Divers and marine experts found no evidence of a major fuel spill on a Samoan reef after a New Zealand navy ship ran aground and sank, Samoa's deputy prime minister said. All 75 people on board the HMNZS Manawanui evacuated safely as the boat foundered about a mile off the coast of Upolu, Samoa. The ship was one of only nine in New Zealand's navy and was the first the country lost at sea since World War II. Samoan Deputy Prime Minister Tuala Tevaga Iosefo Ponifasio had earlier said a fuel...

In a stretch of Northern California known for scenic shorelines and celebrated vineyards, a battle is brewing over the future of the region’s animal farms. Residents in Sonoma County, which is home to half a million people north of San Francisco, will vote this fall on a ballot measure aimed at putting an end to large-scale contained animal agriculture. Proponents say the move is about the humane treatment of animals, but critics contend it’s a misguided effort that could harm egg farming...

For decades, Australia's country towns have relied on independently owned general stores. But some are now at risk of disappearing because of increased competition and economic pressures. The small South Australian timber town of Mount Burr is located in the heart of plantation forests. And if you want takeaway or food supplies, the only place available is the general store. The American menu devised by owner George Copelin when he moved to Mount Burr from the United States is what...

A network of illegal drug sellers based in the U.S., the Dominican Republic and India packaged potentially deadly synthetic opioids into pills disguised as common prescription drugs and sold millions of them through fake online drugstores, federal prosecutors said. At least nine people died of narcotics poisoning between August 2023 and June 2024 after consuming the counterfeit pills, according to an indictment unsealed in federal court in Manhattan. The indictment charges that the leader...

Streaming—and a pandemic—have radically transformed cinema consumption, but there is a growing number of mostly younger people contributing to a renaissance of LA’s independent theater scene. The city’s enduring, if diminished, role as a mecca of the film industry still shapes its residents and their entertainment preferences, often with renewed appreciation after the pandemic. Part of what makes the city unique is its abundance of historic theaters, salvaged amid looming closures or...

Video game maker Epic Games sued Google and Samsung, accusing the tech companies of coordinating to block third-party competition in application distribution on Samsung devices. At issue is Samsung's "Auto Blocker" feature, which only allows for apps from authorized sources, such as the Samsung Galaxy Store or Google Play Store, to be installed. The feature is turned on by default but can be changed in a phone's settings. The tool prevents the installation of applications from unauthorized...

Meta was punished in September with a fine worth more than $100 million from the social media giant’s European Union privacy regulator over a security lapse involving passwords for Facebook users. The Irish Data Protection Commission said it slapped the U.S. tech company with a 91-million-euro ($101.6-million) penalty following an investigation. The watchdog started investigating in 2019 after it was notified by Meta that some passwords had been inadvertently stored internally in plain...

Eating in is in and eating out is out. That's the message that inflation-squeezed consumers have been sending to fast-food companies and other restaurants. Meanwhile, food producers are benefiting from more palatable prices in grocery store aisles. Inflation has been easing broadly for more than a year now, and it's been cooling faster for grocery items since the middle of the year. The current trend marks a reversal from previous years when grocery inflation outpaced restaurants as food...

When Oliver Burkhardt underwent leukemia treatment at age 9, he entered the hospital wearing his patch-covered denim jacket. Pokemon. Superman. NASA. Police, fire, military. Classic rock bands. About 50 patches sewn on by his parents, selected from thousands sent by well-wishers worldwide after his dad made a social media request. The jacket became Oliver’s suit of armor, deflecting his disease—and the nasty side effects of his treatment. It sparked conversations with nurses. His parents...

A canine-like Spot robot could provide the answer to harmful pesticides. Forever a problem child for environmentalists, the UN has long been keen to minimize their impact. Pesticides are used to suppress weeds and aid crop growth, some types do not harm soil, but many do. Developed by researchers at Texas A&M University, the Spot robot uses heat from a torch powered by propane to blast the plant. Dezhen Song from Texas A&M University developed the robot and is now based at Mohamed...

The Thai zoo, whose baby pygmy hippo Moo Deng has become a global viral sensation, moved to patent her image so it can benefit financially from the extraordinary interest which shows no sign of abating. Even on a weekday, the antics of the much-loved little animal drew streams of excited visitors to Khao Kheow Open Zoo, near Pattaya. Her name means “bouncy pork,” and she was soon into her stride, zipping and darting across her enclosure, showing off her trademark bounce. Since her...

Tupperware Brands Corp., the Orlando, Florida-based consumer goods company that produces the iconic line of containers, said it was seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after struggling to revitalize its core business and failing to secure a tenable takeover offer. Despite enjoying the same cultural ubiquity as Kleenex, Teflon, and other brands whose trademarked names are eponymous with entire product categories, Tupperware has suffered from waning sales, rising competition, and the...

FIFA teamed up with the World Health Organization (WHO) for a campaign to educate the soccer industry about the risks of concussion injuries. "Concussion is a public health issue of concern at all levels of football, and many other sports, requiring greater levels of awareness and action," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement. Ten years after the alarming case in the 2014 World Cup final of Germany’s player Christoph Kramer, world soccer’s governing body FIFA...

The scene at Kebap With Attitude in Berlin’s trendy Mitte neighborhood is typical of any street-side stand or restaurant where cooks pile the ingredients into pita bread to create the city’s beloved döner kebab. But the snack’s status could be in jeopardy if the European Commission approves a bid by Turkey to regulate what can legally take the döner kebab name. The word “döner” is derived from the Turkish verb “dönmek,” which means “to turn.” In Turkey, the dish originally was made of lamb...

The head brewmaster for Weihenstephan, the world's oldest brewery, has a secret: He really likes alcohol-free beer. Even though he's quick to say he obviously enjoys real beer more, Tobias Zollo says he savors alcohol-free beer when he's working or eating lunch. It has the same taste, but fewer calories than a soft drink, he said, thanks to the brewery's process of evaporating the alcohol. "You can't drink beer every day—unfortunately," he joked at the Bavarian state brewery in the German...

As one of the world’s most popular takeaway snacks, billions of packets of crisps are consumed every year, with most of them unable to be recycled and ending up in landfill. Now, a farm in the U.K. says it’s on a mission to make the humble packet of crisps a more eco-friendly choice, using fully compostable packaging and a production process that powers both the farm and the local electricity grid. Globally, the potato chips market was worth $34.3 billion in 2023 according to the IMARC...

A group of youngsters from a community in Kiambu, Kenya is experiencing the world of VR headsets for the first time. Gathered in their village hall, it’s clear many of them don’t know what to expect as the organizer, Paul Simon Waiyaki Wa Hinga distributes the devices. Waiyaki is a former teacher who was looking for a better way to engage his students. He noticed there was a lack of technological know-how in many Kenyan villages and started touring the area teaching locals about the...

Starbucks’s new chairman and CEO said that he plans to focus on improving service—particularly during the morning rush—and reestablishing stores as gathering places as he takes over at the struggling coffee giant. In an open letter on the Seattle coffee giant’s website, Brian Niccol said Starbucks is a beloved brand, but he found during conversations with employees and customers over the past few weeks a “shared sense that we have drifted from our core.” Starbucks’s sales have fallen this...

At the center of the circle is Eiko Araki, a master of the Sanuki Kagari Temari, a Japanese traditional craft passed down for more than 1,000 years on the southwestern island of Shikoku. Each ball, or “temari,” is a work of art, with colorful geometric patterns carrying poetic names like “firefly flowers” and “layered stars.” A temari ball takes weeks or months to finish. Some cost hundreds of dollars (tens of thousands of yen), although others are much cheaper. These kaleidoscopic balls...

Germany's first hobby horsing championship got underway in Frankfurt, with hundreds of young riders competing in time jumping, style jumping and dressage on their wooden stick horses. Roughly 300 riders—mostly youngsters, but there are about 20 adults enrolled—are expected to canter around a gymnasium, watched by 1,500 spectators. The competition is part of a growing wave of hobby horsing events internationally: the United States and Australia also held their first championships this...

Rust-colored piles of mine waste and sun-bleached wooden derricks loom above the historic Colorado mountain town of Leadville—a legacy of gold and silver mines polluting the Arkansas River basin more than a century after the city’s boom days. The Environmental Protection Agency has been cleaning the area up for decades. One fledgling company called CJK Milling says it can help—it would “remine” some of the waste piles to extract more gold and silver from ore discarded decades ago when it...

Visitors to Tokyo and Kyoto might not realize it, but Osaka—one of Japan's biggest and oldest cities, known more as a business hub than a tourist destination—is gearing up to host next year's World Exposition. The city has been plastered with the Expo's red-and-blue "Myaku-Myaku" mascot for months and is abuzz with preparations. For many here, the excitement is mixed with nostalgia for the last World Expo hosted by Japan, back in 1970. There are doubters, especially outside Osaka....

Smart homes and AI-powered kitchen appliances were the hot topics at this year’s IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin. But do consumers want to spend their hard-earned money on the latest tech gadgets? The tech event didn’t officially open until September 6, but big brands had already given a sneak peek of what visitors would be able to see. German manufacturers were well represented. Miele showed off an app-connected vacuum cleaner that will alert you when it needs emptying. And...

The office dog is nothing new and is always a treat for the owner, dog, and employees lucky enough to have one. But in Tasmania, one insurance firm has made it a policy that employees’ dogs can join the workforce. For many years now, insurer RACT has permitted its Hobart employees to bring their dogs to the office. In the beginning, Fridays were the only days when dogs could come to work. Now, it’s every day. “Having my best friend in here with me and not having to leave her home whilst I’m...

The office dog is nothing new and is always a treat for the owner, dog, and employees lucky enough to have one. But in Tasmania, one insurance firm has made it a policy that employees’ dogs can join the workforce. For many years now, insurer RACT has permitted its Hobart employees to bring their dogs to the office. In the beginning, Fridays were the only days when dogs could come to work. Now, it’s every day. “Having my best friend in here with me and not having to leave her home whilst I’m...