NASA's Mars Perseverance snaps a selfie as a Martian dust devil blows by

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The latest selfie by NASA's Perseverance rover at Mars has captured an unexpected guest: a Martian dust devil. The twirling dust devil popped up a few miles behind the rover during this month's photo shoot. The selfie was released Wednesday. It's a composite of 59 images taken by the camera on the end of the rover's arm. Perseverance is covered with red dust in the picture, the result of drilling into dozens of rocks over the past four years. It's collecting samples at an ancient lakebed and river delta for eventual return to Earth.

OpenAI recruits legendary iPhone designer Jony Ive to work on AI hardware in $6.5B deal

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — OpenAI has recruited Jony Ive, the designer behind Apple’s iPhone, to lead a new hardware project for the artificial intelligence company that makes ChatGPT. OpenAI said it is acquiring io Products, a product and engineering company co-founded by Ive, in a deal valued at nearly $6.5 billion.Ive became renowned for a meticulous design aesthetic that shaped the cultural zeitgeist during a 27-year career at Apple, which he left in 2019. The new OpenAI deal now thrusts Ive at the vanguard of AI — a technology driving the biggest industry shift since the iPhone’s arrival.

One Tech Tip: These are the apps that can now avoid Apple's in-app payment system

LONDON (AP) — Apple users are starting to get ways out of the iPhone maker’s so-called “walled garden" which imposes restrictions and fees on payments through iOS apps. Some apps moved quickly after a judge in the U.S. ordered the company to tear down payment barriers. Spotify's updated app now allows users to see prices, sign up for premium subscriptions or buy audiobooks. Epic Games's Fortnite app is returning to iPhones with the option to pay for game currency with Epic's own payment system. Kindle added a Get Book button that takes users directly to their Amazon account to buy a book. Patreon creators can give their fans in the U.S. a way to pay without going through Apple to avoid paying its 30% commission.

Chris Brown freed on $6.7 million bail in assault case, allowing him to start world tour

LONDON (AP) — Grammy-winning singer Chris Brown has been released on $6.7 million bail while facing allegations he beat and seriously injured a music producer in a London nightclub in 2023. A judge in Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday allowed Brown's release, which will allow him to start his world tour next month. His performances were cast in doubt when a different judge last week ordered him held without bail after he was charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent. Brown would have missed at least two dates on his upcoming tour starting in Amsterdam if he had been held until a June 13 hearing.

Fictional fiction: A newspaper's summer book list recommends nonexistent books. Blame AI

NEW YORK (AP) — There's another artificial intelligence blunder impacting news organizations. The content distributor King Features said it was firing a writer who produced a recommended summer reading list that contains non-existent books. The writer admitted to using AI to help him on the story, and took full responsibility for the mistake. His feature was carried in special sections that were included during the past week in the Chicago Sun-Times and Philadelphia Inquirer. The newspapers involved said they're stripping the special section, titled “Heat Index,” from their digital editions and investigating to see whether it contained any other false material.

Former New York state trooper pleads guilty to faking his own shooting

MINEOLA, N.Y. (AP) — A former New York state trooper has pleaded guilty to charges that he shot himself then falsely claimed he was wounded by an unknown gunman on a Long Island highway. Thomas Mascia formally changed his plea during a court appearance Wednesday in Mineola. He had been charged with official misconduct, tampering with evidence and falsifying documents. Mascia’s parents also pleaded guilty Wednesday to firearms charges. Prosecutors say Mascia shot himself in a park, stashed the gun, drove to the highway and called for backup. His lawyer has said Mascia suffers from untreated mental health issues.

George Wendt, who played beloved barfly Norm on 'Cheers' and found another home onstage, dies at 76

NEW YORK (AP) — George Wendt, an actor with an Everyman charm who played the affable, beer-loving barfly Norm on the hit 1980s TV comedy “Cheers,” has died. He was 76. Wendt in later life crafted a stage career that took him to Broadway in “Art,” “Hairspray” and “Elf.” Despite a long career of roles onstage and on TV, it was as gentle and henpecked Norm Peterson on “Cheers” that he was most associated, earning six straight Emmy Award nominations for best supporting actor in a comedy series from 1984-89. The series was centered on lovable losers in a Boston bar and starred Ted Danson, Shelley Long, Rhea Perlman, Kelsey Grammer, John Ratzenberger, Kirstie Alley and Woody Harrelson.

Southwest Airlines will require chargers be kept out while in use because of battery fire concerns

Passengers on Southwest Airlines flights will soon be required to keep their portable chargers in plain sight while using them because of concerns about the growing number of lithium battery fires. Southwest announced the new policy that will go into effect on May 28. The airline says passengers may have already seen notifications about the industry-leading rule when using the airline’s app. There is growing concern about lithium-ion battery fires on planes because the number continues to grow annually and devices powered by those batteries are ubiquitous. There have already been 19 incidents this year following last year’s record high of 89. Other airlines may copy Southwest's new policy.

On 'World Bee Day,' the bees did not seem bothered. They should be

COLOGNE, Germany (AP) — Tuesday was the eighth annual “World Bee Day.” Bees and other pollinators have been on the decline for years. Experts blame a combination of factors. They include insecticides, parasites, disease, climate change and lack of a diverse food supply. A significant part of the human diet comes from plants pollinated by bees. And not just honeybees but hundreds of species of lesser-known wild bees. Many of them are endangered. The U.N. General Assembly sponsored the first “World Bee Day” in 2018 to bring attention to the bees’ plight. Steps as small as planting a pollinator garden or buying raw honey from local farmers were encouraged.

Levi Strauss agrees to sell Casual Friday staple Dockers for up to $391 million

NEW YORK (AP) — Levi Strauss is set to finally part ways with Dockers — inking a deal to sell its brand once credited with propelling the popularity of “Casual Fridays” to Authentic Brands Group. In an announcement Tuesday, the denim giant said it had agreed to sell Dockers to Authentic for up to $391 million. The transaction will start at an initial value of $311 million, with the potential of adding another $80 million to the price tag based on business performance under the new ownership. The sale arrives as San Francisco-based Levi Strauss boosts its focus on the chain’s core Levi’s brand — as well as Beyond Yoga, which the company acquired in 2021, as more and more consumers continue to cozy up to athleisure wear.