This ocean liner was the world's fastest. It's being sunk to make the largest artificial reef
DESTIN, Fla. (AP) — An ocean liner that once was the fastest on the seas is headed to its final home on the floor of the Gulf of Mexico as the world’s largest artificial reef. Officials on Florida’s panhandle coast plan to scuttle the S.S. United States on Wednesday about 25 miles southwest of Destin, between Panama City and Pensacola. The $13.5 million project is designed to attract more divers and fishing enthusiasts to the area while creating a home for tuna, marlin and swordfish. The project will keep what had been a technological marvel from becoming scrap metal. The 990-foot ship set a speed record on its first voyage in 1952.
Poultry in motion: The ubiquitous Buffalo wing, as assessed by a local who loves 'em
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — You know the old saying: You can take the wing out of Buffalo, but you can’t take the Buffalo out of the wing. Ok, fine, that’s not a saying. But it’s true that Buffalo chicken wings are so ubiquitous that people forget where they came from — unless you’re from Buffalo. Yes, you can find them everywhere: your local pub, chains like Wing Stop or Buffalo Wild Wings, the frozen food aisle of the supermarket. Then there are the offshoots: Buffalo-flavored potato chips, peanuts and pretzels. There’s Buffalo ranch salad dressing, Buffalo mac-and-cheese, Buffalo casseroles. But if you want the real deal, you have to go to its birthplace.
Jimmy Carter's family farm to be preserved and opened to the public
The family farm where President Jimmy Carter tended peanuts, corn and sugarcane as a boy and returned throughout his life will be preserved and opened to the public. Preservation group The Conservation Fund says that it has acquired the farm as part of a 2,458-acre purchase just outside Plains, Georgia, the 39th president’s hometown. The fund says Carter spent his youth exploring the woods around the farm and returned many times as an adult to walk with his wife Rosalynn and hunt. The fund said on Monday that the farm should be open to the public for hunting, fishing and recreation as soon as next year. It will eventually transfer to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
Strangers trade punches and chase thrills at Colombia’s pop-up fights
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Santiago Abril has been organizing pop-up boxing matches in parks around Bogota, Colombia, without official permits. He sets up a portable ring made of rubber and plastic, where young men and women gather on weekends to face off. Participants pay a fee to compete, with cash prizes for winners. The matches are short, with two rounds lasting 90 seconds each. Abril says the gloves are heavy to reduce the impact of punches. Despite police intervention and the lack of permits, interest in these street fights is growing. Abril promotes the events on social media and has a YouTube channel with many subscribers.
In Senegal, Black surfers want to reclaim the waves despite lack of resources
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The origins of surfing can be traced back to the native populations of Peru, Polynesia and Hawaii, and European travelers documented children surfing along the coast of what is now Ghana as early as the 17th century. But today’s surfing, especially professional surfing, is a predominantly white sport. In West Africa, it is a sport for the fortunate few who can afford expensive equipment and training. The dream of surfer Ibra Samb of Senegal is to change that, he says. Together with other local surfers he holds free weekly classes for kids from his native Ngor village, hoping that one day one of them qualifies for the professional circuit.
5 flowering houseplants, and how to keep them blooming for a living bouquet
Houseplants with flowers are a way to add a splash of color to your home over the colder months. Five popular varieties of flowering houseplant are cyclamen, African violets, bromeliads, peace lilies and kalanchoe. Cyclamen bloom in white, pink, red or purple. To encourage and prolong blooming, place the plants in indirect light near an east- or north-facing window in a cool room. They like humidity, so put them on a tray to which you’ve added pebbles and water, or run a humidifier nearby. African violets also require high humidity. Their leaves will become spotted and blotchy if they get wet, so avoid splashes by bottom-watering.
Archaeological treasures uncovered beneath Kabul's crumbling ancient fortress
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The imposing fortress of Bala Hissar in the Afghan capital Kabul has endured centuries of upheaval and war. The Aga Khan Trust for Culture is conducting an extensive, yearslong project to painstakingly conserve the historic and strategic site. Sections of the sprawling fortress's defensive walls have crumbled, the result of years of neglect and Afghanistan’s repeated conflicts. Archaeological work there has unearthed ancient coins, fragments of Buddhist statues, glazed Islamic ceramics, oil lamps, pottery and the remains of palaces and monasteries. The restoration project aims to revive the site as a public archaeological park complete with landscaped gardens, restaurants and a museum.
3 games, 2 days, 1 program. The Bethesda men's basketball team does things very differently
Bethesda University, a small Christian school in Anaheim, California, faced a challenging weekend with three basketball games in two days. The team lost to Hawaii, Southern Utah, and Pepperdine, splitting their roster to cover all games. Bethesda, part of the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association, often plays Division I teams for financial support. Athletic director Leo Balayon, inspired by Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, emphasizes the unique opportunities and community spirit at the school. Despite frequent losses, players like Treveon Lee appreciate the chance to compete and grow, valuing faith and second chances over fame.
Chimp sanctuary delivers an ape's food by drone amid Florida floods
A Florida chimpanzee sanctuary briefly had to deliver food to one of its 200 apes by drone this week because the property was swamped by heavy rain. But Save the Chimps says the animals stayed safe. By Saturday, the water finally was receding significantly. Rainstorms soaked southeast and central Florida from Sunday through Tuesday. Save the Chimps is near Fort Pierce. The organization says the animals' care houses were secure on high ground, but canals overflowed and submerged the internal roads that staffers normally use to deliver food to the apes by golf cart. Save the Chimps bought a delivery drone some time ago for just such an emergency.
