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Today — 9 January 2025Main stream

Satellite images of the California wildfires

9 January 2025 at 14:52

Satellite images from January 6th to 8th show just how quickly the California wildfires spread and the sheer scale of the devastation.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Apple Card owners affected by Los Angeles wildfires can postpone payments

9 January 2025 at 14:53

After Tim Cook announced that Apple is donating to help those affected by the Los Angeles wildfires, the company has just confirmed that Apple Card users living in the impacted regions will also get some relief. These people can temporarily postpone their Apple Card payments without interest.

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X's Grok AI assistant is now a standalone app

Grok, the AI assistant that's for some reason baked into X, is now available as a standalone app. Like the version that exists as a tab on the social media platform, the Grok app can be used to generate images, summarize text and answer questions, with a conversational tone xAI, the AI assistant's creator, calls "humorous and engaging."

The app was first tested with a limited set of users in December 2024, right around the same time X debuted a free tier of Grok that's available to anyone. Prior to that, you needed to pay at least $8 a month for X Premium to have the privilege of using the AI.

Three screenshots of the Grok app showing the main screen, image generation, and the sign-in screen.
Ian Campbell for Engadget

The limitations of that free access — 10 requests every two hours, three image analysis request per day — may also apply to the Grok app. You can use the app without signing in, or sign-in with an Apple account, X account, Google account, or a plain old email. It's not clear whether an X Premium subscription gets you added benefits in the Grok app in the same way it does X.

Grok has struggled with similar issues around accuracy and bizarre image generation choices as other AI assistants like Gemini and ChatGPT. The chatbot mainly stands out from its competitors because xAI pitched it as being able to answer "spicy questions" other AI assistants avoid, and a version of the Grok AI model is open source. You'll have to see for yourself how "spicy" the Grok app ultimately is, but at least you don't have to go to X to use it now.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/xs-grok-ai-assistant-is-now-a-standalone-app-225151579.html?src=rss

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© Reuters / Reuters

FILE PHOTO: xAI logo is seen near computer motherboard in this illustration taken January 8, 2024. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

These Newly Identified Cells Could Change the Face of Plastic Surgery

9 January 2025 at 14:53
Cartilage cells that contain fat explain why some skeletal tissues are less rigid than others, and could one day be grown in labs to produce better materials for performing reconstructive surgeries and rhinoplasties.

US selling 69K seized bitcoins could mess with Trump plans for crypto reserve

At the end of 2024, a US court authorized the Department of Justice to sell 69,370 bitcoins from "the largest cryptocurrency seizure in history."

At bitcoin's current price, just under $92,000, these bitcoins are worth nearly $6.4 billion, and crypto outlets are reporting that DOJ officials have said they're planning to proceed with selling off the assets consistent with the court's order. The DOJ had reportedly argued that bitcoin's price volatility was a pressing reason to push for permission for the sale.

Ars has reached out to the DOJ for comment and will update the story with any new information regarding next steps.

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Stephen 'tWitch' Boss' Family Guide: Wife Allison Holker, 3 Kids and More

9 January 2025 at 08:59

Stephen “tWitch” Boss is survived by his wife, children and more extended relatives after his December 2022 death at age 40.

“It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to share my husband Stephen has left us,” Boss’ wife, Allison Holker, said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times at the time. “Stephen lit up every room he stepped into. He valued family, friends and community above all else and leading with love and light was everything to him. He was the backbone of our family, the best husband and father, and an inspiration to his fans.”

The So You Think You Can Dance alums began dating after competing on the dance competition in 2010. They shared three children together: Weslie, Maddox and Zaia. (Boss adopted Weslie, Holker’s daughter from a previous relationship.)

Keep scrolling to learn more about Boss’ family:

© Image Press Agency/NurPhoto/Shutterstock

© Image Press Agency/NurPhoto/Shutterstock

Though tWitch and Holker initially met in 2006, sparks didn’t fly until seeing each other again in 2010 on the So You Think You Can Dance: All-Stars competition. The pair tied the knot three years later and welcomed son Maddox in 2016 and daughter Zaia in 2019. The Stomp the Yard: Homecoming actor also adopted Holker’s daughter, Weslie, from a previous relationship.
Three days before his death, tWitch and Holker — who, in addition to her own career as a professional dancer, appeared as a cheerleader in the first two High School Musical films — celebrated their ninth wedding anniversary. “Happy anniversary my love @allisonholker #9years ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️,” the choreographer wrote via Instagram at the time, alongside a black-and-white photo of the two dancing at their wedding.
The following day, the couple uploaded a joint video of them rocking around the Christmas tree. “HOLIDAY SUNDAY FUNDAY DANCE !!!” the twosome captioned the sweet clip. Holker confirmed her husband’s death one day after his passing, paying tribute to him in her statement at the time.
Holker wrote her This Far memoir, which was released in 2025, that charted the couple’s relationship. She also claimed that Boss had struggled with addiction ahead of his passing, which sparked criticism from his other relatives and friends. Holker insisted that she only wrote the book to “help other people” and share the pair’s respective stories.

© Courtesy of Allison Holker/Instagram

tWitch adopted Weslie, Holker’s daughter from a previous relationship. Based on the teen's Instagram account, which is run by her parents, she plays high school soccer and has done some modeling. ​While mourning tWitch, Jodie Sweetin told Entertainment Tonight that her daughter Zoie is friends with Weslie as they go to the same school.

© Courtesy of Stephen Boss/Instagram

The dancers welcomed their only son, Maddox, into the world in 2016. Their little boy — who began first grade in August 2022 — was frequently featured on his dad’s Instagram, including a sweet video where he was doing “the running man” dance move while tWitch picked him up.
“Okay this was a good idea until it wasn’t. Hindsight is 20/20…….and a lot less painful in this case,” the former Ellen DeGeneres Show DJ joked at the time. “Can’t front though, Maddox form is amazing. 🤣🤣.”

© Courtesy of Allison Holker/Instagram

Holker and tWitch’s youngest child, Zaia, was born in November 2016. The couple celebrated their little girl’s 3rd birthday in November 2022. “This is 3!! Can’t believe how quickly this time has passed!So proud of our baby Z,” tWitch wrote at the time, alongside a clip of photos of their little one throughout the years. “We love you Zaia and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! 🎁🎈🎊🎉🎂.”

© Courtesy of Stephen Boss/Instagram

Along with his other family members, tWitch often shared sweet photos and videos with his mom via social media. In October 2022, the ABC alum celebrated his mother’s birthday with a heartfelt post and a carousel of family photos.
“Mom thank you for life and thank you for love,” he wrote at the time. “Love you to the moon and back and back again.”
Earlier that month, Alexander danced with her son and daughter-in-law on the app. “Ayyyye you know it’s a good day when mom is out here grooving with us!!” tWitch captioned the video.
Days after her son's passing, Alexander took to her Instagram Story to thank everyone for their well-wishes and pay tribute to tWitch. "Stephen Laurel, your mother loves you to eternity and beyond," she penned.

© Courtesy of d8rknight/Instagram

In the wake of his brother’s death, Deondre shared multiple posts paying tribute to tWitch.
In September, he gave the Step Up: Revolution star a sweet shout-out. “This dude @sir_twitch_alot is the definition of a true brother,” Deondre captioned the image of him and tWitch smiling at the camera. “We can be completely honest with each other and allow for a difference of opinion. We build each other up by taking action. It’s amazing to have such a role model. Love you much you lame ass 😂.”

© Courtesy of supreme_cam/Instagram

Stephen’s younger brother honored his late sibling with an Instagram video of the SYTYCD alum busting a move. “The King of this s—t. Effortless,” Cameron wrote days after his brother’s passing. “LONG LIVE STEPHEN TWITCH BOSS.”
tWitch, for his part, paid tribute to his “kid brother” on his 24th birthday in 2017 by sharing a photo of the two as kids via Twitter.
“Even though he is my kid brother, he isn't really a kid anymore especially that today is his 24th birthday,” tWitch wrote at the time. “I still remember this day in 93. Ganny came to pick me up from school and simply said ‘He's here’. From bottle feeds, power ranger games, tony hawk, dynasty warriors, living room dance sessions, fights, and deep talks, cheers to 24 and much love to 24 more!! Love you Brother!”

© Courtesy of Stephen Boss/Instagram

Both tWitch and his grandfather shared their love for one another in the days leading up to and after the DJ’s death.
“Shouting the BIGGEST HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY GRANDFATHER (DADA)! I love you! IG fam help me wish him happy birthday @mreb38 ❤️❤️❤️ #OGBoss,” tWitch wrote via Instagram several days before his passing, sharing a recent photo of him and his grandpa, as well as a throwback image from his childhood.
Eddy, for his part, paid tribute to his late grandson in a Wednesday, December 14 interview with the Daily Mail. “All I can say is he was a beautiful person that contributed so much to this world and to everyone he met in a positive way,” Eddy told the outlet. “We miss him dearly and we're hurting tremendously.' The supportive grandfather also revealed tWitch’s final text to him. “His last words to me were a simple text that says ‘I love you Dad-Dad.’”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. 

Tom Holland and Zendaya Have Matching Tattoos of Each Other’s Initials

9 January 2025 at 08:58
Zendaya and Tom Holland Got Matching Tattoos Before Engagement
Karwai Tang/WireImage

Tom Holland and Zendaya made their love permanent.

After Zendaya, 28, showed off her dainty “T” tattoo at the 2025 Golden Globes on Sunday, January 5, TMZ reported that Holland, 28, got matching ink to honor his fiancée.

According to the outlet, the duo got inked at Boston Tattoo Company on November 27. Holland reportedly got a “Z” sketched into his ribcage.

Tattoo artist Lily Jarnryd later opened up to Us Weekly about tattooing the Spider-Man costars, gushing, “It was a lot of fun, it was lovely meeting them.” She continued, “They are both lovely and I wish them the best. I love my job so much!”

Fans Speculate Zendaya’s Golden Globes Tattoo Is Dedicated to Tom Holland

Zendaya’s side tattoo wasn’t the only thing she showed off at the Golden Globes. She also debuted her engagement ring, which Holland gave her over the holidays. 
Her east-west ring features a horizontal diamond set on a 18-karat white and yellow gold band, reported to be from London-based celebrity jeweler Jessica McCormack.

Zendaya and Tom Holland Got Matching Tattoos Before Engagement
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

McCormack describes the cut as “a literal twist on a classic solitaire,” and calls it “the perfect modern engagement ring … beloved by cool brides for its pared-back, non-traditional aesthetic.”

While flashing her engagement ring at the annual awards show, Zendaya wore a burnt orange custom Louis Vuitton gown featuring a strapless sweetheart neckline and a column skirt glammed up with a Watteau train. The Challengers star added even more sparkle to her look with a gleaming Bulgari diamond necklace and a matching ring.

For glam, she pinned her brunette locks up into a chin-length bob that was styled in Old Hollywood curls. She tied her look together with winged eyeliner and long lashes.

Zendaya Sparks Tom Holland Engagement Rumors With Ring at Golden Globes

That night, Zendaya, who attended the awards without Holland, was up for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy for part as Tashi Donaldson in Challengers. Demi Moore ended up taking the trophy home for her role in The Substance.

Timothée Chalamet Gives Sports Radio Host the Ultimate Surprise

9 January 2025 at 08:57
Why Timothee Chalamet Allegedly Slid Into the DMs of an ESPN Host
Timothée Chalamet Max Cisotti/Dave Benett/WireImage/Getty Images

Timothée Chalamet just made one Bob Dylan megafan’s dreams come true — but he might have caused a little family discord in the process.

 

On Wednesday, January 8, sports radio host Chris “Mad Dog” Russo told his followers on social media that he’d been invited to the London premiere of Chalamet’s new Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown after the star slid into his DMs.

 

Russo, 65, a longtime Dylan fan who hosts his own Sirius XM sports radio show,  had spent the weeks ahead of the event sharing his frustration at being left off of the film’s press run. He told listeners that he even reached out to Chalamet’s father in an attempt to have the actor guest on his show and talk about Dylan’s music.

 

Despite those ups and downs, Russo’s efforts were ultimately successful. After Russo went on a lengthy rant about the upcoming premiere on Tuesday, January 7, Chalamet, 29, an avid sports fan, shared the clip and wrote in his Instagram Stories, “We gotta get Mad Dog a ticket to Paris or London or Rome premiere!!!!”

Timothee Chalamet 'Floored' by Bob Dylan's Praise of 'A Complete Unknown'

The next day Russo, who frequently appears on ESPN’s First Take, told cohost Stephen A. Smith that Chalamet had come through. “How about yesterday?” he said. “I go to Cablevision. You ready? I go to Cablevision and return a box. I get a phone call from [Jeff Saturday’s agent] Jill, your agent. She says, ‘Chris, you’re not gonna believe this.’ I says, ‘What’s that?’ ‘Mr. Chalamet called Searchlight, who called us and offered you two tickets to one of those premieres next week in Europe.”

 

Russo decided to take his daughter, Kiera, who will celebrate her birthday the day after the movie’s January 14 premiere in London, as his plus one. This decision prompted another outburst — this time from Chris’ son, Colin, who went off on his own rant about his dad on his show “Russo & Rizzo.”

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