Mayor says, โWe have to do what we can to minimize gun violenceโ in response to crime in Jacksonville
Just before the New Year began, a 16-year-old was killed in a shooting in Mandarin. Then, the shooting death of a 14-year-old in the Sherwood Forest neighborhood marked Jacksonvilleโs first homicide of the year.
Top 10, Kid-tested Recipes!
Itโs the New Year and everyone is trying to get healthier. VegeCooking is here to share their top ten tips to help you and your family get healthier, and theyโll demonstrate how to make a simple, healthy and tasty snack from their free mini-cookbook; Top 10, Kid-tested Recipes!
Relax and recover like a pro with this full-leg massager for under $170
No matter how much you deny it, the truth is always there. Your leg is in pain and no amount of manual massaging seems to make it feel any better. Now that the New Year is upon us, perhaps itโs time to take this matter seriously and get yourself a new solution. This technologically-advanced leg massager is going to get you right where it hurts (and not in the pocketbook)!
Azeri president marks Nowruz in retaken cultural city
Aliyev marked the Nowruz holiday by lighting a ceremonial fire outside Shusha, a culturally revered city that Azerbaijan took from Armenian forces in last autumn's war. Shusha, a center of Azeri culture for centuries, came under Armenian control in 1992 in fighting over the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region. (Vugar Amrullaev, Azerbaijani Presidential Press Office via AP)MOSCOW โ Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev marked the Nowruz holiday Saturday by lighting a ceremonial fire outside Shusha, a culturally revered city that Azerbaijan took from Armenian forces in last autumnโs war. Shusha, a center of Azeri culture for centuries, came under Armenian control in 1992 in fighting over the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region. โToday we are celebrating Nowruz in our ancient city Shusha, the cultural capital of Azerbaijan.
Macron calls on Biden for greater US military involvement
(Stephane Mahe/Pool Photo via AP)BREST โ French President Emmanuel Macron hoped on Tuesday that U.S. President-elect Joe Biden will show a greater military commitment to fight against Islamic extremists in several theaters of conflict and especially in the Middle East. Macron stressed that France has maintained its efforts to fight against the Islamic State group in the region. About 900 French troops are currently taking part in the U.S.-led international coalition. In his speech, Macron also suggested he is considering a partial troop pullout in Africaโs Sahel region, an โadjustmentโ he presented as a consequence of successes achieved by French forces last year and an expected greater involvement of other European countries. The deployment of about 5,100 troops in five West African countries represent Franceโs largest military operation abroad.
Moon urges Biden to learn from Trump's N. Korea diplomacy
South Korean President Moon Jae-in speaks during an on-line New Year press conference with local and foreign journalists at the Presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea Monday, Jan. 18, 2021. (Jeon Heon-kyun/Pool Photo via AP)SEOUL โ South Koreaโs president on Monday urged the incoming Biden administration to build upon the achievements and learn from the failures of President Donald Trumpโs diplomatic engagement with North Korea. Biden has accused Trump of chasing the spectacle of summits rather than meaningful curbs on the Northโs nuclear capabilities. And while Moon acknowledged that Biden is likely to try a different approach than Trump, he stressed that Biden could still learn from Trumpโs successes and failures in dealing with North Korea. โThe start of the Biden administration provides a new opportunity to start over talks between North Korea and the United States and also between South and North Korea,โ which have stalled amid the stalemate in nuclear negotiations, Moon said.
Germany's Merkel: Trump's Twitter eviction 'problematic'
FILE - In this Dec. 30, 2020 file photo German Chancellor Angela Merkel poses for photographs after the television recording of her annual New Year's speech at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File)BERLIN โ German Chancellor Angela Merkel considers U.S. President Donald Trump's eviction from Twitter by the company โproblematic,โ her spokesman said Monday. Twitter permanently suspended Trump from the microblogging platform on Friday, citing a โrisk of further incitement of violenceโ in the wake of the storming of the U.S. Capitol by supporters of the outgoing president. โSeen from this angle, the chancellor considers it problematic that the accounts of the U.S. president have now been permanently blocked.โFacebook on Thursday suspended Trumpโs account through Jan. 20, the day of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration, and possibly indefinitely. Merkel herself does not have a Twitter account, although Seibert does and many German government ministers do.
Chilly and clear tonight, sunny & cool Tuesday
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ Today was sunny and a little chilly, only topping out in the low 60s. Tonight turns chilly under clear skies with temperatures sinking down into the upper 30s and low 40s. We wake up around 40ยฐ on Tuesday and warm up into the cool mid 60s under sunny skies. Wednesday expect more of the same, waking up around 40ยฐ and warming up only to around 60ยฐ under sunny skies. The cold front behind the showers will chill us down into the upper 30s overnight and upper 50s and low 60s for the afternoon for the weekend with sunny skies.
Zimbabwe returns to restrictions amid rise in virus cases
Thousands of people attend a music concert to celebrate New Year's in the Mbare suburb of Harare, Zimbabwe, early Friday, Jan 1, 2021. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)MUTARE โ In response to rising COVID-19 numbers, Zimbabwe has reintroduced a night curfew, banned public gatherings, and indefinitely suspended the opening of schools. โWe are being overwhelmed and overrun,โ Information Minister Nick Mangwana warned, saying the country's hospitals are rapidly reaching capacity with COVID-19 patients. Zimbabwe recorded 1,342 cases and 29 deaths in the past week, โthe highest number recorded so far,โ Vice President Constantino Chiwenga said, announcing the strict measures. Funerals are now limited to 30 people while other gatherings such as weddings and church services are banned for 30 days.
Asia Today: Australian state under fire for slow response
Trace testing has linked the new Melbourne coronavirus cluster to the New South Wales outbreak. The newest occurred at midnight Friday when Victoria closed its border to New South Wales, prompting traffic bottlenecks as people raced to beat the closure. Once in Victoria, COVID-19 testing sites saw long queues as travelers lined up for mandatory testing. South Korea reported 824 new cases, raising the national tally to 62,593 with 942 deaths. โ Thai authorities are planning to launch two levels of restrictions of activities for highly controlled areas where coronavirus cases are on the rise.
Weโve had more freezes in December than during all of last winter
This story first appeared in our Weather Insider newsletter. Weโve seen more freezes so far this winter than we had ALL of last winter and weโre only about a third of the way through the season. Little did we know that was just the beginning a of season of few freezes. For the rest of winter we only saw low temperatures below 32ยฐ on two other days in January. So weโve gotten below freezing seven times so far this year, compared to only three freezes for the entire season last year- what does that mean for the rest of the season?
Meet Duval Countyโs 1st babies of 2021
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. โ Born at 12:02 a.m. on New Yearโs Day, Kasani Finley was one of the first Jacksonville babies welcomed into 2021 at UF Health. Happy New Year!โ UF Health wrote on Facebook. Anna and Vladimir Orgunovโs family also got a little bigger as they kicked off 2021. Their little boy born at Baptist Health was among the first babies born at a Jacksonville-area hospital this year. โHis due date was December 31st so he was right on time,โ Anna Orgunov, Romanโs mother, said.
The Latest: S Korea extends distancing rules for 2 weeks
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, intensive care units in several parts of Texas were full or nearly full. India and Brazil trail behind the U.S. in coronavirus cases at over 10 million and 7 million, respectively. ___MILAN, Italy โ Italy added another 462 virus deaths on Friday for a known pandemic death toll of 74,621, the highest in Europe. ___BANGKOK โ The Thai capital is shutting down venues including schools and entertainment parks as coronavirus cases continue to spread. China on Friday reported a total of 19 new virus cases, including 10 that were brought from outside the country.
S&P 500 ends at another record high as tumultuous 2020 ends
The benchmark S&P 500 index finished with a gain of 16.3% for the year, or a total return of about 18.4%, including dividends. And the S&P 500 rose or fell by at least 1% on twice as many days in 2020 than it did, on average, since 1950. The electric car maker jumped 743.4% in 2020 for the biggest gain in the S&P 500. All told, the S&P 500 set 33 record highs in 2020. The S&P 500 rose 24.03 points, or 0.6%, to 3,756.07, an all-time high.
New fireworks law helps ring in new year
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. โ Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, whose job includes the role of state fire marshal, cautioned Floridians to follow fire-safety guidelines ahead of the first New Yearโs holiday with a law bolstering the availability of fireworks. Ron DeSantis signed a measure (SB 140) that allows people 18 and older to buy fireworks to use on New Yearโs Eve, New Yearโs Day and Independence Day. Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, called the stateโs prior fireworks rules โone of the craziest laws we have on the books.โ The old fireworks law prohibited explosives, such as firecrackers, torpedoes and roman candles, while allowing relatively innocuous devices such as sparklers. โYouโre basically perjuring yourself every time you purchase fireworks, because youโre signing a paper that most people, I would say everyone, doesnโt use for that purpose,โ Rodriguez said in February. The new law eliminated the need for people to declare why they are buying fireworks if they use the fireworks during the three holidays listed in the bill.
Tokyo trading closed for holiday, other Asian indexes mixed
FILE - In this Dec. 30, 2020, file photo, an employee tolls the closing bell during a ceremony of the last trading day at the Tokyo Stock Exchange in Tokyo. Major Asian bourses were closed for the New Year's holidays Thursday, Dec. 31, while the handful that remained open was mixed. (JPX via AP)Major Asian bourses were closed for the New Year's holidays Thursday while the handful that remained open was mixed. Trading was closed in Tokyo and South Korea. The Tokyo exchange marked the end of trading for the year Wednesday, with the Nikkei falling 0.5%, and trading will not reopen until Monday next week.
Thailand imposes new restrictions amid coronavirus outbreak
Thailand generally has been viewed as successful in combating the coronavirus, due partly to its well-regarded public health infrastructure and peopleโs adherence to mask-wearing and other protocols. But cases have jumped significantly since an outbreak was detected last week among migrants from Myanmar working at a seafood market in Samut Sakhon province. Samut Sakhon Gov. Weerasak Wijitsaengsri tested positive for the virus after meeting Sunday with senior health officials including Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. Samut Sakhon was put under lockdown on Dec. 19, followed by Samut Songkhram and Samut Prakarn.
Asian shares mixed as boost from US stimulus package fades
Asian shares were mixed Wednesday after a lackluster day on Wall Street, as the boost from President Donald Trumps signing of the coronavirus relief package faded. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)Asian shares were mixed Wednesday after a lackluster day on Wall Street, as the boost from President Donald Trumpโs signing of the coronavirus relief package faded. It is still on track to end the month 7.7% higher, more than twice as much as the S&P 500. The S&P 500 fell 8.32 points to 3,727.04. With two days of trading left in 2020, the S&P 500 is up 15.4% this year, while the Nasdaq is up 43.2%.
Asia Today: Governor of hotspot Thai province infected
Hata was the son of late Prime Minister Tsutomu Hata, who headed an opposition-led government in 1994. Prime Minister Yoshihide Sugaโs government has been reluctant to impose tougher restrictions that would further damage the pandemic-hit economy. South Korea on Monday registered 808 new coronavirus cases, raising its national caseload to 57,680 with 819 deaths. Sri Lanka has confirmed 41,053 coronavirus cases, including 191 fatalities. The government also announced 5,854 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, bringing the country's total to 719,219 confirmed cases, including 21,452 deaths.
New Yearโs resolutions are important for pets (and their humans)
โEach New Year, many of us set goals for ourselves, not realizing that our pets can also benefit from a challenge. Maintain a Healthy Diet : A healthy diet is key to your petsโ fitness and happiness. Like humans, pets cannot out-exercise a poor diet. Update Your Petsโ Tags : Make sure your pets have updated information on their tags. The information on these tags is critical for reuniting pets and their owners, should they become separated from you.
J. Lo, Billy Porter to perform at 'New Yearโs Rockinโ Eve'
NEW YORK โ Jennifer Lopez will help bring in the New Year with a headlining performance in New Yorkโs Time Square for โDick Clarkโs New Yearโs Rockinโ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2021." Other performers include Cyndi Lauper, Billy Porter and Jimmie Allen. Lauper and Porter collaborated on the Broadway musical โKinky Boots" and they will join forces for a special performance during the TV special, which will air on ABC at 8 p.m. Eastern. โDick Clarkโs New Yearโs Rockinโ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2021" will run until 2 a.m. Eastern on Jan. 1. Seacrest is returning to host the event for a 16th year, and he will be joined by Porter and Lucy Hale in New York.
Holiday events, including New Yearโs Eve Shrimp Drop, canceled in Fernandina Beach
FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. โ Fernandina Beach is pulling the plug on Christmas and New Yearโs community celebrations in 2020 due to COVID-19. Tuesday night, city commissioners voted 4-1 in favor of canceling all of the cityโs special events through the end of the year. Those events include the Christmas parade, the New Yearโs Eve fireworks and the popular New Years Eve Shrimp Drop. The decision comes after the commissionโs vote at its previous meeting to cancel the cityโs Christmas tree lighting. โWe were hoping for that foot traffic, being right here in Downtown Fernandina,โ she said.
Post Malone to headline Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve
NEW YORK, NY โ You can ring in the New Year with Post Malone: The rap-pop star will perform at โDick Clarkโs New Yearโs Rockinโ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2020โ in New York City on Dec. 31. Dick Clark Productions announced Tuesday that K-pop group BTS, country singer Sam Hunt and singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette โ joined by the cast of Broadwayโs โJagged Little Pillโ โ will also perform at the event, which will air live from Times Square on ABC at 8 p.m. Eastern. The annual New Yearโs Eve affair will include celebrations from multiple cities. Performers from Hollywood include Green Day, Paula Abdul, Dan + Shay, Dua Lipa, Megan Thee Stallion, Salt-N-Pepa and Ciara, who will host the event. Usher, Sheryl Crow and โPoseโ star Billy Porter โ who will host โ will perform in New Orleans.