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Wildlife refuge pond in Hawaii mysteriously turns bright pink. Drought may be to blame

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:24 GMT

HONOLULU (AP) — A pond in Hawaii has turned so bubble-gum pink it could be from the set of “Barbie,” but the bizarre phenomenon is no cause for a dance party. Drought may be to blame for the strange hue, scientists say, and they’re warning against entering the water or drinking it.Staff at the Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge on Maui have been monitoring the pink water since Oct. 30. “I just got a report from somebody that was walking on the beach, and they called me up like, ‘There’s something weird going on over here,’” said Bret Wolfe, the refuge manager. Wolfe was concerned the bright pink could be a sign of an algae bloom, but lab tests found toxic algae was not causing the color. Instead an organism called halobacteria might be the culprit. Halobacteria are a type of archaea or single-celled organism that thrive in bodies of water with high levels of salt. The salinity inside the Kealia Pond outlet area is currently greater than 70 parts per thousand, which is twice ...

California authorities seek video, urge patience in investigation into death of Jewish demonstrator

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:24 GMT

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) — Days after asking for the public’s help to determine what happened at a California protest that resulted in a Jewish demonstrator’s death, authorities said Thursday they still have no video of the incident and are urging patience as they investigate.The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department asked anyone who may have been driving a car equipped with cameras near the intersection where the protest occurred to reach out and share video.“Currently, we do not have any footage of the actual incident taking place, which would be extremely helpful in this case and would undoubtedly show or could even refute criminal culpability,” the department said in a statement.Paul Kessler, 69, died early Monday at a hospital following a Sunday confrontation with a pro-Palestinian demonstrator over the Israel-Hamas war in Thousand Oaks, a suburb northwest of Los Angeles. Sheriff Jim Fryhoff said Tuesday that deputies determined Kessler had fallen backward and struck his head o...

Federal judge puts Idaho’s ‘abortion trafficking’ law on hold during lawsuit

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:24 GMT

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A federal judge has temporarily blocked Idaho’s “abortion trafficking” law from being enforced while a lawsuit challenging its constitutionality is underway. “This lawsuit is not about the right to an abortion. It is about much more,” U.S. District Magistrate Debora K. Grasham wrote in the ruling handed down Wednesday. “Namely, long-standing and well recognized fundamental rights of freedom of speech, expression, due process, and parental rights. These are not competing rights, nor are they at odds.” Abortion is banned in Idaho at all stages of pregnancy, and the law enacted in May was designed to prevent minors from getting abortions in states where the procedure is legal if they don’t have their parents’ permission. Under the law, people who help a minor who isn’t their own child arrange an abortion out of state can be charged with a felony, though they can then attempt to defend themselves in court later by proving that the minor had pa...

New UN report paints a picture of the devastation of the collapsing Palestinian economy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:24 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — A new U.N. report paints a stark picture of the devastation of the collapse of the Palestinian after a month of war and Israel’s near total siege of Gaza.The gross domestic product shrank 4% in the West Bank and Gaza in the war’s first month, sending over 400,000 people into poverty — an economic impact unseen in the conflicts Syria and Ukraine, or any previous Israel-Hamas war, the U.N. said.Gaza’s Hamas rulers launched a surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7 killing over 1,400 people, mainly civilians, and kidnapping about 240 others. More than two-thirds of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million have fled their homes since Israel launched weeks of intense airstrikes followed by an ongoing ground operation, vowing to obliterate Hamas. The Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza said Thursday that 10,818 Palestinians, including more than 4,400 children, have been killed so far.The rapid assessment of economic consequences of the Gaza war released Thursday by the U.N. ...

Florida Board of Governors votes to expand DEI restrictions at public universities

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:24 GMT

(The Hill) — The Florida Board of Governors voted late Wednesday to keep public universities from using government funds for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.The vote is the latest move in the state’s crackdown on diversity programs in schools.This means campus activities, programs, clubs and faculty recruitment that support DEI can’t use any federal funding to do so, according to WMFE, a local radio station that first reported the vote. IRS announces 2024 income tax brackets – see where you fall In May, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed a bill into law, the “Stop Woke Act,” that defunded DEI initiatives on campuses, claiming they exclude some students.DeSantis said DEI efforts were an attempt to “impose an ideological agenda” on students and faculty and promote “exclusion” and “discrimination.” He said students who wanted to study gender ideology, for example, should go to schools in other states, such as the University of California, Berkeley.Those in opposit...

Hershey unveils Reese's peanut butter cup with caramel

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:24 GMT

HERSHEY, Pa. (WHTM) — The Hershey Company on Thursday announced a new treat that brings a twist to their classic Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.It's the Reese's Caramel Big Cup, which adds a layer of caramel to the peanut butter cup. Hershey says this is the first time this has ever been done with a big Reese's peanut butter cup.Reese’s Caramel Big Cup, standard size; also available in king size. (Courtesy of Hershey's)Reese's also makes TAKE5, which is a piece of chocolate with peanut butter, caramel, peanuts, and pretzel. IKEA recalling more mirrors over falling concerns "Next to peanut butter, caramel is the most requested combination with chocolate – and while Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are already perfect, ask and you shall receive," said Emily Stover, Reese's senior associate brand manager. "As the experts in chocolate and peanut butter deliciousness, we know what our fans want, and we're delivering on that with the Reese's Caramel Big Cup."A Change.org petition was created back...

Wild go cold in 4-1 loss to New York Rangers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:24 GMT

NEW YORK — The Wild just about weathered another rotten start, rallying to tie the game in the second period before third-period goals by Alexis Lafrenière and Blake Wheeler put Minnesota away, 4-1, Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.Lafrenière added two assists, and Artemi Panarin extended his points streak to 13 games with an assist on Lafrenière’s go-ahead goal and empty net goal in the third period, as the Rangers avenged a 5-4 shootout loss last Saturday at Xcel Energy Center.Louis Domingue, recalled from AHL Hartford before the game because of injuries to Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick, stopped 26 shots as New York ended the Wild’s two-game win streak ahead of Friday night’s 6 p.m. CST puck drop at Buffalo.Brandon Duhaime scored on a redirect of a shot through traffic by Brock Faber to tie the game 1-1 with 8 minutes left in the second period, and Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 24 shots — many of them Grade A chances.But in a season full of slow starts, the Wild might have...

With ‘Kia Challenge’ driving thefts of Kias and Hyundais, both makers offering local clinics for software upgrades

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:24 GMT

Nearly 60 percent of vehicles stolen in Minneapolis this year have been Hyundais or Kias, and St. Paul has seen the same pattern in one-third of auto thefts. Now, both car manufacturers are holding free mobile clinics in the coming days in the Twin Cities to upgrade software systems in their vehicles, which they say will make them harder to steal.David VandeLinde, Hyundai’s vice president of after sales, shows an anti-theft software sticker in Minneapolis on Nov. 9, 2023, that will be attached to vehicles during free anti-theft software installation clinics for Hyundai owners in Minneapolis on Nov. 10 and 11, and St. Paul on Nov. 12 and 13. (Mara H. Gottfried / Pioneer Press)Police started seeing the problem in recent years when videos spread on TikTok and other social media, “exploiting a flaw in vehicle manufacturers that allowed those vehicles to be easily stolen,” Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said Thursday. Young people, sometimes calling themsel...

Here are some standouts among the submissions for MN’s new flag and seal

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:24 GMT

Luis Fitch is currently mulling over loons, stars, lakes and other iconic symbols of Minnesota submitted in the search for our new state flag and seal.Soon, Fitch — the chair of the State Emblems Redesign Commission — will need to discuss his top 25 picks (for each category) at a commission meeting. There will be more winnowing to come, from semifinalists to finalists, with one flag design and one seal design ultimately selected on Dec. 12.Fitch is still working his way through the 398 submissions for the seal and he has some cutting to do for his initial picks among the 2,123 flag entries.“I have 110 for the flag,” Fitch said with a laugh on Thursday. “And that’s just me. We have a lot to choose from.”The flag and seal redesign process was mandated by the DFL-controlled state Legislature earlier this year.Proponents of the change say the main image on the current flag, dating to 1957, and the seal, adopted in 1861, is offensive. It shows a ...

Regional Food Bank kicks off Holiday Hunger Appeal campaign

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:24 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A local food bank has launched its biggest fundraising event of the year. The Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York kicked off its Holiday Hunger Appeal on Thursday.This year, they are partnering with the New York State Restaurant Association and the CDTA to raise awareness. Participating restaurants will put up posters and set up tables where customers can donate. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! The campaign will be promoted on CDTA buses to get the word out to the community."Be educated, understand that there's a need, and two, if you can help, help," Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York CEO Tom Nardacci said. "Any little bit matters. Like you said, $1 provides four meals, $100 provides a lot more, so anything people can do is really appreciated."Food bank leaders said there's a huge need for food this year. Rates of food insecurity remain at the same level they were during the height of...