Comment on Times Square ball takes final test for New Year’s Eve

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE Apple has agreed to pay $95 million to settle a lawsuit accusing the privacy-minded company of deploying its virtual assistant Siri to eavesdrop on people using its iPhone and other trendy devices. Related Articles National News | An Army veteran’s path to radicalization followed divorces, struggling businesses in Texas National News | FBI releases new video of a suspect planting a pipe bomb near DNC offices on eve of the Capitol riot National News | Wayne Osmond, singer and guitarist for The Osmonds, is dead at 73 National News | Turo-rented cars were involved in 2 deadly incidents this New Year’s.

Two deadly incidents on New Year’s Day — an attack being investigated as an act of terrorism in New Orleans and an explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck in Las Vegas — both involved vehicles that were rented on Turo, a peer-to-peer car sharing company. Related Articles National News | An Army veteran’s path to radicalization followed divorces, struggling businesses in Texas National News | FBI releases new video of a suspect planting a pipe bomb near DNC offices on eve of the Capitol riot National News | Wayne Osmond, singer and guitarist for The Osmonds, is dead at 73 National News | Apple to pay $95 million to settle lawsuit accusing Siri of snoopy eavesdropping National News | Superdome re-opens from lockdown for the Sugar Bowl CFP quarterfinal between Georgia and Notre Dame Early Wednesday, 42-year-old Army veteran Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar rammed a pickup truck into a crowd in New Orleans’ famed French Quarter — killing 14 people who were celebrating the New Year.

As a new year dawns, it’s also report-card season — and many South Florida restaurants and food trucks earned straight As, from North South Grill in Pembroke Pines to the Cheesecake Factory in West Palm Beach. These “gold-star” eateries made the December 2024 list of perfect inspections because not one violation — minor, intermediate or high-priority — was red-flagged at the time of the surprise visit from a Florida safety and sanitation inspector. In December, 37 Broward County restaurants and food trucks earned perfect scores.

Temperatures this weekend will drop in South Florida to the coldest of the season thus far, according to the National Weather Service. Saturday morning will see temperatures as low as the mid to upper 40s in inland suburbs of the east coast metro area, with slightly  warmer conditions along the coast.

By BRETT MARTEL NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Ticketed fans in Georgia and Notre Dame gear packed a plaza adjacent to the Superdome, enjoyed music under clear skies — and under the watch of snipers on rooftops — before filtering into the stadium for Thursday afternoon’s College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Sugar Bowl. Related Articles National News | An Army veteran’s path to radicalization followed divorces, struggling businesses in Texas National News | FBI releases new video of a suspect planting a pipe bomb near DNC offices on eve of the Capitol riot National News | Wayne Osmond, singer and guitarist for The Osmonds, is dead at 73 National News | Apple to pay $95 million to settle lawsuit accusing Siri of snoopy eavesdropping National News | Turo-rented cars were involved in 2 deadly incidents this New Year’s.

By COLLEEN LONG WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Donald Trump is expected to hold a big Washington rally the day before he’s sworn in as the nation’s 47th president. Related Articles National Politics | Jill Biden gets the priciest gift from a foreign leader in 2023 — a $20,000 diamond National Politics | Nearly 200 ballots went uncounted in Wisconsin and officials want to know why National Politics | Why Mike Johnson’s bid to remain House speaker could be a struggle despite Trump’s support National Politics | Biden awarded the 2nd highest civilian award to 20, including leaders of the Jan.