Новости за 20.05.2024

Casual dining chain Red Lobster has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The 56-year-old chain made the filing late Sunday, days after shuttering dozens of restaurants. Red Lobster brought seafood to the masses with inventions like popcorn shrimp and “endless” seafood deals. But it struggled in recent years with rising costs, increased competition and changing customer tastes. One industry analyst said Monday that the once-thriving chain has been a “slow-moving train wreck" for two decades. Читать дальше...

Donald Trump’s hush money trial is entering its final stretch as the prosecution’s star witness Michael Cohen returns to the stand. Cohen took the stand last week and placed Trump directly at the center of the alleged scheme to stifle negative stories to fend off damage to his 2016 White House bid. The trial begins its 19th day on Monday with cross-examination of Cohen set to resume. Judge Juan M. Merchan says he expects closing arguments will take place the Tuesday after Memorial Day. Prosecutors... Читать дальше...

A new study tracks how cockroaches spread around the globe to become the survival experts we know today. Researchers analyzed the genes of over 280 cockroaches across 17 countries and confirmed that the German cockroach, found around the world, actually originated in southeast Asia over 2,000 years ago. The cockroaches then may have hitchhiked in soldiers' breadbaskets or stowed away on trade ships to get to western Asia and Europe. Researchers say exploring how cockroaches conquered past environments may lead to better pest control... Читать дальше...

Microsoft wants laptop users to get so comfortable with its artificial intelligence chatbot that it will remember everything you’re doing on your computer and help figure out what you want to do next. The software giant on Monday revealed an upgraded version of Copilot, its AI assistant, as it confronts heightened competition from Big Tech rivals in pitching generative AI technology that can compose documents, make images and serve as a lifelike personal assistant at work or home. The announcements... Читать дальше...

Ivan F. Boesky, the flamboyant stock trader whose cooperation with the government cracked open one of the largest insider trading scandals on Wall Street, has died at the age of 87. A representative at the Marianne Boesky Gallery, owned by his daughter, confirmed his death. The son of a Detroit delicatessen owner, Boesky was once considered one of the richest and most influential risk-takers on Wall Street. He had parlayed $700,000 from his late mother-in-law’s estate into a fortune estimated at more than $200 million. Читать дальше...

Uber and Lyft say they’ll keep operating in Minnesota after the state Legislature passed a compromise driver pay package. The bill approved before a midnight Sunday deadline now moves to Gov. Tim Walz to be signed into law. The plan was crafted by Democrats to replace a minimum pay measure passed by the Minneapolis City Council. Uber and Lyft then threatened to leave the state. The legislation sets a minimum pay rate at $1.28 per mile and 31 cents per minute. Both companies welcomed the deal and dropped their threats to leave Minnesota. Читать дальше...

Target plans to cut prices on thousands of consumer basics this summer, from diapers to milk

South Korea is set to host a mini-summit this week on risks and regulation of artificial intelligence. The meetings Monday and Tuesday follow an inaugural AI safety meeting in Britain that drew a diverse crowd of tech luminaries, researchers and officials. The gathering in Seoul aims to build on work started at the U.K. meeting on reining in threats posed by cutting edge artificial intelligence systems. It will feature a leaders’ virtual summit co-chaired by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and... Читать дальше...

World stocks have advanced after U.S. stock indexes drifted near their records on Friday with the Dow Jones Industrial Average finishing above 40,000 for the first time. U.S. futures rose and oil prices climbed as investors focused on the Middle East, where a helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and other officials crashed in the mountainous northwest reaches of Iran on Sunday. Chinese shares rose after the government announced fresh measures to support the struggling property sector. Читать дальше...

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange faces a court hearing in London that could end with him being sent to the U.S. to face espionage charges, or provide him another chance to appeal his extradition. The outcome Monday will depend on how much weight judges give to assurances U.S. officials have provided that Assange’s rights won’t be trampled if he goes on trial. In March, judges said he could take his case to the Court of Appeal unless the U.S. guaranteed he would not face the death penalty if extradited... Читать дальше...

After one North Carolina city's only hospital closed, residents there say they're not only worried about their health but they've lost trust in politicians. Williamston, North Carolina's struggle to reopen its only emergency room could signal trouble for President Joe Biden's reelection campaign, which highlights his health care accomplishments. Biden and former President Donald Trump are fiercely competing for votes in the state, where residents of this town say they've lost confidence that politicians care about getting the hospital reopened.

Exploring the cosmos makes for happy employees, federal workers like to work from home like everyone else, and an agency that has struggled with low morale is showing improvement. Those are some of the highlights of a survey released Monday of more than a million federal workers. The survey uses information from the Office of Personnel Management’s Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey and is produced by the Partnership for Public Service and the Boston Consulting Group. It covers 532 federal agencies. Читать дальше...

Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley's allies and opponents alike are awaiting her decision on whether to endorse Donald Trump. Her eventual move could shape not only this year's presidential race but her own political future. Haley will give her first public speech Wednesday since dropping out of the Republican primary. Some allies believe she may be forced to endorse the former president before the November election to avoid permanently alienating the Republican Party base. But her supporters say... Читать дальше...

Surprising flavor combinations – think gravy-flavored Jones Soda or Sour Patch Kids Oreos -- are showing up more frequently in grocery stores and restaurants. Earlier this year, IHOP and Lay’s introduced Rooty Tooty Fresh ’N Fruity potato chips, which were designed to taste like strawberry-topped pancakes with a hint of bacon. Last summer, there were mustard-flavored Skittles. While it’s tempting to pass off these limited-time flavors as social media stunts, experts say there’s more to the story. Читать дальше...

Donald Trump’s hush money trial is heading into the final stretch, with prosecutors’ last and star witness expected back on the stand for more grilling before the former president’s lawyers get their chance to put on a case. The landmark trial will kick back off Monday in Manhattan with more defense cross-examination of former Trump attorney Michael Cohen. Cohen's pivotal testimony directly tied Trump to the alleged hush money scheme. Defense lawyers are trying to paint Cohen as a serial fabulist... Читать дальше...

This week’s new streaming entertainment releases include an album by Lenny Kravitz, “South Park” mocking weight loss drugs and Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune: Part Two” hitting the streaming service Max. Shay Mitchell, best-known from the original “Pretty Little Liars” series, hosts her own travel show on Max about seeking out beverages unique to each area, and the documentary “The Blue Angels” spotlights the daring U.S. Navy pilots who have thrilled air show audiences since 1946. Jennifer Lopez stars... Читать дальше...

An argument between two women led to a gunfight that left 11 people injured in a busy tourist area of of Savannah, Georgia. The shootout Saturday night near Savannah's Ellis Square was one of five weekend shootings in the city. Authorities say two of those shootings were fatal. None of the injuries in the mass shooting was believed to be life threatening. Mayor Van Johnson says a proliferation of guns was a factor in the shootings. He says reasonable gun control laws are needed and that people carrying guns must act responsibly.

Houston area residents affected by deadly storms last week that left at least seven dead have finally received some good news. Officials say power was restored by Sunday evening to a majority of the hundreds of thousands that had been left in the dark and without air conditioning amid hot and humid weather. Officials also say the federal government has approved financial assistance for residents and business owners than can help pay for temporary housing and repairs. More than 289,000 homes and businesses... Читать дальше...