Thailand uses a birth control vaccine to curb its elephant population near expanding farms
BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand has begun using a birth control vaccine on elephants in the wild to try curb a growing problem where human and animal populations encroach on each other. They say the problem has increased as farms spread into forests and elephants, squeezed in their natural habitat, come into contact and clash with humans while searching for food. Official figures say wild elephants killed 30 people last year and injured 29. Thai veterinarians tested the vaccine on seven domesticated elephants over two years before giving shots to three wild elephants in Trat province in late January. The vaccine blocks pregnancy for about seven years.
All-Star reliever Elroy Face, who saved 3 games for Pirates in 1960 World Series, dies at 97
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Elroy Face, an All-Star reliever for the Pittsburgh Pirates who saved three games in the 1960 World Series to help them upset the New York Yankees, has died. He was 97. In a news release, the Pirates announced they confirmed Face’s death. Team historian Jim Trdinich said the club was contacted by Face’s son, Elroy Jr., and informed the former pitcher died Thursday at an independent senior living facility in North Versailles, Pennsylvania. No cause of death was provided. Selected to six All-Star teams, Face went 104-95 with a 3.48 ERA in 16 major league seasons with Pittsburgh, Detroit and Montreal. He compiled 191 career saves — although saves didn’t become an official statistic until 1969.
Gold medalist Breezy Johnson's latest Olympic bling? A sapphire engagement ring
CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Olympic downhill champion Breezy Johnson leaves the women’s super-G without a medal but with an engagement ring. Connor Watkins, Johnson’s longtime boyfriend, proposed to her near the finish area after the race. Johnson and Watkins hugged after she happily said yes. Johnson then flashed her ring — a blue sapphire, surrounded by white sapphires, set in white gold. The proposal came not long after Johnson crashed near the top of the super-G course. She escaped the incident unharmed.
Oklahoma carries out its first execution of 2026 on a man convicted of double killing
McALESTER, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma has carried out its first execution of the year on a man convicted of killing two men in a drive-by shooting. Prison officials say 45-year-old Kendrick Simpson received a three-drug injection Thursday morning at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester. Simpson’s execution was the first this year in Oklahoma and the second in the U.S. after a lethal injection carried out Tuesday in Florida. Simpson admitted last month that he shot and killed 19-year-old Anthony Jones and 20-year-old Glen Palmer following an altercation at an Oklahoma City nightclub. The state’s five-member Pardon and Parole Board narrowly denied recommending clemency for Simpson.
A 410-pound manatee rescued from a Florida storm drain is recovering at SeaWorld Orlando
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A rescued manatee is recovering at SeaWorld Orlando after crews pulled it from a Florida storm drain. A city worker in Melbourne Beach spotted the 410-pound male stuck during a storm drain survey Tuesday. The city called in multiple fire rescue units and wildlife officials. Teams from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the University of Florida helped. A wrecker service also joined the effort. A SeaWorld spokesperson says the manatee was breathing on his own and moving independently. Officials say manatees still face risks after recent starvation die-offs.
Buddhist monks draw thousands to Lincoln Memorial on final day of their 15-week journey from Texas
A group of Buddhist monks has completed a 108-day Walk for Peace from Texas to Washington, bringing its message to the nation’s capital. On the final day, the 19 monks and their dog, Aloka, walked to Capitol Hill and then to the Lincoln Memorial to close the journey. They covered 2,300 miles and drew big crowds along the way. About 100 monks and nuns join them in Washington, along with silent supporters and thousands watching online. Their leader urges daily mindfulness and a “peaceful day” practice. One monk returned in a wheelchair after a highway crash in November seriously injured him.
Kraft Heinz pauses plans to split into 2 companies, says its problems are 'fixable'
Kraft Heinz said Wednesday it’s pausing its plans to split into two companies. Steve Cahillane, a former Kellogg Co. chief who became CEO of Kraft Heinz on Jan. 1, said he wants to ensure that all of the company’s resources are focused on profitable growth. Cahillane said he thinks many of Kraft Heinz's challenges are “fixable and within our control.” Kraft Heinz announced in September it was splitting into two companies a decade after a merger of the brands created one of the biggest food manufacturers on the planet. The transaction was expected to occur in the second half of this year.
Take a ride across frozen sea on Estonia's ice road
HIIUMAA, Estonia (AP) — Temperatures in northern Europe have been so low that Estonians can now drive across a 12 1/2-mile stretch of frozen sea. This “ice road” connects the islands of Saaremaa and Hiiumaa. It officially opened Sunday after locals began driving across the frozen sea, risking their safety. Ferries struggled to maintain service due to weeks of temperatures dropping to minus 10 degrees Celsius, or 14 Fahrenheit. The road is a marked corridor where specialists ensure the ice is thick enough for cars. Vehicles must follow strict rules to prevent damaging the ice. Authorities plan to open more ice routes this week.
Small plane makes an emergency landing on a busy Georgia road and strikes 3 vehicles
GAINESVILLE, Ga. (AP) — Authorities say a single-engine plane made an emergency landing on a busy road in Georgia, striking three vehicles and leaving two people with minor injuries. Before the landing, one of the two pilots on board told air traffic controllers to let his wife and parents know that he loved them. The Federal Aviation Administration and police say the Hawker Beechcraft Bonanza landed Monday in Gainesville, Georgia, northeast of Atlanta, due to reported engine issues. Police say the plane struck three cars, dislodging a fuel tank into one of them, and two people were taken to a hospital with minor injuries. Pilot Thomas Rogers told WAGA-TV they lost their engine while taking off.
Catherine O'Hara died from a pulmonary embolism. Cancer was the underlying cause
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Catherine O’Hara died from a pulmonary embolism, with rectal cancer as the underlying cause. A Los Angeles County death certificate issued Monday lists the embolism as the immediate cause of her death on Jan. 30 at age 71. The doctor who signed the certificate had been treating O'Hara since March of last year. She died at a hospital in Santa Monica, California. O'Hara was cremated. She starred in two “Home Alone” movies and won an Emmys for “SCTV” and “Schitt’s Creek.” Her death was a surprise to many, and tributes poured in from collaborators.
