Bear meat vending machines a surprise hit
And other stories from the stranger side of life

Vending machines selling bear meat are big in Japan. The machines, in the northern prefecture of Akita, sell bear meat for ¥2,200 (£13) per 250g, and are “proving popular”, said The Guardian. They are stocked with locally killed wild bear. The large animal’s meat has a “slightly gamey flavour that some have likened to venison, and is often served in stew”, said The Guardian.
Wild turkeys terrorise Massachusetts
The town of Cambridge, Massachusetts, is “on alert” due to problems with “aggressive” wild turkeys, said Fox News. The turkeys have been gathering outside residents’ homes and becoming violent when people try to leave their front doors or take their kids to school, said the outlet. One local said that wild turkeys are “absolutely everywhere in this state”, adding that “you have to be sensible around any wild creature”.
Four-year-old wins publishing record
A boy from the United Arab Emirates has become the world’s youngest person to publish a book at the tender age of 4 years and 218 days. Guinness World Records honoured Saeed Rashed AlMheiri when he published his book, The Elephant Saeed and the Bear. He told UPI that his tome, which is about kindness and friendship, was inspired by his sister, AlDhabi, who holds the title for youngest person to publish a bilingual book (female).
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