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Florida deputy captures runaway emu and returns the large, flightless bird home unharmed

By The Associated Press

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (AP) — A Florida deputy has captured a runaway emu and safely returned the large flightless bird to its home.

A St. Johns County deputy responded last Friday to a rural area west of St. Augustine following reports of the bird’s escape, the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post.

The deputy attempted to secure the emu, but the bird kicked several times using its large talons and fled, authorities said. After a short chase, the deputy cornered the emu, secured it with a makeshift lasso and handcuffed its legs together to render the talons useless.

The emu was returned to its owners unharmed. No charges were filed.

Emus are native to Australia and can grow over 6 feet (1.9 meters tall). They have soft, brown feathers, a long neck and long legs, which allow them to sprint up to 30 mph (48 kph).

The US lags other countries in social media restrictions for kids, but a reform push is growing

By The Associated Press
Amy Neville describes Kristin Bride as her “soulmate.” But the day that forged their bond — June 23, 2020 — was the worst of each of their lives. Both Bride and Neville lost their teen sons that day. Their kids lived a thousand miles apart and never met, but they both died from harms related to their social media use. When the two mothers met, early in their advocacy work to protect other kids, Bride said she had felt “totally alone.” But they have since seen the online child safety movement blossom, with scores of other parents who lost kids pursuing stronger social media safeguards and legislation to protect children online. With that momentum, advocates say the tide seems to be turning. A pair of landmark jury verdicts this year showed a way forward for holding tech companies accountable. And while the U.S. is nowhere near embracing social media bans for children like those seen from Australia to Indonesia, a push for regulation is simmering again in Congress.
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