Новости за 08.12.2016

BERLIN — Scientists have developed a mind-controlled robotic hand that allows people with certain types of spinal injuries to perform everyday tasks such as using a fork or drinking from a cup. By wearing a cap that measures electric brain activity and eye movement the users were able to send signals to a tablet computer that controlled the glove-like device attached to their hand. “The participants, who had previously expressed difficulty in performing everyday tasks without assistance, rated the system as reliable and practical... Читать дальше...

Pruitt, a 48-year-old Republican, has been a reliable booster of the fossil fuel industry and an outspoken critic of what he derides as the EPA's "activist agenda." Environmental groups quickly denounced Trump's choice on Wednesday as a puppet of polluters, with the Sierra Club likening Pruitt's selection as EPA administrator to "putting an arsonist in charge of fighting fires." In an opinion article published earlier this year by National Review, Pruitt suggested that the debate over global warming... Читать дальше...

NBC News paid for a hotel room for the man who ran the Ghost Ship, the Oakland warehouse-turned-artists-collective that burned down Friday night, killing 36 people at an underground electronic music show. A network spokesman said NBC “absolutely” did not give money to Derick Almena in exchange for a series of exclusive interviews, but bought him a hotel room at the Oakland Marriott City Center for “a couple of nights.” The NBC spokesman did not say how much the hotel room cost, but on the Marriott’s website... Читать дальше...

PESHAWAR, Pakistan — A Pakistan International Airlines plane with 48 people on board, including a famous former pop singer, crashed near Abbottabad in northern Pakistan on Wednesday, government officials and the airline said. The flight, PK 661, was traveling to Islamabad, the capital, from Chitral, a northern tourist destination near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, when it crashed, said Saeed Wazir, the deputy inspector general of police in Abbottabad district. Pakistan International Airlines... Читать дальше...

"New York City taxpayers should not be on the hook for 80 percent of the national bill" to protect Trump and his family, Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement. Since Trump won the Nov. 8 election, security around Trump Tower, the eponymous Manhattan skyscraper where he lives and works, has been stepped up to extraordinary levels. New York didn't detail its projected costs in letters to congressional leaders and the White House earlier this week but noted the "unprecedented" challenge... Читать дальше...

MOSUL, Iraq — Significant Islamic State group counterattacks in southeastern Mosul inflicted heavy losses on Iraqi forces overnight after a new push deeper into the city this week, according to an Iraqi army officer. Despite the counterattacks, the fresh Iraqi push appears to have relieved pressure on Iraq’s special forces who have been largely leading the fight inside the city on the eastern front. [...] Wednesday, the Islamic State group’s Amaq news agency released a propaganda video showing... Читать дальше...

LOS ANGELES — Golden State players and coaches are donating $75,000 to the ongoing relief efforts for the fatal Oakland warehouse fire, the team announced Wednesday afternoon. “As a team that calls the Bay Area our home, we are all devastated by this tragedy that took place right in our community,” forward Draymond Green said in a news release. In addition to the $75,000 pledge, the team has already donated $50,000 to a YouCaring.com fund working directly with the city and the American Red Cross. Читать дальше...

NEW DELHI — India has registered nearly an 800 percent spike in the number of so-called honor killings reported last year, leading state officials and women’s rights groups to urge investigations into how such crimes persist. Indian police registered 251 cases of honor killing in 2015, compared with just 28 a year earlier when India began counting them separately from murder, according to a statement this week by Junior Home Minister Hansraj Ahir to India’s parliament. Women’s rights activists... Читать дальше...

Separately, a professional group representing benefit advisers warned congressional leaders of the risk of “significant market disruption” that could cause millions of Americans to lose their health insurance. Nonetheless, the complex two-stage strategy the GOP Congress is contemplating has raised concerns not only among supporters of the law, but also industries like hospitals and insurers. The new analysis warns that repealing major parts of the health law without a clear replacement could... Читать дальше...

Scientists say they already are driving some tree species toward extinction and are causing billions of dollars a year in damage — and the situation is expected to worsen. “They are one of the few things that can actually eliminate a forest tree species in pretty short order — within years,” said Harvard University ecologist David Orwig as he walked past dead hemlocks scattered across the university’s 5.8-square-mile research forest in Petersham. [...] destruction would do away with a critical sponge to capture greenhouse gas emissions... Читать дальше...

President-elect Donald Trump will nominate former WWE executive Linda McMahon as administrator of the Small Business Administration, his transition team announced Wednesday. McMahon’s selection for the cabinet-level position aligns with Trump’s “America First” agenda to “bring back our jobs and roll back the burdensome regulations that are hurting our middle class workers and small businesses,” the president-elect said in a statement. Linda is going to be a phenomenal leader and champion for small... Читать дальше...

Brandon Marshall doesn’t remember much about one of the more memorable games of his 11-year career. Today, the Jets wide receiver said he only has hazy memories of his three-touchdown performance in a win against the 49ers in 2014 when he was with the Bears. In a conference call with Bay Area reporters before the Jets’ visit to Levi’s Stadium on Sunday, Marshall briefly hesitated before explaining why he doesn’t recall much from one of the two three-touchdown games in his 164-game career. “Well... Читать дальше...

The Adelaide Kane-led period drama is currently in production, so they are working on a series finale, which will give the fans a conclusion to the story of Mary Queen of Scots. The show returns for its final season in midseason, along with fellow returning series “The Originals,” “The 100” and “iZombie,” as well as new drama “Riverdale.”

The 109-year-old Robb Family Farm in Brattleboro says it's seen a 60 percent jump in sales since the actress listed the syrup among her 12 best holiday gifts for women published in People Magazine's holiday gift guide last month. Shields' list includes the $14.95 pint-sized tin of syrup, a skincare travel set, a scarf, a necklace, a book, pens and $100 Hermes playing cards. [...] ever since the photo of the retro State of Vermont syrup can with the images of two men in a horse and sleigh collecting sap appeared in People... Читать дальше...

Rebiya Kadeer, an exiled leader of the Muslim Uighur minority, told the hearing: "Any sign that the United States is ready to relinquish its commitment to raising human rights concerns in favor of achieving policy gains elsewhere will be a victory for China." Yang Jianli, a veteran of the 1989 pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square that were crushed by China, said Trump should focus on American values and "strike directly at the vulnerable spots of the regime to force China's democratic transition." Wei Jingsheng... Читать дальше...

The high for today was 49 degrees. If you're a California native, that's chilly!

Thomas Schlamme, Marie Cantin Named for Special DGA Awards Film educator receiving Frank Capra award; “Friends” and “The Americans” director to get Aldrich honors Film and television director Thomas Schlamme will be honored with the Directors Guild of America’s 2017 Robert B. Aldrich Award for extraordinary service to the guild and to its membership, the DGA announced Wednesday. [...] Marie Cantin will receive the 2017 Frank Capra Achievement Award, which is given to an assistant director or unit... Читать дальше...

McHale released a book last month titled “Thanks for the Money,” is the star of the new CBS sitcom “The Great Indoors” and is in the midst of a stand-up tour, which brings him back to Northern California for his last 2016 stop in the state on Saturday, Dec. 10, at Cache Creek Casino’s Club 88. Before his claim to mainstream fame as Jeff Winger on the NBC series “Community,” McHale had been appearing on comedy stages for years. [...] that comedic bite helped land him the glitzy gig as host of the 2014 White House Correspondents’ Dinner... Читать дальше...

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says President Barack Obama has spoken with President Francois Hollande of France to offer his appreciation for their close partnership. The White House says Obama thanked Hollande on Wednesday for his leadership and acknowledged "France's steady contributions to the strength and unity of the trans-Atlantic alliance."

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senior U.S. military officials sought to assure a House oversight panel Wednesday that they're taking aggressive steps to ensure that thousands of soldiers who received enlistment bonuses and served in combat won't be forced to return the money. To block the claw-back, House and Senate negotiators included provisions in the annual defense policy bill ordering the Pentagon to waive the recoupment of a bonus unless there is evidence that shows service members "knew or reasonably... Читать дальше...

Lena Dunham Deleted Her Peeing Selfie, and We Are All to Blame (Photo) Or thank — take your pick.. “When you delete your own peeing Insta cuz you chronically forget what kind of world we live in but you still gotta shout out your visual influences,” Dunham wrote, along with a photo of the presumed influence — a Candie’s ad featuring Jenny McCarthy sitting on the can with her panties drawn down. Judging from Dunham’s message, her own toilet-centric self-portrait drew negative attention. [...]... Читать дальше...

DETROIT (AP) — Michigan's presidential recount appeared in doubt on Wednesday, two days after it started, after a state appeals court said the Green Party candidate's poor showing in the election disqualified her from seeking another look at the vote. [...] the fate of Green Party candidate Jill Stein's request for a recount in Pennsylvania must wait at least until a federal court hearing on Friday, just four days before the Dec. 13 federal deadline for states to certify their election results.... Читать дальше...

Senior U.S. military officials are seeking to assure a House oversight panel they're taking aggressive steps to ensure that thousands of soldiers who received enlistment bonuses and served in combat won't be forced to return the money. Army Maj. Gen. David Baldwin, the adjutant general of the California Guard, testifies that he supports a "streamlined adjudication process" that forgives debts that may be owed by troops who received an enlistment bonus or other benefits "through no fault of their... Читать дальше...

Marc Platt is producing the remake of director Frank Oz’s 1986 movie — a musical version of the 1960 Roger Corman cult classic. Platt has produced big-screen musicals like “Into the Woods” and this year’s awards sensation “La La Land” — as well as the Broadway megahit “Wicked.” Berlanti is also the executive producer of four DC comic book adaptation series, “Arrow,” “The Flash,” “Legends of Tomorrow” and “Supergirl,” all on The CW, and he is also developing a feature adaptation of “Booster Gold.”