AP National Writer 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 Rabbi Josh
Continue ReadingAssociated Press ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — At least 13 people, including four children, were killed in two separate stampedes in Nigeria as large crowds gathered to collect food and clothing items distributed at annual Christmas events, the police said Saturday. The two accidents came days after another such stampede in Africa’s most populous country, amid
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Around 9:24 p.m., firefighters responded to a report of a fire in the 51000 block of Adele Avenue in Cabazon. When crews arrived on scene, they found two mobile homes fully involved with fire. Fire crews say they were able to confine the flames to two of those homes, but both were destroyed in the
Continue ReadingHanukkah — also spelled Chanukah or other transliterations from Hebrew — is Judaism’s “festival of lights.” On eight consecutive nightfalls, Jews gather with family and friends to light one additional candle in the menorah — a multibranched candelabra. In Hebrew, Hanukkah means “dedication,” and the holiday marks the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem in
Continue ReadingAssociated Press SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — 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 vanilla
Continue ReadingAssociated Press SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — 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 vanilla
Continue ReadingABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Authorities in Nigeria say ten people, including four children, have been killed in a stampede in the capital city as a large crowd gathered to collect food items distributed by a local church at a Christmas event. Police said the stampede occurred in the early morning hours on Saturday at the
Continue ReadingAssociated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A nearly two-year investigation by Democratic senators of Supreme Court ethics details more luxury travel by Justice Clarence Thomas and urges Congress to establish a way to enforce a new code of conduct. Any movement on the issue appears unlikely as Republicans prepare to take control of the Senate in
Continue ReadingBy Alaa Elassar, CNN (CNN) — When Katie Koestner was a college freshman, a boy she liked took her out to dinner. They went on a few more dates, she says, until one night, after going back to her college campus dorm, he ignored her pleas and raped her. Up until that point, Koestner was
Continue ReadingBy John Blake, CNN (CNN) — On a cool, breezy Monday afternoon, a crowd of drunken, rowdy men gathering in the nation’s capital stared in astonishment as a striking figure headed toward them. It was a regal young woman riding a magnificent white horse, wearing a gold crown and a flowing white cape. The woman’s
Continue ReadingBy John Fritze, CNN (CNN) — A top Senate Democrat on Saturday accused conservative Supreme Court justices of violating federal disclosure laws in a lengthy report that caps a monthslong investigation by the Senate Judiciary Committee and comes weeks before Republicans take control of the chamber. The report from aides to Sen. Dick Durbin, an
Continue ReadingMAGDEBURG, Germany (AP) — Germany is still in shock and struggling to understand the suspect behind the attack in the city of Magdeburg. Identified by local media on Saturday as 50-year-old Taleb A., a psychiatry and psychotherapy specialist, authorities said he has been living in Germany for two decades. He was arrested on site after
Continue ReadingAssociated Press MAMOUDZOU, Mayotte (AP) — A week after Cyclone Chido ravaged Mayotte, France’s poorest territory, the island remains in crisis. Hospitals are overwhelmed and doctors warning of mounting risks of epidemics like cholera due to the lack of clean water and electricity. Thirty-five people have been confirmed dead in Mayotte but French Health Minister
Continue ReadingAP Basketball Writer Cal coach Charmin Smith had a vision four years ago of creating a tournament to lift up Black female head coaches. So she started the Raising the B.A.R. (basketball, activism, representation) Invitational. It’s a four-team tournament that California hosts featuring teams with Black women coaches. “In our sport, it’s a huge issue
Continue ReadingAssociated Press NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus’ top diplomat says his country stands ready to help eliminate Syria’s remaining chemical weapons stockpiles and to support a search for people whose fate remains unknown after more than a decade of war. Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos said on Saturday that Cyprus’ offer is grounded on its own
Continue ReadingLONDON (AP) — Thousands of tourists, pagans, druids and people yearning for the promise of spring have marked the dawn of the shortest day of the year at the ancient Stonehenge monument. Some cheered and others beat drums as the sun rose at 8:09 a.m. on Saturday over the giant standing stones on the day
Continue ReadingAssociated Press ROME (AP) — Pope Francis is suffering from a cold and will deliver his Sunday blessing from indoors, the Vatican said, announcing the precautions ahead of a busy Christmas period and launch of the Holy Year that will sorely test Francis’ stamina and health. The Vatican cited the cold temperatures outside and Francis’
Continue ReadingBy Haley Britzky, CNN (CNN) — A series of drone sightings over military bases across the country has renewed concerns that the US doesn’t have clear government-wide policy for how to deal with unauthorized incursions that could potentially pose a national security threat. “We’re one year past Langley drone incursions and almost two years past
Continue ReadingKYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine brought the war into the heart of Russia Saturday morning with drone attacks that local authorities said damaged residential buildings in the city of Kazan in the Tatarstan region, over 600 miles (1,000 kilometers) from the front line. The press service of Tatarstan’s governor, Rustam Minnikhanov, said that eight drones
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To the delight of many families, Snowtopia kicked off on Friday night at the Palm Springs Air Museum. The Museum is calling it a Winter Wonderland for the entire family. There’s a real snow playground, with Frosty the Snowman, bounce houses, activities for kids, a holiday train, and Santa Claus himself. All of this can
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