OKAYA, Japan (AP) — Not long after dawn, Japanese sake brewer Mie Takahashi checks the temperature of the mixture fermenting at her family’s 150-year-old sake brewery, Koten, nestled in the foothills of the Japanese Alps. She stands on an uneven narrow wooden platform over a massive tank containing more than 3,000 liters (800 gallons) of…
Stanley is recalling approximately 2.6 million of its switchback and trigger action stainless steel travel mugs sold in the U.S. because of a potential burn hazard. The company said that the mug’s lid threads can shrink when exposed to heat and torque, causing the lid to detach during use, posing a burn hazard. Stanley has…
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s royal family is always in the public eye, their every move documented by reporters and captured for posterity by photographers. But even for a group of people who live their lives under a microscope, 2024 was something unique. In a year marked by illness and recovery that sidelined both King Charles…
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Slowly, almost imperceptibly at first, a smile spreads across the little girl’s face. Blinking behind her glasses, she inches her wheelchair forward and gently reaches out to stroke the tiny gray horse. Soon, 9-year-old Josifina Topa Mazuch is beaming as she leads Ivi, a specially trained miniature horse, standing no taller…
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The doll’s golden curls are intact and soon her head is, too. One by one, the toys that show the wear and tear of love are restored for the holidays: sewed and combed, stuffed and dressed. From Barbie dolls to a Kung Fu Panda with a paw raised in triumph, the…
PARIS (AP) — One of the most prestigious roles in global fashion has just been filled, as Chanel appointed Franco-Belgian designer Matthieu Blazy as its new artistic director, the fashion house announced Thursday. The 40-year-old will oversee all collections for the world’s second biggest luxury brand starting in 2025, replacing Virginie Viard, who parted ways…
MILAN (AP) — Kering announced Thursday that Louise Trotter has been named creative director of the Bottega Veneta fashion house, taking over from Matthieu Blazy. Trotter arrives from the French brand Carven, where she has been creative director since February 2023. She will join Bottega Veneta at the end of 2025. As a designer, Trotter…
Nearly half of American teenagers say they are online “constantly” despite concerns about the effects of social media and smartphones on their mental health, according to a new report published Thursday by the Pew Research Center. As in past years, YouTube was the single most popular platform teenagers used — 90% said they watched videos…
NEW YORK (AP) — The December holidays are supposed to be a time of joyful celebration, but the season can be especially grueling for the millions of people who work in retail stores, staff airline counters and field complaints coming into call centers. Instead of compassion or good cheer, service sector workers often encounter rude…
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The town of Asheville, known for its artists and restaurants, is a tourist destination and the economic hub of North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountain communities. In September, it was devastated by flooding from Hurricane Helene. Even businesses not physically damaged suffered weeks without power and water, and Asheville was essentially closed…
