Joey Chestnut, Takeru Kobayashi to compete in Netflix competition
LOS ANGELES (AP) — After organizers for Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest said Joey Chestnut wouldn’t compete this year due to a deal with a rival brand, Netflix swiftly announced a new hot dog-eating competition that will feature Chestnut and his “fiercest rival.” Chestnut, a 16-time hot dog-eating champion, will face off with his frequent Nathan’s competitor, Takeru Kobayashi, in a live Netflix special on Sept. 2, the streamer announced Wednesday. The contest, titled “Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef,” will feature the two chowing down on all-beef hot dogs, likely in a nod to reports that Chestnut’s rival brand deal is with Impossible Foods, which makes vegan hot dogs.
Wreck of the last ship of famed Anglo-Irish explorer Shackleton found off the coast of Canada
ST. JOHN’S, Newfoundland (AP) — The wreck of the last ship belonging to a famous Irish-born British explorer of Antarctica has been found off the coast of Canada by an international team led by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. The Quest was found using sonar scans on Sunday evening, sitting on its keel under 390 meters — about 1,280 feet — of churning, frigid water. The society said Wednesday that its towering mast is lying broken beside it, likely cracked off as the vessel was sucked into the depths after it struck ice on May 5, 1962. Sir Ernest Shackleton’s death aboard the ship in 1922 marked the end of what historians consider the “heroic age” of Antarctic exploration.
Young bear spotted relaxing on a hammock in a Vermont yard
WAITSFIELD, Vt. (AP) — Noah and Kristen Dweck have seen a number of black bears around their home in Vermont but this was a first. It was a bear relaxing on their hammock. Noah Dweck took iPhone video of two young bears in their yard in Waitsfield on Tuesday with one sitting on the swinging hammock before he shooed them away. He said it was adorable and a funny sight. Dweck said he was sitting at a desk with the screen doors open when he heard the jingling of the hammock. He then realized there was no wind. He said he immediately knew it was the bears and then shot the video.
At least 40 Indians die in a fire at a building housing foreign workers in Kuwait
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — At least 40 Indians died after a fire swept through a building that housed foreign workers in Kuwait. Officials say the blaze early Wednesday appeared to be linked to code violations. Scores of workers were living in the building in the southern Mangaf district. India’s external affairs ministry said late Wednesday that “around 40 Indians are understood to have died and over 50 injured.” The statement said the injured are being treated in five public hospitals. India’s junior External Affairs Minister Kirti Vardhan Singh will be traveling to Kuwait to work toward early repatriation of mortal remains as well as for medical assistance to those injured. Kuwait, like other Persian Gulf countries, has large numbers of migrant workers.
Florida’s 2024 hurricane season arrives with a rainy deluge
Dangerous flooding from a tropical disturbance inundated much of southern Florida, blocking roads, floating vehicles and delaying the Florida Panthers on their way to Stanley Cup games in Canada against the Edmonton Oilers. The disorganized storm system was pushing across Florida from the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday, bringing extended periods of heavy rain across much of the state. In Fort Lauderdale, the mayor declared a state of emergency late Wednesday afternoon, due to flooded thoroughfares near the city’s downtown. In nearby Hollywood, drivers also encountered rising water across residential streets for much of the afternoon. Gov. Ron DeSantis also declared a state of emergency in five Florida counties.
Matty Healy’s mom says The 1975 singer and model Gabbriette Bechtel are engaged
The 1975’s Matty Healy and model Gabbriette Bechtel are engaged, according to Healy’s mother. On Wednesday, English actor Denise Welch confirmed the news on ITV’s “Loose Women.” Welch said she had “obviously known for a few weeks that Matty got engaged.” On Tuesday night, Bechtel posted an Instagram story showing her left hand adorned with a big black gem ring on her ring finger. Healy reposted the image to his Instagram account, leading fans to believe they were engaged. Representatives for Healy and Bechtel did not immediately return The Associated Press’ request for comment.
Elon Musk drops lawsuit against ChatGPT-maker OpenAI without explanation
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Elon Musk has dropped his lawsuit against OpenAI just ahead of a scheduled Wednesday hearing on the case. Musk in February sued the San Francisco artificial intelligence company and its CEO Sam Altman over what he said was a betrayal of the ChatGPT maker’s founding aims of benefiting humanity rather than pursuing profits. Musk’s lawyer filed a notice Tuesday seeking to dismiss the entire case. No explanation was given for why it was being dropped. And neither Musk nor anyone representing him in the case bothered to show up at a status hearing Wednesday.
Top investigator in Karen Read murder case questioned over inappropriate texts
BOSTON (AP) — Defense attorneys have grilled the lead investigator in the case of a woman accused of leaving her Boston police officer boyfriend for dead in a snowbank about offensive and inappropriate texts he wrote about her. Massachusetts State Trooper Michael Proctor also acknowledged Wednesday that he was friends with several witnesses. The defense also criticised Proctor for texts in which he appeared to single out Karen Read as responsible for John O’Keefe’s death less than 24 hours after his body was found in January 2022. Prosecutors say Read struck him with her SUV and drove away. The defense argues that she’s being framed.
Juan Soto joins Daddy Yankee and Kyle Tucker teams with Travis Scott on Topps Series 2 cards
Juan Soto has been on baseball cards with Ken Griffey Jr., Mike Trout and other big stars. But this one, well, this one was a little different . This one had the New York Yankees slugger and Puerto Rican musician Daddy Yankee. Soto says, “I mean, the Big Boss! It’s just great.” The Soto-Daddy Yankee collaboration is one of two “Signature Tunes” cards that are part of the latest edition of Topps Series 2, shining a light on players and the artists behind their walk-up music. Houston Astros slugger Kyle Tucker and rap superstar Travis Scott are on the other “Signature Tunes” card.
Americans celebrate their flag every year, and the holiday was born in Wisconsin
WAUBEKA, Wis. (AP) — Each June, Waubeka, Wisconsin, venerates one of the nation’s more enduring symbols with a holiday that escapes the notice of many Americans. Flag Day commemorates June 14, 1777, when Congress decreed the flag’s design. Waubeka, in north suburban Milwaukee, lays claim to the first Flag Day — in 1885 when a schoolteacher assigned his students essays on what the flag means. It became a federal observance in 1949. Waubeka has celebrated it on the second Sunday in June for 78 years.
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