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Dolphin moms use baby talk to call to their young, recordings show

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:03:50 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — You know instantly when someone is speaking to an infant or small child. It turns out that dolphin mothers also use a kind of high-pitched baby talk.A study published Monday found that female bottlenose dolphins change their tone when addressing their calves. Researchers recorded the signature whistles of 19 mother dolphins in Florida, when accompanied by their young offspring and when swimming alone or with other adults.The dolphin signature whistle is a unique and important signal — akin to calling out their own name.“They use these whistles to keep track of each other. They’re periodically saying, ‘I’m here, I’m here’,” said study co-author Laela Sayigh, a Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution marine biologist in Massachusetts.When directing the signal to their calves, the mother’s whistle pitch is higher and her pitch range is greater than usual, according to the study published in the journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences....

White Florida woman charged with manslaughter in shooting of Black neighbor

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:03:50 GMT

A white woman accused of firing through her door and fatally shooting a Black mother in front of her 9-year-old son in central Florida was charged Monday with manslaughter and assault.Susan Lorincz was arrested earlier this month following the fatal shooting of Ajike Owens in Ocala, Florida. She was formally charged with one count of manslaughter with a firearm and one count of assault.State Attorney William Gladson said his office contemplated filing a second-degree murder charge but prosecutors concluded there was insufficient evidence that Lorincz had “hatred, spite, ill will or evil intent” toward Owens.“As deplorable as the defendant’s actions were in this case, there is insufficient evidence to prove this specific and required element of second-degree murder,” Gladson said in a statement.Amanda Sizemore, Lorincz’s attorney from the public defender’s office, said she had no comment at this time. An email seeking comment was sent to attorney Ben Crump, wh...

Putin condemns Wagner rebellion but says Prigozhin’s men are free to go

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:03:50 GMT

Russian President Vladimit Putin on Monday condemned a weekend mutiny by the Wagner mercenary army but, in a sign of weakness, said Yevgeny Prigozhin’s men were free to go to Belarus.Putin’s statement, in an evening TV address to the nation, appeared to lift the the threat of legal retribution against Prigozhin but left questions open as to his authority as Russia’s 16-month-old war on Ukraine saps its military and economic power.“The armed rebellion would have been crushed in any event,” said a stern-looking Putin, who wore a dark suit and black tie. “The organisers of such a mutiny, however inadequate they may be, need to understand this. And they understand, including those who embarked on a criminal attempt to split our nation.”Prigozhin had resurfaced earlier on Monday to issue an impassioned defense of his mutiny against Russia’s army chiefs over the weekend and said Belarus was offering ways for his mercenary group’s “cont...

Chicago Blackhawks acquire forward Taylor Hall in multiplayer trade with Bruins

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:03:50 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Blackhawks acquired Taylor Hall in a trade with the Boston Bruins on Monday, putting the veteran forward in line to play with the No. 1 overall pick in the NHL draft once again.The Blackhawks sent defensemen Ian Mitchell and Alec Regula to Boston for Hall and forward Nick Foligno, creating some valuable salary-cap space for the Bruins heading into free agency.“We are thrilled to be adding players of Nick’s and Taylor’s caliber to our organization,” Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson said in a release. “The two bring a wealth of experience and leadership that will strengthen not only our forward group, but aid in the development of our entire roster.”The 31-year-old Hall had 16 goals and 20 assists in 61 games last season. He also had five goals and three assists in seven playoff games. He was the No. 1 overall pick by Edmonton in 2010; the Blackhawks hold the No. 1 pick in Wednesday night’s draft, which they are expected to use on Connor B...

Water main break causes road closures in Stoughton

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:03:50 GMT

A major water main break prompted several road closures in Stoughton on Monday afternoon, police said. Stoughton police announced the incident around 3 p.m.Shutdowns initially included several streets in the area of Pleasant Street. In an update, police said some streets had reopened and only Prospect Street between Walnut Street and Pleasant Street remained closed as of around 3:40 p.m.Police previously warned the shutdowns could last several hours.This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.

Biden says the US and its allies had nothing to do with Wagner Group’s rebellion against Russia

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:03:50 GMT

(CNN) — President Joe Biden on Monday sought to distance the United States from the weekend rebellion in Russia, insisting in his first public remarks since the episode that the West had nothing to do with the mutiny.Speaking from the White House, Biden suggested it was too early to say how the situation would unfold going forward. And he said he may speak again with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to coordinate their response after conferring in a phone call Sunday.“It’s still too early to reach a definitive conclusion about where this is going,” he said in the East Room. “The ultimate outcome of all this remains to be seen, but no matter what comes next I will keep making sure that our allies and our partners are closely aligned in how we are reading and responding to the situation.”Biden’s statement reflected a carefully calibrated American response to the brief uprising by the Wagner Group that amounted to the biggest threat in years to ...

Putin thanks nation for unity after aborted rebellion

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:03:50 GMT

By The Associated PressRussian President Vladimir Putin thanked the nation on Monday for unity after an armed rebellion over the weekend was aborted less than 24 hours after it began. Earlier in the day, the mercenary chief defended his short-lived insurrection in a boastful statement. In his first appearance since the rebellion ended, Putin also thanked most of the mercenaries for not letting the situation deteriorate into “bloodshed.” He said all necessary measures have been taken to protect the country and the people from the rebellion.He blamed “Russia’s enemies” and said they “miscalculated.” The Kremlin also tried to project stability on Monday when authorities released a video of Russia’s defense minister reviewing troops in Ukraine.Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the mercenary group, said he wasn’t seeking to stage a coup but was acting to prevent the destruction of Wagner, his private military company. “We started o...

Quick Fix: Tomato Mozzarella Flatbread is an easy-to-make vegetarian dinner

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:03:50 GMT

Linda Gassenheimer | Tribune News ServiceLooking for an easy dinner, I remembered some flatbreads I saw on several restaurant menus. The flatbread crust was traditionally made without yeast, but now several types of crusts are used, including pizza dough.For a quick vegetarian dinner, I decided to use a thin crust ready-made pizza dough such as Pillsbury. The dough is cooked on its own for a few minutes, then covered with the ingredients and baked to finish. You can also use pita bread and other thin crusts.I sliced the Parmesan cheese instead of grating it to give more flavor. Pistachio nuts also add flavor and some protein.Helpful Hints:— You can use any pasta sauce.— You can use different types of cheese. Use this recipe as a guide for amounts.— You can use any type of shelled nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans).Countdown:— Preheat oven.— Bake the dough for a few minutes.— While dough bakes, prepare ingredients.— Remove dough from oven and complete the recipe.Shopping List:To buy: 1 ...

Save your food scraps, save the Earth: More cities and states look to composting

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:03:50 GMT

Matt Vasilogambros | Stateline.org (TNS)In its fight against both climate change and rats, the New York City Council overwhelmingly passed a new ordinance earlier this month that will require residents to dispose of food scraps and yard waste in vermin-proof curbside containers for future compost, diverting organic materials from landfills and turning them into rich soil.If signed by Democratic Mayor Eric Adams, the city’s mandate would be the largest municipal composting program in the country, keeping 8 million pounds of organic waste every day out of landfills (around the weight of 160 full garbage trucks) and drastically reducing the city’s methane emissions.The Big Apple’s composting plans are both ambitious and aggressive, said Council Member Sandy Nurse, who chairs the Committee on Sanitation and pushed for a “zero waste” legislative package that includes the composting measure. The council passed it by a veto-proof margin. Once the city rolls out curbside organic waste colle...

Is a cancer clinical trial right for me?

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:03:50 GMT

Mayo Clinic Staff | (TNS) Mayo Clinic News NetworkClinical trials, also known as clinical studies, help medical researchers understand how to diagnose, treat and prevent cancer and other diseases and conditions. Healthcare professionals translate findings from clinical trials into treatments that can lead to longer, healthier lives for people with cancer.Clinical trials are an important option to consider if you’re facing a cancer diagnosis. Joining a clinical trial may provide experimental treatment options you may not otherwise have.What is a clinical trial?Research studies that involve people are called clinical trials. Researchers design cancer clinical trials to test new ways to find, diagnose, prevent and treat cancer and to manage cancer symptoms and the side effects of cancer treatment.People who volunteer to participate in clinical trials help researchers test:— New drugs or drug combinations.— New medical procedures.— New devices or surgical techniq...