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US national security adviser meets with China’s top diplomat in Malta

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:44:12 GMT

Greece’s Mitsotakis vows fresh start after summer of crises, criticism

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:44:12 GMT

ATHENS — Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is promising a fresh start for his administration after severe criticism over the handling of deadly fires and floods this summer.His annual policy speech at the Thessaloniki Trade Fair in northern Greece this weekend was overshadowed by a savage storm that killed 17 people last week and catastrophic wildfires earlier that resulted in 26 deaths. Mitsotakis promised a revamp of the country’s civil protection systems in order to fight the “climate war.” And he pledged a greater involvement of the armed forces to deal with natural disasters.At a press conference on Sunday, the prime minister underlined the need to strengthen EU-wide programs to fight the effects of the climate crisis. “I will not rest until I manage to convince my counterparts” across the EU “of the need to strengthen the EU Solidarity Fund,” he said.Greece’s state coffers for natural disasters would be doubled to €600 million next year, funde...

Chicago Cubs’ tenuous hold on a playoff spot takes another hit with a gut-punching, walk-off loss in 13 innings

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:44:12 GMT

For a few moments, everyone in a Chicago Cubs uniform on the field and in the dugout at Chase Field was frozen as they took in the scene.Yan Gomes’ diving, sweeping tag across home plate on right fielder Seiya Suzuki’s throw just missed Evan Longoria’s fingertips as he slid headfirst, sparking a wild celebration by the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Cubs looked on in disbelief, a brief replay review upholding the call to punctuate a crushing 7-6 loss in 13 innings Saturday night.The Cubs had three chances in extra innings to close out a win but allowed the tying run to score in the 10th and 11th before back-to-back two-out singles in the 13th off Hayden Wesneski gave the Diamondbacks the walk-off win. It represented the first time in franchise history the Cubs have scored three runs in extra innings and lost, according to team historian Ed Hartig.“It takes a short memory and the ability to come out here (Sunday) and put everything in the past and be ready to win a...

UNESCO names Erfurt’s medieval Jewish buildings in Germany as a World Heritage Site

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:44:12 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — A U.N. committee on Sunday named a group of medieval Jewish sites in the eastern German city of Erfurt as a World Heritage Site, the second time Jewish heritage in Germany has been added to the list in recent years.Among the buildings included in the new designation are Erfurt’s Old Synagogue, a 13th-century stone building that illustrates Jewish family life in the medieval era, and a traditional ritual bath, or mikveh.The decision was made at a meeting of the U.N. World Heritage Committee in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, under the auspices of the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO.Erfurt’s Jewish heritage sites have a long history, but had been largely forgotten until relatively recently. After pogroms in the 14th century drove much of Erfurt’s Jewish population out of the city, the Old Synagogue was used as a storehouse and then a restaurant and dance hall. Its historical importance was only rediscovered and established in 1988. The ritual bath wa...

Cord Jefferson’s ‘American Fiction’ wins People’s Choice at Toronto International Film Festival

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:44:12 GMT

Cord Jefferson’s “American Fiction” has won the People’s Choice prize at the Toronto International Film Festival.The satire about race and personal agency was announced as the winner during a TIFF awards breakfast this morning, concluding 11 days of in-person film screenings and celebrations.The film stars Jeffrey Wright as an African-American novelist grappling with an industry that is limiting his work to trauma and poverty narratives. The People’s Choice award is determined through online voting and is frequently considered a harbinger of success at the Academy Awards.Last year’s winner was Steven Spielberg’s coming-of-age ode to cinema, “The Fabelmans.”Meanwhile, the People’s Choice documentary award went to “Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe,” about beloved children’s performer Ernie Coombs, directed by Robert McCallum.The Canadian Press

NYC day care owner, neighbor arrested after toddler dies and 3 others show signs of opioid exposure

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:44:12 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — The owner of a New York City day care center and a tenant living in the building were arrested Saturday after a 1-year-old boy died and three other young children were sickened by what officials described as apparent exposure to opioids.The arrests came one day after authorities discovered four young children – ranging in age from 8 months to 2 years old – showing signs of suspected opioid overdose after spending time at the Bronx day care center, Divino Niño. Nicholas Dominici, a 1-year-old child, was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Three others were revived after medics administered doses of the overdose-reversing drug Narcan, authorities said.On Saturday evening, police arrested the owner of the facility, Grei Mendez, 36, and a building tenant, Carlisto Acevedo Brito, 41, on charges of depraved indifference murder, assault and criminal possession of narcotics, including Fentanyl.They are expected to be arraigned on Sunday.Dominici’s cause of death remains und...

Atlantic storm Lee delivers high winds and rain before forecasters call off all warnings

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:44:12 GMT

BAR HARBOR, Maine (AP) — Atlantic storm Lee — which made landfall at near-hurricane strength, bringing destructive winds and torrential rains to New England and Maritime Canada — kept weakening Sunday after officials withdrew warnings and predicted the storm would disappear early this week.The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Sunday morning that the post-tropical cyclone was about 135 miles (215 kilometers) west of Channel-Port Aux Basques, Newfoundland. The top sustained wind speed was 45 mph (70 kph) with some higher gusts expected.“Gradual weakening is forecast during the next couple of days, and Lee could dissipate on Tuesday,” the U.S. hurricane center said.The sky was sunny in Maine on Sunday morning. Gov. Janet Mills suspended a state of emergency. Less than 5% of electricity customers were still without power, down from 11% by midday Saturday during the height of the storm. In Canada, 14% of Nova Scotia had no electricity, down from 27% on Saturday, with smaller numbers i...

Biden’s national security adviser holds two days of talks in Malta with China’s foreign minister

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:44:12 GMT

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — President Joe Biden’s national security adviser met with China’s foreign minister over the past two days on the Mediterranean island nation of Malta in an effort that the White House said Sunday was intended to “responsibly maintain the relationship” at a time of strained ties and mutual suspicion between the rival powers.The White House said in a statement that Jake Sullivan and Chinese envoy Wang Yi had “candid, substantive and constructive discussions” as the world’s two largest economies try “to maintain open lines of communication.”Washington and Beijing see themselves as competitors despite an extensive trade partnership. President Joe Biden recently spoke with Chinese Premier Li Qiang while in India at the Group of 20 summit and told reporters afterward that they had talked about “stability” and “it wasn’t confrontational at all.”Biden has worked to strengthen relations with Japan, South Korea, India, Vietnam and others to count...

Canada joins allies in sending air defence missiles to Ukraine

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:44:12 GMT

OTTAWA — Canada is joining a three-month-old partnership with several key allies to send air defence missiles to Ukraine.Defence Minister Bill Blair is in the United Kingdom today and announced Canada’s $33 million contribution on a visit to Canadian soldiers helping train Ukrainian recruits at Lydd Military Training Camp.The money comes from the $500 million fund Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced in June 2023 for military assistance in Ukraine. That same month the U.K., Denmark, Netherlands and the United States partnered to deliver hundreds of short- and medium-range air defence missiles to help Ukraine protect itself against Russian missile and drone attacks.For a little more than a year, Canadian Armed Forces personnel have run training courses at Lydd for about 2,600 Ukrainian recruits in weapons handling, battlefield first aid and patrol tactics. Canada has contributed $8 billion in aid to Ukraine over the last year and a half, including $1.8 billion in military as...

Missing the Emmy Awards? What’s happening with the strike-delayed celebration of television

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:44:12 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — In a normal year — if there is any such thing in Hollywood anymore — the 75th Emmy Awards ceremony would be Monday night, and the many nominees from shows like “ Succession ” and “ Ted Lasso ” would be claiming their trophies or happily clapping for the winners.Instead, the actors and writers strikes brought a postponement until January.Here’s a look at what’s happening, and what may happen, with the awards that have been thrown off course.HOW THE STRIKES AFFECTED NOMINATIONSA shadow hung over this year’s Emmys from the start. Writers, who are essential to the process both as nominees and the people who provide jokes and patter for the show, had been on strike for more than two months when the nominees were announced June 11. Then just three days after “Succession,” “ White Lotus,” “ The Last of Us ” and “Ted Lasso” were named as the top nominees, leaders of the actors union announced they would join writers in a historic Hollywood wo...