Crowds gather near state funeral home as China’s former Premier Li Keqiang is being put to rest

BEIJING (AP) — Hundreds, possibly thousands, of people have gathered near a state funeral home as China’s former premier Li Keqiang is being put to rest. Retired high-level officials usually lie in state briefly as top leaders pass the body and offer flowers. State media had said Li would be cremated Thursday but didn’t mention the funeral plans. Flags are flying at half-staff at government and party offices around the country and at Chinese embassies and consulates abroad. Police moved people away from a subway station near the cemetery where many top leaders are buried. Li was the No. 2 leader in China for a decade and left office in March. He died last week of a heart attack at age 68.