Don't Panic! Lighten Up!S


Cut

Fisherman Catches Half-Ton Mako Shark

DESTIN, Florida (AP) -- A crew hooked a 1,063-pound (482-kilogram) mako shark in the Gulf of Mexico Wednesday. The shark was half the size of their 23-foot (7-meter) boat. The fishermen harpooned the shark with flying gaffs, a large hook attached to rope used to pull in a fisherman's catch. The gaffs were tied the boat, which was tilting and close to taking on water.

Better Earth

Hawaii Aims to Deter Volcano Offerings

HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK, Hawaii - Rangers at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park are launching a program to stop people from leaving religious offerings at the summit of Mount Kilauea _ including food they say attracts rats and cockroaches.

Magic Wand

Woman strips off to beat heatwave with splash in Rome fountain

The hottest day in Rome so far this year brought relief for one and entertainment for many on Sunday as a woman took a skinny-dip in the Trevi fountain.

©n/a

Wolf

World Shocked That Wolfowitz Has Girlfriend

Amid the controversy swirling about World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz, millions of people today reacted with shock to what is universally considered the most improbable aspect of the story: that Paul Wolfowitz could have a girlfriend.

All over the world, from Wall Street to Main Street, reactions to the news about Mr. Wolfowitz ranged from "Who would date Wolfowitz?" to "Wolfowitz has a girlfriend? You have got to be kidding me."

Star

Danish Crown Princess Mary Has a daughter

COPENHAGEN - Crown Princess Mary had a daughter on Saturday, the first princess born into the Danish royal family since 1946, the palace said.

The new princess weighed in at 7 pounds, 4 ounces and was 20 inches long, the palace said. Mother and baby are doing well.

Gear

Dead alligator found clogging drain in Adams County

An investigation into a plugged drainage tile led to the discovery of a dead 7-foot alligator inside a catch basin in southern Adams County.

Coffee

Bar of soap gives caffeine kick in the shower

Inventors have created a soap infused with caffeine which helps users wake up in the morning.

The soap, called Shower Shock, supplies the caffeine equivalent of two cups of coffee per wash, with the stimulant absorbed naturally through the skin, manufacturers say.

"Tired of waking up and having to wait for your morning (coffee) to brew?" ask the makers, thinkgeek.com.

Magic Wand

Dead HK billionaire leaves all to feng shui master

HONG KONG - The sole beneficiary of Hong Kong tycoon Nina Wang's multi-billion dollar fortune is her feng shui master, a legal notice published on Friday showed, paving the way for a likely legal battle with her family.

Coffee

Berlin's polar bear cub Knut receives death threat

BERLIN - Germany's celebrity polar bear cub Knut has received an anonymous death threat, causing alarm at Berlin Zoo on Thursday and prompting heightened security.

©REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann
Polar bear cub Knut shakes off water at an enclosure in Berlin zoo.

Bizarro Earth

Donkey Becomes Witness in Dallas Dispute

The first witness in a lawsuit Wednesday between two neighbors was a real ass. Buddy the donkey walked to the bench and stared at the jury, the picture of a gentle, well-mannered creature and not the loud, aggressive animal he had been accused of being.

The donkey was at the center of a dispute between oilman John Cantrell and attorney Gregory Shamoun that began after Cantrell complained about a storage shed Shamoun was building in his backyard in Dallas.

He said Shamoun retaliated by bringing Buddy from his ranch in Midlothian and putting him in the backyard.