4 phases of spin CLSE: Long-Short ETF Ahead Of The CompetitionReal Madrid suffered a 2-1 LaLiga defeat at Athletic Bilbao as Kylian Mbappe missed from the penalty spot again. Alex Berenguer prodded the hosts ahead after 53 minutes before Mbappe – who failed to convert a Champions League penalty against Liverpool last week – sent his kick too close to Bilbao goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala. Jude Bellingham appeared to have rescued a point for Real after scoring for the fourth successive league game 12 minutes from time. But Federico Valverde’s mistake two minutes later gifted Gorka Guruzeta the winner in front of a delirious San Mames crowd. On a busy night of second-round Copa del Rey action, Villarreal suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at Pontevedra while there were wins for Real Betis, Rayo Vallecano and Valencia. Fiorentina went out of the Coppa Italia to Empoli on penalties on an emotional night at Stadio Artemio Franchi. Viola were back in action after Edoardo Bove’s health scare forced their weekend league fixture with Inter Milan to be abandoned during the first half. Midfielder Bove collapsed on the pitch and required emergency medical treatment. He was taken to hospital but regained consciousness in intensive care. Empoli led at half-time through Emmanuel Ekong’s fourth-minute opener before Moise Kean and Riccardo Sottil put Fiorentina ahead. Sebastiano Esposito struck 15 minutes from time to make it 2-2 and take the last-16 tie into extra time, Empoli eventually winning 4-3 on penalties. Benjamin Sesko opened the scoring and Luis Openda struck twice as RB Leipzig brushed aside Eintracht Frankfurt 3-0 in the German DFB Pokal. Second-half goals from Denis Vavro, Jonas Wind and Yannick Gerhardt saw Wolfsburg beat Hoffenheim 3-0. Cologne knocked out Hertha Berlin 2-1 after extra time with Dejan Ljubicic converting a penalty in the final seconds, while Augsburg prevailed 5-4 on penalties against Karlsruhe after a 2-2 draw.

SOUTHAMPTON, England : Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca enjoyed the sound of the travelling supporters chanting his name as his side romped to a 5-1 Premier League win at Southampton on Wednesday. Maresca's side were 4-1 up late in the game, when the away section sang his name as they celebrated Chelsea's impressive victory which moved them to second in the standings and the manager applauded the chants which made them even louder. "It was a very good feeling. You can see they are happy, that is our target, we work every day to keep them happy," Maresca told a press conference. "Tonight was a very good feeling. They can see Chelsea is back and this is an important thing." Maresca took over a Chelsea side who finished sixth last season under Mauricio Pochettino, and their impressive form has put them nine points ahead of where they were at this stage of the previous campaign. Chelsea are also excelling in Europe, top of the Conference League standings with four wins from four, and they are now unbeaten in five league games. "I think it's a good feeling, not only for the owners but for the players, club and the fans. A good feeling for all of us," Maresca said. "The results, for sure, help us a lot to calm down noise around the club." Maresca was able to make seven changes from the side which beat Aston Villa 3-0 at the weekend, with keeper Filip Jorgensen making his first Premier League appearance, although Maresca said that Robert Sanchez would return for the next game. Maresca was not entirely satisfied with the whole performance, however, especially after they allowed Southampton to equalise so soon after taking the lead. "I am very happy with the five we scored. I'm not happy with the first 20 minutes where we struggled," he said. "We prepared to press them man-to-man and we did not do that. After 15 or 20 minutes, we adjusted that and the game was much better."

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The Safest Places To Travel In 2025, According To A New ReportSaudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup. But when exactly?UNITY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Rescuers contemplated the safest way Wednesday to search for a woman who apparently fell into a Pennsylvania sinkhole while looking for her lost cat, saying a crumbling old coal mine beneath the surface complicated efforts and endangered workers. Crews worked through the night in the Unity Township community of Marguerite to find Elizabeth Pollard, 64. A state police spokesperson said early Wednesday they were reassessing their tactics to avoid putting the rescuers in danger. "The integrity of that mine is starting to become compromised," Trooper Steve Limani told reporters at the scene about 40 miles east of Pittsburgh. Rescue workers continue to search for Elizabeth Pollard, who is believed to have disappeared in a sinkhole while looking for her cat, Wednesday in Marguerite, Pa. Sinkholes occur in the area because of subsidence from coal mining activity. Rescuers used water to break down and remove clay and dirt from the mine, which has been closed since the 1950s, but that increased the risk "for potential other mine subsidence to take place," Limani said. "We're probably going to have to switch gears" and do a more complicated dig, he said. On Tuesday, crews lowered a pole camera with a sensitive listening device into the hole, but it detected nothing. Another camera lowered into the hole showed what could be a shoe about 30 feet below the surface, Limani said. Searchers also deployed drones and thermal imaging equipment to no avail. Marguerite Fire Chief Scot Graham, the incident commander, said access to the immediate area surrounding the hole was tightly controlled and monitored, with rescuers attached by harness. "We cannot judge as to what's going on underneath us. Again, you had a small hole on top but as soon as you stuck a camera down through to look, you had this big void," Graham said. "And it was all different depths. The process is long, is tedious. We have to make sure that we are keeping safety in the forefront as well as the rescue effort." Rescue workers search through the night in a sinkhole for Elizabeth Pollard, who disappeared while looking for her cat, Tuesday in Marguerite, Pa. Pleasant Unity Fire Chief John Bacha, the operations officer at the scene, said they were "hoping that there's a void that she could still be in." Pollard's family called police about 1 a.m. on Tuesday to say she had not been seen since going out Monday evening to search for Pepper, her cat. The temperature dropped well below freezing that night. In an interview with CBS News, Pollard's son, Axel Hayes, said he is experiencing a mix of emotions. "I'm upset that she hasn't been found yet, and I'm really just worried about whether she's still down there, where she is down there, or she went somewhere and found somewhere safer," Hayes said. "Right now, I just hope she's alive and well, that she's going to make it, that my niece still has a grandmother, that I still have a mother that I can talk to." The top of a sinkhole is seen Tuesday in the village of Marguerite, Pa., where rescuers searched for a woman who disappeared. Police said they found Pollard's car parked behind Monday's Union Restaurant in Marguerite, about 20 feet from the sinkhole. Hunters and restaurant workers in the area said they didn't notice the manhole-size opening in the hours before Pollard disappeared, leading rescuers to speculate that the sinkhole was new. "It almost feels like it opened up with her standing on top of it," Limani said. Searchers accessed the mine late Tuesday afternoon and dug a separate entrance out of concern that the ground around the sinkhole opening was not stable. Pollard lives in a small neighborhood across the street from where her car and granddaughter were located, Limani said. The young girl "nodded off in the car and woke up. Grandma never came back," Limani said. The child stayed in the car until two troopers rescued her. It's not clear what happened to Pepper. In an era of rapid technological advancement and environmental change, American agriculture is undergoing a revolution that reaches far beyond the farm gate. From the food on consumer plates to the economic health of rural communities, the transformation of U.S. farming practices is reshaping the nation's landscape in ways both visible and hidden. LandTrust explores how these changes impact everyone, whether they live in the heartland or the heart of the city. The image of the small family farm, while still a reality for many, is increasingly giving way to larger, more technologically advanced operations. According to the USDA, the number of farms in the U.S. has fallen from 6.8 million in 1935 to about 2 million today, with the average farm size growing from 155 acres to 444 acres. This shift has profound implications for rural communities and the food system as a whole. Despite these changes, diversity in farming practices is on the rise. A landmark study published in Science , involving data from over 2,000 farms across 11 countries, found that diversifying farmland simultaneously delivers environmental and social benefits. This challenges the longstanding idea that practices boosting biodiversity must come at a cost to yields and food security. The adoption of precision agriculture technologies is transforming how farmers manage their land and resources. GPS-guided tractors, drone surveillance, and AI-powered crop management systems are becoming commonplace on many farms. These technologies allow farmers to apply water, fertilizers, and pesticides with pinpoint accuracy, reducing waste and environmental impact while improving yields. However, the digital divide remains a challenge. More than 22% of rural communities lack reliable broadband internet access, hindering the widespread implementation of AI and other advanced technologies in agriculture. While technology offers new opportunities, farmers are also facing significant economic challenges. The USDA's 2024 farm income forecast projects a 4.4% decline in net farm income from 2023, following a sharp 19.5% drop from 2022 to 2023. This financial pressure is compounded by rising production costs and market volatility. Climate variability adds another layer of complexity. Extreme weather events, changing precipitation patterns, and shifting growing seasons are forcing farmers to adapt quickly. These factors could reduce agricultural productivity by up to 25% over the coming decades without significant adaptation measures. But adapting requires additional financial resources, further straining farm profitability. In the face of these challenges, many farmers are turning to diversification as a strategy for resilience and profitability. The Science study mentioned earlier found that farms integrating several diversification methods supported more biodiversity while seeing simultaneous increases in human well-being and food security. Agritourism is one popular diversification strategy. In 2022, 28,600 U.S. farms reported agritourism income, averaging gross revenue of $44,000 from these activities. Activities like farm tours, pick-your-own operations, and seasonal festivals not only provide additional income but also foster a deeper connection between consumers and agriculture. The changing face of agriculture is directly impacting consumers. The rise of farm-to-table and local food movements reflects a growing interest in where our food comes from and how it's produced. If every U.S. household spent just $10 per week on locally grown food, it would generate billions of dollars for local economies. However, the larger challenges in agriculture can also lead to price fluctuations at the grocery store. The USDA's Economic Research Service projects that food-at-home prices will increase between 1.2% and 2.2% in 2024. Looking ahead, several innovations are poised to reshape agriculture: The transformation of American agriculture affects everyone, from the food we eat to the health of our environment and rural communities. Consumers have the power to support sustainable and diverse farming practices through our purchasing decisions. As citizens, they can advocate for policies that support farmers in adopting innovative and sustainable practices. The challenges facing agriculture are complex, but they also present opportunities for innovation and positive change. By understanding and engaging with these issues, everyone can play a part in shaping a more resilient, sustainable, and equitable food system for the future. This story was produced by LandTrust and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

A celebrated author argues that it's not at all impractical to study subjects like writing, languages, music and history

Voters in Ireland were more than usually busy in 2024, casting their ballot in five different polls – for two referenda in March, local and European ballots in June and a general election in November. The country’s political comings and goings were further punctuated by an emotional announcement in March from former premier Leo Varadkar that he was resigning as taoiseach and Fine Gael leader. He was succeeded the following month in both roles by Simon Harris. But the year had so much more to offer than just politics, and PA news agency photographers were on hand to capture some of the highlights.

Wendy’s employees in Palestine showed up for work Thursday, Dec. 26, and were told the fast-food restaurant had been permanently closed. The Palestine location is one of 140 of the chain's restaurants to be closed, according to the company. Wendy’s President and CEO Kirk Tanner said on an earnings call in November the company would close 140 of its restaurants that were “outdated and underperforming,” but would open an equal number of new locations in areas it believes it can generate better business. The company did not provide a list of locations it would be closing. Wendy’s conducted a previous round of closures in May, shutting 100 locations at that time. The company has just over 6,000 restaurants in the United States and 1,156 internationally and has reported it is building between 250 to 300 new technologically advanced locations.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk 's new opinion article in Germany's Welt am Sonntag led the newspaper's opinion editor to resign. Newsweek reached out to Musk's social media platform X, formerly Twitter , via email for comment from the tech tycoon and the WELT Group via email for comment on the editor's resignation Saturday afternoon. Why It Matters Musk, the owner of X, and the CEO of car manufacturer Tesla and space tech company SpaceX , has cozied up to President-elect Donald Trump , especially after his November election win. Now, Musk has grown his influence abroad, appearing in a German newspaper to support the country's Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. The AfD party is viewed as far right and, according to Reuters, the party, at the national level, has been classified by Germany's domestic intelligence agency as a suspected extremism case starting in 2021. What To Know Following the online publication of Musk's commentary on Saturday, which was written in German, Eva Marie Kogel, the editor of Welt am Sonntag 's opinion section, quickly resigned. "I always enjoyed heading the opinion section of WELT and WAMS. Today an article by Elon Musk appeared in Welt am Sonntag. I handed in my resignation yesterday after it went to print," Kogel wrote on X early Saturday morning, according to an English translation of the post written in German. Musk wrote in the opinion piece, according to an English translation by Reuters, "The portrayal of the AfD as right-wing extremist is clearly false, considering that Alice Weidel, the party's leader, has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka! Does that sound like Hitler to you? Please!" Welt am Sonntag published a statement by the newspaper's editor-in-chief designate Jan Philipp Burgard underneath Musk's commentary. "Musk's diagnosis is correct, but his therapeutic approach, that only the AfD can save Germany, is fatally false," he wrote. The tech tycoon's opinion piece follows a statement he wrote on X on December 20, "Only the AfD can save Germany." What People Are Saying Burgard and Ulf Poschardt, the incoming publisher of Welt am Sonntag , said in a statement to Reuters, "Democracy and journalism thrive on freedom of expression. This includes dealing with polarizing positions and classifying them journalistically." They added that the discussion surrounding Musk's opinion article was "very revealing." Musk's piece had over 300 comments several hours after it was published. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, a Social Democrat , said at a news conference on December 20 in response to Musk's X post, "We have freedom of opinion—it also goes for multibillionaires, but freedom of opinion also means that you can say things that aren't right and don't contain good political advice." He added: "I say emphatically that the democratic parties in Germany all see it differently." Weidel said in a December 20 X post that the AfD "is indeed the one and only alternative for our country; our very last option." She also shared several blurbs taken from Musk's opinion piece on X on Saturday, which have been translated from German to English: What Happens Next German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier scheduled new elections for February 23, seven months earlier than planned after Scholz lost a confidence vote in the German parliament last week amid the country's worsening economic crisis. AfD is polling in second place after the German conservatives, Reuters reported earlier this month. But, according to the Associated Press, Weidel will not realistically become chancellor given that other parties refuse to work with the AfD.

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