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Waterfalls captivate with their sheer power, beauty, and the wonder of nature. From the towering heights of Angel Falls to the unique red hue of Blood Falls, each waterfall offers a unique spectacle. Here’s a list of some of the most breathtaking waterfalls around the world:

1. Mardalsfossen Waterfall, Norway

Located in Norway, Mardalsfossen is one of the tallest waterfalls in Europe. It plunges 2,297 feet in a stunning two-stage drop, making it a must-visit for nature enthusiasts.

2. Kaieteur Falls, Guyana

Kaieteur Falls stands at 741 feet tall, making it one of the world’s largest single-drop waterfalls. Its remote location in the Amazon rainforest ensures rich biodiversity, attracting eco-tourists from around the globe.

3. Tugela Falls, Drakensberg, South Africa

Tugela Falls is the world’s second tallest waterfall, cascading 3,110 feet in a spectacular five-tiered drop. Located in Royal Natal National Park, its seasonal flow and scenic hiking trails make it a natural wonder.

4. Victoria Falls, Zambia-Zimbabwe Border

Victoria Falls, known locally as “The Smoke that Thunders,” straddles the Zambia-Zimbabwe border. At 355 feet tall and 5,604 feet wide, this UNESCO World Heritage site offers the unique thrill of swimming in the Devil’s Pool.

5. Blood Falls, Antarctica

Blood Falls in Antarctica is a scientific marvel. The iron-rich water seeping from Taylor Glacier gives it a striking red hue. This extreme environment hosts unique microbial life and provides stunning visual and scientific interest.

6. Angel Falls, Venezuela

Angel Falls, the world’s tallest waterfall, drops a staggering 3,212 feet. Situated in the remote Canaima National Park, it’s named after aviator Jimmy Angel, who discovered it. The falls are a symbol of Venezuela’s natural beauty.

7. Yosemite Falls, USA

Yosemite Falls, at 2,425 feet, is the tallest waterfall in North America. Located in California’s Yosemite National Park, it has three sections and reaches peak flow in spring, offering breathtaking views.

8. Iguazu Falls, Argentina-Brazil Border

Spanning 1.7 miles with 275 cascades, Iguazu Falls is one of the most impressive waterfall systems in the world. Its rainforest setting and the powerful Devil’s Throat drop make it a UNESCO World Heritage site.

9. Gullfoss Waterfall, Iceland

Part of Iceland’s Golden Circle, Gullfoss Waterfall features a stunning two-tiered cascade over 105 feet. The glacial river Hvítá powers this waterfall, creating spectacular rainbows and making it a protected natural site.

10. Niagara Falls, US-Canada Border

Niagara Falls consists of three waterfalls with a combined height of 167 feet and width of 2,600 feet. This major tourist attraction also serves as a significant source of hydroelectric power, offering boat tours for up-close experiences.

11. Kabut Pelangi Waterfall, Indonesia

Kabut Pelangi Waterfall in Indonesia is known for its vibrant rainbow mists created by sunlight hitting the cascading water, offering a mesmerizing sight.

12. Ban Gioc Waterfall, Vietnam-China Border

Ban Gioc Waterfall, 98 feet tall and 984 feet wide, straddles the Vietnam-China border. Its multi-tiered cascades and scenic karst landscape make it a popular cultural and tourism site.

13. Dudhsagar Falls, India

Dudhsagar Falls, or “Sea of Milk,” is a four-tiered waterfall standing at 1,017 feet on the Goa-Karnataka border. It’s surrounded by lush forests, making it a favorite trekking destination.

14. Rhine Falls, Switzerland

Rhine Falls, Europe’s largest waterfall by volume, measures 450 feet wide and 75 feet tall. Near Schaffhausen, it offers boat trips and views of impressive rock formations.

https://youtube.com/shorts/q-KBRq26YlA?si=ZH1k5JCmF8uU2Nap

15. Thi Lo Su Waterfall, Thailand

As Thailand’s largest waterfall, Thi Lo Su offers a majestic multi-tiered drop amidst lush tropical forests, making it a natural gem in Southeast Asia.

16. Havasu Falls, Arizona, USA

Havasu Falls is a turquoise oasis in Arizona’s Grand Canyon, renowned for its stunning blue-green waters and rugged canyon backdrop.

17. Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, Iceland

Seljalandsfoss is famous for its unique walk-behind experience, allowing visitors to view the majestic cascade from behind the curtain of water.

18. Plitviče Waterfalls, Croatia

Located in Plitviče Lakes National Park, these cascading waterfalls are surrounded by lush greenery and crystal-clear lakes, offering a picturesque natural setting.

19. Sutherland Falls, New Zealand

Sutherland Falls in New Zealand cascades 1,904 feet in three stages, set within the stunning Fiordland National Park, offering breathtaking scenery.

20. Kawasan Falls, Philippines

Kawasan Falls is a series of stunning turquoise waterfalls in Cebu, Philippines, known for its vibrant waters and lush tropical surroundings.

21. Kuang Si Waterfall, Laos

Kuang Si Waterfall in Laos features multiple tiers of turquoise pools, offering a serene and picturesque swimming spot surrounded by jungle.

22. Multnomah Falls, Oregon, USA

Multnomah Falls, at 620 feet, is one of Oregon’s most iconic landmarks. Its two-tiered drop and scenic setting make it a popular tourist destination.

23. Jim Jim Falls, Australia

Located in Kakadu National Park, Jim Jim Falls is a stunning waterfall that plunges into a deep pool, surrounded by dramatic cliffs and lush vegetation.

24. Nachi Waterfall, Japan

Nachi Waterfall, at 436 feet, is Japan’s tallest single-drop waterfall, located in the spiritual Nachi-Katsuura area, offering a serene and sacred atmosphere.

25. Dettifoss, Iceland

Dettifoss is Europe’s second most powerful waterfall, located in Vatnajökull National Park. Its immense power and rugged beauty make it a must-see in Iceland.

26. Underwater Waterfall, Mauritius

The underwater waterfall illusion off the coast of Mauritius is a stunning optical illusion created by sand and silt deposits, visible from the air.

27. Salto del Agrio Waterfall, Caviahue, Argentina

Salto del Agrio in Argentina is known for its striking red rock formations and the vibrant blue pool at its base, offering a unique and picturesque sight.

These waterfalls, each with their unique characteristics and beauty, showcase the incredible diversity and power of nature. Whether it’s the tallest, the widest, or the most unusual, each waterfall leaves a lasting impression on those who witness its splendor.

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Fred Richard envisioned this long ago. All of it.

The confetti. The flashing lights. The adrenaline rush of hearing his name called as an Olympian.

The charismatic 20-year-old who has made it his life’s mission to make men’s gymnastics relevant in the United States knew reaching the Olympics would be a vital step in the process.

And now it’s here. Emphatically.

Richard will headline the five-man U.S. team that will head to Paris next month with a legitimate chance to medal after winning the Olympic trials on Saturday.

“It’s like a new mountain in my life,” Richard said. “And I’m ready to climb it.”

It certainly looks that way. Richard posted a steady and occasionally spectacular two-day all-around total of 170.500 at trials, just ahead of three-time national champion Brody Malone at 170.300.

Richard, known as “Frederick Flips” to his hundreds of thousands of social media followers, has spent years trying to nudge men’s gymnastics toward the spotlight through creative viral videos that often include collaborations with athletes in other sports.

The lights don’t get any brighter than the ones Richard and Olympic teammates Malone, Asher Hong, Paul Juda and Stephen Nedoroscik will compete under at Bercy Arena.

Nine months after earning a bronze at the 2023 world championships — the men’s program’s first at a major international competition in nearly a decade — Richard and the rest of the Americans believe they’re capable of even more this summer.

“It’s like we shouldn’t even be aiming for even just a medal,” said Richard, who also earned a bronze in the all-around at worlds last fall. “We should be aiming for gold and we’re going to land on something.”

The Americans have spent the last three years overhauling their program after finishing well off the podium at the Tokyo Olympics. They revamped their scoring system, offering bonus points at domestic meets for athletes who attempted more challenging skills.

The goal was to close the chasm in overall difficulty that had developed between the U.S. and longtime superpowers China and Japan. When the Americans saluted the judges for their first event in Tokyo they were already six points behind, the difference between the cumulative difficulty of their routines compared to the teams they were chasing.

That gap will be down to two points when the U.S. steps onto the floor during Olympic qualifying on July 27, giving them a legitimate chance to finish on the podium.

“(We are in) a much different position now,” high performance director Brett McClure said. “We’re going to be able to control our own destiny.”

And they’ll do it with the 24-year-old Malone, whose career was nearly derailed by a devastating right knee injury in March 2023. Three surgeries, 15 months and countless hours of physical therapy later, Malone’s knee is not perfect but better. His gymnastics might be, too.

Malone methodically worked his way back from the brink, though the last few weeks have been a blur. He didn’t put together a full floor routine until May, though he hasn’t exactly looked rusty. He cruised to a national title earlier this month and would have topped Richard at trials if not for a sloppy — by his standards — high bar routine on Saturday.

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Considering where he was last fall when he watched the men’s program he was supposed to be the standard-bearer for between Tokyo and Paris roll on without him, Malone will more than take it.

“It crept up on me real quick I’m just super grateful for all the medical staff and everyone has helped me get back to this point,” Malone said. “I really couldn’t have done it without them.”

Juda and Hong, members of last year’s world championship team, will join Malone and Richard as the core of what will be a relatively young American team. Nedoroscik is 25. Malone is 24. Juda turns 23 on July 7. Richard and Hong are all of 20.

The quiet and unassuming Juda broke down in tears multiple times in the aftermath while Hong was relieved after a somewhat nightmarish performance at nationals — thanks in part to what he believes was rough treatment by the judges gave him little margin for error heading into trials.

“It was kind of like a battle between me and the judges,” Hong said. “That was kind of the goal. Like, ‘Try and find something (wrong) in this routine, I dare you.’”

Khoi Young and Shane Wiskus will serve as the alternates. Wiskus, a member of the 2020 Olympic team, is retiring at the end of the competition season. The Minnesota native — who left his home state not long after the University of Minnesota cut its men’s program — drank in every ovation in what may have been the last performance of his career.

While Wiskus is stepping away, Richard is poised to move into his prime. He began pointing toward Paris long ago while growing up in the Boston suburbs. Now it’s finally here and he is eager to show that there is plenty of substance underneath all that showmanship.

“I want to be a medalist Olympian, that’s my personality,” he said. “There’s always more to go. And I’m excited to just keep gunning for it.”

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Fans of the global phenomenon Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba can rejoice! Today, as the final episode of the Hashira Training Arc airs, Crunchyroll, the leading anime streaming platform, has unveiled plans to bring the highly anticipated Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle to theaters worldwide as a trilogy of films.

This epic cinematic event will be distributed by Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment, reaching audiences worldwide excluding select territories in Asia. While a release date remains under wraps, the three-part saga promises to culminate the award-winning Shonen series.

“Demon Slayer has been a juggernaut franchise, and we at Crunchyroll are thrilled to have been on this journey from the very beginning,” shared Crunchyroll President Rahul Purini. “Bringing this trilogy to the big screen is an honor, and we have no doubt it will be a monumental pop culture moment when it hits theaters.”

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, based on the wildly popular manga series by Koyoharu Gotoge, boasts over 150 million copies in circulation across its 23 volumes. The captivating story follows Tanjiro Kamado, a young man whose family is tragically slaughtered by demons. Determined to turn his demon-possessed sister Nezuko back into a human, Tanjiro embarks on a dangerous quest as a member of the Demon Slayer Corps.

Since its debut in 2019, the Demon Slayer franchise has captivated audiences worldwide. The series began with the Tanjiro Kamado, Unwavering Resolve Arc, followed by the record-breaking Mugen Train film in 2020. Subsequent seasons – Mugen Train Arc and Entertainment District Arc – aired in 2021 and 2022, respectively. 2023 saw the arrival of the Swordsmith Village Arc on Crunchyroll, coinciding with the theatrical release of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba -To the Swordsmith Village-. This year, the Hashira Training Arc concluded on the platform, following the theatrical run of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba -To the Hashira Training-. ufotable is the powerhouse animation studio behind the series’ stunning visuals.

The latest Demon Slayer films – Mugen Train, -To the Swordsmith Village-, and -To the Hashira Training- – have garnered immense commercial and critical acclaim. Mugen Train reigns supreme as the highest-grossing anime film ever made, surpassing the 500 million USD mark globally. It also holds the title of the second-highest-grossing anime film in US box office history. Additionally, the film boasts an impressive 98% critic score and a near-perfect 99% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is currently available to stream on Crunchyroll for those eager to revisit the series.

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Today is the last day of Pride Month 2024 and like every year, we at Watch The Yard have created a recap of the Divine 9 organizations who have posted statements in celebration of Pride and their LGBTQIA+ members.

This year the international headquarters of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., and Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. all issued public statements via their social media channels.

See them below:

We must also highlight that individual alumni and undergraduate chapters, including those from D9 organizations not listed above, posted statements on their social media channels. However, the focus of this particular article is to showcase the statements from the international headquarters representing the organizations on a national level.

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The family of 20-year-old NBA draftee Kyle Filipowski has taken to social media to accuse his 28-year-old Mormon girlfriend of grooming him. Filipowski, who recently joined the Utah Jazz after falling to the second round in the NBA Draft, is reportedly no longer in contact with his family, a situation his relatives attribute to the influence of his girlfriend.

According to Filipowski’s family, the relationship began under unusual circumstances. His girlfriend, who graduated from the University of Alabama in 2018, was previously his babysitter. Their romantic involvement reportedly started when Filipowski was still in high school, with the first public photo of them together appearing on her Instagram from his high school prom in 2022. Additionally, there is a tagged group photo from 2017, suggesting a long history between them.

The situation came to light during NBA Draft interviews, where Filipowski appeared visibly nervous when questioned about his personal life. Sources suggest that this tension may have contributed to his drop to the second round, a surprising outcome for the talented player. Now, Filipowski heads to the Utah Jazz, a team based in the heart of Mormon country, adding another layer of intrigue to this already wild story.

Filipowski’s brother has been particularly vocal about the alleged manipulation. He claims that two years ago, Filipowski was coerced into severing ties with his family. “He sent them an email and everything, basically a goodbye letter,” the brother reportedly stated.

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Saturday Night Live has been a pillar of American comedy since the mid-70s. When 19-year-old Eddie Murphy joined the cast from 1980-1985, many said those were the best seasons of SNL.

After his departure, Murphy starred in box-buster movies like “Coming to America” and “Mulan.” Although Murphy was a stand-up comedian before SNL, he admits the show helped propel his career on the big screen.

“I had a blast up here,” Murphy recalled during a 2020 SNL interview. “There isn’t a better place for me to have been than here.”

So why did it take him 20 years to return to SNL? There has been much speculation over the years, but in a recent interview with the New York Times, Murphy said David Spade’s 1995 joke about him was the cause.

Spade became a member of SNL in 1990 — well after Murphy left, but in 1995, as part of his “Hollywood Minute” sketch, Spade said laughing next to a photo of Murphy “Look children, it’s a falling star. Make a wish.”

Spade’s jab directly followed the release of the film, “Vampire in Brooklyn,” starring Murphy alongside Angela Bassett, which tanked in theaters.

Murphy did not take light to Spade’s comment about his career. In fact, Murphy told the New York Times “‘I’m one of the family, and you’re f–king with me like that?’ It hurt my feelings like that.”

According to Murphy, it wasn’t just about a fellow SNL cast member making an insensitive joke about him. “I know that he can’t just say that,” Murphy said. “A joke has to go through channels, so the producers thought it was okay to say that. And all the people that have been on the show, you’ve never heard nobody make a joke about anybody’s career.”

Murphy called the joke a “cheap shot,” and although he did not further explain, he said there was racist intent behind it.

After the episode aired, Spade said the “Harlem Nights” star called and let him have it! In his 2015 memoir, Spade wrote how Murphy “hated” him, and it wasn’t until 20 years after his “stupid joke” that the pair cut the tension and squashed the beef.

Unfortunately for fans, this meant Murphy would not return to SNL until the show’s 40th anniversary in 2015. Since then, Murphy has also hosted the show in 2019.