California man who used underwater scooter in lake to try to evade arrest pleads guilty to fraud

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Federal prosecutors say that a California man who tried to evade arrest by jumping into a lake with an underwater scooter has pleaded guilty in connection with a $35 million investment fraud scheme. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California said Thursday that Matthew Piercey pleaded guilty to multiple counts of fraud, money laundering and witness tampering. Piercey tried to evade capture back in November 2020 by jumping into Lake Shasta with the scooter. He emerged after 20 minutes and was arrested. He returned to investors about $9 million of the $35 million they invested.

Harvard thought it had a cheap copy of the Magna Carta. It turned out to be extremely rare

BOSTON (AP) — Harvard University for decades assumed it had a cheap copy of the Magna Carta in its collection, a stained and faded document it had purchased for less than $30. But two researchers have concluded it has something much more valuable — a rare version from 1300 issued by Britain’s King Edward I. The original Magna Carta established in 1215 the principle that the king is subject to law, and it has formed the basis of constitutions globally. There are four copies of the original and, until now, there were believed to be only six copies of the 1300 version. Harvard's copy of the Magna Carta is worth millions of dollars, but Harvard has no plans to sell it.

Pope meets Sinner: No. 1 player gives tennis fan Pope Leo XIV racket on Italian Open off day

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV has apparently made peace with Jannik Sinner. The top-ranked tennis player visited the new pope on Wednesday, gave him a tennis racket and offered to play, during an off day for Sinner at the Italian Open. Leo, the first American pope, is an avid tennis player and fan and had said earlier this week that he would be up for a charity match when it was suggested by a journalist. But at the time, Leo joked "we can’t invite Sinner,” an apparent reference to the English meaning of Sinner’s last name. Sinner said it was “a good thing for us tennis players” that the new pope likes to play the sport.

Cannes makes it official: No nudity on the red carpet

CANNES, France (AP) — The Cannes Film Festival red carpet is perhaps the most rigidly controlled red carpet in the world. Now, the festival has added a new stipulation. No nudity. While nudity was never previously endorsed at the festival, Cannes updated its dress policy on the eve of its 78th edition to read that “nudity is prohibited on the red carpet, as well as in any other area of the festival.” While a no-shirt-no-service policy is standard in places far less glamorous than Cannes, the policy tweak sparked widespread attention Monday because of the recent trend of sheer and “nude dresses” in some fashion circles.

An Alaska Mother's Day tradition: Mingling with ice age survivors on a farm

PALMER, Alaska (AP) — It is one of Alaska’s favorite Mother’s Day traditions, getting up close and personal with animals that have survived the ice age. All moms get a flower and free admission Sunday at the Musk Ox Farm in Palmer, about an hour’s drive north of Anchorage. Once inside, they will have the chance to view more than 70 members of the musk ox herd, including babies who have just been born. Mother’s Day is the busiest day of the year, attracting over 1,500 visitors. It is a tradition that now stretches over three generations. Executive director Mark Austin says there would be a riot if they ever didn't have the traditional opening of the summer season on Mother's Day.

Chimpanzees drum with regular rhythm when they beat on tree trunks, a form of ancient communication

A new study shows that chimpanzees drum with regular rhythm when they beat on tree trunks. Previous research has shown that chimps have their own signature drumming style. A new analysis of 371 bouts of chimpanzee drumming demonstrates that the chimps clearly play their instruments -- the tree trunks -- with regular rhythms. This suggests that the ability to produce rhythm predates the last common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees, dating back more than 6 million years. Scientists believe that the drumming is a form of long-distance communication. The research was published Friday in the journal Current Biology.

Paul Pierce says he walked 20 miles to work in a robe as punishment for guaranteeing a Celtics' win

Former Celtics great Paul Pierce was so confident in his team in Game 2 against the Knicks, he said he would walk to work barefoot “in my robe” if they lost for a second straight game in the second-round series. That didn’t turn out so great. The Celtics blew a 20-point lead in Game 2, as they did in Game 1, and lost 91-90 on Wednesday night. Pierce appeared to honor his vow the next morning, saying he set out before the sun rose for what he said was a 20.2-mile commute to work in the Los Angeles area. He posted updates on Instagram Live.

Yes, New Zealand still has more sheep than people. But humans are catching up

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand is still one of a few countries in the world where sheep outnumber people. But the human population is catching up, according to official figures. With an economy driven by agricultural exports, the country is particularly known for its sheep numbers -- which have long been the subject of jokes faced by New Zealanders abroad. Tuesday’s figures show the gap has narrowed. In the 1980s, there was a flock of 22 sheep for each New Zealander but that’s shrunk to 4.5 sheep per person. Farmers say cratering wool prices and the conversion of grasslands to pine forests are behind the shift.

A miniature dachshund is reunited with its owner after 18 months lost on an Australian island

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A miniature dachshund named Valerie who was lost for 18 months — or around half her life — on an Australian island has been reunited with her owners. Owner Georgia Gardner said her pet approached without hesitation when they were reunited by Kangala Wildlife Rescue on Kangaroo Island off the coast of South Australia state on Tuesday for the first time since November 2023. Gardner said in a statement on Wednesday: “She ran straight up to me — I just burst into tears. The almost 3-year-old Valerie was trapped on April 25 in remarkably good condition after 529 days spent living like a feral animal. Valerie had weighted 9 pounds when she was lost and now weighs 15 pounds.

A rare New Zealand snail is filmed for the first time laying an egg from its neck

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The sight of a large, carnivorous New Zealand snail laying an egg from its neck has been captured on camera for the first time. The country’s conservation agency made the announcement on Wednesday. The habits of the threatened Powelliphanta augusta snail were once shrouded in mystery. But conservation rangers attempting to save the species from extinction have cared for a population in chilled containers at a facility on the South Island’s West Coast for nearly two decades, allowing the creatures’ lives to be observed after mining engulfed their natural habitat. The hermaphrodite snails take eight years to reach sexual maturity and live for decades.