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Care, ‘magic’ help DC’s cherry blossom trees defy age

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:54 GMT

Peak bloom has arrived for the thousands of Japanese cherry blossom trees at the National Mall in Washington, and the area is awash in magnificent pink and white.Predicting the timing of peak bloom — defined as when 70% of the blossoms have opened — has been getting harder. In the 1920s, the average peak bloom was April 5. That moved up to March 31 in recent years, and the 2023 peak arrived yet a week earlier, according to the National Park Service on Thursday.“I’m feeling like this is going to be the trend” due to climate change, said Matthew Morrison, the park service’s urban forester charged with overseeing the trees’ care. The annual National Cherry Blossom Festival, which runs through April 16, celebrates Japan’s 1912 gift of 3,020 cherry trees to the city of Washington. Two of those trees were planted by First Lady Helen Herron Taft and Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese Ambassador to the United States, with just a few onlookers present. That small gathering ...

Walgreens profit slides as COVID-19 vaccinations fade in Q2

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:54 GMT

A decline in COVID-19 vaccinations and an opioid settlement cut into Walgreens second-quarter earnings, but the drugstore chain still delivered better-than-expected results.Walgreens said Tuesday that it administered 2.4 million vaccinations in its recently completed fiscal second quarter. That’s down from 11.8 million delivered in last year’s quarter, while the omicron variant of the coronavirus was surging. Walgreens also booked a $306-million pre-tax charge for opioid claims and some costs tied to cost cutting and an acquisition.Quarterly net income tumbled 20% to $703 million. Adjusted earnings were $1.16 per share, which is 6 cents better than expected, according to a survey of analysts by FactSet. Sales climbed 3% to $34.86 billion, which was also better than expected. Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. runs a network of around 13,000 drugstores globally, with most of its locations in the United States. It’s stores also have become a growing source for care.The company is opening p...

ANÁLISIS | “Momento histórico”: políticos de ascendencia sudasiática están listos para liderar Escocia, Gran Bretaña e Irlanda tras la victoria de Humza Yousaf

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:54 GMT

(CNN) — Cuando Humza Yousaf prestó juramento de lealtad en el parlamento escocés en 2016, vestía un sherwani bordado en oro, una chaqueta tradicional del sur de Asia, y una falda escocesa.“Yo, Humza Yousaf, juro con honestidad y sinceridad de corazón”, dijo con orgullo en urdu, “que siempre seré fiel y seré fiel a su majestad la Reina Isabel, que Dios me ayude”.Ahora se espera que haga historia al asumir como el primer jefe de Gobierno de Escocia no blanco, luego de su elección como líder del Partido Nacional Escocés (SNP) este lunes.El triunfo de Yousaf, que nació en Gran Bretaña, cuya familia remonta sus ancestros a Pakistán, es solo el último reflejo de cómo han cambiado los tiempos a medida que las personas de ascendencia sudasiática ocupan puestos de liderazgo en los parlamentos británico, escocés e irlandés.Nicola Sturgeon anuncia que dimitirá como primera ministra de Escocia cuando se nombre a un sucesorHumza Yousaf sonríe mientras baja las escaleras después de la cerem...

Una gran danesa de Virginia da a luz a 21 cachorros en 27 horas

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:54 GMT

(CNN) — Namine, una gran danesa de 2 años, comenzó su épico viaje de parto este miércoles pasado, según WVVA, afiliada de CNN.Esta perra de gran tamaño pertenece a Tanya Dubbs de Pocahontas, Virginia, informa WVVA. Le tomó un total de 27 horas terminar de traer un total de 21 cachorros al mundo, aunque dos lamentablemente murieron poco después del nacimiento.Casi todos los cachorros pesaron más de 0,45 kg, dijo Dubbs.La orgullosa dueña del perro dijo que estaba sorprendida por la cantidad de cachorros nacidos, y esperaba que Namine tuviera entre 13 y 14 cachorros.“Así que llegamos a 16 y luego ella tuvo otro”, dijo Dubbs, según WVVA. “Estaba sentada en la cama y ella estaba en la cama conmigo y yo estaba hablando con un amigo mío y escuché un chorro de líquido y miré y dije que tenemos otro cachorro”.La dueña de Namine dice que planea vender los cachorros una vez que tengan la edad suficiente para separarlos de su madre. (WVVA)Dubbs dijo que planea vender la camada de cachorro...

Inflation driving big increase in Prince William schools’ construction costs

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:54 GMT

This article was written by WTOP’s news partner InsideNoVa.com and republished with permission. Sign up for InsideNoVa.com’s free email subscription today.Inflation and rising construction costs are cutting into schools’ purchasing power, costing Prince William County Schools an estimated $674 million extra in borrowing over the next decade.School system leadership says it won’t be a problem for the division to issue more debt than it has in the past and move forward with new schools and renovations as planned. But they’re also hoping that the inflation that’s been hurting county residents for months is, in fact, returning back to normal. If it doesn’t, those projects may require some changes.Between the fiscal 2023 capital improvement program and the plan the School Board approved last week, the estimated cost of the forthcoming Woodbridge Area Elementary School, set to open in 2024, grew from $41.6 million to $61.8 million. Estimates for the replacement of Occoquan Elementary Scho...

France’s top court rules not to extradite to Italy 10 former far-left militants convicted for attacks in the 70s and 80s

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:54 GMT

PARIS (AP) — France’s top court rules not to extradite to Italy 10 former far-left militants convicted for attacks in the 70s and 80s.Source

Passport wait times are up. Here's how to get one fast in Colorado

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:54 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Travelers planning an international trip this summer need to prepare for a longer wait to get their passport applications processed. The State Department said processing times are now as long as 13 weeks.As of March 24, routine applications are being processed in 10 to 13 weeks. That's up from the eight to 11 weeks it was taking through most of February and March. Applications received before Feb. 6 were completed even faster with routine processing at six to nine weeks.Expedited applications, which come with an additional $60 fee, are currently taking seven to nine weeks. How the right travel credit card can save you money on your next trip: BestReviews Those processing windows do not include time in the mail. It can take up to two weeks for the application to be received, and up to another two weeks for travelers to receive a passport after it's printed, the State Department said.Demand for passports is up with more Americans planning to travel abroad. At some po...

Colorado town named best for a summer vacation

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:54 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Temperatures are slowly starting to warm up and it won't be long before mountain trails are packed with hikers and bikers.If you are starting to make your vacation plans, you might not even need to leave the state.Travel site Trips To Discover recently put together a list of the best small towns for a summer vacation. 10 breathtaking spring hikes to take in Colorado What Colorado town made the list?At the top of the list was Steamboat Springs. It is located about three hours northwest of Denver.Steamboat is filled with picturesque mountain views, a wide variety of activities for outdoor enthusiasts, shopping, and incredible restaurants."With a burst of color, summer brings an endless landscape of green dotted with brilliant wildflowers. This is when this Wild West town really comes alive, with visitors enjoying fly fishing, inner tube rides and rafting trips on the Yampa River, endless scenic hiking and mountain biking trails, and natural hot springs that are idea...

Colorado cities have some of the highest shares of remote workers

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:54 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado cities have some of the nation's highest shares of remote workers. Following the COVID pandemic, the number of workers reporting that they clock in at home has spiked. Researchers have documented an exodus of many of these workers away from cities and coastal hubs into more sparsely-occupied areas, playing a partial role in housing price inflation through 2021 and 2022. Colorado's recent development as a destination of choice for much of this migration makes sense. Among over 400 cities nationwide, four of Colorado's cities rank among the cities with the highest concentrations of remote workers, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey, 2021. Colorado business leaders still expect a recession amid low confidence These estimates are likely high, considering COVID-related lockdowns and public movement restrictions were still rolling in place throughout 2021. They do shed light, however, on the cities with the highest shares of those jo...

Body found after firefighters extinguish car fire in Pompano Beach

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:54 GMT

Police are currently investigating a crime scene where a body was found in a burned car on the 200 block of Northwest 32nd Court in Pompano Beach. The Broward Sheriff’s Office received a call about the car fire around 6:30 a.m., Tuesday.Video captured the charred car in a parking lot, making it impossible to tell its original color. The investigators discovered a red gas container at the scene, which provided them with a major clue.First responders found a deceased individual inside the burned car after extinguishing the flames. The Broward Sheriff’s Homicide and Crime Scene Units are currently investigating. Authorities at the scene contacted the state fire marshal’s office which is typical when the cause of the fire is suspicious.Investigators have not identified the body. It is also unclear if they live in the area.One resident said they heard an explosion around the time the fire started. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have not stated if they are...