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IMF outlook worsens for a ‘limping’ world economy. Mideast war poses new uncertainty

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:12 GMT

WASHINGTON — The world economy has lost momentum from the impact of higher interest rates, the invasion of Ukraine and widening geopolitical rifts, and it now faces new uncertainty from the war between Israel and Hamas militants, International Monetary Fund warned Tuesday.The IMF said it expects global economic growth to slow to 2.9% in 2024 from an expected 3% this year. The forecast for next year is down a notch from the 3% it predicted back in July.The deceleration comes at a time when the world has yet to fully mend from a devastating but short-lived COVID-19 recession in 2020 and now could see fallout from the Middle East conflict — particularly to oil prices.A series of previous shocks, including the pandemic and Russia’s war in Ukraine, has slashed worldwide economic output by about $3.7 trillion over the past three years compared with pre-COVID trends.“The global economy is limping along, not sprinting,” IMF chief economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas said at a news conf...

Sweden’s police chief says escalation in gang violence is ‘extremely serious’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:12 GMT

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Sweden’s national police chief said Tuesday that an escalation in gang violence this year — with almost daily shootings and bombings that have claimed dozens of lives, including teenagers and innocent bystanders — is “extremely serious.”Sweden has grappled with gang violence for years but the latest surge has been exceptional, Anders Thornberg said at a news conference, calling it “the most violence we have ever had in the country.” He added that police have “prevented about 80 imminent murders or explosions” since the start of the year.Twelve people died and five others were injured in attacks last month that Thornberg described as “terrorist-like violence.” The attacks are linked to criminal gangs that often recruit teenagers from socially disadvantaged immigrant neighborhoods to carry out hits.Some 42 people have died in 290 shootings in Sweden this year, according to official police statistics. Authorities say the surge in violence is related to a fe...

Live updates | Day 4 of the latest Israel-Palestinian war

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:12 GMT

On Day 4 of the latest Israel-Palestinian war, many countries are grappling with missing and killed nationals in the latest Israel-Palestinian war that has already claimed at least 1,600 lives, and is only expected to escalate. Here’s the latest:RAFAH CROSSING TO BE EVACUATED UNDER BOMB THREATS, HAMAS SAYSThe Rafah Crossing administration on the Egyptian side informed the Rafah Crossing crews on the Palestinian side to evacuate the crossing immediately due to threats to bomb the crossing, spokesperson for the Hamas Ministry of Interior and National Security Iyad Al-Bazm said Tuesday.RUSSIA SAYS IT WILL TALK TO ISRAEL AND PALESTINIANS IN HOPES OF REACHING A SETTLEMENTKremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday that Moscow has been talking to both Israel and the Palestinians to help search for a settlement.Asked about a claim by the Palestinian ambassador to Moscow that Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas will visit Moscow soon, Peskov said that the visit had been planned befor...

UEFA picks UK-Ireland to host soccer’s 2028 European Championship. Italy-Turkey to stage Euro 2032

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:12 GMT

NYON, Switzerland (AP) — The future of soccer’s European Championship for the next decade was decided Tuesday — the United Kingdom and Ireland will host in 2028 and an unusual Italy-Turkey co-hosting plan was picked for 2032.There were no losers when the executive committee of European soccer governing body UEFA finally approved the double hosting award that was inevitable after former bid rivals Italy and Turkey united under one flag of convenience in July.That deal took Turkey out of the Euro 2028 contest where the team of five neighboring UEFA member federations — England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Ireland — was long favored to win. Turkey finally will get to host a European Championship after several failed previous bids, including by one vote against France for the Euro 2016 edition.Turkey also was likely to lose in any contested vote for 2032 even amid doubts Italy could finish a massive construction project to build and upgrade the stadiums needed for a 24-team, 5...

Russian teams won’t play in Under-17 Euros qualifying after UEFA fails to make new policy work

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:12 GMT

NYON, Switzerland (AP) — Russia will not be allowed to play in Under-17 European Championship qualifying games this month, European soccer governing body UEFA said Tuesday.UEFA had explored inserting Russia into its men’s and women’s youth competitions after two weeks ago surprisingly easing its policy that all the country’s national and club teams be excluded from international competitions because of the invasion of Ukraine.The policy provoked a split in UEFA’s executive committee and at least 12 of the 55 European member federations said their teams would continue to refuse to play games against Russia. After assessing how Russian youth teams could be reintegrated, UEFA said after another executive committee meeting on Tuesday that “the agenda point was withdrawn as no technical solution to allow Russian teams to play could be found.”___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerThe Associated Press

Wall Street Journal reporter loses appeal in Russia and will stay in jail until the end of November

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:12 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — A Wall Street Journal reporter who was detained in Russia on espionage charges lost his appeal against his arrest Tuesday, meaning he will stay in jail until at least the end of November.Evan Gershkovich, wearing a blue shirt, T-shirt and jeans, appeared in a glass defendant’s cage at Moscow City Court as he once again appealed his release. He stared at the cameras in court with a blank expression.It was the second time in less than a month that the journalist had appeared before a judge after the Moscow court declined to hear his appeal in September owing to unspecified procedural violations.The latest decision means Gershkovich, 31, will remain jailed at least until Nov. 30, unless an appeal is heard in the meantime and he is released — an unlikely outcome.The journalist was detained in March while on a reporting trip to the city of Yekaterinburg, about 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) east of Moscow, and a judge ruled in August that he must stay in jail until the end ...

Israel pounds Gaza, threatening punishing retaliation for weekend attack

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:12 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel pounded downtown Gaza City with relentless bombardments Tuesday and further expanded a massive mobilization of reservists as it vowed a retaliation that would “reverberate ... for generations” against the Hamas militant group for its surprise weekend attack.The war — which began after Hamas militants stormed into Israel on Saturday, bringing gunbattles to its streets for the first time in decades — has already claimed at least 1,600 lives.It is only expected to escalate from here, with questions over whether Israel will launch a ground invasion and Hamas threatening to kill captured Israelis if strikes targeted civilians without warning. Israel said that Hamas and other militant groups in Gaza are also holding more than 150 soldiers and civilians hostage.Israeli firefighters extinguish fire at a site struck by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, in Ashkelon, southern Israel, Monday, Oct. 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)Israel’s military ...

Aid groups scramble to help as Israel-Hamas war intensifies and Gaza blockade complicates efforts

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:12 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Humanitarian groups are scrambling to assist civilians caught in the war between Israel and Hamas and determine what aid operations are still safe to continue — efforts that are being complicated by an intensified blockade of Gaza and ongoing fighting.Two days after Hamas militants went on a rampage that took the world by surprise, Israel increased airstrikes on Gaza and blocked off food, fuel and other supplies from going into the territory, a move that raised concerns at the United Nations and among aid groups operating in the area home to 2.3 million people. Hamas, in turn, pledged to kill Israelis it abducted if the country’s military bombs civilian targets in Gaza without warning.Hundreds of people have been killed and thousands wounded on both sides, and aid groups operating in the region say there are needs both in Gaza and Israel.More than 2 tons of medical supplies from the Egyptian Red Crescent have been sent to Gaza and efforts are underway to organize foo...

Cloudy and cooler for all, rain for some

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:12 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Not much sunshine expected today as tropical moisture fuels scattered rain and cloudy skies across Central Texas.Tropical moisture from what is now Hurricane Lidia and the remnants of what was Tropical Storm Max, in addition to Gulf moisture pushed in along southerly winds and a low pressure system in the southern Gulf, will all come together to thicken up the clouds and produce scattered rain across our area today.Ingredients for rain Tuesday: Pacific moisture from tropical systems + Gulf moistureMost of us will not see rain, but those who do find themselves under a shower can expected to see anywhere from 0.1"-0.25" (isolated pockets of more).Generally light rainfall accumulations by the end-of-the-day TuesdayShowers will linger overnight into Wednesday morning before clearing late in the day. Mainly to partly sunny skies can be expected Thursday, ahead of a dry cold front Friday.Music fans may be able to pull off the impossible and have a second consecutive wonde...

Jonathan Bernstein: Speaker Jim Jordan would mean more chaos

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:12 GMT

The first nine months of the Republican majority in the House of Representatives have been chaotic, ugly and ineffective. Could it get any worse? Yes.If Republicans follow the advice of former President Donald Trump and elect Rep. Jim Jordan as the next speaker of the House, the odds are that things will get a lot worse.It’s not just that the Ohio congressman is among the chamber’s most extreme conservatives, or that as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee he seems obsessed with Hunter Biden and impeaching President Joe Biden. Yes, those are divisive issues — even among Republicans — that would create problems for him as speaker.As speaker he needs to be able to manage his own party and deal with Democrats. It’s a partisan job, but extreme partisans who have held the position previously have found ways to work with the other party within the chamber, in the Senate, and when necessary, in the White House. The question is whether Jordan is equipped t...