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New Zealand’s foreign minister to visit counterpart in China

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:53 GMT

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta will visit her counterpart Qin Gang in Beijing this week in the first trip by a New Zealand minister to China in four years, officials said Monday.But the visit comes at an awkward time, with Chinese President Xi Jinping planning to visit Moscow this week, giving a diplomatic boost to Russian President Vladimir Putin after the International Criminal Court announced it wants to put him on trial for alleged war crimes.New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said New Zealand’s position on Russia remained unchanged.“We are emphatically opposed to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” Hipkins said. “We are also very opposed to any suggestions that other countries might support Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.”But Hipkins said it was nevertheless time to reestablish in-person ties with China after the easing of COVID-19 travel restrictions. “China is a very important relationship to New Zealand and obvi...

Millions of rotting fish to be removed from Outback river

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:53 GMT

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Contractors are being hired to remove millions of rotting fish from a river in the Australian Outback after a unprecedented die-off following floods and hot weather, police said on Monday.The fish started dying in the Darling River near the New South Wales town of Menindee on Friday. Officials say the die-off likely occurred because fish need more oxygen in hot weather, but oxygen levels in the water dropped after recent floods receded.Police Assistant Commissioner Brett Greentree said keeping the town’s water supply pure was the main priority and removing the dead fish was the next most pressing issue. Trained contractors had been contacted about removing the fish with nets, but dates for the work haven’t been set.“I’m certainly not making promises that all the millions of fish will be removed by contractors because that is really a logistical nightmare,” Greentree said.“I understand and acknowledge the smell and sights on the river — nobody wants t...

UN science report to provide stark climate warning

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:53 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — A major new United Nations report being released Monday is expected to provide a sobering reminder that time is running out if humanity wants to avoid passing a dangerous global warming threshold.The report by hundreds of the world’s top scientists is the capstone on a series that summarizes the research on global warming compiled since the Paris climate accord was agreed in 2015.It was approved by countries at the end of a week-long meeting of the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report in the Swiss town of Interlaken, meaning governments have accepted its findings as authoritative advice on which to base their actions.At the start of the meeting U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned delegates that the planet is “ nearing the point of no return ” and they risk missing the internationally agreed limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) of global warming since pre-industrial times.That’s because global emissions of carbon dio...

Their world was the oyster: Oldest pearl town found in UAE

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:53 GMT

SINIYAH ISLAND, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Archaeologists said Monday they have found the oldest pearling town in the Persian Gulf on an island off one of the northern sheikhdoms of the United Arab Emirates. Artifacts found in this town on Siniyah Island in Umm al-Quwain, likely once home to thousands of people and hundreds of homes, date as far back as the region’s pre-Islamic history in the late 6th century. While older pearling towns have been mentioned in historical texts, this represents the first time archaeologists say they have physically found one from this ancient era across the nations of the Persian Gulf. “This is the oldest example of that kind of very specifically Khaleeji pearling town,” said Timothy Power, an associate professor of archaeology at the United Arab Emirates University, using a word that means “Gulf” in Arabic. “It’s the spiritual ancestor of towns like Dubai.” The pearling town sits on Siniyah Island, which shields the Khor al-Beida m...

Japan PM Kishida to announce new Indo-Pacific plan in India

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:53 GMT

NEW DELHI (AP) — Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida arrived Monday in India, where he is expected to announce a new plan for a free and open Indo-Pacific and deepen Tokyo’s bilateral relationship with New Delhi ahead of the Group of Seven major industrial nations summit in May.Kishida said late Sunday that he will present his new action plan for Japan’s free and open Indo-Pacific vision during a speech Monday in New Delhi. The plan is expected to include Japan’s support for human development in maritime security, a provision of coast guard patrol boats and equipment and other infrastructure cooperation.India, which is heading this year’s Group of 20 industrial and emerging-market nations, says ties with Japan are key to stability in the region. The two nations, along with the United States and Australia, make up the Indo-Pacific alliance known as the Quad that is countering China’s rising influence in Asia.India is the only Quad member that has not condemned Russia’s invasion of U...

Top Ukraine and US defence officials discussed military aid in call

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:53 GMT

A group of senior U.S. security officers met via video to discuss military assistance to Kyiv. This was according to President Volodymyr Zilenskiy's chief staff.Telegram: Andriy Yarmak said that they had discussed providing additional assistance for our country, including vehicles, weapons, and ammunition.Yermak stated that he, Ukraine's Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov and top general Valeriy Zaluzhnyi were among the attendees.The other side was represented by Lloyd Austin, the top military commander Mark Milley and Jake Sullivan, the White House National Security Advisor.Yermak didn't give specific details to the U.S. side.This meeting was held as Kyiv sought to obtain sufficient arms supplies from its Western backers (of which the U.S. is the most important), to mount a counter-offensive to try to retake territory that Moscow had taken last year.Yermak said that Zelenskiy was present at the meeting to express his views about the liberation of Ukrainian territory occupied by Russ...

The 10 most expensive homes that reported sold in Danville, San Ramon, Dublin, Pleasanton the week of March 6

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:53 GMT

A house in San Ramon that sold for $3.2 million tops the list of the most expensive real estate sales in Danville, San Ramon, Dublin, Pleasanton in the last week.In total, 10 real estate sales were recorded in the area during the past week, with an average price of $1.8 million. The average price per square foot was $675.The prices in the list below concern real estate sales where the title was recorded during the week of March 6 even if the property may have been sold earlier.10. $1.4 million, single-family house in the 4100 block of Sola CourtThe sale of the single-family home in the 4100 block of Sola Court, Dublin, has been finalized. The price was $1,440,000, and the new owners took over the house in February. The house was built in 2000 and has a living area of 2,009 square feet. The price per square foot was $717. The house features 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.Sola Court9. $1.5 million, detached house in the 2400 block of Sanderling DriveThe sale of the single family residence...

Top Afghan Taliban leader issues decree against nepotism

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:53 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The supreme leader of the Taliban has issued a decree against nepotism, barring officials in Afghanistan’s Taliban administration from hiring relatives in government positions. The shadowy leader, Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, also ordered all Taliban officials to sack their sons and other relatives who are already working in their administration. The decree was posted late on Saturday on the Taliban government’s Twitter account. “It is an order to all officials in the ministries, departments and independent authorities that no one is allowed to appoint family members or relatives in government positions,” the decree said. The tweet did not elaborate on the reasons behind the decree but it followed rumors that many Taliban officials have appointed their sons and relatives in high-ranking government positions rather than professionals or those with experience needed for the posts. Taliban government spokesmen were not immediately available on Monday to el...

In The News for March 20 : Is it even worth complaining about airlines in Canada?

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:53 GMT

In The News is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to kickstart your day. Here is what’s on the radar of our editors for the morning of March 20 …What we are watching in Canada …The number of air passenger complaints to Canada’s transport regulator is soaring, more than tripling to 42,000 over the past year.The growing backlog means each case now needs more than a year and a half to handle, spurring advocates and politicians to question the entire process.NDP transport critic Taylor Bachrach plans to table a private member’s bill today that aims to close loopholes, increase fines and make compensation automatic for travellers whose flights are delayed or cancelled.Bachrach and John Lawford, who heads the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, say the passenger rights overhaul promised by the federal government for this spring needs to make compensation automatic in the event of significant delays or short-notice cancellations.Last week, Tran...

EU seeks deal on artillery shells for Ukraine

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:53 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union ministers are meeting Monday to try to finalize a plan to supply Ukraine with sorely needed artillery shells, replenish their own national stocks and ramp up Europe’s defense industry, as Russia continues to focus its attacks on the industrial east of the war-ravaged country.The 27-nation bloc’s foreign and defense ministers will discuss the plan at a joint session in Brussels. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is due to provide an update of the latest developments in the year-long war and to set out his country’s military needs.The EU’s aim is to provide Ukraine with 1 million 155-millimeter artillery shells this year.EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who is chairing the meeting, is seeking approval for a proposal to provide 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) to encourage member nations to provide artillery shells from their stocks and any orders for new rounds that they might have placed with industry.A further 1 billion euros would then be u...