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Agriculture: EU agri-food trade rebounds in May 2023

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 09:00:00 GMT

After the EU agri-food trade slowed down in April, it bounced back with an increase of both imports and exports in May. The higher increase in exports compared to imports allowed the EU agri-food surplus to increase by 2% month-on-month in May, reaching €5.2 billion. These are the main findings of the latest monthly agri-food trade report published today by the European Commission.EU agri-food exports climbed by 8% month-on-month in May 2023, reaching €19.4bn, the same amount as in May 2022. Exports from January to May 2023 totalled €95.7bn overall, up 8% from the corresponding period in 2022.The top three destinations for EU agri-food exports between January and May were the United Kingdom, the United States and China. The top three origin countries for EU agri-food imports between January and May were Brazil, the United Kingdom and Ukraine.More insights as well as detailed tables are available online.

Cultural employment in the EU grew by 4.5% in 2022

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 09:00:00 GMT

In 2022, the cultural sector in the EU employed 7.7 million people, representing 3.8% of total employment. Compared with 2021, it indicated a 4.5% increase from 7.4 million.The share of people employed in the cultural sector increased in 19 EU members and fell in the other 8. The most significant increases were recorded in Cyprus (+21.5 %), Luxembourg (+14.5%), Ireland (+14.0%), Sweden (+11.9%) and Netherlands (+10.5%). Meanwhile, the most significant decreases were recorded in Bulgaria (-7.7%), Czechia (-7.3%), Croatia (-6.3%), Estonia (-5.3%) and Latvia (-2.5%).Source dataset: cult_emp_sexIn the timeframe 2019-2022, we note different patterns for the annual rates of change across years. The most significant increases in annual rates of change for cultural employment were observed in Cyprus, which went from -5.7% in 2019-2020 to +21.5% in 2021-2022, Luxembourg (-15.1% to +14.5%) and Ireland (-3.0% to +14.0%). The most substantial decreases were registered in Czechia, which declined...

Horoscopes Aug. 28, 2023: Shania Twain, play by the rules

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 09:00:00 GMT

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Armie Hammer, 37; Jason Priestley, 54; Jack Black, 54; Shania Twain, 58.Happy Birthday: Draw on your experience and connections in your back pocket, and you’ll sail into the future with confidence to create opportunities that allow you to use your skills and intuitive timing to your advantage. Change what’s necessary and play by the rules, and you will gain the respect and trust of those who can bridge the gap between reaching and surpassing your goal. Your numbers are 4, 15, 23, 26, 33, 45, 49.ARIES (March 21-April 19): Choose your concerns and contribute to what has meaning. Making a difference in the outcome of a cause will lift your spirits and encourage you to do more. Take responsibility for your happiness, and change what is no longer working for you. 4 starsTAURUS (April 20-May 20): Simplify your life. Focus on being truthful, taking care of responsibilities and avoiding uncomfortable situations. Emotions will skyrocket if you get in...

Word Game: Aug. 28, 2023

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 09:00:00 GMT

TODAY’S WORD — UNREST (UNREST: un-REST: A disturbed or uneasy state; turmoil.)Average mark 17 wordsTime limit 20 minutesCan you find 19 or more words in UNREST? The list will be published tomorrow.SATURDAY’S WORD — LAMPREY lame lamer lamp layer leap leary lyre aery ample aper army male maple mare marl meal mealy pale paler palm palmy pare parley payer peal pare pearl pearly perm play player plea plyer pram pray prey pyre rale ramp real realm ream reap relay rely repay replay reply earl early year yelpTo 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, ...

Bridge: Aug. 28, 2023

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 09:00:00 GMT

“I don’t play like I used to,” one of my club’s seniors said to me. “I’m afraid I’m over the hill. And what’s worse, I can’t remember reaching the top.”My friend was declarer at today’s 3NT. West led a spade, and East took the ace and returned the nine.“I won,” declarer said, “and led the A-K and a third club. I set up two long clubs in dummy and had nine tricks. Unfortunately, I couldn’t take them. After West cashed his Q-J of spades, he led the jack of hearts. I lost two hearts at the end for down two.“My A-K of diamonds might as well have been deuces. If I can’t play the dummy any better, I need to take up dominoes.”BLIND SPOTSouth had a blind spot that I suppose can beset players who are past their three score and 20. At Trick Three South should lead the nine of clubs.West wins and cashes two spades, but South wins a heart shift and takes the A-K of clubs and A-K of diamon...

Ask Amy: I’m starting to dread my morning walk. Can I tell my partner to be quiet?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Dear Amy: My older sister “Barb” lost her husband two years ago. My husband and I live five minutes away from her.Being an introvert, I enjoy my solitude. I walk every morning at sunrise for 90 minutes and love being alone with my thoughts and with nature.Barb began walking with me immediately following her husband’s death, which was OK because I knew she was lonely.For the last six to nine months, though, I’ve been dreading her coming with me.She talks constantly from the time we meet up until the time we part. We don’t have conversations, as I don’t have an opportunity to say much. She’s very judgmental and nosy.What can I do or say, short of telling her I want silence from her if she goes with me?– My Ears HurtDear Ears Hurting: Why can’t you tell your sister that you want silence on your walks?You’ve provided needed company and no-doubt an important lifeline to her over the past two years since her husband’s death. And now it’s time for you to revert to m...

Harriette Cole: I let my college-age daughter fly by herself. Was I a bad mom?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 09:00:00 GMT

DEAR HARRIETTE: My daughter is independent, even though she is relatively young. She is a rising sophomore in college.Related ArticlesAdvice | Harriette Cole: He ignored my warnings. Now the IRS wants to talk to him. Advice | Harriette Cole: I’m fuming over this anonymous note about my teen Advice | Harriette Cole: My son says he’ll never forgive me for selling his inheritance Advice | Harriette Cole: Should I tell the truth about why I ditched them on our trip? Advice | Harriette Cole: My Sunday excess spilled over into work hours When it was time for her to go back to school — a plane ride away — I had to be out of town. My husband helped her get herself and her things to the airport.She was fine, but I was talking to a friend who told me that he escorted his son of the same age on a plane to his school to help him unpack and get organized. I felt like a terrible mom after heari...

Former track and field giant Germany is in a slump with no medals at the world championships

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 09:00:00 GMT

DUESSELDORF, Germany (AP) — Once one of track and field’s leading nations, Germany is in an unprecedented slump after failing to win any medals at the world championships. Less than a year out from the Paris Olympics, Germany had one of the largest teams at the championships in Budapest, Hungary, with more than 70 athletes but came home empty-handed after injuries and near-misses.Javelin thrower Julian Weber nearly got Germany on the medal table at last on the closing night of competition Sunday but Czech rival Jakub Vadlejch knocked him out of the bronze medal position by 88 centimeters (2 feet, 11 inches) on his second-to-last throw.It could take years for Germany to compete with track and field’s top nations again, German Athletics Association president Jürgen Kessing said Monday.“We know that this year hasn’t gone particularly well. We are not satisfied with that,” he told the MDR Aktuell radio program. “That could possibly continue next year in Paris (at the Olympic...

Se declara en huelga de hambre la madre del suspendido presidente de la Federación Española de fútbol

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 09:00:00 GMT

ESPAÑA – Ángeles Béjar, la madre de Luis Rubiales, presidente de la Real Federación Española de Fútbol suspendido temporalmente, se ha encerrado en la iglesia de la Divina Pastora de Motril y se ha declarado en huelga de hambre hasta que se encuentre una solución a la “cacería, inhumana y sangrienta que”, ha dicho, “están haciendo con mi hijo con algo que no se merece”.El encierro en la iglesia del barrio de Capuchinos de Motril se hará “de manera indefinida, día y noche” hasta que se haga justicia con su hijo, según ha dicho a EFE la madre de Rubiales, al que el sábado suspendió de toda actividad la FIFA tras la polémica del beso en la boca a la jugadora de la selección de fútbol Jenni Hermoso.La mujer se ha quedado en el interior de la parroquia con su hermana una vez que se ha marchado el párroco de la iglesia. La FIFA suspende al presidente de Federación Española tras beso en la boca a futbolista en el Mundial ...

Time is right for France rugby team to emulate Les Bleus with a World Cup triumph

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 09:00:00 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Winning the World Cup for the first time in October would finally elevate France’s rugby team alongside the more illustrious Les Bleus in terms of nationwide standing.It’s an old debate in France: Which is really the national sport, soccer or rugby? The soccer team is more successful in the international arena after winning two World Cups, two European Championships and reaching three other major finals.But while soccer fans quickly fall out of love with their national team, rugby supporters have tended to remain loyal and the atmosphere more passionate at Stade de France.The rugby crowd is as quick to cheer France as it is to drown the stadium in whistles if things start going badly. There was a lot of whistling in the previous decade but the passionate support endured and was rewarded last year with a 10th Grand Slam in Six Nations history and the world No. 1 ranking.Playing a World Cup on home soil will give France, three times a runner-up at rugby’...