Divers

Cornell Lab for Ornithology plans data linkup between app and population monitoring on eBird platformThe Merlin bird ID app will allow users to feed real-time bird identifications into one of the world’s biggest citizen-science biodiversity projects in an update it is hoped will aid conservation of at-risk birds.Since 2021, the free Merlin app, created by the Cornell Lab for Ornithology, has used machine learning to provide an almost instantaneous sound-identification service for birdsong, along with an image for each bird identified. In future, the detections of bird species recorded by people will be automatically collected on the global online database eBird, which contains more than 2bn bird observation records. Continue reading...

Fans of all stripes pack the bars to sing, cheer and commiserate in city where more than 3m people were born outside USAlmost 200,000 Ecuadorians and Ecuadorian Americans live in New York City, and last week quite a lot of them were in a Brooklyn restaurant called El Encebollado de Victor to watch their football team take on Germany – a traditional World Cup powerhouse.It made for quite a sight: a sea of yellow shirts under the restaurant’s blue roof, which had been adorned with red, blue and yellow balloons for the occasion. Among the most patriotically dressed was Luis Aguilar, 45, who was born in the US to parents who had emigrated from Ecuador. Continue reading...

• An expert at a World Economic Forum meeting in Dalian urged Gulf states to diversify their defense strategies to mitigate risks associated with their geographic locations. • The expert noted a shift in Iran's strategic priorities, stating that Tehran now views economic survival as its primary goal over geopolitical ambition. • This shift occurs as Washington and Tehran work toward a lasting peace agreement following a period of conflict exceeding 100 days.

• A new UCLA study reveals that diversity among BIPOC creatives in streaming films declined in 2025, despite strong audience demand for inclusive content. • The report highlights a disconnect between industry hiring and the success of diverse projects, such as "KPop Demon Hunters," which became Netflix’s most-watched movie with over 500 million views. • "KPop Demon Hunters" further demonstrated the commercial viability of diverse storytelling by winning an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and expanding into theatrical sing-along screenings.

• A new Hollywood diversity report reveals a significant decline in the representation of women and people of color within streaming films during 2025. • Despite the release of specific titles like Netflix's 'KPop Demon Hunters,' the overall trend shows a "nose dive" in inclusive casting and storytelling. • This regression is critical as it signals a reversal in the industry's previous efforts to broaden representation for marginalized groups on digital platforms.

• A new UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report reveals that diversity in streaming titles is declining, mirroring a downward trend previously observed in theatrical releases. • The findings are based on data analyzed from content released in 2025, indicating a shift in representation across streaming platforms. • This decline is significant as it suggests that the digital transition is not solving the systemic lack of diversity in the entertainment industry.

Eleven skydivers and a pilot were killed in Sunday crash as aircraft for Skydive Kansas City was taking off in ButlerThe Missouri skydiving community is mourning the loss of several of its members after a plane crash south of Kansas City killed 11 skydivers and a pilot.The crash occurred around noon on Sunday in Butler, Missouri, as an aircraft supporting operations for Skydive Kansas City was taking off, the company said in a statement on Monday, as reported by the local news outlet KCTV. Continue reading...