Patients find help with therapy donkeys at psychiatric hospital near Paris
NEUILLY-SUR-MARNE, France (AP) — Therapy donkeys are helping patients with mental health conditions at a psychiatric hospital near Paris. The program offers weekly sessions where patients walk and care for donkeys. Patients say the interaction provides relief similar to medication. The sessions are free, funded by France’s public health system, and tailored to individual needs. The program began in 2016 and now includes other animals like guinea pigs and rabbits. Health workers say animal therapy helps with anxiety, depression and more. The founders of the program seek scientific research to formally recognize its benefits.
A bear injures 4 people in a residential area of Japan as attacks rise
TOKYO (AP) — A bear has injured four people in a Japanese residential area in the latest case of attacks by the animals in the region. Two men who work for Fukushima Steel Works and a third employee of another company in northeastern Japan suffered minor injuries Tuesday. The bear also attacked a woman who lives in the area. The Fukushima fire department says none of the injuries are life-threatening. Japan’s Environment Ministry says 13 people were killed in more than 230 attacks by bears nationwide in 2025. Experts say the encroachment has occurred in a region with a rapidly aging and declining human population that has few people trained to hunt the animals.
Dua Lipa and actor Callum Turner are married
NEW YORK (AP) — Dua Lipa and actor Callum Turner are married, according to local officials in London. They tied the knot Sunday at Old Marylebone Town Hall. Photos of the couple leaving the ceremony circulated on social media, showing Lipa in a white skirt suit by Schiaparelli and Turner in a navy suit by Ferragamo. The pair sparked relationship rumors in early 2024. Lipa confirmed their engagement last year in British Vogue. Lipa, known for her disco-pop sound, has won three Grammys. Turner is recognized for his roles in the “Fantastic Beasts” movies and other projects.
Lawyers for Lively and Baldoni battle in a New York court despite settling claims weeks ago
NEW YORK (AP) — The courtroom battle between Blake Lively and Justice Baldoni, minus the actors, has returned to a Manhattan federal courtroom. That's despite the recent settlement of Lively's claims against him stemming from the 2024 movie “It Ends With Us.” The two sides were battling Monday over whether Baldoni owes Lively attorney fees and damages because he filed an unsuccessful lawsuit against Lively after she claimed he subjected her to sexual harassment and defamation. Lively's lawyers claim a California law means she can collect attorney fees and damages because a judge tossed out Baldoni's countersuit last year. Baldoni's lawyers say it is not so. A judge reserved decision.
Serena Williams is coming back to tennis at 44, returning to the sport she dominated for decades
PARIS (AP) — Serena Williams is returning to professional tennis at the age of 44 after nearly four years away from the sport. The WTA Tour has announced that the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion has accepted a wild card invitation to play doubles at the upcoming Queen’s Club grass-court tournament. The Queen’s Club tournament starts June 8. Williams has not competed since bidding farewell at the 2022 U.S. Open. Williams said at the time she didn’t want to use the word “retiring” and instead declared that she was “evolving” away from tennis. The WTA says Williams will play “with a partner to be announced in due course.”
YouTuber box office boom: ‘Backrooms’ and ‘Obsession’ draw Gen Z to theaters
An indie horror with internet origins has beaten the legacy franchise Star Wars at the box office this weekend. According to studio estimates on Sunday, “Backrooms” made an astonishing $81.4 million in its first weekend in theaters. It easily topped the box office over “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” which fell sharply in its second weekend, earning $25 million to take third place. Second place went to another indie horror, “Obsession,” which has continued its unprecedented run, making more money in its third weekend than it did in its first.
Dressing visitors in ancient China's imperial splendor is booming in Beijing
BEIJING (AP) — Studios near the Forbidden City in Beijing are transforming visitors into empresses from ancient China as young people explore a revival of traditional culture. People dress in richly embroidered robes and adorn themselves with jade and pearl pendants. They then pose for photos and videos to share on social media. The trend for historical Chinese costume has grown steadily since 2019. Costume styling and photo shoots are now must-do activities at Beijing’s historical sites. The Forbidden City was once home to Ming and Qing emperors. The Qing collapsed in 1912, ending more than two millennia of imperial rule.
United Airlines flight bound for Minneapolis is diverted because of an unruly passenger
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A United Airlines flight bound for Minneapolis was diverted to Wisconsin on Friday night after reports of an unruly passenger. An airline said United flight 2005 from Chicago to Minneapolis landed safely in Madison, Wisconsin, to address a security concern with an unruly passenger. The Boeing 737-900 had 147 passengers and six crew aboard. No injuries were reported, according to the airline. The flight continued its journey and landed in Minneapolis early Saturday morning.
AI helped a musician with Parkinson’s finish his new album when he could no longer play guitar
LONDON (AP) — Artificial intelligence is helping a London-based singer-songwriter continue writing and recording music after Parkinson’s disease largely took away his ability to play guitar. Samuel Smith relied on AI-powered song generators to create the demos for one track on his new album, “The Art of Letting Go.” He says the apps allowed him to convey his vision to the session musicians who recorded the song after his guitar skills deteriorated. AI music generators like Suno and and Udio use models trained on large datasets of recorded music and audio. The technology has divided the music industry and produced copyright infringement lawsuits. Smith gets it. He also thinks his experience demonstrates AI's potential to expand creative access.
A trip to the United Arab Emirates' darkest spot reveals a rare view of the Milky Way
AL QUAA DESERT, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The gleaming skyscrapers and brights lights of the United Arab Emirates draw the eyes of all who travel here. Then landscape is sign of this Arabian Peninsula nation’s rapid, oil-fueled development over the past decades into a major hub for commerce and tourism. But something lost has been a clear vision of the night sky across nearly all of the country's inhabited land. A group of volunteers from the Dubai Astronomy Group has been helping people in the Emirates reconnect with the sight of stars and the Milky Way by taking them to Al Quaa Desert, one of the darkest spots in the country.
