We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
AUGUSTA, Ga ()- With the rise in sweltering temperatures, it’s not only people and their pets feeling the brunt of the heat. Landscapes are suffering too, struggling to survive under the unyielding sun.
Intense heat poses a serious threat to your outdoor greenery, potentially damaging grass, young trees, and shrubs. Once the mercury soars to between 90 and 95 degrees, signs of distress in your lawn become evident. However, there are effective strategies to maintain your yard’s vibrancy despite the scorching climate.
“In the South, we contend with sweltering heat and high humidity. To maintain an attractive lawn, it’s essential to water it twice daily—focusing not on frequency but duration, ideally 15 to 30 minutes per session,” advised Gerald Coleman, owner of Grownfolk Landscaping LLC.
Regular watering is crucial to preserving your lawn’s lushness. Optimal times for watering are in the cooler morning and evening hours. The same schedule is advantageous for fertilizing, ensuring your lawn remains healthy and resilient.
“You don’t want to put the fertilizer out because if fertilizer already has nitrogen in it. So with the sun, it increases the nitrogen which will burn the grass up because we are in a drought season and we don’t have enough rain to supply that,” Coleman explained.
What should you do if your grass still starts turning brown?
“Put some white sand on it or some peat moss, and that would generally help you out,” he said.
Some grasses thrive in cooler weather, but there are a few species that do better in hotter temps.
“The best kind of grass if need to, if you can afford, it is Zoysia or Saint Augustine. Those are your less weed prone grasses. They do great. And a lot of time during our summer heats, centipede is another grass. Bermuda’s great but it also prone to getting weeds,” said Coleman.
Coleman said you should never just leave your grass clippings in the yard when you mow because it creates a thatch and doesn’t allow your grass to breathe.
How low you cut your grass during the summer is a factor in its health too.
“If you do cut the grass too low, you can damage the grass. The grass won’t have a chance to repair itself during these hot summer months.”
There are things you can do to protect your shrubbery and trees too. You should always know when and how to prune them because doing it incorrectly could cause damage.
If you want a lower maintenance yard that looks great, there are some trees and shrubs that do well in hotter temps.
“Palm trees. Sego palms are a great attribute to a landscaping design. They do good. Loropetalums also do good in the summertime,” Coleman suggested. “Roses does great in the summertime. Those are a lot of fan favorites where you don’t have to have a green thumb to make those bushes thrive.”
Coleman also said if you are having trouble maintaining your yard in the heat, sometimes it’s best to call in a reputable landscaper to help keep your plants and grass alive.
DAVIS, Calif.—Farmers can now stay one step ahead in combating crop diseases thanks to InnerPlant’s new innovation. The firm, known for pioneering plant biotechnology, has launched the CropVoice Whole Farm network, an advanced system that notifies farmers when their crops are ailing, offering unprecedented visibility into plant health.
Expanding its capabilities, the CropVoice network now supports both soybean and corn crops, building upon InnerPlant’s successes with genetically modified InnerSoy plants. These plants can detect internal biological changes and glow to indicate infection. With the integration of InnerCorn, this technology now forms a robust shield for the two staple crops, empowering farmers to address plant diseases earlier and make informed decisions on fungicide applications.
CropVoice is more than just a warning system; it also keeps farmers informed through weekly scouting reports and immediate alerts when infections occur near fields. Additionally, a 24/7 agronomy dashboard offers critical data access, enhancing decision-making capabilities and crop management efficiency.
Shely Aronov, the visionary co-founder and CEO of InnerPlant, emphasized the significance of this technological leap: “This is the breakthrough the industry has been waiting for,” she said. “Corn, with over 90 million acres planted in the U.S., remains the largest crop here. Farmers face growing pressures to maximize returns as disease pressures increase. CropVoice Whole Farm gives soy and corn farmers the insights they need to make spray decisions confidently and verify infections before any symptoms appear.”
The introduction of this innovative system aims to mitigate the uncertainty often associated with traditional indicators such as weather predictions, scouting observations, soil conditions, and historical disease data. Now, plants communicate directly, signaling their own health status and marking a new era in crop disease management.
CropVoice’s plant signals are combined with other data sources like constant monitoring of environmental conditions, tissue sampling to determine what pathogens are present, and images and notes from field agronomists. These all feed into disease forecast maps for the coming week. This is supported by InnerPlant’s local field team, which holds eight PhDs and more than 60 years of combined experience.
CropVoice was named one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2024 and InnerPlant is backed by several industry partners, including John Deere, Systemiq Capital, and an alliance of North American farmers via Coutts Agro.
To learn more about CropVoice Whole Farm and the team that’s building it, you can visit this link.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The U.S. military recently announced its continuation of nightly strikes against Iran, marking the seventh consecutive day of escalated tensions concerning the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
This story is developing, and additional information will be provided as it becomes available.
California mom pleads not guilty in daughter’s murder
Ashlee Buzzard stands accused of the heinous crime of murdering her nine-year-old daughter, Melody. Prosecutors highlight a desperate, border-hopping journey meant to evade capture, tragically ending when Melody’s remains were found in Utah.
This report addresses topics around suicide. If you or someone you find yourself worried about is having suicidal thoughts, reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
In a chilling case unfolding in Alabama, a mother faces murder charges after police discovered her toddler bound like a captive and left prone on a bed for over 12 hours – a torment that ultimately suffocated the child. Adding another grim twist, a second suspect linked to this tragedy chose to end his own life just two days on.
With the charge of murder looming over her, 22-year-old Sierra Shay Hadaway comes face-to-face with the law following an appalling incident involving her two-year-old daughter, Madilynn Hadaway. On June 12, authorities in Lanett, Alabama, responded to a heart-wrenching scene: little Madilynn, lifeless after long hours bound on a bed with no chance of survival, as confirmed by the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office. On June 14, Christian Myles Sturkie, another suspect in this tragic tale, succumbed to a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
While the officials underline asphyxiation as the cause of Madilynn’s death, they remain tight-lipped regarding further details. Sturkie’s ties to the deceased child continue to be a mystery as investigators dig deeper.
Sierra Shay Hadaway poses with her 2-year-old daughter, Madilynn Hadaway, in this undated photo. Sierra Hadaway has been charged with murder in the toddler’s death.(Sierra Shay Hadaway/Facebook)
Although the toddler died June 12, it wasn’t until this week that the sheriff’s office concluded its investigation, resulting in the arrest of her mother, Sierra Hadaway, authorities announced Thursday.
Sierra Hadaway’s Facebook profile, under the name Sierra Hill, includes a memorial to her daughter, reading “Madilynn Grace 09/22/2023-06/12/2026,” along with the phrase “But GOD.”
Sierra Shay Hadaway, 22, is seen in a booking photo after being charged with murder in the death of her 2-year-old daughter, Madilynn Hadaway.(Chambers County Sheriff’s Office)
An obituary for Madilynn Grace Hadaway described her as a “precious angel.”
“Though her time with us was far too brief, Madilynn filled our lives with immeasurable love, laughter, and happiness. Her bright smile, curious spirit, and joyful heart brought life to everyone who knew her,” the obituary said. “She had a special way of bringing joy to those around her, and her sweet presence made every day brighter. She taught those around her the purest meaning of love.”
Sierra Shay Hadaway and her daughter, Madilynn Hadaway, are seen together in this undated photo. The 2-year-old was found dead in Lanett, Alabama, on June 12.(Sierra Shay Hadaway/Facebook)
“Madilynn enjoyed playing with dolls, getting dirty in the yard, and living wild and free beside her “besties,” the obituary read.
Sierra Hadaway is being held at the Chambers County Detention Facility with no bond.
A surprising scene unfolded at a Brooklyn rave last week, where a frustrated attendee took a stand—quite literally—against anti-Israel activists who had disrupted the event. A newly emerged video captures the tense moment as protestors lay sprawled on the dance floor, only to be physically confronted by one of the partygoers.
The dramatic protest occurred at the Under the ‘K’ Bridge Park on July 10. A group of about five activists infiltrated the party, executing a “die-in” demonstration targeted at Boiler Room and its parent company, the prominent private equity firm KKR. They accused KKR of investing in companies that produce arms for Israel.
Wearing white shirts emblazoned with messages like “Boiler Room is owned by Israeli arms investors” and “You’re dancing on every martyr’s grave,” the protesters lay motionless, making their presence impossible to ignore amid the revelry.
Footage shared by the protest group, identified as the “Boycott Room,” captures the scene as a visibly aggravated clubber launches into action. The video shows him taking a leap into the air before coming down forcefully onto a protestor’s body.
He didn’t stop there. The clip reveals his attempts to continue his assault, although his momentum falters after a second attempt, causing him to lose his balance and fall to the ground.
Boiler Room representatives told The Post that the situation was handled by security “within a couple of minutes’’ and that the ticked-off clubber was bounced along with the protesters.
“We weren’t expecting a lie-down, especially 45 minutes from the end,” the rep said of the protest.
The incident occurred on the first day of the two-day event.
Boycott Room also disrupted the rave’s second day when its deejay was forced to briefly shut off the music because a man jumped in front of their booth in the middle of a set.
The unnamed man pulled wires off the mixing table before disappearing into the crowd, according to a Boiler Room rep.
That show-stopper wore a white shirt that read, “Boiler Room is owned by Israeli arms investors,” according to video.
Boiler Room officials said the activists were actually “pleasant’’ and said they were prepared for potential disruptions because Boycott Room demonstrated at their city event last year.
Boiler Room, asked whether KKR invests in Israeli weapons manufacturers, pointed The Post to reports by several media outlets claiming it has no investments in Israeli weapons manufacturers or Israeli companies that do business in occupied Palestinian land.
“We are aware of footage from Boiler Room NYC over the weekend that appears to show an attendee acting towards a protester in a way that has no place at our events,” the company said in a statement.
“We respect the right to peaceful protest, and the wellbeing of everyone at our events matters to us. We’re reviewing what happened and speaking with the venue. We’d encourage anyone who believes they have been a victim of a crime, or has information on this matter, to make themselves known to the police.”
No reports about the attack were filed to the police.
In a bold move, Donald Trump has threatened to slap tariffs on Canada, blaming them for the wildfire smoke that’s suffocating US cities.
“We are holding Canada responsible for not properly maintaining their forests and brush,” the former president asserted in a post on Truth Social this Friday.
He expressed concerns that the United States is being inundated with “filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air,” describing the situation as dangerous and intolerable.
Determined to take action, he promised to reach out to Prime Minister Mark Carney for answers, emphasizing that the repercussions are immense.
Trump criticized what he called “willful negligence,” pointing out it has become an annual burden costing billions, which he feels should lead to increased tariffs on Canadian imports.
Fires that have been blazing in Canada’s Ontario province have caused massive plumes of smoke to blanket much of the eastern US.
Those plumes reached major US cities like Washington, DC, and New York City on Thursday evening.
The President likely experienced the smoky conditions in the capital and while traveling to New York City for a work dinner on Friday evening.
‘We are holding Canada responsible for the fact that they are not properly maintaining their forests and brush,’ the President wrote on Truth Social Friday, threatening to tariff Canada further due to the smoke and pollution hitting US cities because of the blaze in Ontario
Thick smoke has blanketed major cities along the East Coast, including Washington, DC
The plumes have also choked residents in New York City, which has seen thick blankets of smoke
Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC, have all seen major dips in air quality due to pungent white smoke creeping in from the northern border.
The National Weather Service has issued air quality alerts in at least 16 states.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the air is now considered ‘hazardous’ from northern Minnesota to Columbus, Ohio – the agency’s most severe air quality rating.
‘Thousands of Canadians’ lives have been upended, are being upended, by the wildfires across this country,’ Carney said on Thursday.
The smoke threatens to further derail relations between the US and Canada, which were already under strain from Trump’s repeated threats to turn its northern neighbor into its 51st state and uneasy trade relations hobbled by the President’s tariff regime.
Trump has repeatedly sought to put pressure on Canada using tariffs during his second term.
Last year, the Republican imposed a 25 percent tariff on most Canadian imports, later increasing that number to 35 percent.
Though after the Supreme Court dealt a blow to the President’s executive authority to enact tariffs, the fees were mostly rolled back, and now Canada pays roughly 10 percent on most goods imported into the US.
The smoke has been so thick in some areas around New York City that a visible haze can be seen over the city
The sun peeks through the haze from wildfire smoke over the Chicago skyline and the Chicago River on July 16
A train crew escaped safely after a wildfire surrounded their locomotive near Armstrong in Canada’s Northern Ontario, where widespread forest fires continue to disrupt transport and force evacuations
Trump’s Republican backers were quick to support the President’s push for additional tariffs due to the fires.
‘Americans will not pay the price for the negligence of Canadian leaders,’ Ohio Republican Senator Bernie Moreno wrote on X.
‘Four years in a row of record fires that have produced decades of environmental damage. Further proof that you don’t have to be very smart to get elected as a liberal, you just have to be woke.’
Many people beneath the smoke plume have reported a burning plastic smell in the air, which atmospheric scientist Matthew Cappucci said is caused by longer-lasting compounds, including benzene and formaldehyde, that remain after the smoke has aged during its journey.
Both benzene and formaldehyde are classified as Group 1 human carcinogens, meaning there is sufficient evidence that they can cause cancer in humans.
‘The smoke isn’t just annoying – it’s legitimately dangerous. It’s made up of microscopic particulates known as PM2.5, or itty-bitty particles less than 2.5 micrometers in width. That’s about 30 times thinner than a human hair,’ Cappucci shared on X.
‘Breathing them in is bad – it increases [the] risk of heart attack, respiratory issues, etc. You may also notice your eyes stinging.’
The smoke has become so intense that major metropolitan areas, including Chicago, Detroit, Washington DC and New York City, ranked among the world’s most polluted cities on Friday.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, Michigan has been hit hardest by the smoke so far, with the entire state experiencing its worst air quality since modern records began in the early 2000s
No dumbbells? No problem. Even after turning 60, a simple towel can help you rebuild substantial arm strength.
>
A towel might seem too basic to count as exercise gear, but once you pull, squeeze, or hold it under tension for just 15 seconds, your arms will beg to differ. The resistance generated comes purely from your own effort, allowing you to scale the challenge up or down as needed.
This adaptability makes towel workouts particularly beneficial for those over 60. You can effectively engage your muscles without the need for heavy weights, staying well within a comfortable range for your elbows, shoulders, and wrists. The key lies in maintaining consistent tension, using proper form, and applying enough effort to ensure your arms are genuinely working.
I recommend towel exercises to clients looking for straightforward options to rebuild strength at home. By providing something tangible for your hands to grip and your arms to resist, a towel awakens muscles that might otherwise be neglected during daily activities. Its simplicity makes the routine approachable, enhancing the likelihood of maintaining a regular exercise schedule.
Incorporate this routine into your weekly schedule two to four times. Focus on controlled pulls, presses, squeezes, and holds to develop strength extending from your hands to your shoulders.
4 Gentle Exercises That Rebuild Ankle Mobility Better Than Stretching After 60
Perched at the gateway to a crucial global shipping corridor, a small yet strategically significant Iranian island has recently found itself in the crosshairs of a significant U.S. military offensive. Over a period of 90 minutes, this island became the focus of a relentless bombing campaign.
According to the U.S. military, the assault was aimed at Greater Tunb Island, which lies strategically close to the maritime routes of the Strait of Hormuz. This area is critical for international trade. The strikes specifically targeted “coastal defense systems and cruise missile storage,” according to reports from the U.S. forces.
The conflict in the Middle East has reached a new level of intensity. Last week marked a turning point as a fragile ceasefire agreement and memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the U.S. and Iran fell apart. This shift came in the wake of attacks on commercial vessels trying to navigate through the strait, a development that has heightened tensions significantly.
During the now-defunct MoU, Iran had pledged to ensure “safe passage” through the Strait of Hormuz, an essential maritime passageway through which about 20% of the world’s oil is transported. This agreement was meant to stabilize shipping in the region, providing a level of security for international trade.
However, with recent attacks on vessels in the strait, the United States has sharpened its focus. It now prioritizes dismantling Iran’s capacity to launch assaults on vessels, as it seeks to secure this vital maritime route and protect global commerce.
“What we’ve seen from the US during this phase of the conflict is that they are keen to suppress Iran’s ability to target ships in and around the Strait of Hormuz,” Jennifer Parker, an adjunct professor at the University of Western Australia’s Defence and Security Institute, told SBS News.
“Their attacks in the last week, especially in the last 24 hours in Greater Tunb Island, for example, seem very specifically focused on Iran’s ability to target ships in and around the strait.”
A ‘strategic’ location
Greater Tunb Island is a tiny island with a surface area of about 10 square kilometres, three times the size of the Sydney CBD, located in the eastern Persian Gulf, near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz.
The island, seized by Iran from the United Arab Emirates in 1971, is a disputed territory, with the UAE claiming it belongs to them.
In May, Mohammad Akbarzadeh, deputy political officer of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, told Iranian state television that the area that it uses to control the Strait of Hormuz “extends” as far as Greater Tunb Island.
Adel Abdel Ghafar, a Middle East expert and senior resident fellow at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said the island’s location “alongside the inbound and outbound shipping lane” is “very strategic”.
“Any [military] personnel or anti-ship cruise missiles based there are very close and can disrupt shipping and have disrupted shipping because the island is so close to the lane,” he told SBS News.
“The islands really extend Iran’s field of view and engagement from the mainland to the choke point itself.
“[It] gives Iran a strategic advantage, and that’s why the US is attacking it.”
‘An unsinkable aircraft carrier’
The island’s location is not the only reason experts believe it is important for Iran’s control of the strait.
The US military said on Wednesday that the 90-minute wave of strikes on the island “further degraded Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz”.
Neither the Iranian government nor the IRGC has publicly commented on the attack.
For years, the media have reported that the IRGC and the Iranian army have a military presence on the island, but no details are publicly available.
Parker said that, because of its size, the Greater Tunb “is one of the more heavily fortified islands”.
“It’s certainly viewed that the Lesser Tunb and Greater Tunb islands are military outposts for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. There’s not thought to be too many civilians there, maybe a dozen, maybe none,” she said.
“If you think of Tunb Island, you can think of that almost like an unsinkable aircraft carrier. They have the ability to project force from the exit to the Persian Gulf.
“It’s not entirely clear exactly where the attacks on ships have originated, but I would suspect, yes, [some] have [originated from Greater Tunb].”
A network of islands
Greater Tunb is only one part of Iran’s island network for monitoring and controlling shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
A military outpost is also present on several other islands, ranging from Abu Musa, west of the strait, to Hormuz Island to the north.
In 2025, Alireza Tangsiri, the previous commander of the naval force of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, who was killed in Israeli attacks in March, told local media that “each of these islands” has “immense strategic importance to Iran, and safeguarding the Strait of Hormuz”.
“A lot of those islands, Iran has key military capabilities based on. So whether that is radar systems that allow Iran to detect ships, especially ships that are going dark through the strait … But also command and control systems to coordinate amongst the dispersed IRGC forces across the islands,” Parker said.
“Those islands allow control of the strait and make it easier for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps to attack ships.”
Aside from Greater Tunb, other islands, such as Qeshm, Hengam, and Kish, were also targeted by US strikes.
But experts say the attacks are unlikely to restore shipping through the strait to pre-war levels.
“Being able to reduce Iran’s ability to target shipping by taking out a range of the military capabilities on these islands will help to make ships feel safer,” Parker said.
“But I don’t think we will see a surge in shipping transiting the strait in response to these strikes.
“For that to happen, we’d either need to see a lull in attacks from Iran or a statement from Iran followed by a lull in attacks from Iran, saying that they won’t target.”
