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April nor’easter with heavy, wet snow pounds Northeast, knocks out power to hundreds of thousands

Yesterday, the Northeast grappled with the aftermath of a potent storm, resulting in nearly 700,000 customers losing power as fierce winds and heavy snowfall, exceeding 2 feet in certain areas, battered the region. The severe weather led to the tragic deaths of three individuals, each killed by falling trees while in their vehicles.

Experts have identified this storm as the most significant April nor'easter the area has encountered since 2020. Such storms typically arise when cold air from Canada, transported by the jet stream, collides with the warm, moist air from the Atlantic Ocean.

Additionally, meteorologists have issued a warning about the forthcoming Atlantic hurricane season, suggesting it might set new records for activity levels. Preliminary forecasts anticipate 23 named storms, a notable increase from the average 14 to 15, with at least five possibly escalating to Category 3 intensity or above, compared to the usual three. The hurricane season is set to commence on June 1, reaching its peak in September.

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Why South Carolina compares well to other undefeated champions as Dawn Staley's Gamecocks enter Final Four

Tonight marks the beginning of the women's NCAA Final Four, featuring a highly anticipated match between No. 1 South Carolina and No. 3 NC State at 7 pm ET on ESPN, succeeded by a clash between No. 1 Iowa and No. 3 Connecticut at 9:30 pm ET, also on ESPN.

The undefeated Gamecocks are aiming for their fourth straight Final Four appearance and the chance to secure their status as the 10th team to win a perfect national championship. On the other side, NC State, with standout player Aziaha James, is set to experience its first Final Four action since 1998. The evening's second game will spotlight a face-off between AP Player of the Year Caitlin Clark of Iowa and Paige Bueckers of Connecticut, with both teams renowned for their top-25 offensive prowess during the regular season.

This year's women's tournament has drawn unprecedented attention, setting a new record for viewership with the Iowa vs. LSU game and seeing the average ticket prices for the Final Four surpassing $2,000. In contrast, the men's Final Four tickets average around $1,000, reflecting the difference in venue capacities.

Switching focus to the men's tournament, Saturday will feature No. 1 Purdue battling No. 11 NC State at 6 pm ET on TBS, followed by No. 1 Connecticut going head-to-head with No. 4 Alabama at 8:50 pm ET on the same network.

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Google Reportedly Considering Putting Some AI Search Features Behind Paywall

Alphabet Inc.'s (GOOGL) subsidiary, Google, is reportedly exploring the idea of introducing a subscription-based model for specific artificial intelligence-enhanced (AI) search functionalities. This strategic shift would represent the company's first initiative to place portions of its flagship search service behind a subscription model.

While Google already offers premium versions of some of its services, which include features like expanded cloud storage or advanced versions of the Gemini AI chatbot, advertising has traditionally been the linchpin of its search engine's revenue model. According to a report by the Financial Times, Google is now contemplating integrating select AI-driven search capabilities into its premium subscription offerings.

This move is in response to over a year of Google's internal deliberations on the potential ramifications AI chatbots, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, might have on its search-related income. The rise of AI chatbots poses a plausible risk of diminishing Google Search usage, potentially impacting users' exposure to and interaction with advertisements that constitute a significant source of revenue for the company.

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