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Pesticides: MEPs want a drastic cut in use of chemical pesticides 

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:25 GMT

On Tuesday (24 October) the Environment Committee adopted its position on measures to ensure sustainable pesticides use and reduce the use and risk of all chemical pesticides by at least 50 % by 2030, ENVI.In the text adopted with 47 votes to 37 and 2 abstentions, MEPs say that by 2030, the EU must reduce the use and risk of chemical plant protection products by at least 50% and the use of so-called “more hazardous products” by 65%, compared to the 2013-2017 average. The Commission proposed a 50% target for both based on the 2015-2017 average.MEPs want each member state to adopt national targets and strategies, based on the substances sold per year, their hazard level and the size of their agricultural area. The Commission would then verify whether national targets need to be more ambitious to achieve EU 2030 targets.In order to maximise the impact of national strategies, member states must also have in place crop-specific rules for at least those five crops where a reduction of the...

Review: Teen dreams and adult nightmares in ‘Priscilla’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:25 GMT

By Jake Coyle | Associated PressDreamily gazing at the album covers of Elvis Presley was not, statistically speaking, a rare habit among American teen girls in the late 1950s and early ’60s.But for Priscilla Beaulieu, teenage fantasy became a strange and surreal reality. Sofia Coppola’s “Priscilla,” starring Cailee Spaeny, captures all the dreaminess, the absurdity and, finally, the nightmare of falling in love with Elvis.Priscilla was just 14 years-old — a 9th grader — when she first met him. It was 1959. She was living in West Germany, where her Air Force officer stepfather was stationed. The swoony early scenes of Coppola’s film find a solitary Priscilla sipping soda in a Navy base diner while a cover of Frankie Avalon’s “Venus” (“Venus, make her fair / A lovely girl with sunlight in her hair”) plays around her.A man approaches and asks if she likes Elvis. Of course she does. Would she like to meet him? Um, what? After s...

Five-bedroom home in Fremont sells for $2.8 million

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:25 GMT

48017 Chann Court – Google Street ViewA 3,538-square-foot house built in 1970 has changed hands. The spacious property located in the 48000 block of Chann Court in Fremont was sold on Sept. 14, 2023. The $2,810,000 purchase price works out to $794 per square foot. This two-story home offers a capacious living environment with its five bedrooms and five baths. On the exterior, the home features wood shake roofing / shingles. Inside, a fireplace adds character to the home. The property is equipped with forced air heating and central A/C. Additionally, the house features a two-car garage, providing ample room for vehicles and storage needs.Additional houses have recently been purchased nearby:In November 2022, a 1,821-square-foot home on Masters Court in Fremont sold for $1,700,000, a price per square foot of $934. The home has 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.On Gable Drive, Fremont, in March 2023, a 1,485-square-foot home was sold for $1,745,000, a price per square foot of $1,175. The home...

How to Leverage the Holidays: Essential Marketing Tips for 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:25 GMT

Sponsored ContentFor many businesses, sales during the holiday season could make or break their year. As online shopping becomes more popular, retailers must adapt to succeed in the digital age. Let’s explore the importance of optimizing your website for the holiday season and how to drive engagement, excitement, and conversions through content, promotions, and contests.The Importance of Optimizing Your WebsiteYour website is your digital storefront. Why would you neglect your online presence if you decorate a physical location for the holidays?An eye-catching website with a festive atmosphere resonates with shoppers’ holiday spirit and entices them to engage with your content. A user-friendly navigation helps visitors find what they need and progress through checkout with minimum frustration, increasing the likelihood that they’ll complete their purchases.Adding banners and pop-ups to highlight special offers, coupon codes, and limited-time deals encourages shoppers to explor...

Carter’s: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:25 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — ATLANTA (AP) — Carter’s Inc. (CRI) on Friday reported third-quarter net income of $66.1 million.The Atlanta-based company said it had profit of $1.78 per share. Earnings, adjusted for restructuring costs, came to $1.84 per share.The results exceeded Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $1.49 per share.The maker of children’s apparel and accessories posted revenue of $791.7 million in the period.Carter’s expects full-year earnings in the range of $5.95 to $6.15 per share, with revenue in the range of $2.95 billion to $2.97 billion._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on CRI at https://www.zacks.com/ap/CRISource

Xcel: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:25 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Xcel Energy Inc. (XEL) on Friday reported third-quarter earnings of $656 million.The Minneapolis-based company said it had net income of $1.19 per share. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs, came to $1.23 per share.The results missed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of five analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $1.27 per share.The utility posted revenue of $3.66 billion in the period, which also fell short of Street forecasts. Four analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $4.02 billion.Xcel expects full-year earnings in the range of $3.32 to $3.37 per share._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on XEL at https://www.zacks.com/ap/XELSource

Fortis: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:25 GMT

ST. JOHN`S, Newfoundland (AP) — ST. JOHN`S, Newfoundland (AP) — Fortis Inc. (FTS) on Friday reported third-quarter profit of $293.7 million.On a per-share basis, the St. john`S, Newfoundland-based company said it had net income of 60 cents. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs, came to 63 cents per share.The results beat Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of four analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 57 cents per share.The electric and gas utility posted revenue of $2.03 billion in the period._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on FTS at https://www.zacks.com/ap/FTSSource

Caitlin Clark can’t do it alone. No. 3 Iowa got big boost when Martin and Marshall decided to return

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:25 GMT

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — To the casual fan, Iowa women’s basketball is all about Caitlin Clark.Lisa Bluder, her staff and the players know better.It could be argued the Hawkeyes wouldn’t be rated as high as No. 3 in the AP Top 25 preseason poll if it weren’t for the return of Kate Martin for a sixth year and Gabbie Marshall for a fifth — in addition to having the reigning national player of the year back for a fourth.The Big Ten favorites took major hits following their run to the NCAA championship game with the departures of the top two scorers behind Clark. Monika Czinano, the yin to Clark’s yang as the team’s imposing post, is playing professionally in Hungary. McKenna Warnock, Clark’s 3-point shooting sidekick, is in dental school.Martin and Marshall have combined for 252 games, 199 starts and 1,650 points in their nine combined seasons. The 11 other players on the roster, not including Clark, have 327 games, no starts and 1,076 points in 13 com...

After years of competing for titles, Big 12 women’s hoops competes to escape recent mediocrity

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:25 GMT

Krista Gerlich played back when the Big 12 was one of the top women’s basketball conferences in the country, leading Texas Tech to the national championship a few years before the Southwest Conference dissolved and it was absorbed by the league.The Lady Raiders were back in the Elite Eight in 2000 and 2003, the same year that Texas made it to the Final Four. That was about the time that Sherri Coale had turned Oklahoma into a mainstay, making the national semifinals three out of four years and taking the Sooners to the championship game in 2002, and Iowa State was making deep March runs. Then there was Baylor. After five years of building, Kim Mulkey coached the Lady Bears to the national championship, then won titles again in 2012 and 2019 before leaving three seasons ago for LSU, where she just won a another title.That was then. These days, the Big 12 is fighting for a bit of relevance.The league hasn’t had a team reach the Final Four since the Lady Bears’ last n...

With many stars back, Virginia Tech women figure to have company in the battle for ACC supremacy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:25 GMT

Virginia Tech coach Kenny Brooks knows that his team rose to a different level than ever before a year ago.The Hokies won their first Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament, earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and reached the Final Four for the first time in program history, losing 79-72 to eventual national champion LSU in the semifinals.He and his players also know doing it again will likely be harder. “We can’t look at what we did last year and say, `Hey, let’s just do it again,’” Brooks said. “I think that’s a discredit to what we did last year and how hard it was. This is a new team, but we have tremendous possibilities, and we’re looking to build on that, but it’s going to take a little bit of time.”The No. 8 Hokies are the highest-ranked ACC team to start the year, but have plenty of company in the AP Top 25. Notre Dame is 10th with North Carolina, Louisville and Florida State 16th through 18th.The schedule also is difficult, with last year’s Player of the Year Caitlin C...