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Small farms with natural landscape features such as shade trees, hedgerows and tracts of intact forest provide a refuge for some tropical bird populations, according to an 18-year study in Costa Rica. For almost two decades, ornithologist James Zook has been collecting detailed records on nearly 430 tropical bird species found on small farms, plantations and undisturbed forests in the country. While birds thrive the most in undisturbed rainforests, Zook said some species usually found in forests can establish populations in “diversified farms” that partially mimic a natural forest environment. “In these diversified farms, you see growth over the long term in bird species with specialized needs,” such as safe and shady nooks to build nests and a variety of food sources, Hendershot said. Three-quarters of the 305 species found in diversified farms showed stable or growing populations over the time of study.

Persons: James Zook, Zook, ”, Nicholas Hendershot, Hendershot, Natalia Ocampo, “, Ruth Bennett, University of California’s Ocampo Organizations: Stanford University, National Academy of Sciences, “, University of California, Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, University of California’s, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: Costa Rica, Santa Cruz

☆ Survivor stories: Victims of Maui wildfires tell of watching Lahaina burn down
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Alaa Elassar | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN“The smoke started getting thicker and blacker,” Kaleiopu recalled. An emergency alert soon reached him by phone, urging Lahaina residents to flee: The smoke had given way to flames. Not far away on the ocean, boat captain Christina Lovitt soon found herself on a skiff, also trying to help. Stymied from anchoring by 70- to 80-mph gusts, they drifted and eventually were pulled onto a 120-foot boat, Lovitt recalled. Aguiran watched his parents’ house burn down, one of five family homes destroyed, Tacderan said, and among more than 270 structures declared impacted so far by the fire in Lahaina.

Persons: Phena Davis, “, Dustin Kaleiopu, Hurricane, ”, ” Kaleiopu, Davis, Bryan Aguiran, ” Aguiran, Teri Lawrence, Lawrence, you’re, Christina Lovitt, ” Lovitt, Lovitt, who’d, Reza Danesh, ’ ”, Danesh, He’d, Tiffany Kidder Winn, Aguiran, Ella Sable Tacderan, Tacderan, ‘ You’ll, I’m, I’ve, grandpa, ” Davis, “ We’re Organizations: CNN, “, Coast Guard, Hawaii Army National Guard, Hawaii National Guard, Reuters, MODO Mobile Locations: Lahaina, Maui, Kaanapali, Hawaiian, That’s, “, ”, New York, Wailuku Maui, Huelo

☆ Dancing Till Dawn on the Albanian Riviera
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Valeriya Safronova | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The influx of foreign visitors to a place that only a few decades ago was sealed off to the world has brought both prosperity and challenges. “It’s been a 100 percent transformation,” said Erjon Shehaj, 46, whose family opened a 10-table restaurant in Dhermi in 2016. The resort hosted the biggest stage of the festival and was booked solid all seven days. In Dhermi, the electricity or water was sometimes turned off at hotels without warning, and bathrooms in restaurants and bars were left uncleaned for long stretches. The flood of visitors is also raising fears about possible harm to the region’s flora and fauna.

Persons: “ It’s, ”, Erjon Shehaj, “ I’ve, Anisa Koteci Organizations: Kala Locations: Drymades, Dhermi, Albania, London, Vlore

[1/2] Rescue workers and other people transport an injured person to the hospital, after a blast in Bajaur district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan July 30, 2023. Rescue 1122/Handout via REUTERSDERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan, July 30 (Reuters) - At least 40 people were killed and over 130 injured when a suicide bomber set off explosives at a political rally in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Sunday, police said. The provincial police chief Akhtar Hayat told Reuters the explosion was caused by a suicide bomb. "The JUI-F organised a workers convention in Khar town of Bajaur in which 40 people lost their lives and more than 130 were injured," Khan said. Pakistan has seen a resurgence of attacks by Islamist militants since last year when a ceasefire between the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Islamabad broke down.

Persons: DERA ISMAIL, Fazl, Akhtar Hayat, Nazir Khan, Khan, Zabihullah Mujahid, Shehbaz Sharif, Saud Mehsud, Dera Ismail Khan, Jibran Ahmad, Nilutpal, Gibran Peshimam, Andrew Cawthorne, Christina Fincher Organizations: Sunday, Ulema, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Bajaur district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Bajaur, Afghanistan, Peshawar, Khar, Taliban Pakistan, Islamabad, Islamic State

☆ Officials are using drones and infrared cameras in a full-scale hunt for a possible lion loose on the streets of Berlin
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Two pedestrians in Berlin filmed a large cat — believed to be a lion — hunting a wild boar. The search started on July 20, with officials using helicopters, drones, and infrared cameras. Berlin officials warned residents to keep their animals and children inside during the search. German officials told The Guardian there are no nearby zoos or animal sanctuaries that have reported a missing animal. As a precaution, officials warned families to keep their children and farm animals inside until the search is complete.

Persons: — Organizations: Berlin, Service, Guardian, Associated Press Locations: Berlin, Wall, Silicon

☆ California Leaders Seek Federal Inquiry of Florida for Migrants Trips
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Shawn Hubler | More About Shawn Hubler | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Greg Abbott of Texas, Republicans who have claimed responsibility for sending migrants to Democratic-led states, said the individuals volunteered to travel elsewhere. Democratic leaders, including Mr. Bonta and Mr. Newsom, have in return denounced the relocations as a partisan and callous political stunt. Mr. DeSantis did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the call for a federal investigation. A spokesman for Mr. Newsom said that Mr. Garland’s office had not yet replied to Thursday’s request. Last month, the Florida program paid for two planeloads of Latin American migrants to fly to Sacramento, prompting civil and criminal investigations by the California Justice Department.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Greg Abbott of, Biden’s, Bonta, Newsom, DeSantis, Abbott Organizations: Gov, Republicans, Democratic, Republican, California Justice Department, Mr Locations: Florida, Greg Abbott of Texas, California, Idaho, Texas, Sacramento

☆ Opinion: What Germany’s most famous trans woman could teach us about queer joy
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Opinion Samuel Huneke | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Talking about queer persecution in the past gave activists a language with which to combat queer persecution in the present. But the relentless focus on queer persecution — while politically necessary — often has the unfortunate effect of shunting to the side an equally important history of queer joy. In my own research on sexuality in modern Germany, queer joy also appears in the unlikeliest of places. Reports from the Gestapo, the Nazis’ feared secret police, chronicled monthly fetes attended by hundreds of Berliners: queer women and trans men sporting elegant evening coats, queer men and trans women dressed to the nines in flowing gowns. Understanding how and why trans, queer, gay, bi and lesbian people were and are persecuted is vital to recognizing and combating oppression of all sorts today.

Persons: Samuel Huneke, Huneke, Samuel Huneke Hugh Ross, ’, Harvey Milk, revel, ”, John Boswell, George Chauncey, Germany —, Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, Sally Bowles, fetes Organizations: George Mason University, Democracy, State, CNN, Pride Month, Briggs Initiative, Initiative, Gay, Stasi, Gestapo, Twitter, Facebook Locations: Europe, States, Liberation, Cold, Germany, Nazi Germany, York, East Germany, Nazi

☆ One of the most dangerous hours in America is now 11 o’clock on Sunday morning
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( John Blake | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +19 min

It would also foreshadow a disturbing trend that has only worsened in subsequent years: 11 o’clock on Sunday morning is now one of the most dangerous hours of the week in America, pastors and church security officials say. Brady Boyd, senior pastor of New Life Church, the same church where Assam confronted a gunman 16 years ago. And in 2018, a gunman killed 11 worshippers at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. But his church security does not have a monopoly on Sunday morning firepower. Consider this sobering Sunday morning scenario:A spiritual seeker visits a church and finds it filled with metal detectors and armed security guards carrying walkie-talkies.

Persons: Jeanne Assam, He’s, Beretta, Jake Stephens, Brian Snyder, ”, Brady Boyd, Boyd, “ That’s, Scott Olson, Rabbi Hillel Norry, Beth David, Norry, “, Kwon, Jeff Swensen, ” Norry, that’s, Shaukat Warraich, Dwayne Harris, Harris, Hope, ” Harris, Darren Hauck, Tim Russell, ‘ I’m, David Swanson, Pastors, Jesus ’, ” Boyd, Jesus, Tommy Mason, Mason, Joe Biden, Jill Biden, Saint Joseph, Beau Biden, Brendan Smialowski, Jerilee Bennett, George W . Bush, “ You’re Organizations: CNN, New, Church, Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Reuters Churches, New Life, White, Texas Church of Christ, Baptist, Security, Police, House Church, Geneva Presbyterian, Colorado Springs, Marion County Baptist Association, Service, Brandywine Catholic, “ Police, AP, Minneapolis Police Department Locations: Colorado, Assam, Colorado Springs, America, Charleston , South Carolina, Sutherland Springs , Texas, Texas, Orange County , California, Oak Creek , Wisconsin, Pittsburgh, Georgia, Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania, That’s, New Zealand, Missouri, ”, Geneva, Laguna Woods , California, Marion, Alabama, Saint, Brandywine, Brandywine Catholic Church, Wilmington , Delaware, AFP, AP Assam

☆ Alo Yoga says it's the 'Tesla' of athleisure, and it's loosening Lululemon's grip on Gen Z
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Leslie J. Allen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Alo Yoga's "studio-to-street" fitness clothes are a hit with Gen Z and Gen Alpha, the Wall Street Journal reports. Segment leader Lululemon faces growing competition not just from upstarts like Alo, but also legacy brands like Nike. Alo Yoga is building a following among two key demographics, Gen Zers, loosely defined as those born between 1997 and 2012, and their younger counterparts, Gen Alpha, according to an article in The Wall Street Journal. Alo YogaAlo's growth was boosted by influencers and its digital rootsAlo Yoga started in Los Angeles in 2007. It's created openings for others beyond Alo, but Alo certainly has started to set itself apart as a power brand in its own right."

Persons: Alo Yoga's, Gen Z, Alpha, Alo, —, Lululemon, Alo Yoga, Gen Zers, Gen Alpha, it's, I'd, Andrew Lipsman, Lipsman, Hailey Bieber, Bella Haddad, Budrul Chukrut, Danny Harris, Wall, It's, Lisman Organizations: Wall Street, Nike, Service, Street, Intelligence, influencers, Ford, GM, Chrysler Locations: Los Angeles, China, Alo

☆ Australia to triple size of Macquarie Island Marine Park to protected area larger than Germany
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Australia plans to triple the size of an ecologically important marine park and close off an area larger than Germany to fishing and mining, the government announced Monday, protecting millions of vulnerable seabirds and animals. The remote Macquarie Island Marine Park, located off Australia’s southeastern coast between Tasmania and Antarctica in the Southern Ocean, is set to expand to 475,465 square kilometers (about 184,000 square miles). The wind-swept World Heritage-listed Macquarie Island and its surrounding waters is a site of outstanding geological and natural significance. The plan to expand the marine park was released in February and Monday’s announcement comes after two months of public consultations with more than 14,700 submissions that were 99% in support, according to the government. Darren Kindleysides, chief executive of the Australian Marine Conservation Society, said sanctuaries are vital for marine wildlife, healthy ocean ecosystems and sustainable commercial fisheries.

Persons: Tanya Plibersek, ”, Fiona Maxwell, “, Darren Kindleysides Organizations: CNN, Pew, Albanese Government, UNESCO, Heritage, Australian Marine Conservation Society Locations: Australia, Germany, Macquarie, Tasmania, Antarctica

11 a.m. Stroll through a former zooThe Palermo neighborhood already had three sprawling gardens within walking distance of one another: Jardín Japones Jardín Botánico and Parque El Rosedal . Once it was the site of a grand, and very sad, city zoo, where iron cages kept lions, tigers and chimpanzees in cruelly small spaces. The zoo closed in 2016, and since then, the new owners have been converting it into a peaceful nature preserve, where peacocks and Patagonian maras — native, fleet-footed rodents — roam free. The zoo’s gorgeous, antique buildings also remain, their stateliness now an elegant contrast to the wild native plants and brush growing along footpaths. Entry is free.

☆ Title 42: Why the Biden administration expects a surge at the US-Mexico border next week
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Migrant surge expectedThe surge of migrants is expected because Title 42, the Trump-era policy that allowed the government to quickly turn away certain migrants at the border during the Covid-19 pandemic, is expiring. These deployments are not unprecedented in recent years, but this one is notable since it coincides with an expected surge of border encounters. Biden administration’s plan to discourage border crossingsThe administration has tried to discourage migrants from simply crossing the border and promised that people apprehended will be turned away and potentially barred from reentry. Anger from New York’s mayorTexas has been transporting thousands of migrants to cities like New York, Chicago and Washington, DC. “Governor Abbott sent asylum seekers to NY – Black mayor; to Washington – Black mayor; to Houston – Black mayor; to Los Angeles – Black mayor; to Denver – Black mayor.

☆ Why this rusting industrial city could be Greece’s next tourism hotspot
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Elinda Labropoulou | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

For 2023, it’s been given the title as a Cultural Capital of Europe – a title it shares with Timisoara in Romania and Veszprem in Hungary. Sergio Tsitakis / Design Farm ProductionsFor the occasion, the city’s magnificent archaeological site has been overhauled, improving its accessibility. Being a Cultural Capital has helped dozens of cities that have previously held the title to foster urban regeneration and find a spot on the travel radar. Among upcoming highlights this summer is a play, “Ma,” by Italian director and playwright Romeo Castellucci, a performance specially created to be staged in Eleusis’ archaeological site. And with the majority of international flights landing in Athens, Eleusis is perfectly located as an easy-to-reach destination.

☆ Tigers have personality traits similar to human extroverts and introverts, researchers say
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tigers have personality traits similar to extroversion and introversion in humans, researchers have found. Tigers that score higher on "majesty" eat more, have higher group status and mate more often. Tigers that scored for "majesty" were highly rated on words such as dignified, confident, and fierce and placed low on terms like withdrawn oterms feeble. "Steadiness" in tigers was associated with high ratings for words like friendly, gentle, and loving but ranked low for words such as aggressive or cruel. Abdellaoui told The Guardian that the words were all initially Chinese, and some of their meanings might be harder to translate.

☆ The high-speed train in Saudi Arabia that connects Mecca and Medina
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia CNN —In the distant past, Muslim pilgrims came to the holy city of Mecca on foot. Haramain means “two sanctuaries” in Arabic, named for the holy cities of Mecca and Medina that sit on the line’s opposite ends. Business class passengers on the train can watch seat-back TVs. Even on a short journey like the one from Jeddah to KAEC, business class passengers are entitled to a full meal service. When it comes to high-speed railway, it seems as though the Haramain line is only the beginning in Saudi Arabia.

Persons: Tawfiq Al Rabiah, ” Al Rabiah, King Abdullah, King, Saudi riyals, Lilit Marcus, Foster, they’re, KAEC, isn’t, it’s, Umrah, Khalid al, Falih Organizations: CNN, Saudi Arabia CNN —, King Abdulaziz International Airport, King Abdullah Economic, King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi, CNN Station, Foster + Partners, du Nord, Getty, Saudi Gazette, Bandar, Saudi Railway Polytechnic, Saudi Arabia’s Investment Locations: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Mecca, Hajj, Medina, Jeddah’s, Jeddah Al, New York, Paris, du, Sulimaniyah, Bandar Aldandani, AFP, KAEC, umrah, Islam, Riyadh

☆ The man in charge of deporting Pablo Escobar's 'cocaine hippos' explains how he plans to fly 70 of them across the world
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Crystal Raypole | Jessica Orwig | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Authorities plan to relocate 70 of the hippos living wild in Colombia, but it's not an easy task. Very carefully, according to David Echeverri López, head of Biodiversity Management, Protected Areas, and Ecosystem Services at Cornare in Colombia. So, authorities will continue pursuing other options, from sterilization to searching for other zoos and sanctuaries willing to take hippos. The thickness of a hippo's skin, and the density of their subcutaneous tissue, also makes it challenging to deliver enough anesthesia to keep them asleep for the right amount of time. Cornare has sterilized 13 hippos, López said, and relocated seven to zoos in Colombia.

☆ Don't buy a backyard chicken to combat inflation
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

More people are turning to backyard chickens, but experts warn it's not as easy or cheap as it seems. Earlier this year, The New York Times, Insider, and others wrote about people turning to backyard chickens to address inflation. Some people are buying backyard chickens to combat eggflation. Some think they are buying hens and end up with roostersAnother challenge with buying backyard chickens is that you may unintentionally end up with a rooster. She tries to discourage people from buying backyard chickens on a whim, to avoid having more roosters with nowhere they can go.

☆ Nations secure U.N. global high seas biodiversity pact
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( David Stanway | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

March 5 (Reuters) - Negotiators from more than 100 countries completed a U.N. treaty to protect the high seas on Saturday, a long-awaited step that environmental groups say will help reverse marine biodiversity losses and ensure sustainable development. "The ship has reached the shore," the U.N. conference president, Rena Lee, said after a marathon final day of talks. Greenpeace says 11 million square km (4.2 million square miles) of ocean needs to be put under protection every year until 2030 to meet the target. Very little of the high seas is subject to any protection, with pollution, acidification and overfishing posing a growing threat. "The clock is still ticking to deliver 30 by 30.

☆ Looking to move to a mountain town? Here are 6 cities from Alaska to Tennessee with scenic peaks and homes you just might be able to afford.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

States known for their mountains had the biggest net inflows of residents in 2022, MoveBuddha says. Here are six cities in these states where housing costs are below or close to the national median. A new study found more than half of the most popular states where people sought new digs in 2022 were known for their mountain towns and cities. "It's no secret that mountain towns were sanctuaries during the pandemic," MoveBuddha researchers wrote in their report. With that in mind, Insider compiled a list of mountain cities in these states where housing costs were mostly below the national median of $359,000.

☆ Larry Page, Sergey Brin Post-Google Lives: Investments, Yachts, Islands
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Hugh Langley | Rob Price | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +33 min

Even before their retirement from Google, Page and Brin relied heavily on their respective family offices to bring order to their worlds. The Bay Area headquarters of Koop, Larry Page's family office, is nondescript and gives little indication of the billionaire's empire. Insider; Marianne Ayala/Insider Show less Bayshore Global Management, Sergey Brin's family office, is based in Palo Alto and has a bit more of a public face. Insider; Marianne Ayala/Insider Show lessThe difference in styles holds true for Brin's family office, Bayshore Global Management. The CEO of Page's family office is Wayne Osborne, a former elder in the Presbyterian Church who attended Princeton Theological Seminary.

☆ 'Red flag' gun laws in focus after attack at Colorado LGBTQ nightclub
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Joseph Ax | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Authorities do not appear to have filed a petition seeking to confiscate any weapons Aldrich may have had at the time under the state's red flag law. RED FLAG OPPOSITIONThe disparity partly reflects deep opposition to red flag laws among some of Colorado's conservative sheriffs and local political officials. While El Paso Sheriff Bill Elder has voiced skepticism about "sanctuary" declarations, he opposed the red flag law over due process concerns, according to local media reports in 2019. The National Rifle Association opposes red flag laws as unconstitutional infringements on law-abiding citizens. Studies on the effectiveness of red flag laws are limited but suggest they can make a real difference.

☆ Gulf Arab states can’t give up oil. But they can slash their emissions
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

Abu Dhabi CNN —As Western states try to wean themselves off their addiction to hydrocarbons, Gulf oil nations have been pushing back hard, warning that a hasty transition away from fossil fuels will be counterproductive. According to the World Bank, Qatar had the highest carbon emissions per capita as of 2019, followed by Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. So, investment in clean energy projects and renewables “makes very good business sense and PR sense for the Gulf,” he said. Gulf petro-states are warning against a quick transition away from hydrocarbons, with the UAE calling for a “mixed energy” approach that minimizes emissions without cutting hydrocarbons. Much of the hydrocarbons exported by Gulf states go to some of the world’s biggest consumers and polluters, including China and India.

CNN —An animal sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is facing demands for ransom money, after kidnappers abducted three of its baby chimpanzees. “This is the first time in the world that baby apes were kidnapped for ransom,” Franck Chantereau, founder of the sanctuary where the kidnap took place, told CNN on Friday. But they didn’t come so the kidnappers took these three babies hostage and demanded a large amount of ransom from us,” Chantereau said. “Obviously, it’s impossible for us to pay the ransom,” Chantereau said. But Chantereau said the kidnapping won’t shake his determination to save baby chimps from the clutches of smugglers.

☆ Inside an Animal Sanctuary in Bolivia Where Tourists Can Help
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Photographs Yael Martínez | Yael Martínez | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +22 min

An animal voyage is special because it requires us to make many journeys all at once. My favorite record of an animal voyage is a book that’s fluent in failure. To return home from an animal voyage is to become, yourself, a new animal living in your old habitat. “If the snow leopard should manifest itself, then I am ready to see the snow leopard,” Matthiessen writes. To return home from an animal voyage is to become, yourself, a new animal living in your old habitat.

An animal voyage is special because it requires us to make many journeys all at once. To return home from an animal voyage is to become, yourself, a new animal living in your old habitat. “If the snow leopard should manifest itself, then I am ready to see the snow leopard,” Matthiessen writes. The best trips, like Peter Matthiessen’s search for the snow leopard, find a way to make themselves permanent. To return home from an animal voyage is to become, yourself, a new animal living in your old habitat.

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