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‘Monster hunters’ wanted in new search for the mythical Loch Ness beast

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:21 GMT

LONDON (AP) — The Loch Ness Centre in Scotland is calling for “budding monster hunters” and volunteers to join in what it dubs the largest search for the Loch Ness Monster since the 1970s.The visitor attraction said this week that modern technology such as drones that produces thermal images of the lake will “search the waters in a way that has never been done before.”The new surface water search for the fabled “Nessie,” planned for the weekend of Aug. 26 and 27, is billed as the largest of its kind since the Loch Ness Investigation Bureau studied the loch for signs of the mythical beast in 1972. The Loch Ness Centre is located at the old Drumnadrochit Hotel, where in 1933 manager Aldie Mackay reported spotting a “water beast” in the loch, the largest body of freshwater by volume in the United Kingdom and one of its deepest. The story kicked off an enduring worldwide fascination with finding the elusive monster, spawning hoaxes and hundreds of eyewitness accounts. Numerous theories ...

Ukrainian drones hit a Russian tanker near Crimea in second sea attack in a day

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:21 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian drones hit a Russian tanker in the Black Sea near Crimea late Friday night, according to Russian officials and video circulating on social media.The strike was the second sea attack involving drones in one day, after Ukraine struck a major Russian port earlier on Friday in an attack that underlined Kyiv’s growing naval capabilities as the Black Sea becomes an increasingly important battleground in the war.The attacks follow Russian strikes on Ukrainian ports after Moscow nearly three weeks ago withdrew from a key grain-export agreement that allowed Ukraine to sell millions of tons of grain on world markets.“The Sig tanker…suffered a hole in the engine room near the waterline on the starboard side, presumably as a result of a sea drone attack,” Russia’s Federal Agency for Marine and River Transport wrote on Telegram, adding that there were no casualties among the 11 crew members.Vladimir Rogov, a Kremlin-installed official in Ukraine’s partially o...

Bill Blair says he oversaw culture change at Toronto police, not everyone agrees

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:21 GMT

OTTAWA — As he settles in to the corner office in Ottawa’s National Defence headquarters, Bill Blair is feeling pretty comfortable in his new role. This is his fourth ministerial job since 2018, when he was put in charge of border security and organized crime reduction. Blair has also overseen the departments of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness — roles where he’s been in close contact with the military. “I want to make sure that they have the support, the resources, the training, the equipment that they need in order to be there for Canadians,” Blair said in an interview.Anita Anand’s departure as defence minister less than two years after she took over, pledging to change the military’s culture and tackle the sexual misconduct crisis that had seen a slate of top generals removed from their positions, came as a surprise to many. When the cabinet shuffle was announced, she and Blair both seemed prepared to respond to questions about t...

Hundreds visit Red Lake dispensary on first day of recreational marijuana sales

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:21 GMT

By Daltyn LofstromRED LAKE, Minn. — Tuesday marked a historic occasion for the Red Lake Nation and the state of Minnesota as people from near and far visited Red Lake’s NativeCare dispensary for the first day of recreational marijuana sales in the state.As the first dispensary to open up shop in the entire state, several hundred eager patrons waited in line for a chance to step inside NativeCare once 11 a.m. rolled around.Foot traffic inside the dispensary was limited to a few people at a time while everyone else waited outside. While initially met with blue skies, a torrential downpour dampened the day by the afternoon.However, the rain did not extinguish the excitement, as hardly anybody stepped out of line and instead held tarps above their heads, determined to keep their hard-earned spots.“I was handing out tar paper, trash bags, rain suits, anything we had available,” Red Lake Tribal Secretary Sam Strong said after the rain subsided, “but nobody moved. We had a canopy to stand ...

Ask Amy: Flights to the family cabin become nail-biters

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:21 GMT

Dear Amy: My wife and I are lucky in semi-retirement to have a cabin in the mountains, a two-hour flight away. We visit this property about once a month.We also take a two-week vacation in Europe each year.The problem: I like to be at the airport with time to spare, so I don’t mind sitting for even an hour before boarding.My wife, on the other hand, loves to cut it close.It’s like she goes into slow motion at home the day of the flight.She seems to find a million last-minute things to do. I always volunteer to help get them done.We have missed one flight outright and at least three or four others each year are nail biters (we leave the luggage in the car in order to make the flight!).We solved a monthly family gathering issue of how long to stay by taking separate cars. I can leave after two hours, she can stay four or five, but a solution to the flying issue eludes us.One of us can’t really get on a plane without the other.After the missed flight she did better fo...

Bridge: Aug. 5, 2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:21 GMT

“Simple Saturday” columns focus on basic technique and logical thinking.If you want to procrastinate, there is no time like the present. Drawing all the missing trumps is often a priority for declarer, but many reasons exist to wait — maybe indefinitely.At today’s five clubs, South ruffed West’s second high heart and took the A-K of trumps, hoping to draw all four missing trumps. West failed to cooperate by pitching a diamond, so South shrugged and conceded a trump to East.TOP SPADESSouth won the diamond return and took his A-K-Q of spades, but East discarded. South ruffed a spade with dummy’s last trump, but his fifth spade was a loser. Down one.When a defender remains with a sole outstanding high trump, declarer usually tends to his other business, ignoring that missing trump. After South takes the A-K, he must abandon trumps. He cashes the top spades, ruffs a spade, leads a diamond to his hand and ruffs his last spade. The defense gets one trum...

Horoscopes Aug. 5, 2023: Jesse Williams, set high standards

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:21 GMT

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Lolo Jones, 41; Jesse Williams, 42; Jonathan Silverman, 57; Maureen McCormick, 67.Happy Birthday: Explore the possibilities, but don’t sign up for something that stresses your budget or interferes with what’s important to you. Balance and integrity will be necessary when faced with peer pressure or unreliable people. Aim to nurture what’s good in your life, and set high standards and goals that help you reach your dreams. Make peace a priority. Your numbers are 8, 15, 21, 29, 33, 38, 44.ARIES (March 21-April 19): Simplify your life, make plans that aren’t taxing, stick to a budget and surround yourself with people you love. Refuse to let anyone complicate your life or coerce you into something you don’t want to pursue. Protect yourself financially, emotionally and physically. 3 starsTAURUS (April 20-May 20): Let your intelligence override temptation. Someone will lure you down a path that can taint your reputation. Control ...

Miyazawa scores her 5th goal of Women’s World Cup as Japan beats Norway 3-1 to reach quarterfinals

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:21 GMT

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Japan scored its 14th goal of the Women’s World Cup and conceded its first Saturday, beating Norway 3-1 to reach the quarterfinals for the fourth time.Hinata Miyazawa sealed the win with her fifth goal of the tournament in the 81st minute to remain the leading scorer. Risa Shimizu’s 50th-minute goal followed an Ingrid Syrstad Engen own goal in the first half to help give Japan its fourth straight win of the tournament.Guro Reiten headed a superb goal for Norway in the 21st minute to end Japan’s flawless defensive performance and leave the teams locked 1-1 a halftime.After beating Spain 4-0 with only 23% of possession in its group-stage finale, Japan once again was a tactical chameleon in the round of 16 — playing with more than 60% of possession in a commanding performance. Japan traded its regular blue uniform for pastel colors Saturday, pink and purple. The softer color scheme did nothing to dull its attacking style; it pressed forw...

Japan 3, Norway 1

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:21 GMT

Norway10—1Japan12—3First Half_1, Japan, Engen, 15th minute; 2, Norway, Reiten, (Boe Risa), 20th.Second Half_3, Japan, Shimizu, 50th; 4, Japan, Miyazawa, (Fujino), 81st.Goalies_Norway, Aurora Mikalsen, Cecilie Fiskerstrand, Guro Pettersen; Japan, Ayaka Yamashita, Momoko Tanaka, Chika Hirao.Yellow Cards_None.Referee_Edina Alves Batista. Assistant Referees_Neuza Ines Back, Leila Naiara Moreira da Cruz, Daiane Caroline Muniz Dos Santos. 4th Official_Katia García.___Source

Fox and Telemundo see great ratings for American women, but rest of Women’s World Cup struggles

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:11:21 GMT

Fans of the United States women’s soccer team remained faithful viewers no matter what hour the game was on. The Americans three group stage matches at the Women’s World Cup had an average combined English- and Spanish-language audience of of 5,256,000.Trying to replicate that over the next four matches will be a difficult task.With its second-place finish in Group E, the remaining U.S. matches will take place overnight. Had the Americans won the group, its round of 16 and quarterfinal matches would have been in prime time.Australia and New Zealand are 14-16 hours ahead of New York and 17-19 hours ahead of Los Angeles.“We knew that there was no flexibility in making changes to the schedule for the knockout rounds. We had our eyes wide open going in,” Fox EVP, Head of Strategy and Analytics Mike Mulvihill said. “FIFA was really helpful in setting up the schedule for the group state and getting us in position that if the U.S. had won the group, we would have had a couple m...