6 mins read

Telehealth companies keep exposing their customers’ medical data. What should they do?

WASHINGTON | The appeal of telehealth is easy to explain: Instead of calling a doctor, booking an appointment and hoping to eventually get a prescription, you can log onto an app or website and get approved for a new medication within minutes. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, scores of online health services have launched with the […]

5 mins read

The centuries-old Japanese art of ikebana draws those seeking calm

TOKYO | Ikebana, the Japanese art of arranging flowers, is a form of expression that dates back more than 500 years. It continues to blossom, quietly, not only with traditionalists but also with newcomers who find its blend of creativity and mindfulness to be restorative. Ikebana can be a bit like solving a puzzle, except […]

5 mins read

Movie Review: In ‘Heart of the Beast,’ Brad Pitt and a dog try to survive in the wild

Brad Pitt loves a lone wolf character. Even in ensembles, he’s often the quiet one just to the left (but, you know, still the focus). The guy who sees everything and says little, drawing people, when there are any, into his orbit with sheer charisma. Small talk is for the strivers, not the stars, maybe? […]

2 mins read

Tiny wild cat newly identified as a species draws curious visitors in Bolivia

COROICO, Bolivia | A tiny wild cat hidden away in the cloud forests of Bolivia has become an unlikely tourist attraction, drawing a stream of visitors hoping for a glimpse of the animal that scientists have identified as a brand new species. There is just one problem: Tigrino, as he has been affectionately dubbed, doesn’t […]

5 mins read

There’s an easy way to get rid of all the reusable bags piling up in your home

NEW YORK | When professional home organizer Britnee Tanner visits her clients, she often spots extra reusable bags buried under the kitchen sink or stuffed in a corner of the pantry. “They just are sneaky,” said Tanner, who lives in Salt Lake City. “I purchased a handful of these and then somehow I’ve collected ones […]

2 mins read

Munich’s Oktoberfest roars to life as the mayor taps the first keg

MUNICH | Munich’s Oktoberfest kicked off Saturday with the city’s mayor tapping the first keg of beer and opening the 191st edition of the world’s largest folk festival. Mayor Dominik Krause put the first keg on tap with only two strokes and the traditional cry of “O’zapft is” — or “It’s been tapped.” Thousands of […]

8 mins read

Americans are increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of AI, new poll finds

On the way home from a recent trip, Eriech Tapia drove past a sea of dark industrial buildings lining an already jam-packed northern Virginia road: data centers. “It was interesting to see how many were going up,” said Tapia, a 30-year-old Republican from Arlington, Virginia, who works in higher education advocacy and policy. He said […]

7 mins read

Preparing to leave office, with world beset by problems, UN chief talks of a way forward

UNITED NATIONS | The world is deeply divided and the U.N.’s most powerful body is paralyzed when it comes to ending conflicts. But there’s a way forward. So says the United Nations’ top official. On his way out of office at year’s end after nearly a decade, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres — known for doom-and-gloom […]

5 mins read

In Chile, even beloved hot dogs feel the economic squeeze

SANTIAGO, Chile | It is lunchtime in downtown Santiago, and dozens of businesses around the Plaza de Armas are serving up one of Chile’s most democratic specialties: the “completo.” For decades, the country’s version of the hot dog has been one of the most affordable foods enjoyed across social classes. But as the cost of […]

1 min read

Presley Gerber, son of Cindy Crawford, dies at 27, family representative says

LOS ANGELES | Presley Gerber, the son of supermodel Cindy Crawford and businessman Rande Gerber, died on Sunday at age 27, a family representative said. Gerber died at a rehab facility, according to online records of the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner. The death was confirmed by Allie Jenkins, a representative for Crawford and Rande […]