News brief: April 7-11

International

On Wednesday, an official at the Swiss Zurich Zoo announced the death of N’Gola, their 40 year old gorilla who was euthanized after years of health struggles.

He held a place among the oldest gorillas in European zoos, zoo director Severin Dressen told ABC News.

As a Western lowland gorilla, N’Gola’s species is critically endangered, which made the decision to euthanize a difficult one.

“It’s a hard decision to euthanize a silverback,” Dressen said. “We’ve seen a crash in the wild over the span of three generations of 80% of the population.”

Near the end of his life, N’Gola battled a host of medical issues such as arthritis, tapeworm infection, and a heart condition. He has been taking pain killers for years, eating less and losing weight as he aged.

Zurich’s beloved silverback gorilla was born in captivity and has fathered 34 children. He is known for being sensitive and “taking care of his harem, his group of females,” according to Dressen.

For example, in 2012, Nache (a female in his enclosure) burst her appendix during a pregnancy, leading to the death of her unborn baby and herself, Swiss newspaper Neue Zuricher Zeitung reported. N’Gola spent weeks crying as he wandered the enclosure looking for her.

Dressen also recalled a rare incident in which he cared for a baby in the group.

“The mother wasn’t there, and he kind of — which is not a typical silverback behavior — took care of that baby.”

National

Basketball great LeBron James has set a record as the first professional male athlete to be immortalized as an official Ken doll.

Mattel Inc. announced in a press release Wednesday the LeBron Ken doll will kick off their new “Kenbassador” series.

Last year, the toy company pursued a similar campaign with female athletes, releasing nine unique barbies in the likeness of famous competitors including tennis star Venus Williams.

“As a young kid, I was fortunate to have role models who not only inspired me but also showed me what’s possible through hard work and dedication,” James said. “Now, as an adult, I understand how vital it is for young people to have positive figures to look up to. That’s why partnering with Barbie to release the LeBron James Kenbassadors doll is such an honor. It’s an opportunity to recognize the powerful impact of role models who instill confidence, inspire dreams, and show kids that they, too, can achieve greatness.”

In an Associated Press produced video of James viewing the doll for the first time, he expressed his approval, calling the doll “dope” repeatedly.

“Okay, now we ready,” he said. “I mean, he might need to do a little lifting. Legs look a little skinny. Little fraily little fellow. Nah, that’s dope.”

Mattel’s senior vice president, Krista Berger looks forward to honoring LeBron with the new Ken.

“We are excited to bring fans a new presentation of Ken that celebrates LeBron as a role model, his icon status, lasting impact on culture, and dedication to setting a positive example for the next generation to reach their limitless potential,” she said.

Local

Trader Joe’s announced they will be opening a new location in Oklahoma City at 6920 Northwest Expressway later this year.

“We’ve consulted our maps and compass and have found a terrific location for a store in Oklahoma City, OK,” they said in a press release. “We are proud to be joining the neighborhood, and to continue our commitment to providing nourishment to the surrounding communities through our Neighborhood Shares program.”

The 58 year old store franchise is known for carrying unique products rather than branded items.

“Our Crew is working hard so we can open our doors in 2025,” the statement from Trader Joe’s said. “We are proud to be joining the neighborhood, and to continue our commitment to providing nourishment to the surrounding communities.”