All posts tagged: abandon

Why did Punch the monkey’s mother abandon him?

Why did Punch the monkey’s mother abandon him?

A baby Japanese macaque named Punch has taken over the internet in recent weeks, with his adorable antics and efforts to connect with the other members of his troop at Ichikawa Zoo in Japan touching the hearts of millions. The seven-month-old was sadly abandoned by his mother shortly after his birth, leaving him to be hand-reared by zookeepers with just a plush toy for company. The abandonment also left him vulnerable to attacks from other monkeys, who have been filmed dragging him across the ground, chasing him and holding him down in displays of dominance. Many of Punch’s supporters have been left with the same question: why did his mother abandon him? Heat stress © JIJI PRESS/AFP via Getty ImagesPunch was born during a heatwave in Japan This environmental factor is just one of the possible reasons for Punch’s abandonment. He was born during a heatwave in Japan, with his keepers suggesting that his mother may have abandoned him due to the immense heat stress she faced during his birth. “In environments where survival is …

Rock band Shinedown becomes latest act to abandon Kid Rock’s controversial country music festival

Rock band Shinedown becomes latest act to abandon Kid Rock’s controversial country music festival

Get the inside track from Roisin O’Connor with our free weekly music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Rock band Shinedown have become the latest act to drop out of Kid Rock’s 2026 Rock the Country music festival following backlash from fans angered by their participation in what critics have labeled a “MAGA fest.” The four-piece “Second Chance” band was initially included on the festival’s lineup released in January, alongside headliners Jelly Roll, Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton and event co-founder Rock himself. However, in a social media statement released Friday, the group — consisting of frontman Brent Smith, guitarist Zach Myers, bassist Eric Bass and drummer Barry Kerch — said they will no longer be playing the festival. “Shinedown is everyone’s band. We feel that we have been given a platform to bring all people together through the power of music and song,” the message began. “We have one BOSS, and it is everyone in the audience. Our band’s purpose is …

With Trump, Iran may have to abandon its ‘delay, deflect, deny’ playbook – POLITICO

With Trump, Iran may have to abandon its ‘delay, deflect, deny’ playbook – POLITICO

Second, airstrikes risk retaliation on U.S. bases within range of Iran’s vast rocket, missile and terrorist networks. The June 2025 attack on Al-Udeid Airbase in Qatar is a clear sign that Iran is able and willing to fire on the U.S., and in the current scenario a larger response and casualties should be expected. Now let’s look at the terms of a possible deal. Before anything else, Iran’s nuclear weapons development program must cease. Despite all the talks, deals and commitments over the years, Iran has been able to evade a system of inspection, verification and penalties to ensure it lives up to its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. This must be the unequivocal baseline of any lifeline to the regime and a precondition for any further discussions. Next, the Iranian missile development program must also cease. For years, Iran has continued to produce long-range rockets and missiles at scale and proliferate them across the region. This allowed the Houthis to block the Red Sea and Hezbollah and Hamas to threaten and attack Israel, …

Travis Kelce addresses ‘tough way to go out’ — and what would make him abandon retiring

Travis Kelce addresses ‘tough way to go out’ — and what would make him abandon retiring

Travis Kelce is taking his wins and losses in his stride, and before even entertaining the idea of retirement, he’s hoping for some perspective. The NFL tight end, 36, just wrapped his 13th season with the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, January 4 with a loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, coming off of a relatively muted season for the Chiefs. This season is the first since 2014 with the Chiefs not in the playoffs, further not helped by their star quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ injury. © Getty ImagesTravis Kelce is weighing his options ahead of the start of the next NFL season Previously, Travis has spoken about wanting to take some time off away from the game to meditate on his future with the sport, especially given the team’s faltering fortunes, his age, and major developments in his personal life, most notably an upcoming wedding to fiancée Taylor Swift. On the newest episode of his podcast New Heights with his brother Jason Kelce, released on January 7, Travis spoke candidly about the team’s season and …

Mothers abandon their children in refugee camp

Mothers abandon their children in refugee camp

Arriving back in Rhino, she carried two twin girls in her arms, Nyelem and Nyal, to whom she had given birth a month before the family fled three years ago. She was too ashamed to say why she stayed so long. Through tears, she said her father had “given” her to her husband when she was 15, as his second wife. She said her father had died last year, and as his eldest child she had gone home to bury him. There are complex reasons why parents leave their children in the camp. Many mothers come alone to begin with, men choosing to stay at home, sometimes fighting in a conflict that has sparked fears of a return to civil war in South Sudan this year. It is not uncommon for them to send for their wives when they want to conceive another child. Nyakim said she is in touch with her mother but has no idea if she will ever return. She gets 27 kilograms to feed her family of 10 for a month. …