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Icelandic horse performing the tölt

The Icelandic horse is a breed of horse developed in Iceland. Developed from ponies brought to Iceland by Norse settlers in the 9th and 10th centuries, the breed is mentioned in Icelandic literature and historical records. They are long-lived, hardy, and have few diseases in their country. In addition to the gaits typical of other horse breeds, many Icelandic horses can also do the tölt (pictured) and the flying pace. The only breed of horse in Iceland, sizable populations exist in Europe and North America. They are used for sheepherding work in Iceland, leisure, showing, and racing. Selective breeding and natural selection with the Icelandic climate developed them into their current form. In the 1780s, much of the breed was killed after a volcanic eruption at Laki. The first breed society for the Icelandic horse was created in Iceland in 1904; the breed is now represented by organizations in 19 nations, under the auspices of the International Federation of Icelandic Horse Associations. (Full article...)

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Did you know ...

Henry Street salamander tunnel

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... that actress Mia Goth was cast as both Pearl and Maxine in X to emphasize the similarities between the two characters?
... that making the manganese nitride Mn₂N requires a sponge?
... that AI researcher Jan Leike believes "safety culture and processes have taken a backseat to shiny products" at OpenAI?
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... that Two Roosters Ice Cream became locally popular after offering odd flavors such as "grilled cheese" and "pizza"?
... that Drake discovered an ancient Chinese city?

In the news

Saulos Chilima

A fire in a residential building in Kuwait City's suburb of Mangaf kills fifty people.
A plane crash near Chikangawa, Malawi, kills nine people, including Vice President Saulos Chilima (pictured).
In tennis, Iga Świątek wins the women's singles and Carlos Alcaraz wins the men's singles titles at the French Open.
In the Indian general election, the National Democratic Alliance, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is re-elected with a reduced majority.

On this day

June 17:

Mumtaz Mahal

1579 – Explorer Francis Drake landed in a region of present-day California, naming it New Albion and claiming it for England.
1631 – Mumtaz Mahal (pictured), wife of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, died in childbirth; Jahan spent the next seventeen years constructing her mausoleum, the Taj Mahal.
1919 – Hundreds of Canadian soldiers rioted in Epsom, England, leading to the death of a British police officer.
1952 – Guatemalan Revolution: The Guatemalan Congress passed Decree 900, redistributing unused land greater than 224 acres (0.91 km²) in area to local peasants.

M. C. Escher (b. 1898)
Richard Gagnon (b. 1948)
Amari Cooper (b. 1994)
Mohamed Morsi (d. 2019)

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From today's featured list

Michael Arndt

Toy Story 3, a 2010 animated comedy-drama film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures, won 41 awards from 96 nominations, with particular recognition for Michael Arndt's (pictured) writing. It received five nominations at the 83rd Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The film won Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song ("We Belong Together"). At the 64th British Academy Film Awards, Toy Story 3 was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Special Visual Effects, and won Best Animated Film. It won Best Animated Feature Film at the 68th Golden Globe Awards. (Full list...)

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Today's featured picture

Sugarloaf Mountain is a peak situated in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on a peninsula that juts out into the Atlantic Ocean. Rising 396 m (1,299 ft) above the harbor, the peak is named for its resemblance to the traditional shape of concentrated refined sugarloaf. The mountain is one of several monolithic granite and quartz mountains that rise straight from the water's edge in the area, and is geologically part of a family of steep-sided rock outcroppings known as bornhardts. Sugarloaf Mountain also features the Sugarloaf Cable Car and is popular with tourists for its panoramic views of the city and beyond. This photograph shows Sugarloaf Mountain at sunrise viewed from Tijuca National Park, with the Rio neighborhood of Botafogo in the foreground.

Photograph credit: Donatas Dabravolskas

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