Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith are chillin’ out, maxin’, relaxin’ all cool.
In fact, the former couple linked arms as they stepped out in Paris with their son Jaden Smith, enjoying a family…
E! Online (US) – Top Stories
Category: News Feeds
A bumblebee visits shooting stars on June 21, 2023. These early bloomers flower along coastal meadows and sea cliffs. Note the pollen sac on the bee’s hind legs. (Photo by Lisa Hupp/USFWS)
Alaska’s short summers demand fast, resilient pollinators — and few species meet that challenge as well as our native bumblebees. These insects are active in cold, windy, and unpredictable weather that keeps most other pollinators grounded. Their ability to generate heat, forage in low temperatures and fly long distances makes them essential to the health of Alaska’s wild landscapes.
Bumblebees pollinate blueberries, cranberries, fireweed, lupine, geranium and many tundra plants that wildlife depend on. Without them, berry production would drop, wildflower reproduction would falter and entire food webs would feel the impact.
Unlike honeybees, which rely on large colonies and stored honey, Alaska’s bumblebees survive with small annual colonies that die back each winter. Only newly mated queens overwinter, tucked beneath moss, soil or leaf litter. In spring, each queen must start a colony from scratch — building a nest, laying eggs and foraging alone until the first workers emerge. Their thick hair, large bodies and ability to shiver their flight muscles allow them to warm up and fly when temperatures are still in the 40s. This cold‑weather resilience is why bumblebees dominate northern ecosystems.
Alaska hosts more than 20 species of bumblebees, including the Arctic bumblebee, Bombus polaris, which can forage on cold, cloudy days; Bombus balteatus, a long‑tongued specialist of deep flowers; Bombus mixtus, common in forests and meadows; and Bombus occidentalis, once widespread but now in decline in parts of its range. Each species plays a unique ecological role, and many are important indicators of environmental change.
Even in Alaska’s remote landscapes, bumblebees face pressures. Climate change is altering the timing of plant blooms, creating mismatches between flowers and pollinators. Habitat loss from development and wildfire reduces nesting and foraging areas. Pesticide exposure remains a concern, especially near agricultural or managed landscapes. Disease transmission from managed bees — including commercial colonies brought north for pollination — poses additional risks. These challenges are documented by agencies such as the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Supporting bumblebees does not require large‑scale intervention. Protecting natural habitat, reducing pesticide use and planting native flowers can help maintain healthy populations. Home gardeners can make a difference by leaving small patches of undisturbed soil or vegetation for nesting queens and by choosing native plants that bloom from spring through fall.
Bumblebees are more than pollinators — they are keystone species. Their decline would ripple through Alaska’s ecosystems, affecting berries, wildlife and the cultural traditions tied to the land. Understanding their importance is a first step toward ensuring they remain part of Alaska’s future.
This commentary is the first in a six‑part series on Alaska’s native bees.
SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX.
(The Center Square) – State workers in Washington are about to get a raise, while secretive union negotiations that could include another raise get underway.
President Donald Trump just saved his nearly blemish-free endorsement record from another high-profile blunder.
Attorney General Alan Wilson won the Republican nomination in the GOP runoff for South Carolina governor Tuesday, defeating Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette. Trump had initially endorsed Evette in the race but added a last-minute dual endorsement of Wilson after limited public polling showed her trailing in the race in spite of Trump’s support.
Trump’s decision helped him avoid a third stinging loss after his candidates fell in Georgia’s and Iowa’s recent gubernatorial primaries.
“I can’t hurt one of them by only Endorsing the other, so, therefore, I am going to Endorse, for Governor of South Carolina, both Pam Evette and Alan Wilson! It’s a Wealth of Riches – With either one you can’t go wrong,” Trump wrote on Truth Social last Friday.
Wilson’s campaign built momentum quickly in the brief, two-week runoff. He touted endorsements from all but one of his four former primary challengers, including conservative firebrand Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.).
The attorney general also racked up endorsements from notable out-of-state Republicans like Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey, who both embraced Wilson before the president did.
Wilson, 52, is a longtime fixture in Columbia politics, serving as South Carolina’s top law enforcement official for the last 15 years. An Iraq war veteran, he rose to brief national prominence as he oversaw the prosecution of disgraced local attorney Alex Murdaugh, who was convicted of killing his wife and son — a case that was reopened in the final days ahead of the primary.
He is also the son of Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.).
This year’s primary is the first time South Carolinians have cast their ballots in an open race for governor since 2010, when former Gov. Nikki Haley was elected. Current Gov. Henry McMaster — the longest-serving governor in Palmetto State history — ascended to the office when Trump appointed Haley to serve as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations during his first term. McMaster was elected again twice but is now term-limited.
Wilson will face state Rep. Jermaine Johnson, who won the Democratic primary, in November. Wilson is expected to cruise to a general election win in the deeply conservative red state: South Carolinians have not elected a Democrat for governor since 1998.
Politics
She built an empire optimizing the American home, yet Martha Stewart’s initial meeting with Food Network executives was actually a bit rocky.
Food Republic – Restaurants, Reviews, Recipes, Cooking Tips
Move over ButterBurger and custard, this Culver’s menu item has customers putting it on everything from fries to pretzel bites to cheese curds.
Mashed – Fast Food, Celebrity Chefs, Grocery, Reviews
Traveling is all fun and games until it starts to wreak havoc on your skin. From dry, flaky skin that feels tight to random breakouts that don’t seem to go away, we’ve all dealt with post-travel…
E! Online (US) – Top Stories
Categories
JUNE 23
Post Content
The Anchorage Hockey Academy Summer Camp is getting help from the Seattle Kraken this week as members of the NHL organization’s player development staff work with young athletes on and off the ice. Organizers say the camp is about more…
Ghana has positioned itself to become one of the most surprising teams in the group stage at the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup following a 0-0 draw with England on Tuesday at Boston Stadium. Two months ago, Ghana’s team was in chaos as the team was extremely poor in the March international window. The federation felt compelled to make a coaching change and went with the highly respected Carlos Queiroz. The Portugal native has now guided Ghana to a win over Panama and a draw with England to be on the verge of advancing to the knockouts. Here are my takeaways: 1. Give Credit To Queiroz For Reshaping Ghana Queiroz has coached nine national teams and this is his fifth time coaching in a World Cup. He has also managed top clubs, including Real Madrid and Sporting CP. Now 73, Queiroz is well experienced and knows the international side of the game well. When he was hired by Ghana in April, he inherited a team that kept allowing goals in the March international window (including a 5-1 loss to Austria). His priority was to improve the team’s defense extremely quickly. In the win over Panama in the opener, Ghana grew into the game and by the end, all the dangerous chances were from the Black Stars. Most importantly, the team kept a clean sheet. Against England, Ghana came into the game as the heavy underdog. Queiroz’s game plan involved having his team slow the game down and focus on closing down on the ball when England moved into the final third. That is not easy to pull off effectively, but Ghana found success early with how well its players rotated and covered for each other. It clearly frustrated the English players who struggled in the first half to pick up the pace and find space to operate in the attack. England had 78% possession in the first half, but Ghana gave the Lions nothing to show for it. The first half ended without a shot on goal for either team, which was a success for Ghana. In the second half, it was a test of defensive discipline but combined more with the determination to block shots, make tired runs, win aerials, and engage in emergency defending. Late in the half, Ghana came close to finding a winner on a counterattack. At the start of the World Cup, Ghana was ranked 73rd in the latest FIFA World Rankings, which was one of the lowest in the tournament. Queiroz was given a near impossible task with Ghana, but he has helped to improve Ghana’s defense immensely in very little time. It is one of the most impressive coaching displays at this tournament. 2. Tuchel’s Tactics Felt Too Little, Too Late This was a very different test for England when compared with Croatia in the first game. Croatia came into that game looking to go directly at England and play them as equals. Ghana had no interest in attempting to impose itself on England. Rather, Ghana was content with sitting deep while looking to generate occasional chances on the counterattack or on set pieces. England’s head coach Thomas Tuchel had his team looking to play up the middle and find combination to open opportunities for Harry Kane or others in the box. It was somewhat surprising that he did not start wingers Marcus Rashford or Bukayo Saka after both performed well against Croatia. He also elected to start with two holding midfielders in a game where England was going to have plenty of possession deep in the attacking half. Throughout the first half, England was slow to adjust despite the opportunities not coming. Specifically, England’s first half struggles centered on the team not utilizing its wingers or fullbacks to unlock Ghana’s defense from wide areas where it could attack more in one-on-one situations. In the second half, England did not make any initial substitutions but began to attack more from out wide. In the 66th minute, Tuchel made significant adjustments when he replaced the team’s left side of the field when he took out winger Anthony Gordon and fullback Djed Spence and replaced them with Nico O’Reilly and Bukayo Saka. From there, England started to push forward more effectively. Ghanian goalkeeper Benjamin Asare had to make more saves as the half moved on. In one dramatic moment, the two subs of O’Reilly and Saka combined as O’Reilly sent a shot off the crossbar, and it was then followed by a shocking close-range miss from Kane. But the winner never came for England. Tuchel’s responses helped to generate chances, but the questions now arise about whether he waited too late and whether he got his initial gameplan correct. 3. Ghana Buckled Down And Prevailed While Queiroz deserves a lot of credit, the Ghanian players executed their gameplan brilliantly and with determination. Some of the areas where it achieved this result show up in the stats. Ghana finished the game making 22 tackles, blocking six shots, and making 39 clearances. Teams who get a result in a game with only that little percentage of possession tend to impress in these areas, but these numbers are very high. Even more impressive is that Ghana keeper Benjamin Asare only needed to make three saves. Ghana put forth a total team defensive effort. Any English player with the ball close to the box was swarmed, and the passing lanes were cut off. When England managed to have a good opportunity, Ghana players would dive to block shots. 4. Plenty At Stake In Group Stage Finales The teams next return to action on Saturday to complete group play. England remains in great shape as the Lions will once again be heavily favored in its Group L finale against Panama. A very pro-English crowd awaits the team at New York New Jersey Stadium, but the team clearly needs to play better than it did today because Panama is very likely to attempt to play in the same way. Tuchel will need to adjust and find ways to prevent Kane from being inactive for so long. As for Ghana, it now sits in great position with four points and a positive goal differential. Even a narrow loss to Croatia should be enough to send the Black Stars through to the knockouts. But a result against Croatia is not out of the question. Like against England, Ghana will be forced to defend for long stretches, but that does not seem to be a problem for Ghana either. Croatia should be the more concerned team.Latest Sports News from FOX Sports