. If we don't do this, our country will be lost forever," Trump told a crowd of diehard supporters. He emphasized a needs for his "America First" mentality and disparaged political opponents like Paul Ryan, Karl Rove, and Jeb Bush. He made clear that he would remain in the 2024 presidential race "even if he is criminally charged," despite investigations by the Department of Justice into document removal from the White House and potential tampering with 2020 election results.

Trump's speech often took on the air of a

Former president Donald Trump made a triumphant return to politics this weekend as the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) was held in Oxon Hill, Maryland. His supporters filled the ballroom, chanting "Four more years" as he spoke on Saturday. The event served as a reminder of his influence over the right-wing party and his enduring strength as a possible 2024 presidential candidate. While Trump's appeal to his hard-core base could not be overstated at the event, public opinion polls suggest many Republicans are looking elsewhere for a candidate, such as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

DeSantis, who has not declared a presidential bid, made a concerted effort over the weekend to burnish his profile. He spoke at Republican fundraisers in Houston and Dallas, as well as a gathering for Republican donors in Florida. He also gave a speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California. While DeSantis did not attend CP

Self-help author and former 2020 presidential candidate Marianne Williamson announced Saturday that she is taking a second shot at challenging current president, Joe Biden, for the 2024 Democratic nomination. This makes her the first Democrat to formally challenge Biden, who has yet to officially announce his own re-election campaign.

At her kickoff event Saturday, Williamson addressed a crowd of more than 600 at Washington DC's Union Station, declaring her desire to create a vision of justice and love that is strong enough to overcome the forces of hatred and injustice she feels have been growing over the past few years. Her campaign signs, which featured the slogans “A New Beginning” and “Disrupt the System”, reflect her stance that the country has been heading in the wrong direction and needs to shift gears and start fresh.

Despite some Democratic leaders calling her campaign a "joke", many of the people in attendance found Williamson's

The countdown for the Women's 2023 March Madness Tournament has begun! On Wednesday, March 15, 68 teams across the country will duke it out in the tournament that will last until Sunday, April 2 with the NCAA Championship Game at American Airlines Arena in Dallas, Texas. On Sunday, March 12, all participating teams will be revealed on ESPN during Selection Sunday.

The First Four, First Round, and Second Round will be determined by the top 16 seeds and will host these matchups, while the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight take place at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina, and Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington, respectively.

The tournament promises an exciting showcase of college basketball as fans anticipate the rematch of the 2023 Final Four matchup between South Carolina and UConn, with the Gamecocks defending their title as the reigning champions.

Early Saturday evening, a cargo train derailed in Springfield, Ohio. According to Norfolk Southern, the 212-car freight train was carrying 20 to 30 cars when it derailed at Ohio 41 near the Prime Ohio Business Park in Springfield. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident.

The Clark County Emergency Management Agency has asked nearby residents to shelter-in-place out of an abundance of caution, and Duke Energy's power outage map shows that more than 4,700 customers have been left without power due to downed power lines. Thomas Crosson, a spokesman for Norfolk Southern, said that crews are en-route to the site to begin the cleanup operations.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has offered support from the federal government, commenting on Twitter that "President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg called me to offer help from the federal government." The incident comes in the wake of

The Alex Murdaugh murder trial has captivated the nation's attention, with the low country crime drama playing out in a small town in South Carolina. On Thursday evening, the jury found Murdaugh guilty of the double murders of his wife and son, who was affectionately referred to as "Pau Pau." The decision invoked a lifetime prison sentence for the two murders.

The case involved multiple witnesses, circumstantial evidence, and a long history of the Murdaugh family, culminating in a series produced on Netflix. The drama of the trial that unfolded in the sleepy low-country town painted an ominous picture of the Murdaugh family.

The riveting case of the Murdaugh trial stirred memories for some of the first murder trial in 1971 covering Anthony Spilotro and Mario DeStefano. At the time, the press coverage consisted of a limited selection of traditional channels such as the Chicago

At the Conservative Political Action Conference this past weekend, the tone was crystal clear: Donald Trump is the frontrunner for candidacy in the upcoming 2024 presidential election. Former President Trump had the coveted time slot of Saturday evening to speak, while other highly qualified Republican candidates such as Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis were relegated to mid-day and excluded. Trump’s allies, among them Sean Spicer, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Donald Trump Jr., and Lara Trump, filled the other time slots throughout the conference.

CPAC has become "essentially a campaign rally" for Trump and many Republicans at the conference have come to view it as a showcase to demonstrate their loyalty to the former President. Trump loyalists have prioritized nostalgia for his term over the GOP’s imminent political fight, despite other potential candidates like DeSantis and Haley who poll better against President Biden. Trump’s ally Matt Schlapp

Paris Saint-Germain were clinical as they recorded an impressive 3-0 win over second-placed Marseille in Le Classique, with Kylian Mbappe hogging the limelight. The 24-year-old opened the scoring in the 25th minute off a Lionel Messi assist, before the duo linked up again for Mbappe's second goal of the match 10 minutes into the second half. This brace took him to a double century of goals in PSG colours, which puts him alongside club legend Edinson Cavani in the all-time club record books.

PSG looked sharp throughout and Marseille ultimately had no answer to the quality on show. PSG moved eight points clear at the top of the Ligue 1 table, with Monaco and Lens a further two points behind them. The result came after a stuttering run of form and bodes well for

Japan International teammates Maya Yoshida and Wataru Endo will go face to face in a crucial relegation battle on Saturday when Schalke host VfB Stuttgart in the Bundesliga. The Royal Blues have suffered through an unprecedented four scoreless draws in their last four Bundesliga games, but goalkeeper Ralf Fahrmann refuses to feel discouraged.

Schalke’s Thomas Reis has been struggling with a lengthy injury list with defenders Thomas Ouwejan, Jere Uronen, Cedric Brunner and Sepp van den Berg all likely out of the matchup. The Schalke captain, Yoshida, and Moritz Jenz will look to keep things tight once again in front of their inspired keeper.

Meanwhile, VfB Stuttgart ended a six-game winless streak with a 3-0 victory over Cologne last weekend

Arsenal secured all three points with a dramatic late winner against Bournemouth on Saturday at the Emirates Stadium. After conceding with only 9 seconds played in the fastest goal in Premier League history, Arsenal clawed back twice to equalize before substitute Reiss Nelson sealed a dramatic victory in the dying seconds.

Fabio Vieira replaced Granit Xhaka who was left out of the starting lineup for the first time since January 2022, and Thomas Partey was reintroduced after a back injury, replacing Jorginho at the base of midfield. Takehiro Tomiyasu returned at right-back in Ben White's absence.

Early goals from Philip Billing and Dango Ouattara put Bournemouth in control, but Bukayo Saka, Fabio Vieira and Thomas Partey leveled the score to set up a grand finale. Close chances from Martin Odegaard, substitute Saka

After winter storms brought multiple feet of snow to the San Bernardino National Forest, an emergency closure order was issued by the Forest Service on Friday, restricting access to residents and emergency crews only. With communities facing a state of emergency, the county's sheriff strongly urged those planning a weekend trip to refrain, as conditions remain unsafe and resources are scarce.

Crews are working around the clock to plow the snow-covered roads, but travel still remains dangerous in many areas. The supervisor warned anyone traveling to bring adequate supplies, as delays and issues with access are expected. The extent of winter storm damages are yet to be seen, and it could be several more weeks before the Forest is fully operational.

Chris Kenning of USA Today reported from one Running Springs resident, Marcia Woloshun, who has been unable to leave her home for over a week. Woloshun said it took 3 waves of blizzards to fully

Alex Murdaugh, the disgraced South Carolina lawyer and convicted killer, was sentenced to life in prison on March 3 for the murders of his wife and youngest son. Murdaugh, 54, was found guilty by a jury on March 2 for the 2021 murders of his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, and Paul Murdaugh, which occurred near the family's dog kennels on their rural estate in Islandton, S.C.

Murdaugh had a long and storied legal past, with his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather being former prosecutors in the southern part of South Carolina. He had also stolen millions of dollars from his clients and law firm, accounting for 99 charges across more than a dozen indictments, which he admitted to during his testimony. Burgess, his only surviving son and a Wofford College graduate, was also kicked out of law school

The situation in Bakhmut, a city in eastern Ukraine, is reaching a critical state. As a relentless surge of Russian troops bear down on the city, Ukrainian troops are fighting back with dwindling ammunition. Volodymyr Nazarenko, a deputy commander for the National Guard of Ukraine said in an interview with Ukrainian NV Radio that the fighting is going on round the clock and that Ukrainian troops have less ammunition than the number of Russian troops currently attacking them.

The Russian mercenaries of the Wagner Group have been the main driving force of the attack and have significantly tightened their grip on the city by destroying a vital supply bridge. Furthermore, they have also blocked off the only road out of the city. News outlets have reported the magnitude of the situation and a retired US Marine even referred to the city as "the meat grinder" due to the shortened life expectancy of fighters on the front lines.

Ukrainian President Vol

Residents of California's mountain communities are stuck in an unprecedented blizzard situation, having received over 40 feet of snow since the start of the season. A late-February arctic blast threw the area for a loop and blocked all highways leading up the mountains, stranding the thousands of people who live and visit in the area seasonally. The state is struggling to get the roads cleared, but luckily they've estimated that they could restrict the two week setback imposed on the residents to one week, meaning they would be able to get out in less time.

Families are snowed in and struggling to keep going. Many have lost power, roofs have collapsed, essential items like food and medicine are dwindling. The snow has stopped falling, and the National Guard has deployed to aid in the recovery, but residents are still struggling due to a lack of clearing and state support.

Paola Fowler, 37, her husband,

Manchester City earned a huge victory in an important fixture this past Saturday, showing their strength in the English Premier League with a dominant 2-0 win over Newcastle United. Despite Newcastle's traditionally disciplined defensive game and their standing as the team with the league's fewest goals allowed (15), Manchester City powerfully asserted their victory with a couple of ethical calls by Pep Guardiola. Guardiola's decision to start Phil Foden over Riyad Mahrez in the right wing was rewarded with Foden scoring the team's first goal in the 15th minute on a deflected shot past Newcastle's keeper. The crucial second goal was scored shortly after Guardiola made the shrewd move to sub off the underwhelming Kevin De Bruyne in the 64th minute, with Bernardo Silva issued onto the field, who then quickly scored with one of his first touches on a flick from Erling Haaland.

With this victory, Manchester City stays close

As we expect another round of severe storms this Friday across Kentucky, it is important to prepare and stay safe during the storm. Local utility companies have shared your tips on how to stay safe and minimise damages from power outages.

Before the storm, create an emergency supply kit that can last up to two weeks and includes essentials such as water, non-perishable foods, and medicines. Have portable radios or TVs and a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather radio on hand to keep track of weather forecasts as well as important information from state and local officials. It is a good idea to charge cellphones, computers, and other electronic devices in advance of storms. Pet owners should make sure to have plans for a place for their pets to stay in case of evacuation.

If a power line falls across a car that you are in, remain in

Nobel Peace Prize recipient Ales Bialiatski has been sentenced to serve 10 years in prison by a court in Belarus. The sixty-year-old face charges of smuggling and financing “actions grossly violating public order”, according to the Viasna human rights group.

Mr. Bialiatski is the founder of Viasna and was one of three winners of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize. He was arrested in December 2021 following mass protests over disputed presidential elections the previous year. Mr. Bialiatski was accused of smuggling cash into Belarus to fund an opposition activity against the authoritarian rule of Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko.

Mr. Bialiatski's colleagues, Valentin Stefanovich and Vladimir Labkovich, were also sentenced on the same charges. Stefanovich was sentenced to nine

Tom Sizemore, the acclaimed actor of intense roles in films like Saving Private Ryan, Black Hawk Down, and Pearl Harbor, passed away on Friday at the age of 61. Sizemore's manager, Charles Lago, announced the news and said that Sizemore passed away peacefully in his sleep at St. Joseph's Hospital in Burbank. His brother, Paul, was at his side when he passed, alongside twin boys Jayden and Jagger.

Sizemore's ex-wife and actress, Maevee Quinlin, expressed her condolences, extending her thoughts and prayers to Sizemore's two sons. His friend and manager, Lago, requested privacy for the family during this difficult time.

Sizemore, a Detroit-born actor, rose to fame in the 80s and 90s with his iconic roles in

Breadlines continue in North Korea as fears of starvation reach levels not seen since the '90s. North Korea has suspended its daily food rations to soldiers, and the number of military drills conducted by the North in 2021 has reportedly decreased by 10 to 20%. As food insecurity in the isolated nation only worsens, Kim Jong Un has held a four-day Workers' Party meeting this week to discuss a revamp of the country's agricultural sector.

Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, was present for the meeting and stressed the need to "establish the correct strategy for the development of agriculture." The North Korean food situation appears to have deteriorated significantly, with South Korea's government pointing to the meeting as an indication of serious shortages.

Daily grain rations for ordinary citizens have reportedly been reduced to approximately 550-590 grams. Soldiers, meanwhile,