A red fox stows away on a cargo ship, traveling from England to US
NEW YORK (AP) — This stowaway truly was sly as a fox. A red fox somehow slipped onto a cargo ship that traveled from Southampton, England, to New York. The animal is now in the Bronx Zoo’s care. The zoo said Wednesday that the 11-pound (5-kilogram) male fox appears healthy after early examinations. He's estimated to be 2 years old. It’s not clear how the animal got on the ship full of automobiles. The zoo says the vessel left from Southampton, England, on Feb. 4, and arrived Feb. 18 at the Port of New York and New Jersey. The fox was taken to the zoo's veterinary center the next day. A long-term home will be found once he clears some more health screening. The species is widespread in Europe, Asia, North America and parts of Africa.
Barcelona fan goes to wrong stadium in England and misses Champions League match
EXETER, England (AP) — A Barcelona fan who planned to attend his team’s Champions League game at Newcastle ended up 360 miles away at third-tier Exeter City after going to the wrong stadium. The Spaniard traveled southwest from London to Exeter’s St James Park — rather than north to Newcastle’s St James’ Park. The League One club explained the mix-up on its social media. He arrived at the turnstiles shortly before kickoff of Exeter City’s game against Lincoln City on Tuesday night. Exeter City's staff hooked him up with a ticket to watch their game. A club spokesman said the fan was “pretty gutted and a bit embarrassed.”
Head priest of Episcopal Church in Pittsburgh accused of stealing baseball cards from Walmart
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The head priest of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in downtown Pittsburgh is facing charges after being accused of stealing more than $1,000 in baseball cards from a Walmart. Police arrested the Very Rev. Aidan Smith on Feb. 27 just after he left a Walmart near Pittsburgh. Court records say Smith had 27 packs of baseball cards concealed under his clothing and in a cardboard box. The 42-year-old is charged with receiving stolen property and retail theft. Police say Walmart security video shows Smith also taking baseball cards each of the four previous days and leaving without paying. The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh says Smith had been on administrative leave since January.
Traditional reindeer racing is delighting spectators in frigid Finland
SALLA, Finland (AP) — Traditional reindeer racing has drawn an international crowd to the town of Salla in northern Finland. Handlers raced behind reindeer on skis for the fastest time this past weekend. About 1,000 spectators watched the Salla Reindeer Cup in subfreezing cold near the Russian border. Fans came not only from Finland but several other European countries. The sport has taken place in Salla since the 1950s. Organizers now run it as a regulated competition with trained male reindeer. Only top animals reach the premier “hot series” after meeting a tough time limit. A reindeer named Pompom won the final race this year.
Best cat? Funniest prop? Ahead of the Oscars, the AP hands out its own awards
Awards season has a way of diminishing the movie year into a handful of films that are talked about ad nauseam for months. But as good as some of this year’s Oscar nominees are, you have to go outside the consensus — and the same old categories — to remember the best of 2025. So ahead of Sunday’s Oscars, Associated Press Film Writers Lindsey Bahr and Jake Coyle have selected their own awards. While a movie year might be celebrated for its best film or best performances, dishing out honors for the best cat or funniest prop is just as important.
Bag containing weed and cash accidentally donated to a New Zealand charity shop
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Police in New Zealand say a knapsack left in a donation area at a charity shop contained marijuana and more than $2,000 in cash. They say two teenagers mistakenly left the bag at the shop and were arrested after they returned to try to retrieve it. They said Monday that an air pistol, a police scanner and more cash were found in a search of the teens' car. The boy and girl are both 16 years old. Police didn’t divulge what charges may have been filed.
Finnish pair wins a barrel of ale in annual 'wife-carrying' contest in England
LONDON (AP) — About two dozen couples have taken part in the U.K. Wife Carrying Race, one of the country's quirkiest annual sports events. On Sunday, couples sprinted up and down a grassy hillside in southern England with one partner carrying the other. The sport is linked to an old Finnish legend, though organizers and contestants keep things silly with fancy dress, obstacles and buckets of water. Many use the “Estonian Hold,” with the rider hanging upside down. Finland’s Teemu Touvinen and Jatta Leinonen were crowned the winners and won a barrel of local ale.
Bloodhounds in North Dakota are blazing a trail in the Midwest
FARGO, N.D. (AP) — The North Dakota Highway Patrol's newest recruit has floppy ears, four legs and a powerful tool for finding people. Beau the bloodhound pup joins a band of dogs that is in demand for difficult cases around the Midwest. The Patrol now has four bloodhounds, and they've been called to Montana, South Dakota and Utah to help searches. Trooper Steven Mayer helps train dogs around the world. The Patrol's dogs are also something of a social media sensation, which Mayer hopes creates awareness and inspires earlier calls for assistance.
Denmark is set to explore if gastronomy can be recognized as an art form
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Denmark is debating whether top-level cooking counts as art, and the country’s most theatrical restaurants sit at the center of it. The culture ministry is exploring formal recognition for gastronomy. Some chefs say food can carry ideas, emotion, and social messages, like modern performance art. They also say art status could unlock public funding and private grants. But others say food has a different purpose which must be consumed. Art voices say chefs could start competing for the same cultural money.
Punch the orphan macaque is outgrowing his plushie and making friends
ICHIKAWA, Japan (AP) — Punch the baby orphan macaque is outgrowing the orangutan plushie that comforted him through early rejection from his mother and other monkeys. Images of Punch dragging around the toy bigger than him drew attention to the residents of a zoo near Tokyo. When other monkeys shooed the baby away, Punch rushed back to the toy orangutan, hugging it for comfort. But he’s been using the toy less. On a recent day, Punch was seen climbing on the back of another monkey, sitting with adults and sometimes getting groomed or hugged.
