The Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved the weight-loss drug Zepbound to treat obstructive sleep apnea. It is the first prescription medication approved to treat the common sleep disorder. The drug’s maker, Eli Lilly, announced that the agency authorized Zepbound for people with obesity and moderate to severe obstructive...
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...
This French Bulldog Is So Fetch: Meet Toaster Strudel
Toaster Strudel, a 3-to-4-year-old French bulldog, isn’t your average pup. This bundle of joy has a personality as vibrant as her name. With a happy-go-lucky demeanor and a love for people and other dogs, she charms everyone she meets — even if her potty-training skills are still a work in...
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...
New California Voter ID Ban Puts Conservative Cities at Odds With State
California has become the latest battleground over voter identification requirements, a longtime conservative priority newly propelled in recent years by election fraud complaints from President-elect Donald Trump. Under a state law that takes effect on Jan. 1, local governments across California will be prohibited from compelling voters to present identification...
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...