3 days ago
CHRISTOPHER BUCKTIN: Plane passenger caught hiding 2 turtles in bra as one dies
In this week's round-up of the maddest news from across the Pond: shell-shocked stowaways, Trump denying the reality of phones, and rogue fish arson
Christopher Bucktin is an award-winning journalist with more than 25 years of experience, the majority of which he has spent at the Daily Mirror. A former Press Gazette Reporter of the Year, he has held senior roles including Head of Features, Head of Showbusiness, and Head of Content, before relocating to the United States in 2013 to become US Editor. Renowned for breaking agenda-setting exclusives, he has reported from the front lines of America's biggest news stories, led investigations into the Trump administration, and exposed key details in the Jeffrey Epstein case. His career highlights include securing the first interview with the Peru Two inside prison, becoming the first journalist to descend into drug lord El Chapo's escape tunnel, and spearheading coverage of Prince Andrew's ties to Epstein. He holds weekly columns in the Daily Mirror, Daily Star and Reach's regional titles.
Just hours after his company announced it was launching a Trump-branded smartphone, Donald Trump declared he "doesn't believe in telephones'.
That's right, the same man whose social media rants are powered by thumbs and fury apparently doesn't trust the ancient magic of voice calls.
While aboard Air Force One, he explained why he'd rather be in Washington.
"Not having to use telephones so much, because I don't believe in telephones," he said, with the conviction of a man who thinks Bluetooth is a conspiracy and voicemail is Deep State.
He doubled down, naturally: "Because people like you listen to them, you know. So being on the scene is much better."
It's unclear how the soon-to-be-released TrumpPhone will work if its namesake doesn't even trust the device to make a call. Perhaps it'll ship with a Sharpie, Fox News livestream, and a pre-installed Truth Social app - and no ability to dial out, just in case the FBI is listening.
***
North of the border, a solo camper in British Columbia accidentally triggered a full-blown search and rescue operation - by simply singing his heart out.
Volunteers from Central Okanagan Search and Rescue were wrapping up their weekly training when a 911 call came in.
Two concerned hikers near Kelowna's Boulderfields reported repeated cries echoing through the mountains.
Search crews, police, and even a drone team fanned out across the area, chasing what they believed was a distressed hiker.
After an intense search effort, the team found the source: a lone camper, mid-serenade, completely oblivious to the mountain-wide panic he'd caused.
*** A Florida woman was caught trying to smuggle two turtles through airport security by hiding them in her bra. Yes, really.
The woman, whose identity, like the reptiles, was kept under wraps, was stopped at a TSA checkpoint at Miami International Airport.
Agents discovered the shell-shocked stowaways wrapped in gauze and plastic wrap and tucked neatly into her bra because apparently pockets just weren't an option.
Tragically, one of the turtles didn't survive the journey. The other was turned over to the Florida Department of Fish and Wildlife, presumably for trauma counselling and a long nap.
*** A Minnesota woman who helpfully detailed her auto theft in her own journal has avoided jail, despite practically doing the police's job for them.
Vanessa Guerra, 31, admitted in April to receiving stolen property after swiping a $2,000 Ford van and flogging it for scrap.
Unfortunately for her, police didn't need to dig very far for clues: her mother handed over her handwritten confessions, lovingly documented in a journal.
According to the criminal complaint, staff at the scrapyard had no problem pointing to Guerra as the one who sold them the van.
Still, it was her own diary that sealed the deal.
*** Is this New York's next top model?
Meet Joe Macken: part artist, part architect, part madman with a glue stick. For the past 21 years, Joe has been building a jaw-droppingly detailed 3D replica of New York City entirely by hand. His materials? Balsa wood, glue, and a seemingly endless supply of patience. ***
A rogue fish caused a power outage and a wildfire near Ashcroft last week after an osprey dropped it onto a power line, sparking flames in the dry grass below.
The bizarre BBQ began when firefighters were called to a brush fire six kilometres south of town.
Crews from Ashcroft Fire, the local power company, and local ranch hands quickly joined forces to douse the flames with nearly 5,000 gallons of water.
The culprit? A fish, likely dropped by a weary osprey that either couldn't hold on or fancied a cooked lunch.
