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Coronavirus subvariant JN.1 growing fast, already dominant in parts of the US

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:24:12 GMT

By Brenda Goodman | CNNThe US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the coronavirus subvariant JN.1 is now causing about 20% of new Covid-19 infections in this country, and it’s the fastest-growing strain of the virus. It’s already dominant in the Northeast, where it is estimated to cause about a third of new infections.JN.1 is descended from BA.2.86, or Pirola, a subvariant that came to the world’s attention over the summer because of the large number of changes to its spike proteins: more than 30. Scientists feared that it was so mutated that it would completely escape the protection of vaccines and antibodies against Covid-19, perhaps sparking another tidal wave of illness the way the original Omicron variant did in 2021.That never happened, but BA.2.86 hung around, growing very slowly in some countries, including the US. Some studies suggested that it never really took off because it may have lost some of its ability to infect our cells.Enter JN.1, which is t...

Pac-12 power ratings: Brutal barrage of non-conference results offsets previous success against ranked opponents

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:24:12 GMT

The last weekend of heavy non-conference play proved suboptimal for the Pac-12.In fact, it was downright awful.The conference posted a 5-7 record from Friday through Sunday and was winless against power conference opponents.Yep, it played six games against teams from the ACC, Big Ten, Big East, Big 12 and SEC — and lost them all.Even worse: The Pac-12 lost the six games by an average of 13.5 points.Only UCLA (seven) and Arizona (eight) managed single-digit defeats, to Ohio State and Purdue, respectively. Everyone else was beaten soundly.And to make matters worse, none of the Pac-12’s five victories were against top-tier opponents outside the power leagues.Instead, the list of vanquished foes featured Northern Colorado, Utah Valley, UTSA, Idaho and Seattle.The resume damage more than offset any gains made the previous weekend, when the conference defeated four ranked opponents.As a result, the Pac-12’s non-conference winning percentage stands at 65.8 (raw total: 77-...

Pac-12 legal saga: What’s next for the ‘Pac-2’ and the ‘Pac-10’ after Washington’s high court sides with WSU and OSU

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:24:12 GMT

According to the only authority that truly matters, the Pac-12 is now the Pac-2.Washington State and Oregon State were given control of the conference’s governing board Friday through a momentous display of inaction by the Washington Supreme Court.The justices declined to review a lower court’s preliminary injunction that established WSU and OSU as the only board members and lifted a stay that was preventing the two schools from taking action to secure the future of the conference.“As of right now,” a source said after the ruling from Olympia, “there are two board members in the Pac-12.”What’s next for the Cougars and Beavers after their groundbreaking victory?How will they treat the outbound schools?Is there a reasonable legal recourse for the 10 departing members?How will the conference’s revenue and assets be distributed?Let’s dive in …— Deafening silenceAdmittedly, the high court’s decision came as a surpris...

Will empty office buildings meet the same fate as zombie shopping malls?

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:24:12 GMT

Analysis by Bryan Mena | CNNWashington, DC  — It’s been about four years since the Covid-19 pandemic first upended society. Cities and towns have mostly sprung back to life, but one aspect of daily life is unmistakable: The once-ubiquitous reality of working in an office for eight hours a day, five days a week is dead.As many companies embrace remote and hybrid work, demand for office space has weakened and property values have fallen.The predicament for office buildings is strikingly similar to that of regional shopping malls around the turn of the century, when Americans first began to gravitate en masse to online shopping, according to an analysis from the Treasury Department’s Office of Financial Research.Many malls have shuttered since as retailers dialed back their brick-and-mortar operations.But some zombie malls have been given new life, repurposed for other uses, in some instances after sitting vacant and abandoned for years.“The redeveloped uses for regional malls include ...

Los Gatos woman reports diamond tiara, Christmas lights and family cat stolen

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:24:12 GMT

Dec. 11VANDALISM: 11:58 a.m. at Tasting House on Village Lane. The door to the employee restroom that faces the back parking lot was removed.Dec. 13STOLEN VEHICLE: 5:58 a.m. on Cleland Avenue. A woman allowed her son to come to the house to shower. After he left the house, she discovered her purse, wallet, diamond tiara, Christmas lights, family cat, car and other items missing.VANDALISM: 11:06 a.m. on North Santa Cruz Avenue. Someone wrote “Free Gaza” on the front window of a business.SUSPICIOUS PERSON: 5:54 p.m. at Knowles Drive and South Winchester Boulevard. A man wax holding a swastika stencil and a can of spray paint next to the bus stop by Garret Station. He was gone when officers arrived.AUTO BURGLARY: 7:35 p.m. at Muni Lot 1 on Los-Gatos Saratoga Road. The window of a rental car was smashed, and a suitcase and other items were taken.PROWLER: 11:19 p.m. on Las Miradas Drive. A man knocked on the door, said “hello” and attempted to open a door that connects outsid...

Over 100 flights delayed at SFO, other airports

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:24:12 GMT

(KRON) – With the current rainstorm, Bay Area airports are experiencing an influx of delayed flights. Over 100 flights are currently delayed at San Francisco International Airport. Here is an update on the current number of delayed flights in the Bay Area.  Bay Area rain updates: Roadways flooded amid heavy rain San Francisco International Airport (SFO), 102 flight delays 2 canceled flights to SFOSydney and San Deigo30 departing flights are delayed72  incoming flights are delayed Oakland International Airport (OAK), 8 flights delayed 4 outgoing flights are delayed 4 incoming flights are delayed 1 cancellation to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport1 cancellation to OAKSan Jose International Airport (SJC), 14 flights delayed0 canceled flights to/from SJC5  incoming flights are delayed 9 outgoing flights are delayedThis is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Marvel kicked out Jonathan Majors after his conviction. It’s thrown years of plans into disarray

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:24:12 GMT

Jonathan Majors, third from left, leaves a courtroom in New York, Monday, Dec. 18, 2023. Majors was convicted of assaulting his former girlfriend during a confrontation in New York City earlier this year. A Manhattan jury convicted the Marvel star Monday of one misdemeanor assault charge and one harassment violation. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)(AP/Seth Wenig) Jonathan Majors, third from left, leaves a courtroom in New York, Monday, Dec. 18, 2023. Majors was convicted of assaulting his former girlfriend during a confrontation in New York City earlier this year. A Manhattan jury convicted the Marvel star Monday of one misdemeanor assault charge and one harassment violation. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)(AP/Seth Wenig) NEW YORK (A...

Ja Morant’s suspension is over, allowing the All-Star to rejoin the Grizzlies on the court

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:24:12 GMT

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant’s 25-game suspension stemming from his social media antics with handguns ended Tuesday, making him available to play against the Pelicans in New Orleans.“He’s been awesome outside of not being able to play in the games,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said Friday night before Memphis’ last home game. “He’s taken every opportunity to be with his teammates. He’s been leaning into the team a lot, (doing) off-court stuff with his teammates.”Under the terms of his suspension, Morant was able to practice and travel with the Grizzlies and take part in morning shootarounds. But he was not permitted to be in an arena with his team during games.Jenkins said the two-time NBA All-Star increasingly has been involved in practices during the past couple weeks. Morant also has been video-chatting with teammates during games.“He seems to be in a really good spot. The way he’s responded in the 5-on-5s the last couple of days has been rea...

Gas, drones y reclutas convictos: soldados ucranianos describen el letal resurgimiento de Rusia en el frente

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:24:12 GMT

(CNN) — Las líneas del frente en las que Ucrania y sus aliados esperaban lograr un avance en el verano son ahora el ejemplo más claro del sombrío y oscuro invierno que se avecina: el resurgimiento de Rusia y las crecientes pérdidas de Kyiv.“Como nos gusta decir en el Ejército, el plan era bueno sobre el papel, pero nos olvidamos de las trincheras”, bromeó Ihor, comandante de la 15ª Guardia Nacional. CNN solo utiliza su nombre de pila para proteger su identidad por motivos de seguridad. Hablando con CNN en las profundidades de un puesto de mando en Orikhiv, en el sur de Ucrania, es interrumpido por ruidos de pánico en la sala de radio.La ayuda a Ucrania se acabará a finales de diciembre, advierte la Casa Blanca“Heridos graves”, le grita el operador de radio. Un dron ruso ha impactado contra un gran depósito de combustible utilizado para la calefacción en una trinchera cercana a las posiciones rusas, dejando herido a un soldado.Ihor toma el auricular: ...

Bayern extends Thomas Müller’s contract by a year to 2025 with club record in sight

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:24:12 GMT

MUNICH (AP) — Bayern Munich has handed experienced forward Thomas Müller a one-year contract extension through to the end of the 2024-25 season, putting him within sight of the club’s all-time appearance record.The new deal has the 34-year-old Müller in line to mark a quarter of a century at the club he joined at the age of 10.“He’s a leader both on and off the pitch, always a role model and incredibly valuable for the entire team,” Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund said in a statement. “Thomas pushes every team with his open and positive manner on and off the pitch. The way he plays is extremely clever, for the team, and he’s very versatile in where he can play. Thomas is also almost never injured, always there — just quality and reliability personified.”Müller’s contract was last renewed in May 2022 and had been due to run out at the end of this season. The one-year extension follows a similar deal handed to goalkeeper Manuel Neuer last month after his re...