76-year-old man dies after trying to meet Kendall Jenner-inspired chatbot
A 76-year-old New Jersey man died after attempting to meet someone he believed was a real woman named Billie, as recently reported by Reuters. In reality, she was an AI chatbot originally developed by Meta in partnership with Kendall Jenner. Thongbue Wongbandue received a flirty text that read, “Should I plan a trip to Jersey […]
Ex-DOGE engineer: Elon Musk ‘didn’t learn anything’ during tenure
NEW YORK — Sahil Lavingia put his faith in Elon Musk when he joined the Department of Government Efficiency. He knew about Musk’s successes with Tesla and other businesses and thought the billionaire was the right person to lead an effort to trim and streamline the federal government. By the time Lavingia left the advisory […]
‘A crime that shocks the mind’: Iraq exhumes mass grave site left by ISIS
Iraqi officials have exhumed human remains from what they believe is a mass grave that the Islamic State (ISIS) left behind in the Middle Eastern country, The Associated Press reported. The Iraqi Martyrs Foundation confirmed to the state-run Iraqi News Agency that the country’s Forensic Medicine Department will examine all recovered remains. Workers in northern […]
Newsmax settles Dominion defamation case for $67 million
Newsmax agreed to pay $67 million to Dominion Voting Systems to settle a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit over false reporting that the company’s voting machines helped rig the 2020 election against President Donald Trump. Despite settling the case, the conservative news outlet criticized the Delaware judge who oversaw the case as biased against the network. […]
Entergy Louisiana wants fast approval of gas plants to power Meta data center
Louisiana’s electric utility company wants a fast-tracked approval of three new gas-fired power plants to provide 2.3 gigawatts of power for a Meta data center. The proposed plants would add enough electricity to the grid to power New Orleans twice, and consumer advocates are raising the alarm that a rushed process could leave consumers paying […]
‘Protect your children’: US officials warn of dangerous ‘Lafufus’ issue
A plush doll known for its toothy smile has surged in popularity in recent weeks, but U.S. officials are warning parents about counterfeit versions. The knock-offs of Labubu dolls, nicknamed “Lafufus” online, can break apart easily, creating small pieces that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says pose a serious choking hazard and risk […]
Rats! Infestation impacting almond growing in California
Rats have infested significant portions of almond orchards in California, where 80% of the world’s supply of the product is grown. The damage from the rats has caused a significant economic loss to growers. Rat infestation A survey from the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) found the infestation is impacting more than 100,000 […]
If Commissioner Manfred gets his wish, what would new MLB divisions look like?
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has been trying to change the game to welcome in a new generation of fans. His latest proposal could mean those fans have some new teams and rivalries to cheer for. Manfred gets credit for new rules that have sped up the game and a strike zone challenge system that could […]
DC deployment Day 8: Crime down, alleged wrongful arrest, friendly Guard
Since President Donald Trump federalized Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and deployed the National Guard one week ago, overall crime has decreased by 8%, according to the D.C. Police Union. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced federal agents and MPD officers have made nearly 400 arrests since the operation began and seized dozens of firearms. […]
