In Other News

[Uncle Sparky]

Is this a picture of home schooling in Australia?

Spoiler:

[Uncle Sparky]

Have a safe Passover

[Broken_Erika]

Ever Given: Stranded Suez container ship freed from shoreline


A huge container ship that has been stuck across the Suez Canal for almost a week has been freed from the shoreline, officials say.

The course of the 400m-long (1,300ft) Ever Given has been corrected by 80%, according to the Suez Canal Authority.

It added that further efforts to move the boat would resume later on Monday.

The Ever Given has been blocking one of the world's busiest trade routes, forcing companies to reroute ships and causing long tailbacks.

The reports that the ship had been freed raised hopes that traffic along the canal could resume within hours, clearing the way for an estimated $9.6bn (£7bn) of goods that is being held up each day.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-56559904

[BeBMan]

Hopefully container prices at local supermarkets go down again now....

[Broken_Erika]

Australia: geologist beaten up by 'angriest octopus' on beach


A man has been whipped by what he describes as the "angriest octopus" while swimming on holiday at a Western Australian beach.

In a video that has gone viral, the octopus can be seen in shallow waters lashing out at geologist Lance Karlson.

The creature came after him again later and struck him on the arm, before whipping his neck and upper back.

The tentacles left stinging red welts on his skin, which Mr Karlson said only eased after he poured cola over them.

The former lifeguard told Australian news outlet 7News that his preferred treatment for sea animal stings is vinegar, but he did not have any on him at the time.

However, he said that he knew anything acidic may help, and decided to try using cola. "Turns out it works."

Mr Karlson said was about to take a dip near the resort where he and his family were staying at in Geographe Bay when he saw what he thought was the tail of a stingray striking a seagull.

He discovered it was an octopus only when he walked closer with his two-year-old daughter, and was filming a video of it when it suddenly struck in their direction.

"The octopus lashed out at us, which was a real shock," Mr Karlson said in e-mailed comments to news agency Reuters.

Later, when he went into the water alone, the octopus found him again and struck him.

"My goggles became fogged, the water was suddenly murky and I remember being shocked and confused," he said.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-56612257

[BeBMan]

Any article/headline having 'angriest octopus' should automatically qualify as a candidate for the Pulitzer Prize

[Berzerker]

some people believe the octopus is a more recent extraterrestrial life form

[BeBMan]

I had high hopes for something really cool after reading this:

Egypt mummies to pass through Cairo in ancient rulers' parade

Crowds of Egyptians are expected to line the streets to witness an historic procession of their country's ancient rulers through the capital, Cairo.

But it turned out them mummies weren't marching themselves, so it's rather disappointing

The lavish, multimillion-dollar spectacle will see 22 mummies - 18 kings and four queens - transported from the peach-coloured, neo-classical Egyptian Museum to their new resting place 5km (three miles) away.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-56508475

[Uncle Sparky]

Did they invite Brendan Fraser? He's dealt with Mummies before.

[BeBMan]

'Satan Shoes' to be recalled as Nike agrees to settle lawsuit


Nike says the art collective which made "Satan Shoes" that purportedly contain a drop of human blood in the soles has agreed to issue a voluntary recall as part of a legal settlement.

The $1,018 (£740) trainers are modified Nike Air Max 97s. Only 666 pairs were made and all but one have been shipped.

The collective MSCHF will offer full refunds to customers in order to remove the shoes from circulation, Nike said.

The settlement resolves a trademark infringement lawsuit filed by Nike.

The controversial shoes were produced by the Brooklyn collective in collaboration with rapper Lil Nas X, who held the last pair so he could choose the recipient. MSCHF said it would keep the final pair of shoes.

No further details were made public about the settlement, which includes the Jesus Shoes produced by MSCHF in 2019 also using the Air Max 97 as a base.

(...)

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56684773

[Slaughtermeyer]

Have a safe Passover

Actually, the ritual of the three matzos performed during the Passover seder is about as Christian as you can get because that ritual was invented by Jews of the first century who believed Jesus is the Messiah. The 3 matzos represent the Trinity and the middle matzo representing Jesus called the Aphikomen, a Greek word meaning "I Came" is broken, hidden and brought back with the third cup of wine representing his death, burial, and resurrection on the third day.

http://www.sarshalom.us/resources/thestory.php

[Broken_Erika]

US army officer sues police over violent traffic stop

A black US army lieutenant has filed a lawsuit against two policemen who pointed their guns and pepper-sprayed him during a traffic stop.

Army Second Lieutenant Caron Nazario is wearing his uniform during the bodycam footage, taken in December in Virginia.

"I'm honestly afraid to get out," he tells the two police officers. "Yeah you should be," an officer says.

Police say he was stopped for failing to display licence plates but temporary plates are visible in the video.

During the incident, the soldier, who was handcuffed while his car was searched, asked why force was being used against him and was told by a police officer: "Because you're not co-operating." He was later released without charge.

The suit, filed at the US District Court of Norfolk, Virginia, against the two Windsor Police Department officers, Joe Gutierrez and Daniel Crocker, alleges violations to his constitutional rights, and includes assault, illegal search and illegal detention.

There was no immediate response from the Windsor Police Department.

The lawsuit comes at a time of increased scrutiny over alleged police brutality towards minorities and racial justice.

Ex-police officer Derek Chauvin is currently on trial for the murder of George Floyd. The footage of Mr Chauvin, who is white, with his knee on African-American Mr Floyd's neck during an arrest sparked global protests against racism.

What more do we know about the incident?

Lt Nazario, who is Black and Latino, was in uniform and driving with a temporary paper licence plate on his back window on 5 December, when he was told to pull over in the town of Windsor. He then stopped at a petrol station and kept his hands outside the window, while asking the policemen why he was being stopped.

• What US police officers think of George Floyd protests
• The personal cost of filming police brutality
• Bodycam video shows officers berating 5-year-old

Attorney Jonathan Arthur, who is representing Lt Nazario in the lawsuit, said that the army officer knew it was vital he kept his hands on show.

"To unbuckle his seatbelt, to do anything, any misstep - he was afraid that they were going to kill him," Mr Arthur told CBS.

The suit filed by Lt Nazario says that Mr Gutierrez acknowledged why the army officer had waited to pull over in a lighted area.

"I get it, the media spewing race relations between law enforcement and minorities. I get it," the policeman said, according to the suit.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56707979

[SlowwHand]

[Broken_Erika]

'World's biggest rabbit' stolen from owner's garden


An award-winning four-foot long rabbit is thought to have been stolen from its enclosure.

Darius, a continental giant rabbit, went missing from his home in Stoulton, Worcestershire, on Saturday night.

His owner Annette Edwards has offered a £1,000 reward for his return and said it was a "very sad day".

At 129cm (4ft 2in) long, Darius is a record holder after being named the world's longest rabbit in 2010.

• Latest news and updates from the West Midlands

West Mercia Police said it is believed Darius was stolen from his enclosure, which is in his owners' garden, overnight on Saturday.

Ms Edwards said Darius is "too old to breed now" and pleaded for his safe return.

He was named as the longest living rabbit by Guinness World Records in April 2010, when he was measured for an article in the Daily Mail.

Ms Edwards said he claimed the title from his mother Alice, and he was her fourth award-winning rabbit.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-56720118

[Uncle Sparky]

USA! USA!

Spoiler:

[Broken_Erika]

Mystery tree beast turns out to be croissant

When animal welfare officers received a report of an unusual animal lurking in a tree in the Polish city of Krakow, they were not sure what to expect.

"People aren't opening their windows because they're afraid it will go into their house," the woman reportedly said.

But a visit to the area showed the creature in question was not a bird, or even a reptile - but a croissant.

The Krakow Animal Welfare Society said the incident was genuine.

Writing on Facebook, the organisation said its officers had asked the desperate caller whether the unidentified animal, which had been in the tree for two days, could be a bird of prey.

The woman responded that it looked more like a "lagun" - Polish for lagoon - before remembering the correct word "legwan", or iguana.

Although the inspectors knew that it was unlikely that a reptile would survive the cool spring temperatures in the southern Polish city, they wondered if the animal could have been an unwanted pet abandoned by its owners.

Arriving on the scene, however, the inspectors found the headless and limbless object in a lilac tree - a pastry, probably thrown out of a window to feed birds.

The organisation remained light-hearted about the encounter and said the public should continue to err on the side of caution and report any concerns about animal welfare.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56757956