In Suriname's rainforest, Saamaka woodcarvers face the pull of gold mining and logging
PIKI SEEI, Suriname (AP) — In Suriname, the Saamaka people are striving to preserve their traditional woodcarving art, known as tembe. This craft, passed down through generations, is integral to their cultural identity. However, expanding gold mining and logging are drawing men away from villages and traditional crafts. Carvers say that woodcarving is more than art; it holds cultural knowledge and history. Despite economic pressures, some carvers are teaching the next generation, hoping to keep the tradition alive. They believe preserving this craft is crucial for maintaining their cultural heritage and connection to the forest.
How daylight saving time changes affect you and what you can do about it
It's almost time for most Americans to set their clocks back an hour. Daylight saving time ends in the U.S. at 2 a.m. local time next Sunday. Standard time will last until March 14, when we will again “spring forward” with the return of daylight saving time. Most countries do not observe daylight saving time. For those that do — mostly in North America and Europe — the date that clocks are changed varies. In the U.S., Hawaii and most of Arizona don’t change and stay on standard time.
Tours offer Halloween enthusiasts visits to former psychiatric hospital and funeral home
WESTLAND, Mich. (AP) — Halloween enthusiasts are seeking "real" scares at a former psychiatric hospital and funeral home. Eloise Asylum outside Detroit and Mortuary Manor in Toledo, Ohio, offer ghost-hunting tours. Visitors can explore these spooky sites with rented equipment like electromagnetic field detectors. Michighost Paranormal founder Justin Cox says trauma leaves energy, and that makes Eloise "super haunted." Guests have reported eerie experiences such as being touched or hearing whistles. The once-massive health facility also offers overnight stays. Mortuary Manor is a former funeral home that now hosts paranormal investigations and even weddings. These attractions aim to enhance the Halloween experience.
Baby orangutans in India expose illegal wildlife trade as experts question a billionaire’s zoo
HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — The discovery of five baby orangutans abandoned on a plantation in eastern India is highlighting the country’s growing role as a destination for trafficked apes. Experts say wealthy collectors, expanding air links with Southeast Asia and loopholes in wildlife laws are to blame. India also legally imported 41 orangutans between 2021 and 2024 and experts have raised questions about their origins. At the same time, efforts to return rescued orangutans to Indonesia have stalled. Scrutiny over ownership of apes intensified after one orangutan was transferred to a private wildlife facility run by billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s family.
Australian judge rejects prisoner’s human rights challenge to Vegemite ban
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A prisoner has lost his challenge to an Australian state’s ban on inmates eating Vegemite after he argued in court that withholding the polarizing yeast-based spread breached his human right to “enjoy his culture as an Australian.” A Supreme Court of Victoria state judge ruled on Monday that the ban is justified in meeting prison authorities’ goals of removing illicit drugs and alcohol from the prison system. Andre McKechnie, 55, is serving a life sentence for murder. He took his battle for the salty, sticky, black-brown byproduct of brewing beer to the court last year. He argued being refused Vegemite breached the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act.
'Picasso of Pumpkin Carvers' brings artistry to a Halloween tradition
HALF MOON BAY, Calif. (AP) — Carving pumpkins is a Halloween tradition. Mike Valladao has turned it into a joyful form of art. Known as the “Picasso of Pumpkin Carvers,” Valladao has been chiseling whimsical faces and creatures into big pumpkins for more than four decades. This year, “Farmer Mike” celebrates 40 years of Halloween artistry at the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival, which is best known for its giant pumpkin weigh-off. Valladao doesn’t have any formal artistic training, but his art has taken him to different parts of the country, including an appearance on “The Tonight Show.” He has gotten requests to carve pumpkins at venues such as the San Diego Zoo, the California Academy of Sciences and the State Fair of Texas.
This recipe for a kimchi seafood pot keeps Esther Choi’s mom coming back for more
Chef Esther Choi says her recipe for Kimchi Seafood Pot is one of her mother's favorites and is part of her Korean Italian American repertoire. It's in her cookbook “Hand Taste: Cook Like a Korean Grandmother.” The dish combines seafood with tomato sauce, kimchi and fish sauce, creating a Korean twist on cioppino. Choi prefers using tomato passata for its smooth texture. She advises using the best quality seafood available. You might sub in clams and shrimp, for example, if scallops are too expensive. The dish is served with crusty bread, pasta or rice.
Madrid festival reroutes thousands of sheep to avoid housing protest camp
MADRID (AP) — Thousands of sheep and goats fill the streets of Madrid during an annual festival celebrating the ancient practice of moving livestock to new grazing grounds. The Transhumance Festival took a detour from its usual route to avoid a protest camp in the city’s central square. Housing activists have been protesting since last month after an elderly woman was evicted from her home. The festival highlights the environmental benefits of traditional grazing, which helps reduce wildfire spread. Madrid has hosted the event since 1994, and similar festivals occur in Italy, France, and California.
British Embassy quashes Winnie-the-Pooh return rumors, keeping the famed bear in New York
It turns out Winnie-the-Pooh and his fluffy friends aren’t being bear-napped from their longtime home at the New York Public Library. The British Embassy Washington dispelled rumors Thursday about a campaign to return the collection of stuffed animals including the “willy nilly silly old bear" to the United Kingdom after nearly four decades at the library. Rumors began swirling after The Washington Post reported last week about plans to bring the bear back home. The beloved children’s character at the center of A.A. Milne’s books turns 100 this year, prompting a renewed push for its repatriation.
What are ya — yellow? The rubber duck carries filaments of American history in its 'feathers'
NEW YORK (AP) — It’s not just a squishy noisemaker. The rubber duck is an American invention with a deep and rich past. The cute, often yellow toys have seen a resurgence in recent years, especially in tourist shops from the U.S. Open to Buckingham Palace, and are beloved across the world. The duck’s origin story was forged in fire, according to popular lore. Charles Goodyear, inventor of vulcanized rubber, is said to have shaped leftover rubber into a duck as a chew toy for dogs and a teething aid for babies.
