A Russian cosmonaut becomes the first person to spend 1,000 days in space
A 59-year-old Russian cosmonaut has become the first person to spend 1,000 days in space. Russian space agency Roscosmos said Wednesday that Oleg Kononenko achieved the cumulative space time record having made five journeys to the International Space Station dating back to 2008. His current trip to the ISS began Sept. 15, 2023. If Kononenko’s mission ends as scheduled Sept. 23, 2024, he will have spent a total of 1,110 days in orbit. The International Space Station is one of the few areas in which the United States and Russia still cooperate closely following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in Feb. 2022.
Phoenix using ice immersion to treat heatstroke victims as Southwest bakes in triple digits
PHOENIX (AP) — The season’s first heat wave is already baking the Southwestern U.S. with triple-digit temperatures as Phoenix firefighters employ new tactics in hopes of saving more lives. Maricopa County saw 645 heat-related deaths last year. Starting this season, the Phoenix Fire Department is immersing heatstroke victims in ice on the way to area hospitals. The hospitals have also recently begun adopting the technique as a go-to protocol. The medical technique is known as cold water immersion. Experts say it can dramatically lower body temperature in minutes. First responders and hospitals are increasingly embracing the protocol as experts warn of the hottest weather since last September.
Amanda Knox reconvicted of slander in Italy for accusing innocent man in roommate’s 2007 murder
FLORENCE, Italy (AP) — An Italian court has reconvicted Amanda Knox of slander, even after she was exonerated in the brutal 2007 murder of her British roommate while the two were exchange students in Italy. The court found that Knox had wrongly accused an innocent man, the Congolese owner of the bar where she worked part time, of the killing. But she will not serve any more jail time, given the three-year sentence counts as time already served. Knox showed no visible emotion as the verdict was read aloud. But her lawyer, Carlo della Vedova, said afterward that “Amanda is very embittered.” Earlier in the hearing, Knox told the court that she wrongly accused Patrick Lumumba under intense police pressure.
In their own words: What young people wish they’d known about social media
Kids constantly hear about the downsides of social media from the adults in their lives, often in the form of dire warnings and commands. But these adults did not grow up with social media themselves. Kids coming of age with social media are forging ahead in a whole new world. And now that they are getting older, they have some advice for their younger peers. Teens and young adults told The Associated Press they wish they had known how addictive social media can be, and suggested taking periodic breaks to “detox.” They also said it’s OK to set boundaries and block people on social media.
A tranquilized black bear takes a dive from a tree, falls into a waiting tarp
CAMP HILL, Pa. (AP) — A young black bear that roamed into a suburban Pennsylvania neighborhood took a dive from a tree into a waiting tarp after being tranquilized. The bear showed up around lunchtime Tuesday near a school in Camp Hill, outside the capital of Harrisburg. Pennlive.com reports that officials used a ladder truck to get close to and tranquilize the bear. The sedated bruin fell about 20 feet into a large blue tarp held up by several wildlife officials, police and firefighters. The animal was tranquilized again and moved to a bear trap that had been placed on a trailer. Game wardens told the news outlet the bear would likely be moved to state-owned land.
Diddy sells off his stake in Revolt, the media company he founded in 2013
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sean “Diddy” Combs has sold off his stake in Revolt, the media company the rapper and entrepreneur founded over a decade ago. Shares in Revolt held by Combs, who served as the company’s chair, have been fully redeemed and retired, the Los Angeles-based company said Tuesday in a statement on its website. Revolt didn’t disclose how much Combs was paid for his stake in the hip-hop news and entertainment company, which he founded in 2013. In the statement, CEO Detavio Samuels noted that when he joined the company in 2020 he realized “our mission is bigger than any individual.”
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
New York lawmakers say they are finalizing legislation aimed at giving parents more control over what their kids see on social media. The bill would allow parents to block their children from getting social media posts curated by a platform’s algorithm, a move to rein in feeds that critics argue keep young users glued to their screens. But opponents warn that it could make things worse for children, by leading internet companies to collect more information about users. With the legislative session ending this week, Albany lawmakers are making a final push to get the legislation passed.
Former prosecutor settles lawsuit against Netflix over Central Park Five series
NEW YORK (AP) — Former Manhattan prosecutor Linda Fairstein and Netflix have announced they’ve settled the defamation lawsuit she filed four years ago over her portrayal in the streaming service’s miniseries about the five Black and Latino teenagers known as the now-exonerated Central Park Five. Fairstein had argued that the 2019 four-part series “When They See Us” defamed her by portraying her as a “racist, unethical villain.” The case was expected to go to trial later this month and the settlement was announced Tuesday. Fairstein will not receive any money but a disclaimer will be shown. Netflix has also agreed to donate $1 million to the Innocence Project.
Panel rejects psychedelic drug MDMA as a PTSD treatment in possible setback for advocates
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health advisers have rejected the first-ever proposal to use MDMA as a treatment for PTSD. The nonbinding vote is a potential setback for psychedelic advocates hoping to move the banned drugs into the mainstream. The experts cited flawed study data and potential safety risks of MDMA, including heart problems. The FDA is expected to make a final decision on the drug in August. The MDMA application is part of a resurgence of interest in the potential of psychedelics for hard-to-treat mental disorders like depression and addiction. But Tuesday’s negative vote could discourage investments and research in the fledgling industry.
Ippei Mizuhara spoke for baseball star Shohei Ohtani. He also stole nearly $17M from him
SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — Baseball star Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter has pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud in a gambling case that stunned the sports community. Ippei Mizuhara entered his guilty plea Tuesday in federal court in Santa Ana, California. Prosecutors say he exploited the Japanese-English language barrier to isolate Ohtani and profit from his proximity to the two-way player’s power. He admitted to stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani’s Arizona bank account to cover his growing gambling bets and debts with an illegal bookmaker, plus $325,000 worth of baseball cards and his own medical bills. Ohtani says the plea has given him closure.
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