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Takeaways of AP’s report on Chinese loans pushing poor countries to brink of collapse

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 06:00:00 GMT

A dozen poor countries are facing economic instability and even collapse because of a common, undeniable factor: their struggle to pay back hundreds of billions of dollars in foreign loans, much of them from the world’s biggest and most unforgiving government lender, China. Here are the key takeaways:TOO MUCH DEBTAn Associated Press analysis of a dozen countries most indebted to China — including Pakistan, Kenya, Zambia and Laos — found the debt is consuming an ever-greater amount of tax revenue needed to keep schools open, provide electricity and pay for food and fuel. And it’s draining the foreign currency reserves such economies depend upon to pay interest on the loans and stave off collapse, leaving some with just months before the money is gone.Behind the scenes is China’s reluctance to forgive debt and its extreme secrecy about how much money it has actually loaned and on what terms, which has kept other major lenders from stepping in to help. On top of that is the discovery t...

Trudeau announces new Russian sanctions at G7 summit

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 06:00:00 GMT

HIROSHIMA, Japan — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is announcing new sanctions against Russia today while at the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Hiroshima.In short remarks made to media, the prime minister said the more than 70 new sanctions focus on people who are supporting Russia’s illegal military action and complicit in human rights violations.He says Canada will continue to support Ukraine and the international rules-based order.Earlier in the day, an anonymous government source said sanctions will target Russian companies involved in military technology, while other sanctions have to do with human rights violations, including the transfer and custody of Ukrainian children in Russia. The official is not being named because they was not authorized to discuss the details publicly. News reports suggest the G7 countries are working together to announce various sanctions against Russia. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 19, 2023. Nojoud Al Mallees, The Canad...

Atomic bomb survivors look to G7 summit in Hiroshima as a ‘sliver of hope’ for nuclear disarmament

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 06:00:00 GMT

HIROSHIMA, Japan (AP) — This weekend’s Group of Seven leading industrial nations summit in Hiroshima provides a rare — and possibly final — chance for survivors of the atomic bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki to push for nuclear disarmament before a global audience. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who has roots in Hiroshima, chose the city in part to highlight their nuclear nonproliferation efforts, which have been shaken by Russia’s nuclear threats against Ukraine and rising aggression from nuclear-armed China and North Korea. He greeted leaders from the G7 on Friday at the city’s Peace Memorial Park and escorted them to pay respects to those who died from the attack after seeing exhibits at a museum dedicated to them, and met with a survivor of the Hiroshima atomic bombing. On Sunday, Kishida will also do the same for leaders from guest nations.Kishida has pledged to act as a bridge between nuclear and non-nuclear states, but some critics say his disarmament goals a...

7.7 magnitude earthquake causes small tsunami on South Pacific islands

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 06:00:00 GMT

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A 7.7 magnitude earthquake caused a small tsunami to wash ashore on South Pacific islands Friday. No damage has been reported, and the threat passed in a few hours.Waves 60 centimeters (2 feet) above tide level were measured off Lenakel, a port town in Vanuatu, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said. Smaller waves were measured by coastal or deep-ocean gauges elsewhere off Vanuatu and off New Caledonia and New Zealand.Vanuatu’s National Disaster Management Office advised people to evacuate from coastal areas to higher grounds. The office said people should listen to their radios for updates and take other precautions.New Zealand’s National Emergency Management Agency said it expected coastal areas would experience strong and unusual currents, with unpredictable surges at the shoreline. The PTWC said small waves of 20 centimeters (8 inches) above tides were measured at North Cape, New Zealand.The tsunami danger passed within a few hours, though t...

Out of bailout spotlight, Greeks feeling recovery pains at election

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 06:00:00 GMT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — For the first time in more than a decade, Greeks will go to the polls Sunday to elect a leader no longer confined to steering the country’s economy from a back seat.Conservative Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is seeking a second term after a draconian regime of spending controls ordered by international bailout lenders ended last summer. The clean-cut Harvard graduate, as comfortable speaking in English as his native Greek, delivered unexpectedly high growth, a steep drop in unemployment and a country on the brink of returning to investment grade on the global bond market.Debts to the International Monetary Fund were paid off early. A landslide reelection for the 55-year-old Mitsotakis was once seen as a foregone conclusion. But his center-right New Democracy party could struggle to return to power as Greece’s voters and political parties emerge from a prolonged battle for survival.On an unseasonably hot day in central Athens, taxi driver Christina Messari ...

Last ship to leave Ukraine as fate of Black Sea grain deal in Russia's hands

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 06:00:00 GMT

The last ship was due to leave a port in Ukraine on Wednesday (17 May) under a deal allowing the safe Black Sea export of Ukraine grain, said a UN spokesperson, a day before Russia could quit the pact over obstacles to its grain and fertilizer exports.The United Nations and Turkey brokered the Black Sea deal for an initial 120 days in July last year to help tackle a global food crisis that has been aggravated by Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, one of the world's leading grain exporters.Moscow agreed to extend the Black Sea pact for a further 120 days in November, but then in March it agreed to a 60 day extension - until May 18 - unless a list of demands regarding its own agricultural exports was met.To convince Russia in July to allow Black Sea grain exports, the United Nations agreed at the same time to help Moscow with its own agricultural shipments for three years."There are still a lot of open questions regarding our part of the deal. Now a decision will have to be taken," Kremlin...

The Boundless Creativity of Ching-Hsi (Sid) Chou: Merging Industrial Design, New Media Art, and Technology

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Creative technologist, industrial designer, and new media artist Ching-Hsi (Sid) Chou has led a remarkable life.This multi-talented artist has spent years perfecting his craft, seamlessly merging the worlds of industrial design, multimedia art, and creative technology to create truly unique pieces. With influences spanning from designer toy artists to multimedia visionaries, Sid’s work showcases his boundless creativity, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the realms of art and design.Sid’s passion for combining different disciplines has led to an impressive portfolio of accomplishments, including exhibitions such as “Hover Stool, DIS: Architecture & Design Exhibit,” “Cosmic Harp, Figment Festival,” and “The Armillary, Illumination.” His work has been showcased in prestigious venues and events, earning him recognition and praise from art enthusiasts and critics alike.Despite facing challenges in his career, such as grappl...

Sale closed in Pleasanton: $3.2 million for a three-bedroom home

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 06:00:00 GMT

6120 Sanctuary Lane – Google Street ViewThe spacious property located in the 6100 block of Sanctuary Lane in Pleasanton was sold on March 31, 2023. The $3,180,000 purchase price works out to $1,147 per square foot. The house, built in 2011, has an interior space of 2,773 square feet. The property features three bedrooms, four baths, a garage, and three parking spaces. It sits on a 2.1-acre lot.Additional houses have recently been sold nearby:A 2,200-square-foot home on the 900 block of Happy Valley Road in Pleasanton sold in July 2022, for $2,000,000, a price per square foot of $909. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.On Romeo Court, Pleasanton, in March 2023, a 3,456-square-foot home was sold for $2,727,000, a price per square foot of $789. The home has 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms.In October 2022, a 8,004-square-foot home on Happy Valley Road in Pleasanton sold for $5,400,000, a price per square foot of $675. The home has 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms. 

Review: ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ remake is a flagrant foul against the original 1992 hoops comedy classic

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 06:00:00 GMT

toggle audio on and off change volume download audio WTOP's Jason Fraley reviews the remake of 'White Men Can't Jump' $(function () { $('.wtop-audio-container .fa-play').on('click', function(){ var audio_filename = $('div.wtop-audio-file').data("mp3-url"); ga('send', 'event', 'Audio', 'play', audio_filename); }); }); Certain sports movies are so perfect that they should never be remade — and filmmaker Ron Shelton made two of them in a span of four years. After the iconic baseball film “Bull Durham” (1988), he directed the basketball flick “White Men Can’t Jump” (1992), which was one of S...

Panthers outlast Hurricanes in 4th OT in 6th-longest game in NHL history

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 06:00:00 GMT

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers seemed determined to keep playing. And playing. And playing.The teams opened their Eastern Conference final playoff series with Florida’s 3-2 victory in four overtimes early Friday, with the game ranking as the sixth-longest game in NHL history.Matthew Tkachuk’s goal came at the 19:47 mark of the fourth OT to end this one, which marked the 15th four-overtime game in NHL history and the longest game in franchise history for each team. The longest game in NHL history came on March 24, 1936, when the Detroit Red Wings beat the Montreal Maroons 1-0 in the sixth overtime on Mud Bruneteau’s goal at 116 minutes, 30 seconds of extra play.Florida’s previous record for longest game was 104:31 in Game 4 of the 1996 Stanley Cup final against Colorado. Carolina’s previous record was 114:47 for Game 3 of the 2002 Stanley Cup final.The only good news for the teams is they had an extended break before this ser...