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Colombia will try to control invasive hippo population through sterilization, transfer, euthanasia

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:31 GMT

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombia will try to control its population of more than 100 hippopotamuses, descendants of animals illegally brought to the country by late drug kingpin Pablo Escobar in the 1980s, through surgical sterilization, the transfer of hippos to other countries and possibly euthanasia, the government said Thursday.The hippos, which spread from Escobar’s estate into nearby rivers where they flourished, have no natural predators in Colombia and have been declared an invasive species that could upset the ecosystem.Authorities estimate there are 169 hippos in Colombia, especially in the Magdalena River basin, and that if no measures are taken, there could be 1,000 by 2035.Environment Minister Susana Muhamad said the first stage of the plan will be the surgical sterilization of 40 hippos per year and this will begin next week.The procedure is expensive — each sterilization costs about $9,800 — and entails risks for the hippopotamus, including allergic reactions to anest...

3 passengers sue Alaska Airlines after off-duty pilot accused of trying to cut engines mid-flight

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:31 GMT

SEATTLE (AP) — Three passengers sued Alaska Airlines on Thursday, saying they suffered emotional distress from an incident last month in which an off-duty pilot is accused of trying to shut down the engines of a plane while catching a ride in the cockpit from Washington state to San Francisco.In the complaint filed Thursday in King County Superior Court in Washington state, San Francisco residents Matthew Doland and Theresa Stelter and Paul Stephen of Kenmore, Washington, alleged that the pilot should never have been allowed in the cockpit because he was suffering from depression and a lack of sleep. Alaska Airlines did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment but has previously said the flight never lost power.Alaska pilot Joseph David Emerson, 44, was riding in the jump seat — an extra seat in the cockpit — when he suddenly said “I’m not OK” and tried to pull two handles that would engage a fire-suppression system and cut fuel to the engines, authorities said in c...

Biologists are keeping a close eye on a rare Mexican wolf that is wandering out of bounds

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:31 GMT

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Northern New Mexico or bust — that seems to be the case for at least one Mexican gray wolf that is intent on wandering beyond the boundaries set for managing the rarest subspecies of gray wolf if North America. Federal and state wildlife managers confirmed Thursday that the endangered female wolf has traveled north of Interstate 40 and beyond a recovery zone that spans parts of southwestern New Mexico and southeastern Arizona. It was documented crossing the interstate west of Albuquerque last week and most recently was tracked to a mountainous area west of Jemez Springs.This marks the second time the wolf — identified as F2754 — has ventured north. It reached the foothills of the Rocky Mountains near Taos, New Mexico, last winter before it was caught and released back into the wild in Arizona.Both state and federal wildlife managers said they were monitoring the wolf’s movements and have yet to decide whether it will be captured again and relocated. Environm...

California officials confirm 2 cases of dengue, a mosquito-borne illness rarely transmitted in US

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:31 GMT

LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Two people in Southern California have come down with dengue fever without traveling outside the United States, where the mosquito-borne illness is rare, health officials said.A Pasadena resident was confirmed to have dengue last month but is recovering, officials said. “This is the first confirmed case of dengue in California not associated with travel and is instead an extremely rare case of local transmission in the continental United States,” the Pasadena Public Health Department announced.The case remains under investigation, but it appears that someone became infected with the dengue virus, returned home and was bitten by a mosquito that passed it on to the local resident, according to Pasadena health officials.On Wednesday, Long Beach officials announced another domestically contracted dengue case and said that person has recovered.Both cities’ health departments said the risk of exposure to others was low. Dengue is caused by several related v...

Florida dentist charged in murder-for-hire case says he was a victim of extortion, not a killer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:31 GMT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A Florida dentist on trial in a murder-for-hire case involving his ex-brother-in-law claimed Thursday that he was a victim of extortion by the killers, but wasn’t actually involved in the plot to kill the prominent Florida State University professor.Charles Adelson, whose sister Wendi was in a bitter custody battle with professor Dan Markel when Markel was shot in his car outside his Tallahassee home in 2014, testified in his own defense. He said his ex-girlfriend told him an ex-boyfriend committed the crime and now wanted Adelson to pay more than $300,000 or he would be killed, too.“I’m not going to be part of paying for a murder. This is insane,” Adelson said he told his ex-girlfriend, Katherine Magbanua. “She’s like, ‘Look. If you don’t pay in 48 hours, they will kill you.’ I said, ‘Katy, I feel like I’m being extorted.”Previously, Dan and Wendi Markel had divorced and were granted shared custody of their two children. But We...

A county lawmaker in New York is accused of slashing a tire outside a bar

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:31 GMT

LOCKPORT, N.Y. (AP) — A county lawmaker in New York is accused of slashing the tire of a truck parked outside a local bar.Niagara County Legislator William Collins Sr., a Republican, is charged in a warrant issued Monday with third-degree criminal mischief, a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in prison.Collins did not respond Thursday to phone calls and emails seeking comment. Collins is accused of slashing a tire on a pickup truck outside of Attitudes, a bar in Lockport, last Thursday. Police told the Niagara Gazette they have surveillance video showing Collins committing the crime. They said arrangements have been made for Collins to surrender next week.The owner of the damaged pickup truck told police he saw Collins inside the bar but does not know why he would have slashed his tire.Collins represents Lockport in the legislature’s 12th District and is up for reelection next week.The Associated Press

Director of new Godzilla film pursuing ‘Japanese spirituality’ of 1954 original

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:31 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Godzilla, the nightmarish radiation spewing monster born out of nuclear weapons, has stomped through many movies, including several Hollywood remakes.Takashi Yamazaki, the director behind the latest Godzilla movie, set for U.S. theatrical release later this year, was determined to bring out what he believes is the essentially Japanese spirituality that characterizes the 1954 original.In that classic, directed by Ishiro Honda, a man sweated inside a rubber suit and trampled over cityscape miniatures to tell the story of a prehistoric creature mistakenly brought to life by radiation from nuclear testing in the Pacific. The monster in “Godzilla Minus One” is all computer graphics.“I love the original Godzilla, and I felt I should stay true to that spirit, addressing the issues of war and nuclear weapons,” said Yamazaki, who also wrote the screenplay and oversaw the computerized special effects.“There is a concept in Japan called ‘tatarigami.’ There are good gods, and there...

Panama’s congress backtracks to preserve controversial Canadian mining contract

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:31 GMT

PANAMA CITY (AP) — An indefinite moratorium on new mining activities passed a second vote in Panama’s National Assembly Thursday. One article was removed, however, that would have revoked a controversial mining contract which had sparked nationwide protests over the past two weeks.The bill had already passed a second debate on Wednesday while it still included an article revoking the government’s contract with Minera Panama, a local subsidiary of Canadian mining company First Quantum.Lawmakers reversed that decision Thursday, sending the bill back to a second debate and stripping the article specifically related to the Minera Panama contract.Some lawyers welcomed the decision, warning that revoking the contract with a new bill could have left the government open to multi-million dollar legal liabilities. Experts said those could be avoided if the country’s Supreme Court rules the original contract was unconstitutional in any one of eight such cases brought against the de...

Wanted man identified in random assault on GO train near Agincourt Station

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:31 GMT

Toronto police have identified a man wanted in the unprovoked assault of a passenger who was struck in the face with a heavy object while on board a GO Train near Agincourt Station.Officers were called to the scene just before 2 p.m. on Sunday, October 29, for an alleged assault between Milliken and Agincourt stations.It’s alleged the male suspect randomly struck a passenger in the face with a heavy object. Police said the suspect exited the train at Agincourt Station and proceeded southbound towards Sheppard Avenue.The victim was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.The suspect was identified as 33-year-old Paul Thomas of no fixed address. He’s wanted on multiple offences, including assault with a weapon and aggravated assault.Investigators are urging members of the public not to approach Thomas and, if seen, to call 9-1-1.

Rick Scott endorses Trump over DeSantis

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:31 GMT

(The Hill) — Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) on Thursday endorsed former President Donald Trump in the 2024 GOP presidential primary, going against a previous promise that he would stay out of the race and turning against his state's governor, Ron DeSantis (R).“I am optimistic that we can return America to its rightful position of economic and military strength and the undisputed moral leader of the free world, but only with strong leadership in the White House,” Scott said in a Newsweek op-ed published Thursday.“That is why I support my friend President Donald J. Trump to be the 47th president of the United States and encourage every Republican to unite behind his efforts to win back the White House,” he continued.Scott, then the governor of Florida, endorsed Trump in the 2016 election, and Trump returned the favor for Scott’s 2018 Senate election bid.“It's time for the Republican Party to come together, behind one candidate, and declare with one voice that we are united in our efforts to...