Louisiana works out deal for family to keep pet nutria
March 18, 2023 GMTBATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — After much public outcry, state officials now say they will let a Louisiana couple keep a 22-pound nutria -- a beady-eyed, orange-toothed, rat-tailed rodent commonly considered a wetlands-damaging pest -- as a pet that frolics with their dog, snuggles in their arms and swims in the family pool.
Millions of dead fish wash up amid heat wave in Australia
March 19, 2023 GMTCANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Millions of fish have washed up dead in southeastern Australia in a die-off that authorities and scientists say is caused by depleted oxygen levels in the river after recent floods and hot weather.
African land snails found in luggage at Michigan airport
March 17, 2023 GMTROMULUS, Mich. (AP) — Six giant African land snails have been found in the luggage of a traveler who flew to Michigan from the west African country of Ghana.
Future NASA moonwalkers to sport sleeker spacesuits
March 15, 2023 GMTCAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Moonwalking astronauts will have sleeker, more flexible spacesuits that come in different sizes when they step onto the lunar surface later this decade.
Germany detains 42 in effort to prevent attacks on ATMs
March 17, 2023 GMTBERLIN (AP) — German police detained 42 people as part of a crackdown on gangs suspected of blowing up cash machines, authorities said Friday.
Incidents in which thieves blow up ATMs and then make off with the cash, usually during the night, have become increasingly common in Germany in recent years.
Italian’s espresso machine a hit at World Baseball Classic
March 15, 2023 GMTTOKYO (AP) — Old-time baseball players would be appalled.
Italy's dugout at the World Baseball Classic comes outfitted with an espresso machine. And it's getting lots of attention.
“We are kind of shocked, actually, because this is something in Italian culture that’s sort of like water.
Beloved and debated, French bulldog becomes top US dog breed
March 15, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — For the first time in three decades, the U.S. has a new favorite dog breed, according to the American Kennel Club.
Adorable in some eyes, deplorable in others, the sturdy, push-faced, perky-eared, world-weary-looking and distinctively droll French bulldog became the nation's most prevalent purebred dog last year, the club announced Wednesday.
How this little see-through fish gets its rainbow shimmer
March 13, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — You can see right through this little aquarium fish from Thailand: Its skin is almost completely transparent. But when the light hits it just right, its body flickers with shimmering rainbow colors.
Puerto Rico breaks world record as baseball fans go blond
March 10, 2023 GMTSAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The blonds are back.
Puerto Rico on Friday broke the Guinness World record for the most hair dyed, with 192 men going blond to support the U.S. territory’s team that is vying to win the World Baseball Classic after finishing twice as runner-up.
‘Cocaine cat’ escaped owner, will now live at Cincinnati Zoo
March 10, 2023 GMTAn African serval cat that was found with cocaine in its system after an escape at a traffic stop now calls the Cincinnati Zoo home, much to the delight of social media users still amused by the recent release of the movie “Cocaine Bear.”
State says Louisiana family must give up beloved pet nutria
March 17, 2023 GMTNEW ORLEANS (AP) — A Louisiana couple has run afoul of state law by keeping a 22-pound nutria -- a beady-eyed, orange-toothed, rat-tailed rodent commonly considered a wetlands-damaging pest -- as a pet that frolics with their dog, snuggles in their arms and swims in the family pool.
Thai officials search for radioactive cylinder from plant
March 15, 2023 GMTBANGKOK (AP) — Authorities in Thailand expanded their search Wednesday for a metal cylinder with radioactive contents that has gone missing from a power plant, warning the public that it poses a danger to health.
Part of mall roof in Duluth collapses under weight of snow
March 14, 2023 GMTDULUTH, Minn. (AP) — Part of the roof at a shopping mall in Duluth, Minnesota, collapsed early Tuesday as workers were removing several inches of snow that had fallen over the weekend, authorities said.
Retrial ordered for 87-year-old ex-boxer on Japan death row
March 14, 2023 GMTTOKYO (AP) — Tokyo’s high court on Monday ordered a retrial for an 87-year-old former boxer who has been on death row for more than five decades after his murder conviction that his lawyers said was based on forced confession and fabricated evidence.
New Hampshire lawmaker arrested for obstructing snowplow
March 11, 2023 GMTCONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A Republican lawmaker in New Hampshire was arrested Friday for allegedly screaming and swearing at a snowplow truck operator who recorded the confrontation and later reported him to police.
The view from above the Oscars: The slap, the snafu, Spike
March 10, 2023 GMTLOS ANGELES (AP) — I was the man in the box at the Oscars for The Associated Press.
I would stand in an opera-style balcony near the stage at the Dolby Theatre that provides a great view of the show but an even better view of the audience.
Sheriff: Vehicle crashes in airport terminal, driver charged
March 10, 2023 GMTWILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) — A vehicle crashed inside a terminal at the Wilmington International Airport in North Carolina, but no one was injured, officials said.
Deputies with the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office responded Thursday night to a report that a car had breached the airport's fence and drove onto the tarmac, the agency said.
Maine motorists appeal to keep naughty vanity license plates
March 9, 2023 GMTAUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — A Maine vegan whose custom license plate contains the word “tofu” is one of the motorists caught in a state crackdown on vulgar tags.
Car owners across the United States can pay an extra fee to customize license plates, sparking creativity and personality but causing headaches for state officials who have to decide what’s acceptable.
Berlin to let everyone go topless at public swimming pools
March 9, 2023 GMTBERLIN (AP) — Women in Berlin will soon be allowed to go topless at the city's public swimming pools, like men, the Berlin state government said Thursday.
The new bathing rules allowing everyone to go swimming without covering their torsos followed a discrimination complaint by a woman who was not allowed to go topless in a swimming pool in the capital.
82-year-old charged with sale of fake Michael Jordan cards
March 8, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — An 82-year-old Colorado man was charged Wednesday with selling and trading fake Michael Jordan basketball cards in a scheme that prosecutors said resulted in him making more than $800,000 over four years.
On tap: Booze still allowed on Amtrak in New Hampshire
March 8, 2023 GMTCONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Riders on an Amtrak train that runs from Maine to Boston can continue to buy alcoholic beverages during the 35-mile stretch of the trip that goes through New Hampshire as officials said they plan to work out a “creative solution” to avoid violating a state liquor law.
Video captures dramatic moment SUV slams into Houston cafe
March 8, 2023 GMTA podcaster caught the startling moment an SUV crashed into the Houston cafe, sending shattering glass toward him and the guest he was interviewing on video.
Coming soon: Reese’s Cups, chocolate bars made from plants
March 7, 2023 GMTReese’s Peanut Butter Cups are getting the vegan treatment.
The Hershey Co. said Tuesday that Reese’s Plant Based Peanut Butter Cups, which go on sale this month, will be its first vegan chocolates sold nationally.
Live free or dry: No buying booze on Amtrak in New Hampshire
March 7, 2023 GMTPORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Riders on an Amtrak train that runs from Maine to Boston will soon have to hold off on buying alcoholic beverages during the 35-mile stretch of the trip that goes through New Hampshire.
‘Creature from the Black Lagoon’ actor Ricou Browning dies
March 6, 2023 GMTRicou Browning, a skilled swimmer best known for his underwater role as the Gill Man in the quintessential 3D black-and-white 1950s monster movie “Creature from the Black Lagoon,” has died, his family told various media outlets.
Thar she blows! Canadian woman wins Key West conch contest
March 5, 2023 GMTA Canadian woman and a pediatric cardiologist from Georgia won the men's and women's contests at Key West's annual Conch Shell Blowing Contest, using different techniques to impress Saturday's judges.
PitchCom volume issue gives away Twins pitch calls
March 3, 2023 GMTST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — This was a different kind of pitch tipping when Minnesota right-hander Kenta Maeda made only his second spring start in his return from Tommy John surgery two seasons ago.
Colombia proposes shipping invasive hippos to India, Mexico
March 3, 2023 GMTBOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombia is proposing transferring at least 70 hippopotamuses that live near Pablo Escobar’s former ranch - descendants of four imported from Africa illegally by the late drug lord in the 1980s – to India and Mexico as part of a plan to control their population.
Olympian who dropped dog’s meds on skin avoids doping ban
March 2, 2023 GMTNowhere in the complex labyrinth of rules, bylaws and interpretations that govern the global anti-doping system did anyone see this warning: Beware of Dog Medicine.
It's an understandable omission, but one that led to a three-month sleuthing expedition that eventually exonerated a five-time Olympian of doping, while adding what some feel is an unnecessary asterisk next to her spotless record as a clean athlete.
Hare-brained scheme: Man busted for illegal hare trafficking
March 2, 2023 GMTPORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A federal judge has sentenced a Massachusetts man to probation for running an illegal trapping operation that captured wild hares in Maine for the purpose of training dogs.
Jon Rioux, 36, of Attleboro, solicited Maine residents to trap snowshoe hares, court documents show.
German ice cream parlor offers cricket-flavored scoops
March 2, 2023 GMTBERLIN (AP) — A German ice cream parlor has expanded its menu with a skin-crawling offering: cricket-flavored scoops with dried brown crickets on top.
The unusual confection is available at Thomas Micolino's store in southern Germany's town of Rottenburg am Neckar, German news agency dpa reported Thursday.
Olive oil in coffee? New Starbucks line a curiosity in Italy
March 1, 2023 GMTMILAN (AP) — Putting olive oil in coffee is hardly a tradition in Italy, but that didn't stop Starbucks interim CEO Howard Schultz from launching a series of beverages that do just that in Milan, the city that inspired his coffee house empire.
Hate your signature? Try plastic surgery for autographs
February 28, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Doctors, lawyers, celebrities: There's a new cosmetic surgery, of sorts, that has snared them all.
By that, we mean handing over money to hire a calligrapher for a fresh take on writing one's own name in cursive.
Investigation of powder in air reveals it was pollen
February 28, 2023 GMTCHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia officials investigating reports of a powder in the air and on some vehicles in the mid-Atlantic have determined the source: pollen.
UK police search for infant after missing couple arrested
February 28, 2023 GMTLONDON (AP) — British police were urgently searching for a two-month-old baby Tuesday after officers arrested the infant's mother and her boyfriend who had been missing since January.
Police find 850 kilos of cocaine washed up on French beach
February 28, 2023 GMTPARIS (AP) — Seashells, seaweed — and nearly a ton of cocaine. That’s what French maritime police found on a beach on the English Channel this week.
Police are investigating where the drugs came from and how they ended up on the shores of the town of Reville on the Cotentin Peninsula on Sunday, according to France's maritime authority for the English Channel and North Sea.
What time is it on moon? Europe pushing for lunar time zone
February 28, 2023 GMTCAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — With more lunar missions than ever on the horizon, the European Space Agency wants to give the moon its own time zone.
This week, the agency said space organizations around the world are considering how best to keep time on the moon.
That’s an error: NYC road sign is spelled ‘Jakie’ Robinson
February 28, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — New York City's Department of Transportation swung and missed with a road sign for the Jackie Robinson Parkway that spelled the baseball Hall of Famer's first name as “Jakie.”
The sign spotted Sunday in Queens featured a picture of Robinson, Major League Baseball's first African American player in the modern era, over the words “Jakie Robinson Parkway.”
WVa bill would give tax credits to ex-residents to move back
February 27, 2023 GMTCHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia’s Senate passed a bill Monday that would give $25,000 in tax credits to former residents who move back to the state to work.
The Senate passed the bill unanimously and sent it to the House of Delegates.
Putin bestows friendship award on actor Steven Seagal
February 27, 2023 GMTMOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday bestowed a state decoration on Steven Seagal, the American action-movie actor who also holds Russian citizenship.
The awarding of the Order of Friendship was announced on the Russian government's internet portal.
NYC thieves stealing Apple headphones off victims’ heads
February 26, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Listen up! At least 21 people in New York City have had their fancy Apple headphones stolen right off their heads by a roving team of moped-riding bandits, police say.
Mexican president posts photo of what he claims is an elf
February 26, 2023 GMTMEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s president posted a photo on his social media accounts Saturday showing what he said appeared to be a mythological woodland spirit similar to an elf.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador did not seem to be joking when he posted the photo of an “Aluxe,” a mischievous woodland spirit in Mayan folklore.
Iowa State University gets 169 confiscated baby tarantulas
February 25, 2023 GMTAMES, Iowa (AP) — Baby tarantulas have invaded Iowa State University.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service donated 169 confiscated tarantulas and offered them to the school in Ames this month.
St. Louis Zoo bear has second brief escape from enclosure
February 25, 2023 GMTST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis Zoo officials say they are working to find a way to keep an Andean bear named Ben inside his enclosure after he escaped Thursday for the second time this month.
The bear was outside for less than an hour and was found only about 100 feet away from his habitat, zoo officials said in a statement.
Alligator pulled from NYC lake had swallowed bathtub stopper
February 23, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — The alligator that was rescued from a chilly lake in New York City over the weekend had swallowed a bathtub stopper, authorities said.
Police: Crypto mining operation found in school crawl space
February 23, 2023 GMTCOHASSET, Mass. (AP) — A former employee of a Massachusetts town is facing charges of allegedly setting up a secret cryptocurrency mining operation in a remote crawl space at a school, police said.
1st baby pangolin in Europe born in Prague zoo, doing well
February 23, 2023 GMTPRAGUE (AP) — A Chinese pangolin has been born in the Prague zoo, the first birth of the critically endangered animal in captivity in Europe, and is doing well after initial troubles, the park said on Thursday.
Vandalism suspect breaks into California court, starts fire
February 22, 2023 GMTSANTA MARIA, Calif. (AP) — A 31-year-old man who showed up to a California courthouse over the weekend to inquire about an upcoming hearing in a vandalism case broke into a courtroom and started a fire, authorities said.
Pay-Per-Chew: More restaurants trying subscription programs
February 22, 2023 GMTConsumers are willing to pay monthly subscription fees for streaming services, pet food and even toilet paper. And now some restaurants are betting they'll do the same for their favorite meals.
Cold-blooded: Abandoned alligator rescued from Brooklyn lake
February 20, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — It’s no urban legend: An alligator was found in a chilly New York City lake on Sunday, far from the subtropical and tropical climates where such creatures thrive.
The 4-foot (1.2-meter) reptile was pulled from Prospect Park Lake in Brooklyn around 8:30 a.m.
Russian pranksters call Merkel posing as Ukraine’s ex-leader
February 20, 2023 GMTBERLIN (AP) — Russian pranksters posing as Ukraine’s ex-President Petro Poroshenko managed to contact Angela Merkel by phone to discuss developments in Ukraine and Belarus, although the former German chancellor appeared wary during the call.
Dogs in costumes take over at Rio Carnival street party
February 18, 2023 GMTRIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — As Rio de Janeiro kicked off its Carnival on Saturday, about 100 dogs barked and wagged their tails to the tune of samba music as they paraded in front of pet lovers in a canine costume competition.
Tiger cub rescued in New Mexico finds new home in Colorado
February 18, 2023 GMTALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A Bengal tiger cub found by Albuquerque police in a dog crate last month now has a new home in Colorado.
Officials at the ABQ BioPark Zoo, where the 4-month-old cub has been receiving care, told the Albuquerque Journal that he was transferred to The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, Colorado.
Dog vs shark standoff thrills tourists on Bahamas boat tour
February 17, 2023 GMTSAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The sight of a massive hammerhead shark was a rare treat for 32 travelers on a tour boat in the Bahamas this week. But then, something stranger still: A dog dove from a nearby dock to confront the monstrous sea creature.
Lonely tunes: Humpback whales wail less as population grows
February 16, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Those melancholy tunes sung by humpback whales may really be a sign of loneliness.
Scientists who tracked humpback whales in Australia noticed that fewer whales wailed to find mates as their population grew.
Fowl-free: McDonald’s debuts plant-based McNuggets
February 15, 2023 GMTMcDonald’s McNuggets are going fowl-free.
The Chicago-based fast food giant is introducing plant-based McNuggets next week. Germany will be the first market to get them.
McPlant Nuggets __ made from peas, corn and wheat with a tempura batter __ are the second product McDonald’s has co-developed with Beyond Meat, an El Segundo, California-based maker of plant-based meats.
Loggerhead sea turtle released after rehabbing in Florida
February 15, 2023 GMTJUNO BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A loggerhead sea turtle named Rocky paused briefly on the sand Wednesday morning before slowly crawling into the Atlantic Ocean after spending six weeks rehabbing at Florida's Loggerhead Marinelife Center.
UK: Thief admits stealing thousands of chocolate Easter eggs
February 14, 2023 GMTLONDON (AP) — A man who prosecutors said broke into a U.K. industrial park to steal almost 200,000 chocolate Easter eggs has pleaded guilty to theft and criminal damage.
Prosecutors said Tuesday that Joby Pool, 32, used a metal grinder to break through a gate at an industrial park in Telford, central England, on Saturday, then used a stolen semi truck to tow away a trailer loaded with Cadbury Creme Eggs and other chocolate goods worth more than 31,000 pounds ($38,000).
Polish mother of 7 successfully gives birth to quintuplets
February 14, 2023 GMTWARSAW, Poland (AP) — A Polish mother of seven has successfully given birth to premature quintuplets, hospital officials in southern Poland said Tuesday.
The two boys and three girls were born through cesarean section Sunday, in the pregnancy’s 28th week, at the University Hospital in Krakow.
German ballet director suspended over feces attack on critic
February 13, 2023 GMTBERLIN (AP) — A German newspaper critic had animal feces smeared on her face in the city of Hannover by a ballet director who apparently took offense at a review she wrote.
The Hannover state opera house apologized for the incident and said Monday that it was suspending ballet director Marco Goecke with immediate effect.
Auburn student wins car in a long-putt contest at Bama game
February 12, 2023 GMTAUBURN, Ala. (AP) — In a game where Auburn struggled with its 3-point accuracy, the best long shot of the afternoon by far belonged to a student in the stands.
Harley-Davidson from 1908 becomes priciest bike at auction
February 11, 2023 GMTMILWAUKEE (AP) — A rare Harley-Davidson motorcycle built in 1908 has become the most expensive motorcycle ever sold at auction, according to data compiled by a website that tracks vintage motorcycle sales.
Emu escape: Flightless giant gets loose in Massachusetts
February 11, 2023 GMTEAST BRIDGEWATER, Mass. (AP) — A large pet bird that is normally native to Australia caused a ruckus south of Boston after escaping from her home.
The bird is an emu, which is the second-tallest bird on Earth after its close relative the ostrich.
Dance like a Rockette: College students take unique class
February 10, 2023 GMTBOSTON (AP) — Rhapsody Stiggers has been dancing since she was 2, but the 20-year-old college junior has never taken a dance class quite as challenging as the one she's in now.
She is one of 38 students at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee enrolled in the first for-credit college dance class taught by the Radio City Rockettes, the precision dance team famous for its annual high-kicking “Christmas Spectacular," seen by more than 69 million people since 1933.
Tiny California mouse wins Guinness award for longevity
February 10, 2023 GMTSAN DIEGO (AP) — A tiny California mouse now has a big title after winning a Guinness World record for longevity.
A Pacific pocket mouse named Pat — after “Star Trek" actor Patrick Stewart — received the Guinness approval Wednesday as the oldest living mouse in human care at the ripe age of 9 years and 209 days, the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance announced after a certification ceremony.
How the ‘boneless wing’ became a tasty culinary lie
February 10, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — One day in 2020, at the pandemic’s height, an earnest-looking man with long hair the color of Buffalo sauce stepped up to a podium in Lincoln, Nebraska, to address his city council during its public comment period.
Minor league hockey game a forfeit after home team no-shows
February 9, 2023 GMTFans filed into the rink for a minor league hockey game, vendors sold concessions and the visiting team took the ice for warmups. The national anthem played, and officials were ready to drop the puck.
Monterey’s missing ‘Dennis the Menace’ statue found in lake
February 9, 2023 GMTMONTEREY, Calif. (AP) — Dennis the Menace has been found.
A statue of the comic strip character that was stolen from a park in Monterey, California, last summer was found submerged in a nearby lake.
Debit card left during Florida robbery leads to arrest
February 9, 2023 GMTPALM COAST, Fla. (AP) — Crime might not pay, but authorities say a criminal tried to.
Authorities arrested a Florida man who they said broke into a convenience store and took a few items, although he left his debit card behind.
For New York City mayor, his war on rats becomes personal
February 9, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Every New York City mayor in history has battled rats. But for current mayor Eric Adams, the war on vermin has taken a peculiar turn as he tries to burnish his image as the city's exterminator-in-chief.
Chick-fil-A tests its first plant-based sandwich
February 9, 2023 GMTChick-fil-A is jumping on the plant-based bandwagon.
The Atlanta chain said Thursday that it’s testing its first plant-based entrée __ a breaded cauliflower sandwich __ at restaurants in Denver; Charleston, South Carolina; and the Greensboro, North Carolina, area.
Indian government asks people to hug cows on Valentine’s Day
February 9, 2023 GMTNEW DELHI (AP) — India’s government-run animal welfare department has appealed to citizens to mark Valentine’s Day this year not as a celebration of romance but as "Cow Hug Day” to better promote Hindu values.
Owl who escaped from zoo is NYC’s latest avian celebrity
February 8, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — An owl who escaped from the Central Park Zoo after someone damaged his cage has become New York City's latest avian celebrity, attracting gawkers as he surveys the park from one tall tree or another but stoking fears that he can't hunt and will starve.
Organs in exchange for freedom? Bill raises ethical concerns
February 8, 2023 GMTBOSTON (AP) — A proposal to let Massachusetts prisoners donate organs and bone marrow to shave time off their sentence is raising profound ethical and legal questions about putting undue pressure on inmates desperate for freedom.
Famed Portland goats let loose in protest of homeless sweep
February 8, 2023 GMTPORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A herd of city goats well-known in Portland, Oregon, were temporarily set free Tuesday morning in what appeared to be an act of protest against a planned sweep of a nearby homeless encampment.
New Zealand police find 3.5 tons of cocaine in Pacific Ocean
February 8, 2023 GMTWELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand police said Wednesday they found more than 3 tons of cocaine floating in a remote part of the Pacific Ocean after it was dropped there by an international drug-smuggling syndicate.
Texas man jailed in Dallas monkey case says he’d do it again
February 8, 2023 GMTDALLAS (AP) — A 24-year-old man now linked to an unusual string of crimes that kept the Dallas Zoo on the lookout for missing animals told police that after he swiped two monkeys from their enclosure, he took them onto the city's light rail system to make his getaway, court records show.
Funeral home finds woman breathing hours after declared dead
February 6, 2023 GMTMILLER PLACE, N.Y. (AP) — An 82-year-old woman was pronounced dead at a New York nursing home but found to be breathing three hours later at the funeral home where she had been taken, authorities said.
Arrest made in stolen yacht rescue, ‘Goonies’ fish incident
February 5, 2023 GMTSEATTLE (AP) — A stolen yacht. A dramatic Coast Guard rescue. A dead fish. And the famed home featured in the classic 1985 film “The Goonies.”
Man arrested, but motive unknown in Dallas Zoo monkey theft
February 4, 2023 GMTDALLAS (AP) — The arrest of a 24-year-old man accused of taking two monkeys from the Dallas Zoo has shed some light on a mysterious string of events there as police said Friday that they’ve also linked him to the escape of a small leopard and a gash in the fence of another monkey habitat.