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In 2011, a shock celebrity break-up garnered headlines around the world – not the separation of Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore, nor Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, but the sudden, inexplicable rupture between Bibi and Poldi, two 115-year-old Galápagos tortoises at Happ reptile zoo in Austria. After nearly a century as a couple, the female, Bibi, had had enough: one day, she bit a chunk off Poldi’s shell, drawing blood, and continued to attack him until zoo staff moved him to a separate enclosure. In the wild, Galápagos tortoises are , so it’s no small feat that Bibi and Poldi’s liaison lasted as long as it did, though their coupling never produced any offspring. Unfortunately, attempts at reconciliation were not successful. “We get the feeling they can’t stand the sight of each other any more,” the zoo’s director, Helga Happ, . Why do breakups occur? Among humans it’s a question that has engendered ballads, provided rich fodder for novelists and continues to intrigue scientists. In many mammals, there’s no parental care by the dad To break up, of course, you have to be together in the first place. In social monogamy, animals live together and form strong ties known as pair bonds – though sexual faithfulness is a separate question. In mammals, humans are among the exceptions: social monogamy has been observed in less than 10% of mammal species. That low figure comes down to the difference in parental investment between males and females, says Prof Simon Griffith, an evolutionary ecologist at Macquarie University. In most mammal species, parental care comes primarily from the female, who invests hugely in gestating and providing milk for her young. “In many mammals, there’s no parental care by the dad,” Griffith says. “It may be that he’ll do a bit of guarding, or he’ll hold the territory, but ... he can’t really provide that much for the offspring. “In birds, it’s completely different. The dad can actually care almost as much as the female in terms of delivering food. “That’s why birds tend to have partnerships and mammals don’t.” Before methods to establish paternity existed, evidence suggested that birds as a group were mostly sexually monogamous, says Prof Raoul Mulder, an evolutionary ecologist at the University of Melbourne. “If you look at whether or not a particular species pairs, and how long they pair for, and how long they stay together for, and you classify all the known birds, you’d arrive at a figure of over 90%,” Mulder says. But after genetic testing techniques were developed, scientists began to realise that birds were not as faithful as previously believed that social and sexual monogamy don’t necessarily go hand in hand. Mulder’s work on the found that born in nests were fathered by other males. That astonishing rate of cuckoldry is bested only by the Australian magpie, at a . On the whole, however, Australian birds tend to divorce less than European species, Griffith says, as strong partnerships are required to survive fickle environmental conditions. In the northern hemisphere, the timing of breeding seasons is predictable, tied to day length, but in Australia the decision to breed also depends on climatic factors. Australian birds tend to divorce less than European species “Some years, you literally don’t get any rain that’s meaningful and nothing grows, and the birds and animals that live there can’t breed,” Griffith says of Australia’s arid zone. “[Breeding] is a much more complicated decision at an individual level but, if you’re in a good partnership, you can together optimise that decision.” Among birds, the poster child for monogamy is the wandering albatross, which can live up to 50 years and usually mates for life. “This bird takes such a long time to establish a pair bond,” says Dr Ruijiao Sun, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Santa Barbara. “If an individual loses their partner, it takes years to bond with a new one to be able to start breeding again. “Wandering albatrosses only have one egg at each breeding season but there always needs to be one parent sitting on the nest to protect their chick and do the incubating but they also need to forage ... so they have to take turns. “It really takes two to be able to raise their chicks.” Sun suggests long-lived species such as the wandering albatross benefit more from strong pair bonds. “Each time they breed, they fine-tune their behaviours – they coordinate with each other much better, making reproduction effortless [over time].” Short-lived species, in contrast, might be more ready to ditch their partner to maximise breeding opportunities. Even so, Sun’s research estimates that the divorce rate in wandering albatrosses is about 10%. (Compare this to the king penguin, which, though while with a partner, divorces at a rate .) Other factors that might drive animals to divorce – what scientists call mate switching – include a high mortality rate and a . Both drive up competition for mates, creating temptation for those of the minority sex to shack up with someone more appealing. Research is also emerging that the climate crisis may also play a role in divorce. In a , which nest in rock crevices in Antarctica, Sun and her co-authors found that the number of snow days in a breeding season was directly linked to the rate of break-ups. Too much snow fills nests and freezes the eggs, leading to incubation failure. “They may either abandon their previous nest or abandon their partner,” Sun says, adding that the stress of constant snow-shovelling might make birds “blame their partner more than they normally would do”. The work projected that declining sea ice under climate change would also affect survival rates in future, skewing the sex ratio. “We will have a lot of males in a population, and fewer females available to mate with them,” Sun says. probably also play a role in the Falkland Islands, where unusually warm water temperatures have been linked to in black-browed albatrosses. “Environmentally driven divorce,” the researchers suggested at the time, “may therefore represent an overlooked consequence of global change”.zbet casino 。

Islam Abu El-Magd, head of the National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences (NARSS), hosted a scientific meeting with Stefan Schmid, director of the Agricultural Innovation Project at the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), and Walid Ramadan, senior advisor of the project, to explore mechanisms for strengthening scientific and research collaboration between the two entities. The meeting reviewed the capabilities and contributions of NARSS while discussing opportunities to leverage GIZ’s focus on supporting agricultural projects and small farmers. During the session, Abu El-Magd and his team highlighted NARSS’s scientific and human resources, extensive expertise, and advanced technologies. These assets enable the authority to provide comprehensive support to local and international organizations through studies that promote community development, assist small farmers, and contribute to broader sustainable development initiatives. Abu El-Magd affirmed NARSS’s readiness to cooperate with partners who could benefit from its research outputs, emphasizing that all collaborations would adhere to applicable regulations and laws. The meeting reflects NARSS’s commitment to fostering partnerships with local and international organizations that support scientific research. This approach aims to maximize the impact of NARSS’s research outputs and advance sustainable development efforts in Egypt, according to a press release from the authority. Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, underscored the importance of collaboration between research institutions and international partners. He highlighted the mutual benefits of exchanging expertise and ideas, emphasizing the role of research in driving significant development across various sectors. The meeting was attended by Abdulaziz Bilal, head of the Agricultural Applications, Soil, and Marine Sciences Division; Mohamed Aboulghar, head of the Agricultural Applications Department; and a team of researchers from NARSS’s Agricultural Applications, Soil, and Marine Sciences Division.

BEIRUT — Syria’s embassy in Lebanon suspended consular services Saturday, a day after two relatives of deposed Syrian President Bashar Assad were arrested at the Beirut airport with allegedly forged passports. Also on Saturday, Lebanese authorities handed over dozens of Syrians — including former officers in the Syrian army under Assad — to the new Syrian authorities after they were caught illegally entering Lebanon, a war monitor and Lebanese officials said. The embassy announced on its Facebook page that consular work was suspended “until further notice” at the order of the Syrian foreign ministry. The announcement did not give a reason for the suspension. Two Lebanese security officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, said the suspension was ordered because the passports belonging to Assad’s relatives — the wife and daughter of one of his cousins — were believed to have been forged at the embassy. Assad’s uncle, Rifaat Assad — who has been indicted in Switzerland on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity — had flown out the day before on his real passport and was not stopped, the officials said. The U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported Saturday that 70 Syrians, including former army officers, were handed over by a Lebanese security delegation to the security forces of the new Syrian government, led by the former insurgent group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS. Three Lebanese judicial officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the report. Regional countries have been quick to establish ties with Syria’s new rulers. Delegations of Libyan and Bahraini officials arrived in Damascus on Saturday on official visits. HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, has largely succeeded in calming fears within and outside of Syria that his group would unleash collective punishment against communities that supported Assad’s rule or attempt to impose strict Islamic law on the country’s religious minorities. However, in recent days, sporadic clashes have broken out between the HTS-led security forces and pro-Assad armed groups. The country’s new security forces have launched a series of raids targeting officials affiliated with Assad and have set up checkpoints in areas with significant populations of the Alawite religious minority to which the former president belongs to search for weapons. There have also been ongoing tensions and clashes in northeastern Syria between Kurdish-led forces and armed groups backed by Turkey. Many Kurds have viewed the new order in Damascus, which appears to have strengthened Turkey’s hand in Syria, with anxiety. Ankara sees the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces — a key U.S. ally in the fight against the Islamic State group — as an affiliate of its sworn enemy, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which it classifies as a terrorist organization. The U.S. State Department said Saturday that Secretary of State Antony Blinken had spoken with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to “discuss the latest developments in Syria.” “Secretary Blinken emphasized the need to support a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process that upholds human rights and prioritizes an inclusive and representative government,” the statement said, adding that they “also discussed the shared goal of preventing terrorism from endangering the security” of Turkey and Syria. On Saturday, hundreds of protesters convened by Kurdish women’s groups participated in a demonstration in the northeastern city of Hasaka to demand women’s rights in the new Syria. Perishan Ramadan, a participant from Hasaka, said the new government “is worse than Bashar” and that its leaders are Islamist extremists who “don’t accept any role for women.” While the country’s new leaders have not attempted to impose Islamic dress or other conventions, it remains to be seen what role women will have in the new order and whether they will hold political or government positions. “Women must be present in the new constitution for Syria,” said Rihan Loqo, spokeswoman for the Kongra Star women’s organization. “... Women’s rights should not be ignored.” Associated Press writers Hogir Abdo in Hasaka, Syria, and Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington contributed to this report.

Panthers capture first football state championshipOndo Guber: INEC Ad Hoc Staff Cry Out Over Non-Payment Of Allowance, Threaten Mass Protest

DePaul Prep beats Coal City, completes a Cinderella run to the 4A state title game

ASML INVESTOR ALERT: ASML Holding N.V. Investors with Substantial Losses Have Opportunity to Lead Shareholder Class Action LawsuitPersonalized Gifts Market to Grow by USD 14.98 Billion (2024-2028), Driven by New Product Innovations, AI Driving Market Transformation - TechnavioPerfect or 100% fair? Well, nobody ever believed that. The first expanded playoff bracket unveiled Sunday left a presumably deserving Alabama team on the sideline in favor of an SMU squad with a better record after playing a schedule that was not as difficult. It ranked undefeated Oregon first but set up a possible rematch against Ohio State, the team that came closest to beating the Ducks this year. It treated underdog Boise State like a favorite and banged-up Georgia like a world beater at No. 2. It gave Ohio State home-field advantage against Tennessee for reasons it would take a supercomputer to figure out. It gave the sport the multiweek tournament it has longed for, but also ensured there will be plenty to grouse about between now and when the trophy is handed out on Jan. 20 after what will easily be the longest college football season in history. All of it, thankfully, will be sorted out on the field starting with first-round games on campuses Dec. 20 and 21, then over three succeeding rounds that will wind their way through traditional bowl sites. Maybe Oregon coach Dan Lanning, whose undefeated Ducks are the favorite to win it all, put it best when he offered: "Winning a national championship is not supposed to be easy.” Neither, it turns out, is figuring out who should play for it. Coming up short The Big Ten will lead the way with four teams in the tournament, followed by the SEC with three and the ACC with two. The lasting memory from the inaugural bracket will involve the decision that handed the ACC that second bid. Alabama of the SEC didn't play Saturday. SMU of the ACC did. The Mustangs fell behind by three touchdowns to Clemson before coming back to tie. But they ultimately lost 34-31 on a 56-yard field goal as time expired. “We were on pins and needles,” SMU coach Rhett Lashley said. “Until we saw the name ‘SMU’ up there, we were hanging on the edge. We're really, really happy and thankful to the committee for rewarding our guys for their total body of work." The Mustangs only had two losses, compared to three for the Crimson Tide. Even though SMU's schedule wasn't nearly as tough, the committee was impressed by the way the Mustangs came back against Clemson. “We just felt, in this particular case, SMU had the nod above Alabama,” said Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, the chairman of the selection committee. “But it’s no disrespect to Alabama’s strength of schedule. We looked at the entire body of work for both teams.” First round byes Georgia, the SEC champion, was seeded second; Boise State, the Mountain West champion, earned the third seed; and Big 12 titlist Arizona State got the fourth seed and the fourth and final first-round bye. All will play in quarterfinals at bowl games on Dec. 31-Jan. 1. Clemson stole a bid and the 12th seed with its crazy win over SMU, the result that ultimately cost Alabama a spot in the field. The Tigers moved to No. 16 in the rankings, but got in as the fifth-best conference winner. Automatic byes and bids made the bracket strange The conference commissioners' idea to give conference champions preferable treatment in this first iteration of the 12-team playoff could be up for reconsideration after this season. The committee actually ranked Boise State, the Mountain West Champion, at No. 9 and Big 12 champion Arizona State at No. 12, but both get to skip the first round. Another CFP guideline: There’s no reseeding of teams after each round, which means no break for Oregon. The top-seeded Ducks will face the winner of Tennessee-Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. Oregon beat Ohio State 32-31 earlier this year in one of the season’s best games. First round matchups No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas, Dec. 21: Clemson is riding high after the SMU upset, while Texas is 0-2 against Georgia and 11-0 vs. everyone else this season. The winner faces ... Arizona State in the Peach Bowl. Huh? No. 11 SMU at No. 6 Penn State, Dec. 21: The biggest knock against the Mustangs was that they didn't play any big boys with that 60th-ranked strength of schedule. Well, now they get to. The winner faces ... Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. Yes, SMU vs. Boise was the quarterfinal we all expected. No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Notre Dame, Dec. 20: Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti thought his team deserved a home game. Well, not quite but close. The winner gets ... Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. The Bulldogs got the No. 2 seed despite a throwing-arm injury to QB Carson Beck. But what else was the committee supposed to do? No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State, Dec. 21: The Buckeyes (losses to Oregon, Michigan) got home field over the Volunteers (losses to Arkansas, Georgia) in a matchup of programs with two of the biggest stadiums in football. The winner faces ... Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Feels like that matchup should come in the semifinals or later.

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