New York school pauses plan to deploy humanlike AI robot teacher after backlash

Erling Haaland is Norway's World Cup machine — and the internet's babygirl

Erling Haaland has become a social media sensation during the World Cup. Known for his towering presence and impressive skills, the Norwegian player has scored seven goals in four matches. Fans have embraced his quirky online persona, dubbing him “babygirl” and “princess” due to his endearin

Solar-powered tricycles help Cubans navigate fuel shortages and blackouts

Cuba's vintage cars have largely vanished, but they are now being replaced by small electric tricycles. These vehicles — mostly made in China — have become essential as Cuba faces a prolonged fuel crisis. Many Cubans have outfitted them with solar panels, allowing recharging without relying on t

The GOAT: Hooved friend provides moral support to firefighters in Colorado

Crews were quashing a small wildfire in Colorado this week when a surprise guest decided to keep them company.

Museum honors a late artist by covering its floor in enough peanut butter to make 15,000 sandwiches

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) — More than 800 pounds of peanut butter — enough for around 15,000 sandwiches — has been spread across the floor of a museum in the Netherlands in tribute to Dutch artist Wim T. Schippers, who died last month.

World Santa Congress brings Christmas cheer to the height of summer

AALBORG, Denmark (AP) — While Europe's still in the throes of summer heat, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the Danish city of Aalborg.

Joey Chestnut eats 66 hot dogs to again claim Mustard Belt at Nathan's Famous contest

Crowds gathered in the sweltering heat Saturday to celebrate the United States' 250th birthday by watching famed competitive eater Joey “Jaws” Chestnut defend his world hot dog eating championship in Coney Island, where he downed 66 hot dogs in just 10 minutes. Miki Sudo defended her title as we

Puppy love as dog walker turns his pack of 13 into Argentina jersey-clad World Cup followers

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Thirteen Argentina followers are roaming the streets of Buenos Aires proudly sporting their team's jersey — but they're not on two legs, they're on all fours, letting out the occasional bark.

People race through Madrid in high heels during Pride, in photos

MADRID (AP) — Participants wearing shoes with heels of at least 10 centimeters (3.9 inches) compete in an annual high heel race during Madrid’s Pride week on Thursday, July 2.

Australian officials ask fans to respect the privacy of Neil, a 1-ton seal who respects nothing

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Like plenty of local boys before him, Neil has come home to the stretch of Australian coast where he was born. Unlike most of them, he trails fame, fans and property damage in his wake. He is also a 1,000 kg (2,200 pound) elephant seal.

Rare copy of Declaration of Independence found by UK National Archives in papers of captured US ship

LONDON (AP) — Michael Scurr has been volunteering at Britain’s National Archives for the last 11 years, spending his Thursday mornings painstakingly cataloging documents for the benefit of future researchers.

Climber couple arrested after scaling Empire State Building antenna for apparent marriage proposal

NEW YORK (AP) — A daredevil couple scaled the Empire State Building's antenna Wednesday and unfurled a banner about “the power of love” and peace, apparently as part of an audacious, high-altitude marriage proposal — soon followed by their arrest.

Sightings of humpback whales surge in Rio de Janeiro, fueling demand for whale-watching trips

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Sightings of humpback whales off Rio de Janeiro’s coast are surging as they recover from decimation due to commercial whaling, prompting an acceleration in the demand for whale-watching excursions to spot the huge marine creatures during their annual migration.

Heat forces yodelers at annual Swiss festival to sing in fountains

Yodelers at a festival in Basel, Switzerland, turned city fountains into rehearsal spaces during Europe’s June heat wave. From Friday to Sunday, singers and alphorn players performed throughout the city. Spontaneous yodeling echoed through restaurants, surprising diners who later joined in. Aroun.

A rare dinosaur fossil from Antarctica is found tucked away in a drawer

NEW YORK (AP) — Scientists have stumbled on a rare dinosaur fossil from Antarctica, tucked away for decades in a drawer.

Gracie the Giraffe, who went missing after wandering off a Texas ranch, is finally found

Gracie the Giraffe, who went missing for about two weeks in Texas after wandering off a remote private ranch, was finally found Friday — and the open range appeared to have agreed with her.

Will Red Grooms' whimsical, wonderful Tennessee Fox Trot Carousel ride again?

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — For a few years at the turn of this century, Nashville was home to a remarkable carousel.

A giraffe named Gracie escaped in Texas. No one can seem to find her

A giraffe named Gracie is missing in Texas, and the search for her has become a tall order.

Merlín the duck takes a trip to the stadium, but FIFA rules keep him out of Mexico match

MEXICO CITY (AP) — One of the biggest folk heroes of this World Cup, Merlín the duck arrived outside Mexico City's stadium on Wednesday to great fanfare — but was ultimately told he could not remain for Mexico's match against the Czech Republic.

Strange real estate: 7-story picnic basket is on the market

The Longaberger basket company is selling its seven-story picnic basket for someone looking for a unique real estate opportunity.

Loudest man yells equal to a jet engine

An Australian town crier sets a world record for the loudest yell, like jet engine loud

Guinness crowns Canberra town crier as the world's loudest person at 122.4 decibels

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Joseph McGrail-Bateup, an Australian professional air conditioner cleaner and honorary town crier, has been recognized as the world’s loudest person.

$75 caviar-topped tots. A day's pay worth of beer. Here's the World Cup menu — and prices

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — World Cup tickets are expensive. Flights to North America are expensive. Hotel rooms in many places are expensive.

Merlin the duck steals the spotlight at President Sheinbaum's news briefing

Merlín the duck, Mexico’s unofficial World Cup mascot, stole the spotlight at President Claudia Sheinbaum’s news briefing. Wearing a green jersey, Merlín didn’t take questions Monday, but his owner, Carla Gómez, did. Gómez, a street vendor, introduced her family as representatives of Mexic

Rescue dog Osito steals hearts at the World Cup, one bike ride at a time

MEXICO CITY (AP) — As World Cup fever sweeps Mexico City, one of the tournament’s biggest fan favorites isn’t a player, coach or official mascot. Joining Merlin the duck in the pantheon of heart-stealers is Osito, an 8-year-old rescue poodle mix who's become an unlikely sensation after arrivin

Triangle couple postpones wedding to attend Stanley Cup Parade

A Triangle couple is postponing their wedding by five hours to make sure they can attend the Stanley Cup Parade.

An ancient oak tree said to have sheltered legendary Robin Hood has died

LONDON (AP) — A massive ancient oak tree linked to the legend of Robin Hood may have been loved to death.

Brazilian soccer fans at the World Cup heed warning not to dress Rocky statue in team gear

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Brazil fans who went the distance up the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps to pose with the Rocky statue left the fictional fighter just as they found him.

Creative and colorful hats steal the show at the Royal Ascot horse races in England, in photos

ASCOT, Britain (AP) — Extravagant, elaborate and sometimes gravity-defying hats take center stage each summer at Royal Ascot, the five-day horse racing festival held at Ascot Racecourse in southern England, a venue founded by Queen Anne in 1711.

A month-old pony moves to a 4th-floor apartment in Croatia. Neighbors don't mind

ROVINJ, Croatia (AP) — A month-old pony named Mile is the newest resident of an apartment building in the northern Croatian coastal town of Rovinj.

Meet Merlin the duck, a Mexico City streetside regular turned World Cup mascot

Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez may have scored for Mexico, but Merlin the duck stole the show. The 2-year-old duck dressed in Mexico’s national colors became an internet sensation during Mexico’s World Cup-opening victory over South Africa. Images of Merlin parading through Mexico City wen

New UFO files describe spinning discs, glowing orbs and one object shaped like a potato

WASHINGTON (AP) — One was a rotating disc that sent out beams of light. Another was a shining red orb of a hue the observer had never seen before. Then there was the one compared to a potato, and also a bean, but with a coat of shimmering, fish-like scales.

Knicks in 6: NY man’s high school yearbook prediction 6 years ago goes viral

A New York man has gone viral for a prediction he made in his high school yearbook six years ago that the New York Knicks would win an NBA title in 2026. Evan Pfeufer chose to have “Knicks in 6. 2026 NBA Finals” written next to his portrait in the 2020 Smithtown High School West yearbook. The pr

Join the beaver hunt: Toronto neighborhood offers unique World Cup-themed scavenger hunt

TORONTO (AP) — Berczy Park is home to a much-loved fountain featuring canine sculptures that shoot water out of their mouths. But now, there's a new dog in town.

With jumpsuits, wigs and dance moves, these young boys and teens keep Elvis' legacy alive

TUPELO, Miss. (AP) — Nearly 50 years after Elvis Presley 's death, a gaggle of exuberant young boys and teens shook up his hometown, intent on keeping the king's legacy alive for a new generation.

Wrestling matches provide an action-packed story time at US libraries, in photos

“Lucha Libro,” a high-energy, action-packed story time is bringing live wrestling matches to libraries across the U.S. to promote literacy. Founded in 2024, “Lucha Libro” plays off the name of the popular Mexican-inspired sport of Lucha Libre. Libro means book in Spanish. Over 40 events are

Australian cockroach kingpin caught with 100,000 illegal insects in record bug bust

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — More than 100,000 live cockroaches illegal to keep in Australia were confiscated from a single breeder in the country’s largest-ever seizure of exotic invertebrates, officials said Friday.

What it's like to go inside New York City's dank, dangerous, bug-filled sewers

NEW YORK (AP) — It wasn’t the rats. Or the smells. Or the germs.

Buffalo named Donald Trump for his golden locks is a sensation at a Bangladesh zoo

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — With his shock of golden hair and trim 700-kilogram (1,500-pound) build, Donald Trump has been drawing crowds from across Bangladesh since he arrived at the national zoo last week.

Radio scans find no alien tech from the latest interstellar comet

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The group leading the charge in the search for extraterrestrial life has given the all clear: An interstellar comet looks to be completely natural and free of any alien tech.

Videos showing groups of people entering NYC sewers at night baffle residents and investigators

NEW YORK (AP) — Mole people? Crocodile catchers? Mario brothers? A series of bizarre sightings of people popping in and out of New York City’s vast subterranean sewer system has the city wondering what exactly is going on, with police now probing the underground mystery.