Meet the air traffic controller who flies himself to work
PUEBLO, Colo. (AP) — Jake Hutzler spends his workdays directing planes from an airport tower. Once a week, he gets there by strapping a propeller to his back and taking to the skies of Colorado. Before his commute, the 28-year-old air traffic controller lays out a large wing on the road outside his apartment complex, fires up the motor and starts running. Within seconds, his feet leave the ground. For the next 20 minutes, Hutzler flies at a leisurely 35 mph above the expansive fields around Pueblo. For someone who has been fascinated with flying since childhood, it’s a particularly satisfying commute. Hutzler says it’s as close as you can get to flying like a bird.
Scientists search for answers as baby whales wash up dead in Argentina
PENINSULA VALDES, Argentina (AP) — Scientists in Argentina are trying to find out why unusually high numbers of baby whales are washing up dead along the Patagonian coast. The lead researcher said Friday that bacterial infections could be to blame. Bacteria may enter through wounds left by seabirds pecking at the whales’ skin and blubber. Teams are testing tissue samples to determine whether infections caused the deaths. They also want to know whether warming waters or other environmental changes are playing a role. The losses could slow the recovery of southern right whales, once hunted to the brink of extinction.
Amazon to invest $1B into data center communities amid backlash against data center rollouts
NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon is investing more than $1 billion over the next five years into communities where it operates data centers for education, job training, water preservation projects and other local priorities as it reacts to a growing backlash from politicians and consumers to the tech industry’s rollout of its massive centers. According to a blog post on Friday by Amazon’s CEO of Web Services Matt Garman, Amazon has already spent more than $1 billion in communities with a large data center presence over the past three years.
Massachusetts man charged with cyberstalking podcaster and former Trump official Katie Miller
WASHINGTON (AP) — A Massachusetts man has been arrested in a federal case alleging he cyberstalked conservative podcaster and former Trump administration official Katie Miller. Authorities say the man contacted Katie Miller at least 40 times over the course of several weeks, sometimes leaving disturbing voicemails and text messages about her and her husband, Stephen Miller, who serves as White House deputy chief of staff. He also sent messages to phone numbers for her parents, according to prosecutors. The court documents do not identify the victim by name, but a person familiar with the matter confirmed that it is Katie Miller. In a social media post on Thursday, Katie Miller thanked Justice Department and FBI officials for keeping her and her family safe.
Average long-term US mortgage rate churns upward to its highest level in nearly 3 years at 7.28%
NEW YORK (AP) — The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate remained above 7% this week, reaching its highest level in nearly three years. The benchmark 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose to 7.28% from 7.03% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the average rate was 6.34%. This is the sixth week in a row that mortgage rates have increased. The average rate is now the highest it’s been since Nov. 22, 2023, when it was at 7.29%.
Tokyo court grants legal protection to human voices in AI clone case
TOKYO (AP) — A Tokyo court has awarded legal protection for the human voice in a landmark case involving a popular Japanese anime voice actor. The court ruled Wednesday that Kenjiro Tsuda's voice was used without permission on TikTok. The decision marks Japan's first acknowledgment of voice rights. Tsuda, known for his roles in anime, sued over an AI clone of his voice used in videos. The court found this unauthorized use an infringement of publicity rights. The ruling comes as concerns rise among voice actors about AI cloning. The TikTok account in question has already been closed.
Naomi Campbell's 5-year ban on serving as a charity trustee in England and Wales is overturned
LONDON (AP) — Supermodel Naomi Campbell has won a legal challenge to overturn a five-year ban on being a charity trustee in England and Wales. A three-person tribunal ruled Thursday that the Campbell had been “deceived” by Bianka Hellmich, a fellow trustee in the poverty charity “Fashion for Relief.” Two years ago, the Charity Commission, which registers and regulates charities in England and Wales, found “multiple instances of misconduct and/or mismanagement” at the charity. This included using charity funds to pay for her stay at a five-star hotel in Cannes, as well as spa treatments, room service and cigarettes. As a result, it imposed the ban on Campbell. The supermodel said she was “so grateful” to the tribunal.
Former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem files for divorce from her husband of 34 years
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has filed for divorce from her husband of 34 years. A filing made in April in Noem's home state of South Dakota but posted online Monday cites “irreconcilable differences.” Kristi and Bryon Noem married in May 1992 and have three children. Kristi Noem led President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown from January 2025 to March 2026 and previously served as governor. The Republican faced questions this year about her relationship with top adviser Corey Lewandowski but denied allegations of an affair. Noem’s attorney on Wednesday confirmed the divorce filing and said she'd reserve further comments for the legal process.
Gentle giant Backpack declared winner of Alaska's Fat Bear Week
After a week of fierce competition, Backpack emerged victorious as Fat Bear Week champion, the heftiest bear of Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve. The nonprofit running the longstanding contest announced the winner Tuesday. The week of competition celebrates the resilience of the 2,200 brown bears that live in the preserve on the Alaska Peninsula, which extends from the state’s southwest corner toward the Aleutian Islands. Fat Bear Week was started in 2014 as an interactive way to inform the public about brown bears, the coastal cousins of grizzlies.
Police investigate after toddler pulls out loaded gun at Michigan daycare
CANTON, Mich. (AP) — Police in southeast Michigan are investigating after a toddler pulled out a loaded pistol at a daycare. Authorities say one of the child’s parents has been taken into custody as the investigation continues. Police Chief Joseph Bialy says no one was injured in Monday's incident in Canton. Police are praising the daycare staff for acting quickly to make sure all of the children were kept safe. Bialy says the child's other parent is a police officer from a neighboring jurisdiction. He says the handgun found at the daycare was not a service weapon.
