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  • Huge and rare Mekong catfish spotted in Cambodia, raising conservation hopes

    Huge and rare Mekong catfish spotted in Cambodia, raising conservation hopes

    HANOI, Vietnam — Six critically endangered Mekong giant catfish — one of the largest and rarest freshwater fish in the world — were caught and released recently in Cambodia, reviving hopes for the survival of the species.

    The underwater giants can grow up to 10 feet (3 meters) long and weigh up to 300 kilograms (661 pounds), or as heavy as a grand piano. They now are only found in Southeast Asia’s Mekong River but in the past inhabited the length of the 4,900-kilometer (3,044 mile)-long river, all the way from its outlet in Vietnam to its northern reaches in China’s Yunnan province.

    The species’ population has plummeted by 80% in recent decades due to rising pressures from overfishing, dams that block the migratory path the fish follow to spawn and other disruptions.

    Few of the millions of people who depend on the Mekong for their livelihoods have ever seen a giant catfish. To find six of the giants, which were caught and released within 5 days, is unprecedented.

    The first two were on the Tonle Sap river, a tributary of the Mekong not far from Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. They were given identification tags and released. On Tuesday, fishermen caught four more giant catfish including two longer than 2 meters (6.5 feet) that weighed 120 kilograms and 131 kilograms (264 pounds and 288 pounds), respectively. The captured fish were apparently migrating from their floodplain habitats near Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake northward along the Mekong River, likely to spawning grounds in northern Cambodia, Laos or Thailand.

    “It’s a hopeful sign that the species is not in imminent, like in the next few years, risk of extinction, which gives conservation activities time to be implemented and to continue to bend the curve away from decline and toward recovery,” said Dr. Zeb Hogan, a University of Nevada Reno research biologist who leads the U.S. Agency for International Development-funded Wonders of the Mekong project.

    Much is still unknown about the giant fish, but over the past two decades a joint conservation program by the Wonders of the Mekong and the Cambodian Fisheries Administration has caught, tagged and released around 100 of them, gaining insights into how the catfish migrate, where they live and the health of the species.

    “This information is used to establish migration corridors and protect habitats to try to help these fish survive in the future,” said Hogan.

    The Mekong giant catfish is woven into the region’s cultural fabric, depicted in 3,000-year-old cave paintings, revered in folklore and considered a symbol of the river, whose fisheries feed millions and are valued at $10 billion annually.

    Local communities play a crucial role in conservation. Fishermen now know about the importance of reporting accidental catches of rare and endangered species to officials, enabling researchers to reach places where fish have been captured and measure and tag them before releasing them.

    “Their cooperation is essential for our research and conservation efforts,” Heng Kong, director of Cambodia’s Inland Fisheries Research and Development Institute, said in a statement.

    Apart from the Mekong giant catfish, the river is also home to other large fish including the salmon carp, which was thought to be extinct until it was spotted earlier this year, and the giant sting ray.

    That four of these fish were caught and tagged in a single day is likely the “big fish story of the century for the Mekong”, said Brian Eyler, director of the Washington-based Stimson Center’s Southeast Asia Program. He said that seeing them confirms that the annual fish migration was still robust despite all the pressures facing the environment along the Mekong.

    “Hopefully what happened this week will show the Mekong countries and the world that the Mekong’s mighty fish population is uniquely special and needs to be conserved,” he said.

    ___

    The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

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  • What we learned about the College Football Playoff: SEC upsets, Big 12 chaos, Indiana’s hopes

    What we learned about the College Football Playoff: SEC upsets, Big 12 chaos, Indiana’s hopes

    The weekend before Thanksgiving often feels like the calm before the storm in college football.

    Saturday was different. The expanded College Football Playoff turned it into a tempest with postseason implications from the home of the Super Bowl champion Chiefs in Kansas City to the House that Ruth Built in the Bronx.

    Ohio State improved to 2-1 in top-five matchups and showed everybody’s favorite upstart — at least everybody outside of SEC country — what life is like at the top of the food chain. The Big 12 race continued its descent into madness with the two teams that appeared to be in control of the race now heading into the final weekend of the regular season needing help to reach the conference title game.

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    GO DEEPER

    College Football Playoff 2024 projections: Indiana hangs on as Alabama, Ole Miss fall out

    And in the SEC, three CFP contenders lost on the road to unranked teams.

    What we learned about the Playoff in Week 13 is that expansion to 12 teams is delivering exactly what was promised: more meaningful games and more chances for mayhem.

    SEC upsets

    It has felt recently as if the entire SEC and its propaganda machine had risen against Indiana in an attempt to discredit the Hoosiers as Playoff contenders.

    Then the conference went out and did just about everything it could to ensure the Hoosiers stayed very much in the race after they lost for the first time this season.


    Auburn improved to 5-6 with its upset of Texas A&M on Saturday night. (John Reed / Imagn Images)

    First, Ole Miss (8-3) got walked to the back of the line by Florida.

    The Rebels have what might be the single most impressive victory of the season against Georgia, but coach Lane Kiffin’s portal all-stars have lost three games they were favored to win, twice as double-digit favorites.

    How’s this for irony: The coach who many considered the most likely candidate to replace Billy Napier at Florida probably was just eliminated from Playoff contention by Napier’s Gators.

    Life comes at you fast.

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    GO DEEPER

    The moral of the story from Ole Miss loss: This is about surviving the grind

    If Florida’s 24-17 over No. 9 Ole Miss was surprising, Oklahoma’s 24-3 victory against Alabama (8-3) was downright shocking.

    The Sooners ran for 257 yards and picked off Alabama’s Jalen Milroe three times as the seventh-ranked Crimson Tide were held without a touchdown for the first time since the 2011 Game of the Century against LSU, which the Tigers won 9-6 in overtime.

    “The team is extremely disappointed, frustrated,” Tide coach Kalen DeBoer told reporters. “We worked, I thought, extremely hard all week, putting a plan together. Guys had good energy, excited to come here on the road. You know, we just gotta play better. We gotta be better in all ways.”

    By the time Auburn knocked off No. 15 Texas A&M (8-3) 43-41 in quadruple overtime, the SEC title game was set but the number of SEC Playoff contenders likely shrunk.

    No. 10 Georgia (9-2) is back in the conference championship and will face the winner of next Saturday’s first-ever SEC edition of the Texas-Texas A&M rivalry.

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    GO DEEPER

    Wild day in SEC sets up Georgia vs. Texas-Texas A&M winner in title game

    There is still no denying the SEC is top to bottom the strongest conference in the country. The SEC might still get as many as four teams in the 12-team field because there needs to be 12 teams.

    The SEC can be a grind, and because of that, the selection committee has given its teams an extra mulligan and the benefit of the doubt in the rankings. There were four two-loss teams in the committee’s top 11 last week. All from the SEC.

    Sure, playing on the road in the SEC is tough, but Miami didn’t have much of an issue at Florida in Week 1, and Auburn wasn’t too scary for Cal back in September. Tulane went to Oklahoma earlier this season and somehow scored three touchdowns.

    The strength-of-schedule numbers that SEC commissioner Greg Sankey posted on social media last week don’t lie. The conference has earned the preferential treatment it gets.

    But at a certain point, it doesn’t seem like too much to ask these SEC teams to take care of business against teams that have been wallowing at the bottom of the standings if the conference wants to monopolize the at-large bids to the Playoff.

    SEC CFP and title odds

    Team CFP bid SEC title Record

    99%

    35%

    10-1

    92%

    53%

    9-2

    74%

    0%

    9-2

    12%

    12%

    8-3

    11%

    0%

    8-3

    1%

    0%

    8-3

    All odds according to Austin Mock’s projections model

    Imperfect Hoosiers

    Indiana coach Curt Cignetti was not having any of it.

    “Is that a serious question? I’m not even going to answer that. The answer is so obvious,” Cignetti said.

    The question was, essentially, is No. 5 Indiana Playoff worthy after it got manhandled 38-15 at No. 2 Ohio State.

    Cignetti is going to Cignetti, and he has every right to defend his 10-1 team, which has gone from lovable underdog to CFP lightning rod for those whose arguments begin and end with “strength of schedule.”

    Indiana’s schedule is a legitimate problem for the Hoosiers, and while they didn’t need to beat the Buckeyes at the Horseshoe to prove their worthiness, it would have been good to give the selection committee more than 151 yards of offense to chew on. Indiana did get plenty of help from the losses elsewhere, however, so much so that its Playoff chances actually rose from 79 percent to 87 percent in The Athletic’s projections by the end of the night.

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    GO DEEPER

    Curt Cignetti thinks Indiana is still Playoff worthy. In 12-team format, we get to debate

    The Hoosiers’ first and, basically, last drives of the game resulted in touchdowns, with hardly a peep in between. They touched the ball one more time late for a few seconds after Ohio State punched in a touchdown with 35 seconds left to send a message.

    “We said leave no doubt,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day told Fox after the game. “We wanted to finish it the right way and make sure that everybody knows that this is the Ohio State Buckeyes.”

    The fact is, 38-15 felt right. Ohio State led 14-7 at the half, but a couple of empty red-zone trips had kept Indiana within a score.

    Ohio State still has to take care of business next week against Michigan and snap a three-game losing streak against the Wolverines to get back to the Big Ten Championship Game for a rematch against No. 1 Oregon.

    “It’s been tough. It’s tough what I had to see (Day) go through,” Buckeyes defensive end Jack Sawyer told reporters. “There’s no one I want this win more for than him and his family and the brothers I go to battle with every day. The stuff that we’ve had to go through the last three years is nonsense. We can’t wait to get out there and play this next week.”

    No. 4 Penn State can still slip into the Big Ten title game with an Ohio State loss and victory against Maryland next week. The Nittany Lions managed to avoid the upset bug that swept through SEC country, gutting out a 26-25 victory in Minnesota with the help of a fake punt and two more fourth-down conversions to run out the clock on their final drive.

    “At the end of the day, our team found a way,” coach James Franklin said.

    Big Ten CFP and title odds

    Team CFP bid B1G title Record

    99%

    48%

    10-1

    99%

    49%

    11-0

    99%

    1%

    10-1

    87%

    1%

    10-1

    New favorites

    The best team in the Big 12 right now might be Kansas, which has won three straight against ranked conference opponents after hammering No. 16 Colorado 37-21 at Arrowhead Stadium.

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    GO DEEPER

    Kansas continues to cause Big 12 Playoff angst. Latest victim: Deion’s Buffs

    Alas, there is no path to the conference title game for the Jayhawks (5-6), who still need to win at Baylor next week to get bowl eligible.

    Remember when No. 14 BYU and Colorado were on a collision course to meet in Arlington, Texas, for the Big 12 title? Now there is a four-way tie atop the league, with No. 21 Arizona State and No. 22 Iowa State joining BYU and Colorado.

    The difference is the Sun Devils (9-2), who handed BYU its second straight loss, and the Cyclones (9-2), are now in win-and-in mode. The Cougars (9-2) and Buffaloes (8-3) will need some help.

    Arizona State gets struggling rival Arizona in the Territorial Cup. Iowa State hosts Kansas State in Farmageddon.

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    GO DEEPER

    Big 12 title game scenarios: Untangling the P4’s most crowded race

    Last week, Boise State was ranked ahead of the highest-ranked Big 12 team, putting the Broncos in position to receive a first-round bye as Mountain West champions.

    Ashton Jeanty and Boise State kept on rolling through the conference Saturday, though their trip to Wyoming was much tougher than expected. It will be interesting to see if the Broncos’ struggles in Laramie help the highest-ranked Big 12 team — whoever that might be on Tuesday night, probably Arizona State — push past Boise State in the rankings.

    Big 12 CFP and title odds

    Team CFP bid Big 12 title Record

    32%

    31%

    9-2

    30%

    30%

    9-2

    19%

    21%

    9-2

    14%

    18%

    8-3

    Irish rise?

    After Indiana’s loss and Penn State’s close call, how high can Notre Dame climb in the rankings?

    The sixth-ranked Fighting Irish (10-1) will head to the West Coast for their annual rivalry game against USC on a nine-game winning streak after burying a previously unbeaten service academy team for the second time this season.

    Notre Dame’s 49-14 victory over No. 19 Army at Yankee Stadium was in many ways even more dominant than its 51-14 win over Navy at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey last month.

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    GO DEEPER

    Notre Dame routs Army to keep CFP hosting bid in focus

    “They are really athletic and well-coached. They outclassed us,” Army coach Jeff Monken said.

    As an independent, the Irish can’t earn one of the first-round byes reserved for conference champions, but they should be well-positioned to host a first-round game and maybe be as high as the fifth seed.  In fact, with all the upsets in the SEC and Big 12, Notre Dame could have some leeway to stumble next week against the Trojans and still make the Playoff.

    It would be best if the Irish didn’t tempt fate, but according to The Athletic’s projections, Notre Dame now has a 98 percent chance to make the field and a 72 percent chance to host a game.

    ACC at-large?

    The SEC’s loss could be the ACC’s gain. With the losses piling up in the SEC, suddenly a matchup of one-loss teams in the ACC Championship Game could earn the conference two playoff spots.

    No. 8 Miami (10-1) and No. 13 SMU (10-1) continued to roll toward a showdown in Charlotte, N.C. SMU clinched a berth in the ACC title game in its first season in the conference with a rout at Virginia.

    The Hurricanes still must take care of business next week at Syracuse to get to the title game. A loss sends No. 17 Clemson to Charlotte. Speaking of the Tigers (9-2), the Palmetto Bowl against No. 18 South Carolina (8-3) got a lot more interesting on Saturday.

    If you squint you can see Playoff implications for the Gamecocks, too. In the pecking order of three-loss SEC teams, South Carolina has to be behind both Ole Miss and Alabama after losing to each. The Gamecocks would be ahead of Texas A&M, but the Aggies can still win their way in through an SEC title.

    Got it? Good.

    ACC CFP and title odds

    Team CFP bid Big 12 title Record

    94%

    50%

    10-1

    81%

    36%

    10-1

    47%

    15%

    9-2

    (Photo: Brian Bahr / Getty Images)



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  • Sage Steele hopes sports outlets ‘softens’ opposition to Trump support | News

    Sage Steele hopes sports outlets ‘softens’ opposition to Trump support | News

    Podcast host Sage Steele expressed hope that sports broadcasters will tone down their rhetoric against athletes supporting President-elect Donald Trump, suggesting they should be allowed to “celebrate” like other Trump supporters.

    Steele’s statement was in response to a question regarding Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers, whose postgame interview was cut short after he responded to a question on why he did a victory dance similar to Trump’s iconic dance move. Steele, who attended Saturday night’s UFC fight where Jon “Bones” Jones also did the Trump dance, said she was “smiling” when Jones did the dance, knowing the fight was being broadcasted on ESPN+, a Disney-owned media outlet.

    “Because you can’t cut away from Jon “Bones” Jones doing the Trump dance in the middle of the octagon for what he did when he won, so it was so incredible,” Steele said on Fox News’s Fox & Friends. “And hopefully, all these media companies and everyone else just softens. Let’s just stop the divisiveness, enjoy what this is. These are athletes celebrating victories, bringing people together. So, to watch Trump, by the way, absorbing all that as well, and enjoying it and laughing at John.”

    Steele worked at ESPN for 16 years before leaving in 2023 to “exercise my First Amendment rights more freely.” She has since started her own podcast, The Sage Steele Show, which has featured several notable people, including UFC CEO Dana White and Republican National Committee Co-Chairwoman Lara Trump.

    Steele also reflected on people’s energy and excitement at Saturday’s UFC event, noting Trump’s walk up to the fight was “incredible.” She said part of the excitement came from seeing not just the president-elect but “almost everybody” in his Cabinet so far, including billionaires Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, former Democratic Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), among others.

    One of the best moments from @ufc 309 last night?!

    Witnessing these legends stand together & chant

    “USA, USA!” with 22K strong! @realDonaldTrump @elonmusk @TulsiGabbard @RobertKennedyJr @SpeakerJohnson @KidRock @DonaldJTrumpJr @EricTrump … AND democrat… pic.twitter.com/4HFItNGjVZ

    — Sage Steele (@sagesteele)

    November 17, 2024

    Steele brought her father to the fight, thanks to some help from White. She revealed she wanted to become a sportscaster because of her father, who is still “on cloud nine” after attending Saturday’s fight.

    When your dad/hero

    finally understands your obsession with @ufc

    At 78 years young, he’s proof that it’s never too late to become a fight fan!

    HUGE thanks to my friend @danawhite for the best father-daughter night ever! #ufc309 pic.twitter.com/ZFnGGbmkZv

    — Sage Steele (@sagesteele)

    November 18, 2024

    CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

    The fight also saw Jones lend his heavyweight champion title belt to Trump, with footage of the pass shared on X. Trump also greeted UFC announcer Joe Rogan, who endorsed him after their interview on his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, right before Election Day.

    Following Trump’s victory in the 2024 election against Vice President Kamala Harris, White gave a shoutout to various podcast hosts for conducting interviews with Trump, which was part of the former president’s move to win over the young male vote. White has been an ally of the Trump campaign, calling Trump the “real American bada**” at the 2024 Republican National Convention.



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  • Mistake-ridden football has WKU’s C-USA title hopes in jeopardy – WKUHerald.com

    Mistake-ridden football has WKU’s C-USA title hopes in jeopardy – WKUHerald.com

    WKU Football dropped their first game in Conference USA play Saturday to Louisiana Tech. 

    While the story of a 12-7 game is pretty easy to deduce by looking at the score, the story of WKU’s loss can also be told through a three-minute-long press conference with running back Elijah Young and linebacker Darius Thomas.

    When Young and Thomas walked in, a room full of media members talking about the snooze-fest of a game we had just witnessed went silent. The room always goes silent no matter the circumstance, but this time was different.

    You could see the deflation in the pair as soon as they sat. Young sat in a crouched position and leaned up close to the mic. Thomas sat way back in his chair with his hands tucked away in the front pocket of his hoodie. Both slumped just like the WKU offense had done minutes prior. 

    Young was asked three questions in the early part of the presser, all revolving around what the offense didn’t do well and what it has to do to improve. Young responded to the three questions with just 54 total words. 

    “It just wasn’t going our way. We just wasn’t locked in right there,” Young said. 

    Just as I thought Young finished his response to the third question asked of him – a response shorter than the rest with just 14 words – he paused, nodded his head and summed up the main cause of the Hilltopper woes, not only on offense, but by the team as a whole. 

    “Mistakes.”

    Following WKU’s best drive of the game – a 97-yard touchdown drive that gave the Hilltoppers a 7-3 lead – the WKU defense walked off the field and took a seat on the bleachers after forcing a LA Tech punt. On the punt, however, WKU roughed the punter, giving the Bulldogs 15 yards and a free first down. LA Tech proceeded to put three points on the board on the drive, cutting the WKU lead down to one. 

    That’s a three-point mistake. 

    In the third quarter, WKU looked like they would add another touchdown to the tally, driving the ball inside the Bulldog 10-yard line. Wide receiver Kisean Johnson was wide open on a play that would have seemingly ended the drive with a touchdown, but Veltkamp missed him with a pass that went way over Johnson’s head. 

    A seven-point mistake. 

    On the same drive, WKU was tasked with a huge decision – a fourth-and-1 at the opponent’s 7-yard line, down 9-7. A chip shot field goal would give WKU the lead but one yard would have kept touchdown hopes alive. Head Coach Tyson Helton went with the latter. 

    “I felt like it was going to take more than the field goal,” Helton said.

    And I agree with Helton. I thought going for it was the right call. However, a quarterback draw fell short. Turnover on downs.

    Another mistake leaving points on the board.

    Those three stand out as the biggest in a plethora of mistakes the Hilltoppers made against the Bulldogs.

    Mistakes are what made the game against New Mexico State a week prior concerning. Helton has used the phrase “what you do in November they remember” on multiple occasions, but right now what I’m remembering from this month is mistake-ridden football that has WKU in a tough position to finish out the year. 

    The good news? WKU still controls their destiny as a host of the C-USA championship game. If the Hilltoppers win out, Friday, Dec. 6 will see a conference championship game at Houchens Smith Stadium.

    The bad news? WKU has to win two really tough games: One on the road against Liberty and one at home against conference-undefeated Jacksonville State. 

    I think the Hilltoppers will be fine. Liberty has shown to be weaker than usual this season and Jacksonville State has had a rough go of it this month with a few almost-losses to LA Tech and FIU. However, mistakes have to be cleaned up if WKU wants to contend for a conference title. 

    Sports Reporter Jake McMahon can be reached at [email protected]

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  • LSU, Brian Kelly playoff hopes go bust

    LSU’s athletics director, Scott Woodward, has a reputation in college sports as a big game hunter.

    Whenever he has a chance to hire a coach in pretty much any sport, Woodward is going to unleash the money whip and land an established star. The agents love him. The coaches have been enriched by him. But the fans? Well, at LSU these days, they might say he has utterly failed in his No. 1 job of putting Tiger football in position to win national championships. 

    LSU’s 42-13 loss Saturday to Alabama — at home, in a Death Valley night game — doesn’t merely eliminate the Tigers from the College Football Playoff conversation. It casts serious doubt over whether Brian Kelly was the right guy for Woodward to target back at the end of the 2021 season when LSU was the top job opening on the market.

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  • 43 monkeys remain on the run from South Carolina lab. CEO says he hopes they’re having an adventure

    43 monkeys remain on the run from South Carolina lab. CEO says he hopes they’re having an adventure

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — Forty-three monkeys bred for medical research that escaped a compound in South Carolina have been spotted in the woods near the site and workers are using food to try to recapture them, authorities said Friday.

    The Rhesus macaques made a break for it Wednesday after an employee at the Alpha Genesis facility in Yemassee didn’t fully lock a door as she fed and checked on them, officials said.

    “They are very social monkeys and they travel in groups, so when the first couple go out the door the others tend to just follow right along,” Alpha Genesis CEO Greg Westergaard told CBS News.

    Westergaard said his main goal is to have the monkeys returned safely with no other problems. “I think they are having an adventure,” he said.

    The monkeys on Friday were exploring the outer fence of the Alpha Genesis compound and are cooing at the monkeys inside, police said in a statement.

    “The primates are exhibiting calm and playful behavior, which is a positive indication,” the police statement said, adding company workers are closely watching the monkeys while keeping their distance as they work to safely recapture them.

    The monkeys are about the size of a cat. They are all females weighing about 7 pounds (3 kilograms).

    Alpha Genesis, federal health officials and police all said the monkeys pose no risk to public health. The facility breeds the monkeys to sell to medical and other researchers.

    “They are not infected with any disease whatsoever. They are harmless and a little skittish,” Yemassee Police Chief Gregory Alexander said Thursday.

    Authorities still recommend that people who live near the compound about 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) from downtown Yemassee shut their windows and doors and call 911 if they see the monkeys. Approaching them could make them more skittish and harder to capture, officials said.

    Eve Cooper, a biology professor at the University of Colorado Boulder who has studied rhesus macaques, said the animals have the potential to be dangerous and urged people to keep their distance.

    Rhesus macaques monkeys can be aggressive. And some carry the herpes B virus, which can be fatal to humans, Cooper said.

    However, Alpha Genesis states on its website that it specializes in pathogen-free primates. Cooper noted that there are pathogen-free populations of rhesus macaques that have been quarantined and tested.

    “I would give them a wide berth,” Cooper said. “They’re unpredictable animals. And they can behave quite aggressively when they’re afraid.”

    Alpha Genesis provides primates for research worldwide at its compound about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of Savannah, Georgia, according to its website.

    Locally, it is known as “the monkey farm.” And there is more amusement than panic around Yemassee and its population of about 1,100 just off Interstate 95 about 2 miles from Auldbrass Plantation, a Frank Lloyd Wright house designed in the 1930s.

    There have been escapes before, but the monkeys haven’t caused problems, said William McCoy, who owns Lowcountry Horology, a clock and watch repair shop.

    “They normally come home because that’s where the food is,” he said.

    McCoy has lived in Yemassee for about two years and while he plans to stay away from the monkeys, he has his own light-hearted plan to get them back.

    “I’m stocking up bananas, maybe they’ll show up,” McCoy said.

    The Alpha Genesis compound is regularly inspected by federal officials.

    In 2018, the U.S. Department of Agriculture fined Alpha Genesis $12,600 in part after officials said 26 primates escaped from the Yemassee facility in 2014 and an additional 19 got out in 2016.

    The company’s fine was also issued because of individual monkey escapes as well as the killing of one monkey by others when it was placed in the wrong social group, according to a report from the USDA.

    The group Stop Animal Exploitation Now sent a letter Thursday to the USDA asking the agency to immediately send an inspector to the Alpha Genesis facility, conduct a thorough investigation and treat them as a repeated violator. The group was involved in the 2018 fine against the company.

    “The clear carelessness which allowed these 40 monkeys to escape endangered not only the safety of the animals, but also put the residents of South Carolina at risk,” wrote Michael Budkie, executive director of the group.

    The USDA, which has inspected the compound 10 times since 2020, didn’t immediately respond to the letter.

    The facility’s most recent federal inspection in May showed there were about 6,700 primates on site and no issues.

    In a 2022 review, federal veterinarians reported two animals died when their fingers were trapped in structures and they were exposed to harsh weather. They also found cages weren’t adequately secure. Inspectors said criminal charges, civil penalties or other sanctions could follow if the problems weren’t fixed.

    Since then, Alpha Genesis has undergone six inspections with minor problems reported only once.

    In January 2023, the USDA said temperatures were out of the 45 to 85 degree Fahrenheit (7.2 to 29.5 degree Celsius) required range at some of the compound’s monkey cages. The inspection found moldy food in one bin, sharp edges on a gate that could cut an animal and sludge, food waste, used medical supplies, mechanical equipment, and general construction debris on the grounds.

    Supporters of medical research involving nonhuman primates said they are critical to lifesaving medical advances like creating vaccines against COVID-19 because of their similarities to people. Keeping a domestic supply of the animals is critical to prevent shortages for U.S. researchers.

    Humans have been using the rhesus macaque for scientific research since the late 1800s. Scientists believe that rhesus macaques and humans split from a common ancestor about 25 million years ago and share about 93% of the same DNA.

    These monkeys have been launched into space on V2 rockets, used for AIDS research, had their genome mapped and made stars of their own reality television show. They were in such high demand in the early 2000s that a shortage led to scientists paying up to $10,000 per animal.

    Outside of rats and mice, rhesus macaques are one of the most studied animals on the planet, said Dario Maestripieri, a behavioral scientist at the University of Chicago who wrote the 2007 book “Macachiavellian Intelligence: How Rhesus Macaques and Humans Have Conquered the World.”

    The animals are very family oriented, siding with relatives when fights break out. And they’re adept at building political alliances in the face of threats from other monkeys. But they can be painful to watch. Monkeys with lower status in the hierarchy live in a constant state of fear and intimidation, Maestripieri said.

    “In some ways, they kind of represent some of the worst aspects of human nature,” Maestripieri said.

    ___

    Lovan reported from Louisville, Kentucky, and Finley reported from Norfolk, Virginia.

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  • Women’s Soccer Bests UPenn, Keeps Tournament Hopes Alive | Sports

    Women’s Soccer Bests UPenn, Keeps Tournament Hopes Alive | Sports

    Harvard women’s soccer (6-3-5, 2-3-1 Ivy) faced off against the UPenn Quakers (1-7-6, 0-4-2 Ivy) in a high-stakes, must-win Ivy League showdown that would help keep the squad’s Ivy Tournament dream alive. In a thrilling fashion, the Crimson scored a late goal in the final minutes of the match to prevail victorious, 1-0.

    Following a challenging 3-1 loss to Princeton last week, Harvard traveled to Philadelphia with a “win and survive” mindset, fully aware that a victory against UPenn was crucial to preserving its shot at the Ivy League title. With just two regular season games left, the stakes were high: a win would keep Harvard in contention for the Ivy League crown, while a loss would seem like an inevitable culmination to a frenzied season. UPenn, winless in Ivy League play this season, had little to lose and plenty of motivation to spoil Harvard’s ambitions. Senior Day for the Quakers also added an extra layer of emotion and intensity to a matchup that could prove pivotal for both teams.

    Harvard rushed out of the gates aggressively to set a commanding tone against UPenn, determined to break its recent scoring drought early in the first half. Within the opening minute of the game, the Crimson gained a window for a shot on goal. Junior forward Audrey Francois prided herself in initiating the Crimson’s offense, using her quickness and speed to navigate the Quakers’ defense. She skillfully drove the ball into the box before launching a shot that ricocheted off the pipe. Although she did not convert, Harvard was encouraged by the newfound approach to strike first – a refreshing change from its previous struggles to create early offensive momentum.

    The following 10 minutes of the match were played at a mellow pace as each team advanced methodically, assessing each other’s strategies and seeking vulnerabilities to exploit. The next shot in the game was another promising take from senior defender and Crimson Sports Editor Sydney Farnham. Unfortunately, for the Crimson, Farnham could not connect as the ball sailed wide of the goal. With two early shots from Harvard, the anticipation was rising among the team, fueling the belief that a breakthrough goal was right around the corner.

    The Crimson’s persistence for the back of the net yielded more high-quality looks in the first half. At the 27 minute mark, sophomore forward Anna Rayhill sent a powerful shot on goal, but her attempt was blocked. Then, 39 minutes into the game, senior forward Nicola Golen produced yet another hopeful scoring opportunity for Harvard. Unfortunately, Golen’s shot was blocked as a Quaker defender cleared her ball from the line of the goal preserving the scoreless game. In the closing minutes of the first half, junior goalkeeper Rhiannon Stewart made her one goal stance, saving a ball for the Crimson, leaving the contest. 0-0.

    Returning from the break, both teams were determined to defend the trenches– the defensive end. UPenn recognized that Harvard was one push, one cross, or one foul away from converting, given the missed opportunities from the first half. Meanwhile, Harvard maintained its lockdown mentality from the first, insistent upon preventing UPenn from gaining any momentum and igniting its home crowd. For the first 20 minutes of the second half, neither side managed a shot. Then, at the 65 minute mark, Stewart stepped up to intercept a Quaker shot, preserving the scoreless tie.

    Inspired by her fellow junior’s defensive play, Francois was relentless in her pursuit to drive Harvard’s offense forward, tirelessly pressing UPenn’s defense to the breaking point in the final minutes of the game. At the 78-minute mark, she sparked a new wave of urgency, weaving past defenders to position herself for a critical shot. Francois could not convert, but she sent a clear message that Harvard was not done fighting. Then, at the 83-minute mark, her tenacity paid off as she drew a penalty kick in the box. Following a throw-in for Harvard, Francois gained advantage of the ball on the right side of the box and tried to fight past her defender as Harvard was in desparate need of a score. However, as she was attempting to drive through the box, a Quaker defender slid at her feet, tripping her inside of the box and leading the referee to signal a penalty kick.

    The moment could not have been offered up any better to the Crimson. The anticipation soared as senior midfielder Áslaug Gunnlaugsdóttir was selected to shoot the penalty kick with Harvard’s Ivy League tournament hopes resting on this moment. With every teammate watching intently, the season in her hand, Gunnlaugsdóttir stepped up to the ball calm, cool and collected, prepared to perform as she had done plenty of times before. As the senior approached the ball, the Quaker goalkeeper anticipated the ball heading to her right, but Gunnlaugsdóttir struck the ball to her left, directly opposite and into the back of the net, giving the Crimson a 1-0 lead. Harvard erupted, understanding the meaning of the Gunnlaugsdóttir goal, the lifeline Harvard needed to keep its championship dreams alive.

    With only a few minutes left in the game, determined to defend its narrow advantage, Harvard held strong against UPenn who could not respond to the heartbreaking goal just minutes before. The Crimson secured the victory and extended its championship hopes another week. This hard fought win keeps Harvard’s season alive, and the Cinderella story only gets better.

    For Harvard women’s soccer, the final game will mean everything after undergoing a season marked by devastating injuries and tough losses. Trials and tribulations fade into the shadows with the season contingent upon one final matchup: the squad’s upcoming rivalry clash against Yale.

    “I think being able to play Yale raises the stakes so much more, and makes the day that much sweeter. There’s a historic rivalry between both our schools and to have this game determine the post season makes me so grateful to this team and everything it’s given me these past four years,” senior Defender Jade Rose said. “I can’t wait to have my family and friends there on Saturday to celebrate just that. We’ve had a tough year, but we keep showing up each and every day and the goal is put that all on display this weekend and come out with the win!

    A victory against its Ancient Eight rival would secure a coveted spot in the Ivy League tournament, making the highs and lows of the season mere stepping stones to this defining moment. Sports do not always offer a chance at redemption, so the Crimson do not take the opportunity lightly. With a tournament bid on the line, Harvard will face Yale on Senior Day for its last game of the regular season on Saturday at 3PM. If you cannot make the trip to see the magic live, the game will also be broadcast on ESPN+ .

    —Staff writer Chandler Pigge can be reached at chandler.pigge@thecrimson.com

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  • 1000 Lb Best Friends’ Vannessa Hopes to Be Approved for Skin Surgery

    1000 Lb Best Friends’ Vannessa Hopes to Be Approved for Skin Surgery

    1000 Lb. Best Friends star Vannessa Cross is ready to share her weight loss journey during the season 3 premiere and “hopes” to be approved for skin removal surgery.

    “Since I’ve lost the weight, I’m physically different, mentally different. I cannot believe I can put my socks on. I reach monumental goals every day that people of regular and average size have lived with every day of their life,” Vannessa, 46, said in a teaser clip TLC shared via Instagram on Sunday, October 20. “I can just stand up and walk, getting out of the bed. I don’t have to have a bedside toilet. I don’t have to wear diapers anymore.”

    Vannessa went on to share her love for fitness and detailed how her life is “so different” now that she instilled healthy habits in her daily life.

    “My confidence is getting stronger but I do feel way more self-conscious when it comes to all my skins, all my flab, Miss Betsy,” Vannessa said in a confessional, later adding, “I only name Betsy May, I guess that’s kind of sad that the only role that got named was her but she is predominant – everything the way it looks. It’s not sexy. It’s not cute. Let’s keep it 100. It’s very like, I just feel like an old woman because of everything. So, I’m hoping and hoping and hoping to get approved for skin surgery in the next few weeks. I have been maintaining my weight so my legs are rubber right now.”

    1000 Lb Best Friends’ Vannessa Hopes to Be Approved for Skin Surgery
    Vannessa Cross/ Instagram

    Under the comments section of the post, one fan admitted that they have “never been more excited to see a stranger get their skin cut off.”

    “I literally only watch this show because of her. She’s the only one that has made such a big difference and I’m still surprised that the doctors will not help her get her skin removed,” a second person wrote.

    “Bless her heart, she is so small underneath the skin,” a third fan commented. “Good for her for never stopping and if I was a plastic surgeon I would hands down do that work for free for her!”

    Although the season has yet to premiere, Vannessa told People that she was approved for skin removal surgery in a story published on October 18.

    “Life has changed immensely for me, from being 450 and now I am under 200 lbs. I actually go to the gym. I actually eat extremely healthy foods. I never saw myself living a healthy lifestyle and here I am,” the reality star told the outlet.

    Vannessa admitted that she plans to continue to go under the knife to achieve her desired look, including one that will complement her behind.

    “I’m a little bit addicted to plastic surgery because my healing was extremely easy and painless. So my next goal is a BBL. I want my Brazilian butt lift,” she continued to the outlet. “You know, white girl, no butt ever in my life. Mommy and daddy didn’t have butt, so I’m going to need my plastic surgeon to give me one of them pretty little round booties.”



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  • In his last season, Penn men’s soccer defender Leo Burney has high hopes

    In his last season, Penn men’s soccer defender Leo Burney has high hopes

    The three-time first team All-Ivy selection has played a huge role in the team’s success.

    By Lucas Milgrim
    and Erica Jiang

    10/06/24 9:29pm


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    Senior defender Leo Burney poses at Rhodes Field on Sep. 22.

    Credit: Weining Ding

    As Penn men’s soccer senior Leo Burney steps into his last season with the Quakers, he has continued to receive recognition for his critical role on the team as a captain and centerback. After being named first team All-Ivy in his past three years on the team, his first accolade of this season was a nomination to the United Soccer Coaches Defenders to Watch list in early August, with more to come.

    Penn men’s soccer sophomore goalkeeper Phillip Falcon said that no one on the team was surprised to see the nomination. “Everyone knows that Leo is the dominant player he is,” Falcon said. “It was earned.”

    Born into a tennis family, with his father and older brother both playing in college and his mother picking up a racket when she met his father, Burney became the first soccer player in the family.

    “Tennis was my second sport until I was 12, when it was clear that I was way better at soccer,” Burney said. “I was like, ‘I don’t know if I’m ever going to be as good as my brother,’ so I charted my own path.”

    At 12 years old, Burney dropped tennis and fully committed to the sport that would bring him to Penn only a few years later. When exploring colleges four years ago, Burney knew he wanted to go outside of his hometown of Seattle. After getting to know the coaches and players at Penn men’s soccer, he knew Penn was the right fit for him. 

    “In high school, [the coaching staff] was always reaching out to me and I felt like it would be a place I’d be wanted and could contribute right off the bat — and I was able to do that,” Burney said. In addition to the high caliber of academics offered at Penn, Burney emphasized the importance of being with the right people in his decision to become a Quaker.  

    When Falcon first played with Burney two years ago, he was taken aback by Burney’s presence on the field. “The first time playing with him, I was just in shock at just how dominant he was on the field and how good of a leader he was, to not only me as a freshman, but even people in his class and older than him,” Falcon said. 

    So far this season, the team has played eight games, with a 7-1-1 record. The team played a number of difficult games in the spring, notably against Georgetown University and the University of Denver, Burney said, which tested the players and helped them figure out that “[they] just need to work incredibly hard and build trust in each other.” In addition, Burney credits a lot of the team’s success to the players’ close relationships. 

    “We enjoy hanging out with each other outside of the field, and I think that definitely helps our togetherness,” Burney said. “You can see it on the field in tough moments of the game, where we’re always supporting each other…it just feels amazing to go out there and compete with this team and get results.” 

    Falcon says that Burney has taken up a big leadership role for the team altogether. “He’s very vocal in his communications and very personable and easy to talk to,” Falcon said. “If there’s any problems, on or off the field, he really is a steady rock for everyone on the team to go to.”

    As a center back, Burney leads the Quakers’ defensive unit alongside the other defenders. 

    “I’ve had the pleasure of playing with some great guys who were some of my best friends,” Burney said. For the past three years, for example, Burney has played right next to Penn senior Ben Do. “He’s one of the best players I’ve ever played with, so it’s just a pleasure every time we get to step on the field.” 

    Burney has also gotten close with the younger players on the team like Penn sophomore defender Connor Dawson and Falcon. “We’re always communicating with each other, and everyone seems to know exactly what to do at the right time. It’s great to see young guys mixing with older guys and just being such a tough unit to play against,” Burney said. 

    While Falcon calls Burney the rock of the defense, he also has a large impact on Penn’s attack. “He’s almost like a quarterback in a way, where he’s making the big play, like the big slide tackle, but then he’s getting up and giving the ball to the attackers to score,” Falcon said. “He’s definitely the most well-rounded player I would say I’ve had the opportunity to play with in my time here.” 

    Burney has also helped shape the team’s practice sessions during his time on the team to be as game-like as possible. “You don’t get to be that good or that dominant on the field without being a hard-nosed, hard-working guy,” Falcon said. “Leo is one of the reasons why our practices are the way they are.”

    So far, Burney has played every minute possible in his last season with the Quakers, tied with Falcon to lead the team at 810 minutes. “A lot of the time he makes my job way easier,” Falcon said. “He’s winning one vs. one battles that you don’t see other people winning in this country, or conference, or anywhere really.”

    When asked about this being his last season, Burney responded, “I’m just trying to take it a day at a time and get the most out of every single day.” Though time has passed quickly, Burney has tried to savor every moment. “I’m just trying to enjoy everything and take stock in the little things, like getting meals with the guys, or just hanging out.”

    “[Leo] will be missed heavily within our program,” Falcon said. “I will miss having him back there, obviously, he’s a good guy to be around and good for our locker room, so Leo Burney will be missed.”

    Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Burney has high hopes for the team. 

    “I don’t want to jinx anything, but I think if this team keeps focusing on little things and keeps pushing each other, we can have a great season,” Burney said. “I think we can get all of our goals, but we have to keep being diligent and training hard.” 

    After closing out his time with Penn men’s soccer later this year, Burney is looking to play at the professional level. 

    “Hopefully I have a pretty good season this year, and that can lead to professional opportunities next year,” Burney said. “I want to see how long I can keep playing.” 



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  • Friday Night Highlight: Cook hopes to begin foundation for Diamond football program | Local Sports

    Friday Night Highlight: Cook hopes to begin foundation for Diamond football program | Local Sports

    DIAMOND, Mo. — Masen Cook is the third head football coach at Diamond High School in three years.

    Two years ago, Mac Whitehead led the Wildcats. Last year, it was Matt McKee, and now it’s Cook’s turn to run the show. Whitehead was head coach for six years before departing after the 2022 season.

    Cook knows it can take time to turn a program around and get teenagers to commit to a coach’s philosophy sometimes.

    “When you have a lot of turnaround, it’s really tough for kids to narrow down the mindset or the philosophy,” Cook said. “It’s definitely tough because there’s a big trust issue that comes with that. To get kids to trust you, they have to get to know you and you have to be around a lot.

    “My goal is to be here as long as I’m able to.”

    The 2016 Webb City High School graduate has no plans of being a one-and-done coach. The process of giving the football players at Diamond a little stability and consistency begins now.

    “It’s tough to build something if you aren’t going to be there very long,” Cook added.

    Since joining this summer, he’s been impressed with the work he’s seen from his group of athletes. The work in the weight room is what has stood out to this point and just continuously seeing them grind daily.

    In the middle of a fresh start, it can be hard for some players to stay bought in, especially in the midst of a 1-4 start for seniors. But, Cook says he’s been proud of the leadership from his veteran athletes overall. He’s especially seen that through their work ethic and constant commitment.

    There’s one thing he knows the seniors can do to be a part of providing an early foundation to his football program.

    “Instill that culture into the younger guys,” Cook said. “Most of the time — not always — your seniors are going to be the core leaders,”

    Those seniors are Sean Harper, Nik Paulk, Thomas Gow Jr., Marco Benavides, Logan Rodgers, Brayden Clement, Armando Alberto, Luis Rangel, Brian Xiong, Nicholas Meza, Zachary Roughton, Roper Shaner and Jonathan Castro-Lopez.

    Rodgers spoke about his goal this year in order to help Cook for the future of the program.

    “I’m trying to bring up the younger guys. I want them to not be afraid to work. I want them to build the mentality that you come in every day and work. It’s not just something you can expect to come in and win games,” Rodgers said. “You have to put in the work. Weight room, classroom, on the field, everything. No days off. You have to work hard if you want to win games.”

    Cook isn’t expecting all of the work to come from his athletes. He knows the work and energy begins with the coaching staff.

    “I try to put in as much work as possible so the kids can see that, too,” Cook said.

    The coach preaches attitude and effort to his team and expects the same from his assistants, which are Nathan Moser, Ty Shaver and Ryan Clement. He included junior high coaches Dave Marbough and Landon Clement as well.

    That energy is a part of his coaching style. Cook will show energy when players do well but he’ll also use it to let players know when they’ve not done what was asked.

    “One big thing about me is I’m going to coach you hard. I’m going to hold you to high standards and high expectations. But I’m going to praise you hard too,” Cook said. “I’m a very high-energy person.”

    Rodgers noted that coach Cook can tone it down when he is being instructive and telling the players how to fix their mistakes.

    The senior lineman has seen coaching styles from all three coaches now and has gotten to learn a little from each.

    “They’re all great coaches that we’ve had, but, definitely with coach Cook his energy, especially in the weight room. What he expects from us in the weight room is a lot more than people previously,” Rodgers said.

    That shift in philosophies and coaching styles has been an adjustment for Rodgers but he noted that it hasn’t been too hard with coach Moser being a part of the team all four years of his high school career.

    “With coach Moser still being here, everything is the same on defense from last year, so that’s been good that not everything is changing,” Rodgers said.

    Diamond has a large senior class but its offensive skill positions are occupied by multiple sophomores right now. Rafael Rangel is the team’s quarterback while one running back is another sophomore, Maddox Youngblood. Wide receiver Giancarlo Martinez is another sophomore.

    Meza, a senior, is another ball carrier while Roughton is a receiver for the team as well.

    Cook is looking to build and create depth for his team by the end of the season and for the future by getting multiple players that varsity experience. Midway through the year, he’s seen that depth improve.

    A key down the stretch of the season is mental and physical toughness. The Wildcats are looking to live up to the moniker that Cook has given them of being a blue-collar team.

    “I tell people we’re a blue collar team. We’re going to go to work every day and I think the kids have bought into that,” Cook said.

    He wants to see his team hit that next level of physicality in the final four games of the regular season.

    “Sometimes that can be a mental thing,” Cook said about being physical.

    The Wildcats will look to earn a few more wins before the first round of district play begins in five weeks. While all competitors want to win as much as possible, there’s one thing Rodgers has really been playing for this year.

    “I’ve played with them (fellow seniors) since middle school, even when we were playing flag football, so, playing for them and not myself but my coaches and them,” Rodgers said.

    Rodgers is more worried about leading the team and showing them the way to work hard and being someone who they look up to, but he did admit he’d like to finish the year by earning some individual awards in conference or district.

    Diamond met Lighthouse Senior High on Friday night for homecoming as it looked to increase that physicality.

    BEYOND THE FIELD

    Cook played football at Webb City under legendary coach John Roderique. He talked about learning under him and what that was like.

    “You always knew he cared about you. And it wasn’t just coach Rod. It was the whole staff,” Cook said.

    That specific thing has rubbed off on the 27-year-old today.

    “I want to take high school boys and turn them into young men. To me, that’s the most important part,” Cook added.

    Cook and his wife, Aubry, recently welcomed twin baby girls into the family. The couple were high school sweethearts at Webb City, Cook said.

    He’s happy to have a healthy family and a job he loves to come to every day in a community and with a staff that is supportive.

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