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A look at what to expect as latest UN climate talks get under way in oil-rich UAE

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:51 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The Middle East plays host to its second straight U.N. climate conference over the next two weeks, with countries hoping to agree on new ways to keep the planet from heating too much by the end of the century. Distractions abound, most notably war between Israel and Hamas.Dubai in the United Arab Emirates will welcome thousands of attendees for the 28th “Conference of the Parties” of the U.N. climate conference from Thursday until Dec. 12, amid lingering doubt about how far the oil-rich country will go to help end a climate crisis driven largely by fossil fuel use.Here’s a look at the backdrop, stakes and challenges ahead at COP28.WHAT’S HAPPENED SINCE THE LAST ONEThe world has gotten hotter since last year’s conference in Egypt. Some experts say 2023 is already the hottest year ever recorded. The northern hemisphere had record highs this summer, and Brazil – where it’s not summer yet – this month saw all-time high heat and humidity.“Practica...

Stock market today: Asian shares mostly higher ahead of US price update, OPEC+ meeting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:51 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — Asian shares were mostly higher Thursday ahead of an update on U.S. consumer inflation and a meeting of oil producers in Vienna. Benchmarks rose in Hong Kong, Tokyo and Shanghai. They fell in Seoul and Bangkok. U.S. futures rose while oil prices slipped. Later Thursday, the U.S. government is due to release its October data on the Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation. Economists expect that measure to continue easing, as it has been since the middle of 2022. The Federal Reserve is expected to keep its benchmark interest rate steady when it meets in December and to eventually begin paring rates down if inflation remains under control. Wall Street got the encouraging news Wednesday that t he U.S. economy grew at a brisk 5.2% annual pace from July through September, an upgrade from the earlier estimate of 4.9%. Consumer spending, the lifeblood of the economy, rose at a 3.6% annual rate from July through September. That’s still healthy, but a downgrade from th...

Mediator Qatar says Israel and Hamas agreed to another day of temporary truce, which was set to end Thursday morning

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:51 GMT

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Mediator Qatar says Israel and Hamas agreed to another day of temporary truce, which was set to end Thursday morning.Source

Orioles closer Félix Bautista named AL Reliever of the Year after dominant 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:51 GMT

Both before and after Félix Bautista’s season-ending elbow injury, several Orioles players, coaches and executives referred to him as the best closer in baseball.Wednesday, he was recognized as the best in the American League as the recipient of the AL Reliever of the Year Award, named for Hall of Fame closer Mariano Rivera. Bautista is the second Oriole to win the honor since its introduction in 2014, following Zack Britton in 2016. A panel of former relievers — including Rivera and Trevor Hoffman, for whom the National League award is named — unanimously voted Bautista the AL winner, while Milwaukee’s Devin Williams became the fifth Brewer in six years to win on the NL side.Bautista is the Orioles’ latest major award winner, with infielder Gunnar Henderson being the AL Rookie of the Year, Brandon Hyde being the AL Manager of the Year and general manager Mike Elias being the MLB Executive of the Year.The 28-year-old right-hander was dominant befor...

Here's where San Diegans are looking to buy a home, according to study

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:51 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- San Diegans are looking elsewhere to live, according to a Redfin report that placed America's Finest City as the No. 10 metropolitan area where homebuyers are leaving.The real estate company analyzed about two million of its users who viewed for-sale home online across more than 100 metro areas from August to October.Las Vegas was the top destination and top out-of-state destination in San Diego home searches, the study revealed. In October, the median price of a house in San Diego was $914,000, compared to $412,000 in Las Vegas, per Redfin.Sacramento is also on the minds of locals as San Diego ranked No. 3 on the number of homebuyers searching to move into California's capital city, the study shows. The median price of a house in Sacramento was $500,000 in October, per Redfin. Experience snow at these places within driving distance of San Diego The net outflow, which measures the number of Redfin home searchers looking to leave a metro area, minus the number of searc...

Whooping cough cases on rise in San Diego County

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:51 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- The County of San Diego is reporting a spike in whopping cough or pertussis illnesses.Since September, the number of cases increased from 12 to 57 in October, local health officials said on its website Wednesday.“We’re seeing pertussis spreading in rates similar to before the pandemic,” said Wilma J. Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer. “This is concerning because we know that post-pandemic, many people are experiencing vaccine fatigue. Yet what we have learned over the last several years is that vaccines, hand washing, masking and other precautions help curb the spread of illness.”  Arrest made after Mater Dei Catholic High School receives shooting threat Pertussis, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says can cause serious illness in people of all ages but is most dangerous for babies, begins as a cough and runny nose for one to two weeks, according to the county. The respiratory tract infection then turns into weeks to months of rap...

Truce in Gaza extended at last minute as talks over dwindling number of Hamas captives get tougher

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:51 GMT

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel and Hamas on Thursday agreed to extend their cease-fire by another day, just minutes before it was set to expire. The truce in Gaza appeared increasingly tenuous as the number of women and children held by the militants as bargaining chips dwindled after dozens were released.Word of the extension came just as the truce was to expire at 7 a.m. (0500 GMT) Thursday. The Qatari Foreign Ministry said the truce was being extended under the same terms as in the past, with Hamas releasing 10 Israeli hostages per day in exchange for Israel’s release of 30 Palestinian prisoners.International pressure has mounted for the cease-fire to continue as long as possible after nearly eight weeks of Israeli bombardment and a ground campaign in Gaza that have killed thousands of Palestinians, uprooted three quarters of the population of 2.3 million and led to a humanitarian crisis. The war has stoked tensions across the region. On Thursday morning, two gunmen opened...

China factory activity contracts in November for 2nd straight month despite stimulus measures

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:51 GMT

HONG KONG (AP) — An official survey of Chinese manufacturers shows that factory activity contracted for a second straight month in November, an indicator of weak demand despite various stimulus measures aimed at supporting the economy. The official manufacturing purchasing managers’ index fell to 49.4 in November, down slightly from October’s 49.5, according to data released Thursday by the National Bureau of Statistics.A figure below 50 indicates a contraction in manufacturing activity while a number above 50 reflects an expansion, on a scale up to 100.The index has fallen in seven of the past eight months, with an increase only in September. Despite prolonged weakness after the pandemic, the economy is expected to grow at about a 5% annual pace this year.The new orders sub-index contracted for a second consecutive month, while two other sub-indices for raw material inventory and employment also were lower.China’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic has faltered after an initial bu...

Commission sets out actions to accelerate the roll-out of electricity grids

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:51 GMT

Interconnected and stable energy networks are the backbone of the EU's internal energy market and key to enable the green transition. To help deliver the European Green Deal the Commission is proposing today an Action Plan to make sure our electricity grids will operate more efficiently and will be rolled out further and faster. The Commission has already put in place a supportive legal framework for the rollout of electricity grids across Europe. With the EU markets fully integrated, a modernised infrastructure network will ensure citizens and business can benefit from cheaper and cleaner energy.Electricity consumption in the EU is expected to increase by around 60% between now and 2030. Networks will have to accommodate a more digitalized, decentralized and flexible system with millions of rooftop solar panels, heat pumps and local energy communities sharing their resources, more offshore renewables coming online, more electric vehicles to charge, and growing hydrogen production n...

Leonard and Harden combine for 60 points as Clippers top Kings, 131-117

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:51 GMT

Kawhi Leonard had 34 points and seven assists, James Harden scored 26 and the Los Angeles Clippers overcame a big game by De’Aaron Fox to beat the Sacramento Kings 131-117 on Wednesday night.Paul George added 19 points and seven assists for the Clippers, who defeated the Kings for the first time since October 2022.Fox scored 40 points on 14-of-23 shooting for Sacramento, which was coming off an emotional win over Golden State that advanced the Kings to the knockout round of the In-Season Tournament.The Clippers were coming off a 113-104 loss Monday to the Nuggets, who played without Nikola Jokic, but were the aggressor against the Kings most of the night.Leonard shot 14 of 18 from the field, including 2 for 3 on 3-pointers, and Harden was 8 of 14, including 5 of 8 on 3s.Leonard and Russell Westbrook repeatedly drove the lane and scored down low while keeping Sacramento’s defense off balance.Westbrook had nine points and eight assists while coming off the bench again for Los Angeles....