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Beach-loving birds get help with loss of seaside real estate in Maryland

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:48:19 GMT

A group of terns on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. (Courtesy Lynn Fisher)Everyone is searching for a spot on the beach at this time of year, including common terns, whose numbers in Maryland have plummeted since the mid-1980s when there were about 2,500 nesting pairs in the state.The terns, who are about the size of robins, nest right on sandy beaches, but they’ve faced a growing problem, according to Dave Brinker, an ecologist with the Department of Natural Resources.“The beaches they use are on small islands in coastal estuaries,” Brinker said. “Most all of those small islands have now disappeared because of erosion and sea level rise.”So to help out, Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources partnered with the Maryland Coastal Bays Program and built a 48-by-48 foot raft covered in broken clamshells to mimic the conditions of the islands the birds prefer, “and it is working as a super piece of nesting habitat for these common terns,̶...

Un raro sismo sacude Melbourne, Australia, pero causa pocos daños; es el más grande en 120 años

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:48:19 GMT

(CNN) — Melbourne fue sacudida este domingo por un terremoto raro y poco profundo, el terremoto más grande que ha golpeado la ciudad australiana en más de un siglo, que sacudió los edificios pero que finalmente causó muy pocos daños.La información preliminar indicó que el sismo de magnitud 3,8 sacudió el suburbio noroccidental de Sunbury a las 11:41 p.m. hora local a una profundidad de 2 kilómetros, según la agencia gubernamental Geoscience Australia.Adam Pascale, científico jefe del Centro de Investigación de Sismología con sede en Victoria, dijo que el sismo fue el más grande dentro de los 40 kilómetros de Melbourne desde un sismo de magnitud 4,5 en 1902.“¡Me despertó! Probablemente 5-10 segundos de agitación menor. La adrenalina aún no se ha disipado…”, dijo Pascale en Twitter.Sismo de magnitud 5,7 se sintió en Bogotá, según el Servicio Geológico ColombianoGeoscience Australia dijo que había recibido más de 21.000 informes del sismo, con ondas de choque que se sintieron tan...

Rockies look to end 3-game road skid, play the Diamondbacks

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:48:19 GMT

Colorado Rockies (24-30, fifth in the NL West) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (30-23, second in the NL West)Phoenix; Monday, 4:10 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Rockies: Karl Kauffmann (0-2, 9.35 ERA, 2.08 WHIP, six strikeouts); Diamondbacks: Ryne Nelson (1-2, 5.02 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 36 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Diamondbacks -196, Rockies +164; over/under is 10 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Colorado Rockies will try to end a three-game road skid when they face the Arizona Diamondbacks.Arizona has a 15-12 record at home and a 30-23 record overall. The Diamondbacks have gone 23-10 in games when they record eight or more hits.Colorado has gone 9-16 on the road and 24-30 overall. Rockies hitters are batting a collective .261, which ranks second in the NL.The matchup Monday is the fourth time these teams match up this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Lourdes Gurriel Jr. has eight home runs, 13 walks and 28 RBI while hitting .315 for the Diamondbacks. Ketel Marte is 13-for-39 with a triple, two home runs ...

Nationals visit the Dodgers to open 3-game series

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:48:19 GMT

Washington Nationals (23-30, fifth in the NL East) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (32-22, first in the NL West)Los Angeles; Monday, 9:10 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Nationals: Trevor Williams (2-2, 4.32 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 37 strikeouts); Dodgers: Bobby Miller (1-0, 1.80 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, five strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Dodgers -242, Nationals +200; over/under is 9 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Los Angeles Dodgers host the Washington Nationals to start a three-game series.Los Angeles is 17-7 at home and 32-22 overall. The Dodgers have the sixth-ranked team on-base percentage in the NL at .329.Washington has a 23-30 record overall and a 12-13 record on the road. Nationals pitchers have a collective 4.48 ERA, which ranks ninth in the NL.Monday’s game is the first time these teams match up this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Mookie Betts has 14 doubles, a triple, 11 home runs and 31 RBI while hitting .244 for the Dodgers. Freddie Freeman is 18-for-41 with eight doubles, a triple and two home runs...

Giants host the Pirates in first of 3-game series

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:48:19 GMT

Pittsburgh Pirates (26-26, second in the NL Central) vs. San Francisco Giants (27-26, third in the NL West)San Francisco; Monday, 5:05 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Pirates: Rich Hill (4-4, 4.44 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 52 strikeouts); Giants: Anthony DeSclafani (3-4, 3.43 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 47 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Giants -140, Pirates +119; over/under is 8 1/2 runsBOTTOM LINE: The San Francisco Giants host the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday to open a three-game series.San Francisco is 27-26 overall and 15-11 in home games. The Giants have hit 74 total home runs to rank fourth in the NL.Pittsburgh has a 14-13 record on the road and a 26-26 record overall. Pirates pitchers have a collective 3.87 ERA, which ranks ninth in MLB play.The teams meet Monday for the first time this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Michael Conforto has three doubles and 11 home runs while hitting .244 for the Giants. Mitch Haniger is 13-for-37 with two doubles and two home runs over the past 10 games.Carlos Santana...

Spanish PM Sánchez calls snap general election after disastrous results in local elections

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:48:19 GMT

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Monday called for snap elections to be held on July 23.Spain was due to hold general elections by the end of the year, but the Socialist leader announced his decision to move up the date following Sunday’s local elections, which saw his party suffer heavy losses across the country.The July 23 general election means that the vote will be held just three weeks after Spain takes over the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union.With the Socialist party polling six points behind the center-right Popular Party (PP), that scenario opens up the possibility that the rotating presidency may begin with Sánchez as prime minister but conclude with PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo as Spain’s head of government.

Boston fire crews rescue residents from 3rd floor of burning Dorchester building

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:48:19 GMT

Boston firefighters raced to the rescue of two trapped residents as a fire consumed a multi-family home in Dorchester early Monday morning, officials said.Crews responding to a reported structure fire at 309 Adams St. around midnight found heavy flames coming from the third floor and used a 35-foot ground ladder and an aerial ladder to rescue two trapped residents from the third floor, according to Acting Deputy Fire Chief Gerald Hogan.The majority of the fire was contained to the third floor and the flames were quickly knocked down.Twelve people were displaced and one was taken to the hospital for treatment.The American Red Cross is assisting those displaced.The cause of the fire remains under investigation.https://twitter.com/BostonFire/status/1663055140532678656https://twitter.com/BostonFire/status/1663048679207362560https://twitter.com/BostonFire/status/1663047084117827584

Johnny Damon embraces Celtics’ comparisons to 2004 Red Sox, hopes C’s can make history

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:48:19 GMT

MIAMI — Nearly 19 years have passed since Johnny Damon helped create history as a member of the 2004 Red Sox. Now, he’s fully invested as another Boston team tries to make the same history of its own.Damon, of course, was the center fielder for those ‘04 Sox, who became the first team in MLB history to overcome an 0-3 playoff series deficit as they won four consecutive games over the rival Yankees and then went on to win the World Series. Naturally, Damon has been wrapped up watching the Celtics, who are on the cusp of becoming the first team in NBA history to achieve the same feat against the Heat. So much so, he had to see it for himself.When an opportunity came up to go to Game 6 on Saturday night in Miami, Damon – who lives in his hometown of Orlando – couldn’t pass it up.“A buddy of mine is a huge Celtics fan, and he’s like, ‘Oh, we gotta go down. You have to bring your (World Series) ring,’” Damon said on Sunday. “I was like, ‘Uh, OK.’ So he had a Citation 10 (jet) ready to ro...

Nigeria’s Bola Tinubu sworn in as president amid hopes and skepticism

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:48:19 GMT

Associated Press (AP) — Nigeria’s Bola Tinubu has been sworn in 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 one he succeeded.The former governor of Lagos, Nigeria’s economic hub, Tinubu, 71, was sworn in as Nigeria’s president in Abuja, the capital city, in the presence of thousands of Nigerians and several heads of governments. He succeeds 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, Tinu...

Poland’s president approves law on Russia’s influence that could target opposition

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:48:19 GMT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish President Andrzej Duda said Monday he will sign a bill that creates a powerful commission, ostensibly meant to investigate Russian influence in Poland but which critics view as a tool to remove from political life the political opponents of the ruling party, mostly notably opposition leader Donald Tusk.Parliament on Friday approved the law, proposed by the right-wing ruling party, that may affect the outcome of fall parliamentary elections in which the ruling Law and Justice party is seeking a third term. Experts say it violates Poland’s Constitution and the opposition has called on Duda to reject it. Duda said he was approving the bill because discussions on Russia’s influence on politics are being held in the U.S. and in some European countries. He said a commission for investigating Russia’s influences on European institutions and in individual countries should also be formed at the European Union level. Poland is to push for it at t...