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How to wash your produce to fight cyclosporiasis

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How to wash your produce to fight cyclosporiasis


Cases of a diarrhea-causing parasitic infection are rapidly rising across the U.S., forcing warnings from experts about food safety.

Cyclosporiasis is typically spread by exposure to contaminated produce and public health officials believe some of the 7,000 cases nationwide were tied to lettuce.

The best way to stay safe is to avoid foods linked to an outbreak, or heat food to 158 degrees Fahrenheit which kills the cyclospora parasite.

Vigorously and carefully washing food can also help reduce the risk. However, some foods are easier to wash than others and how you do so matters.

“While washing alone may not fully eliminate cyclospora, it enhances protection when combined with cooking or peeling,” Michigan’s health department states.

Experts say washing produce well is critical to stay safe during the continuing outbreaks of diarrhea-causing cyclosporiasis (Getty Images)

Buying food that’s prewashed does not guarantee safety, either, the department said.

Firm fruits and vegetables like melons, potatoes and cucumbers, should be scrubbed hard using a clean vegetable brush under running water. Then do a final rinse.

That can help to remove dirt and germs from the surface, according to the Indiana Department of Health.

“Even if you plan to peel produce, germs on the outside can be transferred to the inside when you cut it,” the department cautioned.

For softer produce, such as stone fruits and tomatoes, rubbing under water is the way to go.

Softer produce like tomatoes should be rubbed and harder products should be scrubbed
Softer produce like tomatoes should be rubbed and harder products should be scrubbed (Getty Images)

The outer layers of leafy greens or cabbage should be separated while washing, the Food and Drug Administration says.

“Food safety rarely depends on one perfect action. It depends on several layers of protection working together,” Darin Detwiler, a food safety expert at Northeastern University, told Good Housekeeping.

Soap, bleach, detergent or other household cleaners should never be used on fresh fruits and vegetables, Penn State University warns. They are not intended for use on foods and may leave harmful residues.

A farmers’ market in San Rafael, California. People should not wash the produce they purchase with soap or household cleaners
A farmers’ market in San Rafael, California. People should not wash the produce they purchase with soap or household cleaners (Getty Images)

These cleaning agents are unable to affect the parasite’s protective outer layer, Don Stoeckel, an environmental biologist and special projects lead at Cornell Produce Safety Alliance, told The Washington Post.

“Likewise, vinegar, baking soda and commercial produce washes have not been shown to eliminate Cyclospora from contaminated produce,” it said.

Vinegar cannot eliminate the parasite but there is some research that showed a solution of vinegar and water helped to remove it from raspberries. Though, that could be because of the swishing motion they used and the same was not seen for blueberries, which only required water.



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YouTube TV quietly adds new channels to lineup for customers

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YouTube TV quietly adds new channels to lineup for customers


YouTube TV quietly expanded its channel lineup this week with several new additions.

The streaming service recently updated its official channel directory to include networks such as HBCU Go, Cars.TV, Pets.TV and TheGrio, which are all part of Allen Media Group.

HBCU Go is a network focused on historically Black colleges and universities. The channel features college sports coverage, documentaries, cultural programming and events centered around HBCU communities.

Cars.TV caters to automotive enthusiasts, while Pets.TV focuses on animal-related content. The Grio, meanwhile, provides news, entertainment and lifestyle programming targeting Black audiences.

The additions appear to be part of a growing partnership between YouTube TV and Allen Media Group, the media company founded by entrepreneur Byron Allen, who also serves as the chairman and CEO of AMG.

Youtube recently renewed its carriage agreement with AMG (AFP/Getty)

In May, YouTube TV renewed its carriage agreement with AMG, ensuring subscribers kept access to The Weather Channel. The agreement also kept Comedy.TV, Justice Central and Recipe.TV on streaming service.

“We are thrilled to extend our partnership with Google by continuing to provide our weather, news, comedy, court, and lifestyle networks to YouTube TV’s millions of subscribers,” Allen said in a statement at the time, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Emily Washkowitz, YouTube’s head of TV and film partnerships, added, “We are pleased to continue our relationship with Allen Media Group. Our goal is to provide a consistent and diverse lineup for our subscribers, and this renewed agreement helps us maintain that commitment.”

The channel expansion comes after YouTube TV recently began offering lower-cost, genre-specific plans, like Sports and Entertainment, alongside its $82.99-per-month base package of more than 100 channels.



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Trump Media to sell faster access to top Truth Social accounts:

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Trump Media to sell faster access to top Truth Social accounts:


Washington — President Trump’s media company will sell faster access to Truth Social posts, where the president often announces policy updates and market-moving news. 

Trump Media & Technology Group announced Thursday it will launch a Truth API data feed for Wall Street that provides “real-time access to posts from the highest-ranking Truth Social accounts.” It’s expected to be available beginning Aug. 1, the company said. 

“Markets already move on Truth Social posts,” Kevin McGurn, interim chief executive officer at Trump Media & Technology Group, said in a statement. 

The company said the API will deliver posts to paying customers in “milliseconds,” and is designed for firms “most impacted by the cost of a delay in information,” including high-frequency trading firms that buy and sell stocks in fractions of seconds. The data feed will “provide continuous 24/7 coverage” and has an archive of posts dating back to 2022, the company said. 

McGurn said he expects the offering to provide a “meaningful, ongoing source of revenue” for the company. The company did not specify how much the service will cost.

“Truth API delivers a direct, licensed, real-time feed of the platform’s most market-moving Truths while advancing our strategy to monetize proprietary assets through a high-margin, recurring revenue stream,” he said.

Mr. Trump founded his media and technology company in 2021, after many of the largest social media platforms suspended his accounts in the wake of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot — suspensions that have since been lifted.

Mr. Trump is the highest-profile user of Truth Social, with 12.9 million followers, though his eldest sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, and the White House also have several million followers. The president has often used Truth Social to make major policy announcements, including statements on tariffs and the Iran war that have moved financial markets.




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Trump administration caps how long international students can stay in the US

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Trump administration caps how long international students can stay in the US


WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has finalized a rule that will prevent international students from staying in the U.S. for more than four years unless they obtain the federal government’s approval, the Department of Homeland Security said Thursday, announcing a departure from long-standing practice.

The rule, which goes into effect in September, also puts in place restrictions on when and how students may change their major or academic program.

Current rules give students significantly more flexibility. They are generally admitted to the U.S. for as long as it takes to complete the academic program, many of which are longer than four years by design.

Higher education leaders have opposed the rule, arguing the change creates an administrative burden for schools, universities and the federal government.

“This action is unnecessary and duplicative,” said Zuzana Wootson, deputy director of federal policy at the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, a nonprofit organization. “International students are already among the most closely monitored nonimmigrant populations in the U.S. and are subject to rigorous oversight by DHS and academic institutions.”

In a statement, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin described the rule as cracking down on a loophole that international students were exploiting by extending their studies.

“By implementing clear, finite limits on these visas, the United States is reclaiming its ability to properly screen, vet, and monitor individuals within our borders,” Mullin said. “This final rule ensures that foreign students remain focused on their primary purpose: completing their studies and returning home.”

The rule is the latest in a series of Trump administration crackdowns on international students. Last spring, widespread terminations of students’ legal status sent students scrambling to hide or leave the country out of fear they would be detained for being in the U.S. illegally.

The federal government also imposed a requirement for visa applicants to share their social media handles, subjecting them to increased scrutiny. And travel bans affecting more than a dozen countries across Africa, the Middle East and Asia further limited international students’ ability to obtain a visa and enter the U.S. for school.

The rule comes as international student enrollment is declining. The effects are most acutely felt at schools with small endowments and student bodies that enroll a large percentage of international students, who have been recruited from abroad. International students are not eligible for federal financial aid and, as a result, often pay full-price tuition.

Higher education leaders have warned the growing uncertainty could further drive international students elsewhere, with ripple effects throughout the workforce and the economy.

“At a time when global competition for talent is intensifying, this policy sends exactly the wrong message,” Fanta Aw, CEO of NAFSA, an association that represents international education, said in a statement. “It tells the world’s brightest students and scholars that the United States is becoming less welcoming, less predictable, and less committed.”

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The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.



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Airlines warn adjusting to permanent daylight saving time could take up to 2 years

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Airlines warn adjusting to permanent daylight saving time could take up to 2 years


With a bill to make daylight saving time permanent moving through Congress, airlines are warning that permanently changing the nation’s clocks could take years to implement and require costly operational changes.

Daylight saving time is one step closer to becoming the year-round standard after the House voted in favor of a bill that would keep clocks permanently shifted ahead. The legislation now heads to the Senate, where it must pass before it would land on President Trump’s desk for his signature. Its future remains up in the air. 

Advocates for the bill say making DST permanent would reduce energy use because the sun would set later in the winter, while detractors say it could create more cold, dark mornings and lead to negative health outcomes. 

The aviation industry says permanent DST would be very disruptive to the sector, requiring up to 24 months to adjust airlines’ scheduling systems. The change would impact everything from “crew and aircraft positioning” to “domestic and international connectivity issues,” according to Airlines for America, or A4A, the trade association representing leading carriers.

“Airlines operate expansive interconnected domestic and global networks that are reliant on stability and predictability. Any changes would need an implementation timeline that reflects these global complications,” the group said.

Other businesses that depend on consistent scheduling, such as trucking and railroad companies, would also require time to adjust, experts say.

In a statement to CBS News, A4A said that if the bill becomes law, lawmakers “should allow for a significant amount of time to adjust airline schedules, websites, reservation systems, crew scheduling, payroll and the implementation of IT fixes both at the air carriers and any impacted vendors prior to implementation of DST changes.”

Business challenges

The aviation industry is unique given its reliance on complex scheduling, and for the fact that tickets can be reserved well in advance of the date of travel, said aviation industry analyst Henry Harteveldt, founder of Atmosphere Research Group.

Trucking and railroad companies, which are also timetable dependent, will have to make significant operational changes if the bill becomes law, Harteveldt added. 

“They would all have to make changes to their software programs if we abandon the practice of daylight saving time,” he said. 

But, he added, airlines may only require six months to a year to adjust, rather than up to two years. 

“There are a lot of different software systems that may need to be reprogrammed within an airline, including reservation, crew scheduling and maintenance, which will have to be adjusted,” he said. “But I don’t think it’s going to be a two-year time frame. That seems extreme.”

He said the twice-yearly clock changes already illustrate how even minor disruptions can affect daily routines. “And though under normal circumstances airlines send out emails and text alerts, and make announcements, passengers show up for flights at the wrong time,” he said. 

Edited by

Aimee Picchi

Kris Van Cleave

contributed to this report.

In:



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Resource-rich nation praises US ties amid Washington-Beijing critical minerals race

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Resource-rich nation praises US ties amid Washington-Beijing critical minerals race


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UNITED NATIONS — The Democratic Republic of Congo does not view growing American involvement in its critical minerals industry as a contest with China, the country’s foreign minister told Fox News Digital, arguing that Kinshasa needs multiple partners to transform its vast natural wealth into prosperity for its people.

“I don’t like talking about competition. I like talking about complementarity,” Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner said in an exclusive interview at the United Nations.

U.S. President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance meet Democratic Republic of the Congo Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington D.C., June 27, 2025. (Ken Cedeno/Reuters)

“A country as big as the USA, but also a country as big as the DRC and as big as China, they do not develop just with one single partner,” she added. “They develop with different partnerships that respond to different needs and that bring different expertise to the table.”

CHINA’S GRIP ON RARE-EARTH MAGNETS COULD CRUSH US DRONE INDUSTRY BEFORE IT GROWS

The comments come as the Trump administration seeks to increase American access to Congo’s copper, cobalt, lithium, gold and other strategic resources, while reducing U.S. reliance on mineral supply chains dominated by China.

A strategic partnership signed by Washington and Kinshasa Dec. 4, 2025, calls for increased economic cooperation, investment and the development of secure and transparent critical-mineral supply chains. The agreement accompanied a broader regional framework linking economic integration to efforts to end decades of conflict between Congo and Rwanda.

TRUMP ADMIN BACKS BOLIVIA STATE OF EMERGENCY AS LEFTIST EX-LEADER’S LOYALISTS FRACTURE NATION

Cobalt pit

Excavators and drillers at work in an open pit at Tenke Fungurume, a copper and cobalt mine 110 km (68 miles) northwest of Lubumbashi in Congo’s copper-producing south Jan. 29, 2013. (Reuters/Jonny Hogg/File Photo)

A separate arrangement involving DR Congo’s state mining company Gécamines and commodities trader Mercuria could give U.S. buyers priority access to some copper and cobalt supplies, Reuters reported Dec. 5, 2025. The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation also expressed interest in taking a strategic stake in the partnership.

Kayikwamba Wagner said relations between the U.S. and DR Congo were taking “a more concrete shape” based on mutual economic interests.

She said Kinshasa welcomed “more U.S. interests in the DRC” that could help the country turn its mineral wealth into “tangible transformations for the lives of Congolese,” while also delivering benefits to American partners.

Speaking separately at a high-level U.N. meeting on critical minerals Tuesday, Kayikwamba Wagner warned that the global shift toward clean energy must not reproduce an economic model in which raw materials leave Africa while processing, technology and most of the profits remain elsewhere.

“The global energy transition must not become another extractive transition,” she said. “If it merely replaces one form of dependency with another, it will have fallen short of its promise.”

She called for foreign partnerships to support local processing, infrastructure, technology transfers, research, industrialization and access to financing — not simply secure supplies of raw materials.

CHILL COMING FROM TRUMP’S SUMMIT WITH XI IS PROOF OF A NEW COLD WAR WITH CHINA

Congo-Violence

M23 rebels stand with their weapons in Kibumba, in the eastern of Democratic Republic of Congo, Dec. 23, 2022.  (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)

The minerals push is closely connected to the U.S.-mediated peace process between the DRC and Rwanda. The countries initially signed a peace agreement in Washington June 27, 2025, before presidents Félix Tshisekedi and Paul Kagame reaffirmed the deal and signed related economic agreements on Dec. 4. The framework was intended both to reduce fighting and attract Western investment to a region rich in cobalt, copper, tantalum and other minerals.

Kayikwamba Wagner acknowledged that the agreement had not ended the violence but said Washington’s willingness to impose consequences for violations showed that the process remained meaningful.

“This is a 30-year conflict we’re dealing with,” she said. “It’s not going to happen overnight.”

She praised the administration for sanctioning the Rwanda Defense Force and senior Rwandan officials over what the Treasury Department described as their support for the M23 rebel group. Treasury said in March that the RDF had supported, trained and fought alongside M23 as it seized territory and strategic mining locations in eastern Congo. Rwanda has repeatedly denied supporting M23.

“I find it encouraging to see that we have with us a partner that is not willing to give up at the first obstacle,” Kayikwamba Wagner said.

She was in New York as the DRC, which holds the Security Council presidency for July, elevated the connection between natural resources, armed conflict and sexual violence.

Kayikwamba Wagner said rape and other forms of conflict-related sexual violence had risen sharply in areas held by M23 and Rwandan forces, affecting women and girls as well as men and boys.

Victims in occupied areas, she said, often lack access to courts, healthcare or other avenues for redress.

“This is also one of the reasons why we continue to be mobilized against this illegal occupation of eastern DRC,” she said, arguing that restoring state authority was essential to providing survivors with justice and medical care.

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President Donald Trump at Rwanda-Congo peace signing

President Donald Trump arrives for a signing ceremony with Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi at the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace Dec. 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

In her U.N. remarks, she cited the Rubaya mining area, which is under M23 control and supplies a significant share of global tantalum demand. She said U.N. experts estimated that at least 1,400 tons of coltan were smuggled into Rwanda during the first year after the mines were seized, generating approximately $800,000 per month for the armed group.

The Treasury Department imposed additional sanctions on June 25 against a network it accused of working with M23 to smuggle minerals from eastern Congo into Rwanda, saying the action was intended to support the Washington peace framework and improve transparency in regional mineral supply chains.

Efrat (Effie) Lachter is an investigative journalist, filmmaker and war correspondent. She has directed and produced over 200 documentary segments across more than 40 countries. Recipient of the 2022 Peres Center for Peace Award, Lachter is also a 2023-24 Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellow at the University of Michigan. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communication and a master’s degree in political science.



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Energy drinks to be banned for under-16s in England from April

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Energy drinks to be banned for under-16s in England from April


The ban comes after 1,100 responses to a consultation which strongly supported introducing an age restriction on the drinks.

The new rules will come in via secondary legislation using powers from the Food Safety Act 1990.

Too much caffeine can cause a rapid heart rate, abnormal heart rhythms and seizures.

Although rare, there have been some deaths linked to excess caffeine.

The sugary versions of the drinks can also contribute to obesity and damage teeth, according to The Association of UK Dieticians.

Currently any drink, other than tea or coffee, with over 150mg requires a label warning of its high caffeine content that says it is not recommended for children or pregnant or breast-feeding women.

For most adults, up to 400mg of caffeine a day, or about four cups of instant coffee or five cups of tea, is safe.

Katharine Jenner, Executive Director of the Obesity Health Alliance, praised the policy and said restricting the sales of the drinks to children “at a vital time in their life is just common-sense”.

The British Soft Drinks Association said the ban was “unnecessary”.

A spokesperson said: “Since 2010, our members have committed not to market or promote the sale of energy drinks to under-16s, and all high-caffeine beverages carry a ‘not recommended for children’ label.”

The previous Conservative government had planned to introduce the ban, but scrapped the move in 2022, and said consumption should be a personal choice.

Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are also considering a ban.



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White House teleprompter operator accused of making $100k off Trump speech bets

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White House teleprompter operator accused of making 0k off Trump speech bets


A White House teleprompter operator is being investigated over allegedly using inside information to place bets and make nearly $100,000 on US President Donald Trump’s speeches.

Gabriel Perez, who had worked at the White House since 2016, is accused of placing bets on words the president would use during major public addresses, including the State of the Union speech.

The trades were made on Kalshi, a prediction markets platform where users can bet on real-world events. The firm confirmed it reported the activity to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), which regulates the platform.

Kalshi froze Perez’s account before any profits could be withdrawn, according to reports.

The platform told the BBC its analysts noticed unusual betting on “mention markets” – contracts where users predict whether a speaker will use common terms, such as specific countries, economic words, or campaign slogans, in March.

“The words of political leaders like Presidents and Fed chairs cause billions of dollars of movement in FX markets, oil futures, [and] the stock market,” Kalshi said.

Using account data, the company found the user was a federal employee operating White House teleprompters.

The exchange froze more than $90,000 before it could be withdrawn.

Robert DeNault, Kalshi’s head of enforcement, said the firm flagged the trades and had handed evidence to regulators.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Trump was aware of the teleprompter operator and that staffer was now on unpaid leave, before adding Perez would no longer work at the White House.

The story, first reported by ABC News, has been confirmed by the BBC’s US partner, CBS News.

Sources said Perez has been “fully cooperative” with the CFTC.

ABC said federal prosecutors in Manhattan declined to open a criminal case.

When contacted by the BBC to confirm it was investigating, the CFTC said it could not “confirm or deny” any probe.



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JJ Watt goes after MLS squad after social post leaves out wife, a local soccer legend: ‘Worth a mention’

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JJ Watt goes after MLS squad after social post leaves out wife, a local soccer legend: ‘Worth a mention’


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A former pro soccer player was stiffed in a social media post, taking a back seat to her relatively more famous husband.

Future Pro Football Hall of Famer J.J. Watt is married to Kealia Ohai Watt, a former member of the U.S. Women’s National Team who played in the National Women’s Soccer League.

The couple took in an MLS game on Wednesday night, watching Real Salt Lake take on Burnley F.C., of which the Watts are partial owners, and the team welcomed the couple with an X post.

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Burnley minority shareholders JJ Watt and Kealia Watt applaud from the stands during the Sky Bet Championship match at Turf Moor in Burnley, England, on Monday, May 8, 2023. (Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images)

“Welcome to the Riot, @JJWatt and fam,” the team wrote.

Watt, however, was not pleased that his wife, a local soccer legend, was dismissed. Ohai attended Alta High School in nearby Sandy and won four state titles with her youth soccer club.

“The woman in the photo grew up literally down the road, won 4 Utah state championships (1 in this exact stadium), Gatorade Player of the Year twice, National Player of the Year, scored the fastest first goal in USWNT history… Could probably be worth a mention, but idk,” Watt said in a reply.

J.J. Watt kisses Kealia Watt as she holds Koa Watt at Levi's Stadium.

J.J. Watt kisses his wife, Kealia Watt, as she holds their son, Koa Watt, before the Arizona Cardinals game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on Jan. 8, 2023. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

TRINITY RODMAN SAYS NWSL RECORD-CROWD GAME IN NY SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PLAYED AMID POOR AIR

Ohai also won a national championship with the University of North Carolina.

After college, she was the second overall pick in the NWSL College Draft by the Houston Dash, of which she was the captain from 2016 through being traded to the Chicago Red Stars in 2020.

The couple purchased its stake in Burnley F.C., which played in the Premier League last season, in 2023.

Aaron Baker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Burnley FC co-owner and former NFL player JJ Watt seen prior to a friendly match between Burnley FC and Real Salt Lake on July 15, 2026 at America First Field in Sandy, Utah. (Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Ohai’s brother-in-law is Watt’s former Houston Texans teammate, Brian Cushing.

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5 lesser-known national parks in the U.S that are surprisingly empty and quiet

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5 lesser-known national parks in the U.S that are surprisingly empty and quiet



North Cascades National Park is also known as the American Alps. It is among the least-visited national parks in the U.S despite being home to over 300 glaciers, which is more than any other park outside Alaska in the country.

The park is about a three-hour drive from Seattle. It is home to snow-covered peaks, turquoise glacial lakes and alpine meadows. Some scenic hiking trails here include Diablo Lake, Ross Lake and Cascade Pass.

For wildlife lovers, the place is a paradise. One can spot black bears, mountain goats, bald eagles and marmots. This place is every photographer’s dream and they wait for sunrise and sunset views!

Best time to visit July to September



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