Larry has 10 years on the prowl

LONDON -- Larry the cat, a four-legged inhabitant of London's 10 Downing St., is marking a decade as Britain's mouse-catcher in chief on Monday. The tabby cat was recruited by then-Prime Minister David Cameron to deal with a pack of rats seen scuttling close to the British leader's official residence, and entered Downing Street on Feb. 15, 2011. The former stray, adopted from London's Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, was given the title Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office, an unofficial pest control post. He was the first cat to hold the rat-catching portfolio since the retirement of Humphrey in 1997, and has loyally served three prime ministers. But it seems like yesterday that Larry was just another cat -- as opposed to a media superstar -- said Lindsey Quinlan, the head of cattery of Battersea. "Throughout his time at Number 10, Larry has proven himself to not only be a brilliant ambassador for Battersea but also demonstrated to millions of people around the world how incredible rescue cats are,'' she said. "His rags to riches tale is yet more proof of why all animals deserve a second chance -- one minute they may be an overlooked stray on the streets, the next they could become one of the nation's beloved political figures, with fans around the world." Larry, who has met a number of world leaders, has been largely unfriendly to men but took a liking to former U.S. President Barack Obama. When former President Donald Trump visited in 2019, Larry took a nap under his car. His grip on the public imagination is clear -- and political leaders know better than to ignore that popularity. The tomcat was a sentimental topic of conversation in Cameron's final appearance in Parliament as prime minister when he said he wanted to quash a rumor that -- perish the thought -- he didn't like Larry. And just to prove it, he whipped out evidence: a picture of Larry lying on his lap. "He belongs to the house and the staff love him very much -- as do I," he said at the time, explaining why he wasn't taking Larry with him after leaving office. After the December 2019 election, rumors swirled that Larry might be headed for retirement with the news that the new prime minister, Boris Johnson, was a dog man. However, despite the prime minister moving Jack Russell cross Dilyn into Downing Street, Larry remained in office.

Guinea declares Ebola epidemic

DAKAR, Senega -- Guinea has officially declared it has an Ebola epidemic after at least three people have died and four others have been infected in the West African nation. Neighboring Sierra Leone and Liberia have put their citizens on high alert as the three West African nations battled the world's deadliest Ebola outbreak from 2014 to 2016, which began in Guinea and in which more than 11,300 people died. Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio has flown to consult with Guinean President Alpha Conde. Guinea's new Ebola outbreak occurred in N'Zerekore, in southern Guinea, where health officials detected suspicious cases of Ebola with patients presenting symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting and bleeding. The sick had participated in the burial of a nurse on Feb. 1 in Gouake, according to Guinea's Minister of Health Remy Lamah, who added that the first investigation counted seven cases, all of people over the age of 25 years, including the two women and one male who have died.

Jaguar to go all-electric by 2025

LONDON -- Struggling luxury car brand Jaguar will be fully electric by 2025, the British company said Monday as it outlined a plan to phase out internal combustion engines. Jaguar Land Rover, which is owned by Indian conglomerate Tata Motors, hopes the move will help turn around the fortunes of the 86-year-old Jaguar brand, which for many epitomizes class but has struggled in recent years. The switch to an electric future will involve moving car production from JLR's Castle Bromwich factory east of the central England city of Birmingham to nearby Solihull. Chief Executive Thierry Bollore said the firm is "exploring opportunities to repurpose" the Castle Bromwich plant, leading to speculation it could be used for battery production. Jaguar Land Rover also said that the far more profitable Land Rover brand will produce its first all-electric model in 2024 as it, too, phases out internal combustion engines. "We have all the ingredients at our disposal to reimagine the business and the experiences our customers seek, to reimagine to benchmark of luxury," Bollore said.

Support grows for riot inquiry

WASHINGTON -- After former President Donald Trump's acquittal at his second Senate impeachment trial, bipartisan support appears to be growing for an independent Sept. 11-style commission into the deadly insurrection that took place at the U.S. Capitol. Investigations into the riot were already planned, with Senate hearings scheduled later this month in the Senate Rules Committee. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has asked retired Army Lt. Gen. Russel Honore to lead an immediate review of the Capitol's security process. Lawmakers from both parties, speaking on Sunday's news shows, signaled that even more inquiries were likely. The Senate verdict Saturday, with its 57-43 majority falling 10 votes short of the two-thirds needed to convict Trump, hardly put to rest the debate about the Republican former president's culpability for the Jan. 6 assault. "There should be a complete investigation about what happened," said Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, one of seven Republicans who voted to convict Trump. "What was known, who knew it and when they knew, all that, because that builds the basis so this never happens again." An independent commission along the lines of the one that investigated the Sept. 11 attacks would probably require legislation to create. That would elevate the investigation a step higher, offering a definitive government-backed accounting of events. Pelosi has expressed support for such a commission while stressing that the members who sit on it would be key. Still, such a panel would pose risks of sharpening partisan divisions or overshadowing President Joe Biden's agenda.

Pair of Gibbons find new home

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina -- The Sarajevo zoo on Monday welcomed its first pair of golden-cheeked gibbons, joining the family of European menageries that are trying to save the endangered small apes from extinction. After arriving in Sarajevo from Slovenia, the pair -- a male and a female -- were placed under quarantine and are expected to make their public debut in mid-March. "We've been preparing for their arrival for nearly a year, having started the construction of their habitat last March," said Aldijana Hamza, the Sarajevo zoo's spokeswoman. Their enclosure has been built on an island in the center of a small artificial lake and once they are allowed outside only water will separate them from visitors, Hamza explained. The gibbons' arrival was a turning point for the Sarajevo zoo, established more than 65 years ago. "It can be considered a major success for this small zoo to have become a part of the major global and European initiative to preserve these endangered animals," said Vedad Skapur, a lecturer at the Veterinary Faculty of the Sarajevo University. The smallest of the apes, gibbons used to be widespread across much of Asia, but their numbers have been greatly reduced due to deforestation, hunting and illegal trade, landing them on the list of endangered animal species.

Emcee gets funeral sendoff

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Danny Ray spent years as the emcee for James Brown, and part of his job during performances was draping capes on the Godfather of Soul. Ray was 85 when he died Feb. 2 in Augusta, Georgia. During his funeral in that city Saturday, Brown's daughter, Deanna Brown-Thomas, draped a shiny silver cape over Ray's casket -- just as Ray had draped a shiny red cape over Brown's casket in 2006. The Augusta Chronicle reported that more than 100 people attended Ray's service at the James Brown Arena, where Ray and Brown had performed many times. The Rev. Al Sharpton appeared at the funeral by video and said he expects Brown and Ray are now performing again "on the other side." "His voice set the tone for the James Brown show," Sharpton said. "He was more than the cape man. He was the co-star of the peak of the show… and he was a decent and generous man." Thomas was among the friends and relatives who spoke about Ray, whose body was laid to rest at Walker Memorial Park in Augusta.

Nestle creates vegan KitKat bar

BERLIN -- Coming soon to a selected retailer near you: a vegan version of the iconic KitKat candy bar. Switzerland's Nestle didn't spell out in its announcement on Monday the exact formula for the new treat to be known as the KitKat V. But it said it would "soon have a delicious plant-based option that delivers the perfect balance between crispy wafer and smooth chocolate that people know and love." The company said it already has launched plant-based alternatives to dairy made from rice, oat, soy, coconut, pea and almonds that are found in its non-dairy ice cream, coffee creamers and other products. The KitKat V, which it said will be launched later this year in "several countries across the globe," is certified vegan and uses 100% sustainable cocoa, the company said. As the product is tested it will only be available in the company's boutique KitKat Chocolatory shops or online, and through select retailers. It will be available in Britain, where the KitKat was originally developed in York -- and where the research on the vegan version was done -- but not in the U.S. where the KitKat is produced under a licensing agreement with Hershey's, the company said. Nestle said it is not releasing information on other countries participating in the initial roll-out at the moment.

Chevy Bolt SUV unveiled

DETROIT-- Whether people want them or not, automakers are rolling out new electric vehicle models as the industry responds to stricter pollution regulations and calls to reduce emissions to fight climate change. The latest offering comes from General Motors, which unveiled a Chevrolet Bolt compact SUV on Sunday. It comes with an estimated range per charge of 250 miles and a $33,995 starting price tag. The Bolt Electric Utility Vehicle will go on sale early this summer as a 2022 model. Sales will start with a small number of early versions priced at $43,495. It will bring the total number of EVs on sale in the U.S. to at least 23, and Edmunds.com expects that figure to reach 30 this year. About 2.5 million electric vehicles were sold worldwide last year. IHS Markit predicts that will increase 70% this year alone. But the changeover has a long way to go. Fully electric vehicles accounted for less than 2% of U.S. new vehicle sales last year, and Americans continue to spend record amounts on larger gas-powered trucks and SUVs. EVs make up 3% of sales worldwide, GM says.

MJ gives $10M to health clinics

WILMINGTON, N.C. -- Basketball legend Michael Jordan is donating $10 million to launch two medical clinics in underserved communities near his hometown in North Carolina. The Novant Health clinics are set to open in early 2022 in New Hanover County along North Carolina's southeastern coast, according to a statement from the system. The gift marks one of the largest ever from the Basketball Hall of Fame athlete, news outlets reported. Jordan previously gave $7 million to open Michael Jordan Family Clinics in Charlotte in 2019 and 2020. Those clinics have since seen more than 4,500 patients and have administered nearly 1,000 COVID-19 vaccines, Novant Health said "I am very proud to once again partner with Novant Health to expand the Family Clinic model to bring better access to critical medical services in my hometown," Jordan said in a statement. "Everyone should have access to quality health care, no matter where they live, or whether or not they have insurance."

Allegations of abductions

KAMPALA, Uganda -- Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine on Monday released a list of 243 people who have allegedly been abducted by the security forces, piling pressure on the government to find those missing amid continuing political tensions after last month's elections. Wine, a singer and lawmaker whose real name is Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, has asserted that at least 3,000 of his followers were detained before and after the presidential elections on Jan. 14. President Yoweri Museveni won the polls with 58% of the vote, according to official results that Wine has called fraudulent. Uganda's top court will hear a case in which Wine seeks to overturn Museveni's victory. Suggesting that Museveni is responsible for the abductions, Wine posted: "Like all tyrants, he pushed the narrative that all is well, with hundreds of mothers, fathers and siblings in tears over missing loves ones." Museveni in a national address on Saturday dismissed allegations that his forces have illegally detained civilians, saying his army "is a disciplined force" and that his party "does not kill" its opponents. But he acknowledged that he had beefed up security ahead of the elections by deploying soldiers from a commando unit previously deployed in Somalia who "killed a few" people he described as terrorists. Museveni's admission raised concerns that state agents carried out extrajudicial killings as tensions persist following polls whose outcome is disputed.

Nicki Minaj's father killed

MINEOA, N.Y. -- The 64-year-old father of rapper Nicki Minaj has died after being struck by a hit-and-run driver in New York, police said. Robert Maraj was walking along a road in Mineola on Long Island at 6:15 p.m. Friday when he was hit by a car that kept going, Nassau County police said. Maraj was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead Saturday. Minaj, 38, was born Onika Tanya Maraj in Trinidad and was raised in the New York City borough of Queens.