US news

US news

Graphite mines in the United States largely closed down seven decades ago. Mining the ubiquitous mineral found in everything from nuclear reactors to pencils seemed to make little sense when it could be imported inexpensively from other nations, especially China. That view is changing now. Demand for graphite, a key material in the lithium-ion batteries that power everything from phones to electric cars, is surging as trade tensions with China persist.

Bronx detectives are investigating the death of a four-year-old girl on Friday morning. Officers from the 49th Precinct responded to a location near Barnes and Adee Avenues in Williamsbridge at about 9:17 a.m. on Dec. 26 after receiving a 911 call for a female in need of assistance. Upon arriving at the scene, the officers found the four-year-old girl, who was unconscious and unresponsive.

Shares of Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) gained 6.15% over the past month after losing 0.06% the month prior. That brings the stock's year-to-date gain to 27.00%. Since hitting its 2025 low on April 4, BAC is up nearly 64%. When the company reported Q3 earnings on Oct. 15, 2025, it beat on earnings and revenue expectations, with EPS of $1.06 topping forecasts of 95 cents, and revenue of $28.09 billion - an 11% year-over-year increase - higher than analysts' expectations for $27.5 billion.

It's hard to see the big headlines of, 'Marijuana rescheduled to [Schedule] III; marijuana research will open,' says Gillian Schauer, executive director of the nonpartisan Cannabis Regulators Association, which includes agencies from 46 states. 'You know, those things are not true as of now.'

Earlier this month, President Trump issued a memorandum directing Kennedy and the acting director of the CDC to align the U.S. with best practices on childhood vaccine recommendations from peer nations, and it specifically mentioned Denmark. That could mean fewer shots against fewer diseases. But critics say you can't simply adopt another country's vaccine schedule in the U.S., which has a very different population and different health risks.

The letter landed with a thud on Saturday in the inbox of Harvard University's president, Alan M. Garber. The message, from Linda McMahon, President Donald Trump's education secretary, conveyed an understanding of an emerging deal between Harvard and the White House that flew in the face of the terms the university had been insisting on. Garber felt he had made clear in recent negotiations that the university would not agree to pay the federal government to settle a monthslong battle

Valente was described as brilliant and competitive, but willing to help his colleagues out. He finished top of his class, with an average grade of 19 out of 20, an unusually high score for Tecnico. Loureiro, who was said to be an excellent student but more easygoing than Valente, finished with an average grade of 16 out of 20. Classmates say that, at the time, the two men appeared socially well adjusted.

According to a Monday press release from Kentucky's Jeffersontown Police Department, 23-year-old Jacob Talamantes was arrested after police seized more than 55 pounds of suspected methamphetamine disguised as Christmas presents from his possession. Jeffersontown Police play the Grinch, boasted the police's press release. According to them, Talamantes' arrest happened on Monday just outside of Louisville, during a narcotics investigation in collaboration with the Kentucky State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

A prominent California farmer was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of murder in the shooting death of his estranged wife in a remote mountain community in Arizona, the Navajo County Sheriff's Office said. Michael Abatti, 63, was arrested in El Centro and booked into jail on a first-degree murder charge. He is awaiting extradition to Arizona. Authorities say they believe he drove to Arizona on Nov. 20 and fatally shot Kerri Ann Abatti, 59, before returning home to California.

A strong storm system that has brought relentless winds, rain and snowfall to California was expected to ease on Friday, but there was still a risk of high surf along the coast, flash flooding near Los Angeles and avalanches in the Sierra Nevada. Waves near the San Francisco Bay Area could reach up to 25ft (7.6 meters) on Friday, parts of southern California were at risk of flooding, and avalanches could hit the Lake Tahoe area, officials warned.

The latest rally came after the U.S. launched strikes on Islamic State targets in Nigeria on Thursday, adding to other geopolitical tensions. Earlier in the week, the Trump administration continued to pile on more pressure on Venezuela by targeting additional oil tankers, squeezing a key source of revenue for the Maduro regime. Meanwhile, the Pentagon sent large numbers of special-operations aircraft, troops and gear into the Caribbean, sources told the Wall Street Journal.

Alain Rodriguez Colina was working at a scrapyard that was one of the businesses into which UPS Flight 2976 crashed as it took off from Louisville's airport on 4 November. Kentucky's governor, Andy Beshear, and Louisville's mayor, Craig Greenberg, each confirmed that Rodriguez died on Thursday. Alain is the 15th victim of the UPS Flight 2976 accident, Greenberg wrote on X. He suffered severe injuries at the time of the crash and passed earlier this Christmas Day. May Alain's memory be a blessing.

South winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 40 mph, can be expected according to the NWS Sacramento CA. Breezy to gusty southerly winds are expected through the afternoon, gradually decreasing by the evening. Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects and holiday decorations. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result, the NWS said. Gusty winds can make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles. Use extra caution. Secure outdoor objects.

The Fulton County Ohio Sheriff's Office posted bodycam video of a deputy making the traffic stop that started with the driver warning he has a concealed carry weapon permit. Mrs. Claus appeared to be in the passenger seat beside Kris Kringle. Santa has a CCW? the officer laughs. Times are rough! Police indicated on Facebook that the driver who also had a parking permit for people with disabilities hanging from his rearview mirror got off with a warning.

"We haven't determined the cause of this fire yet, but we know that tragedies like this one are most common in the winter months," State Fire Marshal Jon Davine said in a statement. "Please be sure you have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms on every level of your home and a practiced escape plan in the event of an emergency."

In response to a survey asking, "Which of the following do you think have increased the most in cost for you over the past year?" groceries and food topped the list at 64%, followed by housing at 50%, utilities at 33%, restaurants and entertainment at 28%, taxes at 25%, health care at 23% and home insurance at 22%. Joint Venture conducted its poll in August, surveying 1,750 residents from Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, San Francisco and San Mateo counties.

El Salvador was a year into a civil war that pitted the paramilitary death squads, funded in part by the U.S. government, against Marxist-Leninist guerilla forces and the civilians who supported them. Since the United States did not recognize the Salvadoran civil war, and its role in it, those who fled to the U.S. were not granted refugee status and were instead considered economic migrants.

The rules and the strictness with which they are upheld vary among the different service branches. The Marine Corps and Army are among the toughest enforcers. For some senior leaders, the restriction on putting hands in pockets is about discipline, uniformity, and maintaining a professional appearance - looking sharp, so to speak. But for service members, the rule can feel impractical and has spawned numerous Reddit threads devoted to the matter.

HONOLULU -- Backup quarterback Drew Weaver threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Nick Cenacle with 10 seconds left, and Hawaii rallied for a 35-31 victory over California in a thrilling Sheraton Hawaii Bowl on Wednesday night. Weaver entered the game after Micah Alejado took a hard hit on the previous play. With the Rainbow Warriors (9-4) in range for a tying field goal, coach Timmy Chang took a shot at the end zone, and Cenacle got between two defensive backs and made the contested catch.

A Brentwood police officer shot and killed a man on Christmas Eve after the suspect attempted to grab a weapon during a traffic stop, police said. Officers had pulled over the man's vehicle near Balfour Road and Foothill Drive around 10:55 p.m. after suspecting him of driving under the influence, authorities said.

Morris' extensive Christmas celebrations began in 2014, when hundreds of families showed up to his house to celebrate Christmas and raise money for children with cancer, according to Fox News. When he moved to the family's "dream house" just outside the city of Hayden in Kootenai County, Idaho, the following year, he called the president of the HOA to tell him about his planned display for the following Christmas, according to Fox News.

How did we get here, ECHL? Why are you going on strike, and more importantly, why should we care? Now I am a hockey fanatic, a level 5 hockey fan on the seven levels of hockey fans scale, dare I say a sicko at times. I follow the AHL and host an AHL podcast; my team, the Hershey Bears, is affiliated with the South Carolina Stingrays.

Hawaii is one of the most visited destinations in the world, with nearly 10 million tourists each year, and the winter (along with summer) ranks among the best time to vacation here in large part because you can trade gloomy overcast days for near-constant sunshine. While Hawaii has four tourist-friendly islands, Kauai is the most underrated. At 552 square miles, it's also the smallest.