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First ship safely exits Ukraine’s Black Sea corridor despite Russian blockade

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:22 GMT

A cargo ship has successfully made the voyage across the Black Sea from Ukraine to Turkey, using a shipping corridor established by Kyiv in an effort to break the Russian siege of its ports.Maritime tracking platform MarineTraffic shows the German-Chinese owned Joseph Schulte, an almost 1,000-foot long container ship flying under the flag of Hong Kong, had reached Turkey’s Bosphorus Strait in the early hours of Friday morning, while eyewitnesses report spotting it arriving in the NATO country’s waters. The vessel had been stranded in Ukraine’s southern port of Odesa for a year and a half, having arrived there the day before Moscow launched its full-scale invasion.The journey is the first under the terms of a Kyiv-backed “humanitarian corridor” designed to guarantee safe passage through the mine-strewn waters of the Black Sea. According to the Ukrainian Navy, the shipping lane will “primarily be used for civilian ships which have been in the Ukrain...

China confirms Xi will attend economic summit in South Africa followed by state visit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:22 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend next week’s summit of the BRICS nations in Johannesburg, to be followed by a state visit to South Africa, the Foreign Ministry said Friday. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying also said in a statement that during his Aug. 21-24 visit to South Africa, Xi will co-chair the China-Africa Leaders’ Dialogue with his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa. China is a core member of the BRICS nations, which also include Brazil, Russia and India. The grouping was predicated on linking the interests of the world’s leading emerging economies but has sought to expand into other civil and governmental fields. Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided not to attend the summit because of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for him, according to South African authorities.The development could be viewed as embarrassing for Putin, who is expected to be the only leader of a country in the bloc not to a...

In wake of N.S. flooding tragedy, a mother and father press for better preparedness

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:22 GMT

MARTOCK, N.S. — Tera Sisco reaches into a drawer, pulls out a sheet of paper and reads a sentence prepared for her son’s funeral after he died in Nova Scotia’s historic flooding in late July. “I’m not done being Colton’s Mom,” it says.During a recent interview at her home, Sisco said this phrase is her reminder she will advocate for improvements in how Nova Scotia prepares for and responds to climate disasters, as she grieves the little boy whose feet she still imagines tiptoeing into her room. However, almost one month after the deaths of Colton Sisco and Natalie Harnish, both six, and 52-year-old Nick Holland and 14-year-old Terri-Lynn Keddy, many of the questions haunting her and Colton’s father, Chris Sisco, remain unanswered. The issues include a public alert that was delayed close to two hours, unreliable cellular service and a lack of flood-risk mapping officials could have used to prepare for the torrential thunderstorms of July 21-2...

Developing hot dome to build into the Plains and Midwest bringing hot, humid weather to Chicago; "Hurricane Hilary" off Mexico pulling wind, waves and potentially heavy rains into California

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:22 GMT

CONTINUE READING HEREThere's a tie-in with the mammoth hot air dome—the most expanded air mass to date this summer—and a tropical system arriving in California at tropical storm strength Sunday into Monday. The heat dome is forecast to develop over the nation's mid-section late this weekend into next weekDaytime satellite view of HURRICANE HILARY off the west coast of Mexico ThursdayHere's Hurricane Hilary Thursday as viewed by GOES EASTSeveral additional Thursday satellite view of Hurricane Hilary off Mexico--this one from GOES WESTOne of several clusters of track forecast off hurricane/tropical cyclone forecast models of Hurricane Hilary's future movement toward and into California and Nevada.The NWS GEFS model Hurricane Hilary track forecastsThe European Centre's ensemble model forecast tracksHere’s more on the potential flooding tropical rains which may occur there and how the mammoth hot air dome predicted to bring Chicago heat and humidity later this weekend into early next is...

European Citizens' Initiative: Commission decides to register initiative on preservation and development of Ukrainian culture and heritage

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:22 GMT

The European Commission has decided to register a European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) entitled ‘Preservation and development of Ukrainian culture, education, language, and traditions in EU states'.The organisers of the initiative urge the Commission to step up its actions in supporting the integration of Ukrainian refugees in the EU. They also call on the Commission to propose new legislation to preserve Ukrainian culture, language, traditions and heritage, as well as to establish a pan-European structure of integration centres.The decision to register is of a legal nature and it does not prejudge the final legal and political conclusions of the Commission on this initiative and the action it will intend to take, if any, in case the initiative obtains the necessary support.The Commission considers this European Citizens' Initiative legally admissible but has not analysed the substance of the proposal at this stage.Following today's registration, the organisers have six months to ope...

Dear Abby: Our neighbors are such narcissists. How do we deal with this?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:22 GMT

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have been retired for almost 10 years. We moved to a coastal resort area we love. However, we have noticed that these retired couples/singles are extremely competitive and mostly a bunch of one-uppers.Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: My neighbor is too noisy but I’m the one catching flak Advice | Dear Abby: Is it weird that I think this actress could be my sister? Advice | Dear Abby: Why are people so rude to me lately? I’m a nice guy. Advice | Dear Abby: My financial adviser won’t listen to me, but he insists he’s not sexist Advice | Dear Abby: Our teen’s messy breakup has had awkward repercussions for us Is this common in all retirement communities? Does everyone need to have their last hurrah and wave the “I made it” flag? We have met only a handful of people who don’t always talk about themselves and their achievements, re...

Four-bedroom home sells for $2.1 million in San Ramon

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:22 GMT

70 Dos Rios Place – Google Street ViewThe spacious property located in the first block of Dos Rios Place in San Ramon was sold on July 25, 2023. The $2,100,000 purchase price works out to $945 per square foot. The house, built in 1972, has an interior space of 2,223 square feet. This two-story home presents a roomy floor plan, featuring four bedrooms and three bathrooms. The home’s exterior showcases roofing materials crafted from wood shake roofing / shingles. Inside, a fireplace adds character to the home. In addition, the home includes an attached three-car garage. The property encompasses a generous 10,200 square feet of land, featuring abundant outdoor space and a pool.Additional houses have recently been purchased nearby:On Dos Rios Drive, San Ramon, in February 2023, a 2,368-square-foot home was sold for $1,590,000, a price per square foot of $671. The home has 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.In September 2022, a 1,747-square-foot home on Carousel Court in San Ramon sold for $1,50...

Hilary rapidly grows to Category 4 hurricane off Mexico and could bring heavy rain to US Southwest

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:22 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Hurricane Hilary grew rapidly to Category 4 strength off Mexico’s Pacific coast and could bring heavy rain to the southwestern U.S. by the weekend.The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Hilary had sustained winds near 140 mph (220 kph) at midnight and was expected to continue its rapid intensification through Friday morning. It should start to weaken Saturday.Tropical storm conditions could begin affecting the Baja California peninsula late Friday. Hilary’s projected path threatened landfall in the middle of the peninsula by Sunday, or it may stay just offshore while heading for Southern California.Hilary was centered about 425 miles (685 kilometers) south of Los Cabos on the southern tip of the Baja peninsula. It was moving west-northwest at 14 mph (22 kph), but was expected to turn gradually north through Saturday.The hurricane center posted a hurricane watch and tropical storm warning for parts of Baja California Sur state, meaning tropical storm conditi...

Canada leads Los Angeles against Las Vegas after 20-point game

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:22 GMT

Los Angeles Sparks (12-18, 6-10 Western Conference) at Las Vegas Aces (27-3, 15-1 Western Conference)Las Vegas; Saturday, 3 p.m. EDTBOTTOM LINE: Los Angeles visits the Las Vegas Aces after Jordin Canada scored 20 points in the Sparks’ 85-74 win against the Atlanta Dream.The Aces are 15-1 against Western Conference opponents. Las Vegas ranks second in the WNBA averaging 9.4 made 3-pointers per game while shooting 38.9% from downtown. Jackie Young leads the team averaging 2.4 makes while shooting 47.0% from 3-point range.The Sparks’ record in Western Conference play is 6-10. Los Angeles is 2-3 in games decided by 3 points or fewer.The teams meet for the fourth time this season. In the last meeting on July 13 the Aces won 97-78 led by 25 points from A’ja Wilson, while Azura Stevens scored 22 points for the Sparks.TOP PERFORMERS: Wilson is averaging 21.3 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.2 blocks for the Aces. Kelsey Plum is averaging 19.0 points over the last 10 games for La...

Is it coming home? England looks to bring Women’s World Cup trophy back to birthplace of soccer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:22 GMT

SYDNEY (AP) — The rallying cry “It’s Coming Home” is one game away from reality and the end of England’s 57-year drought in global soccer.The World Cup trophy can return this Sunday to birthplace of soccer for the first time since 1966. But if it happens, the journey back to England will be with the women’s national team and not the men. The Lionesses have roared their way into their first Women’s World Cup title game, Sunday against Spain. It is the first all-European finale since 2003, when Germany beat Sweden. It has been a magical ride for both teams: England has been on top of the global game since winning the European Championship last summer, and Spain is in its first final less than a year since 15 players quit the team in protest.But England was expected to be here, and all around the world, in pubs and at viewing parties, England supporters have been singing “It’s Coming Home,” the unintentional reminder that the soccer team hasn’t won the Wor...