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Animal Rescue League takes in hundreds of pet rodents surrendered by Boston-area pet store

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:17:53 GMT

The Animal Rescue League of Boston now has an abundance of pet mice, hamsters, and rats – as well as one chinchilla – after a pet store surrendered the rodents, according to the group.The ARL announced it received over 360 of the small mammals last week after a large animal surrender involving an unnamed Boston-area pet shop.Image provided by the Animal Rescue League of BostonIn a news release, the ARL said that it’s been seeing an increase in the number of surrender requests involving pet rodents or “pocket pets,” and that other animal welfare organizations in Massachusetts had been noticing the trend, as well.One factor behind the rise – mix-ups at pet stores resulting in accidental breeding pairs.“Some of the small animals being brought to ARL were accidentally bred after being mis-sexed at pet stores,” the ARL stated. “Most small animals have large litters and short gestation periods, resulting in two pets becoming many more ...

Ex-Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio guilty of Jan. 6 sedition plot

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:17:53 GMT

By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN, LINDSAY WHITEHURST and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and three other members of the far-right extremist group were convicted Thursday of a plot to attack the U.S. Capitol in a desperate bid to keep Donald Trump in power after the Republican lost the 2020 presidential election.A jury in Washington, D.C., found Tarrio guilty of seditious conspiracy after hearing from dozens of witnesses over more than three months in one of the most serious cases brought in the stunning attack that unfolded on Jan. 6, 2021, as the world watched on live TV.Tarrio was also convicted of obstructing Congress’ certification of President Joe Biden’s electoral victory and obstructing law enforcement as well as two other conspiracy charges. He was cleared of an assault charge stemming from a co-defendant who stole an officer’s riot shield. It’s a significant milestone for the Justice Departme...

'AlertCalifornia' live cams to provide more insight into natural disasters

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:17:53 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- UC San Diego is launching a new public safety program that utilizes over 1000 camera sensors across the Golden State. UCSD said ALERTCalifornia, which was rolled out Wednesday, will provide tools to prepare for, respond to and recover from natural disasters like wildfires, landslides, floods and more. Officials explained that this program manages "pan-tilt-zoom wildfire monitoring cameras" and sensor arrays that will collect data and real-time information to help advise public safety. A rare sight to see: ‘Scrippshenge’ sunset awes San Diego Scientists will analyze the data to gain a better understanding of the long-term impacts natural disasters have on air quality, water quality, soil quality and human health in California, UCSD said. “The program will spawn invaluable research and mitigation plans that will increase the state’s resiliency towards the new extreme fire risk,” said Neal Driscoll, director of ALERTCalifornia and geoscientist at UCSD's Scripps Instituti...

Man dies after being placed in a chokehold by a subway rider

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:17:53 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — The choking death of a man with apparent mental illness in the New York subway was setting off powerful reactions Thursday, with some calling the chokehold a homicide and others defending the passenger’s action as a defense against disorder. New York has become one of the nation’s safest cities but the emotional responses recalled the metropolis of decades ago, when residents felt besieged by crime and fatal vigilantism made national headlines. Manhattan prosecutors promised a “rigorous” investigation into whether to bring criminal charges in the death of the Black man, who was tackled by fellow passengers and put in a fatal chokehold by a white man who was been described as a Marine veteran.Jordan Neely, 30, died Monday after an early-afternoon confrontation aboard a train beneath Manhattan. He had been in apparent mental distress and shouting at fellow passengers when another rider wrapped his arm around his neck and pinned him on the floor. Two other p...

‘A massive tragedy’: Driver charged as community mourns girl killed in Burlington hit-and-run

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:17:53 GMT

A small memorial is growing outside a Burlington school where an eight-year-old girl was struck and killed in a hit and run.Emergency crews were called to the scene at Central Public School on Wednesday evening. Halton police say the girl was struck in the driveway as she entered the school for a theatre event.“What took place last night is a massive tragedy,” said a visibly emotional Halton police Const. Ryan Anderson in an update on Thursday morning. “It’s just horrible.”The White SUV that struck the girl did not stop and the driver fled the area. Anderson confirmed the 21-year-old driver who was arrested a short time after the incident has been charged with failure to remain.Investigators are still trying to determine the exact cause of the collision.“The community is impacted by this, our officers and first responders as well,” said Anderson. “It’s not hard to empathize with the family and put themselves in their position....

Biden issues order setting path for sanctions in Sudan

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:17:53 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Thursday setting the path to sanction individuals involved in the recent violence in Sudan that’s left hundreds dead and thrown the African nation into chaos.Biden said in a statement that his order will “hold individuals responsible for threatening the peace, security, and stability of Sudan; undermining Sudan’s democratic transition; using violence against civilians; or committing serious human rights abuses.”The Democratic president said the violence taking place in Sudan is “a tragedy — and it is a betrayal of the Sudanese people’s clear demand for civilian government and a transition to democracy.” “I join the peace-loving people of Sudan and leaders around the world in calling for a durable ceasefire between the belligerent parties,” Biden said. Sudan’s fighting broke out April 15 between two commanders who just 18 months earlier jointly orchestrated a military coup to derail the nation’s transition...

Goddaughter of King Charles shares insider’s experience of the new monarch

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:17:53 GMT

The UK and the Commonwealth are preparing to welcome a new king, Charles III, who its citizens have watched since his birth. The trials and tribulations of his life have played out in the public eye, but still, there’s a side only the family knows.India Hicks has been connected to Charles for her entire life. As a descendant of the Mountbatten family, her grandfather Lord Mountbatten was the uncle of the Prince Phillip, last Viceroy in India, and was involved in the upbringing of King Charles.Earl Louis Mountbatten, great uncle of Prince Charles, who was especially close and confided in him. Here they are in conversation about their common passion for polo. THE CANADIAN PRESS King Charles was also her godfather. The 55-year-old is now an entrepreneur, author and designer. Hicks sat down with Lisa LaFlamme to reflect on what he was truly like behind the spotlight.“He’s always been there. The day I was christened, he was there holding me, through to confirmation...

Fox opposes fellow journalists trying to uncover documents

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:17:53 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Fox News is opposing a renewed effort by three news organizations to unseal documents related to its recently settled defamation lawsuit, saying it would do nothing but “gratify private spite or promote public scandal.”The Associated Press, The New York Times and National Public Radio asked a Delaware judge earlier this week to reveal mostly private text messages and conversations between Fox employees shortly after the 2020 presidential election that were uncovered during the Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit.Fox lawyer Katharine L. Mowery, in a letter sent late Wednesday to Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis, said much of the material its competitors sought wasn’t relevant to the issues of the lawsuit. She said the media has no right to access such records.Many of the already-uncovered conversations have proven newsworthy, showing that Fox hosts and executives didn’t believe the false allegations about Dominion’s voting equipment but still con...

Trump calls accuser a ‘nut job’ in recording played for jury

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:17:53 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Jurors heard former President Donald Trump blast a woman who accused him of rape as a “nut job” and “mentally sick” in a video recording that was shown Thursday during the trial of her federal lawsuit.A transcript of Trump’s remarks about accuser E. Jean Carroll emerged in court filings before the trial. But the deposition played in the courtroom allowed jurors to hear Trump speak about the case in his own voice. Other sections of the recording were shown in court Wednesday.Thursday’s portions also included Trump standing by his repeated prior comment that Carroll was “not my type” and his defense — as “locker room talk” — of his notorious boasts on a 2005 “Access Hollywood” hot-mic recording about grabbing women’s genitals.Carroll, a 79-year-old writer, alleges that Trump raped her in an upscale New York department store dressing room on an unspecified date in spring 1996.According to Carroll, they ran into each other, got into lighthearted banter ...

New York, California probing workplace discrimination at NFL

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:17:53 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — The attorneys general of New York and California announced Thursday that they are investigating allegations of workplace discrimination at the NFL, citing lawsuits filed by employees that describe sex, racial and age bias, sexual harassment, and a hostile work environment.Attorneys General Letitia James, of New York, and Rob Bonta, of California, said they have issued subpoenas to NFL executives as part of an examination into the workplace culture at the the league’s corporate offices in both states. The officials, both Democrats, said they are exercising their legal authority to seek information from the NFL regarding allegations of gender pay disparities, harassment, and gender and racial discrimination.The investigation focuses on the league’s corporate offices, not specific teams or players.“No person should ever have to endure harassment, discrimination, or objectification in the workplace,” James said in a statement. Bonta said he and James have “se...