In Tunisia, snails inch toward replacing red meat as people turn to cheaper protein
AKOUDA, Tunisia (AP) — Tunisians are embracing snails as a protein-packed alternative as the cost of red meat remains high. Unemployed young men are collecting them in fields and selling them at markets and restauranteurs are saying the demand for cheap bowls is growing. Snails have long been consumed in North Africa and throughout the world. Tunisia is among the places returning to bugs as a cheap and sustainable food source. Low in fat and high in iron, snails offer both nutritional value and economic relief. With jobs scare and wages remain low, they cost about half as much as beef per kilogram and often less when sold by the bowl.
Bodega cats make New Yorkers' hearts purr, even if they violate state regulations
NEW YORK (AP) — Bodega cats in New York City are widely loved feline workers in the Big Apple's convenience stores. Most store owners keep them for companionship, and as little salesmen that bring customers in and build rapport. Some say they keep the mice and rats at bay. But the cats lounging on convenience store shelves and basking in the warmth of sun-soaked storefronts don't always get the respect of city and state health officials. Under state law, shop owners can be fined for having cats in any building where food is sold. Despite the legal hurdles, a petition movement driven by social media influencers is calling for social support like vet care to make sure bodega cats and bodega owners can thrive.
US bans government personnel in China from romantic or sexual relations with Chinese citizens
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government has banned American government personnel in China, as well as family members and contractors with security clearances, from any romantic or sexual relationships with Chinese citizens. Four people with direct knowledge of the matter told The Associated Press about the policy, which took effect in January shortly before President Donald Trump took office. Though some U.S. agencies already had strict rules on such relationships, a blanket “non-fraternization” policy, as it is known, has been unheard of publicly since the Cold War. The new policy covers the U.S. Embassy and five consulates in China and Hong Kong, but does not apply to U.S. personnel stationed outside China.
A behind-the-scenes look at Nintendo Switch 2
NEW YORK (AP) — Nintendo’s Switch 2 is bigger and better than its predecessor of eight years past as the video game developer pushes to bring its brand into “a new era” where social experiences are at the forefront. The Associated Press and other members of the media got an exclusive look this week at Nintendo’s latest handheld, TV-console hybrid, which dives head-first into the social world of online gaming. The Switch 2 will hit the market June 5 at a price of $449.99. Video and audio chats and game-sharing functions are huge parts of the new console.
Creating and sharing deceptive AI-generated media is now a crime in New Jersey
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Creating and sharing deceptive media made with artificial intelligence is now a crime in New Jersey and open to lawsuits under a new state law. Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation Wednesday making the creation and dissemination of so-called deceptive deepfake media a crime punishable by up to five years in prison. The measure also establishes a basis for lawsuits against perpetrators. New Jersey joins a growing list of states enacting measures taking aim at media created using generative AI. At least 20 states have passed similar legislation that targets such media involving elections.
Snatched pets and livestock deaths blamed on wolves prompt emergency in rural New Mexico
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Commissioners in a rural New Mexico county say pets are being snatched from front yards and livestock are being killed by Mexican gray wolves, prompting them declare a state of emergency. In the latest flash point over efforts to reintroduce wolves in the western U.S., Catron County commissioners met Thursday to consider steps to hire more people to investigate damage reports and help haze the endangered wolves. They heard nearly three hours of testimony from frustrated ranchers and concerned residents. Counties in California and Oregon also recently declared emergencies because of problems with gray wolves there. Environmentalists argue that wolves have a rightful place on the landscape.
NASA's Webb telescope captures photos of the asteroid that won't hit Earth in 2032
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA's Webb telescope has captured pictures of the asteroid that caused a stir earlier this year when it topped Earth's hit list. Discovered late last year, the asteroid 2024 YR4 was predicted at one point to have a 3% chance of smacking Earth in 2032. Additional observations prompted scientists to reduce the threat to virtually zero. But there's a slight chance it could hit the moon. NASA and the European Space Agency said Wednesday that Webb has confirmed the asteroid is 200 feet across, or about the height of a 15-story building. It swings our way every four years.
Bye-bye, Helene, Milton and Beryl. Names from those nasty hurricanes are now retired
WASHINGTON (AP) — Hurricanes Helene, Milton and Beryl were so nasty last year that their names are being retired. The World Meteorological Organization on Wednesday officially replaced the names of the 2024 storms that killed more than 300 people and caused more than $119 billion in damage. Brianna, Holly and Miguel take their place in the rotating six-year list of names for Atlantic storms set in advance by a committee of international meteorologists. Retiring the names of killer storms is a regular practice, and the list is approaching 100.
A mass grave for fighters in a Roman Empire-era battle is revealed in Vienna
VIENNA (AP) — Construction crews in Vienna last year made an unprecedented discovery. They found intertwined skeletal remains in a mass grave dating to the 1st-century Roman Empire. Now experts at the Vienna Museum on Wednesday have given a first public presentation of their findings. Archaeologists say the discovery is unparalleled in Central Europe. The bodies of 129 people have been confirmed at the site. "It is truly a battlefield,” one archaeologist says. Every skeleton examined showed signs of injury. The investigation continues.
