Norway, Ireland Win UN Council Seats in COVID-19 UN Vote
UNITED NATIONS—Norway and Ireland won contested seats on the U.N. Security Council Wednesday, in a series of U.N. elections held under dramatically different voting procedures because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the other contested race, neither Kenya nor Djibouti received the required two-thirds majority in voting in the 193-member General Assembly, and Assembly President Tijjani Muhammad-Bande announced that a second ballot will be held on Thursday. In the most closely watched race among Canada, Ireland, and Norway for two Western seats on the Security Council, a two-thirds majority of 128 votes was required to win. Norway received 130 votes, Ireland got 128 votes, and Canada 108 votes. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.N. headquarters complex has remained open for workers deemed essential, but Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has…
Romanians love to bake with fruit, and we are blessed with plenty of it. This cake is very easy to make and can be made with apricots, cherries, peaches, blueberries, or pears to create a multitude of versions and colors.
The slightly sticky yogurt cake is the perfect accompaniment to the delicate flavor of the apricots. It’s just the thing you need on a summer evening, with a scoop of ice cream or a little sprinkle of fresh tarragon—the anise flavor of the tarragon contrasting so well with the sweetness of the apricots.
Serves 6
- 3 eggs, separated
- 3/4 cup (5 ounces) sugar
- 1/4 cup olive oil or rapeseed oil, plus extra for greasing
- 1/4 cup (2 ounces) plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Salt
- 1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 4–5 fresh apricots, halved
- Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line a deep 9 x 11-inch baking pan.
Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks and set aside.
In another bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar, then add the oil, yogurt, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt, stirring well to emulsify.
Add the flour and baking powder.
Gently fold in the egg whites.
Pour the cake batter into the pan, then arrange the apricot halves on top, cut-side up. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cake is firm to the touch. Leave to cool in the pan, then dust with confectioners’ sugar and cut into long rectangular slices to serve.
Recipe reprinted with permission from “Carpathia: Food from the Heart of Romania” by Irina Georgescu. Published by Interlink Publishing.
Focus News: Apricot Yogurt Cake (Prajitura cu Caise)
Australia Begins Free Trade Talks With the UK
Australia and the United Kingdom have announced the beginning of negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement. In a press release on June 17, Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said that Australia was looking forward to helping the UK find new opportunities in the post-Brexit period. “We’ve been preparing for this deal since the UK decided to leave the EU and welcome their agreement to commence negotiations,” said Birmingham. “Both Australia and the UK want an ambitious and comprehensive agreement that builds on our already significant people-to-people links and creates new opportunities for exporters, generating more jobs in our nations,” commented Birmingham. “This agreement will underpin the future economic relationship between our two countries and send a strong signal of our mutual support for free trade, which will be vital in…
