Yellowstone officials: Rare white buffalo sacred to Native Americans not seen since June 4th birth
Yellowstone National Park officials say a rare white buffalo, sacred to Native Americans, has not been seen since its birth on June 4. This is the first recorded birth of a wild white buffalo in Yellowstone’s history and a milestone in the bison’s eco-cultural restoration. This is an extremely rare event, with park officials confirming the birth. Wild white buffalo are born about once every million, or even less often, according to the park. The birth is the fulfillment of a Lakota prophecy and a harbinger of better times, but it also shows that more must be done to protect the planet and its animals.
Driver convicted of SUV crash that killed eight outside migrant shelter sentenced to 60 years in prison
BROWNSVILLE (AP) — A driver convicted of drunk driving manslaughter in a fatal crash that killed eight people when his SUV struck them at a crowded bus stop outside a migrant shelter has been sentenced to 60 years in prison. A Texas jury found 35-year-old George Alvarez guilty of eight counts of drunk driving manslaughter on Friday. Alvarez lost control of his vehicle after running a red light in May 2023, authorities said. He had cocaine in his system at the time. The deadly scene occurred in Brownsville, long a migrant hub. Alvarez was also convicted of 10 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
South African researchers test use of nuclear technology to curb rhino poaching
MOKOPANE, South Africa (AP) — South African researchers have injected radioactive material into the horns of 20 rhinos as part of a research project to reduce poaching. The idea is that radiation detectors already installed at the border will detect the horns and help authorities catch poachers and traffickers. The study, which involved veterinarians and nuclear experts, begins by anesthetizing the animals and drilling holes in their horns to carefully insert the nuclear material. This week, researchers at the University of the Witwatersrand injected these isotopes into 20 live rhinos. The researchers hope that the process can be replicated to help other animals vulnerable to poaching, such as elephants and pangolins.
What you need to know about the NFL Sunday Ticket case ruling and what’s next
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The NFL has been found guilty of violating antitrust laws by broadcasting Sunday afternoon games out of market through its premium subscription service, Sunday Ticket. A five-man, three-woman jury in U.S. District Court on Thursday awarded Sunday Ticket individual and corporate subscribers roughly $4.8 billion in damages, but no settlement payments or service shutdowns are expected anytime soon.
Female capybara headed to Florida as part of breeding program for large South American rodent
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A female capybara has come to a Florida zoo as part of a breeding program to boost the population of the large South American rodents. The 10-month-old capybara, Iyari, was transferred to the Palm Beach Zoo & Nature Conservation Society in May from the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. She is being kept in a mixed-species habitat while zoo officials slowly get her used to the park’s 2-year-old male capybara, Zeus. Capybaras have a gestation period of about five months and give birth to an average of four pups. Palm Beach Zoo officials say they don’t know when the baby capybara will be born. It all depends on how long it takes for Iyari and Zeus to get to know each other, they say.
NBA Draft moves to two-day format, finally making the long wait worth it for some players
NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA draft concluded on its second day in New York’s second borough with the Toronto Raptors selecting San Francisco’s Jonathan Mogbo with the 31st pick. The league went for a two-day format this year rather than dragging the draft out late into the night. After the first round was held as usual at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the second round took place Thursday at ESPN’s Seaport District studios in Manhattan. Ten players and their families participated, seated in a room away from the studio set, but two players who remained in the waiting room at the end of the first round, Duke’s Kyle Filipowski and Kansas’ Johnny Furphy, did not return.
LeBron James’ son, Bronny James, selected 55th overall by the Lakers in the NBA Draft
The idea of ​​playing in the NBA with one of his sons was a dream LeBron James first spoke about years ago. And now it’s one step closer to reality. Bronny James, the eldest son of the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, was drafted Thursday by the Los Angeles Lakers, the team his father has played for since 2018. Bronny James was selected 55th overall, fairly deep in the second round, with only three picks remaining in this year’s draft. While the move doesn’t guarantee that father and son will play in a game together, it certainly increases the chances of it becoming a reality, a first for the NBA.
Euro 2024: Psychology and new tactics will come into play, with penalty shootouts set to take centre stage
DORTMUND, Germany (AP) — Penalty shootouts, the tense 12-yard contest, have become an increasingly big part of soccer and an inevitable element of the knockout stages of the biggest tournaments. Added to the game’s rules in 1970, they’ve tarnished players’ careers, spawned pizza ads and helped Lionel Messi definitively secure his place among soccer greats. That’s why those who study soccer psychology and science are puzzled as to why the tie-breaker system has been overlooked by so many teams, especially in a data-driven age. Penalty shootouts are poised to be a key part of the Euro 2024 knockout stages, which begin Saturday.
Why the Olympics are France related (and not just Paris 2024)
PARIS (AP) — The ancient Olympics originated in Greece, but the modern version is a French event. They were revived in the 1890s by French aristocrat Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who now has a questionable legacy. For many years, the only language of the Olympics was French. Paris is now preparing to host the games in 2024, 100 years after the last one. And the city is doing all it can to celebrate the games and France’s cultural and historical ties to them. Coubertin envisioned the Olympics as a pacifist movement that would promote international cooperation and peace. But he later corresponded with Hitler and opposed women’s participation in the games.
Singer, songwriter, provocateur and politician Kinky Friedman dies at age 79
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Kinky Friedman, the singer, songwriter, satirist and novelist who also ran for governor and was involved in Texas politics, has died. Friedman, 79, died Thursday at his family’s ranch near San Antonio, Texas, his close friend Kent Perkins told The Associated Press. Perkins said Friedman had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease for several years. Friedman led an alt-country band, the Texas Jewboys, toured with Bob Dylan and sang with Willie Nelson, building a devoted following that spanned musical and literary genres.
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