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AP Week in Pictures: Latin America and Caribbean 12/22/2023 02:18am • Dec. 15-21, 2023 Santa Claus visits children in the Brazilian jungle's Amazon basin as marketgoers in Mexico shop under piñatas traditionally broken open during the Christmas season. Chileans reject a second rewriting of their national constitution, and anti-government protestors in Argentina demon Pacific storm dumps heavy rains and unleashes flooding in California coastal cities 12/21/2023 08:38pm • SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (AP) — Motorists were stranded in their vehicles on flooded roadways in typically idyllic Santa Barbara on Thursday, while nearby Oxnard got a month's worth of rain in a single hour in a storm that pummeled Southern California while Christmas travel got underway. The downp From fugitive to shackled prisoner, 'Fat Leonard' lands back in US court and could face more charges 12/21/2023 06:35pm • MIAMI (AP) — A defense contractor at the center of one of the biggest bribery scandals in U.S. military history is expected to face additional charges following his return to the United States from Venezuela as part of a broader prisoner swap between the two countries, a federal prosecutor said Th Here are some ways you can reduce financial stress during the holidays 12/21/2023 12:13pm • NEW YORK (AP) — The holidays are supposed to be a joyful time, but they can also be financially stressful. With gifts, social gatherings and plane tickets home, the costs can start piling up. Household expenses continue to rise and many Americans are expressing concern about their financial future Deadly blast in Guinea’s capital threatens gas shortages across the West African nation 12/21/2023 12:04pm • CONAKRY, Guinea (AP) — Residents in Guinea’s capital on Tuesday woke up to rising costs of transportation after authorities closed gas stations as a major explosion and ensuing fire left several dead, hundreds injured and could now disrupt the supply of gas across the West African nation. At lea Homeless numbers in Los Angeles could surge again, even as thousands move to temporary shelter 12/21/2023 12:34am • LOS ANGELES (AP) — In the hours after being elected mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass made a promise that will be an inescapable metric of her time in office: “We are going to solve homelessness.” The Democratic member of Congress, who had been on then-candidate Joe Biden’s short list for vic Slow-moving Pacific storm threatens to bring California flooding and mudslides 12/20/2023 07:08pm • LOS ANGELES (AP) — Heavy rains drenched parts of California on Wednesday, bringing the threat of flooding and mudslides as millions of people geared up for holiday travel, the National Weather Service said. The Pacific storm centered offshore was moving gradually southeastward, sending bands of ra When to Consider Moving to a Senior Care Facility 12/20/2023 07:00pm • Your life's path after retirement and in your advanced years isn't a one-size-fits-all. Feeling uncertain about when it's time to make a lifestyle change, share caretaking responsibilities with others and move to a senior care facility is normal. It's a big decision. With an abundance of senior care Is Refinancing a Mortgage Expensive? 12/20/2023 07:00pm • Refinancing a mortgage means getting a new loan to replace your current mortgage, which could lower your monthly payment or your interest rate. But lenders will charge you fees to refinance, just as they did when you got your initial loan. Here's what you need to know if you're considering whether a American consumers are feeling much more confident as holiday shopping season peaks 12/20/2023 05:53pm • American consumers are feeling more confident than they have since summer, good news for businesses with the all-important holiday shopping season peaking. The Conference Board, a business research group, said Wednesday that its consumer confidence index rose for the second straight month, to 110.7 Do you think holiday shopping deals have gotten worse this year? You might be right 12/20/2023 05:17pm • Still looking for some last-minute Christmas presents at a deal? Chances are you have a ton of options, but not at a great discount. New data shows retailers are not generally offering the same level of discounts this year, compared to the last few holiday seasons. "Generally, you're looking f Is your car road ready for the holidays? Here's some tips on how to avoid disaster on the highway 12/20/2023 01:16pm • It's the holiday season, which means you may be getting ready for a road trip. Do you have what you need? You should have a checklist before that holiday road trip. If you haven't had the car in the shop for its check up, make sure you're getting that done before pressing that gas pedal. And t ‘Smash-and-grab’ robberies fuel new laws, but Virginia critics question the need 12/20/2023 11:24am • Even before Virginia lawmakers passed a tough new law against organized retail crime earlier this year, Bradley Haywood, a public defender in Arlington, Virginia, challenged the rationale. The idea that retailers in the state had lost billions to organized theft was a myth manufactured by retailers Christmas Day 2023: What's open, what's closed in the DC area? 12/20/2023 06:53am • The last thing anyone wants to realize on Christmas Day is that they forgot to buy a certain gift for a loved one, or they're missing that special ingredient for their holiday meal. If you find yourself in that spot, it's not completely hopeless. While many businesses shut down for the holiday, t Taxpayers could bear the brunt of 'monumental' cost of Potomac Yard development 12/20/2023 05:34am • Bringing the Washington Capitals and Wizards from D.C. across the river to Potomac Yard is projected to cost Virginia taxpayers more than a billion dollars. The size of that public subsidy and the other changes the projected $2.2 billion plan would bring is giving some people in Alexandria mixed fee