USA

Jack Backman holds the one-pound pumpkinseed that set a new South Dakota state record. (Wired2Fish photo) A fishing trip in South Dakota turned into a record-breaking day after a teenager caught the biggest pumpkinseed ever officially recorded in the state.Jack Backman of Harrisburg, South Dakota, was fishing with his friend Garrett Johnson on June 18…

Quote of the day by LeBron James (AP photo) Success stories usually get told through trophies and record books, with the years of actual struggle quietly left out of the story. LeBron James refuses to leave his out. “I think the reason why I’m the person who I am today is because I went through…

Pakistan denies UN report that documents civilian casualties in Afghanistan, calls it ‘baseless’ Pakistan’s military has rejected a UN report documenting hundreds of civilian casualties from cross-border fighting with Afghanistan, saying its forces targeted only Pakistani Taliban hideouts and other militant infrastructure and carried out the strikes in self-defence.Pakistan’s military spokesman Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif…

Library manager Michelle Hudson holds the book “Antiquities of Athens”, after its return in Kiama An Australian public library has received a book that was returned around 150 years overdue, with the “late fee” calculation coming to about A$28,000 (around Rs 16 lakh) under the library’s original rules.The rare copy of “Antiquities of Athens”, published…

Barn owls help vineyards control rodents naturally. Representational image. Barn owls can help vineyards reduce rodent damage in a natural way, by making rodents more cautious, and reducing their activity in vineyards, according to a new study from researchers in California.The study was focused on vineyards in Napa Valley, California, where rodents damage grapevines during…

Nepal-born British mountaineer Nirmal Purja. (AP photo) King Charles III and Prince William have paid heartfelt tributes to celebrated Nepal-born British mountaineer Nirmal Purja after he was killed in a devastating avalanche on Pakistan’s Broad Peak, praising his military service, extraordinary climbing achievements and lasting legacy in the world of mountaineering.Purja, widely known as “Nims…

At least five people have died and 41 others remain missing after a ferry carrying around 250 passengers and crew caught fire off Madura Island in Indonesia on Sunday morning, authorities said.The ferry, KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2, was en route from Tanjung Perak Port in Surabaya to Makassar on Sulawesi Island when the captain reported…

Study says Northern Hemisphere lakes may lose 40 days of winter ice by 2100 (National Geographic photo) Winter ice on lakes plays an important role in keeping lakes healthy by controlling water temperature, supporting aquatic life and helping maintain the natural balance of freshwater ecosystems. However, scientists say this seasonal ice cover is disappearing faster…

Caulerpa taxifolia, commonly known as “killer algae,” originates from the tropical waters of the Caribbean Some of the biggest ecological disasters start in the least likely places. Here it may have started with a home aquarium. An online report by the Centre for Invasive Species Research states that an ornamental seaweed, Caulerpa taxifolia, escaped into…

Representative Image (Canva) According to a study published in the journal Gondwana Research, supported by findings from the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), neutron and synchrotron scans of a 100-million-year-old ichthyosaur fossil from Queensland have uncovered the marine reptile’s final meal, and clues to its violent end. Researchers found the remains of fish,…