Maryland man receives 20-year sentence for pet crematorium scam

Rodney Ward returned debris instead of pets’ ashes and stored animals’ bodies in hearse or threw them out on road

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A Baltimore county man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after being found guilty of defrauding pet owners through his fake crematorium business, returning rocks and sand to grieving victims instead of ashes.

On Tuesday, 56-year-old Rodney Ward was also ordered to pay $12,510 in restitution to victims. He had pleaded guilty to one count of felony theft and five counts of malicious destruction of property over $1,000, according to the Baltimore county state’s attorney’s office.

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source https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/02/maryland-20-year-sentence-pet-crematorium-scam

Nasa’s Artemis II rocket lifts off for historic moon mission

Throng of spectators gathers for Florida launch as astronauts head to moon for first time in almost 54 years

• Artemis II launch – follow live updates

Nasa’s moon rocket Artemis II launched on Wednesday evening, carrying astronauts to the moon for the first time in almost 54 years.

The launch marks the first time since the Apollo 17 mission of December 1972 that humans will have left lower Earth orbit.

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source https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/apr/01/nasa-rocket-moon-launch-artemis-ii

World's oldest known tortoise, Jonathan, dies aged 193

The vet who cared for the giant tortoise said he had left behind a "legacy of resilience and longevity".

Iran Is Skeptical About Diplomacy, U.S. Intelligence Says #wanitaxigo

BBC apologises for not investigating claims against Scott Mills raised last year

Broadcaster did not look into separate allegations of ‘inappropriate communications’ involving the Radio 2 DJ

The BBC has apologised for its response after allegations about Scott Mills were raised with the broadcaster last year.

Mills was sacked with immediate effect by the BBC on Monday over his “personal conduct”. It then emerged he had been questioned over separate allegations of serious sexual offences against a boy aged under 16 in 2018, but the case was later closed due to lack of evidence.

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source https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/mar/31/scott-mills-sacked-questioned-police-sexual-offence-allegations-2016-bbc-radio-2

LA 2028 Olympic organizers say 1m tickets will be available for $28

• Aaround 5% of tickets will cost more than $1,000

• Tickets for general public to go on sale on 9 April

Tickets for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games will go on sale to the general public on 9 April, organizers said on Monday, as LA28 also moved to reassure fans over ticket security by naming a group of verified resale platforms.

A presale for residents in qualifying areas of Los Angeles and Oklahoma City, which will host softball and canoe slalom events, will begin on 2 April.

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source https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/mar/30/la-2028-olympics-ticket-prices

Pope seems to rebuke Trump in remarks about leaders with ‘hands full of blood’

Pontiff’s unusually pointed comments come after Pete Hegseth’s prayer for violence against enemies ‘who deserve no mercy’

Pope Leo has said God ignores the prayers of leaders who wage war and have “hands full of blood”, in an apparent rebuke to the Trump administration.

The pontiff made the comments on Sunday as thousands of US troops arrived in the Middle East and days after the US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, prayed for violence against enemies who deserved “no mercy”.

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source https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/29/pope-rebuke-trump-leaders-with-hands-full-of-blood