NEW YORK  – Investors are eager for a touch of Christmas cheer from the U.S. Federal Reserve next week, hoping for signs the central bank may ease up on interest rate hikes next year and spark a Santa Claus rally. U.S. stocks are having their worst December performance in 16 years with the S&P 500 .SPX notching […]

“Yellow vest” protesters have gathered in Paris and other cities for a fifth consecutive Saturday of demonstrations. Protesters defied a government call to suspend the action following Tuesday’s attack on Strasbourg’s Christmas market where a gunman killed four people. However, fewer people turned up – 66,000 altogether, officials said, compared to 125,000 last Saturday. The […]

Hawaii Gov. David Ige has proposed building a $35 million regional biocontrol facility to research ways to control invasive species that threaten the state’s economy and natural environment. Ige advocated for a biocontrol facility while addressing the Western Governors Association at its meeting Monday on the Big Island. Biocontrol is the practice of introducing a […]

Making Christmas easier on the environment shouldn’t mean missing out. Follow our simple guide to your greenest Christmas yet. In the rush to stock up on last-minute Christmas essentials, spare a thought for the eco-friendliness of the contents of your trolley. With a few simple swaps, a little forward planning and some essential recycling know-how […]

‘Tis the season for holiday parties, mountains of wrapping paper and lots and lots of trash. Luckily, there are many items used around the holidays that can be recycled. There are also, however, just as many items that can’t be recycled at your local processing plant because they damage machines. Items like Christmas lights, ribbons […]

Turn patterned card stock into three-dimensional ornaments in just 7 steps. Match the papers’ colors and patterns to your home’s decor or choose holiday-specific patterns and use the paper ornaments, instead of a traditional bow, to top wrapped gifts. Materials Needed: assorted patterned card stock large, scallop-edge circle punch repositionable adhesive dots or double-sided tape […]

The government of Venezuela has reportedly started converting pensioners’ monthly payments from the country’s fiat currency, the bolivar, to its oil-backed cryptocurrency Petro, without giving them a choice. According to the Caracas Chronicles, a politics and economics-focused website based in Venezuela, the country’s pensioners are notified every time their monthly payments arrive, but this time received […]

Payments platform PayPal has so far avoided Bitcoin acceptance and, at least visibly, not considered blockchain for its platform. Now, it has launched an internal blockchain-based employee incentive program. A production of PayPal’s innovation lab, in San Jose, California, the platform took 25 strong team six-months to build and went live this November, according to […]

Shares in Johnson & Johnson plunged more than 10% on Friday, after Reuters reported that the US pharmaceutical giant had known about asbestos tainting its talcum powder for decades. The report comes as the company faces thousands of lawsuits claiming that its talc products caused cancer. Reuters’ review of documents found the company was aware […]

Theresa May has said it is still possible to get the assurances MPs need to back her Brexit deal, despite EU leaders ruling out any renegotiation. At a summit in Brussels, the UK PM said there was “work to do” but talks on “further clarification” would continue. She admitted a “robust” discussion with European Commission […]