Fourthestate

This is the moment a trucker ploughs through a line of cars on a busy highway when a driver stopped to let a turtle cross the road. Kind-hearted motorists had pulled up to avoid hitting the reptile as it slowly inched across the motorway in Walton County, Florida, on 16th May. But a trucker did not see the queue until it was too late and powered into two of the vehicles sending them flying. The trucker's dashcam footage - released by police - shows a black pickup truck in the left lane with its hazard lights on trying to warn other drivers. But one car pulls out into a right hand lane into the path of the trucker who then hits its rear end sending it crashing into the black pickup. As debris and wreckage flies into the air, the trucker then clips the front of the pickup before stopping on the wrong side of the road. Astonishingly, the turtle survived the pile up without a scratch. Police later said: "The turtle survived and is now living happily ever after in a pond where he will (hopefully) spend the rest of his days avoiding pavement of any kind. "Thankfully, there were no serious injuries." Walton County Sheriff's Office said in a statement obtained by Newsflash: "We all can do better to protect the wildlife and natural inhabitants of our great state. "Residents and visitors alike should marvel at the many species that call Florida home. "Just preferably not in the middle of the road. "Walton County Sheriff’s Office and Florida Highway Patrol would like to take this time to educate and protect those behind the wheel. "We don’t advise causing a road obstruction because of a reptilian obstruction. "While no ill intentions were meant, trying to avoid or assist an animal who has made its way onto a busy road can cause you or other drivers life-threatening injuries. "So, when you come across this predicament in the future and find yourself asking, 'to swerve or not to swerve' or 'to stop and protect' we hope the answer will now be an obvious one. "Be safe out there. We're here if you need us."

This is the moment a heroic 3-year-old boy rushes in to save his gran who was hanging clothes to dry, after the ladder which she was using fell down, causing her to hang from the ropes. Footage of the young lad's deed was filmed by CCTV cameras in the household in the city of Fuyang, Anhui Province, China, and later uploaded to Douyin, China's version of TikTok. It begins by showing the grandmother using a ladder to hang clothes to dry. Suddenly, the ladder which she was using to reach the top ropes falls down, causing her to hold on for dear life and call for help from the boy. The boy is seen rushing in to help, displaying an incredible prowess to lift the ladder, which the unfortunate gran uses to climb back down. He continues to hold on to the ladder to stabilise it. As the footage ends, his grandmother is seen climbing down and hugging the boy for his brave deed. According to local media, the mother of the boy, later stated that her mother went out to hang the clothes by herself as the weather was warm. Netizens were impressed by the boy's action and quickly took to Douyin to express their admiration for the duo. User titled "Mu Zixian" commented: "This grandma is great. When things happen, she teaches her children to do things calmly. When she comes down, she kisses and hugs the baby, and gives her the greatest recognition and praise. A child educated by such a good grandma will definitely not be bad."

This bizarre footage shows officers grappling with a suspect armed with a three-hole punch who used it to assault bystanders and employees at a medical facility before he gets arrested. The incident reportedly took place in Oklahoma City, in the US State of Oklahoma, on Monday, 13th March. However, the Oklahoma City Police Department did not release the footage until a month later, on Friday, 14th April. The department said in a statement obtained by Newsflash: "Last month one of our officers was injured by a bullet graze wound after responding to an assault at a medical facility." The incident reportedly began as police responded to a call about an intake patient assaulting employees and bystanders with a metal three-hole punch. After refusing to cooperate with officers, the suspect grabbed the officer’s gun and fired a round, grazing the officer's leg. Police said the video shows the officer taking the gun out of the suspect’s hands and taking him into custody. The officer and a few people at the facility were reportedly taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for their injuries.

This is the dramatic moment an officer saves a man from a sinking vehicle after he apparently drove his car into a canal. The rescue reportedly took place in the city of Sunnyside, in Yakima County, Washington State, USA, on Monday, 17th April. Body-worn footage shows the officer - identified only as Christensen - smashing up the rear windshield with what seems to be a gardening hoe to help the trapped man escape. The officer then grabs hold of the man and the two toss the man's electronics to the ground before entering the water and later getting to dry land. The Sunnyside Police Department said in a statement obtained by Newsflash: "Yesterday [Mon], Deputies and the Sunnyside Police Department were sent to 500 Snipes Canal Rd for a report of a vehicle floating in the canal. "While en route, we learned the vehicle started sinking and a person was trapped inside the car. "Sunnyside Officer Christensen arrived before us and rescued the man from the sinking vehicle with the help of the fire department. "This video shows him saving the man's life. "Thank you Officer Christensen for your heroic efforts and for being a bright spot in your community."

This is the dramatic moment a woman gets airlifted via a UK Coastguard helicopter after she fell and injured her ankle while hiking with a friend. Footage obtained by Newsflash shows the moment the hiker - identified as Cari Ormerod, 47 - gets pulled up onto the chopper. Cari's ordeal reportedly began after she headed towards the village of Pendine, Wales, with a friend, when she fell and broke her ankle during a walk near Marros Beach, Carmarthenshire coast, on 25th March. Having realised that she could not move, she then called the HM Coastguard for help. Rescue teams from the town of Tenby and the village of Llansteffan and the Coastguard helicopter from the village of St Athan were quickly sent to the scene. Cari said in a statement obtained by Newsflash: "It was really scary, I just knew straight away my ankle was broken. I went into a hole where it twisted and then I heard it crack. "I knew we were miles from the road, from anywhere, but there was no way I could walk." Cari was later transferred from the helicopter onto an ambulance and taken to hospital. She added: "All I felt was relief, the teams take over and you can just relax. You feel safe when you see and hear them. "There was no way I could get down to the beach so the helicopter was called and within no time it had arrived. I was so scared but I had no choice. "I'm so grateful we were directed to the Coastguard, we didn't know who to go to. Words cannot express how grateful I am."

A wallaby on the loose that has troubled authorities in Austria for more than a week has again escaped fire department crews when they tried to catch it. The marsupial - a smaller cousin of the kangaroo - was spotted hopping around the town of Alberndorf, in Hollabrunn district in Lower Austria, for days after it fled its owner. Named 'Captain', the witty animal has reportedly evaded capture for more than a week, despite crews from the Jetzelsdorf Volunteer Fire Department getting really close to seizing it on Thursday, 13th April. Video footage shows the moment firemen block the main road near a railway track as they quietly approach the wallaby in order to catch it. A crew member meanwhile, rushes towards the rest of the team with a net for the capture of the small animal. But just seconds before he rejoins the team, the animal flees away and crosses the railway tracks, leaving the emptyhanded crews behind. A spokesperson from the Fire Department told Newsflash: "We got a call from a passer-by that this wallaby was walking along the train tracks in Jetzelsdorf in the direction of the main road. "In this regard, some comrades were called to a T1 animal rescue operation. "We blocked access to the main road as best we could without affecting traffic. "With the help of the owners, we tried to catch the wallaby, but unfortunately, we didn't succeed. "Due to the darkness, we had to stop the attempt. The next day it was sighted two towns away. "The wallaby [...] is currently still on the move and is sighted by several passers-by between Jetzelsdorf and Alberndorf." The wallaby's owner urged the public to contact authorities in case they spot the animal. He warned people not to try to capture it on their own, as the wallaby is skittish and likely to flee. This - according to the owner - is the wallaby's second escape attempt since 2021. The Fire Department added: "We hope that it will soon arrive safe and sound at its home."

An alligator that was captured by wildlife experts got revenge by terrifying a police officer when it turned its snout towards her. The six-foot-long reptile was caught in a drainage ditch in the 3300 block of South Shore Boulevard in League City, Texas State, USA, by a wildlife expert. Aided by two cops from League City Police Department a trapper from Texas Parks and Wildlife and LC Animal Care then began tying a rope around the gator's legs, after previously bounding its snout. But a video shared by the department shows the alligator terrifying an officer near its head as it suddenly lunges towards her. In the footage, the officer can be heard saying: "It scared the crap out of me." Police revealed that the animal was relocated after the successful capture. The department said in a statement obtained by Newsflash: "LCPD just helped in relocating a six-foot-alligator from the drainage ditch in the 3300 block of South Shore Blvd." Meanwhile, shocked Facebook users did not restrain from commenting on the video that reached more than 32,000 views since Tuesday, 18th April. Facebook user 'Toyya Braskey' said:" I'm glad ya'll got that suspect in custody." And netizen 'Timothy Boggs' commented: "Did ya'll read him his Miranda rights?" While another user named 'Mary Knight Cheng' added: "Wow, great job! Thank you for all your hard work!" Emergency services often have more to do dealing with the big reptiles at this time of year as they leave their regular habitats in search of partners during the mating season.

A man who fell into a water-filled cistern and was stuck there for five days looked as if his skin had started to decompose when he was finally treated by medics. The man was only rescued after managing to work out how he could swim from one cistern to the next where neighbours heard his calls for help on Thursday, 20th April. The neighbours, who lived in the city of Guadalajara in western Mexico, which is the capital of the state of Jalisco, called police after they were able to locate the person calling. When the police arrived, he was pulled from the water and said he had been stuck there for five days and medics confirmed his skin was in a terrible state. Police officer Miguel Castellanos Camacho said: "Once had been the rescue carried out by our colleagues, the Municipal Medical Services were requested, and when we arrived, we had to provide immediate treatment because the skin had already h started to fall away as if it was decomposing. "This is presumably from being in the water for such a long time." He confirmed that the man had been carrying out maintenance work when he slipped and fell and was stranded inside with just his head poking above the water throughout the entire five-day ordeal. A study in 2021 from Binghamton University in New York confirmed that long-term immersion in water can cause permanent skin damage, going against an early belief that skin eventually recovered. PhD student Niranjana Dhandapani and Associate Professor Guy German found that after 12 hours of immersion, the skin loses plasticity because of reduced ability to hold water. It also depletes both lipids and natural moisturizing factors, which can lead to long-term problems.

This is the dramatic moment a father and his teen daughter get rescued from the water after floating adrift for nearly an hour after their jet ski sunk. The rescue mission reportedly took place in the area of Thonotosassa, in the US State of Florida, on Saturday, 15th April. Deputies with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) were alerted to the emergency when the two boaters failed to return to the dock after taking their jet ski out earlier that evening. Police say Christopher Snow, 31, and Alexis Snow, 13, went out on their jet ski from Baker Creek Park at around 6.50 pm. But about an hour later, Christopher's girlfriend came to search for them since they had not returned home and were not answering calls. She then found HCSO Deputy Kevin Reich conducting routine surveillance and asked for his help. Soon after, a local man and his family offered to take Deputy Reich out on their boat to search while waiting for assistance from marine and aviation units, police said. They were able to locate the missing boaters approximately 40 minutes after beginning the search. They found them floating around, after which they pulled them onto the boat and to safety. Sheriff Chad Chronister said: "The swift response of our deputy and the assistance provided by the community played a crucial role in the successful rescue of Christopher and Alexis Snow. "We are relieved that they were returned to shore safely and without any injuries. "It is scary to imagine what could have happened had this father and daughter not been wearing their life jackets." "I want to thank both the boaters that helped and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office for being on patrol and noticing something wasn't right. "My life jacket wasn't sized properly, so this is a good reminder to make sure yours is fitted correctly."

This is the touching moment sailors aboard the USS Nitze are welcomed by friends and family as they return home from an eight-month deployment. Reports revealed that the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Nitze (DDG 94) arrived at Naval Station Norfolk, in the US State of Virginia on Wednesday, 5th April. The vessel was deployed for eight months in support of maritime security operations and theatre security cooperation efforts in the 2nd, 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operation. Commander Katie Jacobson said in a statement obtained by Newsflash: "I am incredibly proud of my crew and the excellence they achieved while conducting high risk, high visibility mission sets during this extended deployment. "Our officers and crew advanced maritime security at sea, served as ambassadors ashore, and seamlessly integrated with our allies and partners. "They embodied our mantra of 'Better Every Day' and reflected superbly on the United States and the US Navy."

This is the out-of-this-world moment a US Reaper drone records a spherical UFO whizzing below it in the Middle East. US military officials - who will not say where exactly the footage was filmed - have admitted they do not know what the object was or where it came from. The now-declassified footage - shot from an American MQ-9 Reaper drone - appears to be monitoring a group of people in a desert setting. But just seconds into the footage a flying orb comes hurtling towards the USD 28 million drone, passing underneath it at high speed. The movement is picked up by the drone's hi-tech camera, which switches targets and begins following the mysterious globe. The orb appears to be a dead ringer for some of the small UFOs used in the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The footage was obtained from the US Department of Defense, who says it was filmed somewhere in the Middle East on 12th July 2022. It was declassified and made public on Wednesday, 19th April. The US DoD said in a statement obtained by Newsflash: "In an open hearing on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena before the Senate Armed Services Committee on April 19, Dr Sean Kirkpatrick, director of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), shared a video that depicts an apparent silver, orb-like object cross the sensor’s field of view. "This clip was taken by an MQ-9 in the Middle East, and while AARO assesses the object in the clip is not exhibiting anomalous behavior, the object remains unidentified. "This video is a representative example of many of the cases AARO receives where there is limited data surrounding the observation. "These cases are retained in AARO’s active archive pending the discovery of additional information/data that may lead to case resolution." The case remains unresolved due to a lack of data, with the US DoD saying "the object remains unidentified".

This is the moment a man treats himself to a taste of the high life as he breaks his Ramadan fast with a snack as he paraglides through the sky. High flyer Abdulbari Al Abdullah filmed himself soaring over Saudi Arabia with a special tray fixed to his harness so he could tuck into his in-flight meal. The flight - above the Asir region mountains - has clocked up nearly 40,000 views since it was posted online on Sunday, 16th April. As he chats to his selfie stick he can be seen pouring a cup of water before tucking into a snack. Abdulbari - who works as a tour guide - was eating 'Iftar', a meal eaten by Muslims at sundown to break the daily fast during Ramadan. He can be heard saying in the video in Arabic: "An acceptable fast and a delicious Iftar... Praise Allah." This year, Ramadan began In the UK on the evening of Thursday, 23rd March and will end on Friday, 21st April.

A huge T-Rex skeleton has fetched GBP 5 million at auction in Switzerland in what has been described as a first in Europe. The Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton, understood to be between 65 and 67 million years old, has fetched CHF 5.5 million (GBP 4.93 million) at the auction in Zurich, which took place on Tuesday, 18th April. It is currently unclear who bought the skeleton but a spokesperson for the auction house said that it would "remain in Europe", without providing further details about the anonymous buyer. The huge skeleton, dating back to the Cretaceous period, can be seen in the footage being installed before the auction. The images show a timelapse of the preparations, with the skeleton being assembled on a metal frame. Other footage also shows close-up images of the assembled skeleton of the massive apex predator, dubbed 'Trinity' by its previous owner due to the fact that it was assembled using bones from three different skeletons. Newsflash obtained a statement from the Koller auction house on Tuesday, 18th April, saying that the event was the first of its kind in Europe and only the third time in the world that "a skeleton of an entire T. rex dinosaur of exceptional quality" was put up for auction. The statement also said: "Mounted in a dynamic, scientifically accurate and modern pose, it is among the finest specimens of one of the largest terrestrial predators ever to inhabit the Earth. "With an astonishing length of 11.6 metres (38 feet) and a towering height of 3.9 metres (12.8 feet), Trinity is one of the most spectacular T. rex skeletons in existence, a well-preserved and brilliantly restored fossil." The Koller auction house said that the Tyrannosaurus skeleton is made up of "more than 50 per cent original bone material" and that they come from "three Tyrannosaurus specimens excavated between 2008 and 2013, from the Hell Creek and Lance Creek formations in Montana and Wyoming." The auction house added that both sites are "known for two of the most important Tyrannosaurus discoveries". These include ‘Sue’, which sold at auction for USD 8.4 million (GBP 6.7 million) in 1997, and ‘Stan’, "whose world-record hammer price of USD 31.8 million [GBP 25.6 million] in 2020 catapulted dinosaur fossil prices into a realm usually reserved for the most sought-after works of art." The auction house explained that each of Trinity’s 293 bones was "painstakingly excavated, cleaned and restored before it could be assembled." They added: "For an entire dinosaur, this process often takes between seven and ten years – an enormous effort for a team of palaeontologists, preparators and conservators. "Trinity’s rarity and importance is in large part due to its incredibly well-preserved skull, which comes from a single specimen." Scientific advisor and fossil expert Nils Knoetschke is quoted as saying: "Dinosaur skulls are very rare; they are among the most valuable components of fossil skeletons." He added: "In fact, most dinosaurs are found without their skulls. But here we have original Tyrannosaurus skull bones, all from the same specimen. "In all three specimens, the preparation was done very well, and the whole is very well preserved’. "I was particularly surprised that not only the vertebrae, but also the filigree spines of the dorsal and cervical vertebrae are present. The very fine bones from inside the skull are usually lost, and these are also preserved in Trinity." And Dr Hans-Jakob Siber, a palaeontologist and the director of the Dinosaur Museum in Aathal, Switzerland, said: "I was impressed when I saw it, because it all seems to fit together so nicely." He added: "It’s one of the most impressive mounts I’ve seen. The quality of the restoration plus the quality of the mount sort of breathes life again into the specimen, which lived millions and millions of years ago. TRX-293 TRINITY would certainly be an astonishing attraction in any museum in the world.’

A huge T-Rex skeleton has fetched GBP 5 million at auction in Switzerland in what has been described as a first in Europe. The Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton, understood to be between 65 and 67 million years old, has fetched CHF 5.5 million (GBP 4.93 million) at the auction in Zurich, which took place on Tuesday, 18th April. It is currently unclear who bought the skeleton but a spokesperson for the auction house said that it would "remain in Europe", without providing further details about the anonymous buyer. The huge skeleton, dating back to the Cretaceous period, can be seen in the footage being installed before the auction. The images show a timelapse of the preparations, with the skeleton being assembled on a metal frame. Other footage also shows close-up images of the assembled skeleton of the massive apex predator, dubbed 'Trinity' by its previous owner due to the fact that it was assembled using bones from three different skeletons. Newsflash obtained a statement from the Koller auction house on Tuesday, 18th April, saying that the event was the first of its kind in Europe and only the third time in the world that "a skeleton of an entire T. rex dinosaur of exceptional quality" was put up for auction. The statement also said: "Mounted in a dynamic, scientifically accurate and modern pose, it is among the finest specimens of one of the largest terrestrial predators ever to inhabit the Earth. "With an astonishing length of 11.6 metres (38 feet) and a towering height of 3.9 metres (12.8 feet), Trinity is one of the most spectacular T. rex skeletons in existence, a well-preserved and brilliantly restored fossil." The Koller auction house said that the Tyrannosaurus skeleton is made up of "more than 50 per cent original bone material" and that they come from "three Tyrannosaurus specimens excavated between 2008 and 2013, from the Hell Creek and Lance Creek formations in Montana and Wyoming." The auction house added that both sites are "known for two of the most important Tyrannosaurus discoveries". These include ‘Sue’, which sold at auction for USD 8.4 million (GBP 6.7 million) in 1997, and ‘Stan’, "whose world-record hammer price of USD 31.8 million [GBP 25.6 million] in 2020 catapulted dinosaur fossil prices into a realm usually reserved for the most sought-after works of art." The auction house explained that each of Trinity’s 293 bones was "painstakingly excavated, cleaned and restored before it could be assembled." They added: "For an entire dinosaur, this process often takes between seven and ten years – an enormous effort for a team of palaeontologists, preparators and conservators. "Trinity’s rarity and importance is in large part due to its incredibly well-preserved skull, which comes from a single specimen." Scientific advisor and fossil expert Nils Knoetschke is quoted as saying: "Dinosaur skulls are very rare; they are among the most valuable components of fossil skeletons." He added: "In fact, most dinosaurs are found without their skulls. But here we have original Tyrannosaurus skull bones, all from the same specimen. "In all three specimens, the preparation was done very well, and the whole is very well preserved’. "I was particularly surprised that not only the vertebrae, but also the filigree spines of the dorsal and cervical vertebrae are present. The very fine bones from inside the skull are usually lost, and these are also preserved in Trinity." And Dr Hans-Jakob Siber, a palaeontologist and the director of the Dinosaur Museum in Aathal, Switzerland, said: "I was impressed when I saw it, because it all seems to fit together so nicely." He added: "It’s one of the most impressive mounts I’ve seen. The quality of the restoration plus the quality of the mount sort of breathes life again into the specimen, which lived millions and millions of years ago. TRX-293 TRINITY would certainly be an astonishing attraction in any museum in the world.’

A convicted felon has been arrested after a police officer seized nearly two lbs of cocaine inside his car during a traffic stop. Suspect Craig Benning, 41, was caught after police pulled him over for driving a vehicle with suspended registration in Atlanta, in the US State of Georgia on 11th April. Benning was reportedly on felony probation out of the state when the cop found a total of 751 grammes (1.6 lbs) of cocaine from the car's floorboard and glove box. City of Atlanta Police Department said in a statement obtained by Newsflash: "When asked if he was on felony probation, Mr Benning initially replied no, but admitted he was indeed on felony probation for a previous trafficking charge. "The Sergeant continued his investigation and confirmed with Mr Benning's probation officer that he had a 4th amendment waive under his previous trafficking charge out of another jurisdiction. "The Sergeant spoke to Mr Benning and explained to him the terms of his release from his previous trafficking case where he had his 4th Amendment rights waived. "This meant that law enforcement could search him or his vehicle at any time without cause. "Mr Benning was detained, and a search began of his vehicle where suspected crack cocaine was recovered on the passenger side floorboard. "Upon a further search of the vehicle, suspected cocaine was recovered in the glove box." Benning was later charged with operating a vehicle with suspended registration and trafficking cocaine.

A man accused of murdering his partner and her mother in a child custody row has been seized after he was identified because of his 'Sesame Street' hoodie. Police have named the suspect as Radrick Deshay Francois, 20, who was arrested in Orlando, in the US state of Florida, on Friday, 14th April. Shockingly, the police said Francois shot the pair while they were in a car with his two-year-old daughter and another child. Francois has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder with a firearm, accused of shooting Tanga Owens, 20, the mother of his two-year-old daughter. He then turned the gun on Tanga's mother Tanishia Starr, 39, shooting them both dead in the car outside an apartment block, according to media. Horrifically, both his daughter and another eight-month-old child - believed to be Tanga's child by a different father - were in the car and witnessed the killings. Surveillance footage seen by the police reportedly shows Francois fatally shooting both women before fleeing with his daughter in his arms. Tanga's son was left behind in the back of the car. Both victims were taken to hospital where they were declared dead. Police later found Francois thanks to the distinctive 'Sesame Street' hoodie from the classic kids' TV show he had been wearing during the double shooting. Footage released later by police shows Francois in a white boiler suit being walked to a patrol car. Newsflash obtained a statement from the Orange County Sheriff's Office on Saturday, 15th April, saying: "Arrested: Radrick Francois, 20, for the 4/14 shooting deaths of mother & daughter Tanishia Starr, 39 & Tanga Owens, 20, in a car on London Crest Dr. "Francois was in a custody battle with Owens & previously threatened to kill her. Two small children in the car were unharmed." (sic) The investigation is ongoing.

Marine scientists have discovered a huge and previously unknown coral reef in perfect condition off the coast of Charles Darwin's Galapagos islands. Experts in the team from Britain, America and Ecuador believe the reef - sitting on an underwater mountain - could be thousands of years old. Astonishing video footage of the reef, with a rich flora and fauna, emerged after scientists used a state-of-the-art submersible to explore the site up to 600 metres (2,000 feet) below the sea. It shows a deep-sea habitat teeming with life, apparently untouched by modern pollution or extreme weather patterns. The reef - says the research group - was discovered in a marine reserve between Santa Fe and San Cristobal islands. Oceanographer Stuart Banks - a marine researcher at the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) and a member of the team - said: "The coral from which it is built probably has thousands of years of growth." He added: "The captivating thing about these reefs is that they are ancient, undisturbed for centuries or thousands of years, and essentially pristine, unlike those found in many other parts of the world's oceans. "In modern expeditions, less than five per cent of the open waters of the Marine Reserve have been explored, so it is possible that there are more reefs like this one." The reef is said to spread over several kilometres. Scientists believe it will help better understand the history of the ocean's environment and hold clues to the modern-day climate crisis. Other footage shows the scientists' research vessel taking part in the Galapagos 2023 expedition on the surface as it lowers a submersible into the Pacific. Newsflash obtained a statement from the Galapagos National Park on Monday, 17th April, confirming that a "new coral reef was discovered in the depths of the Galapagos". The statement also said: "A scientific expedition that is exploring the deep waters of the Galapagos Marine Reserve discovered between 400 and 600 meters below sea level, on top of an unmapped seamount, a totally pristine coral reef, whose structure is more than 50 per cent living coral, which is exceptional for these depths. "Until now, Wellington Reef, off the coast of Darwin, was thought to be the only one to survive the 1982-1983 El Nino event, but the new finding shows that coral communities in protected waters have persisted for centuries in the depths of the Galapagos Marine Reserve, supporting rich, diverse and potentially unique marine populations." El Nino is a Pacific weather pattern where unusual winds blow warm surface waters east from the equator towards Central and South America. Jose Antonio Davalos, the Ecuadorian Minister of the Environment, Water and Ecological Transition, said: "This is encouraging news. This reaffirms our conviction to establish new marine protected areas in Ecuador and to continue promoting the creation of a regional one in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. "The still unexplored richness of the ocean's depths is one more reason to strive to achieve the commitments of the Global Alliance for the Ocean - 30x30, whose objective is that at least 30 per cent of the world's oceans be declared Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by 2030, allowing sustainable economic activities aligned with conservation.” And Galapagos park ranger Jenifer Suarez said: "The results of this investigation into the depths of the marine reserve will allow us to have scientific information, essential to take management measures to conserve these ecosystems that support life in the sea." The scientists used a submersible research ship called Alvin which can reach depths of 10,000 feet. The Galapagos Deep 2023 scientific expedition is being led by scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the University of Bristol, Boise State University and the University of Essex, in collaboration with the Directorate of the Galapagos National Park, the Charles Darwin Foundation and the Oceanographic and Antarctic Institute of the Ecuadorian Navy. The expedition, which began on 27th March and is set to end on 22nd April, is funded by the US National Science Foundation and Britain's Natural Environment Research Council.

Marine scientists have discovered a huge and previously unknown coral reef in perfect condition off the coast of Charles Darwin's Galapagos islands. Experts in the team from Britain, America and Ecuador believe the reef - sitting on an underwater mountain - could be thousands of years old. Astonishing video footage of the reef, with a rich flora and fauna, emerged after scientists used a state-of-the-art submersible to explore the site up to 600 metres (2,000 feet) below the sea. It shows a deep-sea habitat teeming with life, apparently untouched by modern pollution or extreme weather patterns. The reef - says the research group - was discovered in a marine reserve between Santa Fe and San Cristobal islands. Oceanographer Stuart Banks - a marine researcher at the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) and a member of the team - said: "The coral from which it is built probably has thousands of years of growth." He added: "The captivating thing about these reefs is that they are ancient, undisturbed for centuries or thousands of years, and essentially pristine, unlike those found in many other parts of the world's oceans. "In modern expeditions, less than five per cent of the open waters of the Marine Reserve have been explored, so it is possible that there are more reefs like this one." The reef is said to spread over several kilometres. Scientists believe it will help better understand the history of the ocean's environment and hold clues to the modern-day climate crisis. Other footage shows the scientists' research vessel taking part in the Galapagos 2023 expedition on the surface as it lowers a submersible into the Pacific. Newsflash obtained a statement from the Galapagos National Park on Monday, 17th April, confirming that a "new coral reef was discovered in the depths of the Galapagos". The statement also said: "A scientific expedition that is exploring the deep waters of the Galapagos Marine Reserve discovered between 400 and 600 meters below sea level, on top of an unmapped seamount, a totally pristine coral reef, whose structure is more than 50 per cent living coral, which is exceptional for these depths. "Until now, Wellington Reef, off the coast of Darwin, was thought to be the only one to survive the 1982-1983 El Nino event, but the new finding shows that coral communities in protected waters have persisted for centuries in the depths of the Galapagos Marine Reserve, supporting rich, diverse and potentially unique marine populations." El Nino is a Pacific weather pattern where unusual winds blow warm surface waters east from the equator towards Central and South America. Jose Antonio Davalos, the Ecuadorian Minister of the Environment, Water and Ecological Transition, said: "This is encouraging news. This reaffirms our conviction to establish new marine protected areas in Ecuador and to continue promoting the creation of a regional one in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. "The still unexplored richness of the ocean's depths is one more reason to strive to achieve the commitments of the Global Alliance for the Ocean - 30x30, whose objective is that at least 30 per cent of the world's oceans be declared Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by 2030, allowing sustainable economic activities aligned with conservation.” And Galapagos park ranger Jenifer Suarez said: "The results of this investigation into the depths of the marine reserve will allow us to have scientific information, essential to take management measures to conserve these ecosystems that support life in the sea." The scientists used a submersible research ship called Alvin which can reach depths of 10,000 feet. The Galapagos Deep 2023 scientific expedition is being led by scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the University of Bristol, Boise State University and the University of Essex, in collaboration with the Directorate of the Galapagos National Park, the Charles Darwin Foundation and the Oceanographic and Antarctic Institute of the Ecuadorian Navy. The expedition, which began on 27th March and is set to end on 22nd April, is funded by the US National Science Foundation and Britain's Natural Environment Research Council.

Marine scientists have discovered a huge and previously unknown coral reef in perfect condition off the coast of Charles Darwin's Galapagos islands. Experts in the team from Britain, America and Ecuador believe the reef - sitting on an underwater mountain - could be thousands of years old. Astonishing video footage of the reef, with a rich flora and fauna, emerged after scientists used a state-of-the-art submersible to explore the site up to 600 metres (2,000 feet) below the sea. It shows a deep-sea habitat teeming with life, apparently untouched by modern pollution or extreme weather patterns. The reef - says the research group - was discovered in a marine reserve between Santa Fe and San Cristobal islands. Oceanographer Stuart Banks - a marine researcher at the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) and a member of the team - said: "The coral from which it is built probably has thousands of years of growth." He added: "The captivating thing about these reefs is that they are ancient, undisturbed for centuries or thousands of years, and essentially pristine, unlike those found in many other parts of the world's oceans. "In modern expeditions, less than five per cent of the open waters of the Marine Reserve have been explored, so it is possible that there are more reefs like this one." The reef is said to spread over several kilometres. Scientists believe it will help better understand the history of the ocean's environment and hold clues to the modern-day climate crisis. Other footage shows the scientists' research vessel taking part in the Galapagos 2023 expedition on the surface as it lowers a submersible into the Pacific. Newsflash obtained a statement from the Galapagos National Park on Monday, 17th April, confirming that a "new coral reef was discovered in the depths of the Galapagos". The statement also said: "A scientific expedition that is exploring the deep waters of the Galapagos Marine Reserve discovered between 400 and 600 meters below sea level, on top of an unmapped seamount, a totally pristine coral reef, whose structure is more than 50 per cent living coral, which is exceptional for these depths. "Until now, Wellington Reef, off the coast of Darwin, was thought to be the only one to survive the 1982-1983 El Nino event, but the new finding shows that coral communities in protected waters have persisted for centuries in the depths of the Galapagos Marine Reserve, supporting rich, diverse and potentially unique marine populations." El Nino is a Pacific weather pattern where unusual winds blow warm surface waters east from the equator towards Central and South America. Jose Antonio Davalos, the Ecuadorian Minister of the Environment, Water and Ecological Transition, said: "This is encouraging news. This reaffirms our conviction to establish new marine protected areas in Ecuador and to continue promoting the creation of a regional one in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. "The still unexplored richness of the ocean's depths is one more reason to strive to achieve the commitments of the Global Alliance for the Ocean - 30x30, whose objective is that at least 30 per cent of the world's oceans be declared Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by 2030, allowing sustainable economic activities aligned with conservation.” And Galapagos park ranger Jenifer Suarez said: "The results of this investigation into the depths of the marine reserve will allow us to have scientific information, essential to take management measures to conserve these ecosystems that support life in the sea." The scientists used a submersible research ship called Alvin which can reach depths of 10,000 feet. The Galapagos Deep 2023 scientific expedition is being led by scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the University of Bristol, Boise State University and the University of Essex, in collaboration with the Directorate of the Galapagos National Park, the Charles Darwin Foundation and the Oceanographic and Antarctic Institute of the Ecuadorian Navy. The expedition, which began on 27th March and is set to end on 22nd April, is funded by the US National Science Foundation and Britain's Natural Environment Research Council.

The adorable video shows the moment Magellanic penguins prepare for the annual mating season by building nests between the cracks of the rocky outcrops in their enclosure. Resident penguins at Shedd Aquarium in the city of Chicago, Illinois State, USA, overjoyed visitors by giving them a glimpse of how they get ready for their yearly nesting season. Delightful footage - shared by aquarium officials on Tuesday, 11th April - shows an individual carrying straw into its beak before it climbs up the rocky structure and reaches its mate. Aquarium officials said in a statement obtained by Newsflash: "Ever wonder what it's like in the penguin habitat during nesting season? Let's pop in for a peek!" They continued: "As part of the birds' care, the daily light cycle in their habitat has been altered to signal the start of the weeks-long season, and nest-building materials, including rocks, pieces of hose and lavender, to mimic options available in their native habitats, have been provided. "Both species of penguins residing at Shedd – rockhopper and Magellanic – will have ample opportunities to participate in the nest building and pairing processes. "To attract a female mate or reinforce an existing bond, male penguins will typically build their own nests, although female penguins, once paired, also help with the construction process. "Rockhoppers, in particular, carefully select and carry rocks one by one in their beak to build their nests. "This does not mean the males are above stealing materials from other males' nests – sometimes, they will take stones from other nests to adorn their own."

This is the dramatic moment two human smugglers are seized after leading police on a high-speed chase and allowing nearly a dozen of illegal immigrants to escape. Dash-cam and body-worn footage shows the drama unfolding on a road in Kinney County, in Texas State - near the US-Mexican border - on 10th April. Troopers with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) were led on a wild pursuit after the driver sped off from an attempted traffic stop. During the pursuit, the driver allowed eight to 11 illegal immigrants to bail out and evade capture by running towards the brush. The driver and passenger, of Gonzalez, Texas, were eventually stopped and arrested. Both were reportedly charged with human smuggling and evading arrest.

This is the dramatic moment three suspects in a stolen car led police on a wild pursuit that ends in the front lawn of someone's home, and the three get arrested. The incident reportedly took place in the city of Dearborn, in the US State of Michigan at about 2:10 am on 11th April. It began as officers on patrol spotted a stolen car and attempted a traffic stop. But the driver reportedly refused to pull over and led officers on a wild chase instead. Body-cam footage shows the final moment of the pursuit as the stolen vehicle veers off the road and into a front yard, where patrol cars manage to block it from all sides. The suspects can be seen running out of the car and fleeing on foot, but police reportedly managed to catch up with them shortly after and took them all into custody. The Dearborn Police Department said in a statement obtained by Newsflash: "Thank you to our Night Shift Team and all of the Police Officers involved for a job well done!"

This is the dramatic moment Texas Troopers arrest a wanted murderer and known gang member after he was caught attempting to smuggle illegal immigrants and led police on a high-speed chase. Dash-cam footage captured the incident which reportedly took place in Kinney County, in the US State of Texas on 7th April. The incident reportedly began as troopers attempted to pull over a grey Toyota for a traffic violation but it sped off and drove away. The driver led police on a high-speed pursuit and performed dangerous maneouvres in an attempt to evade them. The chase ended when the driver lost control over the Toyota and crashed into a fence. Both him and the passenger jumped out of the vehicle in an attempt to run away but were apprehended by police. The driver, Donald Ray Graves, 26, turned out to be was a confirmed gang member who was wanted in the State of Louisiana for murder and attempted murder. Six illegal immigrants from Guatemala, Honduras and Ecuador were found inside the vehicle and referred to Border Patrol. The driver and passenger, Najoua Jabarie Harris, 25, were arrested and face federal smuggling charges with a firearm.

This is the moment officers in Canada nab three fleeing youngsters suspected of vehicle theft in a joint operation with the air crews. Aerial footage shows the final moments leading up to the arrest of the suspects - two of whom were identified as Zoe Korn, 22, Ibrahima Traore, 18, and a 17-year-old boy who was not named - in King Township, Ontario Province, Canada, on 8th April. The incident began as patrolling police noticed an idling vehicle with no front plate attached. The gang sped away travelling southbound on Highway 27, as cops approached the vehicle. Officers in Air2 were able to respond quickly and safely track the suspect vehicle from above. Cops on ground managed to deploy a tire deflation device, which successfully disabled the passing suspect vehicle. The three suspects, then exited the vehicle and ran in different directions, but they were located and caught by police dogs later. All of them were arrested, as police subsequently seized several master keys for vehicles. Korn and Traore were held for a bail hearing and are scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in the town of Newmarket on Friday, 5th May. Meanwhile, the 17-year-old boy is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice on Thursday, 4th May.