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Easy houseplants for neglectful gardeners

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:45:58 GMT

Confession time: I’ve murdered a Monstera, slaughtered a snake plant, assassinated an African violet and offed more orchids than I’d like to admit. It’s not that I don’t know how to care for these houseplants – I do! I just have a tendency to neglect them, and since they’re among the hardest to keep alive, it usually doesn’t end well.So when I bring a houseplant home, it’s of the low-maintenance, happy-go-lucky variety — the type that doesn’t pitch a hissy fit if I miss a watering (or three), move the pot around or grow it away from the window. Not coincidentally, they’re also the best houseplants for beginners to grow.My spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) asks only two things of me: moderate to bright sunlight and lightly moist soil. I keep it on a stand by the bathroom window and pour in whatever happens to be left in my nightstand water glass every morning. Sometimes, the glass is empty, but the plant doesn’t care. And it makes dozens of free plants for me despite getting ...

Turning right on red at certain Montgomery Co. intersections could become illegal

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:45:58 GMT

Turning right on red would not be an option at certain intersections in downtown and town center areas in Montgomery County, Maryland, if a new bill passes Tuesday.The Safe Streets Act is set for a vote by the Montgomery County Council.In addition to turning right on red being prohibited, pedestrians and cyclists would have more time to cross the street. Cross walk signal times would be increased by a few seconds.The legislation was introduced by council president Evan Glass last year with the aim of making streets safer for cyclists and pedestrians.The legislation would also add more speed cameras in the area.And if someone is struck by a vehicle in a school zone, a county review of that incident would be prompted.Glass told NBC Washington in an interview that there have been 10 deaths from cyclists and a total of 392 pedestrians and cyclists were hit on Montgomery County roadways this year.Source

A bus plunges into a ravine in Montenegro, killing at least 2 and injuring several

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:45:58 GMT

PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) — A bus plunged into a ravine in Montenegro on Tuesday, killing at least two people and injuring several, police said.The bus was carrying some 30 passengers when it swerved down around noon, police said. Local media reported that the bus was traveling on a steep road connecting the town of Budva, on the Adriatic Sea coast, with Cetinje, which is located in a mountainous inland area. It was not immediately clear what caused the bus to skid down some 15 meters (yards) into the ravine. Photos showed rescue workers holding on to a metal wire to try to reach the wreckage. Police said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the two victims died on the spot while the injured received aid in Cetinje.Source

UN chief opens meeting of world leaders, saying that “we seem incapable of coming together”

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:45:58 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — UN chief opens meeting of world leaders, saying that “we seem incapable of coming together.”Source

London police force says it will take years to remove officers accused of corruption and misconduct

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:45:58 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Hundreds of London police officers are facing dismissal as the department steps up efforts “to root out those who are corrupt” after a series of scandals eroded public trust and a scathing report found it was institutionally racist, homophobic and misogynistic.The Metropolitan Police Service said Tuesday that more than 1,000 officers are currently suspended or on restricted duties. That means the public is likely to be bombarded with stories of police misconduct over the next few years as the department works through the backlog of cases and around 60 officers face disciplinary proceedings each month.“This is going to take one, two or more years to root out those who are corrupt,” Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said as he updated reporters on efforts to reform the department.London’s police force, known by many as Scotland Yard, is under immense pressure to fire officers accused of misconduct and change its male-dominated culture after a serving officer kid...

Watch live: Biden gives remarks before the UN General Assembly

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:45:58 GMT

President Biden is delivering his annual address to the U.N. General Assembly in New York Tuesday morning.One central issue Biden is expected to address is international support for Ukraine as its struggle to expel Russian invaders turns from a hard summer counteroffensive toward its second winter.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will also be in attendance. Russian President Vladimir Putin — who, like Chinese President Xi Jinping, skipped the recent G20 summit — will not.Biden will also likely speak about the climate crisis, as well as security for food and energy, building infrastructure globally and support for the economies of developing countries in the wake of the pandemic.The president is scheduled to speak at 10:15 a.m. EDT.Watch the live video above.

Bradenton Police K-9 survives snake bite thanks to protective vaccine

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:45:58 GMT

BRADENTON, Fla. (WSVN) — A police K-9 named Liberty faced a perilous situation during a routine training session when she encountered a venomous snake. Thanks to a prior vaccine, Liberty’s life was spared, leaving her grateful partner, Detective Lixa Moyett, relieved.Liberty, a born tracker, serves as a K-9 officer with the Bradenton Police Department. Together with Detective Moyett, she specializes in tracking down missing persons using her exceptional scent-tracking skills.During an annual training session in Tallahassee, Liberty found herself in shallow water when she suddenly yelped. Detective Moyett quickly realized that Liberty had been bitten by a snake.Liberty was rushed to a local veterinary office within minutes where it was confirmed that she had fallen victim to a cottonmouth snake bite. Her paw swelled, but her previous vaccination against snake bites proved invaluable.“It minimizes the effects of the venom and helps with the swelling and coagulation o...

Dolphins show they can win even without Tagovailoa and Hill going deep

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:45:58 GMT

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — After Miami’s defense gave up 234 yards rushing against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 1, coordinator Vic Fangio said his unit was good enough to win a high-scoring contest, but “not good enough to win a lot of games.”The Dolphins turned it around in Week 2 at New England, limiting the Patriots to 88 yards rushing and stopping them on a late drive that could have tied or won the game.“When you give up 34 points it’s a terrible feeling,” linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel said after Sunday night’s 24-17 win. “Obviously the Chargers have a good offense, but it left a sour taste in our mouths. And we definitely came out with something to prove tonight.”Miami (2-0) won its opener thanks to its high-powered offense led by Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill. Against a Patriots team that limited that connection — Hill had five catches for 40 yards — the Dolphins won with defense and a balanced offense that featured an effective run game.Miami ran the ball 30 ...

Blink-182 announces first new album in 12 years

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:45:58 GMT

(CNN) — Remember when we said rock was having a resurgence? Blink-182 got the memo.The band is back together and now Mark Hoppus, Tom DeLonge and Travis Barker are dropping their first new album together in a dozen years.“One More Time” will release on Friday, Oct 20.DeLonge explained the impetus for their new work in a trailer for the project. “What you need to understand about Blink-182 is that we didn’t come out of like joyous homes,” he said. “We came from a lot of heartbreak, broken families, just fights,” he said. “So Blink was always the way to force the happiness in the room.”Barker said the new album was in part inspired by some of the tragedies the members have endured over the years.“On the album, ‘One More Time’ is written about why does it take these catastrophes, like me being in a plane crash, or Mark being sick, for our band to get back together,” he said.Barker was critically injured in a 2008 Learjet plane crash that killed four of the six people aboard. Hoppus rev...

With Timmermans out, we can do deals on farm reforms, says EPP chief

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:45:58 GMT

European People’s Party (EPP) leader Manfred Weber said Tuesday that it would become easier to reach agreement on sustainable farming reforms now that Green Deal chief Frans Timmermans is no longer in office.Weber and Timmermans jousted repeatedly in the European Parliament as his center-right group fought a rearguard action against new EU rules to restore degraded natural areas and, with an eye to the farm vote in next year’s elections, hit out at key elements of the European Commission’s Farm to Fork strategy.Timmermans resigned last month to lead an alliance of the left-wing Socialist Party and the Greens in the Dutch general election. Now, with low-key pragmatist Maroš Šefčovič taking charge of the green agenda, things have suddenly gotten easier.“I want to be very clear, with the departure of Frans Timmermans there is an atmosphere where people see now that there is a chance that all aspects [of the Green Deal] can be content based, in a fair discussion, and b...