Charmes

Italian President Sergio Mattarella was received in Monaco, where Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene's twins, Jacques and Gabriella, reportedly created a surprise for their parents by helping welcome the head of state. The charming moment involving the young royals drew attention, with coverage focusing on the children's unexpected role in the official reception.

A parent describes asking their three-year-old for a hug and being told consent depended on proof of joy: the child said hugs were only allowed if the parent was so happy to see him they would cry. When no tears came, the hug was refused, with the toddler watching the parent's eyes the whole time.

Japanese comedian Yasuko has drawn attention after purchasing a new item for a local children's cafeteria (kodomo shokudo), according to a Fukui Shimbun report. Fans reacted warmly online, commenting that it looked fun and lively, while Yasuko joked that she might come back in her spare time to help kids with their homework.

Actress Haruna Kawaguchi, 31, has announced her marriage to Japan national team footballer Ko Itakura, 29, and that she is pregnant with her first child. She appears in a white wedding dress in a newly released scene from her starring film, which opened in Japan. At a stage greeting the night before the release, held while seated due to her pregnancy, she described the moment as a surreal feeling. Fans praised her recent off-shots, with comments noting her expressive, charming look.

A drawing of a violet-backed starling is being shared and praised for its vivid violet plumage. Commenters note the bird's colouring is so saturated it almost evokes the asexual pride flag, though it would need more black and grey to match. The artwork, tagged under community art tags, is being appreciated as a depiction of a genuinely colourful creature.

Ciara revealed that her 9-year-old daughter almost let slip the news that she was expecting her fifth child, saying the girl 'has this sixth sense' about family secrets. The singer and her husband Russell Wilson welcomed their fifth baby, and the near-spoiler story has become a light celebrity moment drawing attention from fans and entertainment outlets.

Artist Jan K. Abrams has shared a fan-art sketch based on a selfie posted by a user known as Alice, prompting a warm public thank-you online. Alice called the drawing lovely and said it made her day, adding that sketches and selfie-inspired art continue to be a popular way for artists to connect with people online.

A Toronto artist is celebrating Raccoon Appreciation Day with a portrait of a raccoon that used to visit her back door, apparently to check on a relocated compost bin. The image, turned into a print, is winning warm responses online, with the artist quipping that Toronto belongs to the raccoons and they merely let people live there.

Musician and educator Dan Saks marked the release of his picture book "On Our Bikes" by traveling across the Netherlands with his family to test the country's famous cycling infrastructure. He documented the trip in a music video and vlog showing the family riding countryside routes and crossing the country's well-known bike paths.

A Japanese dog owner shared the story of a dog that once lived as a stray in the mountains, now grown to a hefty 30 kilograms, alongside photos of it as a puppy. Readers flooded the comments saying they fell for the puppy pictures, with many remarking that the transformation from a wild stray to a big, well-fed pet felt almost unbelievable.

Primary school pupils in Tianshui, Gansu Province, approached a traffic officer on duty and asked for hugs, in a moment described as heartwarming. Chinese state media shared the scene, and it has drawn warm reactions online, with readers praising the officer's kindness and the affectionate gesture from the children.

A photographer on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, captured images of a black bear cub learning to locate and catch salmon by watching its mother. The photos, taken about two weeks ago, show the cub in typical shy behaviour, easily startled by sudden movements or noise. The images have drawn warm attention from wildlife photography audiences this week.

Researchers in Munich have released Qookies, a free mobile game that introduces young people to the quantum world through a secret cookie recipe, without requiring any formulas. German tech outlet heise covered the project, describing it as 'quantum crumb chaos' and highlighting how the playful approach makes an abstract field accessible to teenagers.

Spencer Gore's 1910-11 painting Balcony at the Alhambra is drawing attention after being featured in an ongoing series on favourite paintings. The work by the Camden Town Group artist, who died young and remains one of the group's lesser known figures, shows a view over a theatre balcony with a clear impressionist influence. Commenters are praising its charm and its echo of nineteenth-century French painting.

The popular series The Apothecary Diaries, whose charming character Jinshi is a fan favourite, is teaming up with Korean-born cosmetics brand Lijulan Cosmetic for a collaboration event in Harajuku, Tokyo. The tie-up is drawing attention from fans of the franchise, and interest in Jinshi is spiking as the event brings the series' characters into a beauty-themed setting.

Musician and educator Dan Saks has released a picture book called "On Our Bikes." To mark its launch, he traveled across the Netherlands with his family, riding the country's famous cycling paths through countryside routes. He documented the trip in a music video and vlog, which are drawing attention from parenting audiences interested in cycling and family travel.

An artist has shared a timelapse of the making of her digital painting "Grumpy Valentine," created in the Procreate app, featuring a grumpy-looking cat with a Valentine theme. The piece is being shared among art and cat-loving communities, with viewers enjoying the chance to see the painting process from start to finish in accelerated form.

An artist has shared a custom foiled portrait of a grey cat named Pearl Grey, presenting the handcrafted pet artwork with hashtags for cats and grey cats. The piece is being shared within art and pet-loving communities, drawing warm attention for its gilded, decorative treatment of a beloved kitty.

A photographer shared a black-and-white street photograph with the caption 'The cats have won tonight', alongside tags for urban, travel and monochrome photography. The playful post suggests cats had taken over a street scene, and it drew small engagement from cat lovers and photography fans.

The Guardian reports on Muse, a technology-packed device from Meta whose appeal rests largely on its deliberately cute design. The piece describes it as 'charming and disarming', arguing that Meta is harnessing the power of cuteness to make advanced technology feel approachable. Details beyond the headline remain limited, and reaction so far is largely confined to press coverage.

King Willem-Alexander had dinner at a restaurant in Oostvoorne, in the Dutch coastal town near Rotterdam, but almost nobody in the street noticed he was there. The story is drawing attention in the Netherlands, with locals and readers amused that the king could sit and eat in public without being recognised, and it has been widely reported by national news outlets.

Children have overrun the comment section of NPR's This American Life podcast, using it like a group chat to message each other directly. The Verge reports on the phenomenon, which has amused observers online as an example of young people repurposing public comment spaces for casual social conversation, much to the confusion of regular listeners.

Riccardo Calafiori won hearts after Italy's match against Turkey by giving his shirt to a young fan, with la Repubblica reporting the child's uncontrollable joy at the gift. The heartwarming moment is drawing affectionate attention to the Italy defender following the national team fixture.

A home baker has shared a photo of a peach crumble they made, tagged under food and baking. The post is a simple, lighthearted share of a homemade dessert, and the small engagement so far suggests friends and food lovers are offering warm, casual reactions rather than any wider debate.

A charming wildlife moment is delighting social media users: sheep lined up in an orderly queue, with the ones wanting their picture taken standing still while the others waited patiently. The result was a series of individual sheep portraits, described as an exclusive photo shoot that the animals greeted with visible interest. The first pictures have now been shared, and the unusually cooperative behaviour of the flock is drawing amused and affectionate reactions.

Australian biologists have set up a livestream camera at a remote desert waterhole, letting viewers around the world watch the wild animals that come to drink in real time. The project is being shared as a feel-good story, with people praising it as a charming way to connect the public with outback wildlife and ecosystems.

Pope Leo XIV has sent a letter to the Chicago White Sox, drawing attention across sports and Vatican watchers alike. The American-born pontiff, who grew up in Chicago, has long been linked to the team, and the correspondence is being read as a personal nod to his hometown club amid its struggles on the field.