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Apple readies new iPads and M3 MacBook Air to combat sales slump

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:00:55 GMT

By Mark Gurman | BloombergApple Inc., seeking to reverse a decline in Mac and iPad sales, is preparing several new models and upgrades for early next year, according to people familiar with the situation.The effort includes updating the iPad Air, iPad Pro and MacBook Air, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the products haven’t been announced. The new iPad Air will come in two sizes for the first time, and the Pro model will get OLED screens — short for organic light-emitting diode. The MacBook Air, meanwhile, will feature the speedier M3 processor.The Mac and iPad account for 15% of Apple’s revenue combined, and they’ve been particularly hard hit by a decline in consumer tech spending. The iPad slump has been compounded by a lack of new models. In fact, 2023 will be the first calendar year in the product’s history when no new versions were released.There have been Mac releases in the past year, but that market faces a broader pullback for computers follo...

Schiff, Lee, Porter receive 'triple endorsement' from influential labor group

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:00:55 GMT

(KRON/NEXSTAR) -- The influential California Labor Federation met in Oakland this week to decide on its March primary picks for statewide and national races. Endorsements were made for state Assembly, state Senate and U.S. House. However, the group declined to choose a favorite in the U.S. Senate race to fill Dianne Feinstein's former seat.Instead, the group issued a "triple endorsement" of Democratic Reps. Barbara Lee (D-Oakland), Katie Porter (D-Orange) and Adam Schiff (D-Burbank). Kevin McCarthy to depart House at end of year "With 3 pro-union candidates who have all shown they'll stand shoulder to shoulder with labor...in our biggest fights, workers can't lose," the federation said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.A representative for the federation went on to say that if two of its endorsed candidates make it into a run-off election, "it is possible that we choose one over the other at that time."The California Labor Federation is made up of more than 1,200 unions and repre...

SF Supervisors introduce resolution for sustained ceasefire in Gaza

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:00:55 GMT

(BCN) -- On Tuesday, fighting back tears as they spoke, San Francisco Supervisors Dean Preston and Hillary Ronan introduced a resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza, joining the cities of Richmond and Oakland in publicly condemning the conflict. The resolution calls for a sustained ceasefire, an influx of humanitarian aid, the release of all hostages, and the condemnation of antisemitism, Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian hate. Since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas which resulted in the death of more than 1,200 Israelis, over 15,000 Palestinians have been killed and an estimated 1.7 million displaced, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. OUSD teachers plan to hold pro-Palestine teach-in, district disapproves Preston stated his intentions were to add the city's voice to the chorus of international human rights organizations and humanitarian organizations, countries, cities, labor unions and city residents who are calling for an end to the violence, destruction and death ...

'The Fuse' pleads guilty for violent Palo Alto arrest

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:00:55 GMT

(KRON) -- A former Palo Alto police sergeant nicknamed "The Fuse" is taking court-ordered anger management classes and LGBTQ sensitivity training this winter after pleading guilty to assault. Wayne Benitez, 66, pleaded guilty last month for assaulting a man he arrested at Buena Vista Mobile Home Park on Feb. 17, 2018. The sergeant and other officers had gone to the mobile home park to arrest a man suspected of driving without a driver's license. The sergeant "slammed the face of a handcuffed arrestee against the windshield of the arrestee’s car," the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office wrote. Benitez was known amongst his police colleagues as "The Fuse," apparently for having a short temper. He has since retired from the Palo Alto Police Department. Benitez pleaded guilty on November 21. As part of a court order, he was sentenced to complete 750 hours of community service. The former sergeant was also ordered by a judge to take anger management and LGBTQ sensitivity traini...

3 Bay Area cities among places where homes are selling the fastest

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:00:55 GMT

The pace at which homes sell in the U.S. tends to ebb and flow over the calendar year, with homes selling fastest in the summer and slowest in the winter. But things are more muted in 2023 as high home prices and mortgage interest rates spook potential buyers.In October, the median number of days a home spent on the market was 34, one day less compared to the year before. Another San Francisco restaurant abruptly closes When homes sell faster, it can be a sign that any given market is less buyer-friendly, and decisions must be made quickly.Stacker compiled a list of metros where homes are selling the fastest, using data from Redfin. Metros are ranked by the most days listed for sale for October, with the metros with the most home sales ranked higher in cases of ties. Metros with over 300 home sales were included.Sean Pavone // Shutterstock#50. Oklahoma City- Median days on market: 22- Median sale price: $247,000- Total homes sold: 1,587Canva#49. Mobile, Alabama- Median days on mar...

Chiefs missing several starters to injury as they begin preparing for visit from Bills

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:00:55 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs could be getting injured linebacker Nick Bolton back just in time after they lost his replacement, Drue Tranquill, and several other key players to injuries during last week’s loss to the Green Bay Packers.Tranquill was still in the concussion protocol on Wednesday, when the Chiefs resumed preparation for Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills. But coach Andy Reid said that Bolton would continue to practice after they opened the 21-day window in which they must decide whether to activate him or put him on season-ending injured reserve.Bolton has been out since having surgery for a dislocated wrist sustained during a Week 7 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.“Nick is a great player, a significant impact player,” Chiefs defensive end Mike Danna said. “Just having his presence back there is going to be huge for us.”The Chiefs also lost starting safety Bryan Cook to what appeared to be a significant ankle injury in Green Bay, th...

Correction: Legends Community story

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:00:55 GMT

In a story published November 22, 2023, about the NFL Legends Community, The Associated Press misspelled the name of league executive Tracy Perlman. Source

Third-tier Saarbruecken stuns Frankfurt to keep dream German Cup run going. Leverkusen wins

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:00:55 GMT

SAARBRUECKEN, Germany (AP) — First Bayern Munich, now Eintracht Frankfurt.Third-division Saarbruecken’s dream run in the German Cup continued Wednesday with a 2-0 win over last season’s cup runner-up Frankfurt for a place in the quarterfinals.Saarbruecken had an opening goal ruled out in the 20th minute when Kai Brünker headed in at a corner but video review spotted a push by one of his teammates.Even after that reprieve, Frankfurt struggled to get into the game and Brünker finally scored a goal that counted in the 64th when the defense left him in space.More poor Frankfurt defending in the 78th allowed Luca Kerber to score Saarbruecken’s second goal, and things got even worse soon after for the visiting team with a straight red card for Noel Futkeu. The striker had only come off the Frankfurt bench six minutes earlier in his first-team debut but aimed a kick at an opponent with the ball nowhere near.It was Frankfurt’s fourth consecutive loss in all competiti...

US announces new weapons aid for Ukraine as Congress is stalled on more funding

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:00:55 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. is sending a $175 million package of military aid to Ukraine, including guided missiles for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), anti-armor systems and high-speed anti-radiation missiles, the Pentagon and State Department announced on Wednesday.The latest aid comes as Congress remains stalled on legislation that would provide new funding for Ukraine as it battles to push back Russian forces, as well as money for Israel’s war with Hamas and other security needs. The Biden administration has said funding to aid Ukraine is running out, and the Pentagon packages of weapons and other equipment for the war have become much smaller in recent months.In a statement, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that unless Congress approves the supplemental funding, “this will be one of the last security assistance packages we can provide to Ukraine.”The White House is seeking nearly $106 billion, but the bill has gotten bogged down in negotiations o...

British American Tobacco writes down $31.5 billion as it shifts its business away from cigarettes

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:00:55 GMT

Shares of British American Tobacco tumbled Wednesday after the owner of Camel and American Spirit cigarettes took an impairment charge of about $31.5 billion, mainly related to its struggling U.S. cigarette brands with the number of people who smoke in steep decline.In a financial update, London-based British American Tobacco said it is in the process of transforming its business from traditional, combustible products to “smoke-free” ones. Its goal is to get half its revenue from non-combustibles by 2035. Combustibles currently account for about 83% of its sales, according to the data firm FactSet.In 2017, British American Tobacco bought Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based Reynolds American Inc. for about $49 billion in cash and stock. Earlier this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a survey that showed U.S. cigarette smoking in another all-time low, with 1 in 9 adults saying they were current smokers. In the mid-1960s, 42% of U.S. adults were smokers.The ...