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UN talks on a treaty to end global plastic pollution open in Paris

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:52 GMT

PARIS (AP) — A United Nations committee is meeting Monday in Paris to work on what is intended to be a landmark treaty to bring an end to global plastic pollution, but there is little agreement yet on what the outcome should be.The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for Plastics is charged with developing the first international, legally binding treaty on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment. This is the second of five meetings due to take place to complete the negotiations by the end of 2024. At the first meeting, held six months ago in Uruguay, some countries pressed for global mandates, some for national solutions and others for both.Humanity produces more than 430 million tons of plastic annually, two-thirds of which are short-lived products that soon become waste, filling the ocean and, often, working their way into the human food chain, the United Nations Environment Program said in April. Plastic waste produced globally is set to almost triple by 2060, ...

Jewish settlers erect religious school in evacuated West Bank outpost after Israel repeals ban

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:52 GMT

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank said Monday they erected a religious school in a dismantled outpost after Israel’s government lifted a ban on settlements in several evacuated areas in the northern part of the territory.The school was built Sunday in Homesh, one of four West Bank outposts evacuated as part of Israel’s 2005 withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. In March, Israel’s far-right government repealed a 2005 act that evacuated the four outposts and barred Israelis from reentering the areas. Anti-settlement groups say more settlement construction in those areas further dims any hopes for a contiguous, independent Palestinian state. The U.S., Israel’s closest ally, has also voiced concern.Video on social media showed settler leaders dedicating the religious school, a single-floor structure, with a prayer and saying they hoped to rebuild the other evacuated settlements as well. Homesh has been at the center of settler efforts to deepen Isra...

Nigeria’s Tinubu to be sworn in as president amid hopes and scepticism

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:52 GMT

Associated Press (AP) — Nigeria’s Bola Tinubu will on Monday take over as president of Africa’s most populous country at a period of unprecedented challenges, leaving some citizens hopeful for a better life and others skeptical that his government would perform better than the outgoing one.A former governor of Lagos, Nigeria’s economic hub, Tinubu, 71, will succeed President Muhammadu Buhari to lead a country that by 2050 is forecast to become the third most populous nation in the world, tied with the United States after India and China.He has promised to build on Buhari’s efforts to deliver democratic dividends to citizens in a country where deadly security crises, widespread poverty and hunger have left many frustrated and angry. And with his election still being contested in court by opposition parties and among many young Nigerians, Tinubu has also pledged to reunite the country.His manifesto of “renewed hope” prioritizes the creation of sufficient jobs and ramping u...

PwC Australia sidelines 9 directors as leak of tax information investigated

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:52 GMT

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The Australian branch of the PricewaterhouseCoopers consultancy network said Monday that nine of its partners were ordered to take leave during an inquiry into the leaking of confidential Australian tax avoidance policy changes to corporate clients who could benefit from the information.PwC’s acting chief executive Kristin Stubbins apologized in announcing the directors are on leave pending a review of the firm’s governance, accountability and culture. A report is due in September.“I want to apologize on behalf of PwC Australia for sharing confidential government tax policy information and for betraying the trust placed in us,” Stubbins said on an open letter.The scandal has damaged the firm’s relationship with its biggest Australian client, the federal government, and sparked a police investigation initiated by the Treasury Department.It has also raised questions about how conflicts of interests can be managed with governments’ increasing use of private s...

Heavy rains turn streets into rivers on Spain's Mediterranean coast

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:52 GMT

After a long drought, torrential rains turned streets in Spain's Mediterranean Coast into rivers. Cars and pedestrians were swept away.Social media footage from Molina de Segura, in the southeast region of Murcia showed a boy being thrown out of his buggy while his mother attempted to push him across an flooded street. A bystander pulled them both to safety.A passerby stopped another family member from crossing the road with a buggy for a second attempt.A man who tried to drive through the floodwaters was swept away. The car traveled about 55 yards (50 metres) along a street.Central Spain, including the capital Madrid, was also hit by heavy rains.As a precaution, Spanish authorities closed down daycares, schools, and universities earlier this week after heavy rains caused basements to flood and cars to be submerged.Despite the economic and social damage caused by the rain, many Spaniards have welcomed it. According to the state weather agency AEMET, the country was on course to reco...

Dear Abby: I walked into the bedroom and I can’t forget what I saw

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:52 GMT

DEAR ABBY: My mother is 90 and has been a widow for 10 years.When we moved to this city 30 years ago, my parents made friends with a group of people. In this group was a couple nobody in our family liked (Dad especially), but Mom remained friends with them. Abby, the husband is a smarmy narcissist.A couple of weeks ago, I went into my mom’s house (not unannounced) and found my mom in bed with this man. I can’t describe the revulsion I felt.My problem is, I don’t know how complicit my mom is, or whether he has been grooming her over the years and is abusing her. That was my initial thought because he tried it with me many years ago.Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: My friends’ comments about my wedding are hurting my feelings Advice | Dear Abby: The team is shunning me because I stood up for my wife Advice | Dear Abby: I don’t want my boyfriend to learn I’m stalking his ex Advice | Dear A...

Sale closed in Pleasanton: $1.9 million for a three-bedroom home

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:52 GMT

5847 San Juan Way – Google Street ViewA 2,414-square-foot house built in 1984 has changed hands. The spacious property located in the 5800 block of San Juan Way in Pleasanton was sold on April 12, 2023, for $1,850,000, or $766 per square foot. The property features three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a garage as well as two parking spaces. The unit sits on a 6,800-square-foot lot.Additional houses have recently been purchased nearby:In September 2022, a 1,500-square-foot home on San Antonio Street in Pleasanton sold for $1,490,000, a price per square foot of $993. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.On San Antonio Street, Pleasanton, in December 2022, a 1,877-square-foot home was sold for $1,500,000, a price per square foot of $799. The home has 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.A 2,398-square-foot home on the 500 block of Sycamore Road in Pleasanton sold in July 2022, for $2,225,000, a price per square foot of $928. The home has 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. 

This Week: Consumer confidence, Macy’s earns, jobs report

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:52 GMT

A look at some of the key business events and economic indicators upcoming this week:NOT SO CONFIDENT?The Conference Board releases its latest U.S. consumer confidence index Tuesday.The index fell in April as anxiety over a slowing economy and possible recession weighed on American households. It was the third time in four months that overall U.S. consumer confidence declined. Economists project that the May reading slipped again. A reading of 90 or better reflects a healthy economy.Consumer confidence, by month:Dec. 109.0Jan. 106.0Feb. 103.4March 104.0April 101.3May (est.) 100.8Source: FactSetSPOTLIGHT ON MACY’SMacy’s delivers its fiscal first-quarter results Thursday.Wall Street expects the department store chain will report lower earnings and revenue for the February-April quarter compared to a year earlier. That would echo the company’s results for the 12 months that ended in January. Retailers like Macy’s are feeling the sting of a consumer spending slowdown as the economic env...

New York visits Seattle after Loyd’s 30-point outing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:52 GMT

New York Liberty (2-1, 2-1 Eastern Conference) at Seattle Storm (0-2, 0-2 Western Conference)Seattle; Tuesday, 9 p.m. EDTBOTTOM LINE: Seattle faces the New York Liberty after Jewell Loyd scored 30 points in the Seattle Storm’s 95-91 loss to the Dallas Wings.Seattle finished 13-5 at home a season ago while going 22-14 overall. The Storm averaged 17.1 points off of turnovers, 9.9 second chance points and 18.4 bench points last season.New York finished 7-11 on the road and 16-20 overall last season. The Liberty shot 43.1% from the field and 35.1% from 3-point range last season.INJURIES: Storm: None listed.Liberty: None listed.___The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.Source

Chicago faces Atlanta after Mabrey’s 23-point performance

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:52 GMT

Chicago Sky (3-1, 0-1 Eastern Conference) at Atlanta Dream (1-2, 0-1 Eastern Conference)College Park, Georgia; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EDTBOTTOM LINE: Chicago faces the Atlanta Dream after Marina Mabrey scored 23 points in the Sky’s 94-88 win over the Dallas Wings.Atlanta went 14-22 overall and 5-13 in Eastern Conference games last season. The Dream averaged 17.6 assists per game on 28.8 made field goals last season.Chicago finished 26-10 overall and 15-3 in Eastern Conference play during the 2022-23 season. The Sky averaged 24.3 assists per game on 32.7 made field goals last season.INJURIES: Dream: Danielle Robinson: out (knee).Sky: Ruthy Hebard: out (personal), Isabelle Harrison: out (knee).___The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.Source