Leave it: Dog trainers help pets avoid venomous snakes
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — In parts of the U.S. where venomous snakes are more common, training programs aim to protect pets from getting bitten. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says up to 150,000 dogs are bitten by poisonous snakes each year. One emergency vet in Tucson, Arizona, says her hospital treats four to six dogs for rattlesnake bites daily, and the occasional cat. With quick treatment, the survival rate for pets is 94%. Snake-avoidance trainers say using electronic collars sparingly teaches pets not to approach poisonous snakes. The ASPCA says the collars should be used under the guidance of a knowledgeable trainer. Other steps to avoid pet-snake interactions include trimming back undergrowth and learning about snakes in your area.
Romo on leave from CBS Sports after arrest on suspicion of operating vehicle under the influence
Tony Romo has been placed on leave from his role as the lead analyst on CBS’ NFL coverage following his arrest last week on suspicion of operating a vehicle while under the influence. CBS Sports announced Friday that the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback was on leave “until further notice.” JJ Watt will join Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson as CBS Sports’ lead NFL team during Romo’s absence. Romo was arrested July 23 after he was stopped while driving south on Interstate 43 in Wisconsin.
New York sues prediction market platform Kalshi alleging 'illegal gambling operation'
New York officials have sued prediction market platform Kalshi for potentially billions of dollars, calling it an “illegal, unlicensed gambling operation” as the state seeks to halt its operations and force the company to forfeit its profits. New York joins a growing number of states filing lawsuits against Kalshi and other companies in a dispute with President Donald Trump’s administration over who regulates the fast-growing prediction market. New York's lawsuit was filed Friday in state Supreme Court in Manhattan. Kalshi and other platforms argue they are federally licensed and regulated, and states have no authority to govern them.
10-year-old boy drowns in New Jersey river, sister lives, and another child is missing
One child has died and another is missing after the two 10-year-olds went into a rain-swollen New Jersey river. The mayor of Passaic says the 11-year-old sister of a 10-year-old boy had also gone into the water but was possibly saved by her brother before he drowned. The missing child, a 10-year-old girl, had not been located as of Thursday morning. The fire department chief referred to the search as a “recovery operation.” The trio had been seen in the Passaic River in Pulaski Park on Wednesday evening. The river was higher than usual due to heavy rainfall. A man in the park attempted a rescue but couldn't reach the children.
Ancient mummy DNA provides scientific evidence that colonization brought smallpox to the Americas
NEW YORK (AP) — New research says ancient mummy DNA provides the firmest evidence yet that European colonization brought smallpox to the Americas. The deadly disease struck Asia and Europe and eventually spread to the Americas, where it killed millions and devastated Indigenous populations. Until now, evidence of these outbreaks came from historical documents. In a new study, researchers found evidence of smallpox infection from two mummified individuals in Chile, dating them to between 1492 and 1631. They were between 18 and 35 years old. The research shines a light on the human cost of the disease. The findings were published Thursday in Science.
Former Cowboys QB Tony Romo had an open bottle of alcohol in his car when arrested, police say
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Authorities say CBS NFL analyst and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo had an open container of alcohol in his vehicle when he was stopped by police and later arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. According to one of three citations released by the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office, the “open bottle of an alcoholic beverage” was discovered in the passenger’s side of Romo’s black Jeep during an inventory before it was towed. Another citation said police stopped Romo on Interstate 43 on July 23 after he was seen passing cars in an area that separates interstate traffic from cars entering from an on-ramp. Romo performed poorly on field sobriety tests and was taken into custody, booked and released.
Glen Hansard, Irish musician who won Oscar for 'Once,' dies in motorcycle crash
LONDON (AP) — Academy Award-winning Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard has died in a motorcycle crash. His management says the accident happened in Dublin on Wednesday. He was 56. Hansard was known for his dual career in acting and music. He played a member of a Dublin soul band in “The Commitments” and won an Oscar in 2008 for the song “Falling Slowly” from the film “Once,” in which he also starred. He was the front man for The Frames and part of the duo The Swell Season. He also released solo albums including “Didn’t He Ramble,” which was nominated for a Grammy.
Jared Leto denies sexual assault allegations described in BBC documentary
Four women have accused Jared Leto of sexual misconduct when they were teenagers, to which the actor and musician responded that he has “never sexually assaulted anyone.” He said in a statement Wednesday that the “claims are absolutely and categorically false.” The documentary "Jared Leto: Hollywood's Dark Secret" includes claims from four women who accuse him of misconduct between 2002 and 2016. The BBC says it corroborated the women's accounts, but they could not be independently verified by The Associated Press. The documentary does not identify the women by their full names. Leto is a 54-year-old Oscar winner and the frontman of the band Thirty Seconds to Mars.
Kavinsky, French DJ and composer of 'Nightcall', dies at 50
PARIS (AP) — Kavinsky, the French electro-pop composer known for the track "Nightcall" from the movie "Drive," has died at 50. Culture Minister Catherine Pégard described him as one of France's "most singular voices." She said his music, both danceable and nostalgic, will continue to resonate across generations. French President Emmanuel Macron called him a source of French pride. Kavinsky, whose real name was Vincent Belorgey, was found dead at his home on Tuesday evening. The Paris prosecutor's office said an investigation has been opened into the cause of death, but it is not considered suspicious.
Dominican Republic's zoo offers home for confiscated animals as seizures of exotic species soar
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — Confiscated illegal and smuggled animals are finding a new life in the Dominican Republic. Tucked into a green oasis in the middle of the capital, Santo Domingo, are crocodiles, flamingos, and even tigers, that officials have confiscated from people accused of illegally keeping them. The numbers of wild and protected animals are growing and threaten to overload the country’s only zoo. Last year, Dominican authorities seized 188 animals, compared with 30 in 2023, as part of a government crackdown on illegal ownership of certain species.
