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Brussels must deliver for CEE farmers to reduce inequalities and pre-empt the populist wave

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:34 GMT

With the Ukraine Black Sea grain deal hanging in the balance amid Russia’s threats to pull out ahead of the 18 May extension deadline, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has set out his vision for its preservation in a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin. But Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, has poured cold water on breakthrough hopes, deeming progress towards meeting its agricultural export demands “not very noticeable” after meeting with Guterres on 24 April.Concerningly, the deal’s potential collapse comes at a time when patience within the EU’s central and eastern European (CEE) countries is running out over the torrents of Ukrainian grain exports entering the bloc via its ‘solidarity lanes’ scheme, which has left local farmers in dire straits and fueled protests. Considering the region’s upcoming general elections and their farmers’ significant electoral weight, Brussels must seize the opportunity to adapt its often out-of-touch, unfair agri-food policies to ...

Game 7 live updates: Warriors have an early lead in first quarter vs. Kings

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:34 GMT

To view the live updates on your mobile device click here.GAME 7: Warriors at Kings at Golden1 Center, at 12:30 p.m. TV: ABC. Announcers: Mike Breen (play-by-play), Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy (color commentary), Lisa Salters (sideline reporting).ODDS: Kings -1. OVER/UNDER: 230. (Both from Caesars Sportsbook.)CURRENT SERIES: Series tied, 3-3. SEASON SERIES: Warriors went 3-1 against the Kings in the regular season. PRIOR PLAYOFF HISTORY: None.The Warriors could — and maybe should — be playing at Chase Center this afternoon for the first game of the second round.But the Dubs aren’t there. They’re in Sacramento. For Game 7. And really, this one’s a referendum on not just this season and the current group, but on the core of the franchise as we know it.The questions off of this one: Is this the final game for Bob Myers as the Warriors general manager? Is this the final game for Draymond Green as a Warrior? What about Jordan Poole’s status with th...

Valencia stays near relegation zone after loss at Cadiz

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:34 GMT

MADRID (AP) — Valencia failed to distance itself from the Spanish league’s relegation zone after losing 2-1 at Cadiz on Sunday.The defeat ended Valencia’s two-game winning streak and left it in 17th place, two points ahead of the bottom three teams with six rounds remaining.Gonzalo Escalante and Sergi Guardiola scored a goal in each half to move Cadiz to 14th, two points more than Valencia. Samuel Lino scored for the visitors.Valencia, which last played in the second division in 1986-87, had needed a stoppage-time winner to beat Valladolid 2-1 at home in the previous round. It won 2-0 at last-place Elche before that to end a four-game winless streak.Valencia avoided dropping into the relegation zone thanks to Espanyol’s 1-0 win against Getafe, a result that left both clubs two points below Valencia.Joselu converted a first-half penalty kick to end Espanyol’s eight-match winless streak.VILLARREAL IN CONTENTIONNicolas Jackson scored two goals in the first 12 mi...

Texas Rangers ace Jacob deGrom frustrated by injury

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:34 GMT

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Texas Rangers ace Jacob deGrom is frustrated he’s landed on the injured list with right forearm tightness.“I want to be out there,” deGrom said Sunday, speaking to media a day after he was placed on the 15-day injured list. “There’s a little inflammation in there, so the goal is to get that knocked out here in the next few days and resume throwing. So, staying optimistic about it.”DeGrom exited after 3 2/3 innings against the New York Yankees on Friday night, the second time in three starts he left early with an injury. During an outing at Kansas City on April 17, deGrom went four innings before leaving with right wrist soreness.DeGrom was plagued by injuries the past two seasons with the New York Mets, throwing 156 1/3 innings over 26 starts.“Obviously, the goal was to not go on the IL. The goal was to make 30-plus starts and put this team in position to win,” deGrom said. “It’s disappointing to not be able to do that right now, but stay optimistic about it....

Avs lose Cogliano for playoffs with neck fracture from hit

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:34 GMT

DENVER (AP) — Andrew Cogliano of the Colorado Avalanche will be out for the rest of the postseason with a fracture in his neck, coach Jared Bednar confirmed Sunday and reiterated his disappointment in the hit that sidelined the gritty forward.Bednar’s sentiment reverberated throughout the Avalanche locker room on the eve of Game 7 of their first-round series against Seattle.“It was a bad decision,” Bednar said of the hit.Cogliano suffered a C5 lamina fracture when he was knocked into the boards from behind in the second period by Kraken forward Jordan Eberle in Game 6 on Friday. Cogliano returned for the third period following an examination but reported that his neck wasn’t feeling great after the reigning Stanley Cup champions returned home from Seattle.A CT scan revealed the fracture. Cogliano was scheduled for a follow-up MRI later Sunday. His injury may involve rehab or “whatever he has to do in order to be get himself healthy again,” Bednar said.Eberle was assessed...

Quiet and parents’ touch help opioid users’ newborns: study

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:34 GMT

Babies born to opioid users had shorter hospital stays and needed less medication when their care emphasized parent involvement, skin-to-skin contact and a quiet environment, researchers reported Sunday.Newborns were ready to go home about a week earlier compared to those getting standard care. Fewer received opioid medications to reduce withdrawal symptoms such as tremors and hard-to-soothe crying, about 20% compared to 52% of the standard-care babies.Babies born to opioid users, including mothers in treatment with medications such as methadone, can develop withdrawal symptoms after exposure in the womb.Typically, hospitals use a scoring system to decide which babies need medicine to ease withdrawal, which means treatment in newborn intensive care units.“The mom is sitting there anxiously waiting for the score,” said the study’s lead author Dr. Leslie Young of the University of Vermont’s children’s hospital. “This would be really stressful for families.”In the new...

Right-hander Trevor Megill traded to Brewers from Twins

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:34 GMT

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Pitcher Trevor Megill was acquired by the Milwaukee Brewers from the Minnesota Twins on Sunday for cash and a player to be named.Megill, a 29-year-old right-hander, was 0-0 with a 13.03 ERA in seven games this season for Triple-A St. Paul. He was designated for assignment Tuesday to open a roster spot for right-hander Brock Stewart.Megill was 4-3 with a 4.80 ERA in 39 appearances for the Twins last season and 1-2 with a 8.37 ERA in 28 games for the 2021 Chicago Cubs.Milwaukee said it will assign Megill to Triple-A Nashville. He is the older brother of New York Mets pitcher Tylor Megill. In addition, the Brewers transferred outfielder Garrett Mitchell (left shoulder) to the 60-day injured list. ___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsSource

Nuggets try to make star-studded Suns look average again

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:34 GMT

The Phoenix Suns’ star quartet of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton looked mighty average in their Game 1 loss to the Denver Nuggets.Now it’s gut check time when the Suns try to even the series in Game 2 on Monday in Denver.There’s certainly reason to believe the Suns have what it takes to bounce back. Phoenix lost Game 1 to the Los Angeles Clippers in the opening round before reeling off four straight wins to advance.“This group has been here already so we understand what it takes to emotionally settle down,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “Understand it’s a big game coming up. And our guys have played a number of big games.”The biggest problem for Phoenix? This Denver team appears vastly superior to the Clippers team the Suns eliminated in round one.Jamal Murray scored a game-high 34 points and Nikola Jokic added 24 points and 19 rebounds in the Nuggets’ 125-107 Game 1 victory on Saturday. It was a thoroughly dominant win...

76ers, Celtics renew rivalry; Embiid doubtful for Game 1

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:34 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Celtics successfully responded to the challenge an inspired Atlanta Hawks team posed over six games during the opening round of the playoffs.The Philadelphia 76ers mostly breezed past the Brooklyn Nets in a first-round sweep but didn’t get out of it before MVP finalist Joel Embiid suffered a sprained right knee and missed the final game of the series.Now the franchises, which have met more in the postseason than any other NBA teams, will renew their long-running rivalry in the Eastern Conference semifinals beginning Monday.Boston has won the past five playoff series between the teams. The most recent was a sweep by the Celtic in the first round of the 2020 postseason inside the Florida bubble. This latest era of matchups has brought the history between the teams into perspective for the new generation.“I’ve learned more about the Celtics and 76ers’ rivalry throughout time,” Boston All-Star Jaylen Brown said. “Watching Bill Russell’s Netflix series, I g...

Manhunt continues for Texas shooting suspect, reward offered

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:34 GMT

CLEVELAND, Texas (AP) — Law enforcement officers said Sunday they've been unable to find a gunman who fled after killing five people in a rural Texas town, offering $80,000 in total reward money in hopes of motivating someone to come forward with information about the suspect's whereabouts.“We do not know where he is,” said James Smith, the FBI's special agent in charge. Police were going door to door looking for the suspect.The suspect, Francisco Oropesa, 38, was considered armed and dangerous after fleeing the area Friday, likely on foot, San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers said late Saturday. He said authorities had widened the search to 20 miles (32 kilometers) from the scene of the shooting, which occurred after the suspect's neighbors asked him to stop firing off rounds in his yardInvestigators found clothes and a phone while combing a rural area that includes dense layers of forest, but tracking dogs lost the scent, Capers said. Authorities were able to identify Oropesa by...