Car shell suspended on rock face above British Columbia highway in apparent prank
SQUAMISH, British Columbia (AP) — Authorities in British Columbia have urged people to stay away from a rock face above a highway in the Canadian province where a Volkswagen Beetle shell was suspended in an apparent prank by engineering students. The province's Environment Ministry said Monday the Beetle was expected to be removed within the week. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police and park rangers have been asked to investigate. The car shell appeared on the rock face above Highway 99 in Squamish, British Columbia, last week with a large “E” on its roof, an indication it was tied to a University of British Columbia student tradition. A spokesperson for the university did not return a message seeking comment.
Children race to gather marshmallows dropped from a helicopter at pair of Michigan parks
WESTLAND, Mich. (AP) — It rained marshmallows at two Detroit-area parks as kids raced to collect thousands of the gooey treats dropped from a helicopter. The annual Marshmallow Drop is hosted by Wayne County Parks. This year’s event took place two hours apart Friday in Trenton, Michigan, and Westland, Michigan. Hundreds of children cheered as the helicopter passed by on its way to the drop zone. Once there, a passenger unloaded the treats out of a sack and onto the grass below. At each location, the helicopter made three passes, dropping marshmallows for kids in different age categories. Participants exchanged the marshmallows for a prize.
New Jersey state troopers rescue bear cub from highway ditch
UNION TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) — State police troopers came to the rescue of a bear cub found in a ditch along the side of a major interstate highway in northern New Jersey. Troopers from the Perryville station responded shortly before 1:40 p.m. Wednesday to milepost 12.2 on I-78 eastbound in Union Township. Officials say the animal was by itself in the ditch and was in need of assistance. The bear was soon safely secured and taken back to the state police barracks, where it was later turned over to staffers with the state’s Environmental Protection Department, who were caring for the animal. It’s not clear how the cub ended up in the ditch or how long it had been there before it was spotted.
Stay tuned Cincinnati: WKRP is coming to town for real, North Carolina station's director says
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — WKRP is coming to Cincinnati — for real this time, according to the current owner of that call sign. It was made famous by “WKRP in Cincinnati,” the TV sitcom centered on a fictional radio station that ran from 1978 to 1982. A North Carolina-based nonprofit acquired the call sign from the Federal Communications Commission more than a decade ago. It's used for a low-power station based at the executive director's Raleigh home, but the nonprofit decided to sell it. Director D.P. McIntire tells The Associated Press that WKRP is going to Cincinnati but he isn't yet allowed to disclose more details.
World's oldest known tortoise still very much alive despite rumor to the contrary
LONDON (AP) — Reports of the death of Jonathan, the world’s oldest living land animal, have been greatly exaggerated. Jonathan, a 193-year-old Seychelles giant tortoise, is still alive on the island of St. Helena. News of his alleged passing spread rapidly on social media on April Fools' Day. An account, falsely claiming to be by a veterinarian, announced the tortoise's death and gathered nearly 2 million views. The real veterinarian later clarified it was a hoax aimed at soliciting crypto donations. Jonathan is listed by Guinness World Records as the oldest living land animal.
Danish warship sunk by Nelson's British fleet discovered after 225 years
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Marine archaeologists have found the wreck of a Danish warship that sank in the 1801 Battle of Copenhagen. Denmark’s Viking Ship Museum has said divers are racing to excavate it before construction starts nearby. The wreck of the Danish flagship Dannebroge lies 15 meters down in thick sediment with near zero visibility. The ship took heavy fire from British Adm. Horatio Nelson’s fleet and later exploded. Divers have recovered cannons and personal items like uniforms, shoes and bottles. They also found part of a sailor’s jaw. Researchers hope the wreck will reveal what sailors endured.
Hiker's dog lost in a wild New Zealand forest rescued by helicopter after strangers fund search
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A lost border collie has been rescued alive after her owner fell from a tall waterfall in New Zealand bush. Rescuers airlifted the dog named Molly from a rocky spot near the falls on Tuesday. A helicopter crew rescued the injured hiker a week earlier but had to leave without the dog. Pilot Matt Newton kept searching after he spoke with the owner in hospital. Strangers donated more than 11,000 New Zealand dollars for more flight time and thermal gear. Newton spotted Molly on thermal imaging within an hour of the renewed search. Molly was soon reunited with her owner.
Why one Las Vegas newspaper just stopped printing its rival
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Las Vegas Review-Journal will no longer print its rival the Las Vegas Sun for the first time in decades, sharpening a longtime legal dispute between the southern Nevada newspapers. The papers will be in court Friday, and the Sun hopes a judge will order printing to resume immediately. The nation's last joint operating agreement stems from a 1970 law designed to preserve newspapers. The Review-Journal printed the Sun as an insert, but both companies have separate newsrooms and websites. The Review-Journal argued in an editorial Friday that readers now get their information and entertainment from a variety of outlets, including online, so the paper shouldn't have to pay to print a competitor.
A South African politician goes snorkeling in a giant pothole to highlight city management failures
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A veteran South African politician is campaigning for mayor of Johannesburg by snorkeling in a giant, water-filled trench. Helen Zille posted video of herself in a wetsuit and snorkel gear, paddling through muddy water in an upscale suburb. Zille says a burst water pipe has sat unfixed for about three years. She says the stunt highlights years of city mismanagement. Johannesburg is known for private wealth but struggles with failing services. Many residents face water and power cuts. They're also dealing with broken pipes and damaged roads. The current mayor of Johannesburg says the hole has now been fixed.
Clowns take to the streets of Bolivia to protest decree that could crush their livelihoods
LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — Clowns in Bolivia are protesting a new school mandate that cuts off the events where they earn a living. On Monday, dozens of clowns marched to the Education Ministry in La Paz, wearing face paint and their signature red noses. The government decree, published in February, requires 200 lesson days, effectively blocking clown shows during regular school days. Officials say they will consider changes for the 2027 school year. Tailors and photographers joined the protest, with many warning Bolivia’s economic crisis makes lost income even harder.
