Wikinews Shorts: August 5, 2008

Known gorilla population more than doubled
125,000 western lowland gorillas have been found in isolated forests of the Republic of Congo, according to a census by the Wildlife Conservation Society. The number more than doubles the present estimated population of 50-100 thousand. The population resides in two areas covering just 18,000 square miles, living in densities previously thought to be not possible.

President of the Wildlife Conservation Society, Steve Sanderson, says that this does not mean the gorillas are out of danger and they are still vulnerable to Ebola and humans, who target them for bush meat.

Sources

NBA: Paul Pierce handcuffed in Las Vegas
Boston Celtics player Paul Pierce, the MVP of the 2008 NBA Finals, was handcuffed by police in Las Vegas, Nevada about 3:00 a.m. Sunday during a traffic stop. A spokesman for the Las Vegas Police Department said that was initially hostile, though didn't say that this was the cause for the handcuffs. Multiple news agencies that report that Pierce passed both a sobriety test and a Breathalyzer. Neither Pierce nor the Celtics have released a comment.

Sources

Woman throws lasagna at husband
A woman threw a frozen lasagna at her husband. This happened in Atlantic Beach, Florida. The woman has been charged with domestic battery after throwing frozen lasagna at her husband. The two were arguing when she picked up the frozen lasagna and tossed it at her husband striking him. The husband said his wife struck him across the face many times before throwing the frozen lasagna at him hitting him in the head. The woman admitted to officers that she had thrown the frozen lasagna at her husband to hit him in the head. The husband was arrested for a violation of a court injunction.

Sources

Police rescue two swimmers in Lake Michigan
Two people have been saved from Lake Michigan said Evanston Police in Illinois. Four officers saved the two people from the lake. This happened late Sunday. One officer had swallowed too much water and has been treated at a local hospital police had said on Monday. At Lee Street Beach at 11:57 p.m. close to midnight. Police could hear people yelling for help around the metal breakwater police had said. Police could not see the swimmers due to how dark it was outside. As police went into the water with rescue disks to try and save the people from the water. Officers then found a man that was 50 yards off shore that had been taken into the breakwater by the large waves said police. Police then threw a rescue disk towards his direction and the man grabbed on and was pulled safely to shore, also another women was rescued.

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World's smallest snake discovered in Barbados
The world's smallest snake, the Leptotyphlops carlae, has been discovered in Barbados by Dr Blair Hedges, an evolutionary scientist from Pennsylvania State University. The Leptotyphlops carlae is the smallest of the 3100 known species of snakes. The species is thinner than a piece of spaghetti and is about 10cm long, small enough to curl up on a United States quarter.

Sources