Danielle Spencer, who played little sister Dee on 'What's Happening!!,' dies at 60

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Known for her role as Dee Thomas on the 1970s sitcom “What's Happening!!,” Danielle Spencer has died at age 60. A family spokesperson said Spencer died Monday after battling cancer for several years. As Dee, she was a deadpan, wisecracking younger sister with a memorable catchphrase, “Ooh, I’m gonna tell mama.” The show aired from 1976 to 1979 and was one of the first on TV to focus on Black teenagers. A major car accident that killed her stepfather left Spencer in a coma for weeks during production of the show. Spencer also appeared in the 1980s reboot “What's Happening Now!!” and later became a veterinarian.

McDonald's Japan's Pokemon card Happy Meals promotion comes to an unhappy end

TOKYO (AP) — Fast-food chain McDonald’s Japan has canceled a Happy Meal campaign that came with coveted Pokemon cards. The company apologized after resellers rushed to buy the meals and then discarded the food, leaving trash outside stores. The meals meant for children came with a toy, such as a tiny plastic Pikachu and a Pokemon card. Japanese media reports said the meals sold out in one day. The company said it was not adequately prepared and that the situation went against its philosophy of providing a “fun dining experience for children and families."  Unusually large crowds were seen flocking to McDonald’s stores when the meals with Pokemon cards went on sale.

GE Appliances shifts more production to US as part of a $3 billion investment

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — GE Appliances plans to shift production of refrigerators, gas ranges and water heaters out of China and Mexico as part of a more than $3 billion investment to expand its U.S. operations. The investment announced Wednesday ranks as the second-largest in the Louisville-based company’s history. GE Appliances says it expects to add more than 1,000 jobs and modernize its U.S. plants in the next five years. Most of its appliance production is in the United States, and the company’s announcement will transfer more work to its domestic plants. It says the first phase of the investment will begin at plants in Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and South Carolina.

Scientists standing by to rescue rare manatee sighted in cold New England waters

BOSTON (AP) — A manatee was recently spotted off the coast of Massachusetts for the first time in almost a decade. Scientists told The Associated Press Friday that officials are standing by to intervene if needed. The manatee was first seen July 26 off the southwestern coast of Cape Cod in the area of Nantucket Sound. Bystanders found it beached a few days later on the tidal flats in Mattapoisett and pushed the manatee back into the water. The animals usually find habitat in warmer southern waters. Experts say the animals could become sick, starve or die in the colder New England water.

4 arrests after home reportedly owned by Brad Pitt was ransacked by burglars, police say

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Police say four people have been arrested in connection with a burglary earlier this summer at a Los Angeles home reportedly owned by actor Brad Pitt. Officers responded June 25 to a break-in at the house in the Los Feliz neighborhood. Police said at the time that suspects broke in through the front window, ransacked the home and fled with miscellaneous property. Detectives have made four arrests, but police didn't immediately release the suspects' names. Officials could not identify who owned or lived in the home. Pitt reportedly bought the property for $5.5 million in April 2023.

Tuesday is World Elephant Day. 5 things to know about the world's largest land mammals

BELA-BELA, South Africa (AP) — Tuesday is World Elephant Day. Here are five things to know about the largest land animals on our planet. The three species are the African savanna or bush elephant, the African forest elephant and the Asian elephant. Two are endangered and one is critically endangered. African savanna elephants are the biggest, with an adult male weighing several tons. Elephants have about 150,000 muscles in their incredible trunks. They can't jump because of their weight. And they do have incredible memories, meaning the saying “an elephant never forgets” is not far from the truth.

Browns All-Pro DE Myles Garrett ticketed after police say he drove 100 mph in Cleveland suburb

STRONGSVILLE, Ohio (AP) — Browns All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett has been accused of driving a Ferrari 100 mph on a suburban Cleveland interstate. The Strongsville Police Department stopped Garrett just after 2 a.m. Saturday in a 60 mph zone on Interstate 71 near the Ohio Turnpike, according to a citation. Garrett is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday but he could pay a $250 fine without appearing. Garrett is expected to be with the Browns in Philadelphia for a joint workout with the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles. Garrett was stopped less than an hour after the Browns landed at Hopkins International Airport after their 30-10 victory over the Panthers.

Man admits trying to smuggle 850 protected turtles valued at $1.4 million to Hong Kong

NEW YORK (AP) — A man admitted trying to smuggle protected turtles worth more than $1 million from New York City to Hong Kong. They were shipped in boxes labeled “plastic animal toys.” Federal prosecutors say Wei Qiang Lin, a Chinese national who lives in Brooklyn, pleaded guilty Monday to exporting more than 220 parcels containing around 850 eastern box turtles and three-toed box turtles. These turtles feature colorful markings and are a “prized feature” in global pet markets. Officers saw them at a border inspection, bound and taped inside knotted socks. Prosecutors say Lin also shipped venomous snakes. He faces up to five years in prison.

Happy move for Cristiano Ronaldo as Georgina Rodríguez announces their engagement

Soccer great Cristiano Ronaldo and his long-term partner Georgina Rodriguez are engaged. The 31-year-old Rodríguez announced the happy news on Instagram on Monday with a photograph showing a huge ring on her finger. “Yes, I do,” read the caption in Spanish, adding “In this and in all my lives.” Rodríguez and the 40-year-old Ronaldo have two daughters together. She has also helped to raise Ronaldo’s other three children. The couple lost one of their newborn twins, a boy, in 2022. Ronaldo met Rodríguez in 2016 when she worked at a Gucci store in Madrid. The former Real Madrid and Manchester United star now plays for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.

YouTube to begin testing a new AI-powered age verification system in the U.S.

YouTube is ready to start testing a new age-verification system in the U.S. using artificial intelligence to distinguish between adults and minors based on their viewing habits. The tests, scheduled to being Wednesday, initially affect a small portion of YouTube's U.S. audience. If successful, the system could become more widespread. It works when viewers are logged into their accounts, regardless of the birth date entered. If flagged as under 18, users face restrictions like privacy warnings and limited video recommendations. Concerns about privacy and free speech have been raised by digital rights groups. The political pressure for better age verification has increased since a recent Supreme Court decision.