Daily News

[Jimbuna]

Banana duct-taped to a wall sells for $6.2m at auction

A banana duct-taped to a wall has sold for $6.2m (£4.9m) at an auction in New York.

The conceptual art piece, called Comedian, became a viral sensation after Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan debuted it at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2019.

Festivalgoers tried to make out whether the single piece of fruit stuck to a white wall with silver tape was a joke or cheeky commentary on questionable standards among art collectors.

The Sotheby's auction house said it was the announcement of a new original work by the prominent and provocative artist Cattelan that initially captured the world's attention, but Comedian "quickly erupted into a viral global sensation that drew record crowds, social media inundation, landed the cover of The New York Post, and divided viewers and critics alike".

At one point, someone even took the banana off the wall and ate it.
https://news.sky.com/story/banana-duct-taped-to-a-wall-sells-for-6-2m-at-auction-13257628

[Jimbuna]

Death Row prisoner uses final words to swear - before taking 10 minutes to die in nitrogen execution

A Death Row prisoner in the US made obscene hand gestures and swore at a prison warden before being executed for the gruesome murder of a hitchhiker 30 years ago.

Asked if he had any final words, Carey Dale Grayson swore at Terry Raybon, warden of the William C Holman Correctional Facility in Alabama, prompting prison officials to turn off the microphone.

Mr Raybon pulled the microphone away after Grayson started by saying, "for you, you need to ******* off" according to Alabama-based AL.com, which added that the rest of his statement "went unheard" by witnesses.

Alabama Corrections Commissioner John Q Hamm told reporters: "He [Grayson] has cursed out most of our employees tonight, so we were not going to give him the opportunity to spew that profanity."

The curtain to the execution chamber opened just after 6pm local time. Grayson raised both middle fingers as nitrogen gas began to enter his body via a breathing mask.

Strapped to a gurney with a blue-rimmed gas mask on his face, the 50-year-old shook at times and took a series of gasping breaths as the gas flowed - as two others previously executed by nitrogen did.

He was also seen rocking his head and pulling against the gurney restraints.

Mr Hamm said the deadly gas flowed for 15 minutes and that an electrocardiogram showed his heart stopped beating after around 10 minutes.

He appeared to stop breathing at 6.21pm and was pronounced dead at 6.33pm.

Grayson was one of four male teenagers convicted of killing Vickie DeBlieux as she hitchhiked from Chattanooga, Tennessee, to her mother's home in West Monroe, Louisiana in February 1994.

Ms DeBlieux, 37, was attacked, beaten and thrown off a cliff and her mutilated body was found at the bottom of a bluff near Odenville, Alabama.

Prosecutors said that, after offering her a ride, the four men took her to a wooded area and attacked and beat her, returning later to mutilate her body.

They left her face so fractured that she was identified by an earlier X-ray of her spine, a medical examiner said.

The teens were identified as suspects after one of them showed a friend one of the victim's severed fingers and boasted about the killing, according to investigators.

It is the third time an inmate has been put to death using nitrogen hypoxia in the state this year.

The condemned person breathes only nitrogen gas through a mask while being deprived of oxygen.

Campaigners say it can cause prolonged suffering, but a federal appeals court this week rejected arguments made by the condemned man's lawyers, allowing Grayson's execution to go ahead.

Ms DeBlieux's daughter, Jodi Haley, who was 12 when her mother died, told reporters at the prison after the execution that her parent was "unique", "spontaneous", "wild" and "funny".

But she criticised the sentence handed to Grayson, saying "murdering inmates under the guise of justice needs to stop".

The execution was carried out hours after the US Supreme Court turned down Grayson's request for a stay.

Alabama is the only US state to have used nitrogen hypoxia to carry out a death sentence, but two others, Oklahoma and Mississippi, have also approved its use.
https://news.sky.com/story/death-row-prisoner-uses-final-words-to-swear-before-taking-10-minutes-to-die-in-nitrogen-execution-13258271

[Jimbuna]

Philippines VP Sara Duterte says she will have President Ferdinand Marcos Jr assassinated if she is killed

Security protocols in the Philippines have been stepped up after vice president Sara Duterte vowed to have the president assassinated if she herself were killed.

The daughter of the country's previous president Rodrigo Duterte, the politician said she had contracted an assassin to kill the president, his wife and the House of Representatives speaker.

Speaking in an online briefing, she said: "I have talked to a person. I said, if I get killed, go kill BBM [the nickname of Philippine President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr], Liza Araneta [the first lady], and Martin Romualdez [the speaker and the president's second cousin]. No joke. No joke."

The 46-year-old lawyer went on: "I said, do not stop until you kill them, and then he said yes."

She was responding to an online commenter urging her to stay safe when staying in the lower chamber of Congress overnight with her chief of staff.

Under the Philippine penal code, such public remarks may constitute a crime of threatening to inflict a wrong on a person or his family and is punishable by a jail term and fine.
https://news.sky.com/story/philippines-vp-sara-duterte-says-she-will-have-president-ferdinand-marcos-jr-assassinated-if-she-is-killed-13258924

[Jimbuna]

Americans upset about Trump win offered '€1 houses' in Italian village of Ollolai

Americans distraught by the re-election of Donald Trump are being offered an escape route - a €1 house in an Italian village.

Ollolai, on the island of Sardinia, is selling some dilapidated properties for the price of an espresso in an effort to boost its flagging population.

It has launched a web page to try to entice Americans to relocate, asking: "Are you worned out [sic] by global politics? Looking to embrace a more balanced lifestyle while securing new opportunities?

"It's time to start building your European escape in the stunning paradise of Sardinia."

The village is in the rural heart of Sardinia but the island's famous beaches are little more than an hour's drive away.

Ollolai authorities say a selection of houses for just over a dollar are available and that "many buyers" have already successfully renovated such properties.

Americans who don't fancy a renovation project can also purchase a house that's ready to move into, with these going for up to €100,000 (£83,000).

The village also promises expats will get help "finding contractors and navigating the necessary bureaucracy" as part of a fast-track procedure to get set up.

The exact state of the €1 "fixer-upper" properties is unclear as pictures haven't yet been added to the site, though Ollolai promises these are coming soon.

Mayor Francesco Columbu told CNN the site was created specially after Donald Trump's convincing win in the presidential election left some Americans worried about the future of the country.

"We just really want, and will focus on, Americans above all," said the mayor.

"We can't of course ban people from other countries to apply, but Americans will have a fast-track procedure.

"We are betting on them to help us revive the village, they are our winning card."

Mr Columbu said the site had already received nearly 40,000 requests for information.

It's not the first time Ollolai has offered such a deal - it launched the same bargain-basement property offer in 2018.

It is hoping to reverse a decline that has seen its population fall from 2,250 to about 1,300 in the last half century as young people move to bigger towns and cities.
https://news.sky.com/story/americans-upset-about-trump-win-offered-1-houses-in-italian-village-of-ollolai-13257457

[Jimbuna]

Cat wriggles through drainpipe - but with less-than-purrfect results

A cat had to be freed from a drainpipe by firefighters after getting stuck in the middle of wriggling through.

The female black cat, called John, was found with her head poking through one end of the pipe, which was connected to a garage in Clevedon, North Somerset.

Firefighters were called at 9.55am on Saturday and used small tools to rescue the feline before she was whiskered away to a local vet, where the rest of the pipe was removed.

Posting on Facebook, Clevedon Fire Station said the cat suffered no serious injuries.
https://news.sky.com/story/cat-wriggles-through-drainpipe-but-with-only-some-success-13259673

[Moonlight]

'She will never breathe for herself, taste food or hug her son again': Father reveals how his daughter is paraplegic needing 24-hour care after teen smashed into her as he filmed himself driving with no hands

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14126703/father-daughter-paraplegic-teen-filmed-driving-no-hands.html

This twat will be driving dangerously not long after he's behind the wheel again, it would be far better if this currant paid for his actions with his life instead of getting a very short sentence behind bars.

[Jimbuna]

Ed Sheeran apologises to Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim after interrupting Sky interview

Ed Sheeran has apologised to Manchester United's new manager for interrupting him during a live Sky Sports interview.

Ruben Amorim was speaking after United's 1-1 draw with Ipswich on Sunday when the singer walked up to hug analyst Jamie Redknapp.

His intervention brought the interview to a halt before Redknapp told Sheeran to "come and say hello in a minute".

Some people on social media said Sheeran had been "rude" and called for him to apologise.

"Apologies if I offended Amorim yesterday, didn't actually realise he was being interviewed at the time, was popping to say hi and bye to Jamie," Sheeran wrote on Instagram.
https://news.sky.com/story/ed-sheeran-apologises-to-manchester-united-manager-ruben-amorim-after-interrupting-sky-interview-13260754

[mapuc]

Seven years sentence is way to little.

The mother of a three-year-old girl who was kept in a drawer and had never seen daylight or another human face has been jailed for more than seven years.

The girl was found severely malnourished and unable to walk or speak in February 2023 by a partner of her mother’s who had gone upstairs to use the toilet and heard a noise that sounded like a baby.

He discovered the little girl, who had a cleft palate, with matted hair and suffering from dehydration, and called the police.

A statement read to the court by the social worker who was first on the scene said: “I was taken aback by what I saw and was extremely shocked to see a baby looking up at me sat in a divan drawer. [The baby] stared at me and was rocking back and forth.

“I looked at her mum and asked: ‘Is this where you keep her?’ The mother replied matter-of-factly: ‘Yes, in the drawer.’ I was shocked the mother did not show any emotion and appeared blase about the situation.

“I asked had anyone else ever seen [the child]? Mum stated: ‘No’. It became an overwhelming horror that I was probably the only other face [the girl] had seen apart from her mother’s.”


https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/nov/26/mother-who-kept-three-year-old-locked-in-a-drawer-jailed-for-seven-years

Markus

[Jimbuna]

Two goats 'detained' after being caught chasing pedestrians

Police in Washington rounded up a pair of escaped goats that went wandering through a city and chased pedestrians.

The Kent Police Department said on social media that two goats were spotted in the northern part of the city and were "detained for baaaaaadddd behavior."

"We are not sure where they came from, but the two of them got in into their heads that chasing people would be a good time," the post said. "Don't goat us wrong, they are very cute. But no kidding around, it's not OK for people or goats to chase others."

The department joked: "When asked why they were being so aggressive, one of them bleated that he was just 'feeling a bit baaaaa-d today.'"

The goats "were not booked for their nefarious acts" but were instead given a "comfy ride" to the King County Animal Shelter, where officials are now trying to find their owner.
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2024/11/26/loose-goats-Kent-Washington/3841732642798/

[Jimbuna]

UK ticket-holder comes forward to claim £177m EuroMillions jackpot

A UK ticket-holder has come forward to claim the whopping £177m jackpot from Tuesday's EuroMillions draw.

The claim will now go through a validation process and, if confirmed, will make them the third biggest National Lottery winner of all time.

The prize will then be paid at an appointment with one of the National Lottery's winners' advisers.

The ticket-holder will be able to decide whether they share the news publicly or not.

The jackpot will make them wealthier than singer Harry Styles and heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua, who are both worth £175m, according to the latest Sunday Times Rich List.
https://news.sky.com/story/uk-ticket-holder-comes-forward-to-claim-177m-euromillions-jackpot-13262325

[Jimbuna]

Crypto entrepreneur eats banana artwork bought for $6.2m

A Chinese-born cryptocurrency entrepreneur has followed through on his promise to eat the banana from a $6.2m (£4.9m) artwork he bought last week.

Justin Sun outbid six others to claim Maurizio Cattelan's infamous 2019 work Comedian - a banana duct-taped to a wall - at Sotheby's auction house in New York.

He ate the fruit during a news conference in Hong Kong where he used the moment to draw parallels between the artwork and cryptocurrency.

The banana is regularly replaced before exhibitions, with Mr Sun buying the right to display the installation along with a guide on how to replace the fruit.

It has been eaten twice before - first by a performance artist in 2019 and again by a South Korean student in 2023 - but neither paid any money to do so, let alone $6.2m.

"Eating it at a press conference can also become a part of the artwork's history," Mr Sun said.

"It's much better than other bananas," he added.

The 34-year-old said he was intrigued by the work, admitting he had "dumb questions" about whether the banana rotted.

The New York Times reported a fresh banana was bought for 35 cents on the day of last week's auction, before becoming possibly one of the most expensive fruits in the world.

Each attendee at the event on Friday was given a banana and a roll of duct tape as a souvenir.

"Everyone has a banana to eat," Mr Sun said.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqj051glrr9o

[Moonlight]

Paralysed pensioner says assisted dying bill is 'not safe' - as MPs vote in favour of new laws amid dark warnings of a 'state suicide service' and questions about how NHS will cope

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14141665/Paralysed-pensioner-says-assisted-dying-bill-not-safe-MPs-vote-favour-new-laws-amid-dark-warnings-state-suicide-service-questions-NHS-cope.html

It passed by just 55 votes, that's not enough, it should be at least 70% of the house's total votes, this bill is a state sponsored suicide service, MPs will deny that of course, but when the killing starts it will crop up time and time again.

There's going to be loads of questions about this killing bill, so I'll ask a couple of them in this post.
1, will the NHS pay for it, or will it just be for those who can afford to pay it?.
2, will it just be for British people, or will they let any Tom, Dick or Harry from any other country or planet join in.

Questions like those two will need to be answered and written into law, until then, those MPs won't be murdering anyone. :up:

[Jimbuna]

US cruise company offering four-year escape during Trump presidency

A Florida-based cruise company is offering disgruntled US voters the chance to escape by travelling the world during Donald Trump's upcoming four years in office.

Villa Vie Residences has capitalised on the election results by offering Americans a four-year escape - the length of a presidential term - starting at around $160,000 per person, taking guests to more than 425 ports in 140 countries.

The "Tour La Vie" offers four deals, not so subtly marketed at Democrat supporters:

One-Year Escape from Reality
Two-Year Mid-Term Selection
Three-Year Everywhere but Home
Four-Year Skip Forward.

"If you're looking for an escape... there is no better place than on a ship, right, where you can wake up every day to a new backyard and get everything you need taken care of," said Mikael Petterson, the company's founder and CEO.
https://news.sky.com/story/us-cruise-company-offering-four-year-escape-during-trump-presidency-13255668

[Jimbuna]

British man Tyler Kerry dies in lift shaft incident on family holiday in Turkey

A British man has died after being found at the bottom of a lift shaft while on holiday in Turkey.

Tyler Kerry, 20, a labourer from Basildon in Essex, was found on Friday at the hotel he was staying at in Antalya.

His uncle, Alex Price, said his nephew was discovered at 7am local time (4am UK time).

"I got a phone call from my sister and she just said that Tyler had been found in the lift shaft at the hotel," Mr Price said.

"An ambulance team were attending to him but unfortunately they weren't able to resuscitate him, and he was pronounced dead at the scene."

Mr Price said the family was "in the dark about what's happened" but were being supported by a consular official and a representative from holiday company TUI.

He said Mr Kerry was a "lovely young man" and that he and his girlfriend Molly were thinking about moving in together.

"They were very settled," said his uncle. "He was quite a mature young man for his age, very compassionate and kind, caring towards his family members and his younger siblings."
https://news.sky.com/story/british-man-tyler-kerry-dies-in-lift-shaft-incident-on-family-holiday-in-turkey-13264585

[Jimbuna]

Large sinkhole opens up in South Wales as residents told to stay away

A large sinkhole has appeared on a housing estate in South Wales, with the local council warning residents to stay away from the area.

The opening spans a few metres in front of a home in Nant Morlais, Pant, near Merthyr Tydfil, swallowing the entire footpath and a chunk of the road.

The road was closed on Sunday while officers from the council and police investigated.

Merthyr Tydfil Council said: "Council officers and police have been on-site at Nant Morlais, Pant, all morning working with other agencies at the site of a sinkhole.

"No further help or support is needed at this time but thank you to everyone who has offered it. Safety is our main priority.

"To allow engineers to keep working safely, please stay away from the area."

It's not clear what caused this sinkhole, but there are several factors that could explain their formation across the UK.

According to the British Geological Survey (BGS), sinkholes can form after heavy rain or flooding that causes the collapse of normally stable cavities beneath the surface.
https://news.sky.com/story/large-sinkhole-opens-up-in-south-wales-as-residents-told-to-stay-away-13265285

[Catfish]

Two squirrels wreak havoc on a british train :o
:haha:

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly32plprg5o

[Jimbuna]

Mother sues toy company Mattel over porn website printed on Wicked doll packaging

Toy giant Mattel is being sued by a mother who says her daughter accessed a porn website via a link on the packaging for a Wicked doll.

The company released dolls of characters played by British actress Cynthia Erivo and US singer Ariana Grande in the film version of the hit musical.

But instead of featuring an address to the movie's website, a porn site sharing the name of the movie was mistakenly printed on the packaging.

The mistake was spotted last month and the dolls were recalled on 11 November.

A class action lawsuit has now been filed in federal court in Los Angeles.
https://news.sky.com/story/mother-sues-toy-company-mattel-over-porn-website-printed-on-wicked-doll-packaging-13266624

[mapuc]

Guinness supplies being limited after demand soars

The amount of Guinness pubs can buy in the build up to Christmas has been limited by its maker Diageo after "exceptional demand" over the past three weeks.

It is understood the firm is working at 100% production capacity, but has still placed limits on orders in Great Britain.

The drink has been rising in popularity with women and young people, and recent rugby internationals have put a strain on supplies.

Diageo has been upping its marketing efforts and working with influencers over the past few years to try and raise Guinness' profile.

The BBC understands that Diageo is allocating supplies on a weekly basis to make sure it has enough stock to meet demand over Christmas.

A Diageo spokesperson said: “Over the past month we have seen exceptional consumer demand for Guinness in Great Britain.

"We have maximised supply and we are working proactively with our customers to manage the distribution to trade as efficiently as possible."

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2v5z0wvwzo

Markus

[Moonlight]

UnitedHealthcare CEO's assassin is hailed a hero by an army of Americans: Murder triggers outpouring of hate directed at health insurance industry with killer lauded as 'man of the people'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14164727/united-healthcare-ceo-brian-thompson-assassin-support.html

Insurance, the biggest scam in the world, all of it aided and abetted by their own governments, good luck dealing with them, you'll need it.
As for that CEO on $10 million a year, I have no sympathy for him, his company has angered the wrong man by the looks of it, and I'm surprised it isn't happening on a regular basis.

[Jimbuna]

Red weather warning issued as Storm Darragh set to bring 90mph winds

A severe red wind weather warning has been issued for parts of the UK, with gusts of 90mph expected.

The Met Office has said "damaging winds" associated with Storm Darragh are expected to cause "significant disruption" as the weekend begins.

Flying debris and fallen trees could pose a "danger to life" while large waves and beach material could be thrown on to coastal roads and seafronts.

The warning covers coastal areas of Wales and the South West of England, including Cardiff, Bristol and Devon, and is in place from 3am-11am on Saturday.
https://news.sky.com/story/red-weather-warning-issued-as-storm-darragh-set-to-bring-90mph-winds-13267827

[Jimbuna]

From eye doctor to dictator - the rise and fall of Assad's presidency

https://news.sky.com/story/from-eye-doctor-to-dictator-the-rise-and-fall-of-assads-presidency-13269485

[Jimbuna]

‘Polarization’ is Merriam-Webster’s 2024 word of the year

The results of the 2024 U.S. presidential election rattled the country and sent shockwaves across the world — or were cause for celebration, depending on who you ask. Is it any surprise then that the Merriam-Webster word of the year is “polarization”?

“Polarization means division, but it’s a very specific kind of division,” said Peter Sokolowski, Merriam-Webster’s editor at large, in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press ahead of Monday’s announcement. “Polarization means that we are tending toward the extremes rather than toward the center.”
https://apnews.com/article/word-year-merriam-webster-2024-df39b7a3651f041ac6812155f1f67f45

[Moonlight]

MP speaks out AGAINST ban on first cousins being able to marry

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/mp-speaks-out-against-ban-on-first-cousins-being-able-to-marry/ar-AA1vBJ7G?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=EDGEESS&cvid=5be1cfde05094ba99be90a7e50b1f7d0&ei=98

Why not go the whole hog you pervert and run a campaign to marry your Mother, Sister and Nephews and Nieces, backward idiots shouldn't be allowed anywhere near Westminster.

[Jimbuna]

Truck fire covers California highway in melted chocolate

A California highway was left in a sweet and sticky state after a truck fire caused the roadway to become covered in more than 30,000 pounds of melted chocolate.

The California Highway Patrol said firefighters were summoned to the scene on westbound Interstate 580, near Grant Line Road in the Dublin area.

Crews were able to extinguish the flames engulfing the truck, but firefighters soon discovered the vehicle's cargo -- 30,000-40,000 pounds of chocolate -- had melted and was spreading across the road.

The resulting clean-up operation lasted for several hours.

Initial investigations indicated the cause of the fire was a mechanical issue with the truck's brakes. The driver was able to escape the truck and no injuries were reported.
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2024/12/09/California-Highway-Patrol-chocolate-truck-fire/3001733770546/

[Moonlight]

Women face the DEATH PENALTY for sending a photo of themselves without a veil under Iran's new morality laws

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14181223/Women-DEATH-PENALTY-sending-photo-without-veil-Irans-new-laws.html

https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=2935812&postcount=4721

It seems as if the regime in Iran are cracking down on anyone who flouts the new morality laws, fancy having some old male perverts telling their womenfolk how to dress properly, it's a strange old world. :O:

[Jimbuna]

Sara Sharif murder latest: Mother releases heartbreaking statement; 'most distressing case' for police

The father and stepmother of 10-year-old Sara Sharif have been convicted of her murder. She was found beaten to death in her home in Surrey last year after the pair fled to Pakistan. Follow latest updates.
https://news.sky.com/story/sara-sharif-murder-latest-mother-releases-heartbreaking-statement-most-distressing-case-for-police-13267674

God bless you little one and hopefully God will reserve a special place in hell for those who did this to you.

[Moonlight]

The pocket of England where up to 46% of women of Pakistani heritage are having children with their cousins - as study exposes the shock rate of 'extreme' inbreeding in the UK

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-14181241/pocket-England-Pakistani-married-cousins-study.html

The effect will be fewer children with congenital anomalies, what a load of bleeding bollocks, the amount of inbreeding these people have had over the years can only be corrected by impregnating their young teenagers with some proper British Sperm.
Don't expect a young virgin though, as most of them will have been ravaged by their Uncles and Brothers well before their first period, it's not a case of "Who's your Mamma" anymore, but "Who's your bleeding Daddy".

It's no wonder that most of them are imbeciles, just use Sadiq Khan as an example and you'll not go far wrong. :haha:

[Jimbuna]

Coronation Street actor's husband dies after 'jumping into freezing swimming pool'

Coronation Street actress Carol Royle says her "heart is aching" following her husband's death, caused by a sudden brain haemorrhage after jumping into a freezing swimming pool.

The actress, 70, had been married to her husband Julian Spear for almost five decades and the couple had two children together, according to ITV.

Royle, who plays Anthea Deering in the soap, said in an Instagram post: "I am desperately sorry to post that we lost my wonderful husband, Julian Spear [on] 9 December.

"Perfectly fit man but jumped into a freezing pool which he assumed was heated as per usual yesterday, and he developed a sudden massive brain haemorrhage - our hearts are aching."

Royle joined the Coronation Street cast in 2024 and had previously starred in Casualty, Doctors, and Heartbeat.

Her husband worked in the music industry, and was the son of actor Bernard Spear who starred in the 1968 classic Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
https://news.sky.com/story/coronation-street-actors-husband-dies-after-jumping-into-freezing-swimming-pool-13271922

[Moonlight]

'One of the worst blunders in the history of chess' sees 18-year-old become the youngest ever world champion (Would YOU have spotted the rook-ie mistake?)

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14188925/blunder-history-chess-18-youngest-world-champion-rook-mistake.html

It was a blunder that decided the world championship but, it wasn't the worst blunder in the history of chess, the bleeding idiot who wrote the headline needs educating, or in my opinion, they should stick to games like snakes and ladders which are decided by the roll of a dice instead of chess, which is a brain game far beyond this pillocks capabilities.

[Jimbuna]

Mystery drones spotted over New Jersey - and authorities have 'no clue' who is flying them

Large drones have been spotted flying over New Jersey and New York City in recent weeks - but no one knows who's operating them.

The drones are reportedly six feet in diameter and have been seen flying at night, sometimes with their lights off, causing concern among residents and officials.

They were first spotted last month near the Picatinny Arsenal, a US military research and manufacturing facility, and over president-elect Donald Trump's New Jersey golf course.

There have been dozens of night flights since and sightings have increased in recent days, though officials say some of the objects seen may have been planes rather than drones.

The FBI is investigating and has asked residents to share any videos, photos or other information they may have.



The drones have predominantly been seen in New Jersey, with some also being spotted in New York City and parts of Pennsylvania, including over Philadelphia.

Despite national interest, authorities have stressed that the drones don't appear to be a public safety concern.

After being briefed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Wednesday, New Jersey assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia said she was told the devices did not appear to be being flown by hobbyists, mainly because they are much larger than those typically used by casual flyers.

Republican assemblyman Erik Peterson, who attended the DHS briefing on Wednesday, said they seemed to have "no clue" who was behind the flying objects.

Two Republican Jersey Shore-area congressmen - Representatives Chris Smith and Jeff Van Drew - have called on the military to shoot down the drones, with the latter claiming on Fox News that they are coming from an "Iranian mothership".

But Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh told reporters on Wednesday that "our initial assessment here is that these are not drones or activities coming from a foreign entity or adversary".
https://news.sky.com/story/mystery-drones-spotted-over-new-jersey-and-authorities-have-no-clue-who-is-flying-them-13272022

[Jimbuna]

Guinness ‘ration cards’ introduced at pub over nationwide shortage

A pub has introduced “Guinness ration cards” due to a nationwide shortage of the drink.

The Old Ivy House in Clerkenwell is telling customers they must buy two other drinks before being allowed to order a pint of Guinness.

After buying two drinks, staff give punters a stamped and signed card to prove they are eligible for one “ration” of the Irish stout.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/guinness-ration-cards-introduced-at-pub-over-nationwide-shortage/ar-AA1vQlq5?ocid=msedgntp&pc=ENTPSP&cvid=7d42eb84999640fbbdf89ed81290c8e0&ei=45

[Jimbuna]

US city tells residents to stop sticking googly eyes on its statues

A council in the US has asked its residents to stop sticking googly eyes on the city's art.

The comedy eyes have appeared on statues and murals around the city of Bend, Oregon, causing a viral sensation.

"While the googly eyes placed on the various art pieces around town might give you a chuckle, it costs money to remove them with care to not damage the art," the city said in posts on social media.

"It would cost $0 to leave them on," replied one Facebook user, while another praised the artworks' additions.

"My daughter and I went past the flaming chicken today and shared the biggest laugh," she said, using a nickname for the "Phoenix Rising" sculpture.

"We love the googly eyes. This town is getting to be so stuffy. Let's have fun!"

Another Facebook user wrote: "I think the googly eyes on the deer specifically are a great look, and they should stay that way."

Others said the city should focus on addressing more important issues, such as homelessness, instead of spending time and money on removing the googly eyes.

Bend's sculptures frequently get adorned with seasonal decorations like Santa hats and wreaths which the council does not remove.

The googly eyes, however, are being removed because of their adhesive, according to Bend's communications director, Rene Mitchell.

"We really encourage our community to engage with the art and have fun. We just need to make sure that we can protect it and that it doesn't get damaged," she said.

After the city's post went viral, Ms Mitchell said: "There was no intent to be heavy-handed, and we certainly understand maybe how that was taken.

"We own this large collection of public art and really want to bring awareness to the community that applying adhesives does harm the art. So as stewards of the collection, we wanted to share that on social media."

Bend has spent $1,500 (£1,188) on removing googly eyes from seven of the eight sculptures impacted, according to Ms Mitchell and has started treating some of the art pieces, which are made of different types of metal such as bronze and steel.

The "Phoenix Rising" sculpture may even need to be repainted entirely.
https://news.sky.com/story/us-city-tells-residents-to-stop-sticking-googly-eyes-on-its-statues-13273478

[mapuc]

"2029 is the consistent date I have predicted for when an AI will pass a valid Turing test and therefore achieve human levels of intelligence," Kurzweil told Futurism in 2017. "I have set the date 2045 for the 'Singularity' which is when we will multiply our effective intelligence a billion fold by merging with the intelligence we have created."

https://www.iflscience.com/futurist-predicts-human-immortality-will-be-achievable-by-2030-71005

Markus

[Jimbuna]

Prince Andrew will not join rest of Royal Family for Christmas after 'Chinese spy' Yang Tengbo named

Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson will not join the rest of the Royal Family for Christmas at Sandringham, Sky News understands.

It comes after an alleged Chinese spy with links to the Duke of York was publicly named for the first time as High Court restrictions were lifted on Monday afternoon.

Yang Tengbo, previously described as a "close confidant" of the royal, had been known only as "H6" after a court imposed an anonymity order.

But in a statement on Monday the businessman said the "widespread description of me as a 'spy' is entirely untrue".
https://news.sky.com/story/prince-andrew-will-not-join-rest-of-royal-family-for-christmas-after-chinese-spy-yang-tengbo-named-13275021

[Moonlight]

Iran pauses the process to implement a new, stricter headscarf law for women, official says

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/iran-pauses-the-process-to-implement-a-new-stricter-headscarf-law-for-women-official-says/ar-AA1w2rhK?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=0faf441549754037a8654b6f42f40c6a&ei=84

The regime in Iran needs to tread carefully where it's citizens are concerned, tensions within it's own parliament and people could escalate into another Mahsa Amini incident, they wouldn't want to kickstart that off as the regime has their own internal and external problems right now as it is.

There'll be more news on this subject at a later date I suspect.

[Jimbuna]

Mosh pit nappy, designed to avoid queues at gig loos, sells out

An adult incontinence nappy, designed for concertgoers to avoid long queues at toilets, has gone on sale.

The limited-editon Pit Diaper, specifically for mosh pits at music gigs, was available for $75 (£59) before selling out.

It was sold by US firm Liquid Death, a sparkling water brand known for its unusual heavy metal-style images and marketing.

The firm's promotional material said: "If you've been to a concert, you know the scariest place isn't the mosh pit. It's the bathroom.

"Now you can avoid having to brave that hellscape with the new Pit Diaper," adding that it helps fans "relieve themselves in the safety of the mosh pit".
https://news.sky.com/story/mosh-pit-diaper-designed-to-avoid-lines-at-loos-sells-out-13275899

[mapuc]

A plot to assassinate Pope Francis during a trip to Iraq was stopped following a tip-off from British intelligence, according to his upcoming autobiography.

The Pope writes that, after landing in Baghdad in March 2021, he was told an event at which he was set to appear was being targeted by two suicide bombers.

Both attackers were subsequently intercepted and killed, he said in excerpts published by Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.

The visit, which took place over three days during the coronavirus pandemic, was the first ever to Iraq by a pope and saw an intense security operation.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0lg628z1z0o

Markus

[Sean C]

Mosh pit nappy, designed to avoid queues at gig loos, sells out


I've been in a lot of mosh pits. The smell is already horrendous with all of the sweat and god knows what else. It gets all over you and you go home smelling like a bunch of other stinky people. I can't imagine that adding a bunch of soiled diapers to the mix would make the situation any better.

[Jimbuna]

Joseph Corcoran: Indiana executes first death row inmate in 15 years

A death row inmate's last words were "let's get this over with" before he became the first person to be executed in the US state of Indiana in 15 years.

Joseph Corcoran, 49, died by lethal injection on Wednesday for the 1997 murders of his brother, his sister's fiancee and two other men.

He had been on death row since 1999 and was executed despite his legal team and campaigners appealing to Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb to use his powers to grant clemency.

In a petition to the federal courts, including the US Supreme Court, the quadruple murderer's lawyers maintained that he suffered from "severe and longstanding paranoid schizophrenia".

They added that this was documented in self-published books from prison in which he described being subject to "ultrasonic surveillance".

Deputy public defender Joanna Green said on Tuesday: "If the courts do not stay the execution, we are asking Gov Holcomb to grant clemency to Joe, a seriously mentally ill man."

It came a day after a federal appeals court ruled that Corcoran was mentally fit enough to be executed.

Anti-death penalty groups had spent the past few days demonstrating outside Indiana's state capitol building which houses the office of Mr Holcomb, the Indiana General Assembly and the Indiana Supreme Court.

They also delivered letters to Mr Holcomb's office urging him to grant clemency.


Holcomb's office did not immediately respond to a request from Sky News' US partner network NBC News on Tuesday.

The governor announced in June that the state had procured pentobarbital, a sedative used in lethal injections, after "years of effort".

He said at the time: "Accordingly, I am fulfilling my duties as governor to follow the law and move forward appropriately in this matter."

The Indiana Department of Correction began the execution process shortly after midnight local time on Wednesday and Corcoran was pronounced dead around 44 minutes later.

The department said his last words were: "Not really. Let's get this over with."

Corcoran requested Ben & Jerry's ice cream as his last meal, the department added.

Ahead of the execution, anti-death penalty campaigners criticised the Indiana Department of Correction for carrying out the process without media witnesses.

Of the 27 states that still allow for capital punishment, only Indiana and Wyoming exclude media witnesses, according to the Death Penalty Information Centre.
https://news.sky.com/story/joseph-corcoran-indiana-executes-first-death-row-inmate-in-15-years-13275993

[Moonlight]

BREAKING NEWS Two brothers charged with assaulting police officers after Manchester Airport fracas - as cops are cleared

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14213613/Two-men-charged-assaulting-police-officers-Manchester-Airport-fracas-cops-cleared.html

Real justice would have been allowing the assaulted female officer to stick the boot into that pair of thugs until they couldn't piss standing up. :O:

[Jimbuna]

US says it has killed Islamic State leader Abu Yusif in Syria airstrike

The US says it has killed Islamic State (IS) leader Abu Yusif in Syria.

US Central Command Forces (Centcom) said it carried out an airstrike targeting Yusif - who also goes by Mahmud - in the eastern province of Deir ez Zor.

They said the area was previously controlled by the Syrian regime and Russian forces before the recent fall of Bashar al Assad.

Another IS operative was also killed in the strike, according to US officials.

Centcom commander, General Michael Erik Kurilla, said: "As stated before, the United States - working with allies and partners in the region - will not allow ISIS to take advantage of the current situation in Syria and reconstitute.

"IS has the intent to break out of detention the over 8,000 ISIS operatives currently being held in facilities in Syria.

"We will aggressively target these leaders and operatives, including those trying to conduct operations external to Syria."
https://news.sky.com/story/us-says-it-has-killed-islamic-state-leader-abu-yusif-in-syria-airstrike-13277161

[Jimbuna]

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces resignation

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced he will step down as his party’s leader months ahead of a major election.

After ten years in power, the incumbent PM was contending with abysmal opinion polls for the Liberal Party and discontent among his own MPs.

The upcoming election, due by October 20, is widely predicted to result in a victory for the Conservatives led by Pierre Poilievre.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/canadian-prime-minister-justin-trudeau-announces-resignation/ar-AA1x3fz5?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=dceb1d96116d4a4781f0a661c38e2abf&ei=11

[Jimbuna]

French far-right politician Jean-Marie Le Pen has died

Jean-Marie Le Pen, the founder of the French far-right National Front party, has died aged 96.

Le Pen shook the French political establishment when he unexpectedly reached the presidential election run-off vote against Jacques Chirac in 2002.

Despite losing in a landslide, he rewrote the parameters of French politics in a career spanning multiple decades, harnessing voter discontent over immigration and job security - heralding president-elect Donald Trump's own rise.

Throughout his career he faced accusations of racism, and his controversial statements included Holocaust denial.

After leading the then-National Front from 1972 to 2011, he was succeeded as party chief by his daughter, Marine Le Pen.

She has since run for the presidency three times and turned the party, now called the National Rally, into one of the country's main political forces.

Jordan Bardella, current president of the National Rally, confirmed Le Pen's death on social media.

He said: "Today I am thinking with sadness of his family, his loved ones, and of course of Marine whose mourning must be respected."

In a statement, the National Rally paid tribute to Le Pen.

It highlighted his early years spent fighting in some of France's colonial wars, including in Algeria, and said he was a politician who was "certainly unruly and sometimes turbulent".

It went on to say he brought forward the issues which define modern political debate in France.

"For the National Rally, he will remain the one who, in the storms, held in his hands the small flickering flame of the French Nation," it added.

President Emmanuel Macron also expressed his condolences in a statement, saying: "A historic figure of the far right, he played a role in the public life of our country for nearly seventy years, which is now a matter for history to judge."
https://news.sky.com/story/french-far-right-politician-jean-marie-le-pen-has-died-13284854

[Jimbuna]

School Of Rock wedding: Co-stars marry decades after first meeting on set of film

Two School Of Rock co-stars, who met at the age of 10, have got married.

Caitlin Hale and Angelo Massagli, who played Marta and Frankie respectively in the 2003 classic alongside Jack Black, tied the knot in New York on Saturday.

The couple brought some of the original cast of the film, which centres on a pretend substitute teacher turning a group of musically gifted school children into a rock band, together to celebrate their nuptials.

Posting on Instagram, Hale, 33, shared various images of the day, including a photobooth picture with a handful of their former cast mates.

The former actress, who now works as a sonographer, wrote under the post: "Special thank you to everyone who contributed to an unforgettable day!"
https://news.sky.com/story/school-of-rock-wedding-co-stars-marry-decades-after-first-meeting-on-set-of-film-13285563

[Jimbuna]

'It's been a blast': Tyson Fury says he is retiring from boxing

British heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury says he is retiring from the sport.

The 36-year-old former world champion took to social media to say he was hanging up his gloves.

In a video posted on his Instagram account, he said: "I would like to announce my retirement from boxing.

"It's been a blast. I've loved every single minute of it and I'm going to end with this - Dick Turpin wore a mask."
https://news.sky.com/story/its-been-a-blast-tyson-fury-says-he-is-retiring-from-boxing-13288202

[Jimbuna]

Bigger and more venomous species of funnel-web spider discovered in Australia

A larger and more venomous species of one of the world's deadliest spiders has been confirmed by Australian scientists.

Nicknamed 'big boy', it can grow up to 9cm (3.54 inches) compared with 5cm (1.97 inches) for the more common Sydney funnel-web.

"This particular spider is a lot larger, its venom glands are a lot larger and its fangs are a lot longer," said spider expert Kane Christensen.

Sydney funnel-webs are known for their fast-acting and highly toxic venom, but luckily the same anti-venom is effective on bites from the new species.

Mr Christensen first discovered 'big boy' in the early 2000s, near Newcastle, 105 miles (170km) north of Sydney - and it's been officially named Atrax christenseni in his honour.

"Sometimes you might find them in a garage or in a bedroom or somewhere in the house where they might have wandered in during the night," said Mr Christensen, the former head of spiders at the Australian Reptile Park.

"I would not recommend touching them that's for sure, they do give copious amounts of venom."

Scientists from the Australian Museum, Flinders University and Germany's Leibniz Institute confirmed on Monday that 'big boy' would be classed as a separate species of funnel-web.
https://news.sky.com/story/bigger-and-more-venomous-species-of-funnel-web-spider-discovered-in-australia-13288492

[Moonlight]

Mr Christensen first discovered 'big boy' in the early 2000s, near Newcastle, 105 miles (170km) north of Sydney - and it's been officially named Atrax christenseni in his honour.

Not that new then, I don't know why people live in Australia as almost every living thing you hear about wants to kill them. :doh:

[Jimbuna]

Woman 'surprised' after being declared dead

A woman has spoken of her anguish after she was mistakenly declared dead.

Nicole Paulino, of Gaithersburg, in Maryland, made the discovery after applying to renew her driver's licence.

She said she was left "frightened and surprised" as a text informing her she was officially dead popped up in the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration's system.

"It then appears that I am deceased," she told NBC4 Washington, part of Sky News' US partner network.

"I got a little frightened, I'm not gonna lie, and surprised, because I am alive. I'm here."


Officials then informed Ms Paulino she could not renew her licence - before she received a letter from the US Internal Revenue Service describing her as a "deceased taxpayer".

Health insurance for the mother and her three children was cancelled, prompting a stream of medical bills and leaving her unable to get the inhaler she needs for her asthma.

"This really, really messes up my life," Paulino said, before breaking down in tears.


"It has affected me a lot. It's affected my health, my mental health."

She then received a call from Social Security officials, who told her the mistake was the result of a typo.

According to the representative, a funeral home tried to report someone else dead but got a digit wrong in the Social Security number, submitting Paulino's number instead.

The Social Security Administration told NBC4 Washington its records were highly accurate and that less than 0.33% of the more than three million death reports they received annually were later corrected - suggesting around 10,000 reports were wrong each year.

"This happens almost on a daily basis," attorney Joseph McClelland previously told the network.

"The impact is the worst impact you can have on your credit report."

Paulino told NBC4 Washington that following their enquiries, she received a letter from the Social Security Administration saying the mistake had been corrected and that she was officially alive again.
https://news.sky.com/story/woman-surprised-after-being-declared-dead-13290867

[Jimbuna]

'Pothole Land': Residents of Wrexham village turn road into tourist attraction

Residents on a road in North Wales have taken matters into their own hands by turning a road full of potholes into a tourist attraction.

Signs have been erected in the village of Pontfadog in Wrexham advertising "Pothole Land".

According to the sign, the attraction features the "deepest, longest, widest potholes in Wales".

"Two kilometres of award winning potholes with very little actual road to spoil your fun," the caption on the sign adds.
https://news.sky.com/story/pothole-land-residents-of-wrexham-village-turn-road-into-tourist-attraction-13290831

[Jimbuna]

Man, 84, fights off launderette robber with pair of jeans in Maltby

An 84-year-old used a pair of jeans to help repel a masked man who twice tried to rob him in a launderette.

Ron Croker was drying his clothes in Maltby, South Yorkshire, when the would-be robber burst in and demanded: "Give me you ********** money now!"

Mr Croker stood his ground and refused to give up his wallet.

He slowly walked towards the man and managed to force him out - all while holding a pair of his jeans in one hand.

The man came back for another try but was again met with stiff resistance from the retired building site foreman.


As the attacker tried to grab him, Mr Croker screamed "get off!" and whipped him with the jeans as he again bundled him out the launderette.

"I've worked all my life for my money. He's not having it," Mr Croker told the BBC.
https://news.sky.com/story/man-84-fights-off-launderette-robber-with-pair-of-jeans-in-maltby-13289281

[Moonlight]

EXCLUSIVE Grandfather of girl knifed by Axel Rudakubana in Southport rampage accuses Keir Starmer of 'choosing to protect himself' amid 'cover-up' row

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14310197/southport-killer-axel-rudakubana-families-fury-keir-starmer.html

Accountability, everyone involved with this Axel Rudakubana murderer should be held responsible, will it happen?, No, it would be their livelihoods on the line, they won't allow that to happen.

3 children dead and others wounded, but still no accountability, what a cushy number they've got. :doh:

Southport 'cover-up' row grows: Police blame CPS for gagging them from revealing knifeman's terror links as Tories accuse PM of double standards over previous attack tweets

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14311271/Southport-cover-row-grows-Police-blame-CPS-gagging-revealing-knifemans-terror-links.html

"The circling of the wagons gathers pace , police blame the CPS, MPs blame the system. Nothing ever changes , the old adage "lessons will be learnt" will be trotted out but the lessons never are. One or two minor officials will be sacrificed to prove that action has been taken. However the top people who are ultimately responsible won't be touched, nothing ever changes." :o

[Jimbuna]

Elephants can't pursue release because they are not people, court rules

A court has ruled that five elephants being held in a Colorado zoo do not have the legal right to pursue their release, because they are not human.

An animal rights group brought a lawsuit on behalf of the elephants from Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, using a legal process known as habeas corpus.

A writ of habeas corpus - Latin for "you may have the body"' - is a legal manoeuvre which requires a court to examine the legality of a detention.

The Nonhuman Rights Project (NRP), which took the case to court, had argued the elephants, born in the wild in Africa, have shown signs of brain damage because the zoo is essentially "a prison" for such intelligent and social creatures, known to roam for miles a day.

Their hope was the court would rule in their favour and pave the way for the mammals to be sent to an elephant sanctuary instead.


But the zoo said moving the elephants and potentially placing them with new animals would be cruel at their age, possibly causing unnecessary stress.

It added they are not used to being in larger herds and, based on the zoo's observations, the elephants don't have the skills or desire to join one.
https://news.sky.com/story/elephants-cant-pursue-release-because-they-are-not-people-court-rules-13294276

[Jimbuna]

Cat left on plane ends up taking three flights before reaching its destination

A family's move from New Zealand to Australia went horribly wrong when they realised their cat had been left on the plane and flown back home.

Mittens, an eight-year-old Maine coon cat, was booked on a one-way trip from Christchurch, in New Zealand, to Melbourne, Australia, on 13 January.

Once they touched down in Melbourne, she was meant to be unloaded from the cargo hold but after three hours waiting, owner Margo Neas said there was no sign of her.

It was then that ground staff told Ms Neas the plane had returned to New Zealand - with Mittens still on board. The return trip involves about seven-and-a-half hours in the air.

"I said, 'how can this happen? How can this happen? Oh my God'," Ms Neas said.

"It was not a great start to our new life in Melbourne because we didn't have the family, we weren't complete."

The Air New Zealand pilot was told about Mittens's presence mid-air, so they turned on the heating in the cargo hold to keep her comfortable, Ms Neas said.

She was told a stowed wheelchair had obscured a baggage handler's view of Mittens's cage.

Upon landing back in Christchurch, Mittens was met by the company Ms Neas had employed to take care of the cat's transfer and they ensured she was safely put on a plane back to Melbourne to be reunited with her family.

Mittens had lost weight but was otherwise unharmed.

"She basically just ran into my arms and just snuggled up in here and just did the biggest cuddles of all time," Ms Neas said. "It was just such a relief."

Air New Zealand apologised for the blunder and said it would refund all costs associated with the animal's travel, according to a statement by the airline.

"We'll work closely with our ground handler in Melbourne to ensure this doesn't happen again," said spokesperson Alisha Armstrong.

Meanwhile Mittens, not usually an affectionate pet, is "the cuddliest she's ever been", said Ms Neas.

"The cat gets as much attention as she wants right now because we're just so absolutely and utterly relieved to have her back."
https://news.sky.com/story/cat-left-on-plane-ends-up-taking-three-flights-before-reaching-its-destination-13294162

[Jimbuna]

Corpse flower: Plant with 'deadly' stench pulls huge crowds for rare bloom in Sydney

People have queued for hours at a Sydney greenhouse to get a whiff of the infamous corpse flower, as it bloomed for the first time in years.

The sizeable flower, officially called the amorphophallus titanium, gets its nickname from its "deadly" stench, described by some as the smell of rotting flesh, though others detect hints of rotting food, sweaty socks or even garlic.

The rare specimen, of which there are only thought to be about 1,000 worldwide, has attracted thousands of admirers at the Royal Sydney Botanic Garden, with its blooming finally happening after a seven-year wait since it arrived at the centre.

When its flower was spotted in December it was just 25cm (10 inches) high. By Thursday, as its flower spike slowly opened, it was 1.6m (5ft 3) tall.

For a week, the flower fronted a stately and gothic display in front of a purple curtain and wreathed in mist from a humidifier at the garden, attracting up to 20,000 admirers who filed past, hoping to experience the smell for themselves.

This particular flower has been nicknamed Putricia by fans - a combination of "putrid" and "Patricia", and has become something of a social media star, with a 24/7 live stream established by the botanic garden drawing close to a million views in the days approaching its bloom.

When it finally opened on Thursday, fans in attendance took selfies and leaned in for a sniff - and staff prepared for the worst.

"We did have a few conversations early on about whether or not we should have vomit bags in the room," said garden spokesperson Sophie Daniel, who designed Putricia's display, adding garden staff ultimately decided against it.

"I haven't heard of anyone actually being harmed."

The corpse flower only blooms for one to three days despite taking up to a decade to do so.

"The fact that they open very rarely, so they flower rarely, is obviously something that puts them at a little bit of a disadvantage in the wild," Ms Daniel said.

"When they open, they have to hope that another flower is open nearby, because they can't self-pollinate."

The amorphophallus titanum is native to the Indonesian island of Sumatra and is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
https://news.sky.com/story/corpse-flower-plant-with-deadly-stench-pulls-huge-crowds-for-rare-bloom-in-sydney-13294879

[Jimbuna]

Donald Trump's threats work after Colombia backs down and agrees to accept deported migrants from US

Donald Trump has won a battle with Colombia after threatening a trade war when the country refused to accept deported migrants.

The US president said he would retaliate with "urgent and decisive" measures - including 25% emergency tariffs on Colombian goods - after the country turned away two US military planes.

Onboard were migrants being deported from America as part of Mr Trump's sweeping immigration crackdown.

But in a statement on Sunday, the White House said Colombia had backed down.

"The Government of Colombia has agreed to all of President Trump's terms, including the unrestricted acceptance of all illegal aliens from Colombia returned from the United States, including on US military aircraft, without limitation or delay," it said.
https://news.sky.com/story/donald-trumps-threats-work-after-colombia-backs-down-and-agrees-to-accept-deported-migrants-from-us-13297424

[Catfish]

#we remember
80 years after the liberation of Auschwitz, lot of material in the media here.
Also first time i heard about 'Nicky' Winston.
And some people say we concentrate too much on the past, or should forget it. Screw. them.

[Jeff-Groves]

Donald Trump's threats work after Colombia backs down and agrees to accept deported migrants from US

Strap them in a parachute and drop them. No need to land then.

[Jimbuna]

Strap them in a parachute and drop them. No need to land then.

Why waste the cost of a parachute?

[Jimbuna]

Hotels on Greek islands could soon fill swimming pools with seawater in drought fight

Hotel pools on Greek islands could be filled with seawater this summer as politicians try to combat the country's two-year drought.

Proposed new laws debated in the Greek parliament this week could pave the way for pipes to be installed connecting swimming pools at coastal hotels with the sea.

The aim is to save shrinking water reserves on many Greek islands and use the water in other areas facing shortages.

Elena Rapti, a deputy minister of tourism, told a parliamentary committee on Monday the legislation "regulates the framework for carrying out seawater extraction and pumping it for swimming pools.

"The focus, of course, is to conserve water resources."

Greece has faced acute drought conditions over the past two years, with the holiday season adding extra pressure on water resources, especially on islands which are popular tourist destinations.

Critics of the proposal have raised concerns about the environmental impact on coastal regions from what might be pumped out back into the sea.

Meanwhile, wildfires in Greece have become more frequent in recent years during increasingly hot, dry summers linked to climate change.

Last year, hundreds of wildfires burned across the country, while some of the country's hottest-ever conditions were recorded.
https://news.sky.com/story/hotels-on-greek-islands-could-soon-fill-swimming-pools-with-seawater-in-drought-fight-13291231

[Jimbuna]

Fraud suspect, 61, 'used wigs and disguises' to take citizenship tests for others, Home Office says

A woman in her 60s has been arrested for allegedly using an "array of wigs" and other disguises to pose as at least 14 other people to help them pass UK citizenship tests.

The 61-year-old, who has not been named, helped men and women "gain an unfair advantage" in the Life in the UK Test, the Home Office said.

She is accused of wearing various wigs and disguises to pass herself off as the true applicants, in an attempt to dishonestly obtain them leave to remain in the UK.

Anyone seeking to stay in the country indefinitely or naturalisation as a British citizen must take the test.

She was arrested at an address in Enfield, north London on Monday where "several false documents and an array of wigs alleged to have been used in the fraudulent scheme" were seized.


It is alleged that between June 2022 and August the following year, the woman went to multiple UK test centres, disguising herself and doctoring ID documents to evade detection.

Fraudsters completing the test for others could "lead to people wrongly being granted the right to remain in the country without the proper due diligence", the Home Office said.

Immigration enforcement criminal and financial investigation inspector Phillip Parr said a "complex investigation" had "put a stop to this dangerous scheme".

"This individual is believed to have orchestrated a pre-meditated plan to avoid detection, meticulously selecting disguises and test centre locations across the country to evade the authorities.

"As with many criminals who commit this type of crime, we believe her motive was financial gain," he said.
https://news.sky.com/story/fraud-suspect-61-used-wigs-and-disguises-to-take-citizenship-tests-for-others-home-office-says-13297978

[Jimbuna]

New Zealand's Mount Taranaki is now legally a person

A mountain in New Zealand is now legally recognised as a person after being granted all the rights and responsibilities of a human by the government.

The new law offers extra protection for Mount Taranaki - now known as Taranaki Maunga, its Maori name - and means it has all the rights, powers, duties and responsibilities of a person.

It is part of an agreement between New Zealand's government and the indigenous Maori tribes, which have long considered the 8,261ft mountain an ancestor.

The mountain's legal personality has a name, Te Kahui Tupua, which the law views as "a living and indivisible whole". It includes Taranaki and its surrounding peaks and land, "incorporating all their physical and metaphysical elements".

Four members of the local Maori iwi, or tribes, and four others appointed by the country's conservation minister, will make up a new entity that acts as "the face and voice" of the mountain, the law rules.

The legal recognition also acknowledges the mountain's theft from the Maori of the Taranaki region after New Zealand was colonised, and fulfils an agreement of reparation from the country's government to indigenous people for harms perpetrated against the land since.

The legal rights essentially give the tribes more power to uphold the mountain's health and wellbeing in an era where it has become a popular spot for tourism, hiking and snow sports.

Despite the new bill, which passed unanimously through parliament, the mountain will remain a publicly accessible destination.
https://news.sky.com/story/new-zealands-mount-taranaki-is-now-legally-a-person-13300186

[Jimbuna]

Farmer Tony Martin, who shot burglar dead in 1999, dies aged 80

Farmer Tony Martin, who shot dead a burglar in 1999, has died aged 80, his friend has said.

Martin was initially convicted of murdering 16-year-old Fred Barras but this was reduced to manslaughter on appeal.

He was living alone at his farmhouse in Emneth Hungate, Norfolk, which was nicknamed Bleak House, when he caught Brendon Fearon, then 29, and Barras inside.

He fired his pump-action shotgun three times towards the intruders, killing Barras and injuring Fearon.

Martin's close friend Malcolm Starr told Sky News he died in hospital after suffering a stroke.


"Since the incident, it affected him badly. He's at peace at last - he's in a better place. He lost his mother and two aunts who he was close to," he said.

"He was an eccentric. He once turned up at my office on a tractor wearing a red beret. He just left his farm and thought he'd visit. A month later, we heard someone was shot near him. I said 'I hope it's not Tony'.

"Now I realise why he couldn't communicate with people - when it was taken to appeal, he was found to have Asperger's. I don't think he's capable of lying. Someone that lied would give the police the wrong story.

"I would say on his behalf it surely really upset him, but he didn't have any remorse. They invaded his privacy.


"He had so much turmoil and he never recovered from it. I think he deserves some good publicity. He stuck to his guns and didn't apologise."

Martin was initially jailed for nine years in 2000 but released three years later following the appeal.

He never returned to live in his old home.

His case provoked a national debate about how far people should be allowed to go to defend their homes and he became a cause celebre for campaigners.
https://news.sky.com/story/farmer-tony-martin-who-shot-burglar-dead-in-1999-dies-aged-80-13301865

[Catfish]

Maybe we need a Canada thread..

Trudeau holds speech and announces some changes..

"Trump's imposing a 25 per cent tariff on virtually all goods from Canada, and levying tariffs of 25 per cent on Mexican goods, 10 per cent on China products, all expected to take effect Tuesday.
In response, Trudeau announced Canada will hit back against the U.S. with tariffs on $155 billion worth of American goods in the coming days."

Trudeau said Canada won't stand for an attack from a country that was supposed to be an ally and friend.
Ottawa will immediately levy retaliatory tariffs on a whole host of American goods as payback for Trump's attempt to wreck the Canadian economy.

Trudeau said there is more non-tariff trade action coming to try to force Trump's hand and get him to call off the hostilities.

Those actions are still to be decided but could include measures like restrictions on the export of critical minerals and energy products to the U.S. and a move to block American companies from bidding on government contracts, he said.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trump-tariffs-canada-february-1-1.7447829?cmp=newsletter_Morning%20Headlines%20fro m%20CBC%20News_1613_1851999

[Jimbuna]

Prison escape: Former soldier Daniel Khalife jailed for 14 years and three months

A former British soldier who escaped from Wandsworth prison while awaiting trial for spying for Iran has been jailed for 14 years and three months.

Daniel Khalife, 23, sparked a nationwide manhunt after clinging to the underside of a food delivery lorry to break out of the Category B jail on 6 September last year.

He evaded capture for three days before he was spotted riding a stolen mountain bike along the canal towpath in Northolt, west London - about 14 miles away.

Khalife, who was a lance corporal in the Royal Signals, was being held on remand accused of using his role in the military to pass secret information to Iranian spies.

He was arrested after telling the British security services he wanted to be a "double agent" and claimed he had cultivated the relationship over more than two years in the national interest.

But he was found guilty of a charge under the Official Secrets Act and another under the Terrorism Act at the end of last year at Woolwich Crown Court, having admitted escaping from lawful custody part-way through his trial.
https://news.sky.com/story/prison-escape-former-soldier-daniel-khalife-jailed-for-14-years-and-three-months-13270396

[Moonlight]

The Albanian mafia running Britain's cocaine trade and criminal warlords shedding blood on the streets: Experts warn gangs pose a serious threat to the UK - after young father was abducted and murdered

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14343391/Britain-murder-wave-Balkan-gang-experts-warn-threat.html

Successive governments have actively encouraged mass migration, what did they expect to happen, that everyone would live happy ever after?, this was always going to happen, every MP and Lord should be put on trial and hanged by the neck until dead. Such actions should always have fatal consequences.

[Jimbuna]

Stabbed teen's family say 'our hearts are broken'

The family of a 15-year-old boy stabbed to death at school have spoken of their heartbreak.

Harvey Willgoose died following an incident at All Saints Catholic High School in Sheffield on Monday.

Sister Sophie said her heart had been "broken into a million pieces".

A 15-year-old boy, who was arrested on suspicion of murder, remained in police custody, South Yorkshire Police said.

In a post on Facebook, accompanied by two pictures of her brother, Sophie wrote: "I love you so much Harvey.

"Hug your loved ones a little tighter tonight cos I wish I could."

Harvey's mother Caroline shared posts with her 56,000 followers on TikTok to express her loss.

In one, she wrote, "our Harvey, no words" with broken heart emojis and a montage of images of them together.

In another, she wrote: "My Harvey, life is never gunner be the same. Love you so much."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czj31xevkkyo

It is not public knowledge yet but it is believed he was stabbed by a 15-year-old boy who is currently being questionned by the Police (no prizes for guessing the nationality).

[Moonlight]

Taliban minister forced to flee Afghanistan after supporting girls’ education

https://metro.co.uk/2025/02/04/taliban-minister-forced-flee-afghanistan-supporting-girls-education-22495899/

He'll be in the UK next week campaigning for girls as young as 12 to spread their legs for Islam. :O:

[mapuc]

Police said “around 10 people” were killed at a school on Tuesday, in what has been described as the worst mass shooting in Sweden’s history. The suspected perpetrator is among the dead.

A large number of people were injured after a gunman opened fire at a campus in the city of Örebro in central Sweden, according to Roberto Eid Forest, the head of the city’s police district.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/04/europe/orebro-sweden-school-shooting-intl/index.html

Markus

[Jimbuna]

Chilean tennis player Cristian Garin loses Davis Cup qualifier for refusing to continue after collision

Chilean tennis player Cristian Garin lost his Davis Cup qualifier in bizarre fashion after refusing to continue following an accidental collision with his opponent.

Belgium's Zizou Bergs was celebrating winning a game in the third set when he sprinted over towards his bench.

Garin was passing through the narrow space between the net and the umpire's chair at the same time and the two collided, with Bergs catching the Chilean player in the eye with his shoulder.

The 25-year-old Belgian immediately started apologising and Garin had to receive medical treatment.

Bergs was given a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct but his Chilean opponent refused to continue and called for him to be disqualified.


Instead, Garin, 28, received three consecutive time violations, which led to a game penalty and him losing the set and match without moving from the bench.

Bergs won 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, meaning Belgium advanced to the second round of qualifying.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) said in a statement: "This was a rare, unfortunate and very delicate situation and everyone involved, including the independent doctor, conducted due diligence based on rules and procedures.

"We understand the emotions attached to this unusual incident, but the final decision was made after consideration of all the facts and unique circumstances around it."
https://news.sky.com/story/chilean-tennis-player-cristian-garin-loses-davis-cup-qualifier-for-refusing-to-continue-after-collision-13302418

[Jimbuna]

Ancient scrolls near Pompeii were preserved but unreadable - are they now revealing their secrets?

Ancient scrolls charred by a volcanic eruption 2,000 years ago may finally be starting to reveal their secrets.

UK scientists say they have made a historic breakthrough in their efforts to decipher the artefacts - with the assistance of AI.

Hundreds of papyrus scrolls were found in the 1750s in the remains of a lavish villa at the Roman town of Herculaneum, which along with nearby Pompeii was destroyed when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79AD.

While the heat and ash from the volcano was catastrophic for the town, it preserved the scrolls - though in an unreadable state.

Scholars and scientists have been working for more than 250 years on ways to decipher the scrolls, which are too fragile to be unrolled physically.


In 2023, several tech executives sponsored the "Vesuvius Challenge" competition, offering cash prizes for efforts to decipher the scrolls with technology.

On Wednesday, the challenge announced a "historic breakthrough," saying researchers had managed to generate the first image of the inside of one of the three scrolls held at Oxford University's Bodleian Library.

University of Kentucky computer scientist Brent Seales, co-founder of the challenge, said the organisers were "thrilled with the successful imaging of this scroll", saying it "contains more recoverable text than we have ever seen in a scanned Herculaneum scroll".

The scroll was scanned by Diamond Light Source, a lab in Harwell, near Oxford, by using a particle accelerator known as a synchrotron to create an intensely powerful X-ray.

AI was then used to piece together the images, searching for ink that reveals where writing is located. A 3D image of the scroll can then be formulated that allows experts to unroll it virtually.

Little of the text has been deciphered so far. One of the few words that has been made out is the ancient Greek for "disgust".

Peter Toth, a curator at the Bodleian Library, said: "We need better images, and they are very positive and very, very confident that they can still improve the image quality and the legibility of the text.

"And then don't forget that there is like 1,000 more scrolls in Naples."
https://news.sky.com/story/these-ancient-scrolls-were-charred-by-a-volcano-are-they-now-revealing-their-secrets-13303892

[Moonlight]

EXCLUSIVE Inside the prison of the living dead: DAVID JONES is the first British journalist to visit El Salvador's godforsaken 40,000 capacity mega prison... and his account will shake you to the core

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14373953/Inside-prison-living-dead-visit-El-Salvadors-godforsaken-40-000-capacity-mega-prison.html

Before
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=882LOCcN-_Q

After
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOLW20LTgvQ

Make your own mind up which is better, Before or After, it's easy for these Wetback reporters to spout their mouths off at the injustice of locking these gang members up, but what's the alternative, to let them loose so they can go back to their violent ways again?, some alternative that is isn't it?. :o
I've found out over the years that Lefty Wetbacks don't have the answer to anything, all they do is wring their hands together and shed crocodile tears, they can't even solve the problems with the UK crime wave and that's a lot less than what was happening here in El Salvador. :doh:

[Jimbuna]

Australian politician changes his name to 'Aussie Trump'

An Australian politician has legally changed his name to Austin Trump in a move inspired by Donald Trump - in what he said was a protest against the country's ruling centre-left Labor Party.

Ben Dawkins - who is an independent MP in Western Australia's upper house of parliament where Labor holds a majority - is now listed as "Aussie Trump" on the WA parliamentary website.

He has also changed his username to "Hon. Aussie Trump MLC" on his X account.

"I've launched a political protest against the tyranny and systematic corruption of the Labor government in WA," he wrote, in a post on the social media platform, signing off as "Aussie".

"Vote Labor Out! & Drill Baby Drill!," he wrote in a second post, appearing to echo the US president's plan to increase the extraction of oil and gas in the United States.


He also posted a photo showing legal confirmation of the name change from Western Australia's Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

"I want to be like Trump in the sense of calling out woke leftist nonsense," he told 9News.

"I would love you to reach out Donald, just ring the office here."

"This is simply attention-seeking stuff," said Western Australia's Premier Roger Cook, the state's Labor leader, at a news conference on Thursday.

"I'm not sure how much lower he can go."

Western Australia state elections are due to take place in March, before the country goes to the polls in a nationwide vote that must be held before 17 May.
https://news.sky.com/story/australian-politician-changes-his-name-to-aussie-trump-13304500

[Jimbuna]

Nationwide power outage in Sri Lanka blamed on a monkey

A monkey has been blamed for causing a nationwide blackout in Sri Lanka.

The island nation's 22 million residents were mostly left without power during the outage, which began around 11am local time (5.30am GMT) on Sunday.

The country's energy minister, Kumara Jayakody, told reporters that the blackout was caused when a monkey came into contact with a grid transformer near the island's executive and judicial capital, Colombo.

"A monkey has come in contact with our grid transformer, causing an imbalance in the system," Mr Jayakody said following the blackout.

"Engineers are attending to it to try and restore the service as soon as possible," he added.


Power was returned to some areas within hours, but many households were without electricity until late on Sunday.

Sri Lanka has suffered issues with its electrical system before. In 2022 it experienced widespread blackouts and electricity rationing during an economic crisis.

"Only in Sri Lanka can a group of monkeys fighting inside a power station cause an islandwide power outage," Jamila Husain, editor-in-chief of local newspaper the Daily Mirror, wrote on X.


The paper said engineers had been warning consecutive governments to upgrade the system or face frequent blackouts "for years".

"The national power grid is in such a weakened state that frequent islandwide power outages may be expected if there is a disturbance even in one of our lines," a source told the outlet.
https://news.sky.com/story/nationwide-power-outage-in-sri-lanka-blamed-on-a-monkey-13306607

[Eisenwurst]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sVtOgKTmYM

True Love. :up:

[Jimbuna]

Man who lost £600m Bitcoin fortune considers buying landfill site to search for it

A man who believes he accidentally lost a Bitcoin fortune in a council rubbish tip is exploring the possibility of buying the landfill site before it is shut.

James Howells, from Newport in South Wales, claimed his ex-girlfriend mistakenly threw out a hard drive containing thousands of Bitcoins in 2013.

According to the 39-year-old IT worker, they are worth more than £600m and he has been trying to recover them ever since.

Now he is considering buying the site so he can hunt for the missing fortune himself, multiple outlets reported on Monday.

Newport City Council is planning to close and cap the site in the 2025-26 financial year, which would almost certainly spell the end of any lingering hopes of recovering them.


Mr Howells said in widely reported comments on Monday it had been "quite a surprise" to hear of the council's closure plan.

Last month a judge dismissed a legal case he brought to force the council to allow him to search the landfill site, or award him £495m in compensation.

He said the council had claimed in court that closing the landfill to allow him to search "would have a huge detrimental impact on the people of Newport, whilst at the same time they were planning to close the landfill anyway.

"I expected it would be closed in the coming years because it's 80-90% full - but didn't expect its closure so soon.


"If Newport City Council would be willing, I would potentially be interested in purchasing the landfill site 'as is' and have discussed this option with investment partners and it is something that is very much on the table."
https://news.sky.com/story/man-who-lost-600m-bitcoin-fortune-considers-buying-landfill-site-to-search-for-it-13306842

[Moonlight]

Doctor Who 'faces the axe while Time Lord Ncuti Gatwa is on the verge of quitting amid a drop in ratings over fan fury at woke storylines'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-14408157/Doctor-faces-axe-Ncuti-Gatwa-quitting-drop-ratings-woke-storylines.html

I won't be surprised if Dr Who bites the dust sometime in the near future, the show started to decline in the Capaldi years and it started to blow a gasket when Jodie Whittaker took the reins. The Dr Who series and its ratings must be going down the pan if the powers that be are considering wielding the axe with it, the latest currant at the helm isn't pulling any trees up either. You were good once Dr, but these modern Woke idiots are too involved with Reality shows to tune in to Dr Who these days.

[Jimbuna]

104 year-old woman granted birthday wish and taken to New York prison

A care home resident has been taken to the local prison in the state of New York, as part of her 104th birthday wish.

Livingston County Sheriff's Office in Geneseo, about 29 miles (46km) south of Rochester, posted pictures showing Loretta visiting their facility.

"Loretta, who is a resident at the Avon Nursing Home, was asked what she wanted for her birthday and her response was that she wanted to see the inside of our jail because she has never been to jail before," the police department wrote in a post on Facebook.

"Loretta had a great time touring our jail facility and we are so glad that we were able to make her birthday wishes come true!" it added.

Hurlbut Care Communities which operates her care home described some of the activities she enjoyed while in prison on 10 February.

"Loretta enjoyed cake, getting fingerprinted, her mug shot taken, tour of the jail, getting locked in a cell, and got to meet many deputies, including one of their new K-9s!

"Thank you to the Livingston County Sheriff's Office for making Loretta's wish come true!"
The tour came two days after her 104th birthday last week where she celebrated with a party at Avon Nursing Home in the nearby town of Avon.

Photos of her big day were posted on Facebook by her care home, showing her with a big pink birthday cake.
https://news.sky.com/story/104-year-old-woman-granted-birthday-wish-and-taken-to-new-york-prison-13308692

[Jimbuna]

Ice hockey game between USA and Canada has three fights in first nine seconds

A bad-tempered ice hockey game between the United States and Canada on Saturday kicked off with three fights in the first nine seconds.

Even before the 4 Nations Face-Off match started in Montreal, there were tensions among the crowd of more than 21,000 fans at Bell Centre.

Canadian fans showed their displeasure with Team USA, booing during "The Star-Spangled Banner" and as the American players were introduced.

Recent remarks from Donald Trump, that Canada should become a US state along with threats of tariffs, have angered many Canadians.

Fans across Canada have booed the US anthem at NHL and NBA games since the president's comments.

In the end, it was the Americans who came out on top, securing a 3-1 victory over Canada and a spot in the tournament final.

Just after the puck dropped, and two seconds into the game, Matthew Tkachuk of the US squad and Brandon Hagel of Team Canada dropped their gloves and struck out.

Then Brady Tkachuk, brother of Matthew, and Canada's Sam Bennett, a forward who plays for the Florida Panthers, took aim at each other.

In the third brawl, New York Rangers forward J T Miller and Colton Parayko, a Canadian who's an alternate captain for the St Louis Blues, exchanged blows.
https://news.sky.com/story/ice-hockey-game-between-usa-and-canada-has-three-fights-in-first-nine-seconds-13310607

[Jimbuna]

Snow village in China apologises for using fake snow during unusually warm weather

A tourist village in China known for its snowy landscapes has apologised for using cotton wool and soapy water to make fake snow during unexpected warmer weather.

Chengdu, the capital city of the Chinese province of Sichuan, experienced unusually warm weather during the Lunar New Year holiday at the end of January, meaning snow did not form as tourists may have hoped in its snow village.

The Chengdu Snow Village project attempted to replicate its typical winters with the artificial snow, posting photos on social media which tourists called misleading.

Photos online showed large cotton wool sheets strewn about the grounds and on top of houses, but the village did not disclose it wasn't real snow - though many on social media noticed it.

"A snow village without snow," said one user.

In a statement on the Chinese social media app Wechat, the village said it "deeply apologises" and offered visitors a refund.

"In order to create a 'snowy' atmosphere the tourist village purchased cotton for the snow...but it did not achieve the expected effect, leaving a very bad impression on tourists who came to visit," the Chengdu Snow Village project said in the statement.

The tourist area is believed to have now been cleared of the synthetic snow.

China is facing hotter and longer heat waves and more frequent and unpredictable heavy rain as a result of climate change, the country's weather bureau has warned.
https://news.sky.com/story/snow-village-in-china-apologises-for-using-fake-snow-during-unusually-warm-weather-13311766

[Catfish]

Ice hockey game between USA and Canada has three fights in first nine seconds
No surprise here, our canadian friends also wrote they have a certain.. opinion of the USA lately.

[Jimbuna]

No surprise here, our canadian friends also wrote they have a certain.. opinion of the USA lately.

Yep, apparently so.

[Jimbuna]

Female prankster pretending to be marshal sends Glasgow runners on 2.5km detour during race

Runners at a 10k trail race in Glasgow were sent in the wrong direction by a prankster pretending to be a marshal and who buried arrow signs marking the course.

Acorn Trails said about 30 of the 115 participants at the event on Sunday were sent on a 2.5km (1.5 mile) detour by the woman.

Organisers Alex Osborne and Michelle Sinsheimer told Sky News it is "hard to laugh off the incident" as the prank led the runners away from medical help had it been needed.

Mr Osborne said: "It's hard to laugh off the incident when you consider the possible implications had things not panned out as lightly as they did.

"There's a fine line between it being a humorous prank and an incident had one of the runners, not all of whom were local, got more lost when their warm clothing, refreshments and first aid were at the finish line.

"I'd ask the saboteur, who we were told is female, to consider the above, which I'd like to think they hadn't thought of on Sunday."

The competitors affected by the "mischievous" interference have been offered a 50% discount on their entry to the next event.
https://news.sky.com/story/female-prankster-pretending-to-be-marshal-sends-glasgow-runners-on-2-5km-detour-during-race-13312466

[Jimbuna]

Mysterious QR code stickers appear on more than 1,000 graves in Munich

More than 1,000 stickers were put on gravestones and wooden crosses at three cemeteries in the southern German city of Munich.

The stickers, which have been put on both old and recent graves, have a QR code that when scanned shows the name of the person buried and the location of their grave in the cemetery.

The 5x3.5-centimeter (1.95x1.2-inch) stickers surfaced in recent days at the Waldfriedhof, Sendlinger Friedhof and Friedhof Solln cemeteries.

Police are investigating the incident.

"We haven't found any pattern behind this yet. The stickers were put both on decades-old gravestones and very new graves that so far only have a wooden cross," police spokesperson Christian Drexler said.

"People who have witnessed anybody putting the stickers on the graves are asked to reach out to the respective cemetery's administration," Mr Drexler said.
https://news.sky.com/story/mysterious-qr-code-stickers-appear-on-more-than-1-000-graves-in-munich-13313046

[Jimbuna]

White House responds to speculation over large bruise on Donald Trump's hand

A large bruise that appeared on Donald Trump's hand is down to him shaking a lot of hands, the White House has said.

Mr Trump's right hand seemed bruised during the 78-year-old's meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday, prompting speculation on social media over his health.

Redness or bruising on the US leader's right hand were also spotted in August and November last year, Sky News' US partner network NBC reported.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has claimed the bruising is a result of hand shaking.

"President Trump is a man of the people and he meets more Americans and shakes their hands on a daily basis than any other president in history.

"His commitment is unwavering and he proves that every single day," Ms Leavitt said.

"President Trump has bruises on his hand because he's constantly working and shaking hands all day every day," she said in a follow-up statement.

People speculated about potential causes for the bruising on social media.

On X, one person suggested Mr Trump was on blood thinners, while another said: "Maybe, but elderly people bruise more easily than younger folks. Trump is 78. He could have gotten that in any number of ways."

One user didn't seem to believe the White House's explanation.

"Why even lie? It's obviously an IV bruise for blood testing or something. Is it a surprise to people that Trump is old and gets regular physician visits?" they said.

In a December interview with NBC News' Meet the Press, Mr Trump said he would release his full medical report, but he has yet to do so.
https://news.sky.com/story/bruise-on-trumps-hand-prompts-speculation-over-health-but-white-house-blames-shaking-hands-13316982

[Jimbuna]

Woman arrested for vandalising ex-boyfriend's neighbour's car

An 18-year-old woman is facing charges in Florida after being caught vandalising the car of her ex-boyfriend's neighbour. She told police she had meant to spray paint her former partner's vehicle but got it wrong.
https://news.sky.com/video/woman-arrested-for-vandalising-ex-boyfriends-neighbours-car-13318320

[Jimbuna]

Boxer Gervonta Davis blames hair product after controversial title draw

Boxer Gervonta Davis has held onto his WBA lightweight title despite voluntarily dropping a knee to the canvas and getting hair product wiped from his face.

His opponent, Lamont Roach, said the knee position should have counted as a "knockdown".

Had it been, Davis would have lost a point and Roach would have won their bout in New York, leading to Davis's first career defeat.

But the fight was scored as a majority draw, meaning that Davis - nicknamed Tank - held onto his belt.

One judge gave the contest to Davis 115-113, the other two scoring it 114-114.

Davis willingly took a knee near his corner in the ninth round before leaning over the ropes so his team could towel off the area around an eye.

He said grease had got into the eye after having his hair done a few days before the bout.

Referee Steve Willis did not count it as a knockdown, as it should be when a knee hits the canvas.

Roach commented: "It should have been a knockdown. If that was knockdown, I win the fight.

"He's saying grease got in his eye, but if he takes a knee and the ref starts counting, it should be a knockdown."

Other boxers were surprised, too.

Multi-division champion Terence Crawford said: "I never seen someone take a knee and they don't count it as a knockdown."

Roach called for a rematch afterwards.

"For sure, Lamont is a great fighter," Davis said.

"He got the skills and the punching power. It was a lesson learned. Shout out to Lamont Roach and his whole team. Hopefully we can run it back in New York."
https://news.sky.com/story/boxer-gervonta-davis-blames-hair-product-after-controversial-title-draw-13320126

[Jimbuna]

Stranded rower rescued off Australian coast while attempting to cross Pacific Ocean

Aurimas Mockus had been stranded for three days in the Coral Sea around 460 miles east of Queensland. He had rowed there in an enclosed boat non-stop from San Diego headed for Brisbane.
https://news.sky.com/video/stranded-rower-rescued-off-australian-coast-while-attempting-to-cross-pacific-ocean-13320782

[Jimbuna]

Scientists trying to bring back the woolly mammoth create a woolly mouse

Scientists trying to bring back the woolly mammoth have created a woolly mouse.

Colossal Biosciences unveiled plans in 2021 to revive the woolly mammoth - and later the dodo bird - attracting investors, headlines and critics alike.

The Texas-based biotech company has since focused on identifying the key traits of extinct animals with the goal of genetically engineering them into living animals, according to chief executive Ben Lamm.

Alongside bringing back species that went extinct, the company hopes their work can be used to help with conservation efforts.

But other scientists have mixed views of their work and whether it will be helpful.

On Tuesday, Colossal Biosciences said its researchers had edited seven genes in mice embryos to create a mouse with long, thick, woolly hair.

They nicknamed the extra-furry rodent a "colossal woolly mouse."

The company now plans to genetically modify Asian elephants to give them woolly mammoth traits - but critics have argued that this is different from actually bringing a species back from extinction.


"You're not actually resurrecting anything - you're not bringing back the ancient past," said Christopher Preston, a wildlife and environment expert at the University of Montana, who was not involved in the research.

He added: "You might be able to alter the hair pattern of an Asian elephant or adapt it to the cold, but it's not bringing back a woolly mammoth. It's changing an Asian elephant."

The results have not yet been published in a journal or vetted by independent scientists.

The feat "is technologically pretty cool," said Vincent Lynch, a biologist at the University of Buffalo, who was not involved in the research.

Alongside the mouse being given different hair, in a press release, Colossal Biosciences said the rodent had also gained the woolly mammoth's accelerated fat metabolism.

Both were said to be likely related to cold tolerance.
https://news.sky.com/story/scientists-trying-to-bring-back-the-woolly-mammoth-create-a-woolly-mouse-13321512

[Jimbuna]

Artist abandons plan to starve piglets to death after animals stolen

An artist who tried to starve three piglets to death as part of a controversial exhibition says he has changed his plan after the animals were stolen.

Chilean-born Marco Evaristti said he had wanted to raise awareness of the suffering caused by mass meat production with his art installation that opened last week in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The piglets were being denied food and water and would have been allowed to starve to death.

But Mr Evaristti said the piglets - dubbed Lucia, Simon and Benjamin - were taken by animal rights activists who were assisted by his friend, Caspar Steffensen.

"I called up police on Saturday to report the piglets stolen and I had to shut down the entire exhibition because of that - so I was very disappointed when Caspar told me on Tuesday that he was involved in the theft," said Mr Evaristti, who also claimed to have received hate mail.

"But then I thought about it for a few hours and realised that at least this way the piglets would have a happy life."

Copenhagen police said they had received reports "that the pigs had been stolen from the exhibition".

Mr Evaristti's exhibition, And Now You Care, involved a makeshift cage created with shopping trolleys containing the three piglets.

He said the intention was to raise awareness about the cruelties of modern pig production in Denmark.
https://news.sky.com/story/artist-abandons-plan-to-starve-piglets-to-death-after-animals-stolen-13322612

[Jimbuna]

Elaine C Smith grazes cows on Glasgow Green to mark receiving city's highest honour

Comedian Elaine C Smith has grazed cattle on Glasgow Green - a right that comes with being awarded the Freedom of Glasgow.

The city's highest honour, which she is one of the few women to receive, also allows her to fish in the River Clyde.

The Rab C Nesbitt and Two Doors Down star said it was "quite the honour" to be granted the award in recognition of her contribution to the arts and her embodiment as an advocate for women's rights and values.

The official civic reception will take place on Friday, on the eve of International Women's Day.

Smith exercised some of her new rights by grazing cattle borrowed from Pollok Park on Glasgow Green on Thursday.

She said: "As a newly minted freeman of Glasgow, I must say, it's quite the honour.

"But let's be clear, while I may be a 'freeman' by title, I am, and always will be, a free woman at heart.

"So, if you see me grazing Highland cattle on Glasgow Green or fishing in the Clyde, just remember, I'm exercising my rights as a free woman."

Freemen traditionally have the right to graze their cows on the common land (Glasgow Green) and also have the duty to "patrol and guard the town" and to defend it by arms.

If freemen do not perform this duty, they could be prosecuted for perjury of their oath and, if convicted, have a right to a prison cell of their own.
https://news.sky.com/story/elaine-c-smith-grazes-cows-on-glasgow-green-to-mark-receiving-citys-highest-honour-13322756

[Jimbuna]

Elon Musk says X hit by 'massive cyber attack' as users unable to log in

X has been hit by a "massive cyber attack", according to Elon Musk.

The boss of the social media platform said the attack was carried out "with a lot of resources".

Mr Musk claimed that either a large coordinated group or a country was involved, or both.

He wrote on the platform: "There was (still is) a massive cyberattack against X.

"We get attacked every day, but this was done with a lot of resources. Either a large, coordinated group and/or a country is involved. Tracing..."


More than 40,000 users reported they couldn't access the platform this afternoon, according to data from tracking website Downdetector.com.

Complaints about outages spiked at about 10am on Monday in the UK, and again at 2pm.

A source in the internet infrastructure industry told Reuters that the platform had been hit by several waves of denial of service (DoS) attacks at around 9.45am.

According to the National Cyber Security Centre, DoS attacks are attempts to overload a website or network with traffic - aiming to degrade its performance or make it completely inaccessible.
https://news.sky.com/story/elon-musk-says-x-hit-by-massive-cyber-attack-as-users-unable-to-log-in-13325939

[Jimbuna]

Major UK recruiters linked to tax avoidance schemes after workers hit with crippling HMRC demands

Hays, Capita, Petrofac. These are some of Britain's best known companies and big players in the recruitment industry.

Now, a Sky News investigation has revealed how, over the course of two decades, some of Britain's biggest recruitment companies were linked to large-scale tax avoidance when placing workers into jobs, including government roles in Whitehall.

Many of these workers, typically agency workers and contractors, were paid by third-party umbrella companies that promised to take care of taxes but were operating tax avoidance schemes.

They worked by paying workers what were technically loans, instead of a salary. This allowed them to circumvent paying income tax.

Often the umbrellas were recommended by recruiters, although there is no suggestion the recruiters knew these third parties were operating tax avoidance schemes.

It is the latest revelation in a scandal that has caused untold misery for tens of thousands of people, who signed up with umbrella companies and were enrolled in tax avoidance schemes, thinking they were above board.

Many feel let down by the recruitment agencies who provided information linking them to the umbrella companies. They were not legally responsible for collecting the tax, as they did not run the payroll.

But the government is now strengthening the law to make them accountable for the tax collected by umbrella agencies on behalf of the workers they supply.

Tax avoidance is legal but HMRC has successfully challenged tax avoidance schemes in the courts and workers have subsequently asked to pay the missing tax.

In some cases, the tax demands have been crippling. It's a campaign that has driven people to the brink of bankruptcy, devastated families and has been linked to 10 suicides.
https://news.sky.com/story/major-uk-recruiters-linked-to-tax-avoidance-schemes-after-workers-hit-with-crippling-hmrc-demands-13326107

[Eichhörnchen]

Artist abandons plan to starve piglets to death after animals stolen

This is just silly and I don't believe it. There were thousands of cockroaches starving to death in STEED's kitchen (he never used the kitchen) and nobody from the animal rights ever came round to rescue them. I think some of these newspaper stories in Moonlight's thread are just made up


https://i.imgur.com/AA6XxJe.jpeg

[mapuc]

It's true-An artist would starve three little piglets to their dead, the only thing they could get was fresh water. Thank God they were stolen before the exhibition toke place.

Here is a translated article

Evaristti's exhibition in Kødbyen(Meat city), which opens today with the title 'And Now You Care', consists of, among other things, three small, live piglets and a bolt gun.

So far, the three pigs, who are housed in a cage consisting of two shopping carts, are doing very well.

But it won't continue like this when the doors are opened to the public. Here the artist will stop feeding the pigs.

The exhibition will show conventional pig production in Denmark and its treatment of the pigs, the artist tells the P1 program K-Live .

- Every day over 20,000 piglets die. Here we do not count the slaughtered ones. And now you care . Because of three piglets, says Marco Evaristti and emphasizes that the three little pigs in the exhibition are sick and must therefore be killed no matter what.

https://www-dr-dk.translate.goog/nyheder/kultur/provo-kunstner-vil-sulte-grise-og-politianmelde-foedevareminister-massemord?_x_tr_sl=da&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=da&_x_tr_pto=wapp&_x_tr_hist=true

Markus

[Jimbuna]

Donald Trump says he thinks US will annex Greenland

Donald Trump has said he thinks the US will annex Greenland, days after the country's incoming prime minister said: "We don't want to be Americans."

During an Oval Office meeting with NATO secretary general Mark Rutte, the US president was asked about his hopes to annex Greenland.

"I think that will happen," he said. "I didn't give it much thought before, but I'm sitting with a man who could be very instrumental.

"You know Mark, we need that for international security. We have a lot of our favourite players cruising around the coast and we have to be careful."

Mr Trump questioned Denmark's claim to the autonomous territory, saying Denmark was "very far away" from Greenland despite being part of its kingdom.

"A boat landed there 200 years ago or something. They say they have rights to it," Mr Trump said.

"I don't know if that's true. I don't think it is, actually."

He said the US already has a military presence in Greenland and added: "Maybe you'll see more and more soldiers going there."

It comes after Greenland's centre-right party won an election in a result seen as a rejection of Mr Trump's interference in the island's politics.

The Demokraatit party favours a slow move towards independence from Denmark - with its leader telling Sky News "we want to build our own country by ourselves".

In his White House news briefing Mr Trump claimed the election result was very good for the US and said "the person who did the best is a very good person as far as we're concerned."
https://news.sky.com/story/donald-trump-says-he-thinks-us-will-annex-greenland-13327945

[Jimbuna]

CCTV shows shoplifters using pythons to distract cashier before stealing from petrol station

Police are hunting for four suspects who used two pythons to distract a cashier before stealing $400 worth of CBD oil from a petrol station.

CCTV footage shows the cashier speaking to two of the suspects, a man a woman, after they approached the counter of the Citgo store in Madison County, Tennessee.

The man is holding up a curled-up ball python as the woman strokes it.

At one stage, the male suspect places the reptile on the counter as the woman appears to talk to someone off-camera.

The man then dangles a second ball python over the counter before the video cuts out.

Ball pythons are non-venomous constrictor snakes that are native to Africa and grow to a maximum length of around 1.8m.
https://news.sky.com/story/cctv-shows-shoplifters-using-pythons-to-distract-cashier-before-stealing-from-petrol-station-13328455

[Jimbuna]

Couple 'forced' to sit next to dead body for hours on Qatar Airways flight

A couple have said they were forced to sit next to a dead body for four hours on a Qatar Airways flight.

Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin were travelling from Melbourne to Doha, en route to Italy, when a woman walked out the toilet and collapsed near their row about 10 hours into the journey.

"Unfortunately the lady couldn't be saved, which was pretty heartbreaking to watch," Mr Ring told Australia's A Current Affair programme.

He added: "They tried to wheel her up towards business class, but she was quite a large lady and they couldn't get her through the aisle."

The pair, who were the only ones in a row of four, said flight attendants put the woman in one of the spare seats for the remaining four hours of the flight.


Mr Ring told Australian media: "They said, 'Can you move over please?' and I just said, 'Yes no problem'.

"Then they placed the lady in the chair I was in."

He said there were a few spare seats nearby but claimed crew didn't offer to move them.

Mr Ring also said he was told to stay put while medical teams removed blankets covering the woman when they landed, and that they were offered no support.

In a statement to Sky's US partner network NBC News, Qatar Airways said: "First and foremost our thoughts are with the family of the passenger who sadly passed away on board our flight.

"We apologise for any inconvenience or distress this incident may have caused, and are in the process of contacting passengers in line with our policies and procedures."
https://news.sky.com/story/couple-forced-to-sit-next-to-dead-body-for-hours-on-qatar-airways-flight-13317026

[Jimbuna]

Man injured by hot tea from Starbucks awarded $50m in damages

A delivery driver who needed skin grafts after being burned when a hot tea from Starbucks spilled into his lap has been awarded $50m (£38.6m) in damages.

Michael Garcia suffered third-degree burns to his genitals, groin and inner thighs and has permanent and life-changing disfigurement after collecting the drink at a California drive-through, according to his legal team.

His negligence lawsuit blamed the injuries on Starbucks, claiming an employee did not wedge the scalding-hot tea firmly enough into a takeaway tray.

Video footage shows Mr Garcia being handed a tray of three drinks at the serving window in Los Angeles and appearing to struggle as he drives his vehicle away.

A Los Angeles County jury found in favour of Mr Garcia after he launched legal action over the incident on 8 February 2020.


He was working as a Postmates delivery driver at the time, according to Sky's US partner network NBC News.

His lawyer Nick Rowley said his client's "life has been forever changed".

"This jury verdict is a critical step in holding Starbucks accountable for flagrant disregard for customer safety and failure to accept responsibility," he added.

Starbucks said it sympathised with Mr Garcia, but plans to lodge an appeal.

In a statement, the global coffeehouse chain said: "We disagree with the jury's decision that we were at fault for this incident and believe the damages awarded to be excessive."

The firm added it was "committed to the highest safety standards" in handling hot drinks.
https://news.sky.com/story/man-injured-by-hot-tea-from-starbucks-awarded-50m-in-damages-13330788

[Jimbuna]

Bulgarian football club Arda Kardzhali apologise after holding minute's silence for former player who is still alive.

A Bulgarian football club have apologised for holding a minute's silence for a former player who is still alive.

Arda Kardzhali, which is located in the southern Bulgarian town of Kardzhali, and play in the country's top division, held the minute's silence in honour of Petko Ganchev before Sunday's game against Levski Sofia.

Both teams lined up near the centre circle before kicking off in the 1-1 draw, bowing their heads to mourn Ganchev.

But, before the match was over, Arda posted on their Facebook page saying they had received wrong information about Ganchev's death.

The club said: "The management of PFC Arda would like to express a huge apology to the former Arda player Petko Ganchev and his relatives after the club received wrong information about his death.


"We wish Petko Ganchev many more years of good health and to enjoy the success of Arda."

The post appeared to have been deleted by Monday evening.
https://news.sky.com/story/bulgarian-football-club-arda-kardzhali-apologise-after-holding-minutes-silence-for-former-player-who-is-still-alive-13331118

[Jimbuna]

The blobfish: 'World's ugliest animal' named fish of the year in New Zealand

The blobfish, described as the world's ugliest animal, has been voted fish of the year in New Zealand.

The creature, which grows to about 12 inches (30cm) long, is known affectionately as Mr Blobby and is the official mascot of the Ugly Animal Preservation Society.

It has a bulbous head, and loose, flabby skin, and lives in the deep sea, mainly off the southeastern coast of mainland Australia, the Australian island of Tasmania, and New Zealand.

The blobfish topped the annual poll by the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust, an environmental non-profit group, winning almost 1,300 out of more than 5,500 votes.

The animal, which has a gelatinous, tadpole-like body, benefitted from a late surge in support to overtake the endangered orange roughy, another deep sea dweller, by nearly 300 votes.
https://news.sky.com/story/the-blobfish-worlds-ugliest-animal-named-fish-of-the-year-in-new-zealand-13332179

[Jimbuna]

A Swiss politician was fined for buying pink water pistols online

ZURICH (AP) — A Swiss politician was fined for buying pink water pistols online because authorities say the toys violated the country’s weapons law, a local newspaper reported.

Newspaper Aargauer Zeitung on Friday reported that Marc Jaisli — a member of the local council in Buchs, a town west of Zurich — ordered the water pistols in August through ultra low-cost online retailer Temu for his godchildren as a gift.

Prosecutors ordered him to pay a fine totaling 6,500 francs ($7,390) for a violation of weapons law, arguing that it applied even though the pistols were imitations “because they could be confused for real firearms due to their appearance” — despite the pink color.

Aargauer Zeitung reported that Jaisli said he had not been aware of the violation, but accepted the penalty and paid the fine.
https://apnews.com/article/switzerland-water-pistols-af9d922957d2980c141b06e2abd59ba7

[Jimbuna]

'Truly the worst': Donald Trump demands removal of 'purposefully distorted' portrait

Donald Trump has called for a portrait of him to be removed as it is "truly the worst".

The US president claimed the portrait by British artist Sarah Boardman, which is currently hanging in Colorado's State Capitol, was "purposefully distorted".

Posting on his social media platform Truth Social, he said: "Nobody likes a bad picture or painting of themselves, but the one in Colorado, in the State Capitol, put up by the Governor, along with all other Presidents, was purposefully distorted to a level that even I, perhaps, have never seen before."

He said a portrait by the same artist of former US president Barack Obama was "wonderful" but "the one on me is truly the worst".

Referring to the artist, whose collection of official portraits also includes one of former president George W. Bush, Mr Trump said "she must have lost her talent as she got older".
https://news.sky.com/story/truly-the-worst-donald-trump-demands-removal-of-purposefully-distorted-portrait-13335008

[Jimbuna]

'Once-in-a-lifetime' Iron Age hoard found in Yorkshire

A "once-in-a-lifetime" hoard of Iron Age artefacts has been uncovered by archaeologists.

Dubbed the Melsonby hoard, more than 800 items were discovered by metal detectorist Peter Heads in 2021 in two ditches near the North Yorkshire village of the same name.

After Mr Heads reported the location to the proper authorities, the head of archaeology at Durham University professor Tom Moore was called to the site.

He said it was quickly clear that the find was a "once-in-a-lifetime discovery".

The expert said: "The Melsonby hoard is of a scale and size that is exceptional for Britain and probably even Europe.

"Unusually it includes lots of pieces of vehicles and items such as the wine mixing bowl which is decorated in both Mediterranean and Iron Age styles.

"Whoever originally owned the material in this hoard was probably a part of a network of elites across Britain, into Europe and even the Roman world."

Among the 2,000-year-old artefacts are the partial remains of wagons, ceremonial spears and pony harnesses.

Iron tyres were also found to have been intentionally bent out of shape, and a large amount of the material had been ritualistically burnt or broken.

Prof Moore added: "The destruction of so many high-status objects, evident in this hoard, is also of a scale rarely seen in Iron Age Britain and demonstrates that the elites of northern Britain were just as powerful as their southern counterparts."
https://news.sky.com/story/iron-age-melsonby-hoard-yorkshire-metal-detectorist-13335342

[Jimbuna]

Child complains of ‘monster’ under the bed. Babysitter then comes face-to-face with man hiding there

A babysitter looked under a bed to reassure a worried child that there wasn’t a monster hiding there — and came face-to-face with a man who wasn’t supposed to be there, a sheriff’s office in Kansas said in a news release.

The 27-year-old was booked into jail this week after a struggle with the babysitter that knocked the child to the ground.

The Barton County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were called late Monday to the home near Great Bend, a city of around 15,000 in the western part of the state. The suspect was gone when they arrived, but the babysitter told them that the child had been complaining about a “monster” before she found the suspect.

The man once lived in the home, but that there was a protection from abuse order issued against him to stay away from the property, the sheriff’s office said.

Deputies searched but were unable to find the man until the next day, when he was captured after a foot chase, the news release said.

Online court records show the man had posted bond about 10 days earlier after he was charged with criminal threat, domestic battery and violating a protection from abuse order. Those allegations were alleged to have occurred in January and February.

But following his latest arrest, a judge ordered him jailed without bond. The sheriff’s office said additional requested charges include aggravated burglary, aggravated battery and child endangerment.
https://apnews.com/article/monster-under-bed-babysitter-kansas-00004624219431932311888a4ca08776

[Jimbuna]

Escaped otters cavort in the snow as the zoo’s search continues

Two river otters, Louie and Ophelia, weaseled their way out of their Wisconsin zoo enclosure last week during a winter storm, appearing on security camera footage cavorting across the snow, as the search continued Tuesday.

The NEW Zoo & Adventure Park said the two North American river otters escaped through a small hole that they enlarged in a buried fence, and their flight was quickly noticed by zookeepers on their morning rounds.

But Louie and Ophelia don’t appear to have gone far, their tracks showed them exploring nearby bodies of water and returning to the zoo’s perimeter now and again, the zoo said in a news release.

Footage released by the zoo shows an otter leaving the stoop of a building and launching itself into a belly slide on the snow, its forepaws snapping to its side, nose leading the way and back legs thrusting for an extra boost.

It’s the undeniable “bounce, bounce, sliiiiide” of the otter, the zoo said in a Facebook post, and creates one of the more recognizable mammal tracks.

Louie and Ophelia are expected to stay close because otters are territorial creatures, the zoo said, adding their species are native to the area and capable of surviving, with the local ponds and streams offering food and shelter.

Search efforts include a hired tracker, motion-activated cameras and public calls to send in photos and video of sightings of the critters.


Reports of Louie and Ophelia have come in, along with some videos and photos, since their escape. One, which appears to be security camera footage, shows an otter gliding over the snow in a wooded area, its tail following the rut its body made in the snow.

Searchers are hoping Louie and Ophelia are seen in the same location at least twice, giving the zoo a place to search. The zoo said the otters are not a danger to the public, and likely wouldn’t approach a human.
https://apnews.com/article/otter-escape-zoo-wisconsin-937ee002eeced882e96b93ba36f16874

[Moonlight]

Aintree revellers get the party started early as they don backless dresses and fabulous fascinators to sip on prosecco ahead of Ladies Day

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-14570905/Aintree-revellers-party-started-early-don-backless-dresses-fabulous-fascinators-sip-prosecco-ahead-Ladies-Day.html

The Daily Fail has the nerve to call these Slappers bloody Ladies, if Trump put a beef tariff on the UK it wouldn't affect these bleeding trollops one bit. I wouldn't mind pumping Blondie in the red dress, she's what's known as a double bagger around our village, you have to wear one in case hers blows off. :haha:

[Jimbuna]

Spending a night hunting the rats running riot amid Birmingham bin strike

In Small Heath in Birmingham, the sun is setting on another mound of rubbish.

There are dozens of bin liners on the street corner, with puncture holes and rips, causing rotting food to spill onto the pavement.

"I've seen loads of rats here," says a man strolling past the pile. "People walk here and chuck their bags on top and I have to live next to it.

"Look at this," he says, as he gets his phone out of his pocket.

He shows me some CCTV footage filmed at his business premises nearby, and talks me through it.

"These are agency workers, brought in to try and clear up. As they're tipping the wheelie bins into the lorry, look at the rats scatter!"

The bin workers scatter too as the three rats are seen scuttling back under the mountain of rubbish they're trying to take away.

The workers are later filmed gingerly poking a long pole amongst the bags to check if the rodents are still there.

"This strike has got to end soon," he says, "the government has to step in".

He swipes to a photo of a rat sat on a windowsill. "This is my place of work, I don't like looking at them, it's awful.

"They'll be urinating all round the yard and I keep thinking of the diseases they could pass on."
https://news.sky.com/story/spending-a-night-hunting-the-rats-running-riot-amid-birmingham-bin-strike-13341524

[Jimbuna]

Nick Rockett, a 33/1 shot, wins the Grand National

Irish amateur rider Patrick Mullins has won the Grand National on 33/1 shot Nick Rockett - a horse trained by his father Willie Mullins.

It was a 1-2-3 finish for Mullins Snr as he also trains I Am Maximus (7/1), which came second this time after winning the world-famous steeplechase last year, while another of his horses, Grangeclare West (33/1), was third.

After the final fence, Nick Rockett galloped away from I Am Maximus to win by two and a half lengths.

Grangeclare West was a further half-length back, with Iroko taking fourth as the 13-2 favourite.

Mullins also had the fifth-placed horse in Meetingofthewaters (20/1).


As well as being back-to-back victories for Willie Mullins, it was also his third Grand National success 20 years after his first with Hedgehunter.

"It is lovely to be able to give your son a ride in the National," Willie Mullins said, "but to be able to win it is just unbelievable".
https://news.sky.com/story/nick-rockett-a-33-1-shot-wins-the-grand-national-13342555

[Jimbuna]

Boris Johnson attacked by ostrich while at a safari park with his family

https://news.sky.com/video/boris-johnson-attacked-by-ostrich-while-at-a-safari-park-with-his-family-13343984

[Jimbuna]

British passports are about to get more expensive - here's who can get an Irish one

The Department of Foreign Affairs explains: "If you or your parent were born on the island of Ireland before 2005, you are an Irish citizen. You can apply for an Irish passport without making an application for citizenship."

From 2005 onwards, it depends:

If you were born in Ireland to British or Irish citizen parents, you are automatically an Irish citizen. If you were born in Northern Ireland in these circumstances, you can choose to be an Irish citizen.
If you were born in Ireland in or after 2005 and your parents aren't British or Irish citizens, your right to an Irish passport depends on how long your parents lived in Ireland and their residency rights.
If one of your grandparents was born on the island of Ireland, you may be eligible to claim "Irish citizenship by descent"
If one of your parents was an Irish citizen when you were born, but you were born elsewhere, you may be able to claim citizenship under Foreign Birth Registration.
https://news.sky.com/story/british-passports-are-about-to-get-more-expensive-heres-who-can-get-an-irish-one-13344963

[Platapus]

Boris Johnson attacked by ostrich while at a safari park with his family

https://news.sky.com/video/boris-johnson-attacked-by-ostrich-while-at-a-safari-park-with-his-family-13343984


I hope the ostrich is OK

[Jimbuna]

Delivery driver steals police dog tribute statue from Sheriff’s office

This is the moment a delivery driver stole a K9 tribute statue from the entrance of the Sheriff’s Office in Arkansas. Police are looking to identify the delivery driver who was caught on camera on April 5th.
https://news.sky.com/video/delivery-driver-steals-police-dog-tribute-statue-from-sheriff-s-office-13345714

[Jimbuna]

Back To The Future's DeLorean has almost vanished from UK roads

Forty years on from the film that made them immortal, there are just 303 DeLorean cars left on Britain's roads.

To mark the anniversary of Back To The Future, released in 1985, online auction platform Collecting Cars nabbed the latest figures on their use from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

In addition to the 303 taxed for use on Britain's roads, another 114 have statutory off-road notification - meaning they are likely gathering dust in garages.

Just four years before the film's release, 9,000 DeLorean DMC-12s rolled off the company's assembly line in Dunmurry, Northern Ireland.

But the company collapsed into insolvency the following year and the cars have since become a collector's item.

Collecting Cars has only sold two in the past six years, and reckons a fully restored version could fetch £80,000.

If you found one that could really take you back in time to 1981, you'd find it was going for around £18,000.


The auctioneer's chief executive Edward Lovett said a combination of scarcity and Back To The Future's unending popularity had pushed prices sky-high (not that the real cars can actually fly, alas).

The film version of the DeLorean famously took off at the end of the first film, when Christopher Lloyd's time-traveller Doc Brown uttered the immortal words: "Where we're going, we don't need roads."

Back To The Future spawned two sequels and has a popular musical in the West End, while reports suggest it could form part of the Universal Studios theme park announced for the UK this month.
https://news.sky.com/story/back-to-the-futures-delorean-has-almost-vanished-from-uk-roads-13352965

[Jimbuna]

Four-foot-long caiman found and seized by police at property in Essex

A four-foot-long caiman has been seized by police during a search of a property in Essex.

The reptile, which has now been handed over to the RSPCA, was found by officers executing a warrant at an address in Aveley, near Grays, on Thursday.

A significant cannabis haul and several weapons, including knives, were also discovered and seized.

Two people were arrested on suspicion of drugs and weapons offences, Essex Police said.

A 36-year-old man, from Purfleet, was arrested on suspicion of production of cannabis, contravention of the dangerous wildlife act and possession of an offensive weapon.


A woman, 35, was arrested for the same offences as well as on suspicion of possession with intent to supply drugs, the force said.

Both have since been released under investigation.

Inspector Dan Selby said: "Drugs cause misery in our communities and we work hard to tackle their production and sale.

"We know this matters to the public and we value our neighbourhoods so these issues matter to us.

"We are also ensuring the welfare of the caiman and have left it in the hands of the RSPCA."

Caimans are native to Central and South America and inhabit marshes, swamps, lakes, and mangrove rivers.
https://news.sky.com/story/four-foot-long-caiman-found-and-seized-by-police-at-property-in-essex-13351005