Former Premier Li Keqiang, China's top economic official for a decade, dies at 68

BEIJING (AP) — Former Premier Li Keqiang, China's top economic official for a decade, died Friday of a heart attack. He was 68. Li was China's No. 2 leader from 2013-23 and an advocate for private business but was left with little authority after President Xi Jinping made himself the most powerful Chinese leader in decades and tightened control over the economy and society. CCTV said Li had been resting in Shanghai recently and had a heart attack on Thursday. He died at 12:10 a.m. Friday. Li, an English-speaking economist, was considered a contender to succeed then-Communist Party leader Hu…