Times Union

A lab in a Dutch zoo has presented special corals that bred themselves and nestled them in Europe's largest coral reef. The corals are part of a project by the World Coral Conservatory. The project aims to create a bank of corals in aquariums across Europe. They could eventually be used to repopulate wild coral reefs that are succumbing to the stress of climate change or pollution. The scientists took more than a dozen coral fragments from off the coast of Seychelles in East Africa, and then propagated them in a lab. Читать дальше...

The United States and China are butting heads over a number of contentious bilateral, regional and global issues as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets senior Chinese officials, including President Xi Jinping. Friday's meetings started with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and then Public Security Minister Wang Xiaohong, who said Blinken would also see Xi. Talks between the two sides have increased in recent months even as differences have grown. Blinken and Wang underscored the importance of keeping lines of communication open... Читать дальше...

TikTok is gearing up for a legal fight against a U.S. law that would force the social media platform to break ties with its China-based parent company or face a ban. A battle in the courts will almost certainly be backed by Chinese authorities as the bitter U.S.-China rivalry threatens the future of a wildly popular way for young Americans to connect online. Beijing has signaled TikTok should fight what it has called a “robbers” act by U.S. lawmakers “to snatch from others all the good things that they have.” But should a legal challenge fail... Читать дальше...

Students protesting the Israel-Hamas war are digging in at Columbia University for a 10th day, part of a number of demonstrations roiling campuses from California to Connecticut. Hundreds have been arrested across the nation, sometimes amid scuffles with police. In New York, Columbia is negotiating with student protesters who have rebuffed police and doubled down. Other schools have been quick to call law enforcement to douse demonstrations before they can take hold. Columbia officials have said... Читать дальше...

Harvey Weinstein's accusers and their advocates were shocked and angered by an appellate court’s decision to overturn the ex-movie mogul’s 2020 rape conviction. But #MeToo advocates also sought to send a clear message that the movement has not been derailed. Tarana Burke, who coined the phrase “Me too” in 2006, and Anita Hill, who testified against Clarence Thomas in 1991, both urged a long view, saying no single legal ruling can reverse the tremendous cultural progress made in the last six years. Читать дальше...

North Dakota U.S. John Hoeven has announced that the National Park Service will abandon plans that could have removed the 200 or so wild horses that roam Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Advocates have feared that park officials would remove the beloved animals. In 2022, the Park Service began a process to craft a management plan for the horses. Proposals included removing the horses quickly or gradually or taking no action. The park superintendent has said the horses would have to be reduced to... Читать дальше...

There was talk of drone strikes and presidential bribes, of a potential ruling “for the ages” and of the Founding Fathers, too. The current presidential race went unmentioned but was also not far from mind. The Supreme Court heard more than 2 1/2 hours worth of arguments on the landmark question of whether former President Donald Trump is immune from prosecution in a case charging him with plotting to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Though the justices appeared likely to reject Trump’s absolute immunity claim... Читать дальше...

Microsoft has reported that its profit rose 20% for the January-March quarter as it tries to position itself as a leader in applying artificial intelligence technology to make workplaces more productive. The company reported quarterly profit of $21.93 billion, or $2.94 per share, beating Wall Street expectations for earnings of $2.82 a share. The Redmond, Washington-based software maker posted revenue of $61.86 billion in the period, its third fiscal quarter, up 17% from the same period a year ago. Читать дальше...

A ship traveling in the Gulf of Aden has come under attack, the latest assault carried out by Yemen’s Houthi rebels over Israel’s ongoing war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The attack comes after the U.S. military said early Thursday an allied warship shot down a Houthi missile targeting a vessel the day before near the same area. The Houthis claimed both assaults, which comes after a period of relatively few rebel attacks on shipping in the region over Israel’s ongoing war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Читать дальше...

The University of Southern California has canceled its main stage graduation ceremony under new safety measures being taken as the campus is roiled by protests stemming from the Israel-Hamas war. The university announced the move Thursday, the day after more than 90 protesters were arrested on campus. College officials across the U.S. are worried that ongoing campus protests against the Israel-Hamas war could disrupt May commencement ceremonies. Some universities called in police to break up the demonstrations... Читать дальше...