A Michigan bear roamed the woods for two years with an awful lid on his neck. Not anymore.

A Michigan bear is feeling much, much better. Wildlife experts finally were able to trap a black bear and remove a large lid that was stuck around his neck for two years. Michigan bear specialist Cody Norton said Wednesday that it's “pretty incredible” the bear survived and was able to feed himself. The bear first turned up on a trail camera as a cub in 2023. After that, the Department of Natural Resources was on the lookout. The bear was safely trapped and the lid removed on June 3.

A wild bear enters Lithuania's capital. Hunters refuse a government request to shoot the animal

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Lithuanian hunters have refused to shoot a wild bear that was spotted roaming around the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius and criticized the government for issuing a permit to kill a member of the protected species. The Lithuanian Association of Hunters and Fishermen says in a statement it is shocked by the decision of the Environment Ministry to shoot the bear. The bear now seems to be out of danger as it was spotted on Wednesday walking through forested areas well outside the city. A government official has defended the authorities' stance and says the kill permit was issued purely as a precaution in case the bear posed a threat.

Cheerleaders can now go pro: Varsity Spirit's new league offers pay

Varsity Spirit is starting a professional cheerleading league promising to pay athletes. The Pro Cheer League joins a crowded niche sports market that already includes softball, volleyball, 3-x-3 basketball, lacrosse, indoor football and more clamoring for both fans’ attention and their dollars. This new league is billed as the first professional cheerleading league for athletes 18 and older to give cheerleaders the chance to keep competing after college. Bill Seely is the president of Varsity Spirit in Memphis, Tennessee. He sees plenty of opportunity for all these sports to succeed. This cheer league’s advantage comes from the sport’s growth since the 1970s.

An 80-year-old drives a luxury Mercedes sedan down Rome's Spanish Steps and gets stuck

ROME (AP) — Police in Rome say an 80-year-old man drove a compact luxury Mercedes A Class sedan part way down the city's landmark Spanish Steps before getting stuck. Municipal police said in a statement that the driver tested negative for alcohol, and was cited on the spot for driving down the monument in Rome's historic center. The car was later removed by firefighters using a crane. The driver was not identified and it was not celar if the car was his. One of Rome’s most recognizable monuments, the Spanish Steps have never been intended for motor vehicles, although some thrill seekers tried their luck.

Men hit by lightning plucked from mountain in record-high Colorado helicopter rescues

Two men who were struck by lightning on a Colorado peak were flown to safety in what is believed to be the highest helicopter rescues on record in the mountainous state. One man remained hospitalized in fair condition Friday while the other was treated at a hospital and released. Their names weren't released. Jake Smith with Alpine Rescue Team says the men were from New York state and decided to climb Torreys Peak Thursday during a road trip. One of the men called for help, saying they were struck after reaching the summit. The Blackhawk helicopter got them down from an elevation of 14,200 feet.

Men who stole $6 million golden toilet from English mansion sentenced to prison terms

LONDON (AP) — Two men who stole a $6.4 million golden toilet from an English mansion have been sentenced to more than two years in prison. The 18-karat fully functioning toilet was on display as a piece of contemporary art at Blenheim Palace — the country mansion where Winston Churchill was born — when five burglars smashed a window and yanked it from its plumbing in a brazen early morning raid in September 2019. James Sheen, a roofer who pleaded guilty to burglary, conspiracy and transferring criminal property was sentenced to four years in prison. Michael Jones, who worked for Sheen and was convicted of burglary at trial, was sentenced to two years and three months.

Not-so-hot pursuit of burglary suspect sees police cars chase tractor excavator at walking pace

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Police in South Carolina engaged in a not-so-hot pursuit as they chased a tractor excavator down a main highway for more than an hour at the speed an average adult walks. Police say the chase reached speeds of 3 mph early Sunday morning. Cruisers followed with blue lights and sirens in North Charleston after the excavator damaged a building. The very slow speed pursuit went on for an hour and 12 minutes as the big piece of construction equipment with treads and a shovel would not stop. Authorities say the excavator finally got stuck, and a drone and police dog chased down the 53-year-old driver. He remains in jail on a $22,000 bond.

Flashlights and glowing golf balls. How a NY man played for 35 hours in quest for world record

A New York man is laying claim to the record for most consecutive hours playing golf — a 35-hour stint on a course on Long Island. Kelechi Ezihie teed off at Huntington Crescent Club at about 6:30 p.m. on Sunday and sank his last putt shortly after 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday. He endured hours of rain and used flashlights and glowing golf balls to play in the dark. He's hoping Guinness declares it a world record. Guinness says the review process takes 12 to 15 weeks. Ezihie originally planned to play 24 hours, but learned on the course that another golfer played 32 hours in Norway in May.

The world's oldest restaurant faces a challenge from another Madrid tavern that says its even older

MADRID (AP) — In the heart of Spain’s capital, the famous Sobrino de Botín restaurant proudly holds the title of being the world’s oldest restaurant. It opened its doors in 1725, having survived Napoleonic invasions, civil war and the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, it welcomes droves of eager tourists in Madrid every day. But a half-hour away, a small family-run restaurant says that it was founded 23 years before Botín, in 1702. Casa Pedro’s owners are combing through local archives to prove what's asserted on their sugar packets and in their logo, and say they’re getting close.

A runaway pet zebra has been captured in Tennessee

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) — A runaway pet zebra has been captured in Tennessee. The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office says Ed was captured Sunday in a pasture. He was airlifted to an animal trailer. Video posted by the sheriff’s office shows Ed wrapped in a net with his head sticking out as he is carried by the helicopter to the waiting trailer. The zebra had been on the loose since May 31. It was spotted and filmed running along Interstate 24 before disappearing into the woods. Ed quickly became the subject of internet memes.