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Pope’s Ukraine peace envoy raises stalled Black Sea grain exports in Beijing talks

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:35 GMT

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis’ Ukraine peace envoy discussed the need to resume Ukraine grain exports to feed the world’s hungry during a meeting Thursday with a Chinese official while on a mission to Beijing, the Vatican said.Cardinal Matteo Zuppi met with Li Hui, China’s special representative for Eurasian affairs, at the Chinese foreign ministry. According to a Vatican statement, the meeting focused on the war, “emphasizing the need to join efforts to foster dialogue and find paths leading to peace.”Food security and Ukraine’s stalled grain exports were discussed “with the hope that it will soon be possible to guarantee the export of cereals, especially to the countries most at risk,” the statement said.Last month, Russia halted a U.N.-brokered agreement to guarantee safe exports of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea after Russia’s invasion impeded shipments at a time of growing world hunger. Russia said it was suspending the deal until its demands to get ...

Charges in St. Louis more than doubled after embattled St. Louis prosecutor resigned

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:35 GMT

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Criminal prosecutions have more than doubled in St. Louis since the city’s progressive prosecutor resigned under fire, a newspaper analysis found. The St. Lois Post-Dispatch found that St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore filed more than 1,400 case over the three-period that started with his May 31 swearing-in. That compares to 620 cases filed over the same period when Kim Gardner led the office.Gardner, a Democrat, was elected in 2016 to become the city’s first Black circuit attorney. She was part of a movement of prosecutors who sought diversion to mental health or drug abuse treatment for low-level crimes, pledged to hold police more accountable, and proactively sought to free inmates who were wrongfully convicted.But she announced in May that she would resign as she faced an ouster effort by Missouri’s attorney general and scrutiny from Republican state lawmakers. Republican Missouri Gov. Mike Parson picked Gore, a former assistant U.S. attorney, to replac...

No. 2 Michigan hosts Bowling Green, playing without suspended Jim Harbaugh one more time

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:35 GMT

Bowling Green (1-1) at No. 2 Michigan (2-0), Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET (Big Ten Network)Line: Michigan by 40 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.Series record: Michigan leads 2-0.WHAT’S AT STAKE?The Wolverines want to win and stay healthy, staying on pace to contend for Big Ten and national championships. The Falcons have a chance to show their largest audience who they are under coach Scot Loeffler, who is in his fifth season and coming off the school’s first bowl game since 2015.KEY MATCHUPMichigan’s passing game against Bowling Green’s overmatched defense. J.J. McCarthy leads college football, connecting on 87.3% of his passes. Bowling Green is giving up nearly 200 yards passing and two touchdowns through the air per game.PLAYERS TO WATCHBowling Green: QB Connor Bazelak. The fifth-year player, who spent his first three years at Missouri, started for Indiana against Michigan last year. He completed 25 of 49 passes for 203 yards with one touchdown and one intercepti...

Hunter Biden is indicted on federal firearms charges in a long-running probe weeks after a plea deal fell apart

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:35 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hunter Biden is indicted on federal firearms charges in a long-running probe weeks after a plea deal fell apart.Source

Warren Buffett’s company trims its investment in printer maker HP by selling 5.5 million shares

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:35 GMT

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Warren Buffett’s company sold off 5.5 million of its HP Inc. shares this week, trimming a stake that it established just last year, but even after the sales, Berkshire Hathaway still owns nearly 12% of the printer and computer maker’s stock.HP stock dropped nearly 2% to sell for $27.80 Thursday in the first trading session after the stock sales were disclosed in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.Many investors follow Buffett’s moves closely because of his remarkably successful track record over the years.Even after this week’s sales, Berkshire still holds more than 115 million HP shares. But it likely won’t be clear for some time whether Buffett is just trimming the position or whether he has soured on the stock. The billionaire investor never comments on these transactions that he’s only required to disclose because Berkshire owns such a big chunk of the company.The HP investment raised some eyebrows last spr...

Raiders look for first 2-0 road start to a season since 1982 in traveling to play Bills

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:35 GMT

LAS VEGAS (1-0) at BUFFALO (0-1)Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, CBS OPENING LINE: Bills by 9 1/2, according to FanDuel SportsBook. AGAINST THE SPREAD: Las Vegas 1-0; Buffalo 0-1.SERIES RECORD: Tied 21-21.LAST MEETING: Bills beat Raiders 30-23 on Oct. 4, 2020, in Las Vegas.LAST WEEK: Raiders beat Broncos 17-16; Bills lost to Jets 22-16 OT.RAIDERS OFFENSE: OVERALL (22), RUSH (30), PASS (13), SCORING (20t).RAIDERS DEFENSE: OVERALL (10), RUSH (16), PASS (13), SCORING (8t).BILLS OFFENSE: OVERALL (13), RUSH (14t), PASS (10), SCORING (22t).BILLS DEFENSE: OVERALL (18), RUSH (29), PASS (6), SCORING (21).TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Raiders minus-1; Bills minus-3.RAIDERS PLAYER TO WATCH: WR Hunter Renfrow. He was surprisingly not targeted at all in the opener at Denver, but with Jakobi Meyers in concussion protocol this week, that could open opportunities. Here’s a receiver who had more than 1,000 yards just two years ago, but has been an odd fit in coach Josh McDaniels’ system, whi...

Diddy made music a priority over businesses to create ‘The Love Album – Off the Grid’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:35 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — If Sean “Diddy” Combs had a choice, the self-proclaimed serial entrepreneur would be hunkered down in a recording studio rather than running his many successful businesses.But for more than a decade, Diddy put creating albums on hold. He credits a late-night dream a couple years ago with waking him up from his musical slumber.“I stepped away for a little bit, went through a lot of things in life, and then got that call one day from God. She was like, ‘It’s time,’” he recalled in a recent interview. The three-time Grammy winner said the soft voice he heard instantly motivated him to refocus his attention back to making his own music again.On Friday, Diddy will release his new album called “The Love Album – Off the Grid.” His fifth studio project features nearly 30 guests including Mary J. Blige, Justin Bieber, H.E.R., Babyface, John Legend, Busta Rhymes, Summer Walker, Teyana Taylor, Coco Jones and Jazmine Sullivan. The album’s lead single “Anothe...

No. 10 Alabama hits road against USF, eager to rebound from 1st loss of season

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:35 GMT

No. 10 Alabama (1-1) at South Florida (1-1), 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)Line: Alabama by 31 ½, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.Series record: Alabama leads 1-0.WHAT’S AT STAKE?Alabama looks to rebound after faltering late in a 34-24 loss at home to Texas last week. The Crimson Tide are 13-1 following a regular-season loss since 2008. Although they haven’t dropped consecutive regular season games during that stretch, the Crimson Tide did follow a defeat to rival Auburn with a loss to Oklahoma in the 2014 Sugar Bowl. The Crimson Tide has outscored opponents 460 to 160 in those 14 games following a regular season loss. South Florida is two games into a rebuild under first-year coach Alex Golesh, who was offensive coordinator at Tennessee when the Volunteers beat Alabama 52-49 last season.KEY MATCHUPPorous USF defense that’s shown signs of improvement vs. Jalen Milroe-led Alabama offense eager to rebound from last week’s home loss to Texas. The Bulls forced five turnovers en route to...

Rookie QBs Stroud and Richardson both look for their first NFL win as Texans host Colts

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:35 GMT

HOUSTON (AP) — C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson are good friends who have known each other since high school.“I love C.J.,” Richardson said.“That’s my guy,” Stroud said. “I love him to death.”On Sunday, the two quarterbacks will put aside those warm feelings when Stroud leads the Houston Texans against Richardson and the Indianapolis Colts.“I’m rooting for him and I hope that everything in his career goes well, except for when he plays the Texans,” Stroud said with a laugh.Both rookies will be looking for their first win Sunday after the Texans lost 25-9 to the Ravens in their opener and Indianapolis was defeated 31-21 by Jacksonville.Despite the losses, both quarterbacks did some good things in their NFL debuts after Stroud was taken second overall in this year’s draft and Richardson was selected two picks later.Stroud completed 28 of 44 passes for 242 yards and Richardson was 24 of 37 for 223 yards with a touchdown and ran for another score.Indianapolis coach Shane Steichen said...

Deion Sanders and No. 18 Colorado move from one rival to next as Buffaloes host Colorado State

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:35 GMT

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — No need to school Deion Sanders on the importance of rivalry games. He's received a pro-level education on their value.Fresh off a win over longtime rival Nebraska last weekend, the coach of No. 18 Colorado leads the Buffaloes (2-0) into another one Saturday night at sold out Folsom Field against in-state adversary Colorado State (0-1). Prime effect: 8.7M viewers watched Colorado defeat Nebraska Sanders isn't interested in history lessons or added hype. He quickly pointed out that when he played for the Atlanta Falcons during his Hall of Fame career, they had the New Orleans Saints as a prime rival. And when he played for the Dallas Cowboys, well, they had the entire league.“This isn’t my first rodeo when it comes to that,” Sanders said. “It’s always some type of adversity that you have against someone in close proximity of you."Sanders has respect for the program at Colorado State (0-1), a team coming off a bye after a 50-24 loss to another Pac-12 school, Wa...