Новости за 03.01.2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve policymakers largely agreed last month that the U.S. tax overhaul would likely benefit the economy, but they were split on whether the resulting growth would warrant a faster pace of rate hikes this year. Minutes of the Fed's Dec. 12-13 meeting released Wednesday show that officials believed the tax cuts would drive consumer spending and increased business investment, though they expressed uncertainty over the magnitude of the boost. The minutes indicate disagreement... Читать дальше...

DETROIT (AP) — The U.S. auto industry's historic growth streak may be ending, but demand for new vehicles — especially SUVs — remains healthy as the new year begins. U.S. auto sales are expected to fall 2 percent to 17.1 million in 2017, according to Kelley Blue Book. That would be the first year-over-year decline since 2009, ending an unprecedented seven-year expansion. General Motors, Toyota and Ford all reported a 1 percent declines in sales last year compared to 2016. Fiat Chrysler's sales fell 8 percent. Читать дальше...

West Seattle's Schmitz Preserve Park is getting a small, but notable addition in 2018: A single lot, donated by a man who didn't want to see his home turned into a development.

West Seattle's Schmitz Preserve Park is getting a small, but notable addition in 2018: A single lot, donated by a man who didn't want to see his home turned into a development.

Motel 6 has illegally provided information on its guests to federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, Attorney General Bob Ferguson charges in new lawsuit. "It wasn't just folks that ICE was interested in. It was everyone staying at the hotel."

Motel 6 has illegally provided information on its guests to federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, Attorney General Bob Ferguson charges in new lawsuit. "It wasn't just folks that ICE was interested in. It was everyone staying at the hotel."

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — The Latest on winter weather: (all times local): 2:15 p.m. The National Weather Service says a winter storm developing the U.S. Southeast coast will probably intensify so rapidly that it will qualify as a "bomb cyclone." The "bomb cyclone" should dump 8 inches (20 centimeters) to a foot (0.3 meter) of snow on the Boston area Thursday and at least half a foot of snow in the New York City region. Still, meteorologists say most of the storm's fierce hurricane-force winds should stay out to sea until it nears Cape Cod... Читать дальше...

DETROIT (AP) — Ford says it will repair any coolant leaks that might be found in more than 200,000 recalled vehicles that are at risk of catching fire. The repairs, detailed in company documents posted by U.S. safety regulators in December, come 10 months after the company said it would only install a coolant level sensor "with supporting hardware and software." In March, the automaker announced that it would recall the cars, SUVs and vans because their 1.6-liter turbocharged engines can overheat if coolant gets low... Читать дальше...

WASHINGTON (AP) — Fed minutes show officials hoping for economic boost from tax cuts, while split over pace of rate hikes in 2018.

LONDON (AP) — A violent storm packing winds up to 100 mph (160 kph) battered parts of western Europe on Wednesday, derailing trains, toppling trees and halting flights. Authorities said one person was killed and at least 23 others were injured in France and Switzerland. The high winds played havoc on transport, derailing trains in Switzerland and Germany and leaving hundreds of thousands of homes across France, Switzerland, Britain and Ireland without power. Officials said one skier was killed in... Читать дальше...

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A revised gender-pay lawsuit seeking class-action status against Google faults the search giant for asking new hires about their prior salary, a practice now banned in California. The suit, filed Wednesday, also adds a fourth complainant, a preschool teacher with a master's degree. The four women allege they were underpaid by Google compared with their male counterparts. The suit, which is led by lawyer James Finberg of San Francisco-based Altshuler Berzon, argues that Google's... Читать дальше...

NEW YORK (AP) — Technology companies are once again leading U.S. stocks higher Wednesday as indexes remain at all-time highs. Energy companies are rising along with the price of oil. South Carolina energy company Scana, which had plunged after it stopped construction of a $9 billion nuclear project, is jumping after it agreed to be bought by Dominion Energy for $7.9 billion in stock. KEEPING SCORE: The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 15 points, or 0.6 percent, to 2,710 as of 1:20 p.m. Eastern time. Читать дальше...

By Kendall Jones, Washington Beer Blog   Okay, I admit that “rash” is probably too strong a word, but around here brewery closures are very odd. For the latest news and information about beer in and around Washington, visit Washington Beer Blog.

WASHINGTON (AP) — If President Donald Trump and his Republican allies are right, the $1.5 trillion tax cut plan they sped into law last month will make individuals and businesses more prosperous. Paychecks will grow. Stocks will surge further. Consumers will spend more. The economy will accelerate. Critics counter that the tax plan will mainly enrich the already wealthy and swell corporate profits while leaving most ordinary households with comparatively modest tax cuts — and, eventually, tax hikes. Читать дальше...

For travelers, the new year opens up a whole new world of places to go and things to do. Here are a few notable openings and events scheduled for 2018 around the U.S. NOTABLE IN THE NEW YEAR The Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania is scheduled to open the Tower of Voices in September. The structure will be part of the commemoration of the United Airlines plane that crashed on Sept. 11, 2001. It will rise 93 feet (28 meters) and will feature 40 chimes, a symbolic representation of the 40 passengers... Читать дальше...

NEW YORK (AP) — Allergan will eliminate about 6 percent of its workforce as part of a cost-cutting move while it prepares for generic competition on several lucrative drugs. The company will cut 1,000 jobs and leave another 400 open positions unfilled. The Dublin-based company has about 16,700 employees. Allergan expects restructuring costs of about $125 million and savings of $300 million to $400 million. The company will likely face generic competition for its dry-eye drug Restasis, which helped... Читать дальше...

January has not historically seen spikes in the flu season, but for the second year in a row Washington State Department of Health officials are warning people to get a flu shot thanks to a rise in reports of flu.

ORANGE, Va. (AP) — Experts at former President James Madison's Virginia estate are searching for the burial grounds of slaves who worked there. The Washington Post reports that a team led by James Madison University geophysicist Shane McGary is using ground-penetrating radar and other techniques to identify the gravesites of Montpelier's enslaved population. More than 100 slaves lived at Montpelier at the time of Madison's death, but little is recorded about their lives. The apparent gravesites a... Читать дальше...

The latest on developments in financial markets (All times local): 11:45 a.m. Stocks are moving higher on Wall Street as technology companies rise again. The gains in midday trading Wednesday came a day after the Nasdaq composite blew past the 7,000-point milestone for the first time. Chipmaker Nvidia rose 4.6 percent and business software maker Oracle increased 2.9 percent. MoneyGram International plunged 10 percent after Chinese billionaire Jack Ma dropped his bid to buy the money transfer company. Читать дальше...

MOUNT VERNON, Va. (AP) — Visitors to George Washington's Mount Vernon estate will see a new 4-D film depicting the Founding Father's role in the American Revolution. The estate has reopened its Revolutionary War Theater after a $2 million renovation. A new 17-minute film accompanies the renovation, replacing the film that had been shown since the theater first opened in 2006. Mount Vernon says the 105-seat theater, which features 4-D effects like falling snow and wafting fog, is one of its most popular attractions. Читать дальше...

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Seattle didn't make the playoffs, but its defense essentially did. The scheme that carried the Seahawks to consecutive Super Bowls (2013-14) has become increasingly popular around the league. It helped Atlanta get to the big game last year and was the catalyst for Jacksonville's stunning turnaround this season. It also got rave reviews down the stretch in Los Angeles and San Francisco. In a copycat league, this is the one being emulated right now. And for good reason. The... Читать дальше...

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — A brutal winter storm dumped snow, sleet and freezing rain from normally balmy Florida up the Southeast seaboard Wednesday, delivering a white coating that some cities hadn't seen in decades. Cars spun out of control on icy overpasses from Texas to Georgia. The water park at Disney World and other Florida theme parks closed because of the unusually cold temperatures, adding to the misery of a dayslong bitter cold snap across the country. Forecasters warned that conditions could worsen, especially in the Northeast. Читать дальше...

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. builders spent 0.8 percent more on construction projects in November, the fourth consecutive monthly gain. November advance follows October's revised 0.9 percent gain, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. The increase brought total construction spending for the month to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of $1.26 trillion, an all-time high. Private construction spending, which was up 1 percent from last month, also hit an all-time high. The increase in spending by builders... Читать дальше...

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. manufacturers expanded at a faster pace in December, boosted by a sharp increase in new orders. The Institute for Supply Management said Wednesday that its manufacturing index rose to 59.7 last month from 58.2 in November. Any reading above 50 points to greater factory activity. Manufacturing has been expanding for the past 16 months. "With a report like this, I can't do anything but smile," said Tim Fiore, chair of the ISM manufacturing business survey committee. U.S. manufacturers... Читать дальше...

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. builders spent 0.8 percent more on construction projects in November, the fourth consecutive monthly gain. November advance follows October's revised 0.9 percent gain, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. The increase brought total construction spending for the month to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of $1.26 trillion, 2.4 percent above the level from a year earlier. The increase in spending by builders, along with a robust manufacturing report released separately Wednesday... Читать дальше...