WASHINGTON — The House Ethics Committee on Monday accused Matt Gaetz of “regularly” paying women, including a 17-year-old girl, for sex and purchasing and using illicit drugs all while the Florida Republican was a member of Congress. The 37-page report by the bipartisan panel includes explicit details of sex-filled parties...
Santa Who? Bizarre Christmas Traditions Stealing the Holiday Spotlight
When it comes to holiday traditions, Santa and his reindeer are being upstaged by some quirky and unexpected traditions around the world. From a gift-pooping log in Spain to a mythical cat that punishes lazy Icelanders, these traditions show just how creative and wild the holiday spirit can be. Catalonia's...
In a Calendar Rarity, Hanukkah Starts This Year on Christmas Day
Hanukkah, Judaism's eight-day Festival of Lights, begins this year on Christmas Day, which has only happened four times since 1900. For some rabbis, the intersection of the two religious holidays provides an auspicious occasion for interfaith engagement. "This can be a profound opportunity for learning and collaboration and togetherness," said...
A Look at the $100 Billion in Disaster Relief in the Government Spending Bill
WASHINGTON — Congress is allocating more than $100 billion in emergency aid designed to address extensive damage caused by disasters after this week's scramble to find consensus on a government spending bill. The money comes after back-to-back hurricanes — Helene and Milton — slammed into the southeastern United States this...
It’s Eggnog Season. The Boozy Beverage Dates Back to Medieval England but Remains a Holiday Hit
SAN FRANCISCO — At Scoma's Restaurant in San Francisco, this holiday season's batch of eggnog began 11 months ago. The process typically starts in late January, just after the previous year's celebrations are over. Nearly a thousand egg yolks, gallons upon gallons of heavy cream and roughly $1,000 worth of...
9-Year-Old Among 5 Killed in Christmas Market Attack in Germany
MAGDEBURG, Germany — A 9-year-old was among five people killed when a Saudi doctor drove into a Christmas market teeming with holiday shoppers in the German city of Magdeburg, an official said Saturday, as people mourned the victims and their shaken sense of security. City official Ronni Krug said he...
Biden Signs Bill That Averts Government Shutdown, and Brings a Close to Days of Washington Upheaval
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden signed a bill into law Saturday that averts a government shutdown, bringing a final close to days of upheaval after Congress approved a temporary funding plan just past the deadline and refused President-elect Donald Trump's core debt demands in the package. The deal funds the...
The Fed Expects to Cut Rates More Slowly in 2025. What That Could Mean for Mortgages, Debt and More
NEW YORK — The Federal Reserve's third interest rate cut of the year will likely have consequences for debt, savings, auto loans, mortgages and other forms of borrowing by consumers and businesses. But with inflation pressures still elevated and with concern that President-elect Donald Trump's policies could fuel inflation, the...
Big Lots Holds Going-Out-of-Business Sales After Deal to Save Company Fails
NEW YORK — Discount chain Big Lots is conducting going-out-of-business sales at its remaining locations after a sale of the company didn't materialize. The Columbus, Ohio-based retailer, which sells furniture, home decor and other items, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in early September and said private equity firm Nexus...
University of California Campuses Resolve Discrimination Complaints Stemming From Gaza Protests
The U.S. Department of Education said Friday it has reached an agreement with the University of California system resolving complaints from Jewish and Muslim students of discrimination and harassment during protests last spring over the war in Gaza. The department's Office for Civil Rights said it investigated nine complaints against...