Trump snubs Biden with autopen photo on new Presidential Walk of Fame
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has added a Presidential Walk of Fame to the White House, featuring portraits of previous commanders-in-chief — except for one. Instead of Joe Biden's portrait, Trump hung a photo of an autopen signing the Democrat president's name. This move reflects Trump's ongoing attempts to delegitimize Biden, whom he has frequently criticized. Trump has never acknowledged his defeat to Biden in the 2020 election, falsely attributing it to voter fraud. The Walk of Fame is part of several design changes Trump has made since resuming office, including adding gold flourishes and new flagpoles.
Sister Jean, longtime Loyola Chicago chaplain and March Madness icon, retires at 106
Sister Jean, the longtime chaplain for Loyola Chicago's men's basketball team, has retired at 106 because of health concerns. The Loyola Phoenix, the school's student newspaper, announced her retirement earlier this month. Sister Jean became famous during Loyola Chicago's run to the Final Four in the 2018 NCAA Tournament. She was often seen cheering courtside and supported the team for years. Sister Jean served as the team's chaplain for 30 years, becoming a beloved figure at the university.
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky welcome third child, Rocki
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rihanna and A$AP Rocky have welcome their third child and first daughter. Rihanna announced the birth of Rocki Irish Mayers in an Instagram post Wednesday. The couple first announced their pregnancy during the Met Gala in May. The couple has a track record for starry pregnancy announcements, with Rihanna emerging on the 2023 Super Bowl stage with a baby bump on full display. Their son Riot Rose was born later that year. The couple welcomed their first child, RZA, in 2022. The birth comes just months after A$AP Rocky was acquitted on firearms charges in Los Angeles in February.
'Very mean squirrel' seeking food has sent at least 2 people to the ER in a California city
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Residents of a San Francisco Bay Area city are on the lookout for an aggressive squirrel that has sent at least two people to the emergency room. Joan Heblack told ABC affiliate KGO-TV that she was walking in a San Rafael neighborhood when a squirrel attacked her leg. Isabel Campoy says she too had been walking in the Lucas Valley neighborhood of San Rafael when the squirrel attacked, leaving her arm bloody. Flyers are now posted warning residents of the “very mean squirrel.” Experts say the squirrel was likely accustomed to people feeding and caring for it. Squirrels are not vectors for rabies.
A centuries-old map is returned to Mexico after it was recovered in Santa Fe
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The FBI has handed over a centuries-old map to Mexican officials after it was discovered by a librarian in New Mexico. The “Villa de Santa Fe” map had been part of Mexico's archives until it was discovered missing in 2011. The map shows the Spanish province of Nuevo Mexico, including locations of rivers, Spanish settlements and Native American pueblos. Historians joined federal investigators and Mexican officials for a ceremony on Tuesday at the consulate in Albuquerque. They talked about the significance of the map, saying it provided key documentation of the Camino Real, a 1,600-mile route that once served as a lifeline between Mexico City and Santa Fe.
Tourism is helping Uganda’s endangered mountain gorillas make a comeback
BWINDI, Uganda (AP) — In Uganda, the economic benefits of tourism have turned gorilla poachers into conservationists, married women into porters and rangers into spokespeople for the great apes. Poaching is in sharp decline as the hefty fees paid by foreign tourists to see the animals in their natural habitat help fund water provision, health care and other development work in local communities. Many people say the money generated has ensured the recovery of the species, with habitat encroachment and poaching declining as wildlife authorities seek to collaborate more with nearby communities.
David Fry recovering after sustaining broken nose, facial fractures after being hit in face by pitch
CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland Guardians designated hitter David Fry is recovering after being hit in the face by a pitch from Detroit’s Tarik Skubal. The incident happened during Cleveland's 5-2 win over the Tigers on Tuesday, which tied the AL Central division race. Fry was released from the hospital Wednesday afternoon. Imaging showed he sustained multiple facial and nasal fractures but won't need surgery. Fry is expected to recover in six to eight weeks. He was placed on the 10-day injured list, and outfielder Johnathan Rodríguez was called up. Skubal, who was visibly shaken, visited Fry in the hospital and apologized.
YouTube to start bringing back creators banned for COVID-19 and election misinformation
NEW YORK (AP) — YouTube will offer creators a way to rejoin the streaming platform if they were banned for violating COVID-19 and election misinformation policies that are no longer in effect. YouTube parent Alphabet said in a letter to the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday that the decision reflects the company's commitment to free speech. The move is the latest in a cascade of content moderation rollbacks from tech companies, who cracked down on false information during the pandemic and after the 2020 election but have since faced pressure from President Donald Trump and other conservatives who argue they unlawfully stifled right-wing voices. It comes as tech CEOs, including Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, have sought a closer relationship with the Republican president.
A trio of space weather satellites blast off together to study the sun's violent side
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A cluster of space weather satellites has blasted off to cast fresh eyes on solar storms. The three satellites belonging to NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration soared from Florida on Wednesday morning on the same SpaceX rocket. They're aiming for a sun-orbiting lookout 1 million miles from Earth, each on its own separate mission. Altogether, the trio are worth about $1.6 billion. Besides offering advance notice of solar disturbances heading toward Earth, the spacecraft will also serve as early warning beacons for the astronauts who will fly to the moon, beginning next year.
More than 160,000 apply for Florida's first bear hunt in a decade, wildlife officials say
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Florida’s first bear hunt in a decade drew more than 160,000 applicants for just 172 permits. Hunt opponents submitted some permits to try reduce the number of bears killed. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will award permits through a random lottery for the hunt that will take place in December. The permit allows a hunter to kill one bear in parts of the state where the bear population is deemed large enough. There are an estimated 4,000 bears in Florida. During the last hunt in 2015, more than 300 bears were killed in two days.
