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Seeding the future: A discussion on new genomic techniques

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:51 GMT

Focused on the production and sale of seed for corn, sugarbeet, cereals, vegetables, oilseed rape and sunflower, KWS is one of the world’s leading plant-breeding companies. It has over 5,000 employees in more than 70 countries and net sales of around $1.94 billion in the fiscal year 2022/2023. It uses leading-edge plant breeding methods to continuously improve yield for farmers and plants’ resistance to diseases, pests and abiotic stress. To that end, the company invested more than $320 million last fiscal year in research and development. A company with a tradition of family ownership, KWS has operated independently for 165 years. Here, CEO Felix Büchting shares his insights.Q:  What are the main elements currently moving KWS and the seed sector in Europe?New breeding methods are an important tool for the future of sustainable agriculture, for maintaining food supply and for achieving the Farm to Fork targets of the EU Green Deal.A: Agriculture today faces a multitude of chall...

US-EU unity ruptures over climate damage payments

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:51 GMT

A Brussels promise has exposed the yawning gap between the United States and European Union over payments to climate-ravaged countries — just ahead of a major climate summit.The vow came Monday from Wopke Hoekstra, the EU’s climate commissioner, who said the EU was “ready to announce a substantial financial contribution” for a new climate damage fund. The pronouncement flew in the face of the more cautious U.S. approach — and will inevitably raise pressure on Washington and other wealthy governments to follow suit. The emerging divide reflects how contentious the debate is over a fund to support countries scarred by extreme weather and other global warming harms, often referred to as “loss and damage.” Even settling on a framework for the fund faced challenges until climate negotiators reached a fragile agreement earlier this month in Abu Dhabi. The dispute has often pitted rich, heavy-emitting countries like the U.S. and the EU against the developing countries facing...

Pastrnak, with a goal and 2 assists, leads Boston Bruins to 5-2 win over Buffalo Sabres

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:51 GMT

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — David Pastrnak had a goal and two assists to lead the Boston Bruins to a 5-2 victory against the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday.Danton Heinen, Brandon Carlo, Oskar Steen, and Hampus Lindholm all scored their first goals of the season and Linus Ullmark made 32 saves for the Bruins, who are 3-0-1 in their last four games.Pastrnak’s 11th goal of the season was the second of five straight goals scored by Boston.“(Pastrnak) allows you to have a lot of success as a team because he’s a difference maker, right,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said. “He makes people around him better. As good a goal scorer he is, he’s as equal a passer, and the way he competes as a leader on our team and our most skilled player, it shows everybody that you have to work to have success.”Victor Olofsson scored two goals for Buffalo. Devon Levi made 13 saves on 18 shots before he was replaced by Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in the second period. Luukkonen made 14 saves for Buffalo who are 1-2-1 in their la...

Orioles make no additions to 40-man roster ahead of Rule 5 draft protection deadline

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:51 GMT

On the day of the deadline to protect prospects from being selected in the Rule 5 draft, the Orioles made more subtractions from their 40-man roster than additions to it.Ahead of Tuesday evening’s deadline, Baltimore added no minor leaguers to its 40-man roster, meaning all eligible players will be available to other teams in next month’s Rule 5 draft, though none of the Orioles’ top 30 prospects, according to Baseball America, were left exposed.Instead, Baltimore’s only roster moves Tuesday were outrighting utility player Terrin Vavra and left-hander Tucker Davidson to Triple-A Norfolk, leaving four openings on the 40-man roster. Vavra made the Orioles’ opening day roster, batting .245 with no extra-base hits in 27 major league games, but missed much of the year with a right shoulder injury. Davidson was claimed off waivers from the Kansas City Royals last month and agreed to terms on a contract last week that established his salary for any time spent ...

Report: Sox close to hiring Andrew Bailey as pitching coach

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:51 GMT

The Red Sox are “close to hiring” Andrew Bailey to be their new pitching coach, MLB insider Ken Rosenthal reported late Tuesday night.Bailey, who pitched for the Red Sox from 2012-13, has been the San Francisco Giants’ pitching coach for the last four years. He’s close friends with Boston’s new chief baseball officer Craig Breslow; they were teammates for five years in Oakland and Boston and already work together on Breslow’s Strike 3 Foundation.Several teams sought Bailey’s services, including the Baltimore Orioles. The New York Yankees interviewed him on Monday for their bench coach opening, which would’ve been a vertical move, a step closer to managing.Regardless of his relationship with Breslow, the Red Sox landing Bailey is a strong way to start the offseason. It not only shows how serious they are about transforming their pitching; it signals that they’re prepared to be aggressive again in the pursuit of winning.It may even...

Some of the 40 workers trapped in India tunnel collapse are sick as debris and glitches delay rescue

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:51 GMT

LUCKNOW, India (AP) — Some of the 40 construction workers trapped in a collapsed road tunnel for a fourth day were sick as falling debris and technical glitches delayed the work to free them, officials in northern India said Wednesday.Wide pipes are set to be drilled through excavated rubble to create a passage to free the workers trapped since Sunday when a portion of the under-construction road collapsed in mountainous Uttarakhand state. That is testing the patience of the relatives and friends of the trapped workers gathering outside the tunnel who are growing frustrated and angry with reports that some workers were falling sick.Magistrate Abhishek Ruhela said some workers have sent messages that they are suffering from fever, body aches, and nervousness. Medicine has been sent through pipes that were set up earlier to get water and food to the workers.“Essential eatables such as gram and almonds are being sent through the same channels,” Ruhela said.Two of the workers also were ...

2 pizza delivery drivers robbed this month in Oakland

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:51 GMT

CHICAGO — Chicago police have issued a warning after two pizza delivery drivers were robbed this month in the city's Oakland neighborhood.The robberies happened in the 4000 block of South Lake Park Avenue. One happened around 6 p.m. on Nov. 6 and the other happened around 6:45 p.m. on Saturday. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines Police said the group of two or three men displayed handguns and took food and the driver's belongings.Anyone with information is asked to call Area One detectives at 312-747-8380.

Elderly worker sucker-punched outside California liquor store, family says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:51 GMT

WINCHESTER, Calif. (KTLA) -- A 68-year-old liquor store employee sustained severe injuries after someone sucker-punched him in broad daylight last month, according to the victim's family.The incident happened on Oct. 27 outside Sun Valley Market and Liquor in Winchester where the victim, 68-year-old Carlos Munguia, has worked for four years.  Munguia was reportedly taking out the trash with a dolly in the store's parking lot when a man approached him. The man began talking to Munguia before sucker-punching him and running away, the surveillance video shows. California man accused of dumping body parts now charged with murdering wife, in-laws “Right now, he barely opens his eyes. There’s times that he knows who we are and days where he doesn’t know who we are,” Alma Romero, the victim’s daughter-in-law told KTLA’s Shelby Nelson. “It’s sad. We can’t talk to him or bring him home.”  After being punched in the face, Munguia can be seen in the video falling and slamming his head ...

With wild ‘super pigs’ expanding their range, Minnesota readies for action

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:51 GMT

With wild “super pigs” just across the Manitoba border to the north and feral hogs slowly expanding their range in nearby states, the Minnesota Legislature has asked the Department of Natural Resources to make a plan to thwart any wild swine invasion.Lawmakers earlier this year ordered the DNR to review protocols, regulations and laws dealing with feral hogs as well as mink farms, and report back in 2024 on any changes that should be made to make sure the state is ready.The DNR on Tuesday held an online public meeting on the issue and is accepting public comments through Nov. 28. The state Department of Agriculture, Board of Animal Health and Department of Health also are part of the effort.“This is an opportunity to proactively identify any gaps in our management,” said Leslie McInenly, wildlife populations and regulations manager with the DNR. “A team of (pig and wildlife) experts from multiple state agencies has been meeting this fall to conduct this review.”Canadian researchers ...

Berkshire County man facing child porn charges

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:51 GMT

OTIS, Mass. (NEWS10) -- A Berkshire County man is under investigation after he was allegedly found to be in possession of child pornography. Slade Sohmer, of Otis, Mass., was charged with two counts of possession of child pornography and two counts of dimensions of child pornography.The investigation began in June, and law enforcement seized Sohmer's phones and multiple electronic devices in October. The Berkshire County District Attorney's Office said its Law Enforcement Task Force has found over 1,000 pornographic images and videos on Sohmer's devices, hundreds of which involve children. Officials said the 44-year old has produced at least one child pornographic video. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! In addition, prosecutors said there are more images and videos on messaging apps. They said Sohmer sent messages to another person in 2021 to discuss the abuse of children as well as exchanging additional child pornography.Bail w...