Record sales drove up the largest jackpot in U.S. history to a whopping $1.5 billion as people dreaming of riches flocked across state lines and international borders to buy tickets. The Powerball drawing is scheduled for 10:59 p.m. Wednesday night.
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In the second year of the College Football Playoff championship game, the Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the Clemson Tigers 45-40 Monday night at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, capturing its fourth national title in seven years.
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With a takeover entering its fourth day Wednesday, authorities had not removed the group of roughly 20 people from the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Oregon’s high desert country. But members of the group, some from as far away as Arizona and Michigan, were growing increasingly tense, saying they feared a federal raid.
El Nino storms lined up in the Pacific, promising to drench parts of the West for more than two weeks and increasing fears of mudslides and flash floods in regions stripped bare by wildfires. At least two more storms are expected to follow on Wednesday and Thursday, bringing as much as 3 inches of rain.
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The Consumer Technology Association’s International Consumer Electronics Show, or CES, is the world’s largest annual technology trade show. Ahead of the Jan. 6-9 event in Las Vegas, media got a preview of some of the products and services to be exhibited, including cameras, wearables, drones, robots, and health and safety systems.
Missouri and other areas along the Mississippi river are facing major flooding events after intense rainfall and rising river levels. At least 20 people have been killed, and 19 levees along the river are still vulnerable.
At least 11 people died and dozens were injured in tornadoes that swept through the Dallas area and caused substantial damage this weekend.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The humming is constant; a low-pitched drone from 155 miles of conveyer belts racing packages in every direction. Boxes shift from one belt to another and bump into a metal wall. Thud. Thud. Thud. In the background, trucks beep and jet engines roar.
Forget jingling bells and ho-ho-hos, these are now the sounds of the holidays.
As more gift-givers shop online, there are more packages to ship. Online sales now account for 10 percent of all shopping and 15 percent during the holidays, according to research firm Forrester. That leaves FedEx and UPS with a combined 947 million packages to deliver between Black Friday and Christmas Eve — up 8 percent from last holiday season’s forecasts.
A weather pattern that could be associated with El Nino has turned winter upside-down across the U.S. during a week of heavy holiday travel, bringing spring-like warmth to the Northeast, a risk of tornadoes in the South and so much snow in parts of the West that there are concerns about avalanches. On Christmas Day, it could be warmer in New York City than Los Angeles.
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WASHINGTON (AP) — If the youngest giant panda cub at the National Zoo is stressed out about appearing in front of crowds for the first time, he isn’t showing it.
Keepers were expecting Bei Bei (BAY BAY) to squawk and squirm during an audience with a small news media contingent Monday. Instead, under bright television lights with cameras clicking, he quickly fell asleep on an examination table, leaving a small puddle of drool on the tablecloth.
Panda biologist Laurie Thompson explained that before he went in front of the cameras, Bei Bei was playing with a piece of bamboo and trying to walk. Just like a newborn human, he tires easily.
“I’m very proud of him,” Thompson said. “Obviously, he wasn’t too bothered by all the people here. This is just the beginning for him as far as people go.”
Bei Bei is ready for his close-up. The cub will make a few appearances before selected audiences ahead of his public debut on Jan. 16, when the panda house will reopen. That’s also around the time Bei Bei will be sure enough on his feet that he’ll get to venture into the outdoor panda habitat for the first time.
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