Taylor Swift says Vienna show cancellation is 'devastating', explains silence
LONDON (AP) — Two weeks after organizers canceled Taylor Swift's Vienna show after a thwarted terror plot, Swift has issued her first statement about the cancellation. She called the cancellation devastating, saying it filled her with “a renewed sense of fear” and “tremendous guilt because so many people were planning to come to the show.” She thanked authorities and said she was holding off on speaking out until after the end of her European Eras tour to prioritize safety. Following the cancellation, Swift's representatives did not respond to multiple requests for comment from The Associated Press and other news organizations, and her social media pages have been dormant.
Banana-loving Japanese woman becomes world's oldest
TOKYO (AP) — Tomiko Itooka is now the world's oldest person at 116. Guinness World Records confirmed the Japanese woman's status on Thursday following the death of 117-year-old Maria Branyas. Itooka lives in a nursing home in southeastern Japan. She was born May 23, 1908, according to the Gerontology Research Group, which verifies details of people believed to be over 110 years old. She celebrated her birthday three months ago, receiving flowers, cake and a card from the mayor. Her favorite food is bananas. When informed she was the oldest person in the world, Itooka replied, “Thank you,” something she often says to caregivers at home.
Divers recover five bodies from superyacht wreck off Sicily, one still missing
PORTICELLO, Sicily (AP) — Divers searching the wreckage of a superyacht that sank off the coast of Sicily have found five bodies and are searching for a sixth, deepening questions about why the yacht sank so quickly. Divers and rescuers lowered three body bags from a rescue boat that docked in Porticello port on Wednesday. Sicily's civil defense said three more bodies were also found in the wreckage. The finds suggest the search for wreckage at a depth of 50 meters was a recovery operation, not a salvage. The 56-meter, British-flagged yacht, Bayesian, sank in a storm early Monday while moored about a kilometer offshore.
Man arrested after opening plane door and walking on wing at Australian airport
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A passenger was arrested at an Australian airport after exiting an emergency exit from a stopped aircraft, walking along the wing and exiting the jet engine onto the runway. Authorities said the Jetstar flight had arrived at Melbourne Airport from Sydney and was parked at the terminal gate when the man exited the plane through the right-hand exit on Thursday. The exit automatically slides from the back of the fuselage wing to the ground, but the man chose to walk along the wing and exit through one of the Airbus A320's two engines. Officers arrested the man for “suspected aggressive behaviour and breaching aircraft safety regulations,” according to the Australian Federal Police.
A US government report found that twice the recommended amount of fluoride can lower a child's IQ.
NEW YORK (AP) — A U.S. government report concludes that twice the recommended amount of fluoride in drinking water reduces children's IQs. The report, based on an analysis of previously published studies, is the first time a federal agency has concluded there's a link between exposure to high levels of fluoride and lower IQs in children. Fluoride strengthens teeth and reduces cavities by replacing minerals lost through normal wear and tear. The addition of low levels of fluoride to drinking water has long been considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the last century.
Ultrasound image of flood victim's son found on Connecticut beach miles from collapsed home
A Connecticut mother got some good news this week after the heartbreak of her home being destroyed in deadly flooding that ravaged parts of the state on Sunday. An ultrasound image of Randy Marcusio's now 3-year-old son was found on a beach in Westport, about 30 miles from her property in Oxford. A stranger walking along the beach on Monday found a slip of paper with Marcusio's name and two ultrasound images on it. She returned the slip to Marcusio on Wednesday. The creek beside Marcusio's house overflowed, washing away much of the land below it and causing the house to collapse on Monday.
Detroit judge accused of handcuffing teen girl and putting her in prison gear during school field trip
DETROIT (AP) — More uproar in Detroit a week after a judge ordered a girl to wear a prison uniform and handcuffed during a school field trip. Lawyers for 15-year-old Eva Goodman have filed a lawsuit in federal court. They accuse Judge Kenneth King of humiliation, false arrest and false detention. They specifically noted that the judge saw the girl as falling asleep and behaving badly. The girl's lawyers say King's behavior was “extreme and outrageous.” There has been no immediate comment from the judge's lawyers. King was removed from court work last week until she completes training.
Sam Sam the Cat ran away and was found nearby 11 years later thanks to a microchip.
A South Carolina cat has been reunited with his owner after 11 years thanks to a microchip. Charleston County Animal Control found Sam the Catman earlier this month. Sam was skinny and had been eating scraps from a group of stray cats. Charleston Animal Society staff scanned Sam's microchip and found out his owner lives on a farm less than a mile from where he was found. Jennifer Ravenel said she was surprised and overjoyed. Stroking her lost friend, she said she has been heartbroken since Sam was gone and that she can no longer hold a cat on her lap.
Florida quietly removes LGBTQ+ travel information from state website
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Key West, Fort Lauderdale and Wilton Manors are some of the Florida cities that have long been the most popular U.S. destinations for LGBTQ+ tourists. So it came as a surprise to travelers this week to learn that Florida's tourism marketing agency had quietly removed its “LGBTQ travel” section from its website over the past few months. Florida business owners who cater to LGBTQ+ tourists said Wednesday it was the latest attempt by state officials to erase the LGBTQ+ community. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis previously pushed a bill to ban classes on sexual orientation and gender identity in all grades and supported a ban on gender-reassignment care for minors.
Gold prices are reaching record highs. Here's why
NEW YORK (AP) — Gold prices hit an all-time high this week. Spot gold prices closed above $2,514 per troy ounce on Tuesday, meaning a 400-ounce gold bar or brick would be worth more than $1 million. Interest in buying gold often rises during times of uncertainty. Potential concerns over inflation and a strong U.S. dollar, for example, have some looking for other places to park their money. Factors driving the current rally include looming interest rate cuts, ongoing geopolitical risks and increased demand from central banks. But future gains are never guaranteed, and precious metals are prone to volatility.
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