'We'll bring hygge to Hollywood': Danes petition to buy California as Trump seeks Greenland
A lighthearted Danish petition to buy the state of California and "bring hygge to Hollywood" comes in response to President Donald Trump's talk about taking control of Greenland, a vast and mineral-rich Arctic island, from Denmark. The petition's website claimed over 200,000 signatures by midmorning Wednesday, with a goal of 500,000 signers. It's not clear how long the petition has been running and a representative did not immediately return a request for comment. The petition includes a disclaimer at the bottom noting that it is a joke. In 2019, Trump scrapped a trip to Denmark and said the cancellation was because Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen made a "nasty" statement when she rejected his first-term idea of buying Greenland as an absurdity.
Australia holds its nose for its 3rd rancid bloom of a rare corpse plant in 3 months
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- A rare bloom with a pungent odor like decaying flesh has opened in the Australian capital in the nation's third such extraordinary flowering in as many months. Officials say the corpse flower bloomed for the first time in its 15 years at Canberra's Australian National Botanic Gardens on Saturday and was closing on Monday. Another flowered briefly in Sydney in January, attracting 20,000 admirers. Similar numbers turned out to experience another rancid bloom at botanic gardens near Melbourne in November. Corpse flower plants bloom several years apart, and the three in Australia are in different climate conditions, so their blooming so close together was surprising.
Arizona has added an endangered bat to the list of night-flying creatures that frequent the state
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) -- Arizona has added a new species of bat to the list of night-flying creatures that frequent the state. The recent confirmation would not have been possible without the help of residents and researchers who gathered hundreds of saliva samples from hummingbird feeders. Scientists at a special lab at Northern Arizona University tested the samples for DNA to confirm the presence of Mexican long-nosed bats. Previously, a bat would have to be captured to examine it -- which is no easy task. The Mexican long-nosed bat has been listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act since 1988.
The number of venomous snakes removed from this Australian yard will make you shudder
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- A man described feeling "the shudders" as more than 100 venomous red-bellied black snakes were removed from a pile of mulch in his Sydney backyard. David Stein called a snake catcher last week after watching about six snakes slither into the mulch. He learned from an internet search that pregnant red bellies pile together to give birth. Stein helped the snake catcher rake up the adult and newborn snakes. He said: "Just seeing that amount in one group, it gives you a bit of the shudders." The snake catcher ended up collecting five adult snakes and 97 offspring. They'll be released in a national park. Meanwhile, Stein is getting rid of the mulch pile.
It's the 'purr-fect' job. Britain's top feline diplomat comes out of retirement
LONDON (AP) -- Britain's top feline diplomat has come out of retirement for a new job. Palmerston, former Chief Mouser to the Foreign Office, is now the U.K. chief four-legged representative in Bermuda. The news was posted on Wednesday on Palmerston's official DiploMog account on X. It comes more than four years after it was announced he was retiring from public life to a "quieter and easier" life in the countryside. Palmerston was adopted by Foreign Office diplomat Andrew Murdoch, who has now been appointed governor of the British territory of Bermuda. The Foreign Office said Palmerston "will attend only the meetings he deems important, offering advice when necessary and indulging in well-earned naps."
The heist of 100,000 eggs in Pennsylvania becomes a whodunit that police have yet to crack
ANTRIM TOWNSHIP, Pa. (AP) -- The heist of 100,000 eggs from the back of a trailer in Pennsylvania has become a whodunit that police have yet to crack. A spokesperson for the Pennsylvania State Police said Wednesday that four days after the theft no leads have come in. Law enforcement officials say the crime could be tied to the sky-high cost of eggs. The officials are following up with any possible witnesses and looking into surveillance footage that could help them identify the perpetrator The eggs are worth about $40,000. Police say the eggs were snatched from the back of a Pete & Gerry's Organics' distribution trailer Saturday night in Antrim Township, Pennsylvania.
US overwhelms US Virgin Islands 22-0 in Under-17 World Cup qualifier as Chase Adams scores 10 goals
The United States opened expanded CONCACAF qualifying for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup with a record win for the country in World Cup qualifying at any level. It crushed the U.S. Virgin Islands 22-0 as Chase Adams scored 10 goals at San Jose, Costa Rica. Captain Maximo Carrizo registered four goals while Chance Cowell and Jude Terry netted two each. Pedro Guimaraes, Ramiz Hamouda, Jamir Johnson and Kellan LeBlanc claimed one goal apiece. Adams scored in the eighth, ninth, 13th, 19th, 31st, 33rd, 38th, 55th, 75th and 77th minutes.
An Arkansas organist is playing 18 hours of Bach this year, one lunch break at a time
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- An Arkansas organist is marking the 275th anniversary of Johann Sebastian Bach's death by playing all of the German composer's organ works, but he's doing it one lunch break at a time. Colin MacKnight is spending this year playing nearly 18 hours of Bach's organ works in 30-minute increments during free weekly concerts at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral near downtown Little Rock. The performances are among countless other events around the world this year to commemorate Bach's legacy. MacKnight has been playing Bach since he was a teen. His concerts are drawing dozens of people each week, including newcomers who want a peaceful break.
Paradox Museum Miami takes guests through a 21st century funhouse of mind-boggling illusions
MIAMI (AP) -- It's a mix of art gallery, science exhibit and a 21st century funhouse. Paradox Museum Miami is taking guests on a tour through optical illusions and other enigmas geared to the age of Instagram. The 11,000-square-foot museum opened in Miami's Wynwood neighborhood in 2022 and features more than 70 mind-boggling exhibits. The Miami museum is one of more than a dozen locations worldwide and now includes locations in Las Vegas and New Jersey. Many of the exhibits recall old carnival funhouses, like the mirror maze, the spinning tunnel and the upside-down room. But the catch is, visitors are explained the math and science behind each illusion.
The Oregon Zoo welcomes a new baby elephant
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- The Oregon Zoo in Portland has welcomed a new baby elephant. Thirty-year-old Asian elephant Rose-Tu gave birth at the zoo last weekend after 20 months of pregnancy. The zoo says the calf appeared to be a 200-pound female. But staff are giving the pair time to bond before conducting a first checkup to confirm its weight and sex. Steve Lefave oversees the zoo's elephant program. He says it might be a while before the baby is ready for visitors. He said the staff wants to make sure the calf continues to do well, and that the mother is calm with people around.
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