3 months ago
Two Florida business owners have been charged with third-degree felonies after allegedly spreading about 1,500 "toxic" mothballs across a beach in hopes of keeping an "imperiled" bird species from nesting there.
If convicted, they could each face up to five years in prison, fines of up to $5,000 and up to five years of probation.
The problem started in late April when beachgoers noticed mothballs on the white, sugary sand on St. Pete Beach in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and bird-loving volunteers from the Audubon Society mobilized. They plucked about 1,000 of the small, white orbs from the sand behind the Plaza Beach Hotel.
Massachusetts Homeowners Stunned After Town Warns July 4 Flags Threaten Endangered Birds
#white #april
If convicted, they could each face up to five years in prison, fines of up to $5,000 and up to five years of probation.
The problem started in late April when beachgoers noticed mothballs on the white, sugary sand on St. Pete Beach in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and bird-loving volunteers from the Audubon Society mobilized. They plucked about 1,000 of the small, white orbs from the sand behind the Plaza Beach Hotel.
Massachusetts Homeowners Stunned After Town Warns July 4 Flags Threaten Endangered Birds
#white #april
3 months ago
The latest tranche of materials on unidentified aerial phenomenon (UAP) released by the U.S. government includes video of what appears to be an object traversing the skies last year over the Middle East.
"The United States Central Command submitted a report of an unidentified anomalous phenomenon to the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) consisting of 1 minute and 39 seconds of video footage from an electro-optical and infrared sensor aboard a U.S. military platform in 2025," the War Department noted.
A description of the video says, "The sensor pans to track an area of contrast from left to right across the background, keeping it generally centered within the frame. The sensor adjusts collection mode and level of magnification several times."
Nasa Chief Confirms Agency Has Unexplained Ufo Imagery: 'We Don't Know What It Is'
Assistant to the secretary of war for public affairs and chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in part of a Friday statement, "Today, the Department of War is publishing the fifth release of declassified and historical Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) files as part of the Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters (PURSUE)."
#middle
"The United States Central Command submitted a report of an unidentified anomalous phenomenon to the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) consisting of 1 minute and 39 seconds of video footage from an electro-optical and infrared sensor aboard a U.S. military platform in 2025," the War Department noted.
A description of the video says, "The sensor pans to track an area of contrast from left to right across the background, keeping it generally centered within the frame. The sensor adjusts collection mode and level of magnification several times."
Nasa Chief Confirms Agency Has Unexplained Ufo Imagery: 'We Don't Know What It Is'
Assistant to the secretary of war for public affairs and chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in part of a Friday statement, "Today, the Department of War is publishing the fifth release of declassified and historical Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) files as part of the Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters (PURSUE)."
#middle
3 months ago
By Jack Queen
NEW YORK, July 23 (Reuters) - The Trump administration will withdraw subpoenas issued to New York Times' journalists who reported on security concerns about the president flying on a Qatari-donated Air Force One, a prosecutor said at a court hearing on Thursday.
The subpoenas issued by Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton on July 10 were the latest instance of the Trump administration seeking to compel journalists to divulge confidential sources in leak investigations, a practice press-freedom advocates say can chill reporting.
A prosecutor with Clayton's office informed U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian of the decision after the judge spent roughly 1-1/2 hours questioning government attorneys about procedural issues in the leak investigation, including their handling of subpoenas for reporters' phone records.
"The government is prepared unilaterally to withdraw the subpoenas," prosecutor Sean Buckley said, noting that the probe was ongoing and that the government could subpoena the reporters again.
#administration #issued
NEW YORK, July 23 (Reuters) - The Trump administration will withdraw subpoenas issued to New York Times' journalists who reported on security concerns about the president flying on a Qatari-donated Air Force One, a prosecutor said at a court hearing on Thursday.
The subpoenas issued by Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton on July 10 were the latest instance of the Trump administration seeking to compel journalists to divulge confidential sources in leak investigations, a practice press-freedom advocates say can chill reporting.
A prosecutor with Clayton's office informed U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian of the decision after the judge spent roughly 1-1/2 hours questioning government attorneys about procedural issues in the leak investigation, including their handling of subpoenas for reporters' phone records.
"The government is prepared unilaterally to withdraw the subpoenas," prosecutor Sean Buckley said, noting that the probe was ongoing and that the government could subpoena the reporters again.
#administration #issued
4 months ago
WARSAW, July 17 (Reuters) - Poland's president vetoed two bills on Friday that would have introduced "cohabitation contracts" for couples living together, dealing a blow to same-sex couples in one of the few European Union countries with limited rights for LGBT people.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk took office in 2023 pledging to deliver reforms on abortion and LGBT rights, but divisions within his broad pro-European coalition as well as nationalist President Karol Nawrocki's veto powers mean he has struggled to do so.
The bills on the "status of the closest person in a relationship and the cohabitation agreement" would have allowed two adults to enter into an agreement regulating issues such as joint property rights, access to medical information and matters concerning burial.
The bills had secured support from across the governing coalition, including from the conservative PSL party which had refused to support earlier proposals which they feared would undermine the institution of marriage.
However, Nawrocki, an ally of the nationalist opposition party Law and Justice (PiS), said the bills still went too far.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk took office in 2023 pledging to deliver reforms on abortion and LGBT rights, but divisions within his broad pro-European coalition as well as nationalist President Karol Nawrocki's veto powers mean he has struggled to do so.
The bills on the "status of the closest person in a relationship and the cohabitation agreement" would have allowed two adults to enter into an agreement regulating issues such as joint property rights, access to medical information and matters concerning burial.
The bills had secured support from across the governing coalition, including from the conservative PSL party which had refused to support earlier proposals which they feared would undermine the institution of marriage.
However, Nawrocki, an ally of the nationalist opposition party Law and Justice (PiS), said the bills still went too far.
