Новости за 17.08.2023

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Researchers have concluded there is a “rare but real risk” that an earthquake-produced tsunami could inundate parts of coastal Anchorage under certain conditions, a newspaper reported, a shift from the prior understanding of the risk posed to Alaska's largest city.

The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate jumped this week to its highest level in 20 years. That's grim news for would-be homebuyers already facing high home prices caused a lack of supply. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the average rate on the benchmark 30-year home loan jumped to 7.09% from 6.96% last week. That’s the highest since April of 2002, when the average rate clocked in at 7.13%. Sharply higher rates are contributing to a dearth of available homes, as homeowners who locked... Читать дальше...

SHIRLEY, Mass. (AP) — A large ice chunk fell from the sky and hit a house in Massachusetts, damaging the roof of the home, the homeowner said.

BET won’t be sold after all: Paramount Global decided against selling the majority stake of the network. Paramount notified bidders — including Tyler Perry, Sean “Diddy” Combs and Byron Allen — late Wednesday night about its decision to close the BET Media Group sale process. The outcome was confirmed to The Associated Press Thursday by a a person familiar with the decision who was not authorized to speak publicly. Some popular suitors included actor-director Tyler Perry, music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs and businessman Byron Allen. Читать дальше...

Minneapolis City Council members have narrowly passed a measure that would establish a minimum wage for Uber and Lyft drivers. Under the measure, drivers would be paid at least $1.40 per mile and $0.51 per minute. It would only apply for the portion of the ride within the city. Supporters said they were standing against worker exploitation by big companies. Opponents said the measure needs more work to ensure consumers don't get harmed when Uber and Lyft raise prices as a result of the measure. The... Читать дальше...

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A resilient stock market helped boost gains for savers with retirement accounts through the first half of this year.

President Joe Biden is set to welcome the leaders of Japan and South Korea for the first summit of his presidency at the Camp David presidential retreat. Biden's meeting on Friday with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida comes as the United States aims to further tighten security and economic cooperation between the two countries. Historically frosty relations between South Korea and Japan have rapidly thawed over the last year because of Seoul and Tokyo's... Читать дальше...

President Joe Biden is traveling to Pennsylvania Thursday to privately pay his respects to the mother of U.S. Sen. Bob Casey. Biden was arriving before visiting hours Thursday for Ellen Casey, a former Pennsylvania first lady, at St. Peter’s Cathedral in Scranton. Casey, the widow of Pennsylvania Gov. Robert P. Casey and the mother of Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., died last week at age 91. Biden issued a statement Monday commemorating her life. The president, who grew up a few blocks from the Casey household... Читать дальше...

Warren Buffett donated 50 Class A shares of Berkshire Hathaway stock worth $27 million to an unnamed charity this week. Those shares remain the most expensive stock out there and were selling for $539,680 apiece Thursday morning. Buffett disclosed the gift in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission late Wednesday. This donation is in addition to Buffett's annual gifts to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and four smaller foundations run by his family that he has been making since 2006. Читать дальше...

The U.S. labor market continues to flex its muscle, as applications for jobless claims fell again last week and remain at healthy levels despite high interest rates and elevated inflation. Applications for unemployment benefits dropped by 11,000 to 239,000 for the week ending August 12, down from 250,000 the previous week, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The four-week moving average of claims, which softens some of the week-to-week volatility, rose by 2,750 to 234,250. Jobless claim applications... Читать дальше...

Wall Street pointed modestly higher after two straight days of losses amid signs the U.S. economy is chugging along nicely and that the Federal Reserve may not be done raising interest rates. Futures for the S&P 500 rose 0.2% before the bell Thursday and futures for the Dow inched up 0.1%. Minutes from the Fed’s latest meeting suggested board members are unsure of their next move. Traders had hoped the board would decide inflation was under control and last month’s rate hike was the last. Bond... Читать дальше...

China says it would welcome a visit by U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo following the imposition of foreign investment controls by her agency that have stung numerous Chinese companies. Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesperson Shu Jueting did not offer a date, but said the countries are in “close communication on arrangements.” Earlier reports said a visit could come as early as later this month. Shu says China is conducting a comprehensive assessment of the impact of the investment controls and would respond on the basis of the results. Читать дальше...

Hurricane-fueled flash floods and mudslides. Lava that creeps into neighborhoods. Fierce drought that materializes in a flash. Earthquakes. And now, deadly fires that burn block after historic block. Hawaii is increasingly under siege from disasters, and what is escalating most is wildfire. That's according to an Associated Press analysis of Federal Emergency Management Agency records. The reality can clash with the vision of Hawaii as a paradise. It is, in fact, one of the riskiest states in the country. Читать дальше...

South Korea’s spy service has told lawmakers that North Korea is preparing a variety of weapons tests, including long-range missiles, in response to upcoming major U.S.-South Korean military drills. A lawmaker says the National Intelligence Service made the assessment in a closed-door parliamentary briefing. He says the spy agency predicted that North Korea could also make a second attempt to put a spy satellite into orbit to mark its 75th anniversary next month. The agency said North Korea has been... Читать дальше...

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green vowed “to keep the land in local people’s hands” as Maui rebuilds after a deadly wildfire that incinerated a historic island community, as local schools began reopening and traffic resumed on a major road. He's instructing the state attorney general to work on a moratorium on land transactions in Lahaina, which he says will come with legal challenges. Green says he wants to protect residents from outsiders taking advantage of the devastation. Soon after a fast-moving wildfire consumed much of Lahaina about a week ago... Читать дальше...

China’s government is trying to reassure jittery homebuyers after a major real estate developer missed a payment on its multibillion-dollar debt, reviving fears about the industry’s shaky finances and their impact on the struggling Chinese economy. Economists say there is no indication Country Garden’s problems might spread beyond China. But they highlight the industry’s struggle under pressure from the ruling Communist Party to reduce soaring debt that is seen as an economic threat. That has bankrupted... Читать дальше...

Authorities say heavy rain in parts of Germany caused flooding and led to dozens of flight cancelations at Frankfurt Airport, the country’s busiest and a major European hub. The airport said large quantities of water accumulated on the tarmac Wednesday evening and ground handling was suspended for more than two hours. The airport website showed about 70 flights were canceled before 11 p.m., while 23 flights headed for Frankfurt were diverted to other airports. Downpours in parts of southwestern and... Читать дальше...

A person close to Britney Spears' husband Sam Asghari says the model and actor has filed to divorce the pop superstar. The person, who was not authorized to speak publicly, told The Associated Press late Wednesday that the filing by Asghari happened earlier in the day. The pop superstar married Asghari at her Southern California home in June of 2022 in front of guests including Selena Gomez and Madonna. The wedding was seen as a milestone in her newly reclaimed life after she was freed from a court... Читать дальше...

Japan suffered a trade deficit last month as exports sank for the first time in two years and five months, dragged down by a slowdown overseas. The Finance Ministry says exports from the world’s third largest economy shrank most markedly for the rest of Asia, especially China. Exports recovered in autos and auto parts, as the social restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, which had crimped production, eased gradually. But that was not enough to offset the drop in exports in computer chips, machinery and other manufactured goods. Читать дальше...

Many survivors of the wildfire that consumed Lahaina are experiencing depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder even while still living in mass shelters filled with grim reminders of their escape. Counselors and nurses are helping the wildfire refugees with breathing exercises, counseling and stress relief, but the trauma they experienced could be long-lasting and life-changing. The Oahu-based group Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii is sending trauma counselors to shelters and door-to-door to help survivors cope... Читать дальше...

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has called for patience in a speech released as the ruling Communist Party tries to reverse a deepening economic slump and said the West’s pursuit of material wealth led to “spiritual poverty.” Xi’s speech was published by Qiushi, the party’s top theoretical journal, after data showed consumer and factory activity weakened further in July despite official promises to support struggling entrepreneurs. The government skipped giving an update on a politically sensitive spike in unemployment among young people. Читать дальше...

Camp David is where U.S. presidents go to relax and escape Washington's prying eyes. But the rustic military installation in the Maryland mountains is also where presidents conduct some U.S. diplomacy. The most historic event to take place at Camp David was peace talks in 1978 between the leaders of Egypt and Israel, brokered by President Jimmy Carter. This week, President Joe Biden will aim for his own place in Camp David's history when he hosts the leaders of Japan and South Korea. The Asian allies... Читать дальше...

President Joe Biden has devoted the past several weeks to talking up the positive impacts of his policies — but his efforts have yet to meaningfully register with the public. Only 36% of U.S. adults approve of Biden’s handling of the economy, slightly lower than the 42% who approve of his overall performance. That's according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Both figures are close to where Biden’s approval numbers have stood for about the past year and a half. Читать дальше...

The U.S. Air Force is throwing its support behind a program to develop a sleek, futuristic-looking jet that could provide greater range and efficiency for military tankers and cargo planes. On Wednesday, Air Force officials announced a $235 million award for start-up aircraft maker JetZero. The company says it will build a full-size demonstrator blended-wing plane that will be ready to fly in 2027. On blended-wing planes, the body and wings look like one piece. That makes them more aerodynamic and... Читать дальше...

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (AP) — Patrick Hamilton, a combat veteran of the Vietnam War who covered civil wars in Central America as a photojournalist for The Associated Press and later worked at Reuters covering the first Gulf War in Iraq, has died after a long struggle with cancer.