On July 22 at Tracouet, Switzerland, 100 alphorn players gathered for the 22nd International Alphorn Festival, Yahoo! News reported. (You know alphorns: Think Ricola commercials.) The competitors were judged on interpretation, musicality, accuracy and rhythm. "It's easy to play but difficult to play it well," said Marcel Henchoz, 85, one of the participants. He was joined by players from France, Germany, America and Canada. Adolf Zobrist, 58, from Brienz, Switzerland, took the title for the fourth time. "It's my hobby and it's my passion. I've been playing since I was 12," Zobrist said. "It's the sound of the mountains."

A shoe-in

Bidding for a pair of white sneakers from the 1990s, branded with the rainbow-colored Apple logo, will start at $50,000 at a Sotheby's auction, Sky News reported. The shoes were distributed to employees at sales conferences and are among "the most obscure in existence," Sotheby's said. The sneakers are in their original box and are in a condition "consistent with age." And bonus! They come with an extra pair of red shoelaces.

Going bananas

Police in Tilden Township, Pa., are trying to figure out who was throwing frozen bananas from a truck on July 24, WFMZ-TV reported. "We had five vehicles traveling eastbound on Hex Highway," said Sgt. Peter Witman. "People traveling westbound threw frozen bananas and struck windshields and other car parts." One driver had her window down and was struck by flying banana debris. "It's extremely dangerous," Witman said.

Want fries with your Barbie?

In Brazil, Burger King is selling a burger with a bright pink sauce that looks like "chewed bubblegum." CNBC reported on July 13 that the BK Barbie Combo comes with a cheeseburger, a pink vanilla-flavored milkshake, a doughnut with pink frosting and an order of Ken's potatoes (also known as fries). The combo is not expected to be offered in the United States.

Gender reveal

Zookeepers at the Columbus Zoo in Ohio were taken aback on July 20 when Sully, an 8-year-old western lowland gorilla that they had assumed to be male, gave birth. Sully has lived at the zoo since 2019, United Press International reported. "It's hard to tell the sex of younger gorillas," the zoo said in a statement. Sully had been healthy and did not need any procedures or medical care that would have clued them in to her gender. Now the zoo will do a DNA test to find out which of three males is the father.

Bright idea

Hong Kong's health minister, professor Lo Chung-mau, is urging public shaming as a remedy to unlawful tobacco use, Sky News reported. "Cigarettes can harm the health of all of us," Lo told a meeting of the Legislative Council's health service panel on July 14. "When members of the public see people smoking in nonsmoking areas ... everyone on the premises can stare at that person." He believes this behavior would help create a nonsmoking culture.

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