Новости за 13.12.2024

Wondering about insulation during these cold winter months? Here's your guide to properly insulating your home.

The employee got the traditional Samoan tattoo to honor her father.

Firefighters briefly showed up to the packed restaurant on opening night.

Clark, 22, was named Time Magazine's 2024 Athlete of the Year, following in the footsteps of stars such as Simone Biles and Lionel Messi.

A Miami judge has granted bail to a prominent real estate broker and his twin brother as they face sexual assault charges. But they won't be released while facing a separate federal sex trafficking case involving another brother. A judge on Friday approved a $3 million bond for 37-year-old Oren Alexander and a $2 million bond for Alon Alexander. The bonds are secured by their father's Florida home. Thirty-eight-year-old Tal Alexander appeared in a Miami federal courtroom Wednesday regarding a federal... Читать дальше...

The Commerce Department releases its monthly snapshot of U.S. retail sales Tuesday. Federal Reserve officials wrap up a two-day meeting and issue an interest rate policy update Wednesday. The National Association of Realtors issues its latest update on U.S. home sales Thursday.

A flood watch and other weather advisories take effect in the Bay Area on Friday.

The poet, author, educator and public speaker Nikki Giovanni has died at 81. She went from borrowing money to release her first book to spending decades as a literary celebrity sharing her takes on everything from racism and love to space travel and mortality. Friend and author Renée Watson confirmed Giovanni died Monday with her lifelong partner Virginia Fowler by her side. The author of more than 25 books, Giovanni was a born confessor and performer whom fans came to know well from her work, readings... Читать дальше...

With slick roads, a semitruck careened over a bridge in Truckee on Thursday.

Writing a Christmas made-for-TV movie may seem formulaic, but there’s no real checklist to follow. Successful writers in the genre say there are some standard practices to keep in mind. Be prepared to devote time beyond the actual holiday season to brainstorming, pitching and writing. These movies never have a true villain and happy endings are required. Also, no one dies in a Christmas movie. These are the tips from several successful holiday movie rom-com writers interviewed by The Associated Press. Читать дальше...

Pelosi is 84. 

Home shoppers hoping for more attractive mortgage rates next year may be disappointed. That’s the takeaway from several economists’ 2025 housing forecasts. The majority of the eight forecasts call for the average rate on a 30-year mortgage to remain above 6% next year, with some including an upper range as high as 6.8%. That range would be largely in line with where rates have hovered this year. The biggest wildcard for mortgage rates next year is whether President-elect Donald Trump’s major policy... Читать дальше...

Sophia, a world-renowned robot, has been the center of attention at an Artificial Intelligence and Innovation fair in Zimbabwe this week. Described as an AI global icon by the U.N., Sophia can hold human-like conversations with people and recognize their gestures. As a special guest at the week-long event at the University of Zimbabwe, she answered questions on academic topics from researchers. Children quizzed her about the bible, God and her birth. She also made clear her aversion to human food and romance. Читать дальше...

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is planning to make a $1 million personal donation to President-Elect Donald Trump’s inauguration fund, joining a number of tech companies and executives who are working to improve their relationships the incoming administration. A spokesperson for OpenAI confirmed the move on Friday. The announcement comes one day after Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, said it donated $1 million to the same fund. Amazon also said it plans to donate $1 million.

Have you ever watched a holiday rom-com on Hallmark Channel or Lifetime — or any of the other many networks and streaming services that now air them — and thought, “I could write that”? It’s harder than you may think — but just as fun. Regular writers in the genre say there's not a formula to the job, but you do want to remember your audience and keep things Christmasy. Hallmark Channel has expanded its scope in recent years like including LGBTQ storylines. Both Lifetime and Hallmark Channel have aired Hanukkah movies too.

The judge overseeing the Georgia election interference case against Donald Trump has rejected an attempt by former Trump campaign lawyer Kenneth Chesebro to invalidate his guilty plea. Chesebro reached a deal with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to a single conspiracy count a few months after he, Trump and 17 others were indicted. His lawyer this month asked Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee to invalidate the plea after McAfee in September tossed out the charge to which he had pleaded guilty. Читать дальше...

People are really, really mad.

Prosecutors in Texas will seek the death penalty for two Venezuelan men who are accused of killing a 12-year-old Houston girl after they entered the U.S. illegally. The death of Jocelyn Nungaray was among several cases this year that became flashpoints in the debate over the nation’s immigration policies. Nungaray’s mother campaigned for President-elect Donald Trump, calling for better control of the border. Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said Friday that her office is filing notice that... Читать дальше...

A giant salamander that evolved on the supercontinent Pangaea and outlived the dinosaurs has been proposed for federal protection by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The eastern hellbender would be protected under the Endangered Species Act if Friday's submission is adopted. The slimy brown amphibian is the largest in North America and one of two subspecies in the U.S. It inhabits the rocky beds of clear, cool rivers near the Appalachian Mountains. Its population in the U.S. has rapidly declined in recent decades. Читать дальше...

The griping Vatican-based movie thriller “Conclave” about picking a new pope and Stephanie Hsu starring in the dark comedy series “Laid” as a woman whose former lovers keep unexpectedly dying are some of this week’s new streaming entertainment releases. There's a Little Big Town Christmas special on NBC, the video game Squid Game: Unleashed offers an online battle royale for up to 32 players and Dwayne Johnson stars as Santa's bodyguard in the movie “Red One." And internet star MrBeast becomes the... Читать дальше...

President Joe Biden is commuting the sentences of roughly 1,500 people and pardoning 39 Americans convicted of nonviolent crimes. 

Soto, 26, is said to have signed a record-breaking contract with the Mets after visiting owner Steve Cohen's home.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken makes unannounced visit to Iraq amid push to stabilize post-Assad Syria.

As the year draws to a close, a remarkable initiative involving “superheroes” clad in unique costumes brings unexpected joy — not only to the sick children but also, perhaps even more deeply, to their parents. For seven children battling leukemia and other grave cancer illnesses in a hospital ward in the capital Pristina, this season comes with uncertainty, fear, and hardship. The visit on Friday by these costumed superheroes – Superman, Spiderman, Batman, Super Mario, Superwoman, Captain America... Читать дальше...

Thousands of Syrians celebrated in Umayyad Square, the largest in Damascus, after the first Muslim Friday prayers following the downfall of former President Bashar Assad. The leader of insurgency that toppled Assad, Ahmad al-Sharaa, appeared in a video message in which he congratulated “the great Syrian people for the victory of the blessed revolution.” In the Turkish capital, Ankara, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said there was “broad agreement” between Turkey and the United States on what they would like to see in Syria... Читать дальше...