On Friday, police in Japan's Akita prefecture were scrambling to contain a herd of bears that escaped an animal park and mauled to death two zookepers. Hachimantai bear park, home to 38 brown bears, contacted police on Friday morning to report that an unknown number of bears had gone missing. Two staff members have been found dead and local hunters have killed six bears within the park. Police were unable to secure the area before nightfall and officials have asked local residents to stay in t... Read More
The family of legendary Hawaiian surfer Eddie Aikau is suing a Los Angeles-based media company to stop it from claiming rights to the late waterman's life story. According to documents filed in Hawaii's First Circuit Court on April 3, Your Half Media Group purchased an option to make a movie about Aikau in 2004 but let that option lapse after 18 months without producing a film. "The purpose of the lawsuit is to clear the air so that movie houses feel comfortable contracting with the Aikau fami... Read More
Princess Cruises on Wednesday announced that is has launched an investigation into reports that the captain of the passenger ship Star Princess ignored distress signals from a stranded Panamanian fishing boat on March 10. Bird watchers on the Star Princess spotted a man on a small fishing boat frantically waving a red T-shirt. They relayed the sighting to the Star Princess's captain, who believed it was a "thank you" for avoiding their nets. Two of the three teenagers manning the small vessel,... Read More
The National Park Service is backing down on a proposed ban on commercial rock guiding in the Black Canyon of Colorado's Gunnison National Park after protests from three U.S. senators. In a letter to NPS Director Jon Jarvis, Senators Mark Udall and Mark Bennett of Colorado and Max Baucus of Montana cited both the high level of difficulty associated with climbing in the park and tourism's economic impact on the area. "While guided climbing in the Black Canyon comprises a very small portion of t... Read More
Italy's doping tribunal on Thursday banned rider Riccardo Ricco for 12 years following an alleged 2011 blood transfusion gone bad, his second major brush with anti-doping authorities since 2008. Ricco, 28, became ill in February 2011 after what doctors say was a self-administered attempt at blood doping. At the 2008 Tour de France, during which he won two mountain stages, Ricco tested positive for the synthetic blood booster CERA and was suspended for 20 months. Ricco maintains that he injecte... Read More
