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🏎️ A league of their own: Self-driving technology has been a notoriously problematic issue for automakers to tackle in recent years … and that trend carried forward recently with the first qualifying trial of the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League. The driverless race cars took position at the Yas Marina track over the weekend, but their cumulative performance left something to be desired. There were crashes, unexpected stops, and other interruptions, but the event still signaled the birth of what could be a new era in the sport of auto racing.

🐋 The whale’s tale: It might be known as a killer whale, but it was the young orca that was in danger after spending weeks trapped in a lagoon after its mother was trapped and died following a low tide along the British Columbia coast. The 2-year-old whale calf was able to overcome the obstacle last week, however, having been spotted swimming into an inlet during high tide on Friday and escaping into the ocean. According to experts, the whale had been stuck since March 23 but will now hopefully be able to reunite with the rest of its family.

💵 Elon's international trip: Self-driving tech might not be perfectly tuned to the racetrack just yet, but Tesla is hoping that roadways around the world are ready to integrate its autonomous software. CEO Elon Musk made a surprise visit to China, which has invested a considerable amount of resources into the global EV market over the past few years, and sought to foster cooperation between that country and the U.S. as it relates to a wide implementation of the latest version of the company’s Autopilot software, which isn’t yet available in China.

🥊 Entering the ring: Conor McGregor, a notable figure in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, is moving into an ownership position with another league. The prominent pugilist confirmed he’s now a minority owner in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships. Roughly a year ago, McGregor made an appearance at a BKFC match between Mike Perry and Luke Rockhold, noting that the organization had “an incredible setup” with “incredible matchmaking.” BKFC President David Feldman said McGregor’s new role will “move the needle tremendously.”

🏦 Markets: The Federal Reserve is set to meet this week, but investors aren’t expecting any near-term interest rate relief. Experts predict the central bank will keep the rates where they are since inflation has remained stubbornly high in recent months.

Among the other things for market-watchers to look for this week is new employment data dropping on Friday and earnings reports from major companies including McDonald’s, Amazon, and Apple.

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Few historical events have fueled more cultural fascination than the 1912 sinking of the Titanic, which served as the inspiration for a massively popular 1997 film. Intrigue surrounding the maiden voyage of the doomed vessel as well as the influential passengers on board is still strong, as evidenced by the staggering sum one item recently fetched at auction.

“New house record”

While the Titanic’s guest list read like a who’s who of the wealthiest people in the world, none had a net worth that matched John Jacob Astor IV. The real estate developer was among the roughly 1,500 passengers who perished when the ship went down, but one of his prized possessions — a gold pocket watch — was recovered.

It went up on the auction block in England over the weekend and ultimately sold to an American collector for the equivalent of $1.5 million. The Henry Aldridge & Son auction house confirmed the sum set a “new house record.”

With an estimated net worth of $87 million, Astor was among the wealthiest people on earth at the time.

Historical accounts indicate that he assisted his wife onto a lifeboat, lit a cigarette, and went down with the ship, drowning at the age of 47. The watch was recovered when his body surfaced days later.

Popular collectibles

Almost anything directly associated with the Titanic can prove valuable at auction, though no such artifacts have been sold for more than Astor’s watch.

The previous record was set when a violin reportedly played by a musician on the ship as it sank sold for the equivalent of about $1.4 million. Notably, the case for the same violin was among the items up for auction on Saturday and went to a bidder who paid just under half a million bucks for it.

If you’ve seen the depiction of stalker Martha Scott in the Netflix series “Baby Reindeer,” it’s probably not a character you’d admit was based on you. But for one woman, that’s exactly what she’s alleging — and the situation might result in a defamation suit.

What it’s all about

“Baby Reindeer” is reportedly a fictionalized account of creator Richard Gadd’s real-life experiences. The Scottish comedian, who writes and stars in the show, previously presented a one-man show about the older female he said stalked him following a conversation in a pub.

Although there aren’t any other details regarding the identity of the person on whom Scott’s character is based, fans of the series and self-styled internet detectives have tried to figure it out. And one woman says she has been inundated by accusations that it’s her.

It’s worth noting that the series doesn’t exactly portray Scott as a villain. Instead, it attributes her disturbing behavior to an underlying mental health problem.

Nevertheless, the woman who says her life has been upended as a result of the show is considering taking legal action against Gadd and Netflix.

The creator’s plea

Gadd has made it clear that he doesn’t want the series to turn into a whodunnit by social media sleuths determined to identify his inspiration for the character.

“We’ve gone to such great lengths to disguise her to the point that I don’t think she would recognize herself,” he said. “What’s been borrowed in an emotional truth, not a fact-by-fact profile of someone.”

But for the anonymous complainant, the damage has already been done. She claimed to have received “death threats and abuse,” depicting herself as a the victim.

“He’s using ‘Baby Reindeer’ to stalk me now,” she said, accusing him of “bullying an older woman on television for fame and fortune.”

Not only has he courted controversy with his political punditry, British actor-comedian Russell Brand has also weathered a serious attack on his reputation in the form of sexual abuse allegations he emphatically denies.

He’s managed to hold on to a loyal, albeit smaller, audience … and now he’s looking forward to a new chapter in his personal life.

A journey of discovery

Although spiritual faith is nothing new to Brand (he’s previously identified as a Buddhist and expressed interest in the Hare Krishna movement), he announced a reawakening late last week as a follower of Jesus Christ.

In a social media video, he confirmed his intention to be baptized into the faith, describing it as an “opportunity to die and be reborn.”

He incorporated a bit of his trademark wit in the announcement, particularly in discussing the possibility of “taking the plunge” in the River Thames, which has been found to contain potentially dangerous levels of the E. Coli bacteria.

“I may be leaving behind the sins, but I might be picking up some pretty serious viruses,” he quipped.

His latest spiritual step

Those who have been watching his videos over the past several months have noticed his increasingly firm embrace of Christianity — from wearing a cross around his neck to his declaration that he realized he was missing “a personal relationship with God.”

Now, Brand is embarking on the next stage with a public profession of his faith, describing baptism as “an opportunity to leave the past behind and be reborn in Christ’s name, like it says in Galatians — that you can live as an enlightened and awakened person.”

As for the complaints that derailed his career last year, Brand acknowledged at the time that he had been “very, very promiscuous” but insisted his sexual encounters were “always consensual.”