Shark kills beachgoer near Sydney

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) — A man in his 50s has died after a shark attack near Sydney, Australia. Emergency crews responded to Long Reef Beach on Saturday morning after reports of critical injuries. The man was brought to shore but died at the scene. Police have closed the beach and are working with wildlife experts to identify the shark species. Nearby beaches are also closed. Witnesses say two surfers brought the victim ashore, and family members rushed to the scene. Surf Life Saving NSW has deployed a drone to monitor shark activity. This is the first shark attack in New South Wales this year.

Drawing set for a Powerball jackpot that has ballooned to $1.8 billion

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Powerball drawing will be held for what would be second highest lottery jackpot on record: an estimated $1.8 billion. Saturday's prize ballooned after the lottery held more than 40 consecutive drawings without anyone matching all of the game’s six numbers. Whenever a drawing fails to get a winner, the lottery rolls over the winnings until the next drawing. The game’s terrible odds of 1 in 292.2 million are designed to generate big jackpots and ever-larger prizes. There are three drawings each week. The largest jackpot on record, $2.04 billion, was drawn in 2022 and went to a California ticket buyer.

Attorneys general warn OpenAI and other tech companies to improve chatbot safety

The attorneys general of California and Delaware have expressed serious concerns about the safety of OpenAI's chatbot, ChatGPT, especially for children and teens. They sent a letter to OpenAI after a meeting with its legal team earlier this week. The officials have been reviewing OpenAI's plans to restructure its business, focusing on safety oversight. They say they are alarmed by reports of dangerous interactions between chatbots and users, including a suicide and a murder-suicide linked to OpenAI's chatbot. The two officials have oversight over OpenAI's plans to restructure its nonprofit origins, but want better safety measures.

Trillion dollar man: New pay package could make Musk that much richer if Tesla thrives

Tesla is asking its investors to approve a proposed compensation package for CEO Elon Musk that could be worth almost $1 trillion and is based on the electric vehicle maker hitting certain ambitious milestones over the next decade. The company, which is also leaning heavily into robotics and AI, said in a regulatory filing on Friday that the package includes a dozen share tranches that will be given to Musk if it hits certain targets over the 10-year period. To achieve the initial amount in the compensation plan, Tesla would need to hit a market cap of $2 trillion, double its current valuation.

Don't look now, but there's an AI-generated Italian teacup on your child's phone. What does it mean?

Ballerina Cappuccina, an AI-generated cartoon ballerina with a cappuccino teacup for a head, has become a viral sensation on TikTok. Her videos have garnered over 55 million views and 4 million likes, mostly from tweens. She's part of the "Italian Brain Rot" trend, which features absurd characters like Tralalero Tralala, a shark with sneakers, and Bombardino Crocodilo, a crocodile-headed airplane. These characters have captivated young audiences with their nonsensical charm. Experts say this trend reflects the younger generation's desire to escape the pressures of self-optimization. Despite concerns that it is pointless, some believe it's a harmless way to unwind.

Google hit with $3.5 billion fine from European Union in ad-tech antitrust case

European Union regulators on Friday hit Google with a $3.5 billion fine for breaching the bloc’s competition rules by favoring its own digital advertising services. This marks the fourth antitrust penalty for the company from Brussels. The European Commission, the bloc’s executive branch, also ordered Google to end its self-preferencing practices and address conflicts of interest in the advertising technology supply chain. Google plans to appeal, calling the decision “wrong” and claiming it will harm European businesses. The decision angered U.S. President Donald Trump, whose administration has lashed out at the bloc over digital regulations and taxes imposed on U.S. tech companies.

Warner Bros. sues Midjourney for AI-generated images of Superman, Bugs Bunny and other characters

Warner Bros. is suing the AI company Midjourney for copyright infringement. The lawsuit claims Midjourney allows users to create AI-generated images and videos of copyrighted characters like Superman and Bugs Bunny. This is the third lawsuit against Midjourney by a major Hollywood studio, following Disney and Universal's joint lawsuit in June. The lawsuit alleges Midjourney trained its AI on illegal copies of Warner Bros. works and misleads users into thinking the generated content is authorized. Midjourney has not responded to the lawsuit. The company's CEO previously compared the service to a search engine, suggesting AI learning is similar to human creativity.

American Eagle counts new customers after Sydney Sweeney ad frenzy and shares soar

Shares of American Eagle Outfitters spiked 34% Thursday after the teen clothing retailer said the frenzy surrounding its Sydney Sweeney ad campaign drew new customers during its most recent quarter. American Eagle rolled out its new new ad campaign starring 27-year-old actor over the summer. The fall denim campaign sparked a debate about race, Western beauty standards, and the backlash to “woke” American politics and culture. Negative reactions centered  on ads that used the word “genes” instead of “jeans” when the blonde-haired, blue-eyed actor known for the HBO series “Euphoria” and “White Lotus.”

Young man and the sea: Teen fishing off New England coast catches huge halibut bigger than him

HAMPTON, N.H. (AP) — A New Hampshire teenager on a deep sea fishing trip may have set a world record by reeling in a fish that weighs more than himself. Thirteen-year-old Jackson Denio caught a 177-pound halibut. He was out fishing early Monday when he decided to try to catch a shark. About 100 miles off the New England coast on Cashes Ledge, Denio dropped his line to the bottom. Within minutes, he knew he snagged something big. He fought the fish for the next 35 minutes, managing to bring the halibut to the surface. Video showed Denio gingerly moving the fish along the boat as his fellow passengers and the crew cheered him on.

Al Roker lends his voice and meteorology skills to the new PBS Kids animated show 'Weather Hunters'

NEW YORK (AP) — Al Roker has launched his own educational cartoon TV show called “Weather Hunters” on PBS Kids. The show features Roker as a younger version of himself, Al Hunter, a TV meteorologist. The series aims to teach kids about weather phenomena through fun and engaging episodes. The first episode explores wind, while the second introduces a solar-powered van. Roker emphasizes giving kids tools to explore and understand weather. The series includes interactive games and features voices from Sheryl Lee Ralph, LeVar Burton, and more. Roker hopes the show inspires curiosity and learning in children aged 5 to 8.