Ukrainians face homelessness, disease risk as floods crest
Ukrainians abandoned inundated homes on Wednesday as floods crested across the south after the destruction of a huge hydroelectric dam on front lines between Russian and Ukrainian forces, with their presidents trading blame for the disaster.
Residents slogged through flooded streets carrying children on their shoulders, dogs in their arms and belongings in plastic bags while rescuers used rubber boats to search areas where the waters reached above head height.
Ukraine said the deluge would leave hundreds of thousands of people without access to drinking water, swamp tens of thousands of hectares of agricultural land and turn at least 500,000 hectares deprived of irrigation into “deserts”.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address that it was impossible to predict how many people would die in Russian-occupied areas due to the flooding, urging a “clear and rapid reaction from the world” to support victims.
Saudi crown prince, US’ Blinken had ‘candid’ talks in Jeddah
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had an “open, candid” conversation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the early hours of Wednesday about a wide range of bilateral issues, a US official said.
The top US diplomat arrived in Saudi Arabia late on Tuesday for a much anticipated visit amid frayed ties due to deepening disagreements on everything from Iran policy to regional security issues, oil prices and human rights.
Washington has struggled to steady the relationship with Riyadh, where the de facto ruler Prince Mohammed has dominated the decision-making, and as the traditional oil-for-security alliance crumbled under the emergence of the United States as a major oil producer.
Oceans warmer last month than any May on record
Global oceans were warmer last month than any other May in records stretching back to the 19th century, the European Union’s climate monitoring unit reported on Wednesday.
Sea temperatures at a depth of about 10m were a quarter of a deg C higher than ice-free oceans in May averaged across 1991 to 2020, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S).
Year-round, long-term trends have added 0.6 deg C to the ocean’s surface waters in 40 years, said C3S deputy director Samantha Burgess, noting that April had also seen a new record for heat.
Messi’s move to Inter Miami sends ticket prices soaring
Lionel Messi’s announcement that he plans to take his talents to South Beach sent prices for Inter Miami tickets on the secondary market into the stratosphere on Wednesday as fans clamoured for a chance to see the Argentine great play on US soil.
Ticket prices surged following reports early on Wednesday that he planned to join the Major League Soccer side, which he later confirmed.
Messi’s first game with the team could be on July 21 when Inter Miami host Cruz Azul in their Leagues Cup opener in Fort Lauderdale.
West Ham beat Fiorentina to win Europa Conference League
Jarrod Bowen’s dramatic 90th-minute goal secured West Ham their first major European trophy since 1965 with a 2-1 win over Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final on Wednesday.
It is the second European trophy for West Ham after they won the now defunct Cup Winners’ Cup 58 years ago with a team including England World Cup heroes Bobby Moore and Geoff Hurst.
Bowen picked up a superb through ball from Lucas Paqueta, before sending a low shot past a helpless Pietro Terracciano in the Fiorentina goal.
