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Boston's Rat Problem Is Growing Because Of Climate Change: New Study Shows Why Boston's Rat Problem Is Growing Because Of Climate Change: New Study Shows Why
Boston's Rat Problem Is Growing Because Of Climate Change: New Study Shows Why Climate change is fueling a surge in rat populations across major US cities, with Washington, DC, seeing the worst increase over the past two decades, a new study said. The study published by Science Advances on Friday, Jan. 31 analyzed public records from 16 cities worldwide to determine why some urban environments are more infested with rats than others. The researchers found that 11 cities—including Washington, Boston, and New York City—had seen major rat population growth over an average of 12 years. Washington's increase was the most extreme, tripling compared to Bo…

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by Chris Spiker
News
Upcoming Gabby Petito Doc On Netflix Sparks Mixed Reaction Online: 'So Disrespectful' Upcoming Gabby Petito Doc On Netflix Sparks Mixed Reaction Online: 'So Disrespectful'
Upcoming Gabby Petito Doc On Netflix Sparks Mixed Reaction Online: 'So Disrespectful' A chilling new Netflix docuseries is set to reignite national interest in the murder of Gabby Petito, the 22-year-old aspiring social media influencer from New York whose life was cut short by her fiancé during their cross-country road trip. American Murder: Gabby Petito promises an in-depth look beyond the headlines, exploring how an online #VanLife romance unraveled into a nightmare.  The three-part documentary promises exclusive interviews with Petito’s family and friends, revealing the devastating truth behind her allegedly “perfect” relationship with Brian Laundrie—one that was ri…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
3.8 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Massachusetts, Multiple Other States 3.8 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Massachusetts, Multiple Other States
3.8 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Massachusetts, Multiple Other States The US Geological Survey said a 3.8 magnitude earthquake shook much of the Northeast on Monday, Jan. 27. The quake occurred at 10:45 a.m. and was initially reported as a 4.1 on the Richter scale. Its epicenter was located near York Harbor, approximately seven miles off the coast of Maine and about 13 miles underground. The tremors were felt across Massachusetts and reached as far as Upstate New York, parts of Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and New Jersey.  In all, residents in nine states felt the tremors.  According to the Maine Earthquake Database, this was the third-strongest eart…

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by Josh Lanier
Politics
Trump Ends All Jan. 6 Cases With Pardons, Dismissals, Commutations, Signs Flurry Of Orders Trump Ends All Jan. 6 Cases With Pardons, Dismissals, Commutations, Signs Flurry Of Orders
Trump Ends All Jan. 6 Cases With Pardons, Dismissals, Commutations, Signs Flurry Of Orders Newly sworn in President Donald Trump granted pardons to nearly all individuals charged in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol attack and signed several executive orders marking an aggressive start to his second non-consecutive term. Some of the orders were signed in front of a crowd at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC shortly after his inauguration on Monday, Jan. 20, and the others in the Oval Office. Here's a rundown: Pardons for Jan. 6 rioters
 Trump pardoned, commuted sentences, and dismissed charges for most of the approximately 1,600 individuals charged in the Capitol riots…

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by Joe Lombardi
Politics
Trump Unveils Plan For TikTok After App Used By 170M Americans Goes Dark Trump Unveils Plan For TikTok After App Used By 170M Americans Goes Dark
Trump Unveils Plan For TikTok After App Used By 170M Americans Goes Dark President-elect Donald J. Trump announced Sunday, Jan. 19, that he plans to issue an executive order to delay the federal ban on TikTok, just hours after the app went dark for 170 million US users. UPDATE: TikTok Access Restored After 14 Hours In United States The popular social media platform ceased operations late Saturday, Jan. 18, as a federal law requiring its sale or ban took effect.  The legislation passed last year by Congress amid concerns over TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, raised fears that the app could enable data collection or propaganda by the Chinese gover…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Earn Your Scroll: Walking Unlocks Social Media With Boston Entrepreneur's New App Earn Your Scroll: Walking Unlocks Social Media With Boston Entrepreneur's New App
Earn Your Scroll: Walking Unlocks Social Media With Boston Entrepreneur's New App A new app is fighting against doomscrolling and helping users get active by turning steps into screen time. Steppin' blocks you from using certain apps unless you walk a certain number of daily steps. The app was founded by Boston entrepreneur Paul English, who's also a co-founder of travel search engine Kayak.com. Steppin' rewards physical activity by tying screen time to movement. For every 100 steps, users earn one minute of access to restricted apps, including social media apps like Facebook and Instagram, as well as other platforms like Netflix. The app's settings are fully …

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by Chris Spiker
News
Supreme Court Upholds TikTok Ban: How The App Could Survive In The U.S. Supreme Court Upholds TikTok Ban: How The App Could Survive In The U.S.
Supreme Court Upholds TikTok Ban: How The App Could Survive In The U.S. The Supreme Court has upheld a new law that could ban TikTok in the U.S. unless its Chinese parent company divests from the very popular video-sharing social media app. The justices said the "Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act" doesn't violate the First Amendment, according to the court's decision on Friday, Jan. 17. The ruling allows for TikTok to potentially be banned in the U.S. as early as Sunday, Jan. 19. TikTok, which has more than 170 million users in the U.S., has come under scrutiny over fears that ByteDance could allow the Chinese gov…

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by Chris Spiker
News
FDA Approves ZYN Nicotine Pouches For Sale, Restricts Ads Targeting Teens FDA Approves ZYN Nicotine Pouches For Sale, Restricts Ads Targeting Teens
FDA Approves ZYN Nicotine Pouches For Sale, Restricts Ads Targeting Teens The Food and Drug Administration has authorized the sales of 20 types of ZYN nicotine pouches amid concerns about children and teens using the products. The decision allows ZYN nicotine pouches to be legally marketed in the U.S. to adults aged 21 and older, the FDA said in a news release on Thursday, Jan. 6. The small natural fiber pouches are designed to be placed between the gum and lip. The FDA said the pouches contain substantially lower levels of harmful chemicals compared to cigarettes and most smokeless tobacco products, reducing risks of cancer and other serious …

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Meta To Cut 5% Of Lowest-Performing Workers, Zuckerberg Braces For 'Intense Year': Reports Meta To Cut 5% Of Lowest-Performing Workers, Zuckerberg Braces For 'Intense Year': Reports
Meta To Cut 5% Of Lowest-Performing Workers, Zuckerberg Braces For 'Intense Year': Reports Meta will cut thousands of employees in the latest move for the controversial company that owns platforms like Facebook and Instagram, according to reports. An internal memo sent to Meta workers said five percent of low-performing employees will be terminated, Bloomberg News reported. The company that also owns WhatsApp and Threads has more than 72,000 employees, according to Meta's most recent quarterly report. A five-percent reduction would mean about 3,600 people could lose their jobs. "I've decided to raise the bar on performance management and move out low-performers faster,…

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by Chris Spiker
News
Ex-Mass Cop Busted in $3M Fake Luxury Watch Conspiracy Gets 60 Days In Jail: Feds Ex-Mass Cop Busted in $3M Fake Luxury Watch Conspiracy Gets 60 Days In Jail: Feds
Ex-Mass Cop Busted in $3M Fake Luxury Watch Conspiracy Gets 60 Days In Jail: Feds If you bought a luxury watch from a Massachusetts police officer for a steal, you may have been duped. That’s what former cop Klevis Nako, 24, admitted to in a Connecticut federal court this week, according to federal authorities. Nako was convicted of conspiracy to sell counterfeit goods after he imported fake designer watches from China and sold them across the U.S. through Instagram and Facebook, the U.S. Attorney for Connecticut said. He has been sentenced to 60 days in federal prison, authorities said. His operation unraveled after federal agents intercepted dozens of shipments and con…

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by Josh Lanier
Lifestyle
Sneaky Hint At Win Or Harmless Caption Fun? Speculation Looms Over Mass 'Bachelor' Contestant Sneaky Hint At Win Or Harmless Caption Fun? Speculation Looms Over Mass 'Bachelor' Contestant
Sneaky Hint At Win Or Harmless Caption Fun? Speculation Looms Over Mass 'Bachelor' Contestant An Instagram post from one of ABC's "Bachelor" contestants from Massachusetts has some fans speculating she's hinting at something more than a slot in the cast. Juliana Pasquarosa, a 28-year-old client service associate from Newton, is one of 25 women vying for the affections of Grant Ellis, a 31-year-old New Jersey-based day trader in the upcoming season, which debuts later this month. Pasquarosa's Instagram is filled with photos of her friends and family or snaps taken at exotic locales.  But a mundane post from two years ago could be her spiciest yet — all because of a sneaky tweak…

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by Josh Lanier
Business
Fresh Catch: Seafood Market Expanding With Takeout Venture Along CT Shoreline Fresh Catch: Seafood Market Expanding With Takeout Venture Along CT Shoreline
Fresh Catch: Seafood Market Expanding With Takeout Venture Along CT Shoreline A seafood market is casting a bigger net by opening a restaurant in a popular destination for foodies along the Connecticut shoreline. J&R Seafood Market will open a takeout restaurant in Mystic called Off The Hook, the shop said in a Facebook post. The spot will be on West Main Street in the former home of Young Buns Doughnuts, which closed at the end of 2024. The new grab-and-go concept promises a curated menu of fresh and flavorful seafood dishes, maintaining the same quality and dedication customers of the Williams Avenue store have come to expect. "The fish market is STAYING …

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by Chris Spiker