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China and the EU at odds over top diplomat’s visit, cancellation at the last minute

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:08 GMT

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — China has abruptly canceled a visit to Beijing by the European Union’s top diplomat, the EU said Wednesday, amid ongoing disagreements between the two powers over trade, human rights and the Ukraine war.Josep Borrell, the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, was due to arrive in China on July 10 for talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang and other officials, according to an announcement by the EU ambassador to Beijing on Sunday. The European and Chinese diplomats were set to discuss topics including trade, human rights and China’s stance on the war in Ukraine, according to Ambassador Jorge Toledo.But China has canceled Borrell’s visit, the EU announced, without saying why.“Unfortunately, we were informed by the Chinese counterparts that the envisaged dates next week are no longer possible and we must now look for alternatives,” EU spokesperson Nabila Massrali said in an emailed statement on Wednesday.“It is for Chi...

Stock market today: Global stocks sink ahead of Federal Reserve notes and a US jobs update

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:08 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Global stock markets fell Wednesday as traders awaited a U.S. jobs update and notes from the latest Federal Reserve meeting for guidance on interest rates. London, Shanghai, Paris and Tokyo declined. Wall Street futures were lower as U.S. markets prepared to reopen after a holiday. Oil prices were mixed.Notes from the monthly Fed meeting at which its key interest rate was left unchanged are due for release Wednesday. Fed officials have said rates might be raised two more times this year, but traders hope they will decide enough already has been done to cool inflation.On Friday, the U.S. government is due to report employment, a factor watched by the Fed.“Interest rate expectations could be reshaped depending on how the cards fall with regards to these key releases,” said Tim Waterer of KCM Trade in a report.In early trading, the FTSE 100 in London lost 0.4% to 7,486.89. The CAC 40 in Paris lost 0.5% to 7,332.92 and the DAX in Frankfurt retreated 0.4% to 15,966.73.On W...

China dismisses criticism of top diplomat’s comments appearing to push for race-based alliance

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:08 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — China on Wednesday dismissed criticism of racially tinged comments by its top diplomat, who said Europeans and Americans are incapable of distinguishing among Chinese, Koreans and Japanese. “No matter how yellow you dye your hair, or how sharp you make your nose, you’ll never turn into a European or American, you’ll never turn into a Westerner,” said Wang Yi, a former foreign minister who now heads the ruling Communist Party’s foreign affairs commission.“One needs to know where one’s roots are,” Wang said at a trilateral forum in the northern Chinese city of Qingdao on Monday. “China, Japan, Korea — if we can join hands and cooperate, it would not only suit the interests of our three countries, but also the wishes of our peoples and together we can prosper, revitalize East Asia and enrich the world.” Wang’s comments drew immediate condemnation, particularly from scholars online. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin sidestepped a ques...

9 people shot and wounded in D.C., including 2 juveniles, as violence continues to mar July Fourth

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:08 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) — Nine people were shot and wounded, including two juveniles, early Wednesday in Washington, D.C., police said.Shortly before 1 a.m. police responded to a report of a shooting on Meade Street in the northeastern quadrant of the U.S. capital, Assistant Chief Leslie Parsons of the Metropolitan Police Department said in a statement on Twitter.Upon their arrival officers discovered multiple shooting victims, including a 9-year-old and a 17-year-old, Parsons said.A dark colored SUV seen driving through the neighborhood, stopped and then shot at the victims outside enjoying the July Fourth holiday, Parsons said, calling the shooting targeted.Several victims were transported to local hospitals by D.C. Fire and EMS while others transported themselves. All the victims suffered non-life threatening injuries, Parsons said. None have been identified. It was not immediately clear if there was more than one shooter in the vehicle and no arrests have been made.The D.C. shooti...

In partnership with Schmitt Music, Walker West Music Academy to debut 4 new Steinway concert pianos

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:08 GMT

Steinway & Sons describes its Model D as the pinnacle of concert grand pianos, and anyone who has watched a master pianist command an audience for a solo performance in a packed concert hall has probably seen one in action. Walker West Music Academy and Twin Cities-based Schmitt Music have teamed to bring four Steinway Model D concert pianos to Walker West’s Selby Avenue performance space.The St. Paul music academy will host a ribbon-cutting for its first Steinway Model Ds from 7 to 8 p.m. on Friday, marking the first time in the school’s 34-year history that it will offer brand-new pianos for instruction and performance. The performance hall is located at 760 Selby Ave., and a Steinway technician will be on hand to explain the mechanics of the piano and its sound inflections.“Most of the time people donate pianos to us, and they’re 30 and 40 years old,” said Braxton Haulcy, the music school’s executive director. “We use them five or six...

2 dead after July 4th Columbia County crash

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:08 GMT

CLAVERACK, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- According to the Columbia County Sheriff's Office, two people died around 7:05 Tuesday night in a motor vehicle crash. Deputies say the crash happened on State Route 66 just north of County Route 18 (Fish and Game Club Road) in Claverack. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Deputies have not identified the fatalities at this time. An investigation into the crash is underway.

ValleyCats outgunned by Greys in front of sell-out crowd

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:08 GMT

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Joseph L. Bruno Stadium was packed to the brim Tuesday night - standing room only as the Tri-City ValleyCats opened up a new series with the Empire State Greys. But the 'Cats had a difficult time generating offense, while the Greys used the long ball to jump out to an early lead and eventually win game one 7-2. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Empire State started the scoring with four runs in the third inning. Zach Whalin singled, and John Mead doubled off Rafi Vazquez. Eric Jenkins had an RBI groundout before Jaylen Smith hit a two-run homer. Josh Sears followed suit two batters later with a solo shot to give the Greys a 4-0 lead.Tri-City pushed across a run in the fourth. Michael Barker issued a walk to Jaxon Hallmark. Robbie Merced ripped an RBI double to cut the deficit to 4-1.Empire State tacked on an insurance run in the seventh. Jenkins singled off Brendan Bell. Quentin Holmes drove in Jenkins ...

Russia's envoy: No grounds to maintain grain deal status quo

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:08 GMT

Russia's envoy to the United Nations in Geneva said there were no grounds to maintain the "status quo" of the Black Sea grain deal that is set to expire on July 18, the Russian news outlet Izvestia reported on Monday (3 July).In a wide-ranging interview, envoy Gennady Gatilov told the outlet that the implementation of Russia's conditions for the extensions of the agreement was "stalling." Those conditions included, among others, the reconnection of the Russian Agricultural Bank (Rosselkhozbank) to the SWIFT banking payment system."Russia has repeatedly extended the deal in the hope of positive changes," Gatilov told Izvestia. "However, what we are seeing now does not give us grounds to agree to maintaining the status quo."The Black Sea deal, brokered between Russia and Ukraine by the United Nations and Turkey in July 2022, aimed to prevent a global food crisis by allowing Ukrainian grain trapped by Russia's invasion to be safely exported from Black Sea ports.Last week, the United Na...

What makes Royal Ascot so popular worldwide?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:08 GMT

It's one of the world's most famous horse racing meetings of the flat season, where once a year the greatest horses, trainers and jockeys converge on Ascot Racecourse. Royal Ascot is where the racing public mingles with royalty, and where the best equine talent takes each other on in some of the most valuable races in the world.So what makes Royal Ascot so popular in the world of racing?The best horses from around the globeWhereas races like the Epsom Derby and the 2000 Guineas are contested by British and Irish horses in the main, Royal Ascot attracts the best that flat racing has to offer from countries such as Australia, the USA, France and Japan. This not only makes for the most competitive races of the year but also garners the attention of racing fans around the world.At Royal Ascot 2023, Artorious will make the long trip from down under to contest the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, a race for which he currently heads the betting market at a price of 11/4. T...

Ask Amy: Our real estate agent has become an unpleasant stalker

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:12:08 GMT

Dear Amy: A real estate agent helped us through numerous deals within a short 18 months — expertly, deftly and patiently.In the end she closed a total of five sales, all through us. Because of this, she won an award from her prestigious agency and became their No. 1 regional agent.She still texts/calls/emails often, wanting to get together for lunch, coffee, dinner, etc.While working together, we took her out several times to thank her for her efforts, but it has been a year since we closed everything. We are maxed-out, both emotionally and financially.After declining her invitations many times, I am at a loss. I avoid her calls. This leads to her texting, which I also now ignore. When all else fails, she shows up at our house and rings the doorbell, knowing that because my elderly father-in-law lives with us, there will be at least one adult at home at all times.Last time she showed up with candy, which my father-in-law ate. I asked her not to bring any more sweets because they end...