IMF: Low rates and reduced trade tension to aid world growth

WASHINGTON (AP) — Low interest rates and reduced trade tensions will likely buoy the global economy over the next two years and help nurture steady if modest growth.

That’s the view of the International Monetary Fund, which foresees world economic growth accelerating from 2.9% last year to 3.3% in 2020 and 3.4% in 2021. The international economy is receiving a significant boost – 0.5 percentage point of growth last year and this year – from central banks’ low-rate policies, the lending organization says in a global outlook report out Monday. The U.S. Federal Reserve, for instance, cut rates three times last year and expects to keep rates low for the foreseeable future.

Police: 2 dead, 5 injured after shooting in San Antonio club

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Two men were killed and at least five people were injured when someone opened fire during an argument at a concert in San Antonio, Texas, and police are hunting for the shooter who fled the scene.

Officers were called shortly after 8 p.m. Sunday to the Ventura, a music venue and bar located along the Museum Reach portion of the San Antonio River Walk, police said.

Police: 2 dead, 15 hurt in shooting outside Kansas City bar

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — An armed security guard shot and killed a man suspected of fatally shooting a woman and injuring 15 more people outside a bar in Kansas City, Missouri, police said Monday.

A motive for the attack shortly before midnight Sunday outside 9ine Ultra Lounge was not immediately clear.

Spacewalking astronauts wrap up battery improvements

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A pair of spacewalking astronauts successfully wrapped up battery improvements outside the International Space Station on Monday, completing a job begun last fall.

NASA’s Jessica Meir and Christina Koch installed the last new battery in a set of six launched to the orbiting lab in September. They also removed two old batteries in their second spacewalk in under a week to upgrade the station’s solar power grid.

Nearly 100 beehives stolen from northern California orchard

YUBA CITY, Calif. (AP) — Authorities are investigating the theft of nearly 100 beehives from an orchard in northern California.

The beehives, which are used to pollinate almond orchards, were discovered missing on Friday, beekeeper Mike Potts said. He estimated that the theft of the 92 hives, about a third of his operation, would cost him about $44,000 in revenue.

California police: Driver rammed into car, killing 3 teens

TEMESCAL VALLEY, Calif. (AP) — A Southern California driver intentionally rammed a Toyota Prius with six teenage boys inside, killing three and injuring three others before fleeing, authorities said Monday.

The Prius went off the road and slammed into a tree at around 10:30 p.m. Sunday in Temescal Valley in Riverside County, southeast of Los Angeles. Anurag Chandra, 42, of Corona was arrested a short time later in a neighborhood near the crash site, according to the California Highway Patrol.