Today: September 25, 2024
Today: September 25, 2024

World

World

Russia's threat to pull out of Ukraine grain deal raises fears about global food security

Concerns are growing that Russia will not extend a United Nations-brokered deal that allows grain to flow from Ukraine to parts of the world struggling with hunger, with ships no longer heading to the war-torn country’s Black Sea ports and food exports dwindling. Turkey and the U.N. negotiated the breakthrough accord last summer to ease a global food crisis, along with a separate agreement with Russia to facilitate shipments of its food and fertilizer. Moscow insists it’s still facing hurdles, though data shows it has been exporting record amounts of wheat. Russian officials repeatedly say there are

July 12, 2023
Russia's threat to pull out of Ukraine grain deal raises fears about global food security
World

Thai diplomat meets with Suu Kyi in detention in Myanmar and says she wants to join talks on crisis

Thailand’s top diplomat said Wednesday that he met ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi in detention over the weekend and she conveyed her openness to engage in talks to resolve the crisis in her strife-torn nation. Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai is the only government official outside of Myanmar to have met Suu Kyi since she was detained with other officials when the army seized power from her elected government on Feb. 1, 2021. He told his counterparts in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, who are meeting in Indonesia’s capital, that Suu Kyi was

July 12, 2023
Thai diplomat meets with Suu Kyi in detention in Myanmar and says she wants to join talks on crisis
World

Stock market today: Asian shares are mixed ahead of an update on US consumer prices

Asian shares were mixed Wednesday after stocks advanced on Wall Street ahead of an update on U.S. inflation that investors hope will show a smaller increase in pain for everyone. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index jumped 0.9% to 18,827.66 and the S&P/ASX 200 in Australia added 0.4% to 7,135.70. In Seoul, the Kospi rose 0.5% to 2,574.72. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 dropped 0.8% to 31,943.93 after North Korea launched a long-range ballistic missile toward its eastern waters Wednesday, two days after the North threatened “shocking” consequences to protest what it called provocative U.S. reconnaissance activity near its territory.

July 12, 2023
Stock market today: Asian shares are mixed ahead of an update on US consumer prices
World

Bank of England says UK banks are resilient enough to offer struggling households support

The Bank of England warned Wednesday that households across the U.K. are facing increasing problems from the sharp increase in interest rates but found that the country’s biggest banks are resilient enough to offer more help than they were able to before the global financial crisis 15 years ago.. In its regular health check of the economy, the central bank said British households are facing higher debt burdens as a result of rising interest rates, particularly those whose fixed-rate mortgage deals have come to an end or soon will be. However, it said there are several factors

July 12, 2023
Bank of England says UK banks are resilient enough to offer struggling households support
World

China-based hackers breached Western European government email accounts, Microsoft says

A China-based hacking group has breached email accounts linked to government agencies in Western Europe, Microsoft Corp. says. In a blog post published Tuesday, Microsoft said the group, which it identified as Storm-0558, focuses on acts such as espionage and data theft. The group gained access to email accounts affecting about 25 organizations including government agencies and to accounts of individuals linked to these organizations, and had gone undetected for about a month until customers complained to Microsoft about abnormal mail activity. “We assess this adversary is focused on espionage, such as gaining access to email

July 12, 2023
China-based hackers breached Western European government email accounts, Microsoft says
World

Traces of explosives were found in a yacht in the Nord Stream sabotage investigation, diplomats say

Investigators found traces of subsea explosives in samples taken from a yacht that has been one aspect of a probe into the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines under the Baltic Sea last year, European diplomats have told the United Nations Security Council. They say that the investigation hasn’t yet established who the perpetrators were and whether a state was involved. Denmark, Sweden and Germany have been investigating the Sept. 26 attack, and the Danish Foreign Ministry tweeted a letter Tuesday from the three countries’ U.N. ambassadors to the president of the Security Council with information

July 12, 2023
Traces of explosives were found in a yacht in the Nord Stream sabotage investigation, diplomats say
World

France's anti-immigration far right gets boost from riots over police killing of teen

Widespread riots in France sparked by the police killing of a teenager with North African roots have revealed the depth of discontent roiling poor neighborhoods — and given a new platform to the increasingly emboldened far right. The far right’s anti-immigration mantra is seeping through a once ironclad political divide between it and mainstream politics. More voices are now embracing a hard line against immigration and blaming immigrants not only for the car burnings and other violence that followed the June 27 killing of 17-year-old Nahel Merzouk, but for France’s social problems as well. “We know the

July 12, 2023
France's anti-immigration far right gets boost from riots over police killing of teen
World

US forward Christian Pulisic arrives in Italy for expected transfer to AC Milan

United States forward Christian Pulisic arrived in Italy on Wednesday for a medical with AC Milan before an expected transfer from Chelsea. The 24-year-old Pulisic, who has one year left on his contract at Chelsea, is expected to sign a four-year deal with the Rossoneri and become the third American to play for the club after Oguchi Onyewu and Sergiño Dest. “I’m very happy to be here. I’m excited. I’m excited to start with this historic club,” Pulisic told reporters waiting for him at Milan’s Malpensa airport. “It’s legendary and I’m really excited to come here and

July 12, 2023
US forward Christian Pulisic arrives in Italy for expected transfer to AC Milan
World

Milan Kundera, Czech writer and former dissident, dies in Paris aged 94

Milan Kundera, whose dissident writings in communist Czechoslovakia transformed him into an exiled satirist of totalitarianism, has died in Paris at the age of 94, Czech media said Wednesday. Kundera’s renowned novel, “The Unbearable Lightness of Being,’’ opens wrenchingly with Soviet tanks rolling through Prague, the Czech capital that was the author’s home until he moved to France in 1975. Weaving together themes of love and exile, politics and the deeply personal, Kundera’s novel won critical acclaim, earning him a wide readership among Westerners who embraced both his anti-Soviet subversion and the eroticism threaded through many of

July 12, 2023
Milan Kundera, Czech writer and former dissident, dies in Paris aged 94
World

Ripples of Fukushima: Hong Kong to ban more Japanese products if radioactive water is released

Hong Kong would immediately ban the import of aquatic products from Fukushima and other Japanese prefectures if Tokyo discharges treated radioactive wastewater into the sea, a top official in the city said Wednesday. Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan said although the wastewater from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant would be treated before discharging into the Pacific Ocean, any errors in the process would significantly affect ecology and food safety. The concern stems from Japan’s U.N.-endorsed, but controversial, plan to gradually release the treated water. “Our assessment shows prefectures near Fukushima have higher risks, so

July 12, 2023
Ripples of Fukushima: Hong Kong to ban more Japanese products if radioactive water is released
World

Live Updates | Russia warns of 'potentially very dangerous' G7 security guarantees for Ukraine

Follow along for updates on the summit of the NATO military alliance in Lithuania’s capital: What to know: — NATO backs Ukraine’s fight vs. Russia but doesn’t invite Kyiv to join — Sweden’s rocky road from neutrality toward NATO membership — What is NATO doing to help Ukraine in the war with Russia? —— The Kremlin considers plans by G7 nations to offer Ukraine security guarantees “extremely ill-judged and potentially very dangerous,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday. Britain issued a statement a day earlier on plans by the G7 — made up of Britain,

July 12, 2023
Live Updates | Russia warns of 'potentially very dangerous' G7 security guarantees for Ukraine
World

Palestinian president visits Jenin refugee camp after devastating Israeli military raid

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas visited the occupied West Bank’s Jenin refugee camp Wednesday in the wake of a devastating Israeli offensive last week, marking his first visit to the camp since 2005. The visit came at a time of seething discontentment among Palestinians in the West Bank for Abbas and the Palestinian Authority, the autonomous government which administers parts of the West Bank but whose forces have largely lost control over several militant strongholds in the region — including Jenin. The 87-year-old president is widely seen as out of touch with the public and rarely ventures outside

July 12, 2023
Palestinian president visits Jenin refugee camp after devastating Israeli military raid
World

Raging conflict in Sudan displaces over 3.1 million people, UN says

A raging conflict in Sudan has driven more than 3.1 million people from their homes, including over 700,000 who fled to neighboring countries, the United Nations said Wednesday, amid growing concerns that the country is sliding into a “full-scale civil war.” Sudan has plunged into chaos since mid-April when monthslong tensions between the military and its rival, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, exploded into open fighting in the capital, Khartoum, and elsewhere across the northeastern African nation. The conflict derailed Sudanese hopes of restoring the country’s fragile transition to democracy, which had begun after a popular uprising

July 12, 2023
Raging conflict in Sudan displaces over 3.1 million people, UN says
World

Bulgari apologizes to China for listing Taiwan as a country after online backlash

Bulgari has become the latest international brand to apologize to China after listing Taiwan as a country on its website. China claims self-ruled Taiwan as its territory, and both the government and Chinese internet users have a history of scolding or boycotting international brands that have referred to Taiwan as a separate country. Late Tuesday, Bulgari posted an apology on Weibo, China’s version of Twitter, saying it “steadfastly and always” respected China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. “Our brand has immediately corrected the mistakenly marked store addresses and map indications on the overseas official website, which resulted

July 12, 2023
Bulgari apologizes to China for listing Taiwan as a country after online backlash
World

Medical and aid groups in northwest Syria fear worse conditions if aid flow from Turkey stops

Youssef al-Ramadan says he always feels guilty for having to put his wife and three children to work in order to survive — and now they might not be able to get by since international aid could stop flowing from Turkey. Standing outside his tent in a displacement camp in northern Idlib, he is worried that their income might not be sufficient to make ends meet if the United Nations Security Council cannot renew a humanitarian border crossing that has been a critical lifeline for him and some 4.1 million people in Syria’s rebel-held northwest. The

July 12, 2023
Medical and aid groups in northwest Syria fear worse conditions if aid flow from Turkey stops
World

Spain sweats out sultry nights as heat wave bakes southern Europe

Spain sweltered under an unrelenting heat wave Wednesday as temperatures started to build toward what is forecast to be a torrid weekend across southern Europe. Spain’s weather service said thermometers could potentially hit 45 C (113 F) in southeastern areas of the Iberian Peninsula, which are under alert for extreme heat. That mark was reached Monday in the village of Loja near Granada at the start of the heat wave that is causing restless nights across the country. More than 100 weather stations registered temperatures of at least 35 C (95 F) as early as 6

July 12, 2023
Spain sweats out sultry nights as heat wave bakes southern Europe
World

Kosovo to partially withdraw special police officers from northern Serb-majority municipalities

Kosovo’s government on Wednesday will reduce the number of special police officers stationed outside four municipal buildings in ethnic Serb-majority areas and hold new mayoral elections in each of the towns, in a bid to defuse tensions with neighboring Serbia that flared anew in May. Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti said that one-fourth of the special police forces would be moved away from the sites “taking into consideration that the situation at the municipal buildings has been comparatively much quieter in the last two weeks.” He added that more officers would be withdrawn based on the

July 12, 2023
Kosovo to partially withdraw special police officers from northern Serb-majority municipalities
World

Police say officers kill at least 6 as Kenyans protest rising costs, and 50 children are tear-gassed

A police official said officers killed six people Wednesday during new protests in Kenya against the rising cost of living, while a health worker said more than 50 schoolchildren in the capital, Nairobi, were tear-gassed. The opposition leader behind the demonstrations vowed they would continue until a new law imposing more taxes is repealed. The police official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the official wasn’t authorized to speak publicly, said three people were killed in Mlolongo city in Machakos county, two in Kitengela town near Nairobi, and one in the

July 12, 2023
Police say officers kill at least 6 as Kenyans protest rising costs, and 50 children are tear-gassed
World

After Quran burnings, UN rights body calls for more action to combat religious hatred

The U.N.’s top human rights body overwhelmingly approved a measure calling on countries to do more to prevent religious hatred in the wake of Quran burnings in Europe, over the objections of Western countries who fear tougher steps by governments could trample freedom of expression. Applause broke out in the cavernous chamber of the Human Rights Council on Wednesday after the 28-12 vote, with seven abstentions, on a measure brought by Pakistan and Palestine that was backed by many developing countries in Africa, as well as China and India, and Middle Eastern countries. The resolution comes in

July 12, 2023
After Quran burnings, UN rights body calls for more action to combat religious hatred
World

3 dead and 14 injured in Illinois crash involving Greyhound bus and tractor-trailers, police say

A Greyhound passenger bus crashed into three tractor-trailers parked along a highway exit to a rest area early Wednesday in southern Illinois, killing three people and injuring 14 others, some seriously, state police said. The bus was traveling westbound along Interstate 70 in Madison County around 1:55 a.m. when it crashed into the three semis, Illinois State Police said, citing an initial investigation. Four people were taken to the hospital by helicopter and at least 10 others were taken by ambulance, state police said in a news release. Police did not immediately release details about those

July 12, 2023
3 dead and 14 injured in Illinois crash involving Greyhound bus and tractor-trailers, police say
World

Queen Camilla attends Wimbledon, a week after Princess Kate made an appearance

A week after Princess Kate graced Centre Court at Wimbledon by taking a seat in the Royal Box, Queen Camilla made an appearance at the Grand Slam tennis tournament on Wednesday. The queen, the wife of King Charles III, was wearing a white dress at the All England Club, where the players on court dress all in white. When she arrived at the club, Camilla met with some ball boys and ball girls — the kids who run across the court chasing stray balls after a point is finished or a serve goes awry. The first

July 12, 2023
Queen Camilla attends Wimbledon, a week after Princess Kate made an appearance
World

Prosecutors rest sexual assault case against Kevin Spacey in London court

Prosecutors rested their sexual assault case against Kevin Spacey in a London courtroom Wednesday after four men testified in the past two weeks that the Oscar winner preyed on them. Prosecutors read jurors statements Spacey gave investigators denying that he aggressively grabbed three men by the crotch and performed a nonconsensual sex act on a fourth. The defense is scheduled to begin presenting its case Thursday in Southwark Crown Court. The stakes are high, with Spacey facing a possible prison term if convicted. The 63-year-old American actor has pleaded not guilty to 12 charges that include sexual

July 12, 2023
Prosecutors rest sexual assault case against Kevin Spacey in London court
World

Aryna Sabalenka reaches Wimbledon semifinals. Queen Camilla sits in Royal Box

Aryna Sabalenka reached the semifinals at Wimbledon for the second straight time, with a one-year break in between because she was banned from the tournament in 2022. Sabalenka, a Belarusian who is seeded second at the All England Club, had to sit out last year’s competition along with other players from her country and from Russia because of the war in Ukraine. She advanced Wednesday by beating Madison Keys 6-2, 6-4 on No. 1 Court. “It really feels amazing to be back in the semifinals. I can’t wait to play in my second semifinal at Wimbledon,”

July 12, 2023
Aryna Sabalenka reaches Wimbledon semifinals. Queen Camilla sits in Royal Box
World

Domino's signs deal with Uber Eats in a bid to make more dough

If you can’t beat them, join them. In a major reversal, Domino’s Pizza said Wednesday it’s partnering with Uber Eats to make deliveries in the U.S. and 27 international markets. While franchisees in a handful of international markets like the Netherlands have been working with third-party apps for years, Domino’s has long said that partnering with delivery companies didn’t make economic sense in its 6,600 U.S. stores. Under the agreement, uniformed Domino’s drivers will still make the deliveries that customers order via Uber Eats, and Uber Eats will share data with Domino’s on delivery efficiency and incremental sales. Ann Arbor,

July 12, 2023
Domino's signs deal with Uber Eats in a bid to make more dough
World

Roadway bombs planted by drug cartel in Mexico kill 4 police officers, 2 civilians

A drug cartel set off a coordinated series of seven roadway bombs in western Mexico that killed four police officers and two civilians, officials said Wednesday, with a governor describing the violence as “a trap” for law enforcement personnel escorting volunteers to a supposed mass grave. Luis Méndez, the chief prosecutor of Jalisco state, said the blasts late Tuesday in the township of Tlajomulco were so powerful they left craters in the road, destroyed at least four vehicles and wounded 14 other people. It appeared to be the first time that a Mexican cartel killed law

July 12, 2023
Roadway bombs planted by drug cartel in Mexico kill 4 police officers, 2 civilians

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