What beats seeing eclipses from space? Try the northern and southern lights
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Eclipses may be wondrous, but nothing beats seeing the northern and southern lights from space. That's the word from a pair of NASA astronauts living aboard the International Space Station for the past six months. Astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway told The Associated Press from orbit on Wednesday that the space station's position prevented them from seeing totality during last week's solar eclipse, but they still enjoyed a partial eclipse. They'll try to catch next week's lunar eclipse, too. Meir says the best cosmic shows are auroras. The two will return to Earth once their replacements arrive next month.
Concerns about the New World screwworm have put Texas pet adoptions on hold
The first New World screwworm outbreak in Texas in 60 years is hindering efforts to move rescued dogs and cats out of crowded animal shelters to states where they would be adopted. U.S. officials have emphasized the parasite’s threat to the nation’s $113 billion cattle industry, but the screwworm fly can lay eggs that hatch into flesh-eating larvae in the wounds or mucous of any mammal. Several dogs have had infestations in southern Texas and southeastern New Mexico. All but a handful of states have placed new restrictions on importing animals. That's complicating the annual flow of dogs and cats from Texas to other states.
Florida's Jellyfish Museum is dedicated solely to the mesmerizing floating predators
POMPANO BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Floating tentacled predators pulse and swirl in hypnotic patterns in the dark museum space, lit primarily by images projected on walls and the light from the saltwater tanks. The private Jellyfish Museum is located in Pompano Beach, Florida, just north of Fort Lauderdale. Its owners believe it is the first museum in the United States dedicated solely to the translucent invertebrates, and one of the few such spaces in the world. The nearly 10,000-square-foot Jellyfish Museum opened this past spring. It houses roughly 20 unique species of jellyfish found in Florida waters and other parts of the world. Different species can be rotated through the museum’s 21 tanks. Some current occupants include Japanese sea nettles, moon jellyfish, spotted jellies and upside-down jellyfish.
ESPN co-founder Bill Rasmussen dies at 93 from the effects of Parkinson’s disease
LAND O’ LAKES, Fla. (AP) — Bill Rasmussen, who co-founded cable TV sports giant ESPN, has died at the age of 93. ESPN historian Mike Soltys says Rasmussen died Tuesday at his Florida home from the effects of Parkinson’s disease. Rasmussen and his son Scott came up with the idea of a network carrying sports around the clock, and it would revolutionize Americans’ TV-watching habits. ESPN debuted in 1979. But the Rasmussens didn’t stick around long. They were forced out after only a year by ESPN majority owner Getty Oil. Bill Rasmussen and ESPN were estranged until 1999, when company executives invited him to the 20th anniversary celebration. Rasmussen was inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2025.
OpenAI introduces ChatGPT for Teens, promising a more age-appropriate chatbot
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — OpenAI is launching a version of ChatGPT designed for teenagers. As the first generation to grow up with artificial intelligence, teens are already using it for schoolwork, questions about daily life and even companionship. The San Francisco-based company says ChatGPT for Teens is tailored for children ages 13 to 17, with stronger protections including content restrictions around things like suicide, self-harm and romantic or sexual chats. It also provides homework and study support designed to help students learn rather than spit out answers and school essays. The idea is to guide teens toward healthy AI use in an age-appropriate environment, the company said.
British leader reportedly exchanged messages with impostor of top White House official
LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has reportedly exchanged messages with an impostor posing as U.S. President Donald Trump's chief of staff. Politico on Monday revealed Burnham believed he was communicating with Susie Wiles before becoming suspicious and cutting off contact. A spokesperson for Burnham declined to comment, citing national security policy. The White House said the incident had nothing to do with Wiles’ devices being hacked. Last year, the U.S. government investigated similar incidents involving impostors. The State Department warned diplomats about attempts to impersonate officials using AI. The FBI has warned of “malicious actors” misusing AI to impersonate senior U.S. government officials.
Corgis run, bark and sniff their way to glory at a growing international race
VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — It’s not all about short-legged speed when 150 corgis gather for an international race celebrating the little dogs. There’s a costume parade, the “smartest nose,” and — of course — the loudest bark. The fifth Corgi Race Vilnius drew dogs and their owners to the Lithuanian capital’s Vingis park on Saturday for what organizers said was the biggest edition yet. There were competitors from Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Estonia, Germany, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, the United States and Britain — the country most closely associated with the breed, famously a favorite of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Tommy John, namesake for a pioneering elbow surgery that saved his career, dead at 83
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tommy John, the pitching great known for the surgery that bears his name, has died at 83. According to agent Mike Maguire, John died at his home in Bradenton, Florida, on Saturday night. John had a remarkable 26-year career, winning 288 games and becoming the first pitcher to successfully return after groundbreaking elbow surgery. This procedure, now known as Tommy John surgery, has saved the careers of many baseball stars. John was a four-time All-Star and played for several teams, including the Yankees and Dodgers. His legacy extends beyond his pitching, as his surgery revolutionized baseball.
Bonnie Tyler fans line the streets of a Welsh village as her coffin is brought home
LONDON (AP) — Fans have gathered in a Welsh village to bid farewell to singer Bonnie Tyler. Her coffin was brought home on Saturday. The Grammy-nominated star, known for "Total Eclipse of the Heart," died last month in Portugal. She was 75. Locals and fans from the United Kingdom and beyond lined the streets of Mumbles, near Swansea, to see the hearse, which carried her coffin draped in a Welsh flag. Tyler, born Gaynor Hopkins, was a coal miner’s daughter from Skewen in Wales. She earned three Grammy nods and was honored as a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2022. A celebration of her life is planned for Monday in Swansea.
Europe's tallest statue of the Virgin Mary is inaugurated in a small Polish village
KONOTOPIE, Poland (AP) — An enormous statue of the Virgin Mary that is believed to be Europe’s tallest has been inaugurated in a small Polish village. It was financed by one of Poland’s richest businesspeople. The monument towers 55.6 meters (182 feet) over Konotopie in central Poland. Its height includes a crown-shaped 15-meter (49-foot) pedestal. It’s taller than the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which measures some 38 meters (125 feet) including its pedestal. The vast majority of Poles identify as Catholic, but the influence of religion in public life has gradually declined in recent years.
