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Good morning, and welcome to Kid News.
I'm Kim. Today is Thursday, October 3, 2024.
And we begin with fireflies facing an unexpected foe, light.
Scientists say the world's firefly population is shrinking in part because too much light at night is making it hard for them to communicate and find each other.
According to the journal Bioscience, some of the 2 ,000 species of fireflies are doing fine, especially those in areas with low levels of pesticides and light pollution.
Others, however, not so much.
On the bright side, experts are working to minimize losses by developing firefly sanctuaries and preserves, where people can observe the bugs without harming them.
And knowledge, they say, is key.
If people are willing to spend five or ten minutes each week figuring out what kind of fireflies they have and then counting their flashes, one researcher said, we could figure out what species are in trouble and work on solutions.
It was too dangerous on the ground, but President Biden paid his first visit to the Hurricane Ravage South by helicopter yesterday.
He flew over hard -hit Asheville, North Carolina and the town of Chimney Rock, both of which have largely been cut off from the outside world.
To get them the help they need, the president ordered 1 ,000 active -duty military to join 6 ,000 members of the National Guard who've already deployed.
Meantime, Helene's rainfall numbers are staggering.
According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officials, 40 trillion gallons of rain soaked the region last week, a number one of them called an astronomical amount of precipitation.
The Associated Press broke it down this way.
Forty trillion gallons of water would fill the Dallas Cowboys Stadium 51 ,000 times, fill more than 60 million Olympic -sized swimming pools, and provide 619 days of constant water flow over Niagara Falls.
Legendary tennis player, Billie Jean King, has become the first individual female athlete to be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.
President Joe Biden made the honor official last week by signing a law recognizing the now 80 -year -old for her work both on and off the court, devoting her life to championing equal rights for all in sports and in society.
According to CNN, King won 39 Grand Slam titles and defeated former Men's World No.
1 player Bobby Riggs in a 1973 match dubbed the Battle of the Sexes.
King also played a role in pushing for equal pay for female tennis players and helped form the Women's Tennis Association to give female players a platform and power to negotiate.
In another first for women, Mexico now has its first female president.
Vowing its time for women, Claudia Scheinbaum was sworn in Tuesday.
The 62 -year -old scientist and former Mexico City mayor is promising to bolster women's rights and strengthen Mexico's economy with policies similar to those of her predecessor and backer, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
According to Reuters, Ms.
Scheinbaum rode to victory on 60 percent of the vote, but will have her work cut out for her as Mexico is facing lagging economic growth and the country's largest budget deficit in more than 40 years.
No need to hoard the toilet paper.
That's the word of manufacturers who say the major port strike that began this week along the East and Gulf Coast should have absolutely no impact on that bathroom necessity.
According to CNN, panic buyers reacting to posts on social media and fears of another pandemic -level shortage are rushing out and stocking up needlessly.
The strike by more than 40 ,000 dock workers demanding higher pay could indeed disrupt supply chains for some products if it continues.
But for now, the TP is plentiful.
Still ahead, treasure that was hiding in plain sight.
But first, today's Kid News Quiz.
Who has become the first individual female athlete to be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal?
Billie Jean King. What is the name of Mexico's first female president?
Claudia Scheinbaum.
What product, do officials say, is not in short supply due to the dock worker strike?
Toilet paper. Why is the world's Firefly population in trouble?
Because of light pollution.
In today's Kid News Kicker, for more than 50 years the La Rosso family in Pompeii, Italy had a painting in their living room that they just learned is a real Picasso.
The owner, Luigi La Rosso, a junk dealer, had found it while clearing a villa, and while he saw the Picasso signature, he had no idea who that was.
Roughly 20 years later, his son pointed out the painting's strong resemblance to Picasso art he'd seen in his schoolbooks.
According to Euronews, the family doubted him but eventually paid to have a team of specialists analyze it, and sure enough, the artwork turned out to be the real deal.
The painting no longer hangs in the family home but lies instead in a vault awaiting valuation, which has been estimated to be between 6 to 12 million euros, which is roughly 7 to 13 million dollars.
Regardless, the La Rosso say they aren't selling it.
Before we go, shoutouts for our teachers.
Mrs. Hard's Salt Hawks at Hutchinson Virtual School in Hutchinson, Kansas.
Mrs. Euth's sixth grade Knights in Room 25 at North Park in Valencia, California.
And Ms. Gabie's Junior Jackets at New Athens Junior High in New Athens, Illinois.
Thanks for listening.
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