Latest news with #SantaClaus
Miami Herald
3 hours ago
- Science
- Miami Herald
Elusive ocean creature filmed alive in the wild for first time off Antarctica
The magic of Christmas includes a parade of legendary creatures. From Santa Claus to his flying reindeer, believing in magic without ever seeing its source is part of what makes the holiday special for kids around the world. But for a group of researchers spending Christmas on a research vessel in the troubled waters around Antarctica, a different creature of legend helped make their day magical. The remote-operated vehicle SuBastian, part of the Schmidt Ocean Institute's research vessel R/V Falkor (too), dropped to a depth of about 7,000 feet when a colorful creature came into focus on the vehicle's camera, according to a June 10 article and news release from National Geographic. The colorful animal was about 3 feet long and covered in 'fresh-looking sucker marks' and 'scratches,' researchers said. It was identified as Gonatus antarcticus, a species that had never been seen before alive in the wild, according to National Geographic. 'Prior to the astonishing discovery, the species was only known from carcasses in fishing nets or when the squids' beaks were found in the stomach of fished marine animals,' National Geographic said in the news release. '... Spotted at a depth of approximately (7,000 feet) in the Weddell Sea, researchers have not been able to confirm the squid's sex from the footage, nor age, but the discovery is a reminder of how much more there is to learn about the relatively unexplored polar regions of our world's (oceans).' Kathrin Bolstad, a squid expert, told National Geographic the squid could be identified by a 'large single central hook observed on each tentacle club,' according to the release. Experts believe the hooks are used to hold prey while hunting, according to National Geographic, but because of the animal's elusive lifestyle, very little is known about their ecology and day-to-day lives. If the squid is a female, she's particularly large for her sex when females typically start to deteriorate near the end of their life cycle, Bolstad told National Geographic. If the squid is a male, it might mean males don't break down near the end of their lives like the females. Another possibility is that there is more than one species of squid being classified as Gonatus antarcticus that keeps its color throughout its life because the animals are so understudied, the squid expert said. 'In the deep sea, there's always a good chance you're seeing something for the first time,' Bolstad told National Geographic. 'The potential for discoveries and exploration is pretty much limitless.' During the expedition, researchers also collected sediment samples, water and biota samples throughout the Southern Ocean at depths of up to 13,000 feet and across abyssal plains, hydrothermal vents, troughs, canyon walls and sea ice, according to the release. The Weddell Sea is 'one of the few near-pristine ecosystems on the planet,' according to the outlet, exciting researchers about its study. The Weddell Sea is part of the Southern Ocean off the coast of Antarctica, south of the Atlantic Ocean and South America.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Eggs recall: Here's why 1.7 million brown eggs have been recalled. Check the 9-state distribution list
August Egg Company has announced a recall of 1.7 million brown cage-free and certified organic brown eggs due to potential salmonella contamination. The FDA warns that Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, especially in young children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the nine "major" food allergens in the U.S. include eggs, milk, fish, wheat, soybeans, crustacean shellfish, sesame, tree nuts, and peanuts. Also Read: From Santa Claus to Adolf Hitler: See full list of baby names banned in the US According to the alert issued by the FDA warned that some of these contaminated eggs were distributed to grocery stores including Save Mart, FoodMaxx, Lucky, Smart & Final, Safeway, Raleys, Food 4 Less, and Ralphs. These eggs were distributed between February 3, 2025, to May 15, 2025, and had the sell-by dates of March 4, 2025, and June 4, 2025, stamped on them in both California and Nevada. In addition, another set of eggs was distributed from February 3, 2025, to May 6, 2025, with sell-by dates of March 4, 2025, and June 19, 2025, in Walmart stores in nine states. Consumers are urged to check their egg cartons for plant code numbers P-6562 or CA5330, along with Julian Dates ranging from 032 to 126. These identifiers, printed on the packaging, help trace the affected products. Julian Dates are typically three to seven-digit codes that indicate the exact day the eggs were packed, according to the FDA. The alert said, 'This recall is associated with an ongoing outbreak investigation of Salmonella Enteritidis illnesses,' adding that the investigation is related to the products distributed in the nine states, as reported by Newsweek. Also Read: Summer Game Fest 2025: Resident Evil, Mafia, and more — Here are the 5 biggest trailer drops The following are the nine states where the salmonella-contaminated eggs were distributed. These include: Illinois Indiana Nebraska New Mexico California Washington Nevada Arizona Wyoming
Time Out
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Eleven Barrack
✍️ Time Out Sydney never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more, here. Being at Eleven Barrack feels like Christmas. Every dish or drink that lands on our table is like a gift – a perfectly presented package that, when unwrapped, contains a delightful treasure that's a little unexpected. A good surprise. Take the spanner crab and fish pie. It's a picture-perfect golden-crusted pot pie in a little cast-iron pot, with a pastry crab on top and a shellfish bisque served on the side in a classic silver gravy boat. The pie pastry is almost too flawless to crack open, but when we do, we're rewarded with a well-seasoned, creamy filling with finely chopped pieces of spanner crab, fish and spinach. It's divine just as it is, but then you pour in the bisque, and the dish goes from delicious to unforgettable. The buttery pastry, tender seafood, creamy white sauce and that punchy, sea-flavoured sauce (the colour of crab shell) is like a pot of comfort food with a luxury upgrade. It's arguable Sydney didn't need another steak and seafood grill, but it did need this one. Just like Santa Claus, the Bentley Group's co-owners Brent Savage (chef) and Nick Hildebrandt (sommelier) – who've also recently gifted us treats like King Clarence, Brasserie 1930 and a newly flavoured Monopole – have delivered yet again (in collaboration with group head chef Aiden Stevens and Niro Richards). I'm obviously a fan of the food here (this is not my first visit), but the décor is what really sets this place apart from other grand New York or Parisian-style diners here in Sydney. It's on Barrack Street, in the old, high-ceilinged Savings Bank of NSW building. And while they have indeed leaned into the grandness and scale of the classic old building, there's nothing traditional or fuddy-duddy about the room's attention-grabbing design touches. One of the room's central columns is wrapped in metallic purple. There are big, eccentric, custom-made light shades (some bright orange, some white) that dangle dramatically from the ceiling. There's a gold-mirrored, oval-shaped, er, I'm not sure what to call it – decoration – hanging from the ceiling above my table. And the carpet is tartan, like the Christmas wrap my grandpa used to use. Yes, the room is also festive. I order a gin Martini, and it arrives via a trolley, poured frosty and theatrically at our table. (The service is as classy as it is in all of the Bentley Group venues.) The menu is extensive, so while it heroes steak and fish dishes, there is also a section for pastas, and a fun selection of appetisers, starters, playful salads, a bread section, cheeses and desserts. Narrowing down what to order is no easy feat. As well as the crab and fish pie, we order a steak, the 250g black opal wagyu rump cap, which comes served sliced – cooked perfectly medium rare, as ordered, charred on the outside – on a bed of rich, dark jus. It pairs well with the celebratory bottle of bubbles we share – the Louis de Grenelle BIO (certified organic) Crémant de Loire Brut, which is zippy and refreshing, with a dry, clean finish but enough richness to stand up to the creamy seafood pie. (And what are we celebrating? Just being in a beautiful setting and eating great food!) The salads we order also provide freshness and acidity. The salted zucchini with parmesan, caperberries, parsley and mint is bright, briny and herbaceous; and the celeriac with sheep's milk feta, black barley and witlof is earthy and nutty. The potatoes need their own paragraph. A baked potato has been cut in two, then the soft potato filling has been removed from the shells, mashed together with sour cream, mustard and pancetta, then placed back into the crispy, fried potato skins. A masterpiece. Last time I was here I had the coal-roasted Murray cod fillets served in the most vivid, moreish green garlic sauce, and I wish we had room to order it again. But with the pie and the steak, salads and potatoes, we didn't even need appetisers or starters this time around. If we did, I would have gone for the fried ricotta dumplings with whipped cod's roe or the eggplant 'parfait' on sourdough toast. The slice of key lime pie is a must-order for dessert (even if you think you don't have room). The lime curd filling is bright and citrusy; it's glazed with ginger, then topped with a generous piping of light coconut curd and little pops of finger lime jewels. It's truly (sub)lime. Just like Christmas, when the experience of dining at Eleven Barrack comes to an end, I'm already counting down the days until I can unwrap it all over again. Thankfully I don't have to wait a whole year.
CBC
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Congrats, Dr. Claus! Honorary Santa Bruce Templeton receives honorary degree
For decades, he delighted the children of St. John's by bringing Santa Claus to town. Now, Bruce Templeton, the man behind the jolly white beard, has been made an honorary doctor of laws by Memorial University. Hear Templeton's inspiring speech to the convocating class.
NBC News
25-05-2025
- NBC News
Leader of neo-Nazi 'murder cult' extradited to the U.S. from Moldova
NEW YORK — The leader of an eastern European neo-Nazi group has been extradited to the United States from Moldova following his arrest last summer for allegedly instructing an undercover federal agent to dress as Santa Claus and hand out poisoned candy to Jewish children and racial minorities, prosecutors said. Michail Chkhikvishvili, a 21-year-old from the republic of Georgia, was arraigned Friday before a federal judge in Brooklyn on multiple felonies, including soliciting hate crimes and acts of mass violence. He pleaded not guilty through an attorney, Samuel Gregory, who requested his client receive a psychiatric evaluation and be placed on suicide watch while in custody. Gregory did not immediately return a message seeking comment. Prosecutors described Chkhikvishvili, who also goes by 'Commander Butcher,' as the leader of the Maniac Murder Cult, an international extremist group that adheres to a 'neo-Nazi accelerationist ideology and promotes violence and violent acts against racial minorities, the Jewish community and other groups it deems 'undesirables.'' They said the group's violent solicitations — promoted through Telegram channels and outlined a manifesto called the 'Hater's Handbook' — appear to have inspired multiple real life killings, including a school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee, earlier this year that left a 16-year-old student dead. Since 2022, Chkhikvishvili has traveled on multiple occasions to Brooklyn, where he bragged about beating up an elderly Jewish man and instructed others, primarily through text messages, to commit violent acts on behalf of the Maniac Murder Cult, according to court papers. When he was approached by an undercover FBI agent in 2023, Chkhikvishvili recruited the official to a scheme that 'involved an individual dressing up as Santa Claus and handing out candy laced with poison to racial minorities and children at Jewish schools in Brooklyn,' according to the Justice Department. He later suggested narrowing the focus to 'dead Jewish kids,' prosecutors said, after noting that 'Jews are literally everywhere' in Brooklyn. Describing his desire to carry out a mass casualty attack, Chkhikvishvili said he saw the United States as 'big potential because accessibility to firearms,' adding that the undercover should consider targeting homeless people because the government wouldn't care 'even if they die,' according to court papers. He was arrested last July in Moldova, where he was held until this week's extradition. In a statement, Attorney General Pam Bondi said the case was 'a stark reminder of the kind of terrorism we face today: online networks plotting unspeakable acts of violence against children, families, and the Jewish community in pursuit of a depraved, extremist ideology.'
