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Why allowing Ukraine to ship grain during Russia’s war matters to the world

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:44 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Agreements that the United Nations and Turkey brokered with Ukraine and Russia to allow food and fertilizer to get from the warring nations to parts of the world where millions are going hungry have eased concerns over global food security. But they face increasing risks.Moscow has ramped up its rhetoric, saying it may not extend the deal that expires Monday unless its demands are met, including ensuring its own agricultural shipments don’t face hurdles.The Black Sea Grain Initiative has allowed 32.8 million metric tons (36.2 million tons) of food to be exported from Ukraine since last August, more than half to developing countries, including those getting relief from the World Food Program.If the deal isn’t renewed, “you will have a new spike for sure” in food prices, said Maximo Torero, U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization chief economist. “The duration of that spike will depend a lot on how markets will respond.”The good news is some analysts don’...

Torrential rains in South Korea kill at least 7 in landslides and floods

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:44 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Two days of heavy rain in South Korea killed at least seven people and left two others missing in landslides and floods, the government said Saturday. Additionally, eight people were trapped following landslides in central areas earlier in the day.Three people were killed Saturday after landslides caused by torrential downpours buried their houses in two central towns, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said in a report. It said two other people were also found dead elsewhere Saturday in landslide-related accidents, and two other people died in a building collapse caused by landslides in the central city of Nonsan on Friday.The report said two people were missing Saturday after flooding in their village in the central town of Yecheon. It said five people were injured due to landslide-caused accidents, including a train-derailment, on Friday and Saturday.South Korea has been pounded by heavy rains since July 9. The ministry report said the rainfall forc...

Ons Jabeur plays Marketa Vondrousova in the Wimbledon women’s final

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:44 GMT

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Ons Jabeur or Marketa Vondrousova will become a first-time Grand Slam champion when they play each other in the Wimbledon women’s final.They go into Saturday’s title match with a combined record of 0-3 in major finals.The No. 6-seeded Jabeur, a 28-year-old from Tunisia, was the runner-up at the All England Club and at the U.S. Open last season.She is the only Arab woman or North African woman to participate in a Grand Slam singles final.The unseeded Vondrousova, a 24-year-old from the Czech Republic, lost in the 2019 French Open final as a teenager.She is the first unseeded finalist at Wimbledon since Billie Jean King made it that far in 1963.___AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsThe Associated Press

A new bar in Dubai is offering ‘gourmet water’ infused with minerals to ‘suit your mood’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:44 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — First, it was the banana-randomberry-wheat grass smoothies. Then the cold brew, triple-shot, something-milk lattes, the German-word craft beers, the small-batch, barrel-aged Prohibition cocktails.Now a new bar in Dubai, the Middle Eastern hub of all things cutting-edge, is serving “gourmet water.”Thirty varieties of it.The Aqua Water Bar by Luqel harvests its water the old-fashioned way — from the faucet. The government says tap water is safe to drink and meets international standards, though many Dubai residents prefer bottled water.Then they use a micro-dosing system designed by the German water filtration company Luqel to inject minerals. They offer to match the mineralization of high-end water brands, catering to all types of water fans, Alpine or Arctic-sourced.“Our water sommeliers have designed the drinks to suit your needs and mood,” says Roia Jabari, the managing director. “We can give you the perfectly mineralized recipe.”“Runners Heaven,...

Joey Gallo keeps his cool, then blasts game-winning home run for Twins

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:44 GMT

OAKLAND, Calif. — The Twins were running low on position players and Joey Gallo knew it. So, when he was punched out for looking a low breaking ball in the seventh inning, the slugger kept his comments to home plate umpire Nic Lentz fairly subdued.“I wasn’t saying anything crazy,” he said. “I knew we were short guys.”Hence, hitting coach David Popkins was tossed and Gallo was available to hit in the ninth inning.Phew.Gallo hit a go-ahead, two-run homer run off Oakland’s flame-thrower Shintaro Fujinami, and Jhoan Duran survived a sketchy ninth for his 13th save as the Twins started the unofficial second half of their season with a 5-4 victory in front of an announced 7,923 at Oakland Coliseum.Gallo hit an 0-1, 100 mph fastball from Fujinami into the Budweiser seats in the right field bleachers to break a 3-3 tie and the Twins went on to snap a three-game losing skid, claw back to .500 and reclaim sole possession of first place in the American League Central.Cleveland started th...

WATCH: Massive wildfire grows to 3,000 acres in Riverside County

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:44 GMT

Firefighters are battling a large fast-moving wildfire that erupted in Moreno Valley on Friday.Named the “Rabbit Fire,” the brush fire is located near the intersection of Alessandro Boulevard and Jack Rabbit Trail, in the community of Lakeview. It was initially reported as 20 acres with a rapid rate of spread just shortly before 4 p.m. The flames later spread to around 600 acres by 6 p.m. before exploding to 1,500 acres around 7 p.m., Cal Fire officials confirmed. By 7:30 p.m., the fire grew to around 2,815 acres and by 11 p.m., the fire grew to 3,000 acres. Zero percent containment is reported so far.Located in a grass and brush-heavy area, a private ranch property is being threatened by the moving flames. Fire crews have surrounded the property with flame retardant.“All of a sudden, I see this puff of smoke come up and all chaos broke loose,” said Emmanuel Castro, a Moreno Valley resident. “The whole hill caught on fire then across the street and then it jumped to my lawn. My hors...

Oakland: 8-year-old boy gravely injured in I-580 shooting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:44 GMT

OAKLAND – An 8-year-old boy was gravely injured Friday night when gunfire erupted between two cars on an Oakland freeway, according to the California Highway Patrol.The commute-hour shooting happened around 6:20 p.m. on eastbound Interstate 880 near Harrison Street, CHP Officer Andrew Barclay told this news organization. Witnesses reported seeing the occupants of two vehicles shooting at one another.A third vehicle was caught in the crossfire and an 8-year-old passenger was struck by a bullet Barclay said.The driver pulled over at Grand Avenue, determined the boy had been shot and took him to Highland Hospital, Barclay said. The boy was later transferred to UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland in grave condition.The suspects continued driving and had not been identified as of Friday, Barclay said. A description of the suspects and their vehicles was not immediately available.All lanes of eastbound I-580 were closed around 6:45 p.m. for an investigation, Barclay said.Anyone with ...

Joey Gallo hits a 2-run homer in the 9th to send the Twins past the Athletics, 5-4

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:44 GMT

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Joey Gallo could have lost his cool in the seventh after being called out on strikes as a pinch-hitter.Instead, he stayed ready.Gallo broke a tie with a two-run homer in the ninth inning and the Minnesota Twins snapped a three-game losing streak from before the All-Star break by beating the Oakland Athletics 5-4 on Friday night.“He did a good job of keeping it together and then going up there and being prepared to hit a 100 mph fastball,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “He smoked it. He caught it right where he wanted to catch it. That’s a nice way to punctuate the beginning of the second half for Joey and for the team.” Donovan Solano led off the ninth with a double against Shintaro Fujinami (5-8) before Gallo connected for his team-leading 16th homer an out later.Griffin Jax (5-6) pitched a scoreless eighth for the victory and Jhoan Duran finished for his 13th save after allowing JJ Bleday’s RBI single and hitting Brent Rooker with a pitch.“T...

In pictures: Europe swelters as heatwave hits Continent

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:44 GMT

OPTICSHeatwave in Europe: In picturesManuele Valeri/EFE-EPASouthern Europe could see record-breaking temperatures in the next few days as a heatwave sweeps across much of the continent.Italy, Spain, France, Croatia and Turkey have all been affected by scorching temperatures. The Italian Meteorological Society has named the heatwave “Cerberus” after the three-headed dog that guarded the underworld in Greek mythology.The beginning of July marked the planet’s hottest week in recorded history. Last month was the warmest-ever June, and a study this week found that more than 60,000 Europeans died due to heat last summer.Cooling off at the Ada Ciganlija lake in Belgrade, Serbia | Andrej Cukic/EFE via EPAPeople cool off in a fountain during a hot summer day in Piazza di Spagna in Rome | Fabio Frustaci/EPA-EFEA man cools off in a fountain in Rome | Fabio Frustaci/EPA-EFEPeople cool off in a fountain at the Pantheon in Rome | Fabio Frustaci/EPA-EFE A ...

European Commission rebuffs calls to retract US antitrust hire

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:44 GMT

The European Commission said there are no grounds to reverse the choice of a U.S. professor for a sensitive competition post after four European Parliament groups called for the job pick to be retracted.Renew Europe, the European People’s Party, Socialists and Democrats and Greens sent a letter to Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager on Friday, expressing “dismay” over the appointment of Fiona Scott Morton as chief competition economist this week. It is the first time a non-EU person has held such a senior Commission post.Commission spokesperson Dana Spinant told reporters on Friday that there is no good reason for the Commission to change course. “Following the recruitment process, the College endorsed the proposal to appoint this person to this position, the decision was made and we see no ground to reconsider,” she said.Lawmakers earlier told Vestager to “reverse the decision taken by the College” on July 11. “Though we recog...