A 51-year-old man from Florida was arrested trying to "run to London" across the Atlantic Ocean in a human-size homemade vessel resembling a hamster wheel.Reza Baluchi was detained on August 26 after the US Coast Guard intercepted his vessel about 70 miles (110km) off Tybee Island, Georgia, and&nbsp;was finally brought ashore on Sept. 1. 
 
The officers were preparing for the arrival of a major hurricane when they spotted Baluchi’s vessel.

During interrogation, Baluchi told the officers that he intended to travel more than 4,000 miles to London in his homemade hamster wheel, which the Coast Guard described as unsafe, as it was built with buoys.

Notably, Baluchi has been attempting similar voyages since 2014, and even threatened to kill himself during the recent interception if the officers interrupted his mission, the Coast Guard said, according to the New York Times newspaper.

The makeshift vessel that he has been using is fitted with paddles and designed to move forward as the wheel revolves.

"Based on the condition of the vessel - which was afloat as a result of wiring and buoys - [US Coast Guard] officers determined Baluchi was conducting a manifestly unsafe voyage," the criminal complaint says.

The officers eventually persuaded Baluchi to leave his vessel on August 29, following which he was charged in federal court in Miami on Tuesday (Sept. 5) with obstruction of boarding and violation of the Captain of the Port Order.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/car-thefts-soar-19-in-nyc-cops-blame-tiktok-challenge-633275">Car thefts soar 19% in NYC; Cops blame TikTok challenge</a>

It is unclear whether he has obtained a lawyer to represent him in his criminal case.

In his previous interviews, Baluchi said he was attempting to sail through London to raise money for a variety of causes, including for the homeless and the Coast Guard.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-found-mysterious-never-seen-before-spooky-golden-egg-at-the-bottom-of-pacific-ocean-633260">Scientists find mysterious never-seen-before 'spooky golden egg' at the bottom of Pacific Ocean</a>

"My goal is to not only raise money for homeless people, raise money for the Coast Guard, raise money for the police department, raise money for the fire department," he told WOFL-TV in Orlando in 2021.

"They are in public service, they do it for safety, and they help other people."

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
&nbsp;

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A 51-year-old man from Florida was arrested trying to "run to London" across the Atlantic Ocean in a human-size homemade vessel resembling a hamster wheel.Reza Baluchi was detained on August 26 after the US Coast Guard intercepted his vessel about 70 miles (110km) off Tybee Island, Georgia, and was finally brought ashore on Sept.

A 51-year-old man from Florida was arrested trying to "run to London" across the Atlantic Ocean in a human-size homemade vessel resembling a hamster wheel.Reza Baluchi was detained on August 26 after the US Coast Guard intercepted his vessel about 70 miles (110km) off Tybee Island, Georgia, and was finally brought ashore on Sept. 1. The officers were preparing for the arrival of a major hurricane when they spotted Baluchi’s vessel. During interrogation, Baluchi told the officers that he intended to travel more than 4,000 miles to London in his homemade hamster wheel, which the Coast Guard described as unsafe, as it was built with buoys. Notably, Baluchi has been attempting similar voyages since 2014, and even threatened to kill himself during the recent interception if the officers interrupted his mission, the Coast Guard said, according to the New York Times newspaper. The makeshift vessel that he has been using is fitted with paddles and designed to move forward as the wheel revolves. "Based on the condition of the vessel - which was afloat as a result of wiring and buoys - [US Coast Guard] officers determined Baluchi was conducting a manifestly unsafe voyage," the criminal complaint says. The officers eventually persuaded Baluchi to leave his vessel on August 29, following which he was charged in federal court in Miami on Tuesday (Sept. 5) with obstruction of boarding and violation of the Captain of the Port Order. Also read | Car thefts soar 19% in NYC; Cops blame TikTok challenge It is unclear whether he has obtained a lawyer to represent him in his criminal case. In his previous interviews, Baluchi said he was attempting to sail through London to raise money for a variety of causes, including for the homeless and the Coast Guard. Also read | Scientists find mysterious never-seen-before 'spooky golden egg' at the bottom of Pacific Ocean "My goal is to not only raise money for homeless people, raise money for the Coast Guard, raise money for the police department, raise money for the fire department," he told WOFL-TV in Orlando in 2021. "They are in public service, they do it for safety, and they help other people." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Florida man charged for sailing in Atlantic in hamster wheel, again

Dozens of pet stores that sold hamsters in&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;may resume business from Sunday,&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong's government said, after being shuttered last week and thousands culled over coronavirus fears.

Authorities enraged pet lovers with an order to cull more than 2,200 hamsters after tracing an outbreak to a worker in a shop where 11 hamsters tested positive.

Imported hamsters from Holland into the Chinese territory had been cited as the source. All hamster imports remain banned.

The city's Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said in a statement late on Saturday that it collected 1,134 samples from animals other than hamsters including rabbits and chinchillas, which were all negative.

Five stores, including the "Little Boss" pet shop, which started the outbreak, remained shuttered as they had not yet "passed the virus test," the government said.

"All the other concerned pet shops on the other hand have been thoroughly disinfected and cleaned and the environmental swabs collected from these shops have all passed the COVID-19 virus test," it said.

The government said on Friday it would compensate pet shops trading in hamsters, offering a one-off payment of up to HK$30,000 (US$3,850).

People who had in recent weeks bought hamsters - popular apartment pets in the congested city - were ordered to surrender them for testing and what the government described as "humane dispatch".

Thousands of people offered to adopt unwanted hamsters amid a public outcry against the government and its pandemic advisers, which authorities called irrational.

A study published in The Lancet medical journal, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, said Hong&nbsp;Kong researchers have found evidence that pet hamsters can spread COVID-19 and linked the animals to human infections in the city.

However, the economic and psychological tolls from&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong's hardline approach to curbing the virus are rapidly rising, residents say, with measures becoming more draconian than those first enforced in 2020.

Dozens of pet stores that sold hamsters in Hong Kong may resume business from Sunday, Hong Kong's government said, after being shuttered last week and thousands culled over coronavirus fears.

Dozens of pet stores that sold hamsters in Hong Kong may resume business from Sunday, Hong Kong's government said, after being shuttered last week and thousands culled over coronavirus fears. Authorities enraged pet lovers with an order to cull more than 2,200 hamsters after tracing an outbreak to a worker in a shop where 11 hamsters tested positive. Imported hamsters from Holland into the Chinese territory had been cited as the source. All hamster imports remain banned. The city's Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said in a statement late on Saturday that it collected 1,134 samples from animals other than hamsters including rabbits and chinchillas, which were all negative. Five stores, including the "Little Boss" pet shop, which started the outbreak, remained shuttered as they had not yet "passed the virus test," the government said. "All the other concerned pet shops on the other hand have been thoroughly disinfected and cleaned and the environmental swabs collected from these shops have all passed the COVID-19 virus test," it said. The government said on Friday it would compensate pet shops trading in hamsters, offering a one-off payment of up to HK$30,000 (US$3,850). People who had in recent weeks bought hamsters - popular apartment pets in the congested city - were ordered to surrender them for testing and what the government described as "humane dispatch". Thousands of people offered to adopt unwanted hamsters amid a public outcry against the government and its pandemic advisers, which authorities called irrational. A study published in The Lancet medical journal, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, said Hong Kong researchers have found evidence that pet hamsters can spread COVID-19 and linked the animals to human infections in the city. However, the economic and psychological tolls from Hong Kong's hardline approach to curbing the virus are rapidly rising, residents say, with measures becoming more draconian than those first enforced in 2020.

Hong Kong allows hamster pet stores to resume business after COVID-19 cull

Defending mass culling of hamsters, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said that Covid infections could be growing exponentially due to an outbreak in pet hamsters. A surge of Delta cases had been linked to a pet shop worker. The 23-year-old woman who worked at the Little Boss pet shop in Causeway Bay may have contracted the disease from the hamsters who were found to be Covid positive.

As a result, Hong Kong decided to kill 2,000 hamsters and temporarily suspend imports of small animals after finding evidence for the first time traces of possible animal-to-human transmission of the Covid virus in the city.&nbsp;

"We are worried that the exponential growth of cases that we have seen in other parts of the world is now happening in Kwai Chung," Lam said. She further urged people to avoid gatherings ahead of Lunar New Year.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-to-cull-thousands-of-hamsters-after-finding-traces-of-animal-to-human-covid-transmission-445851">Also read |&nbsp;Hong Kong to cull thousands of hamsters after finding traces of animal-to-human Covid transmission</a>

Earlier this week, Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Dr Leung Siu-fai announced that all owners who had bought hamsters since December 22 would have to turn over the animals.&nbsp;

“We have assessed that the risks of these batches are relatively high and therefore made the decision based on public health needs,” SCMP quoted Leung as saying.

“We urge all pet owners to observe strict hygiene when handling their pets and cages. Do not kiss them or abandon them on the streets,” he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

Defending mass culling of hamsters, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said that Covid infections could be growing exponentially due to an outbreak in pet hamsters. A surge of Delta cases had been linked to a pet shop worker.

Defending mass culling of hamsters, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said that Covid infections could be growing exponentially due to an outbreak in pet hamsters. A surge of Delta cases had been linked to a pet shop worker. The 23-year-old woman who worked at the Little Boss pet shop in Causeway Bay may have contracted the disease from the hamsters who were found to be Covid positive. As a result, Hong Kong decided to kill 2,000 hamsters and temporarily suspend imports of small animals after finding evidence for the first time traces of possible animal-to-human transmission of the Covid virus in the city. "We are worried that the exponential growth of cases that we have seen in other parts of the world is now happening in Kwai Chung," Lam said. She further urged people to avoid gatherings ahead of Lunar New Year. Also read | Hong Kong to cull thousands of hamsters after finding traces of animal-to-human Covid transmission Earlier this week, Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Dr Leung Siu-fai announced that all owners who had bought hamsters since December 22 would have to turn over the animals. “We have assessed that the risks of these batches are relatively high and therefore made the decision based on public health needs,” SCMP quoted Leung as saying. “We urge all pet owners to observe strict hygiene when handling their pets and cages. Do not kiss them or abandon them on the streets,” he added. (With inputs from agencies)

'We are worried': Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam defends hamster culling

In Hong Kong 11 small rodents tested positive for covid-19 and in a bid to stop the spread of the virus authorities in in the countries have now ordered pet shops and owners to hand over close to 2000 hamsters for culling, they've also suspended the import of small animals.

11 hamsters tested positive for Coronavirus in Hong Kong, 2000 hamsters to be culled

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