Air Force One inventory disappears; running the length of Africa; goats, elephants and cicadas galore!

By Gavin Steele, Staff Writer 

Items are Air Force None: The White House Correspondents’ Association has warned journalists to stop stealing souvenirs from Air Force One after a February inventory check on the plane found several items in the plane’s press section missing. Air Force One is reportedly missing branded pillowcases, gold-rimmed plates and other items from the president’s private jet. The association sent an email to reporters stating that these behaviors reflect poorly on the press pool (Apr. 1). 

The goats are baaaack: An Italian mayor is giving away free goats to anyone who can catch the creatures. Riccardo Gullo, the mayor of the Italian island Alicudi, is working to solve the goat overpopulation problem. Goats currently outnumber the 100 human residents six times. Anyone who purchases goat stamps for $17 can remove as many goats from the island as they wish. The program was originally proposed to last until April 10 but will be extended until the population is under control (Apr. 4). 

Not just for sport: The Botswana government is threatening to send 20,000 elephants to Germany after they have recently worked to ban the importation of elephant trophies. Botswana allows hunters to control the population of elephants, and the German market enables the hunters to do this work. In response to this proposed ban, Botswana has threatened to send 20,000 elephants to Germany to feel the impact on the community (Apr. 5). 

The “Hardest Geezer” finds solitary company: A British man named Russ Cook, who calls himself the “Hardest Geezer,” has finished running the length of Africa — 10,100 miles —  in less than a year. He raised over $750,000 for charity, crossing 16 countries and setting the Guinness World Record for fastest crossing of Africa on foot in the process. The 27-year-old from West Sussex in England was joined by supporters after he finished the trek last Sunday in Ras Angela, Tunisia, the most northern point of the African continent. He began his journey in the southernmost point of Africa, Cape Agulhas in South Africa. He told reporters, “I’m good, I’m a bit tired” after finishing the run (Apr. 7). 

Billions of bugs: This year will feature a massive cicada insurgency in a rare double-brood event that last occurred in 1803, 221 years ago. Two broods of cicadas will emerge from the ground in the U.S. this year. Brood XIII which is the brood that comes out every 17 years, and Brood XIX, which emerges every 13 years, will appear together in the billions, with a narrow overlap in central Illinois. The bugs will emerge in late April and will affect the midwestern and southern states (Apr. 8).