Killings of invasive owls to escalate on the US West Coast in an attempt to save native birds
U.S. wildlife officials intend to increase efforts next year to eliminate invasive barred owls that are displacing endangered native owls in West Coast forests. Federal officials announced on Wednesday that they have approved a 30-year plan to eliminate up to 452,000 barred owls in Oregon, California, and Washington state. The objective of these killings is to reduce the pressure on declining populations of spotted owls, which are smaller and require larger territories to survive. Researchers acknowledge that the plan may face challenges from barred owls returning to areas where they have been removed. The idea of killing one bird species to protect others has caused a divide among wildlife advocates. Government officials maintain that the goal is to prevent spotted owls from becoming extinct.
Court resurrects Sarah Palin’s defamation lawsuit against The New York Times
NEW YORK (AP) — A federal appeals court has revived Sarah Palin’s defamation case against The New York Times. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Wednesday that Judge Jed S. Rakoff’s dismissal of the lawsuit while a jury was deliberating interfered improperly with the jury’s work in February 2022. Furthermore, the appeals court found that the exclusion of evidence, an incorrect jury instruction, and an erroneous response to a jury question tainted the jury’s verdict against Palin. A lawyer for Palin is currently reviewing the ruling. A spokesperson for The Times expressed disappointment but stated that the newspaper is confident it will prevail in a retrial.
Suspect in fatal shooting apprehended after falling through ceiling of Memphis home
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The U.S. Marshals service announced that a suspect in a fatal shooting in Tennessee was arrested after he crashed through the ceiling of a home where he was hiding. Twenty-year-old Deario Wilkerson was taken into custody on Monday in Memphis by a U.S. Marshals Service task force that hunts for fugitives in West Tennessee. Wilkerson had been charged with first-degree murder and reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon in the fatal shooting of Troy Cunningham in Memphis on April 2. The task force located Wilkerson at a Memphis residence and surrounded the house. Wilkerson, who was hiding in the attic, was arrested after falling through the ceiling. Fortunately, he sustained no injuries.
Body of Delta Air Lines employee who perished in tire explosion was unidentifiable, son claims
ATLANTA (AP) — The son of a worker who died in a tire explosion at a Delta Air Lines maintenance facility near the Atlanta airport revealed that his father’s body was unrecognizable. Andre Coleman disclosed to Atlanta’s 11Alive news station on Tuesday that he wanted to see 58-year-old Mirko Marweg because he couldn’t believe he was deceased. However, the family had to rely on tattoos and a Mississippi State lanyard around Marweg’s neck to confirm his identity after a medical examiner informed them that the body was unidentifiable. Marweg was one of two workers who perished on Tuesday while wheel components were being disassembled for maintenance at a wheel and brake shop. Another worker sustained serious injuries.
K-pop singer Taeil leaves boyband NCT amid accusation of unspecified sexual crime, according to his label
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean singer Taeil has departed from K-pop group NCT after being accused of an unspecified sexual offense. His agency, SM Entertainment, announced on Wednesday that the NCT member will be leaving the boy band after being “accused in a criminal case related to a sexual crime.” The label did not specify the nature of the crime but mentioned that he is cooperating fully with the police investigation. Taeil was a member of NCT, a globally renowned South Korean boy band that debuted in 2016. SM Entertainment’s statement garnered over 45.7 million views in less than three hours.
Sweaty corn contributing to heightened humidity
Corn sweat refers to the phenomenon in which corn plants release moisture into the air to maintain coolness, causing a surge in humidity in the Midwest every summer. Currently, climate change and evolving agricultural practices are exacerbating this phenomenon. The increased planting of corn at higher densities is partly due to the demand for corn-based ethanol. Additionally, rising temperatures are causing corn to sweat more as they strive to regulate their temperature. These factors combine to create the steamy discomfort observed across the United States in recent days.
Key information about the Oropouche virus, also known as sloth fever
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials have reported that over 20 individuals returning to the U.S. from Cuba were diagnosed with a virus transmitted by insects. All of them had contracted Oropouche virus disease, also known as sloth fever. Fortunately, there have been no fatalities, and there is no evidence of the virus spreading within the United States. However, officials are cautioning U.S. healthcare providers to be vigilant for the infection in travelers arriving from Cuba and South America. The virus is transmitted to humans by infected biting midges and certain species of mosquitoes.
Uruguayan soccer player Juan Izquierdo passes away in hospital days after collapsing during a game in Brazil
SAO PAULO (AP) — Uruguayan soccer player Juan Izquierdo has tragically passed away at a hospital in Brazil five days after collapsing during a match in Sao Paulo. He was only 27 years old. Hospital Albert Einstein in Sao Paulo issued a statement on Tuesday indicating that Izquierdo died from “cardiorespiratory arrest associated with his cardiac arrhythmia.” Izquierdo collapsed last Thursday while playing for Uruguayan club Nacional in a Copa Libertadores game in Sao Paulo. Uruguay’s air force has announced that one of its aircraft will transport his coffin to Montevideo later today.
Concerns about the safety of Tesla’s ‘Full Self-Driving’ system are mounting
DETROIT (AP) — Tesla claims that its vehicles equipped with the latest versions of its renowned “Full Self-Driving” system can traverse from one point to another with minimal human intervention. However, a series of recent alarming incidents have caught the attention of federal regulators, who were already investigating Tesla’s automated driving systems due to numerous crashes raising safety alarms. These issues have led many experts who follow autonomous vehicles to grow more skeptical about Tesla’s system being able to function safely on a large scale. Some analysts doubt that Tesla is anywhere near deploying a fleet of autonomous robotaxis by next year, as CEO Elon Musk has predicted.
Police in a suburban New York county make first arrest under new law prohibiting face masks
NEW YORK (AP) — Police in the suburban areas of New York City have made the initial arrest under a new local ordinance banning face masks. Nassau County Police reported that officers responded on Sunday night to reports of a suspicious individual on a street in Levittown. Upon arrival, they found an 18-year-old man wearing a black ski mask concealing his face. The man exhibited other suspicious behavior, including attempting to conceal a large object in his waistband, which turned out to be a 14-inch knife. The man was arraigned on Monday, and his attorney suggests that the stop may have been unlawful.
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