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Christian democrats, liberals announce 2-party coalition to run Luxembourg

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:16 GMT

LUXEMBOURG (AP) — Luxembourg’s Christian Democrats and free-trade liberals announced a two-party center-right coalition on Thursday that will run the Grand Duchy for the next five years under Prime Minister Luc Frieden. The Christian Democrat CSV of Frieden won 21 seats in the 60-member legislature in October elections and the DP liberals of outgoing Prime Minister Xavier Bettel had 14, giving the two parties a comfortable majority in parliament. Luxembourg’s three-party center-left coalition lost its decade-long hold on power in the elections, mostly because of a poor showing by the Green party. It had only a one-seat majority in government. “We have a solid majority compared to those of the past years,” Frieden said. Bettel will continue in government as foreign minister.Ten years ago, Bettel succeeded Jean-Claude Juncker, the Christian Democrat who was Europe’s longest-serving democratically elected leader at the time. The CSV Christian Democrats were left uncharacteristica...

Spain’s Pedro Sánchez expected to be reelected prime minister despite amnesty controversy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:16 GMT

MADRID (AP) — Spain’s acting prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, is expected to be chosen by a majority of legislators to form a new government in a parliamentary vote Thursday. The vote comes at the end of nearly two days of debate among party leaders that centered almost entirely on a highly controversial amnesty deal for Catalonia’s separatists that Sánchez agreed to in return for vital support to get elected prime minister again.Barring any last-minute upsets, Sánchez has the support of six smaller parties, allowing him to reach the absolute majority of 176 lawmakers needed be reelected and form another minority coalition government with the left-wing Sumar (Joining Forces) party. Spain’s inconclusive national elections on July 23 left a highly fractured parliament. The center-right Popular Party received the most votes in the elections but failed to get enough support to form a government because of its alliances with the far-right Vox party.The Socialists finished second with...

EU commission to prolong use of glyphosate for 10 more years after member countries fail to agree

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:16 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Commission will continue the use of the controversial chemical herbicide glyphosate in the European Union for 10 more years after the 27 member countries again failed to find a common position.Representatives of EU states were unable to reach a decision last month, and a new vote by an appeal committee was again unconclusive on Thursday. Because of the deadlock, the EU’s executive arm said it will endorse its own proposal and renew the approval of glyphosate for 10 years, with new conditions attached.“These restrictions include a prohibition of pre-harvest use as a desiccant and the need for certain measures to protect non-target organisms,” it said in a statement.The chemical, which is widely used in the bloc to the great anger of environment groups, had been approved in the EU market until mid-December.The Greens political group of the EU Parliament immediately urged the Commission to backpedal and ban the use of glyphosate.“We should not g...

'Red Cup Rebellion': Thousands of Starbucks workers expected to strike

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:16 GMT

Thousands of workers at more than 200 U.S. Starbucks stores plan to walk off the job Thursday in what organizers say is the largest strike yet in the two-year-old effort to unionize the company’s stores.The Workers United union chose Starbucks' annual Red Cup Day to stage the walkout since it’s usually one of the busiest days of the year. Starbucks expects to give away thousands of reusable cups Thursday to customers who order holiday drinks.Starbucks employees and supporters link arms during a union election watch party Dec. 9, 2021, in Buffalo, N.Y. Thousands of U.S. Starbucks workers plan to walk off the job Thursday -- one of the chain's busiest days of the year -- to protest the company's anti-union stance. (AP Photo/Joshua Bessex, File)The union said it was expecting more than 5,000 workers to take part in its “Red Cup Rebellion.” Around 30 stores also staged walkouts on Wednesday.Neha Cremin, a Starbucks barista in Oklahoma City, said she was striking to protest understaffing...

Stillwater football riding high of section title into regional matchup with Moriah

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:16 GMT

STILLWATER, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- No championship season comes without some adversity. And the Stillwater football team certainly overcame its fair share of obstacles en route to claiming the Class D championship. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Back in Week 6, an injured Jaxon Mueller had to watch from the sidelines as his previously undefeated Stillwater team was trounced by Warrensburg/Lake George/Bolton 50-7 - the third straight loss of at least 35 points they suffered to the Wolverines dating back to last year. But three weeks later, the star senior running back was hoisting the Class D plaque after a four-touchdown effort against that same Warrensburg team, leading to a 41-14 win."We came out firing on all cylinders," said Mueller. "We won the turnover battle, which was huge. We executed on offense; executed on defense. Held them to under 50 rushing yards, which is unheard of from their offense."Mueller was just one of a numbe...

Union sets sights on NCAA playoff matchup with Delaware Valley

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:16 GMT

SCHENECTADY, NY (NEWS10) -- It's been an exciting week for the Union football team. On Saturday, they reclaimed the Dutchman Shoes by beating RPI. On Sunday, they were selected to the NCAA playoffs. Now they turn excitement into focus. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! The 9-1 Garnet Chargers now head to Delaware Valley to take on the 9-1 Aggies in the first round. The last time Union made it to the NCAA championships was in 2019. A lot of the seniors on this year's squad were freshman on that team. It was their mission to get back there, creating the perfect bookend to their careers. "I think it was a goal of seniors," said head coach John Poppe. "Their last hoorah, how to go out in a special, special way. It's the 13th time Union has been to the playoffs. So it's happened but it hasn't been tradition, let's call it that. These seniors got a chance to do that. The biggest thing on my goal list was to get the shoes back. That was...

Skills shortages are a serious problem for majority of EU SMEs, Eurobarometer shows

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:16 GMT

A new Eurobarometer survey finds that skills shortages are one of the most serious problems for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the EU. The challenge of skills shortages has grown over the years and now encompasses all EU member states and all sectors of the economy.The survey is a useful tool in understanding the impact of skills shortages on SMEs, and will feed into the Commission's policy making. Among other things, it will inform the implementation of the SME relief package that was adopted in September 2023 and stipulates various actions to improve the skills situation for SMEs in the EU. The survey also complements another recently published Eurobarometer study which, among other things, focuses on the training and skilling activities of businesses.Some of the key conclusions of the Eurobarometer study are:Skills shortages represent a serious problem from the smallest to mid-sized companies in Europe, being identified as such by 53% of micro companies (<10 empl...

Horoscopes Nov. 16, 2023: Marg Helgenberger, put your energy where it counts

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:16 GMT

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Kimberly J. Brown, 39; Maggie Gyllenhaal, 46; Martha Plimpton, 53; Marg Helgenberger, 65.Happy Birthday: Look for opportunities, make changes that position you to reach your goal and follow your heart. Happiness is your responsibility, and doing what makes you feel good about yourself will ensure you reach your expectations. Put your energy where it counts and you’ll reap the rewards you deserve. Surround yourself with people who share your beliefs and contribute to your success. Your numbers are 9, 14, 23, 28, 36, 42, 49.ARIES (March 21-April 19): Limit spending. Use your intelligence to devise different ways to utilize your skills, and you’ll find a lucrative and fulfilling path. Refuse to let emotional factors stand between you and what you want to pursue. Take responsibility for your happiness. 2 starsTAURUS (April 20-May 20): An open mind will help you reach your destination. Don’t fear change if it can catapult you to a position ...

Bridge: Nov. 16, 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:16 GMT

Cy the Cynic says that we don’t really get smarter as we get older. We just run out of mistakes to make.Cy was declarer at today’s four spades. He ducked West’s king of diamonds, won the next diamond and led a trump to his ace and a second trump. West took the king and led a third diamond.The Cynic ruffed, drew the missing trump with dummy’s queen and ran the hearts. He lost a club at the end, making four.Were mistakes made?HEART SWITCHCy must avoid letting East gain the lead for a club switch; the defense needs a way for East to get in. When Cy led a trump to his ace, West could infer that Cy didn’t have the jack also, not having finessed. So West could dump his king under the ace. Then East would get in with the jack in time to lead a club, beating the contract.Cy could avoid that if he led a heart to his hand at Trick Three and returned a low trump toward dummy. If West played low and dummy’s queen won, Cy could effectively play low on the next...

Word Game: Nov. 16, 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:16 GMT

TODAY’S WORD — DISMAYED (DISMAYED: dis-MADE: Experiencing feelings of concern or agitation.)Average mark 27 wordsTime limit 40 minutesCan you find 33 or more words in DISMAYED? The list will be published tomorrow.YESTERDAY’S WORD — GONDOLAS glad gland goad goal godson gold gonad gondola good goods goon lagoon land load loan logo long loon along also salon saloon sand sang slag slang slog slogan snag snood soda sold solo solon song soonTo purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last!RULES OF THE GAME:1. Words must be of four or more letters.2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible.4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.Contact Word G...