Peace with Sinner: Tennis fan Pope Leo XIV meets with top-ranked player during Italian Open off-day

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV has apparently made peace with Jannik Sinner. The top-ranked tennis player visited the new pope on Wednesday, gave him a tennis racket and offered to play, during an off day for Sinner at the Italian Open. Leo, the first American pope, is an avid tennis player and fan and had said earlier this week that he would be up for a charity match when it was suggested by a journalist. But at the time, Leo joked “but we can’t invite Sinner,” an apparent reference to the English meaning of Sinner’s last name. Sinner said it was “a good thing for us tennis players” that the new pope likes to play the sport.

Cannes makes it official: No nudity on the red carpet

CANNES, France (AP) — The Cannes Film Festival red carpet is perhaps the most rigidly controlled red carpet in the world. Now, the festival has added a new stipulation. No nudity. While nudity was never previously endorsed at the festival, Cannes updated its dress policy on the eve of its 78th edition to read that “nudity is prohibited on the red carpet, as well as in any other area of the festival.” While a no-shirt-no-service policy is standard in places far less glamorous than Cannes, the policy tweak sparked widespread attention Monday because of the recent trend of sheer and “nude dresses” in some fashion circles.

An Alaska Mother's Day tradition: Mingling with ice age survivors on a farm

PALMER, Alaska (AP) — It is one of Alaska’s favorite Mother’s Day traditions, getting up close and personal with animals that have survived the ice age. All moms get a flower and free admission Sunday at the Musk Ox Farm in Palmer, about an hour’s drive north of Anchorage. Once inside, they will have the chance to view more than 70 members of the musk ox herd, including babies who have just been born. Mother’s Day is the busiest day of the year, attracting over 1,500 visitors. It is a tradition that now stretches over three generations. Executive director Mark Austin says there would be a riot if they ever didn't have the traditional opening of the summer season on Mother's Day.

Chimpanzees drum with regular rhythm when they beat on tree trunks, a form of ancient communication

A new study shows that chimpanzees drum with regular rhythm when they beat on tree trunks. Previous research has shown that chimps have their own signature drumming style. A new analysis of 371 bouts of chimpanzee drumming demonstrates that the chimps clearly play their instruments -- the tree trunks -- with regular rhythms. This suggests that the ability to produce rhythm predates the last common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees, dating back more than 6 million years. Scientists believe that the drumming is a form of long-distance communication. The research was published Friday in the journal Current Biology.

Paul Pierce says he walked 20 miles to work in a robe as punishment for guaranteeing a Celtics' win

Former Celtics great Paul Pierce was so confident in his team in Game 2 against the Knicks, he said he would walk to work barefoot “in my robe” if they lost for a second straight game in the second-round series. That didn’t turn out so great. The Celtics blew a 20-point lead in Game 2, as they did in Game 1, and lost 91-90 on Wednesday night. Pierce appeared to honor his vow the next morning, saying he set out before the sun rose for what he said was a 20.2-mile commute to work in the Los Angeles area. He posted updates on Instagram Live.

Yes, New Zealand still has more sheep than people. But humans are catching up

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand is still one of a few countries in the world where sheep outnumber people. But the human population is catching up, according to official figures. With an economy driven by agricultural exports, the country is particularly known for its sheep numbers -- which have long been the subject of jokes faced by New Zealanders abroad. Tuesday’s figures show the gap has narrowed. In the 1980s, there was a flock of 22 sheep for each New Zealander but that’s shrunk to 4.5 sheep per person. Farmers say cratering wool prices and the conversion of grasslands to pine forests are behind the shift.

A miniature dachshund is reunited with its owner after 18 months lost on an Australian island

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A miniature dachshund named Valerie who was lost for 18 months — or around half her life — on an Australian island has been reunited with her owners. Owner Georgia Gardner said her pet approached without hesitation when they were reunited by Kangala Wildlife Rescue on Kangaroo Island off the coast of South Australia state on Tuesday for the first time since November 2023. Gardner said in a statement on Wednesday: “She ran straight up to me — I just burst into tears. The almost 3-year-old Valerie was trapped on April 25 in remarkably good condition after 529 days spent living like a feral animal. Valerie had weighted 9 pounds when she was lost and now weighs 15 pounds.

A rare New Zealand snail is filmed for the first time laying an egg from its neck

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The sight of a large, carnivorous New Zealand snail laying an egg from its neck has been captured on camera for the first time. The country’s conservation agency made the announcement on Wednesday. The habits of the threatened Powelliphanta augusta snail were once shrouded in mystery. But conservation rangers attempting to save the species from extinction have cared for a population in chilled containers at a facility on the South Island’s West Coast for nearly two decades, allowing the creatures’ lives to be observed after mining engulfed their natural habitat. The hermaphrodite snails take eight years to reach sexual maturity and live for decades.

Kentucky boy uses mother's phone to order 70K Dum-Dum suckers to share with his friends

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — A Kentucky woman was in a sticky mess when she found stacks of boxes containing lollipops on her doorstep. The surprise delivery was ordered by her young son while he played on her phone. Media reports say Holly LaFavers tried stopping her son’s Amazon order for about 70,000 Dum-Dum suckers before the treats arrived but it was too late. Amazon had delivered 22 cases to her home. The surprise got worse after a check of her bank account. She owed about $4,000 for the order. Her efforts to get a refund took some time but she got her money back.

A woman who disappeared from Wisconsin more than 6 decades ago has been found safe

Audrey Backeberg disappeared from a small city in south-central Wisconsin 62 years ago after reportedly hitchhiking with her family’s babysitter and catching a bus to Indianapolis. Nobody ever knew where she went or what happened to her. All that changed last week when she was found alive and safe in another state, thanks to the fresh eyes from a deputy who took over the case in February. Detective Isaac Hanson said Monday he discovered an out-of-state arrest record that matched Backeberg. Hanson says Backeberg chose to leave the town of Reedsburg on her own accord -- likely due to an abusive husband.