By ROB GILLIES

TORONTO (AP) — China, the U.S. and Canada completed a high-stakes prisoner swap with joyous homecomings for two Canadians held by China and for an executive of Chinese global communications giant Huawei Technologies charged with fraud, potentially bringing closure to a 3-year feud that embroiled the three countries.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hugged diplomat Michael Kovrig and entrepreneur Michael Spavor on the tarmac after they landed in Calgary, Alberta early Saturday. The men were detained in China in Dec. 2018, shortly after Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, Huawei Technologies’ chief financial officer and the daughter of the company’s founder, on a U.S. extradition request.

Many countries labeled China’s action “hostage politics,” while China accused Ottawa of arbitrary detention. The two Canadians were jailed for more than 1,000 days.

“It’s fantastic to be back home in Canada and I am immensely grateful to everybody who worked hard to bring both of us back home,” a noticeably thinner Kovrig said after a Canadian government plane landed in Toronto and he was greeted by his wife and sister.

“I’m feeling fantastic,” Kovrig said.

Meng’s return to China later Saturday was carried live on state TV, underscoring the degree to which Beijing has linked her case with Chinese nationalism and its rise as a global economic and political power.

Wearing a red dress matching the color of China’s flag, Meng thanked the ruling Communist Party and its leader Xi Jinping for supporting her through more than 1,000 days in house arrest in Vancouver, where she owns two multimillion dollar mansions.

“I have finally returned to the warm embrace of the motherland,” Meng said. “As an ordinary Chinese citizen going through this difficult time, I always felt the warmth and concern of the party, the nation and the people.”

The chain of events involving the global powers brought an abrupt end to legal and geopolitical wrangling that has roiled relations between Washington, Beijing and Ottawa. The three-way deal enabled China and Canada to each bring home their own detained citizens while the U.S. wrapped up a criminal case against Meng that for months had been mired in an extradition fight.

“These two men have been through an unbelievably difficult ordeal. For the past 1,000 days, they have shown strength, perseverance and grace and we are all inspired by that,” Trudeau said of the two Canadians.

The first activity came Friday afternoon when Meng, 49, reached an agreement with federal prosecutors that called for fraud charges against her to be dismissed next year and allowed for her to return to China immediately. As part of the deal, known as a deferred prosecution agreement, she accepted responsibility for misrepresenting the company’s business dealings in Iran.

The deal was reached as President Joe Biden and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping have sought to tamp down signs of public tension — even as the world’s two dominant economies are at odds on issues as diverse as cybersecurity, climate change, human rights and trade and tariffs. Biden said in an address before the U.N. General Assembly earlier this week that he had no intention of starting a “new Cold War,” while Xi told world leaders that disputes among countries “need to be handled through dialogue and cooperation.”

“The U.S. Government stands with the international community in welcoming the decision by People’s Republic of China authorities to release Canadian citizens Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig after more than two-and-a-half years of arbitrary detention. We are pleased that they are returning home to Canada,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

As part of the deal with Meng, the Justice Department agreed to dismiss the fraud charges against her in December 2022 — exactly four years after her arrest — provided that she complies with certain conditions, including not contesting any of the government’s factual allegations. The Justice Department also agreed to drop its request that Meng be extradited to the U.S., which she had vigorously challenged.

After appearing via videoconference for her New York hearing, Meng made a brief court appearance in Vancouver, where she’d been out on bail living in a multimillion-dollar mansion while the two Canadians were held in Chinese prison cells where the lights were kept on 24 hours a day.

Outside the courtroom, Meng thanked the Canadian government for upholding the rule of law, expressed gratitude to the Canadian people and apologized “for the inconvenience I caused.”

“Over the last three years my life has been turned upside down,” she said. “It was a disruptive time for me as a mother, a wife and as a company executive. But I believe every cloud has a silver lining. It really was an invaluable experience in my life. I will never forget all the good wishes I received.”

Shortly afterward, Meng left on an Air China flight for Shenzhen, China, the location of Huawei’s headquarters.

Huawei is the biggest global supplier of network gear for phone and internet companies. It has been a symbol of China’s progress in becoming a technological world power — and a subject of U.S. security and law enforcement concerns. Some analysts say Chinese companies have flouted international rules and norms and stolen technology.

The case against Meng stems from a January 2019 indictment from the Trump administration Justice Department that accused Huawei of stealing trade secrets and using a Hong Kong shell company called Skycom to sell equipment to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. The indictment also charged Meng herself with committing fraud by misleading the HSBC bank about the company’s business dealings in Iran.

The indictment came amid a broader Trump administration crackdown against Huawei over U.S. government concerns that the company’s products could facilitate Chinese spying. The administration cut off Huawei’s access to U.S. components and technology, including Google’s music and other smartphone services, and later barred vendors worldwide from using U.S. technology to produce components for Huawei.

The Biden White House, meanwhile, has kept up a hard line on Huawei and other Chinese corporations whose technology is thought to pose national security risks. Huawei has repeatedly denied the U.S. government’s allegations and security concerns about its products.

Former Canadian ambassador to China, Guy Saint-Jacques, Kovrig’s former boss, said he was elated the two Canadians are home.

“Clearly, the Chinese were so eager to get Meng back that they jettisoned all pretensions that the two Michaels had been arrested for good reasons. They must acknowledge that their reputation has been severely tarnished,” Saint-Jacques said. “There is grumbling in the Communist party of China, people saying, ‘In which direction are we going, Xi Jinping? We are creating too many enemies. Why are we enemies with countries like Canada and Australia?’”

Saint-Jacques said he thinks China will think twice before using “hostage diplomacy” again.

____

Eric Tucker in Washington, Jim Mustian in New York and Jim Morris in Vancouver, Canada, contributed to this report.

UPDATE: 1:02 p.m. Saturday
They were the consensus top two picks in fantasy drafts this summer, but the Vikings’ Dalvin Cook and Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey are not looking that well lately.

McCaffrey pulled a hamstring in Thursday night’s victory over Houston, and the No. 1 running back in the NFL will be out a “few” weeks, according to the team. That means Chuba Hubbard will move up for the Panthers, with Royce Freeman seeing some action. Only the former is worth rostering for now.

As for Cook, the Vikings haven’t updated his status since yesterday, when he missed another day of practice. So he is still listed as questionable with a sprained ankle.

Since the Vikings are playing at 3:25 tomorrow, you will NOT get to see their inactive list when you set your lineup in the morning. So you’ll have to keep an eye on the Twitter. If you’re counting on Cook, it might behoove you to have a backup plan ready with someone playing late Sunday or Monday. Or to have Alexander Mattison, which goes without saying …

In other Saturday headlines: it’s looking as though rookie Trey Sermon may finally get his first big workload with the 49ers. Elijah Mitchell is considered doubtful, so it will likely be Sermon on Sunday night in their big game against the Packers.

A few notables have been cleared to start. Dallas WR Amari Cooper and Cleveland wideout Odell Beckham Jr. are said to be good to go, as is Indy QB Carson Wentz, he of the double sprained ankles. You can certainly ignore the latter.

Ruled out for Week 3 are Tampa Bay WR Antonio Brown and Pittsburgh WR Diontae Johnson, and Bengals wideout Tee Higgins is doubtful.

Arizona star DeAndre Hopkins is listed as a game-time decision, as is another wideout, the Jets’ Jamison Crowder.

ORIGINAL POST: 9:30 a.m. Wednesday

From the moment the 2021 season began, it was only a matter of time. Just how long would it be before rookie Justin Fields replaced Andy Dalton as the starting quarterback for the oft-quarterback challenged Chicago Bears.

The answer proved to be about 76 minutes of game play. That’s when Dalton left last Sunday with a knee injury, and the Ohio State phenom headed into the game amid rousing cheers at Soldier Field.

How did he do? Not that well.

Sure, Fields made a nice run to help clinch the game in the fourth quarter. But that was about it for his heroics. He completed only 6 of 13 passes for 60 yards. Fulfilling the fantasy dreams of nobody.

But Dalton is said to be “week to week,” so Fields is in line to get his first NFL start Sunday against Cleveland. Not a great matchup. The Bears have to start the former Buckeye, but wise fantasy mavens should probably wait before taking that plunge.

Other quarterbacks and teams are feeling the Bears’ pain:

Carson Wentz (Colts) — Indy’s QB pulled off the rare double by spraining BOTH of his ankles. There’s no way either you nor the Colts should count on starting him this week in Tennessee. And if Jacob Eason has to replace him, you can forget about starting any Colts except, maybe, for Jonathan Taylor.

Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins) — The Deshaun Watson trade buzz heated up again immediately after No. 1 went down with injured ribs in the shutout loss to Buffalo. Tagovailoa has been ruled out this week, and the Dolphins might be better off with Jacoby Brissett at the helm.

Tyrod Taylor (Texans) — Houston’s QB had been surprisingly sensational in the first game and a half, and now he’s on injured reserve with a bad hammy. The Texans will likely be starting rookie Davis Mills the next three weeks. So expect our preseason pick to be the NFL’s worst team to start playing like it. Immediately.

Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers) — Pittsburgh’s QB has had an assortment of issues through the years, and now he has a “pectoral issue.” While he’s certainly not a top 10 quarterback anymore, Big Ben could have been a decent streaming option for this week against the Bengals’ defense. But you can scratch that thought.

Derek Carr (Raiders) — The early candidate for Comeback Player of the Year, Carr is questionable this week because of an ankle injury. But with 817 yards and four TD passes so far this season, Carr might still be worth grabbing off waivers and starting against a reeling Miami team.

SITTING STARS
Despite winning Monday night, Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers was in a testy mood. That will be true Sunday night when they play the rugged 49ers defense. … Tom Brady is a must start, but the Buccaneers’ QB will cool off a bit against the Rams in what could be an NFC championship preview. … New England RB Damien Harris will find the going tougher against New Orleans than he did last week against the J-E-T-S … Two other running backs who will have a tough day: Washington’s Antonio Gibson vs. the Bills and the fumble-prone Clyde Edwards-Helaire vs. the Chargers

MATCHUP GAME
Denver is a surprising 2-0, and QB Teddy Bridgewater and RB Javonte Williams will look almost unbeatable against the lowly Jets. … Same goes for Sam Darnold, the QB for 2-0 Carolina, against the Texans. … Philly QB Jalen Hurts has been up and down, but he’ll be very, very up vs. Dallas. … The Vikings’ meager pass defense will help Seattle’s D.K. Metcalf keep up with receiving partner Tyler Lockett. … Running backs we particularly like this week are Pittsburgh’s Najee Harris vs. Cincinnati, the Chargers’ Austin Ekeler vs. Kansas City’s poor run defense, and Arizona’s Chase Edmonds vs. Jacksonville.

INJURY WATCH
The ranks of running backs have taken a hit in the past week. Las Vegas’ Josh Jacobs (toe/ankle) is “very questionable” this week, according to Raiders coach Jon Gruden. So Kenyan Drake and Peyton Barber will see more duty. … San Francisco’s Elijah Mitchell has an ailing shoulder, but he might still be the 49ers’ healthiest runner. … The Rams’ Darrell Henderson has injured ribs, and his status will be up in the air until the weekend. So Sony Michel is getting warmed up. … Two prominent receivers are already out this week: Cleveland’s Jarvis Landry (knee) is on injured reserve and will miss at least three weeks, and Houston’s Danny Amendola (hamstring) will sit out Thursday night’s game against Carolina. … Players listed as questionable include Dallas WR Amari Cooper, Pittsburgh wideout Diontae Johnson, Cleveland WR Odell Beckham Jr., Jacksonville WR Laviska Shenault, Philly TE Zach Ertz and Giants tight end Evan Engram.

THE DEEPEST SLEEPER
This isn’t the deepest dive we’ve ever taken, but it’s obvious that former Viking Cordarrelle Patterson is becoming a solid dual threat for the Atlanta Falcons. The receiver turned running back had two touchdowns last Sunday against Tampa Bay, one rushing and one receiving, and he ran for 54 yards in the season opener against Philadelphia. And this week’s opponent, the New York Giants, has an average-at-best defense. The Falcons’ No. 1 back, Mike Davis, has been especially ordinary with 87 rushing yards over two games. So we’re guessing we’ll see more of No. 84 looking out of place in the Atlanta backfield.

THE THURSDAY PICK
Panthers at Texans (+7½):
Pick: Panthers by 14

BREAKING NEWS
We’ll be updating our column, based on the latest injuries and innuendo, right up until Sunday’s kickoff. Go to TwinCities.com/theloop.

You can hear Kevin Cusick on Wednesdays on Bob Sansevere’s “BS Show” podcast on iTunes. You can follow Kevin on Twitter — @theloopnow. He can be reached at [email protected]

The return of Chris Autman-Bell has been interrupted.

The Gophers top receiver missed the first two games with an ankle injury but returned to have a team-high four receptions for 76 yards in the 30-0 win over Colorado last week.

Then on the first play of Saturday’s game against Bowling Green, Autman-Bell caught a pass for nine yards, got tackled and got up limping. He stayed in the game for the next play, but then exited. He had the joint tapped up and he tried to get loose but didn’t return during the first half.

Without him and with poor offensive line play, Minnesota’s offense sputtered with only 94 yards and trailed Bowling Green 7-3 at halftime.

It’s the same spot Autman-Bell hurt during an horse-collar tackle in training camp practice Aug. 12 and he missed the first two games, making his return to play Sept. 18.

BRIEFLY

The Gopher will pay Bowling Green $1.45 million to play the nonconference game, according to the contract between the two programs. The U will pay the same sum to the Falcons for them to return for a game in 2025. Defensive tackle Rashad Cheney missed his second straight game after playing in the opening two games. The reason is unknown. …. Linebacker Cody Lindenberg, who played in the first three games, had a protective boot on his left foot Saturday. … Linemen Curtis Dunlap Jr. and MJ Anderson were dinged up vs. Buffaloes, but played against Bowling Green.

(NEXSTAR/NEWS10) – On Saturday, Netflix released a teaser for the upcoming fourth season of “Stranger Things,” this time inviting viewers to an entirely new and likely sinister setting, which of course, the main cast will soon start snooping through.

The trailer’s debut is part of Netflix’s TUDUM fan event that opens in the 1950s, on a set of new characters introduced as members of the Creel household.

Something is clearly off about the family’s patriarch, as he’s briefly seen standing over the lifeless-looking bodies of two children.

Fast forward to the ‘80s, and the gang from Hawkins obviously finds their way into the now-abandoned house.

Little else was revealed in the fourth-season trailer, aside from a 2022 release date.

Netflix previously confirmed the return of the original cast, including David Harbour, whose character’s fate was left uncertain at the end of the third season.

Joining the series for this newest nightmare is Robert Englund, best known for playing Freddy Kruger in the “Nightmare on Elm Street” series.

Englund will play a character named Victor Creel, a man who had been “imprisoned in a psychiatric hospital for a gruesome murder in the 1950s,” according to the official “Stranger Things” social media channels.

In addition to the new “Stranger Things” teaser, Netflix debuted trailers and exclusive scenes for new films, new shows, and returning series.

Fans can learn more on Netflix’s recap of Saturday’s TUDUM event webpage.

GLENS FALLS, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Gov. Kathy Hochul Saturday announced the latest round of communities to achieve certification as part of New York State’s Climate Smart Communities program, which supports local efforts to meet the economic, social, and environmental challenges posed by climate change.

By taking meaningful steps to mitigate and adapt to climate change, 11 local governments have reportedly met the criteria to be recognized as leaders for the first time. Additionally, three communities already in the program recertified and increased the number of certification points earned during the most recent round of review.

WARREN COUNTY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – On September 25, Warren County Health Services reported 19 additional COVID-19 cases Saturday along with 27 recoveries.

Health Services is monitoring 191 active COVID cases as of Saturday, 180 of them involving mild illness.  Nine are hospitalized as of Saturday, one more than Friday. Two are in critical condition and seven have a moderate illness. Two are also moderately ill outside of the hospital.

All of Saturday’s new cases involved the community spread of COVID. Eight involved individuals who had been on campus in the Queensbury, Lake George, and Glens Falls school districts.

Eight of Saturday’s cases involved individuals who had been fully vaccinated. Cumulatively as of Saturday, 413 of 43,148 fully vaccinated Warren County residents have tested positive for COVID.

To date, 388 of 413 had a mild illness, while 14 became moderately ill, two seriously ill, and two critically ill. Seven passed away, six of the elderly with extensive health issues, five of them at one nursing home.

As of September 24, Warren County’s breakthrough cases break down by vaccine as follows: (178 Pfizer, 132 Moderna, 51 Johnson & Johnson/Janssen, and 18 unknown).

Warren County Health Services will hold the following free COVID vaccination clinics open to the public ages 12 and over in the coming days:

• Monday, September 27, first doses, SUNY Adirondack Student Center, 12:30-1:30 p.m. — students and staff only. Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer are available.

• Tuesday, September 28 Third dose clinic, Warren County Municipal Center’s COVID testing facility from 3 p.m. – 4 p.m. Pfizer and Moderna vaccines available.
• Tuesday, September 28 First dose clinic, Warren County Municipal Center’s COVID testing facility from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson and Moderna offered.
• Tuesday, October 5 at Warren County Municipal Center’s Human Services Building from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson and Moderna offered.

New COVID cases in recent days continue to stem from workplace exposures, household exposures, out-of-state travel, and youth sports practices.

MANHATTAN (WPIX) – A recent injury to a carriage horse in NYC has renewed the debate over their presence around Central Park. 

On Thursday, the horse collided with a black sedan. Witnesses on the scene said the horse collapsed and remained unconscious for several minutes, according to a statement from advocacy group New Yorkers for Clean, Livable, and Safe Streets (NYCLASS).

Footage shared by the advocacy group showed the horse kicking and struggling to get off the ground after regaining consciousness. Another showed the destruction and bloody aftermath of the incident.

Police said it was the horse’s first day pulling a carriage in Manhattan.

Christina Hansen, a carriage driver and spokesperson for the industry, said the horse, named Chief, was startled when a “diaper extension” he was wearing came loose and touched his hind legs, sending him running into a parked car. He was “promptly” seen by a veterinarian who treated the horse for scrapes and one cut that required stitches. She later said a vet again checked on the horse Friday evening.

“It’s newsworthy because it happens so rarely. The horse is fine,” Hansen said.

A group called the committee for Compassionate and Responsible Tourism, meanwhile, has previously highlighted such incidents when campaigning for the city to transition to electric carriages. 

Susan Wagner, with the committee, shared her observations on electric carriages from a trip to Guadalajara, Mexico. She said it’s better for the drivers too, as they can work longer hours if they choose, with less expenses. Naturally, it avoids putting horses in dangerous situations, too.

The drivers of the horse carriages, however, question why the city would want more vehicles in the park after removing cars.

The city regulates all aspects of the horse-carriage industry. Adding electric vehicles to the tourism industry would require new legislation. 

During Mayor Bill de Blasio’s term, he and the New York City Council enacted additional regulations for horse-drawn carriages. Horses currently get 15-minute breaks every two hours, and cannot work longer than 9 hours per day. Five weeks vacation is also required. 

Posted: Sep 25, 2021 / 01:36 PM EDT / Updated: Sep 25, 2021 / 01:36 PM EDT

GLENS FALLS, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Gov. Kathy Hochul Saturday announced the latest round of communities to achieve certification as part of New York State’s Climate Smart Communities program, which supports local efforts to meet the economic, social, and environmental challenges posed by climate change.

By taking meaningful steps to mitigate and adapt to climate change, 11 local governments have reportedly met the criteria to be recognized as leaders for the first time. Additionally, three communities already in the program recertified and increased the number of certification points earned during the most recent round of review.

The actions announced Saturday during Climate Week 2021 are said to support New York’s ambitious goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 85% by 2050, as outlined in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, or CLCPA. The announcement was made in the city of Glens Falls, which achieved bronze-level Climate Smart certification.
 

“Our Climate Smart Communities program empowers local governments to take bold action to meet the challenges driven by our changing climate, and I commend these communities for implementing effective measures to help meet the ambitious goals of New York’s landmark Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act and for setting an example for other municipalities to follow,” Gov. Hochul said. “I particularly wish to congratulate the town of New Castle, New York’s very first community to adopt the Climate Smart Community pledge, on achieving certified-bronze status and bringing us one step closer to a cleaner, greener future.”

New York’s newly certified (and recertified) Climate Smart Communities listed by region:

Capital District
Albany County (bronze)
City of Glens Falls (bronze)
Town of Queensbury (bronze)

Long Island
Town of East Hampton (recertified bronze)

Mid-Hudson
Village of Ardsley (bronze)
Town of Gardiner (bronze)
Village of Hastings-on-Hudson (recertified silver)
Town of New Castle (bronze)
City of Poughkeepsie (bronze)
Town of Poughkeepsie (bronze)
Town of Woodstock (recertified bronze)

North County
Town of Potsdam (bronze)
Village of Potsdam (bronze)

Western New York
Erie County (silver)
Town of Grand Island (bronze)

“From devastating hurricanes pummeling the East Coast, to destructive wildfires consuming communities out west, climate change demands that we take action. We need an all-hands-on-deck approach that requires contributions from all levels of government. I applaud these newly certified Climate Smart Communities helping to combat the climate crisis by acting locally and bolstering New York State’s national climate leadership,” said DEC Commissioner and Climate Action Council Co-Chair Basil Seggos.

WASHINGTON PARK, Ill. – Illinois State Police are investigating a homicide and a shooting involving an officer.

The homicide happened in the 5500 block of Avon Place in Washington Park, Illinois. The shooting involving an officer happened in the area of 25th Street and Argonne Drive in East St. Louis, according to a press release from the Illinois State Police Department.

Washington Park Police heard shots being fired when they were in the area of Illinois Route 111 and Bunkum Road Friday, Sept. 24, around 12:35 a.m.

An officer later attempted to stop a vehicle that matched the description of the offending vehicle, the press release states. The vehicle fled to the area of 25th Street and Argonne Drive where the occupants fired shots at a Washington Park Police officer.

The officer then returned fire, according to the press release. The officer was not injured and it is unknown if any of the occupants in the offending vehicle were struck.

Caseyville Police assisted Washington Park Police in a pursuit with the offending vehicle. After crossing the Stan Musial Bridge, officers stopped after entering Missouri.

The offending vehicle crashed in the area of 4th Street and Convention Plaza in St. Louis around 2:04 a.m. St. Louis Police took one man into custody, according to the press release.

The investigation is ongoing.

If anyone has information about the incident, please contact Zone 6 at 618-381-1467 or Crime Stoppers at 866-371-8477 (TIPS).