ROME: A bear attacked and killed a jogger on a woodland path in northwest Italy, the first case of its kind, a source close to the case told AFP Friday.
Andrea Papi, 26, was killed out running Wednesday in the mountainous region near his village, Caldes, in the Trentino region, said the source.
His family raised the alarm when he failed to return and a search team found his body overnight.
He had suffered deep wounds to the neck, arms and chest and an autopsy carried out on Friday concluded he had been attacked by a bear, the source added, confirming Italian news reports.
Already in March, a man had been attacked by a bear in the same region, launching a debate on the dangers posed by the animals, which were reintroduced there between 1996 and 2004.
The local authority has decided to track and kill the animal, once it had been identified, Trentino region president Maurizio Fugatti told reporters Friday evening.
Environmental group WWF had already acknowledged that it needed to be put down.
But Annamaria Procacci a former ecologist deputy who now works with the animal welfare group ENPA, denounced the lack of precautions taken by local officials.
Bears normally kept their distance from people, she argued.
The local authority had to ensure that people were kept away from zones where female bears were raising their cubs, she added.
Bear kills jogger in Italy
https://arab.news/zfqpx
Bear kills jogger in Italy
- Andrea Papi, 26, was killed out running Wednesday in the mountainous region near his village, Caldes, in the Trentino region
- He had suffered deep wounds to the neck, arms and chest
Essex man takes on charity endurance challenge for children in Gaza
- Mark Watson, 63, is undertaking a “virtual Sumud” journey from his Essex home town in Harlow to Gaza, covering 2,287 miles
LONDON: A man in England has launched a demanding charity challenge to raise funds for children affected by the war in Gaza.
Mark Watson, 63, is undertaking a “virtual sumud” journey from his Essex home town in Harlow to Gaza, covering 3,680 km running, walking, swimming, cycling and rowing.
He is raising money for Medical Aid for Palestinians, a UK-based humanitarian organization that provides healthcare to Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied territories.
“I have felt helpless day after day seeing images of countless children in Gaza with broken bodies and missing limbs and witnessing their unbearable suffering,” Watson said on his JustGiving page.
“I have been inspired by the courage of those who took part in the global sumud flotilla and all of the activists who have put their lives and freedom at risk supporting the Palestinian people and so I am raising funds for Medical Aid for Palestinians.
“My challenge is to complete a virtual sumud from Harlow, where I live, to Gaza. Running, walking, swimming, cycling and rowing I will cover the 2,287 miles as quickly as I can.
“I am an unfit, overweight 63-year-old, so I’m not going to break any records, but the Arabic word Sumud means steadfastness and perseverance, and I will give it my all.
Watson added: “I hope to be joined by people I love and admire along the way, so please support my fundraiser. Every donation, however small, will help save the lives of Palestinians.”
As of Jan. 3, his fundraising effort had reached 12 per cent of its £5,000 ($6,733) target.
The war in Gaza began after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on southern Israel, in which about 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 taken hostage, according to Israeli authorities.
Israel responded with a large-scale military campaign in Gaza, which local health authorities say has resulted in the deaths of more than 71,000 Palestinians, widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure and a severe humanitarian crisis.
International aid agencies have repeatedly said that children are among the most affected, facing injury, displacement, malnutrition and limited access to medical care.
Watson said he was inspired by activists and humanitarian efforts supporting Palestinians and hopes his challenge can make a small contribution to saving lives.
