188 year
( ) shares are on the slide on Tuesday. At the time of writing, the ASX 200 travel stock is down 2% to 82.5 cents. This follows the release of the online travel agent's since its demerger from ( ). Webjet shares falls on half-year results day What happened during the half? For the six months ended 30 September, Webjet reported declines in bookings, TTV, and revenue compared to the prior corresponding period. Management advised that this reflects the challenging macro-economic conditions which are impacting domestic flight bookings. The ASX 200 travel stock's managing director, Katrina Barry, said: The Australasian economy remains slow, and the ongoing cost of living pressures continue to subdue demand for travel, particularly for domestic flights. Webjet OTA Bookings were further impacted during the period by REX airlines going into administration given their predominately leisure focus. But thanks to a focus on higher margin products, Webjet's earnings grew modestly over the same period last year. The company's EBITDA was up 1% to $19.4 million and its net profit after tax was up 2.2% to $9.2 million. Barry adds: The Webjet OTA team has thus once again done an excellent job targeting higher revenue margin opportunities, selling more ancillaries to our customers and increasing international flight bookings. As a result, Revenue per Booking is now higher than it was pre-pandemic. Combined with the ongoing focus on cost control we have been able to increase Webjet OTA's profitability. Outlook Unfortunately, ASX 200 travel stock concedes that trading conditions are expected to remain challenging in the short term. Though, management remains positive on Webjet's medium term outlook. Commenting on the company's outlook, managing director Katrina Barry said: Looking forward, the macro-economic environment continues to be challenging and given our brands are consumer facing, Webjet Group will not be immune. However, we remain optimistic on the broader medium-term outlook. As outlined in our demerger investor presentation, we have clear and robust strategic priorities to deliver growth and enhance our leadership positions in online travel marketplaces. Our planned initiatives are progressing well with several showing exciting potential and we are accelerating investment in technology platforms and other key growth drivers. With the demerger now behind us, Webjet Group is solely focused on growth, and we look forwarded to sharing more about our plans to take the Company to the next horizon at our Strategy Day in March 2025.
Penn State kicks off Sunshine Slam by cruising past Fordham
Across the Hudson River, less than a 15 mile drive from the starting point of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, is Macy's Studios, where the magic is made. While the big show takes place on the fourth Thursday in November, the annual spectacle itself is a yearlong process starting with sketches that turn into 3D renderings, before being brought to life on the studio floor, where they are sculpted and receive a layer of hard coating to ensure that the elements are more durable and can then be painted. Ahead of the 98th march, which will feature six new floats, six new character balloons as well as new technology, Parade went behind the scenes of the cherished holiday tradition with its executive producer, Will Coss . "We bring joy. That's something that we don't take lightly here at Macy's Studios. We have an opportunity to bring three-and-a-half hours of joy," Coss told Parade during a visit to Macy's Studios in late October. "We have an eclectic audience. We take that very seriously." "We want to make sure, from a performance standpoint, from a character standpoint, from a production and special effects standpoint, we're taking into consideration our entire audience and delivering on a little bit of joy," Coss added. "This is an iconic tradition that brings people together." Continue reading (and watch above) to learn how Will and the skilled artisans at Macy’s Studios bring a sketch to the streets of New York City—and our screens—on Thanksgiving morning. Parade When does preparation begin on the floats? When do you decide if we're adding this new one, or we're going to do a partnership with this brand? Coss: The conversations around the new elements of the parade is a year-round process. Each individual float itself is anywhere from three-to-six months of full production, from the first time that we start the initial creative concepting to our final execution. All of our elements that you see across the studio are all hand sculpted and painted. All of these items start with a sketch. So we do a variety of sketches, then we turn them into 3D renders, and then the team gets them down here on the floor, where they start to become real life, three-dimensional objects. Parade What are some challenges you guys face, or any challenges you encountered this year? Coss: It's less about challenges. I think this is a really well-prepared team. What you see here are a variety of designers, sculptors, painters [and] carpenters who are all experts at their craft. We might have some production challenges, if we design something that, once it's fabricated, might not fit exactly correctly. [The Wondrous World of Wildlife by Bronx Zoo float], for example, is three separate floats that are connected together to create this one massive experience. So there were some tweaks we had to do to the bridge because it's gonna be a modular float. It's not gonna be one singular unit. So those are things that we work through once we have some physical elements created and we make some tweaks and adjustments. But overall, we've done this a couple of times, we understand the deliverable, and we're excited to bring these brand-new floats to the parade this year. Parade How do you determine which performers perform on which float? Coss: Our goal for the parade is really, it's America's show. Our audience is [ages] 1 to 100, so our focus on our goal is really just creating the most eclectic version of the parade. So we look at all of our floats, we look at all of our off-float performances, and we start to make [those] decisions based on the cadence of the show and making sure that we've got the best playlist on Thanksgiving morning. Parade Are there going to be any new technologies incorporated into the parade this year? Coss: What I'd say is our most technologically advanced float that we've ever designed and fabricated ... [is] in partnership with Go Bowling, and it's our first fully animatronic float. Our bowler will have full range of movement, full range of motion. As she makes her way down the parade route, she's going to be able to actually bring the ball all the way back, bend the knee and make the bowling motion. This kind of motion and computerized programming is a new addition to the parade this year. So how will this work? Coss: So [Macy's Studios employee Matt's] doing all the programming right now, and that'll live on a computer on the float itself... There'll be a driver and a passenger, and the passenger will be the one who will be responsible for controlling the animation. So there'll be a variety of buttons. How do you decide which floats you're going to recycle from a previous year? And same with the balloons? Some come back, some don't. Coss: It's a conversation with our internal team on, ultimately, what will make the best parade and the choices that we make obviously impact the line of march. So we want to make sure that we're telling both a creative story, a visual story ... all of those decisions happen well in advance of our production year. Related: Take a Look Back at the 2023 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloons How many people generally work on each float, or how many studio members are there? Coss: At any given time, we have upwards of 30 folks, from sculpt to paint to metal work to our balloon team. Are the balloons and floats stored here year-round? Coss: We have a storage facility. So not all of our balloons and floats are stored here. Some of them are... All of our giant balloons get stored in hampers. Parade How long is the process of creating a new balloon for the Macy's Day Parade? Coss: Depending on the complexity of the character, it can take upwards of three-to-four months for any one balloon to get fully designed and fabricated. Parade What are you most excited for viewers to see this year in the parade? Coss: I'm most excited for viewers to see all of our brand-new elements. I think that the collection of characters that we have this year are fantastic. We've got classics, like Spider-Man who's been in the parade a variety of times. Gabby's Dollhouse. Gabby is a brand new character that's really tracking well with our younger audiences. I think we've done a really nice job of having an eclectic group of balloons that are gonna touch a variety of audiences and get people excited. Related: 60 of Thanksgiving Songs That Will Make You Feel Instantly Grateful (And Probably Hungry!) After all these years of doing this, what surprises you every year? Coss: I don't know that it's surprise. I'd say the thing that excites me the most, is parade morning when you have [a] year to 18 months worth of work all situated on the Upper West Side. You've got two-and-a-half miles of parade, 3 million plus people, and it's just smiles, it's joy, it's excitement, and everyone is there to celebrate the hard work of this team, the hard work of our partners, all the creative and talented folks across Macy's Studios. Hoda [Kotb] is retiring [from TODAY ] next year. Are there plans to keep her on for the parade? Would you like to see her stay on? Hoda is a Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade icon, a legend, and we look forward to celebrating with Hoda as long as Hoda is here to celebrate with us. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Related: Everything to Know About the 2024 Macy's Thanksgiving Day ParadeTennessee given favorable future outlook after College Football Playoff dud, but only if Nico Iamaleava improves | Sporting News
AP News Summary at 6:46 p.m. EST
Chaos and Kindness offers free gifts to families who need themIn late December, Donald Trump suggested the United States should retake control of the Panama Canal in his second term. He claims Panama is imposing “ridiculous” fees on ships passing through this vital waterway connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The Panama Canal is a man-made waterway that cuts through central Panama for 51 miles, using a system of locks and reservoirs to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. This route saves ships from traveling an extra 7,000 miles around South America’s Cape Horn. “The Panama Canal is considered a VITAL National Asset for the United States, due to its critical role to America’s Economy and National Security,” Trump said on Truth Social on Dec. 21. “The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, especially knowing the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed to Panama by the U.S. This complete ‘rip-off’ of our Country will immediately stop,” he added. Trump repeated these claims during a speech at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in Arizona on Dec. 22. “If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States of America in full quickly and without question,” he said. Following Trump’s comments, Google search data shows there’s been a spike in searches of people asking which country — the U.S. or Panama — has authority over the Panama Canal. THE QUESTION Does the U.S. have any authority over the Panama Canal? THE SOURCES Panama Canal Authority The Embassy of Panama U.S. Department of State’s Office of the Historian U.S. Census Bureau The Library of Congress Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino GovInfo , a service of the United States Government Publishing Office that provides free public access to official publications from all three branches of the federal government Jorge Luis Quijano, the Panama Canal administrator from 2014 to 2019, Benjamin Gedan, Ph.D. , director of the Latin America Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C. THE ANSWER No, the U.S. does not have any authority over the Panama Canal, but it used to. Sign up for the VERIFY Fast Facts daily Newsletter! WHAT WE FOUND The U.S. does not have any authority over the Panama Canal. The waterway, which was built by the U.S. in the early 1900s, opened in 1914 and remained under U.S. government control until treaties signed in 1977 by President Jimmy Carter set terms for its eventual transfer to Panama. The two countries jointly operated the canal until December 1999, after which Panama assumed full control. On Dec. 22, in response to Trump’s comments, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino posted a video on X declaring that “every square meter of the canal belongs to Panama and will continue to belong” to his country. Without mentioning Trump by name, Mulino addressed the president-elect’s complaints over rising fees for ships crossing the canal, saying they are set by experts who take into account operational costs, and supply and demand factors. “The tariffs are not set on a whim,” Mulino said. He noted that Panama has expanded the canal over the years to increase ship traffic “on its own initiative,” and added that shipping fee increases help pay for improvements. “Panamanians may have different views on many issues, but when it comes to our canal, and our sovereignty, we will all unite under our Panamanian flag,” Mulino said. A little over an hour later, Trump responded to Mulino’s remarks on Truth Social, saying: “We’ll see about that!” He also posted a picture of a U.S. flag planted in the canal zone under the phrase, “Welcome to the United States Canal!” The Panama Canal’s history An effort to establish a canal through Panama began with the French in 1880, but financial troubles made the initiative fail after nearly nine years of little progress, according to the Embassy of Panama in the United States . Malaria, yellow fever and other tropical diseases devastated a workforce that was already struggling with especially dangerous terrain and harsh working conditions in the jungle. These conditions eventually cost more than 20,000 lives by some estimates, the U.S. Department of State’s Office of the Historian says on its website . At this time, Panama was a province of Colombia, which refused to ratify a subsequent 1901 treaty licensing U.S. interests to build the Panama Canal. President Theodore Roosevelt responded to Colombia’s refusal by dispatching U.S. warships to Panama’s Atlantic and Pacific coasts. The U.S. also pre-wrote a constitution that would be ready after Panamanian independence, which gave American forces “the right to intervene in any part of Panama, to re-establish public peace and constitutional order.” In part because Colombian troops were unable to traverse harsh jungles, Panama declared an effectively bloodless independence within hours on Nov. 3, 1903. The newly-declared Republic of Panama soon signed the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty of 1903 , which provided the U.S. with a 10-mile wide strip of land for the canal, a one-time $10 million payment to Panama, and an annual annuity of $250,000. The U.S. also agreed to guarantee the independence of Panama, according to the Office of the Historian. After more than a decade of construction, the U.S. finished building the canal on Aug. 15, 1914. Almost immediately, some Panamanians began questioning the validity of U.S. control of the canal, which led to what became known in the country as the “generational struggle” to take it over. The U.S. annulled its right to intervene in Panama in the 1930s. By the 1970s, with its administrative costs sharply increasing, the U.S. government spent years negotiating with Panama to cede control of the waterway. The Carter administration worked with the government of Omar Torrijos, and the two sides eventually decided that their best chance for ratification was to submit two treaties to the U.S. Senate , the “Permanent Neutrality Treaty” and the “Panama Canal Treaty.” The first, which continues in perpetuity, gives the U.S. the right to act to ensure the canal remains open and secure. The second stated that the U.S. would turn over the canal to Panama on Dec. 31, 1999. Both were signed in 1977 and ratified the following year. “At noon on December 31, 1999, Panama took over full operation, administration and maintenance of the Canal, in compliance with the Torrijos-Carter Treaties negotiated with the United States in 1977,” said the Embassy of Panama. “The waterway is now managed by the Panama Canal Authority, an autonomous government entity.” Jorge Luis Quijano, who served as the Panama Canal’s administrator from 2014 to 2019, says the neutrality treaty does give the U.S. the right to act if the canal’s operation is threatened due to military conflict — but not to reassert control. “There’s no clause of any kind in the neutrality agreement that allows for the taking back of the canal,” Quijano told the Associated Press. “Legally, there’s no way, under normal circumstances, to recover territory that was used previously.” Benjamin Gedan, director of the Latin America Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C., agrees. “There’s very little wiggle room, absent a second U.S. invasion of Panama, to retake control of the Panama Canal in practical terms,” Gedan said. The Associated Press contributed to this report . Related Articles Yes, an Italian village is offering $1 homes to Americans following the election Yes, it is unconstitutional to deport U.S. citizens No, Trump can’t legally withdraw the U.S. from NATO by executive order The VERIFY team works to separate fact from fiction so that you can understand what is true and false. Please consider subscribing to our daily newsletter , text alerts and our YouTube channel . You can also follow us on Snapchat , Instagram , Facebook and TikTok . Learn More » Follow Us YouTube Snapchat Instagram Facebook TikTok Want something VERIFIED? Text: 202-410-8808
Advocates worried about future of Niagara safe consumption siteImage Sensors Market worth $29.62 Billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 7.5%
Inzaghi: ‘Inter did not do enough in Leverkusen, not our best game’NEW YORK , Dec. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of common stock of Enphase Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENPH) between April 25, 2023 and October 22, 2024 , both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important February 11, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline. So what: If you purchased Enphase securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. What to do next: To join the Enphase class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=25593 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than February 11, 2025 . A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. Why Rosen Law: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. Details of the case: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts, about Enphase's business and operations. Specifically, defendants systematically overstated Enphase's ability to maintain its pricing levels and market share for microinverter products in Europe in the face of competition from low-cost, Chinese alternatives. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the Enphase class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=25593 https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=28116 call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm or on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm . Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/enph-investors-have-opportunity-to-lead-enphase-energy-inc-securities-fraud-lawsuit-302338939.html SOURCE THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P. A.Giants topple Colts 45-33 to eliminate Indy from the playoff raceNone
Amazon and Anthropic announced an expanded partnership that includes Amazon investing another $4 billion in the artificial intelligence company and Anthropic making Amazon Web Services ( AWS ) its primary training partner. The new investment brings Amazon’s total investment in Anthropic to $8 billion, Anthropic said in a Friday (Nov. 22) press release . “By combining Anthropic’s expertise in frontier AI systems with AWS’s world-class infrastructure, we’re building a secure, enterprise-ready platform that gives organizations of all sizes access to the forefront of AI technology,” Anthropic said in the release. The expanded partnership builds on one announced in September 2023 that included Amazon investing $4 billion in Anthropic and Anthropic making AWS its primary cloud partner , Amazon said in a Friday press release . In April, the companies added Anthropic’s Claude family of AI models to Amazon Bedrock , AWS’s fully managed service that provides secure access to foundation models. In their newly expanded partnership, the companies will give AWS customers early access to fine-tune their own data on new Anthropic models as they are released, per the Amazon release. “The response from AWS customers who are developing generative AI applications powered by Anthropic in Amazon Bedrock has been remarkable,” AWS CEO Matt Garman said in the Amazon release. “By continuing to deploy Anthropic models in Amazon Bedrock and collaborating with Anthropic on the development of our custom Trainium chips, we’ll keep pushing the boundaries of what customers can achieve with generative AI technologies.” Millions of end users and tens of thousands of customers — including startups, enterprises and government institutions — are using Anthropic’s Claude in Amazon Bedrock , according to the Amazon release. The announcement came two days after the U.S. Department of Justice proposed to force Google to unwind its partnership with Anthropic as part of a proposal to resolve an antitrust case against Google. It also came three days after the United Kingdom’s competition watchdog, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), cleared Google’s partnership with Anthropic, saying the deal between the tech giant and the AI startup did not warrant additional investigation. Among foundation models , Anthropic’s enterprise market share increased from 12% in 2023 to 24% this year.Dr. Frank J. Mandarino Marks 2nd Anniversary of Offering Body Tempering® Option to Patients
Urodynamic Equipment and Consumables Market Set for Exceptional Growth in the Forecast 2024-2032MEG Energy Announces 2025 Capital and Operational Guidance; Christina Lake Facility Expansion Project Approval
Study: Maryland women must save $364,337 more than men for comfortable retirementBuccaneers keep playoff hopes alive with rout of Panthers
AMGEN ANNOUNCES 2025 FIRST QUARTER DIVIDENDBethlehem marks a second subdued Christmas Eve during the war in Gaza BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — Bethlehem is marking another somber Christmas Eve under the shadow of war in Gaza. Manger Square lacked its usual festive lights and crowds of tourists on Tuesday. Instead, the area outside the Nativity Church was quiet. The church was built atop the spot where Jesus is believed to have been born. The war, the violence in the occupied West Bank it has spurred and the lack of festivities has deeply hurt Bethlehem's economy. The town relies heavily on Christmas tourism. The economy in the West Bank was already reeling because of restrictions placed on laborers preventing them from entering Israel during the war. Pope Francis kicks off a yearlong Jubilee that will test his stamina and Rome's patience VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has opened the great Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica. The ceremony kicks off the 2025 Holy Year. It's a celebration of the Catholic Church that is expected to draw some 32 million pilgrims to Rome. And it will test the pope’s stamina and the ability of the Eternal City to welcome them. This begins the Christmas Eve Mass. The ceremony inaugurates the once-every-25-year tradition of a Jubilee. Francis has dedicated the 2025 Jubilee to the theme of hope. Trump vows to pursue executions after Biden commutes most of federal death row FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump says he'll “vigorously pursue” capital punishment after President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of most people on federal death row partly to stop Trump from pushing forward their executions. Trump criticized Biden’s decision on Monday to change the sentences of 37 of the 40 condemned people to life in prison without parole. Trump said that he will direct the Department of Justice to pursue the death penalty “as soon as I am inaugurated.” Trump was vague on what specific actions he may take. 21 dead as Mozambique erupts in violence after election court ruling MAPUTO, Mozambique (AP) — Violence that engulfed Mozambique after the country’s highest court confirmed ruling party presidential candidate Daniel Chapo as the winner of disputed Oct. 9 elections has killed at least 21 people, including two police officers. Mozambique Interior Minister Pascoal Ronda told a news conference in Maputo late Tuesday that a wave of violence and looting was sparked by the court’s announcement a day earlier. He said it was led by mostly youthful supporters of losing candidate Venancio Mondlane, who received 24% of the vote, second to Chapo, who got 65%. Prosecutors find workers in 'slavery like' conditions at Chinese car company site in Brazil RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AP) — A task force led by Brazilian prosecutors says it has rescued 163 Chinese nationals working in “slavery-like” conditions at a construction site in northeastern Brazil, where Chinese electric vehicle company BYD is building a factory. The Labor Prosecutor’s Office released videos of the dorms where the construction workers were staying, which showed beds with no mattresses and rooms without any place for the workers to store their personal belongings. In a statement issued Monday, the prosecutor’s office said the workers had been hired in China by Jinjian Group, one of the contractors on the site, which is located in Camaçari, a city in the Salvador metropolitan region. NFL players who use platform to share their faith say it's their duty to spread their love of Jesus ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Jake Bates was standing on the turf in his hometown of Houston when asked to reflect on an unlikely journey from learning how to sell bricks to making game-winning kicks for the Detroit Lions. Bates used his platform as an NFL player to spread his love of Jesus. A month later, Bates told The Associated Press it is a duty to share his faith. The NFL is filled with players and coaches who feel the same way, such as Houston's C.J. Stroud, Atlanta's Kirk Cousins, and Lamar Jackson and John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens. Stunning photos show lava erupting from Hawaii's Kilauea volcano HONOLULU (AP) — Lava is erupting from Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano for the second straight day. The eruption has stayed within Kilauea’s summit caldera inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and no homes are threatened. Molten rock began spewing out of the volcano before dawn on Monday when fissures opened in the caldera floor and shot lava high into the air. It then oozed across the caldera floor. Scientists expect activity to fluctuate in coming days. The lava paused Monday afternoon but fountains reemerged Tuesday morning. The eruption has occurred in an area that’s been closed to the public since 2007 due to hazards including crater wall instability and rockfalls. Haiti gang attack on journalists covering a hospital reopening leaves 2 dead, several wounded PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s online media association confirms that two reporters were killed and others wounded in a gang attack on the re-opening of Port-au-Prince’s biggest public hospital. Street gangs have taken over an estimated 85% of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, and they forced the closure of the General Hospital early this year. Authorities had pledged to reopen the facility Tuesday but as journalists gathered to cover the event, suspected gang members opened fire in a vicious Christmas eve attack. The killed journalists were identified as Markenzy Nathoux and Jimmy Jean. An unspecified number of reporters had also been wounded in the attack, which was blamed on the Viv Ansanm gang. Hurricane-force winds bear down on California, latest in stretch of extreme weather LOS ANGELES (AP) — California has been hit hard by extreme weather over the past several weeks. Atmospheric rivers, which are long stretches of wet air that can produce heavy rains, brought a record-setting rainfall before Thanksgiving. A series of atmospheric rivers are producing strong waves and storms near Santa Cruz this week. Thousands were left under evacuation warnings and orders because of a fire around Malibu. Climate change means that strong storms will be responsible for a greater share of the state's yearly precipitation and the periods between those events will be drier. Heavy travel day starts with brief grounding of all American Airlines flights WASHINGTON (AP) — American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide due to a technical problem just as the Christmas travel season kicked into overdrive and winter weather threatened more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive. Government regulators cleared American flights to get airborne Tuesday about an hour after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a national ground stop, which prevented planes from taking off. American said in an email that the problem was caused by vendor technology in its flight operating system. Aviation analytics company Cirium said flights were delayed across American’s major hubs, with only 37% leaving on time. Nineteen flights were cancelled.