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Fade into the night: Fireflies facing threats from climate change and light pollution

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:09:30 GMT

Aaron Fairweather remembers seeing fireflies as a child for the first time, a swarm of twinkles flashing across the surface of a lake near Saint John, N.B., illuminating a summer’s night.Fairweather, who uses they/them pronouns, was fly-fishing with their father at the time. Now, the research associate at the University of Guelph fears that threats such as climate change and light pollution could snuff out these luminescent insects, depriving future generations of the “magic” they experienced as a child.“It’s really sad to see that one of these childhood marvels — these insects that make us say, ‘Isn’t the world incredible? These organisms can produce their own light and see how beautiful the natural world is’ — we’re losing them.”While the number of fireflies has remained steady this summer compared with last year, overall numbers of these bugs have decreased by about 35 per cent over the last five decades, Fairweather said.Ther...

No permit required: Camping, canoeing options just outside the Boundary Waters

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:09:30 GMT

If you weren’t able to secure that Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness permit you wanted this summer, there are still backcountry options out there for adventures across the Superior National Forest.Forest officials recently highlighted 15 “under the radar” canoe routes, hiking trails and rustic camping options outside the BWCAW and which don’t require permits, don’t take reservations and — get this — are free. Of course, that’s a good news/bad news scenario because you won’t know until you get there if the site is open.These backcountry options are listed by the national forest ranger district where they are located, with the nearest town listed.Crescent Lake is inside Minnesota’s Superior National Forest, but outside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. It offers a boat landing, camping sites and access to other lakes via canoe portages. No special permits are required.(Courtesy of the U.S. Forest Service)Gunflint Ranger District, Grand Marais areaTwin La...

Ask Amy: Writers’ group transitions to TED Talk

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:09:30 GMT

Dear Amy: I attend a wonderful writers’ group with six people at our library.Our problem is that one individual there is hijacking the meetings by interrupting and talking so much that she dominates the entire time we have together.None of us get a chance to ask for feedback on our writing or to ask questions or contribute to the session.I did take her aside a few years ago and as gently as possible asked if she could kindly allow all of us to participate, and hold off taking so much as we all had valuable words to share.Her behavior never changed, and one by one members (including me) stopped going.Can you dig up some thoughts as to how to fix this situation?She seems to have some sort of a problem sharing air space.I’m ready to shout: “Will you please just shut up?!”— Writer in CNYDear Writer: From your narrative, it sounds as if this writers’ group has more or less disintegrated, due to this overwhelming member’s dominance.Writers’ groups are not like book groups, where par...

Pierre Marcolini opens London boutique

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:09:30 GMT

If you find yourself in London this month you will find a “bit of Belgium” in the UK capital.This is because the renowned Belgian chocolatier Pierre Marcolini is showcasing his craftmanship at the ‘Brussels Boutique’ pop-up store which has just opened in the heart of London’s West End (a stone’s throw away from Piccadilly Circus).It aims to showcase 25 Brussels based companies thriving in the food and drink sector and runs until 23 July.Leading the line-up is Pierre Marcolini who founded his business in Brussels in 1995 and whose work encapsulates the best of Brussels with a modern twist.He has since become world famous for his chocolates, patisseries and ice cream.Products currently available as part of the pop-up are signature Maison favourites, including ‘Chocolate Tablets’ (£9 per bar) and ‘Petits Bonheurs’ (£7 per bar) in a selection of  flavours using Grands Crus chocolate from ‘Bean to Bar’ – all carefully and sustainably selected by Marcolini.Pierre Marco...

Bridge: July 15, 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:09:30 GMT

“Simple Saturday” columns focus on basic technique and logical thinking.Bidding is not an exact science, and even world-class pairs reach contracts that are poor or worse. As declarer, you may need to assume the defenders’ cards lie favorably.Today’s South scraped up a 1NT response to North’s one heart and found himself propelled into game. He won West’s queen of spades in dummy and led the ace of clubs and then the jack. East refused to take his king, and the jack won. South then tried the A-K of hearts and a third heart, but East won and led another spade. South took his ace of diamonds and gave up. Down two.“Maybe I should have passed one heart,” South sighed.MAKEABLEThe contract was poor but makeable. When East plays low on the jack of clubs, South should overtake with his queen and lead a third club. He must assume that East has K-x-x. South will win four clubs, two hearts, two spades and a diamond.South has about an 18 percent ch...

Word Game: July 15, 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:09:30 GMT

TODAY’S WORD — UNTOWARD (UNTOWARD: un-too-WARD: Difficult to guide, manage or work with; not favorable.)Average mark 36 wordsTime limit 60 minutesCan you find 51 or more words in UNTOWARD? The list will be published Monday.YESTERDAY’S WORD — NATIVES naive native nave navies neat nest anise ante anti tine tinea tisane inset invest vain vainest vane vase vast vein vent vest vine visa vise vista vita east saint sane sate satin save seat sent sine site snit stain stave steinTo 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, or vulgar or sexually explicit ...

An egg-ceptional rescue: Chicks saved from Fairfax Co. dumpster

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:09:30 GMT

More than 20 chicks have found homes with veterinary staff after being rescued from a dumpster in Fairfax County, Virginia.Late last week, Fairfax County Animal Protection Police were called to a shopping center in West Falls Church, where over 1,000 eggs had been abandoned in a dumpster. Many of the eggs were starting to hatch.Animal Protection Police brought the eggs to the Pender Veterinary Centre in Fairfax, where staff put viable eggs in an incubator and helped them hatch successfully.“The conditions the eggs were in before being pulled from the dumpster are unknown, and we are grateful that the chicks got the best chance possible under the care of Pender veterinary staff,” wrote the Fairfax County Animal Shelter in a Facebook post.The shelter added that all the surviving chicks have adoptive homes lined up — all with Pender veterinary staff.Source

Swiss goalkeeper Philipp Köhn joins Monaco on 5-year deal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:09:30 GMT

MONACO (AP) — Switzerland goalkeeper Philipp Köhn joined French league club Monaco from Salzburg on Saturday.The German-Swiss goalkeeper signed a five-year deal to June 2028. Financial terms were not disclosed.Köhn was hired as a replacement for Alexander Nübel, whose loan from Bayern Munich expired.Köhn previously played for Schalke, Stuttgart and Leipzig, as well as Germany from under-15 to under-18 level. He then decided to play for Swistzerland.With Salzburg, Köhn won back-to-back Austrian Bundesliga titles in 2022 and 2023 and was named the league’s best goalkeeper last season.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsSource

¿Quién es Andrey Troshev, el hombre que Putin propuso como nuevo jefe del grupo mercenario ruso Wagner?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:09:30 GMT

(CNN) — El presidente de Rusia, Vladimir Putin, propuso a los combatientes del grupo Wagner que Andrey Troshev, un mercenario de alto rango, dirija ahora el grupo militar privado, según declaraciones del mandatario ruso al diario Kommersant.Putin parece haber creado una división entre los combatientes de alto rango de Wagner y su líder Yevgeny Prigozhin desde su fallida insurrección el mes pasado, al menos en términos de la narrativa que emerge de sus comentarios al Kommersant.Putin dice que el grupo Wagner “¡simplemente no existe!”El periódico informó sobre una reunión celebrada por el presidente ruso cinco días después del fracaso de la rebelión de Wagner a finales de junio, reunión a la que asistieron Prigozhin y varias docenas de combatientes de alto rango de Wagner.Según Kommersant, Putin dijo a docenas de mercenarios de Wagner en la reunión que entre las múltiples opciones de empleo que les ofrecía, una incluía que siguieran luchando a las órdenes de su coman...

2 arrested after machete attack left 3 injured in Waltham

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:09:30 GMT

Two men were arrested after a fight that involved a machete injured three people Friday night in Waltham, officials said.Waltham police found one of the victims with a deep head laceration from the machete at the area of 34 Hammond Street around 6:30 p.m. They then found two more men with machete wounds.All three men were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.