Daily News

[Jimbuna]

Junior doctor goes viral after rescuing live fish from garden lawn in Newcastle

A junior doctor who found a goldfish on his garden lawn has gone viral on social media after saying he had "no idea" how it got there.

Dr Ben Beska, from Newcastle, made the discovery on Saturday after he heard a group of magpies squawking and went out to investigate - and then spotted the fish lying in the grass.

The NHS cardiology doctor rushed to retrieve the fish and placed it in a freezer drawer filled with water - the only large container he could find.

Locking the fish away from his two pet cats, Dr Beska visited his nearest aquatic shop and purchased a tank for the fish.

The 33-year-old has named it Alice after a text message he sent to a friend autocorrected "it's alive" to "it's alice".

Dr Beska posted about his discovery on X, formerly Twitter, and it has now been viewed more than 19 million times, according to figures from the social network.

He described the reaction as "bonkers" and added: "It's pretty mad really, finding a fish on the lawn. I have no idea how it got in the garden...

"Then I saw this thing on the floor and I was like: 'What the hell?'

"I went out and I was like, as if it's an actual fish, so took a photo to send to my fiance to say: 'How the hell is there a fish on the floor', and then it moved - I couldn't just leave it."

Dr Beska said he picked up the "flapping" fish and put it in the freezer drawer after filling it with water.

He said: "It started to swim around so it was alive...

"I think it was seconds from death, so it's a lucky fish."

Dr Beska suspects a bird picked up the fish from a nearby pond and dropped it while carrying it away - but said it must have travelled a "reasonable distance" because there were no ponds nearby.

The mystery of the goldfish has gone viral on X, with Dr Beska's original post attracting more than 174,000 likes and nearly 5,000 comments.

He said: "It's very odd, I mainly use [social media] for medical stuff, so this is very, very different."

One X user has even gone as far as creating an account for the fish, with the username @alicebeska, which Dr Beska said was "very funny"

Dr Beska now intends to keep the fish as a pet, and plans to purchase a larger tank - and possibly another fish to keep it company.
https://news.sky.com/story/junior-do...astle-13146917

[Jimbuna]

Tranquillised bear caught by rescuers as it falls from tree in Pennsylvania

Rescuers caught a sedated black bear with a tarpaulin cover as it fell from a tree after roaming into a residential area in the US.

Officials were forced to tranquillise the animal after it sheltered in a tree in Camp Hill near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Students and staff at a nearby school were told to stay indoors during the drama, according to local news website Pennlive.com.

Wildlife officials worked with public safety and emergency rescue teams to safely capture the bear.

Fire and rescue workers used a ladder vehicle to move closer to the animal so they could administer a tranquilliser shot.

The sedated animal fell about six metres into a large blue tarpaulin cover held up by several wildlife officials, as well police officers and firefighters.

The animal was tranquillised again before being moved to a bear trap which had been placed on a trailer, it was reported.

The bear did not seem to be fully grown and it is likely to be relocated elsewhere in central Pennsylvania.
https://news.sky.com/story/tranquill...vania-13148152

[Jimbuna]

Yodel apologises after woman finds parcel she ordered two years ago while gardening

A delivery company has apologised after a woman discovered a parcel in her garden that was ordered more than two years ago.

Meg Johnson, 30, says she was told the package containing a dress had been delivered in 2022 but she could find no trace of it at the time.

She found the parcel in a raised bed at the bottom of her garden in Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales, when she was doing "some much-needed weeding" - but the dress was now decomposed and ruined.

Ms Johnson said she believes the parcel was "slung over the garden wall" by the courier.

"Upon further inspection I see it's the dress I ordered two years ago," she said.

"The bag has been torn open where I can only assume wildlife have been at it, and the dress itself was wet, covered in soil, home to a lot of bugs, and pretty much totally decomposed."

Ms Johnson, who is recovering from heart surgery, said she was "so disappointed" with the service.

She said she contacted the courier company at the time but it said the item had been "marked as delivered on their end" and it "could do nothing about it".

Ms Johnson has contacted Yodel since she discovered the missing dress.

"I emailed the CEO complaints email address for Yodel and had just a very generic response basically saying they can't do anything as they only keep records for three months," Ms Johnson added.

A Yodel spokesperson has apologised to Ms Johnson.

"The safe delivery of parcels is our number one priority, and we are sorry that Ms Johnson's experience did not meet the high standards we strive for," the spokesperson said.

"We would encourage anyone expecting a delivery to share a safe space exclusively via our app where we have also introduced access to proof of delivery images."
https://news.sky.com/story/yodel-apo...ening-13147152

[Jimbuna]

'Virgin' pregnant stingray Charlotte has 'rare disease', says North Carolina aquarium

A stingray whose "virgin" pregnancy made global headlines has a rare reproductive disease, the aquarium housing her has said.

In an update on the health of Charlotte the stingray, the Aquarium and Shark Lab in North Carolina said she had "developed a rare reproductive disease that has negatively impacted her reproductive system".

Charlotte captured international attention in February when the aquarium said she was carrying "between three and four pups" despite not encountering a male stingray for eight years.

"It's a really strange and unique phenomenon," Brenda Ramer, its executive director, said at the time while livestreaming Charlotte's ultrasound.

In the update posted on social media on Friday, the team said: "Many are asking the name of the reproductive disease, but it is simply found under that text reproductive disease.

"We are actively searching [for] more information ourselves."

They added they found studies done on a different species of stingray but none on round rays, Charlotte's species.

The aquarium closed on Saturday as the team "continue to care for Charlotte, and consult her medical team".
https://news.sky.com/story/virgin-pr...arium-13146720

[Jimbuna]

Necklace 'saves man's life' after stopping bullet going into his neck, police say

A man's life was likely saved after a thick chain necklace prevented a bullet from going into his neck.

The shooting happened during an argument, said police in the US state of Colorado.

The .22 calibre bullet became lodged in the silver chain around the victim's neck.

It left the unnamed man with only a puncture wound from last Tuesday's attack.

Officers in Commerce City, near Denver, released photos of the bloodied chain and said in a Facebook post: "We'd say he really dodged a bullet - but in reality, he LODGED a bullet.

"This silver chain - approximately 10mm in width - is likely the only reason the victim of a shooting we responded to yesterday is still alive."

The suspected gunman, who was also not identified, was arrested at the scene and charged with attempted murder.

Police noted that while the necklace was silver in colour, it was likely not pure silver as silver is a softer metal and may not have stopped a bullet.

"Maybe think twice before you knock a knock-off," Commerce City Police Department joked.

"Just incredible," it added.
https://news.sky.com/story/necklace-...e-say-13147164

[Jimbuna]

Great Dane named world's tallest dog - but is 'terrified' of family's vacuum

A Great Dane named after Macaulay Culkin's character from Home Alone has been crowned the world's tallest dog by Guinness World Records.

Kevin measures 0.97m (3ft 2in) from his feet to his withers (the ridge between the shoulder blades) but is about 7ft when on his hind legs.

The three-year-old, from West Des Moines in Iowa, lives with three other dogs - including a pug - and four cats.

Owner Tracy Wolfe says he's the "epitome of a gentle giant" who loves hogging the sofa.

Kevin often crouches and crawls near other dogs to make himself less intimidating - and is said to be "terrified" of the family's vacuum.

"He won't let it come within six feet of him. He will jump and run to get away from it," says Mrs Wolfe.

Despite eating a lot, Kevin manages to stay trim - but gets predictable comments when out and about like "is that a horse?" and asking if he has a saddle.

"He's always been very gentle with the other little dogs" and gets on "fine" with the family's cats, adds Mrs Wolfe.

"He does once in a while try to chase them but if he catches them he just licks them."

Kevin is still a bit shorter than the tallest dog ever - another Great Dane, named Zeus, who measured 1.118m (3ft 8in) and died in 2014 aged five.
https://news.sky.com/story/great-dan...acuum-13152314

[Moonlight]

Wow, we've had some riveting stuff in this thread a lately, so lets get back to the boring stuff.

South Africa's new coalition government includes first white politicians since the end of apartheid following 30 years of ANC majority rule

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...term-deal.html

Most South Africans were better under apartheid than under ANC rule, the ANC did such a great job of running South Africa into the ground that I was surprised that they even got 40% of the vote. Corruption was rife in that country under ANC rule and I can't see it getting any better under this coalition government, me thinks it will all fall apart in under a year, as for the peasants, nothing these politicians bring to the table will better the lives of those poor sods.

[Jimbuna]

Crocodile that lunged at children is shot and cooked for local residents in northern Australia

A "problem" crocodile that was stalking both adults and children has been shot and cooked for a local Aboriginal community, police in Australia have said.

The 3.63m-long reptile "moved into" the River Baines in the Northern Territory town of Bulla following flooding earlier in the year, emergency services said.

Since then it had been "stalking and lunging out of the water at children and adults", they added.

It had also "taken multiple community dogs", police said.

Following discussions with local residents, the crocodile was shot to ensure it "did not continue to pose a significant risk to the community".

The "large saltie" was then taken into Bulla where the "community prepared it for a feast in the traditional manner", police said.

It was "on the barbecue" and "cooked up into crocodile tail soup", remote sergeant Andrew McBride told ABC News.

In addition, a few pieces were "wrapped in banana leaves and cooked underground".

Sergeant McBride added: "It was a rather large traditional feast and there were a few full bellies."

Crocodiles have been "popping up where they've never been seen before", Mr McBride said.

The development follows widespread flooding in western areas of the territory earlier this year.

"The amount of water's just pushed them into random places," Mr McBride said.

"This is obviously one of those crocodiles that's gone for a bit of a swim and a walk and popped up very close to residents."

"Crocodiles can pose a significant risk to community safety," said Commander Kylie Anderson.

"Thanks to the seamless collaboration between Parks and Wildlife, our remote police staff and local residents, we were able to safely remove the large saltie and maintain the safety of the community.

"There's never a dull moment in remote policing."
https://news.sky.com/story/crocodile...ralia-13152949

[Jimbuna]

Joey Chestnut, 16-time hot dog eating champion, banned from event for signing deal with vegan company

A 16-time hot dog eating champion says he has been banned from a New York contest after signing a deal with a vegan food company.

Joey "Jaws" Chestnut, 40, is the reigning champion of the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest, having won all but one of the competitions every year since 2007.

In the 2021 contest, he ate 76 hot dogs and buns in just 10 minutes, one of 55 competitive eating world records he holds.

Last year, he fell short of his own record but still put away an impressive 63 sausages. He blamed his performance on stormy weather.

But after signing an endorsement deal with Impossible Foods - a plant-based meat company - Chestnut will miss out on the annual New York event.

It's because Nathan's Famous prohibits eaters from endorsing competitor hot dog brands, the contest's governing body Major League Eating (MLE) said.

It added in a statement: "We are devastated to learn that Joey Chestnut has chosen to represent a rival brand that sells plant-based hot dogs rather than competing in the 2024 Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest.

"MLE and Nathan's went to great lengths in recent months to accommodate Joey and his management team, agreeing to the appearance fee and allowing Joey to compete in a rival unbranded hot dog eating contest on Labor Day.

"For nearly two decades we have worked under the same basic hot dog exclusivity provisions. However, it seems that Joey and his managers have prioritized a new partnership with a different hot dog brand over our long-time relationship."

Chestnut has disputed the claims, and said while he was "gutted" to miss out, he was not responsible for skipping this year's event.

"I do not have a contract with MLE or Nathans and they are looking to change the rules from past years as it relates to other partners I can work with," he said on social media.

MLE's event organiser, George Shea, said the dispute came down to exclusivity, and explained: "It would be like Michael Jordan saying to Nike, 'I'm going to represent Adidas, too'."

Impossible Foods said it supports Chestnut in "any contest he chooses," adding that "meat eaters shouldn't have to be exclusive to just one wiener".

And New York mayor Eric Adams waded in to tell MLE to "stop being such weenies" on social media, calling for them to allow Chestnut to take part in the contest on 4 July.

Capitalising on the row, Netflix quickly snapped up Chestnut and fellow competitive eater and Nathan's veteran Takeru Kobayashi for a new special. The pair last faced off at a contest in 2009.

Broadcasting on 2 September, Chestnut Vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef will see the two race to eat the most all-beef hot dogs possible.

Mr Shea seemed unimpressed with the streaming giant's plan, saying Netflix was "trying to recreate the Nathan's contest to some extent and you just can't do that".
https://news.sky.com/story/joey-ches...mpany-13152602

[Jimbuna]

Greek coastguard threw migrants overboard to their deaths, witnesses say

The Greek coastguard has caused the deaths of dozens of migrants in the Mediterranean over a three-year period, witnesses say, including nine who were deliberately thrown into the water.

The nine are among more than 40 people alleged to have died as a result of being forced out of Greek territorial waters, or taken back out to sea after reaching Greek islands, BBC analysis has found.

The Greek coastguard told our investigation it strongly rejects all accusations of illegal activities.

We showed footage of 12 people being loaded into a Greek coastguard boat, and then abandoned on a dinghy, to a former senior Greek coastguard officer. When he got up from his chair, and with his mic still on, he said it was "obviously illegal" and "an international crime".

The Greek government has long been accused of forced returns - pushing people back towards Turkey, where they have crossed from, which is illegal under international law.

But this is the first time the BBC has calculated the number of incidents which allege that fatalities occurred as a result of the Greek coastguard's actions.

The 15 incidents we analysed - dated May 2020-23 - resulted in 43 deaths. The initial sources were primarily local media, NGOs and the Turkish coastguard.

Verifying such accounts is extremely difficult - witnesses often disappear, or are too fearful to speak out. But in four of these cases we were able to corroborate accounts by speaking with eye witnesses.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0vv717yvpeo

[Jimbuna]

Massachusetts: Twenty-three sets of twins graduate from same year group at school

Twenty-three sets of twins have graduated from a US middle school, making up about 10% of the eighth-grade year group.

The identical and fraternal twins graduated from Pollard Middle School in Needham, Massachusetts, on Wednesday.

Headteacher Tamatha Bibbo described the event as "quite unusual".

"We typically have anywhere from five to 10 sets at most.

"Given our numbers, we have approximately 450 to 500 children in each grade so this was extraordinarily high."

The school gave a special shout-out to the 23 sets of twins during the so-called "moving up" ceremony.

The Pollard Middle School graduates must all have completed up to 10 hours of service learning in their communities and every year the Needham Exchange Club offers five community service awards.

For the first time this year a set of twins - Lukas and Sameer Patel - won an award and a donation to their charity, Ms Bibbo said.

Another student, who is also a twin, graduated but her brother attends a different school.

Twins account for around 3% of live births in the US, according to the National Centre for Health Statistics.
https://news.sky.com/story/massachus...chool-13152735

[Jimbuna]

Mysterious monolith discovered in desert near Las Vegas

A mysterious monolith has baffled police officers in Las Vegas after it was spotted glimmering in a remote mountain range near the neon-lit city.

Las Vegas police said members of a volunteer search and rescue unit encountered the mirrored object near Gass Peak in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge in Nevada.

Officers have no idea where the monolith came from and have said they expect social media users will try to solve the mystery.

Sharing an image of the discovery on the X social media platform, Las Vegas police said: "We see a lot of weird things when people go hiking like not being prepared for the weather, not bringing enough water... but check this out! Over the weekend, (LV Search and Rescue) spotted this mysterious monolith near Gass Peak north of the valley.

The sighting follows a series of instances of mysterious shiny columns popping up around the world since at least 2020.

In November of that year, a roughly 12ft metal monolith similar to the one seen in Las Vegas was discovered deep in the desert in Utah.

It was in an area so remote that officials didn't immediately reveal its location for fear of people getting lost or stranded while trying to find it.

It was followed by sightings in Romania, central California and on the famed Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas.

In March this year, a 10ft monolith appeared on a hillside in southeast Wales.
https://news.sky.com/story/mysteriou...vegas-13155171

[Jimbuna]

Escaped pet donkey found 'living best life' with elk

A pet donkey that escaped his owners five years ago in California has been found "living his best life" with a herd of wild elk.

Terrie and Dave Drewry, of Auburn, are convinced the animal, filmed by a hiker earlier in June, is their pet "Diesel".

The couple say they are relieved the animal is safe - and have decided to let him wander free with a new family as a "wild burro" .

Diesel was spooked and took off during a hiking trip with Mr Drewry near Clear Lake, California in 2019.

Weeks of volunteer searches proved fruitless, and a trail camera image a few months later was the last time he was seen.

"We finally kind of gave up," Mrs Drewry told BBC's news partner, CBS. "Just no signs of him."

Then hiker Max Fennell spotted the herd earlier this month, describing the donkey as "happy and healthy", and posted his film on social media.

"It was amazing. It was like, oh my gosh. Finally, we saw him. Finally, we know he's good. He's living his best life. He's happy. He's healthy, and it was just a relief," Mrs Drewry said.

The elk herd is a few miles away from where Diesel first went missing and in an area where there are no wild donkeys.

"Two completely different creatures, but they learn to get along and be each other's family," Mrs Drewry said.

The Drewrys have adopted new donkeys since Diesel's disappearance and do not plan on trying to capture their missing pet.

"To catch him would be next to impossible," Mrs Drewry said. "He is truly a wild burro now. He's out there doing what he's raised to do."

She said Diesel is about eight years old and donkeys can live for up to 40 years.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjjje07x35do

[Moonlight]

'Baroness Bra' Michelle Mone 'hires celebrity bodyguard' after receiving torrents of abuse and 'acid attack threat' amid investigation into her role in the Covid PPE scandal

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...E-scandal.html

I have only one thing to say to the Establishment, Why is this currant still a Baroness?, I would imagine that quite a few of them have been wanting to get inside her panties for a long while and this will be the perfect opportunity to do so.
Establishment help will involve a financial reward and most certainly the dropping of ones panties, I reckon she'll be greasing her thighs instead of her palms for the next couple of years.

[Jimbuna]

Why people are threatening to poo in Paris' River Seine today

Parisians have threatened to poo in the River Seine today in a protest ahead of the Olympics.

People angry at the expense of cleaning up the river have rallied under the hashtag #JeChieDansLaSeineLe23Juin, which translates as "I s**t in the Seine on 23 June".

Today was supposed to be the date Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo would swim in the Seine to prove the water was clean enough for Olympic athletes - but she delayed the dip until after the French elections in July.

President Emmanuel Macron has also promised to swim in the Seine before the Games, but has not said when.

A website has been set up with the slogan: "They have plunged us into s**t, it's their turn to plunge into our s**t."

The anonymous programmer behind the website told news outlet Actu Paris why people are angry.

"The problem is that all the resources that have been invested have not been to resolve all the social problems we have at the moment," he said.

"We have the feeling of being abandoned. We see where their priority was."

More than €1.4bn (£1.2bn) has been spent on trying to make the water safe enough to swim in, with triathlon and open water swimming events scheduled to take place in the river.

A report published on Friday showed the water was still too dirty to swim in, just over five weeks out from the first triathlon event.

Water samples showed high rates of two kinds of faecal bacteria, including E.coli, and did not meet the standards set for the Games, Paris region prefect Marc Guillaume said.
https://news.sky.com/story/why-peopl...today-13157481