PACT

May 11 2026ENVIRONMENT

Choosing the Right Green Toilet Paper Isn’t Always Simple

Most people grab toilet paper without thinking twice, but picking the right kind can actually make a difference for the planet. Traditional toilet paper comes from trees, often cut down in places like Canada or Brazil, and its production uses huge amounts of water and energy. Even worse, the bleachi

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May 11 2026FINANCE

Chile’s economy set for modest growth as new policies take shape

Chile’s government expects the economy to expand by just over 2% this year, despite pushing forward with spending cuts and reforms aimed at attracting more investment. The administration, led by a conservative team, insists on sticking to a 4% growth goal, but admits the path won’t be smooth. With g

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May 10 2026ENVIRONMENT

Drone Watchers: Do Flying Cameras Bother Gentle Giants?

Whale sharks drift through tropical seas like underwater buses, carrying a map of bright spots and stripes. Their calm demeanor and striking looks draw crowds to spots like Ningaloo Reef in Australia. Now, a new visitor shares their skies: drones. These buzzing eyes in the sky let researchers peek a

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May 10 2026POLITICS

Why Kansas Voters Rarely Get a Real Choice

Kansas stands out in American politics for a surprising reason: nearly one-third of its state legislative races in 2024 had no competition at all. That means 57 winners took office without facing a single opponent, locking in their positions before any votes were cast. The pattern isn’t random—two-t

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May 10 2026TECHNOLOGY

What happens when robots do all the work?

Some billionaires now say heavy effort at work might not matter in the future. A tech leader recently claimed that hard work could become worthless as machines and artificial intelligence take over tasks. He argued that talent and long hours will no longer guarantee success because smart software an

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May 10 2026HEALTH

Why coffee is getting a health upgrade (and how to drink it right)

Coffee used to get a bad rap. Doctors once warned pregnant women to avoid it and linked it to scary diseases like cancer. But those old warnings mostly came from studies that mixed up coffee with smoking—people often lit up while sipping their brew, making it hard to tell what was really causing har

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May 10 2026WEATHER

Heavy Rain Threatens Baton Rouge Through Mid-Morning

After a night of stormy weather, Baton Rouge woke up to a soggy morning. The National Weather Service sent out a flash flood alert early Saturday. The warning covers five parishes around the city. It started at 8:15 a. m. and lasts until 11:15 a. m. That’s three solid hours to stay cautious. By the

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May 10 2026ENVIRONMENT

This summer’s fruit harvest might be smaller and pricier than usual

Farmers in New Jersey and Pennsylvania are bracing for a tough season ahead. After a sudden heatwave in mid-April followed by unexpected freezes just days later, many fruit crops are struggling to recover. Peaches, apples, and even some berries were hit hard, with some farms losing most of their pro

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May 09 2026ENVIRONMENT

Wildfires Cut Trips, Prescribed Burns Boost Visits

In 2020, two massive fires in Colorado—Cameron Peak and East Troublesome—devastated popular spots around Rocky Mountain National Park and nearby forests. Even five years later, the landscape still shows blackened slopes and closed trails, hinting that people are avoiding these areas. Recent research

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May 09 2026WEATHER

Rainy Weekend Ahead: What Lafayette’s Storms Really Mean

Lafayette isn’t just getting rain this weekend—it’s facing a mixed bag of weather trouble. While thunderstorms roll through, the bigger issue isn’t just the noise and lightning. Heavy rain has already soaked parts of the city, with radar showing 1 to 3 inches already fallen. Another 1 to 4 inches co

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