Swine fever sweeps Italy’s north, threatening production of prized prosciutto and livelihoods

Swine fever sweeps Italy’s north, threatening production of prized prosciutto and livelihoods

CORTELEONA E GENZONE, Italy — One of Giovanni Airoli’s sows turned up positive for African swine fever in late August. Within a week, all 6,200 sows, piglets and fattening pigs on his farm south of Milan were slaughtered under strict protocols to halt the disease threatening Italy’s 20-billion-euro prosciutto, cured sausage and pork industry. Since … Read more

WNBA players say the troubling side of its rise is racism and threats

WNBA players say the troubling side of its rise is racism and threats

As the WNBA has reached wildly successful highs this season in viewership and attendance, players say the boom long coveted throughout women’s basketball has come with unfortunate consequences. During these playoffs, athletes who would normally be focused on winning have instead shared a swell of complaints of being targeted with racist, misogynistic, homophobic and threatening … Read more

Defector tries returning to North Korea on stolen bus

Defector tries returning to North Korea on stolen bus

South Korean police have detained a North Korean defector for attempting to cross the heavily-guarded border back to the North on a stolen bus. The man was caught Tuesday on the Unification Bridge that separates the two Koreas, where he ignored soldiers who asked him to stop and crashed the bus into a barricade. Though … Read more

Push to map Great Lakes bottom gains momentum amid promises effort will help fishing and shipping

Push to map Great Lakes bottom gains momentum amid promises effort will help fishing and shipping

MADISON, Wis. — Jennifer Boehme grew up scouting beaches around her home in St. Petersburg, Florida, for whatever she could find. Rocks, sand dollars, coquina mollusks — anything the ocean gave up. Now, 40 years later, Boehme wants to launch another treasure hunt. As executive director of the Great Lakes Observing System, she’s leading a … Read more