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Germany appeals for reducing tensions over Taiwan

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 05:00:30 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Germany’s government appealed for efforts to reduce tensions over Taiwan as the German foreign minister arrived in China on Thursday for official talks following Chinese military exercises near the self-governed island democracy that Beijing claims is part of its territory.Annalena Baerbock arrived in the northeastern port city of Tianjin for meetings and was due to hold talks with her Chinese counterpart, Qin Gang, on Friday in Beijing and with senior diplomat Wang Yi on Saturday. Her ministry said she would discuss Taiwan, Ukraine, human rights and other issues with Chinese officials.China’s ruling Communist Party sent warships and fighter planes near Taiwan last weekend in retaliation for a meeting between U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and the island’s president, Tsai Ing-wen.“Threatening military gestures” increase “the risk of unintentional military confrontations,” a spokesperson for Baerbock’s ministry, Andrea Sasse, said in Berlin. “We th...

Biden administration points to investments with new bridges

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 05:00:30 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is closing out a three-week push to highlight the benefits of infrastructure investments in local communities by awarding nearly $300 million to help repair or replace more than a dozen bridges across the country.Events in four states on Thursday will mark the end of the beginning phase of a more expansive White House push heading into President Joe Biden’s expected 2024 reelection race to remind voters of his accomplishments.During the administration’s “Investing in America” tour, Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and other officials held more than 50 events across 25 states at projects benefiting from the landmark infrastructure, climate and high-tech manufacturing laws passed during the Democratic president’s first two years in office.There will be much more talk about Biden’s record to come.“This is the focus of the next year-plus,” White House chief of staff Jeff Zients, who got the job in February with a mand...

N. Korea fires missile that may have been new type of weapon

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 05:00:30 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea on Thursday conducted its first intercontinental ballistic missile launch in a month, possibly testing a new more mobile, harder-to-detect missile for the first time, its neighbors said, as it extends its provocative run of weapons tests.Japan briefly urged residents on a northern island to take shelter in an indication of its vigilance over North Korea’s evolving missile threats.The missile was launched on a high angle from near the North Korean capital of Pyongyang and fell in the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan following a 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) flight, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staffs said in a statement.It described its range as medium or longer. The U.S. National Security Council called it a long-range missile and Japan’s government said it likely had an intercontinental range.South Korea’s military believes North Korea launched a new type of ballistic missile, possibly using solid fuel, a defense official said ...

Schwarzenegger accidentally fills in LA service trench, city says

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 05:00:30 GMT

(The Hill) – Actor and former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) accidentally filled in a service trench he mistook for a pothole in his Los Angeles neighborhood, the city told NBC Los Angeles on Wednesday.The "Terminator" actor on Tuesday posted a video to Twitter of himself filling in a hole in the road, saying, "I always say, let’s not complain, let’s do something about it. Here you go."But Schwarzenegger unintentionally filled a trench purposely created by SoCal Gas, the City of Los Angeles said in a statement to NBC Los Angeles."This location is not a pothole," a city spokesperson told the outlet. "It’s a service trench that relates to active, permitted work being performed at the location by SoCal Gas, who expects the work to be completed by the end of May." Fed up by LA pothole, Arnold Schwarzenegger fills it himself In his Twitter video, Schwarzenegger said the hole in question had been there for weeks."Today, after the whole neighborhood has been upset about this g...

Laraway, Baumann guide Colonie softball to redemption win over Ballston Spa

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 05:00:30 GMT

COLONIE, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- For teams that compete in the ultra-competitive Suburban Council Division, it's not about how you win; it's that you win. And despite recording just one hit Wednesday afternoon, the Colonie High School softball team managed to secure a 2-0 victory over Ballston Spa, backed by a brilliant performance in the circle from freshman Adrianna Laraway. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Colonie and Ballston Spa met in last year's quarterfinal round of the Sec. II, Class AA tournament; the Scotties dominated 12-0, but the Garnet Raiders would have their revenge at home Wednesday.The first five-and-a-half innings was a pitching masterclass. Laraway went toe-to-toe with Ballston Spa's Hadley Donnelly, who took a no-hitter into the bottom of the sixth inning. But that's when Colonie would strike.With the score still tied at zero, the Raiders managed to get two runners aboard via walks. Then, with two outs, Gabby ...

Jared Billups discusses entering the transfer portal

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 05:00:30 GMT

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Jared Billups entered the transfer portal last week, joining his now former backcourt running mate Javian McCollum. Billups spoke with NEWS10 ABC on Wednesday about why he made that decision, and what he's looking for. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Billups says he has taken one visit to George Mason this past Friday. He added he's also received interest from Davidson, Richmond, JMU, Murray State, and VCU. In his sophomore season, Billups averaged 8.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game for the Saints. The dynamic defender has not yet ruled out a return to Siena, but says exploring his options was in his best interest. "I had been thinking about it for a while," said Billups. "There's just a lot of things that were going on in my life personally and I think it was best for me if I entered the portal and decide whether this would be the best fit for me. I think it's just been providing clarity fo...

Rehfuss' Saints punch ticket to fourth straight MAAC Tourney with win over Quinnipiac

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 05:00:30 GMT

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Grace Dobrzynski reached the 100-point plateau, Kelly Logue totaled a career-high seven points in a single game and Siena Women’s Lacrosse punched their ticket into the postseason with an 18-15 victory against Quinnipiac at Hickey Field on Wednesday afternoon in the first-ever Gold Rush Lacrosse Games.  Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Siena (10-5 overall, 5-1 MAAC) lit up the scoreboard to the tune of 13 first-half goals and then held off a late comeback attempt by the Bobcats to wrap up its fourth consecutive MAAC postseason berth (excluding the 2020 season due the pandemic) and 10th overall. Logue, a sophomore from Rocky Point, NY, set a new personal high by scoring three goals to go along with four assists. In reaching the 100-career point plateau, Dobrzynski became the 18th player in program history to do so and only the third sophomore to accomplish the feat. ...

Marist hands Siena men's lacrosse its' first home loss

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 05:00:30 GMT

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Siena-Marist rivalry lived up to the hype with a hard-fought, competitive back-and-forth affair, but the Saints allowed the first three goals at the start of the fourth quarter at a critical junction and eventually dropped the game 14-11 to their I-87 rivals from the MAAC on Wednesday afternoon at Hickey Field on the first-ever Gold Rush lacrosse game.  Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! 10 of the game’s 25 goals occurred in a high-octane first quarter where Marist took a 6-4 advantage after one.The defenses began to settle in from there as Siena trailed just 7-6 at the break and 10-9 entering the fourth quarter. The Saints (5-6 overall, 3-4 MAAC) were paced by Ryan McCarthy’s hat trick and Zac Schuette and George Rusnak, who each scored twice. But, Marist (5-7 overall, 4-3 MAAC) countered with three goals off the stick of one of the conference’s top scorers in JoJo Pirreca whil...

Gender pay gap: Parliament adopts new rules on binding pay-transparency measures 

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 05:00:30 GMT

New legislation will require EU companies to disclose information that makes it easier for employees to compare salaries and to expose existing gender pay gaps, Plenary session.Under the rules -adopted on Thursday by Parliament’s plenary by 427 votes to 79 against and 76 abstentions-, pay structures to compare pay levels will have to be based on gender-neutral criteria and include gender-neutral job evaluation and classification systems. Vacancy notices and job titles will have to be gender neutral and recruitment processes led in a non-discriminatory manner.If pay reporting shows a gender pay gap of at least 5%, employers will have to conduct a joint pay assessment in cooperation with their workers’ representatives. Member states will have to put in place effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties, such as fines, for employers that infringe the rules. A worker who has suffered harm as a result of an infringement will have the right to claim compensation. For the first time, ...

Ask Amy: I’m devastated that I wasn’t discovered at the school play

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 05:00:30 GMT

Dear Amy: I am a major theater kid!I love everything about the theater. In 2020, I won a regional award from my production of “Guys and Dolls” (I was Sarah). This was right before COVID hit.In 2021, I started to do the school plays at my high school. I got some decent roles but none as big as the ones I got before.At our school’s production of “The Sound of Music” (I was Marta), a casting agent came to cast people for an off-Broadway play. I didn’t hear much about it and thought no one got picked.A few days later one of my friends told me they picked seven kids from our production.I was devastated, as I have been performing all my life, and thought I was really good at it.This is even more disappointing because it is my junior year and I’m considering going to a college for theater.Should I quit?Supporting Role SadnessDear Supporting Role: To respond, I’m turning to an expert, my friend Mo Rocca. Mo is a grown-up theater kid who is a sought-after actor on television and had a leadin...