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Crocodile escapes in mid-flight

MELBOURNE, Sept. 24 (UPI) -- Australian airline Qantas confirmed a crocodile escaped from its cage during a flight and was found roaming the baggage compartment.

The airline said the croc got out of its cage during a Brisbane to Melbourne flight last week and was found roaming the baggage compartment by a handler, The Daily Telegraph, Sydney, reported Monday.

The reptile was returned to its cage without incident, Qantas said.

The airline said logistics company Australian Air Express is looking into whether the cage had been properly secured prior to the flight.

The size of the crocodile was not reported, The Telegraph said.

40-degree temperature for Ohio River swim

CINCINNATI, Sept. 24 (UPI) -- Organizers of the fifth annual Great Ohio River Swim said participants braved 40-degree air temperatures to swim across the river and back, nearly 3,000 feet.

Event sponsor Ohio River Way Inc. said Sunday morning's swim, which was managed by Tuscon Racing Inc., was originally scheduled for July 21, but was delayed due to high E. coli levels in the water and instead took place amid 40-degree air temperatures in Cincinnati and a 77-degree water temperature Sunday, The Cincinnati Enquirer reported Monday.

Marilyn Braun, 79, of Wyoming, Ohio, said she finished the swim in 28 minutes and 42 seconds.

"When you get so old, you got to do something," said Braun, who said she swims five days a week at her local YMCA, but Sunday's event was her first dip in the Ohio River.

Organizers said 68 swimmers were registered to participate Sunday.

Dog may return to Katrina-hit family

CONCORD, N.C., Sept. 24 (UPI) -- A North Carolina family whose dog wandered off earlier this month said the canine will likely return to his previous owners in Louisiana.

Ta'layza Miller, 15, of Concord, and her grandmother, Oclisha Miller, said Shorty the dog wandered off Sept. 10 and ended up at the Cabarrus Animal Hospital in Kannapolis, where veterinarians discovered a microchip implanted by his previous owners, a Louisiana family, WCNC-TV, Charlotte, N.C., reported Monday.

Blake Peurifoy, a veterinarian at the animal hospital, said the family told him they had been forced to put Shorty up for adoption after Hurricane Katrina six years ago but they would now like to have him back home.

Ta'layza Miller said she would be OK with returning the dog to his previous owners.

"I do want him back, but since they lost everything in Hurricane Katrina and they lost him ... I wouldn't mind them keeping him or anything because it was their dog first," she said.

The girl's grandmother said she wants Shorty's family to know he was loved during his time away.

"I want him to be taken care of. If they do keep him take care of him. Let him ... let them know he's just like a child. He's been very well taken care of," Oclisha Miller said.

Swedes dance to protest dance license law

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Sept. 24 (UPI) -- Organizers of a Swedish demonstration said people danced in Stockholm's streets to protest a law requiring bars to obtain licenses to host dancing.

Anders Varveus of the group Dance, Nonsense & Acceptance said more than 1,000 people gathered Saturday in Humlegarden park and listened to speeches from activists before dancing through the city toward the Tanto park, The Local.se reported Monday.

The demonstrators, bearing signs with messages including "live, love, dance" and "dance or die," were protesting a law requiring owners of restaurants, bars and night clubs to obtain licenses before allowing patrons to dance. The businesses could face fines if customers are seek moving to music.

Varveus described the law as "absurd, obsolete and deeply offensive."

He said the licensing policy "infringes on our right to move freely."

Varveus said his group is prepared if legislators refuse to abolish the law.

"Then we will organize another, bigger dance demonstration," he said.