WorldReutersColombia seizes hundreds of arachnids being illegally smuggled to Europe
Colombian authorities seized hundreds of creepy crawlies as they were being taken illegally to Europe via the airport in capital city Bogota, officials said on Thursday. Two Germans were found with 210 plastic containers they were using to carry the arachnids, which included 232 tarantula spiders, nine spider eggs and a scorpion with seven of its young, as well as 67 roaches. Colombia, which is one of the world's 17 mega-diverse countries and boasts tens of thousands of different species, is a target for wildlife traffickers drawn by its biodiversity.
U.S.Miami HeraldEpstein houseman describes ‘degrading’ regimen imposed by Ghislaine Maxwell at mansion
Ghislaine Maxwell was a boss who made almost impossible demands. No detail was too small — from ensuring that every tissue box was full to checking for holes in Epstein's fence so that Maxwell's Yorkie, “Max,” wouldn't escape. Maxwell — Epstein's former girlfriend — was Epstein's “number 2” and managed Epstein's households, doing most of the hiring and firing of the staff for his homes in Palm Beach, New Mexico, New York and on his private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
U.S.San Luis Obispo TribuneCan you spot the rattlesnake in this photo? Many missed it hiding in an Arizona yard
A 3-foot rattlesnake would seem unmissable in a yard, but a photo taken by an Arizona snake wrangler shows how easily they can blend into landscaping. The image, taken in the backyard of a Tuscon home, features a western diamondback that is tough to see at first glance. It was shared on Facebook by Rattlesnake Solutions, a snake relocation service that invited viewers to find the snake.
WorldReutersParis archbishop asks for forgiveness, quits over relationship
France's Catholic Church said on Thursday the pope had accepted the resignation of Paris archbishop Michel Aupetit who asked for forgiveness after reports over a relationship with a woman. The 70-year-old cleric, who is bound by the church's celibacy rule, has denied any intimate relationship with the unnamed woman in comments to Le Point magazine, though he acknowledged his behaviour may have been ambiguous. "I have been deeply troubled by the attacks on me ...
U.S.NBC NewsPlumber finds cash, checks behind loose toilet in wall at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church
Envelopes full of cash and checks were found behind a loose toilet by a plumber doing repairs at celebrity televangelist Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church in Texas, according to church officials. The plumber detailed the bizarre discovery, made on Nov. 10 at the Houston megachurch, on the morning show of 100.3 The Bull, a country music radio station in the city. There was a loose toilet in the wall, and we removed the tile,” the caller said, NBC affiliate KPRC reported.
U.S.INSIDERMichigan school shooting suspect's mother texted him, 'Ethan, don't do it,' prosecutors allege
The mother of the suspected Michigan high school shooting texted her son "Ethan don't do it" after learning there had been a mass shooting at his school. The 15-year-old currently faces charges of homicide and terrorism in the mass shooting in which 4 students were killed and 7 others were injured. The mother of the Michigan high school shooting suspect texted him "Ethan, don't do it" on Tuesday afternoon after learning there had been a mass shooting at the school, a prosecutor said Friday.
U.S.Associated PressDeal reached to reduce Yellowstone's bison herd by 600-900
Officials have agreed to allow as many as 900 bison from Yellowstone National Park to be shot by hunters, sent to slaughter or placed in quarantine this winter in a program that seeks to prevent the animals from spreading a disease to cattle. An additional 200 bison among the park's more than 5,000 bison could be captured or hunted in the late winter if those numbers are met, federal, tribal and state officials agreed in a meeting Wednesday. Bison routinely leave Yellowstone and head north into Montana each winter, raising concerns that the animals could spread brucellosis to cattle.
U.S.USA TODAYHawaii under blizzard warning as 12 inches of snow and winds up to 100 mph expected
The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning until Sunday morning on the Big Island of Hawaii. NWS also warns residents to stay indoors as forecasters predict winds gusting over 100 mph. Aside from the blizzard warning, a Kona low is expected near the islands starting on Saturday night.
BusinessFood & WineMichigan Burger Restaurant Sued for Looking Too Similar to In-N-Out
The Southern California-based burger chain is beloved by many, but is also no stranger to controversy. Beyond suing other burger restaurants, they've also gotten embroiled with delivery services and even a dry cleaners to protect their brand identity. Michigan's Doll n' Burgers — which launched in May of last year and operates two locations, one in Tecumseh and one in Jackson — has been sued by In-N-Out due to its overall look, according to The Daily Telegram.
BusinessYahoo FinanceTesla rival Polestar unveils big plans for electric vehicle era
Along with the Polestar 5 came a bigger surprise — the release of a teaser image of the Polestar 3, which will be a “luxury aero SUV” that will play in the highly competitive midsize EV SUV space, where the Tesla Model Y (TSLA) and upcoming Fisker Ocean (I)) will be fighting for market share. Another key feature of the Polestar 3 is that it will be built in America, whereas the other Polestar models will be built in China (Polestar's parent is China's Geely). We will build in America for Americans,” Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar CEO said.
BusinessMarketWatchI’ve lived in my home for 30 years, but my ex-husband is forcing me to sell it. Do I have squatter’s rights?
Don't I at least have squatter's rights? Can I bring legal action against the title company who facilitated the sale of the Tampa marital property, without my permission? Sincerely, Spurned in Sunny Florida Dear Spurned, A financial expert once told me that going through a divorce is like experiencing your own personal recession.
U.S.Hilton Head Island PacketDisney fires beloved performer and dog after nearly two decades on Hilton Head resort
“We became like family to each other, and they really meant it,” Ayres said. Ayres, known as B'Lou Crabbe to his loyal fans, and his dog, Shadow, a golden retriever, have been fixtures at Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort for nearly two decades. Ayres declined to reveal Shadow's age because “the last time I asked a girl how old she was, I nearly got bit,” he said.
U.S.In The Know by YahooWoman stirs controversy after sharing reasoning for ‘rejecting’ her new potential roommate: ‘That is very reasonable’
A woman rejected a potential roommate but is second-guessing her decision. No shade, but it's time to stop mooching off your parents' Amazon Prime — here's why She shared the dilemma on Reddit's “Am I the A******? AITA)” forum.
U.S.The Daily BeastTeen Gunman’s Parents Charged in Wake of Michigan School Shooting
The parents of Michigan school shooting suspect Ethan Crumbley have each been charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter connected to the horrific Nov. 30 attack that left four teens dead and seven people injured, including a teacher. The decision to pursue criminal charges against James and Jennifer Crumbley—who posted an open letter online in 2016 thanking President-Elect Donald Trump for protecting “my right to bear arms”—is a rarity in the U.S. legal system, which seldom holds parents of school shooters accountable for their child's actions. McDonald said that on Nov. 21, a teacher at Oxford High observed Ethan searching for ammunition on his cell phone during class, and reported it to school officials.
U.S.State College Centre Daily Times‘I was terrified.’ Hunter shoots deer, watches as bears pounce on it in Pennsylvania
A moment of triumph turned frightening for one Pennsylvania hunter, when she downed her first deer and watched as a group of bears surrounded it and started eating. It happened Sunday, Nov. 28, when Jordan Zabinski was hunting with her husband, Mark Zabinski, in the La Jose area, about 100 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. Closer inspection of one video shows there may have been as many as five bears, including two cubs, she says.
U.S.Associated PressPolice shooting raises questions over Black man's gun rights
Leaders in the Black community of Virginia Beach called Wednesday for a federal investigation into the fatal police shooting of a Black man, saying his right to carry a gun for protection was ignored during a night of violence earlier this year on the city's oceanfront. The Second Amendment does not work when it comes to African Americans,” Carl Wright, an activist and former local NAACP chapter president, said at a news conference. He was a legal gun carrier.
U.S.Rolling Stone‘Absolutely Disgusted!’ Local Sheriff Rips Minneapolis Police Over Protester ‘Hunting’ Scandal
A Minnesota sheriff has broken his profession's code of silence to blast the Minneapolis Police Department, saying he's “disgusted” at the agency's reportedly violent practices and calling for an overhaul of the agency from the “top down.” At a Wednesday meeting of an advisory council to the state's Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) board, Sheriff Sean Deringer of Wright County unloaded on Minneapolis cops who were caught on their own body cameras allegedly “hunting” protesters in the wake of the murder of George Floyd in 2020. ”I was absolutely disgusted watching that,” Deringer said, adding, “I have defended that agency for the very last time.”
- ScienceStoryful
Wildfire Destroys Dozens of Structures in Montana Town
A wildfire tore through the small town of Denton, Montana, destroying dozens of structures on December 1, local media reported. According to the Fergus County Sheriff's Office, 25 residences in the town were a “total loss. This footage, uploaded by the sheriff's office on December 1, shows flames engulfing buildings, as well as a large smoke plume wafting over the area.
PoliticsAssociated PressTrump faces flurry of investigations beyond Jan. 6 probe
As Donald Trump's lawyers try to block the White House from releasing records to the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, the former president faces a flurry of other investigations that could come to a head in the coming weeks and the new year. That includes two major state criminal investigations — one in New York and one in Georgia — and lawsuits concerning sexual assault allegations, a fight over an inheritance and questions of whether he should be held personally liable for inciting the insurrection.
PoliticsHuffPostFox News' Jokey Joe Biden Graphic Isn't Funny At All
Hosts of “The Five” were reacting to Biden's announcement of new measures to combat the omicron coronavirus variant. We're going to fight this variant with science and speed, not chaos and confusion,” Biden said Thursday. This is a moment we can put the divisiveness behind us, I hope.
U.S.Deadline‘The Daily Show’s’ Trevor Noah Switches Lanes On Vaccinations And Ignites A Firestorm Of Online Criticism
The Daily Show host Trevor Noah has touched a nerve among a certain segment of his fans, expressing skepticism in an online post of the motives of Moderna's CEO in pushing for new vaccinations. On Twitter earlier today, Noah raised an eyebrow and seemed to claim Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel is pushing for new Covid vaccines for monetary reasons. Noah based that on reports so far that the omicron variant symptoms are mild.
- U.S.In The Know by Yahoo
CVS customer catches pharmacy employee's alleged unsanitary behavior on camera: ‘This is the final straw’
A CVS customer recorded an employee who allegedly engaged in unsanitary behavior at work, in an incident the shopper referred to as her "final straw" with the pharmacy. Jessica Lasirena (@jessica.lasirena), the patron in question, shared footage on TikTok of a pharmacy employee at an unknown CVS location touching her medication with bare hands after allegedly tending to the cash register and handling money from other customers. In her caption, Lasirena explained that when she went to pick up her medication from the pharmacy, staffers had prepared the wrong prescription.
U.S.NextSharkBaltimore man who attacked two Asian Americans with cinder block pleads not criminally responsible
The Baltimore man who hit two Asian American women with a cinder block inside a liquor store has entered a not criminally responsible plea. His plea: Darryl Doles, the 50-year-old assailant who is facing several charges including attempted murder, made the plea through his defense attorney at the Baltimore City Circuit Court on Thursday, according to CBS Baltimore. Doles was accused of attacking three separate Asian-owned liquor stores on May 2.
U.S.The Daily BeastAmerican Couple’s Trip to Cancun Ends in a Horrific Hotel Room Death
The family of Sativa Transue, a 26-year-old American woman from Spokane, Washington who was found dead in her Cancun hotel room while on vacation with her boyfriend, said she looked like she had been “beaten to a bloody pulp” when Mexican authorities discovered her body on Saturday. “I received a call from the Mexican consulate letting me know my daughter has passed away and that she's been found dead,” Jayme Bolieu, Sativa's mother, told The Daily Beast in an interview. Sativa's mother and sister are still trying to make sense of what happened that Friday night and Saturday morning.
WorldAssociated PressRussia sends missiles near Pacific islands claimed by Japan
The Russian military has deployed coastal defense missile systems near the Kuril Islands, a Pacific chain also claimed by Japan. The move appeared intended to underline Moscow's firm stance in the dispute. The Bastion systems were moved to Matua, a deserted volcanic island in the middle of the chain.
“I know it doesn’t feel like it, but inflation is both a feature and a bug of a normalizing economy.”
“What is not going to work, and hasn’t worked, is trying to talk people out of the lived reality of higher prices.”
“When inflation expectations rise, actual inflation tends to follow.”
“The Fed must acknowledge that its monetary policy has been a source of inflation, and that it will need to raise interest rates.”
“The supply chain logjams are the core of the problem right now, and that should work itself out over time.”