BETHLEHEM, West Bank — The Nativity Store in Manger Square has sold handmade olive wood carvings and religious items to people visiting the traditional birthplace of Jesus since 1927. But as Bethlehem prepares to mark its second Christmas under the shadow of the war in Gaza, there are almost no...
Cheers! Wine Clubs Are This Year’s Hottest Last Minute Gift
Wine clubs have revolutionized how we enjoy and discover wines, making them more affordable, approachable and convenient. Gone are the days of wandering through store aisles, overwhelmed by endless options or hefty price tags. With a wine club membership, expertly curated selections are delivered straight to your door, eliminating the...
FDA Says Decongestant in Many Cold Medicines Doesn’t Work. So What Does?
WASHINGTON — Changes are coming to the cold and cough aisle of your local pharmacy: U.S. officials are moving to phase out the leading decongestant found in hundreds of over-the-counter medicines, concluding that it doesn’t actually relieve nasal congestion. Phenylephrine is used in popular versions of Sudafed, Dayquil and other...
Stock Market Today: Honda-Nissan Merger Talks Shake up Otherwise Quiet on Wall Street
NEW YORK — Stocks edged lower in morning trading on Wall Street Monday at the start of a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 fell 0.2%. A handful of technology companies helped cushion the widespread losses. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 308 points, or 0.7% as of 10:59 a.m. Eastern...
Trump Again Calls to Buy Greenland After Eyeing Canada and the Panama Canal
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — First it was Canada, then the Panama Canal. Now, Donald Trump again wants Greenland. The president-elect is renewing unsuccessful calls he made during his first term for the U.S. to buy Greenland from Denmark, adding to the list of allied countries with which he's picking...
Luigi Mangione Pleads Not Guilty to Murder and Weapons Charges in UnitedHealthcare CEO’s Death
NEW YORK — The man accused of fatally shooting the CEO of UnitedHealthcare pleaded not guilty on Monday to state murder and terror charges while his attorney complained that statements coming from New York's mayor would make it tough to receive a fair trial. Luigi Mangione, 26, was shackled and...
House Ethics Committee Accuses Gaetz of ‘Regularly’ Paying for Sex With Women, Including Minor
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...
New Board Members Join Merced County’s Largest School District, Guiding It Into 2025
The Merced City School District is closing out 2024 with a new school board in place and looking forward to new beginnings in the New Year. Trustees Annie Delgado and Tsia Xiong took their oath of office on Tuesday night at a special board meeting. Additionally, Trustee Priya Lakireddy was...
‘It’s Living Hell’: Nurses Say CA Addiction Recovery Program Ended Their Careers
Bobbie Sage thought nursing would be her salvation. She was trapped in an abusive relationship with four kids and looking for a steady income. The day she graduated vocational nursing school, she took the kids and left their father. Five years later, a DUI ruined her carefully crafted stability. Sage...
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...