Spearfisher killed in Australia’s third fatal shark attack in 4 weeks
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A spearfisher has been killed in Australia’s third fatal shark attack in four weeks, according to police. The 35-year-old was spearfishing with family near Michaelmas Island in Western Australia when he was attacked on Saturday. Authorities suspect a 15-foot white shark was responsible. The man was brought to Albany, but paramedics could not revive him. This spate of fatalities is unusual in a country that averages just under three shark deaths a year. The last fatality was on May 24, when a spearfisher was attacked on the Great Barrier Reef.
Taipei Zoo welcomes a pair of red pandas from China, first in over a decade
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — A zoo in Taiwan's capital has received a pair of endangered red pandas from China. This marks the first animal exchange in over a decade as tensions between the two sides run high. The pandas, a 3-year-old male and a 2-year-old female, arrived Saturday and will be in quarantine for a month. They'll then acclimate to their new home at the Taipei Zoo before being unveiled to the public. The male panda immediately began exploring and eating, while the female remained cautious. Taipei will send white-handed gibbons to Shanghai as part of the exchange.
Bernadette Chirac, formidable former first lady of France who built power of her own, dies at 93
PARIS (AP) — Bernadette Chirac, the steel-willed former first lady of France, has died. She was 93. She spent 12 years at the Élysée Palace from 1995 to 2007 beside President Jacques Chirac while building her own political power in rural Corrèze and turning a children’s hospital charity into a national institution. President Emmanuel Macron confirmed her death Saturday, saying he and his wife Brigitte had learned with “great sadness” of the passing of a woman who marked French history beside Jacques Chirac, served the Corrèze region where she was elected and changed the lives of millions of patients through her charitable work.
Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit placed on a lung transplant list
OSLO, Norway (AP) — Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit has been placed on a lung transplant list due to worsening pulmonary fibrosis. Diagnosed in 2018, the disease damages and scars lung tissue, causing serious breathing problems. The Royal Court announced Friday that she will suspend her official duties, with updates only after the transplant. After discharge, a longer rehabilitation period will follow. Norway’s public broadcaster reported a significant worsening over the past six months. Mette-Marit recently apologized for her past contact with Jeffrey Epstein, adding to scrutiny of the royal family.
Anthropic urges industry coordination to allow for a 'pause' in AI development if risks grow
Anthropic is proposing that top AI companies coordinate a way to pause the development of advanced AI systems if they become too dangerous. The company behind the Claude chatbot says the technology is improving so quickly that there's a risk humans could lose control. In a blog post Thursday, Anthropic suggests giving the world an “option” to slow or temporarily pause AI development. The company plans to research ways to implement this pause, noting that AI models are getting faster, doubling their task capabilities every four months. This rapid advancement could lead to AI designing its own successors, raising control concerns.
Astronauts briefly take shelter during repair to fix leak on the International Space Station
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station have briefly taken shelter during a repair to fix a new leak. The five astronauts moved to the docked SpaceX capsule on Friday while cosmonauts worked to fix the leak on the Russian side of the orbiting laboratory. NASA says this was done “out of an abundance of caution.” That part of the space station has suffered from cracks and leaks over the years. NASA said Roscosmos decided on a more extensive repair after fresh leaks were found. The astronauts were allowed to leave the capsule after repair work was paused.
The superfans known as the 'Spurs Nuns' aiming to bring divine intervention to the NBA Finals
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Victor Wembanyama stepped off the court for a moment before Game 1 of the NBA Finals, accepted greetings from a handful of well-wishers in San Antonio Spurs jerseys, then bowed his head to join them in a quick prayer. They’re the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco. On game nights, they’re called the Spurs Nuns. New York has Ben Stiller, Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan among its superfans; San Antonio has a group of nuns who wear Spurs jerseys over their habits. It’s a relationship that goes back at least 20 years or so, and to the sisters it makes perfect sense.
Arrest warrant issued for 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk for misdemeanor speeding charge
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office has issued an arrest warrant for San Francisco 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk on a misdemeanor charge of exhibition of speeding. District attorney's spokesman Sean Webby confirmed the warrant has been issued in response to a video Aiyuk posted to social media last December that appeared to show him speeding on the road in front of Levi’s Stadium.
Caleb Williams strikes jump-throw pose for Madden NFL 27 cover
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has been announced as EA Sports’ cover athlete for Madden NFL 27. On the standard cover, Williams is depicted in a position similar to his pivotal, scrambling, fourth-and-8 jump pass to Rome Odunze in a stirring comeback victory over Green Bay in a playoff game on Jan. 10. With his arm cocked to throw and his feet spread, Williams appears to soar above a silhouette of the Chicago skyline. The deluxe edition features a tight shot of Williams with arms crossed over his white game jersey, a dark, night-like background and snow falling around him.
NASA declares its Mars Maven spacecraft dead after six months of silence
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA's Maven spacecraft around Mars has been declared dead after six months of radio silence. Maven was launched in 2013 to study the red planet's atmosphere. It fell silent in December after passing behind Mars. NASA confirmed Wednesday that the mission is over. Data indicated that the spacecraft went into a fast spin, which disrupted its orbit and drained the onboard batteries. A review board convened by NASA earlier this year concluded that the spacecraft is useless and unable to be recovered. Besides studying Martian weather, Maven helped relay information from NASA's Curiosity and Perseverance rovers on the surface.
