USA Update

Almost three years after Vladimir Putin ordered Russia’s troops to invade Ukraine, the war is entering what could be its final phase, and a deal to end it seems likelier than ever. Ukraine is struggling: It has been steadily losing ground since the summer, its army faces an increasingly severe shortage of soldiers, and Russia […]

Between streaming and cable, there is a seemingly endless variety of things to watch. Here is a selection of TV shows and specials that air or stream this week, Dec. 16 to Dec. 22. Details and times are subject to change. Roses are red, violets are blue. What if I don’t want to marry you? […]

Popeye can punch without permission and can roam freely starting in 2025. The two classic comic characters who first appeared in 1929 are among the intellectual properties becoming in the United States on Jan. 1. That means they can be used and repurposed without permission or payment to copyright holders. This year’s crop of newly […]

Your tarot card for today is The High Priestess. This stunning member of the major arcana represents many mystical things like your inner wisdom, intuition, and spiritual path — and it’ll set the tone for a magical day. It implies you should start the week in a slow, mindful way, which might look like moving […]

CHICAGO — Ismael El-Amin was when a chance encounter gave him an idea for a new way to carpool. On the way across Chicago, El-Amin’s daughter spotted a classmate riding with her own dad as they drove to their selective public school on the city’s North Side. For 40 minutes, they rode along the same […]

President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly considering privatizing the United States Postal Service (USPS), according to a report from the Washington Post. Three people with knowledge of the matter told the outlet that Trump had been talking with Howard Lutnick, who Trump picked to serve as the Commerce Secretary, about carrying out an “overhaul” of the […]

Share ✓ Link copied to clipboard! Happy Monday, puzzle lovers! We’re back with another round of hints and solutions for the latest New York Times Connections puzzle. Following the widespread success of Wordle—a game that captured the hearts of millions and was subsequently acquired by The New York Times in early 2022—the newspaper introduced a […]

BOISE, Idaho — Nearly every detail about the religious group Lisa Webb’s family belonged to was hidden from the outside world. Its followers met in homes rather than churches. Its leadership structure was hard to discern, its finances opaque. It didn’t even have an official name. But for decades, no secret was as closely guarded […]

BOISE, Idaho — For decades, a little-known Christian sect has dealt with its abusive ministers and spiritual elders mostly in secret, shunning legal action in favor of urging victims to forgive the predators in their midst. Forgiveness, however, was far from a cure: The abusers were often sent to live with other unsuspecting families, where […]

Broadly positive  economic data for November released on Monday also showed slower-than-expected growth of 3.3% in retail sales, much slower than in October and well adrift of the 4.6% forecast.  The slowdown came as a surprise because and encourage consumption, as it , threatening increased tariffs.  China had implemented major online shopping promotions and government-subsidized trade-in […]