The Republican-led House delivered its articles of impeachment against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to the Senate‚ setting the stage for the swearing in of senators as jurors in a trial on Wednesday. But the proceedings likely won’t get very far: Democrats are expected to offer a motion to dismiss the case on the ground that it’s baseless and doesn’t rise to the constitutional standard of high crimes and misdemeanors‚ a view that even some Republicans share...

Russian President Vladimir Putin insisted last August that a drop in the importance of the U.S. dollar was &;quot;irreversible&;quot;—but there appears to be no sign that the global economy is turning its back on the greenback. Putin's video link comments to the BRICS (Brazil‚ Russia‚ India‚ China and South Africa) summit in Johannesburg may have been another way to lambaste the West for the sanctions it has imposed on Russia‚ but his wish to dethrone the dollar shows no sign of coming true for the...

A 40-year-old New Yorker did not expect to report to jury duty this week and come face to face with Donald Trump. Yet he found himself in the first batch of 96 prospective jurors for the former US president's historic criminal trial. He breezily answered the first few screening questions: what he did for a living (finance)‚ what he did in his free time (golf)‚ which podcasts he enjoyed (Barstool Sports). But the biggest question of all stopped him short: Could you judge the defendant...

China is directly subsidizing production of illicit fentanyl precursors for sale abroad and fueling the U.S. opioid crisis‚ a U.S. congressional committee said on Tuesday‚ releasing findings from an investigation it said unveiled Beijing's incentives for the deadly chemicals. China continues to provide subsidies in the form of value-added tax rebates to its companies that manufacture fentanyl analogues‚ precursors and other synthetic narcotics‚ so long as they sell them outside of China‚ the...

Arguments start to take off when one partner begins to get defensive. So‚ therapist Lauren Consul shared her relationship-saving tip to &;quot;stop an argument in its tracks&;quot; when one partner goes into self-preservation mode. Lauren Consul is a couples and sex therapist who’s developed a following of nearly 160‚000 people on TikTok and has received over 5.4 million likes. She is an infidelity expert and hosts retreats to help people &;quot;survive and thrive&;quot; after one partner has strayed.&;quot;The next time you and your partner are talking‚ and your partner becomes defensive‚ I want you to do this: Pause‚ and say‚ 'I want to understand what happened there. What did you hear me say&;#63;'&;quot; Consul says in her TikTok video with over 42‚000 views. &;quot;This question is key because it does one of two things‚&;quot; she continued. &;quot;First‚ it can allow for clarification. A lot of times when we've become defensive‚ we've interpreted something our partner has said incorrectly. We've run it through a filter‚ we've told ourselves a story about it‚ it's triggered something... So we're not actually hearing what our partner says‚ and it allows for clarification.&;quot; @laurenconsul #communicationtools #communicationtools #defensiveness #couplesargument #learnontiktok #cyclebreaker #couplestherapist #relationshiptherapist #marriagecounseling #mytherapistsays #therapytol #tiktoktherapist &;quot;The second thing: If your partner did interpret what you said correctly‚ it gives you an opportunity to slow things down and understand what is happening for them and address the underlying issue‚ rather than get caught in a spiral of defensiveness‚&;quot; she continued.Consul's advice for stopping arguments before they explode is helpful because it clears up any potential misunderstandings. The key is to remember the tactic in the heat of the moment to prevent things from getting out of hand.This article originally appeared on 3.16.23

A mom who admitted she packs her 2-year-old a meal when they go out to dinner has started an interesting debate on TikTok about restaurant etiquette and how it applies to young children.The video posted by Ohio mom‚ Karlie Smith (unbreakablemomma on TikTok)‚ has received nearly 600‚000 views and has over 1‚850 comments. “Call me cheap‚ call me whatever‚ but if we’re going out to a restaurant‚ I’m packing my kid a meal‚&;quot; Smith‚ 21‚ said in her post. &;quot;I do this for many reasons. On Friday nights‚ my family and I get together‚ and tonight‚ we’re getting food out. My son is not getting food out.”&;quot;For one‚ you want me to pay $6.99 for chicken tenders and fries that my son is going to throw half of it on the floor&;#63; You’re crazy‚&;quot; she continued. &;quot;Also‚ whatever I pack is probably going to be healthier than what the restaurant has anyways.&;quot;Smith’s example of a $6.99 kids’ meal is generous. In some parts of the country‚ a kids’ meal will set you back a lot more than that. @unbreakablemomma Visit TikTok to discover videos&;#33; In the video‚ Smith demonstrated what she prepared for her son's meal that day: a sandwich filled with peanut butter and jelly‚ banana slices‚ cubed cheddar cheese and a chocolate-flavored Lara bar‚ all neatly organized in a plastic container.Smith added that when they get to the restaurant‚ her child can begin to eat immediately without having to wait for a server to take their order and the kitchen to prepare the food. &;quot;I can just hand him this and let him go to town‚” she said. “Also‚ my child is not opinionated. He does not care what he eats; he just wants to eat.&;quot;The mother of two created quite a stir on TikTok after posting the video‚ with some people shaming her for bringing outside food into a restaurant. Many felt she wasn’t being fair by taking a seat without buying a meal‚ while others thought the restaurant was a good place for a child to learn patience. Others felt she wasn’t being fair by eating a restaurant-cooked meal while her child ate food from home.&;quot;$6.99 is not a outrageous price. Eating out is definitely a experience a child deserves while everyone eats out‚&;quot; Suki commented. &;quot;It is sooo important that they learn patience at that age. The same two-year-old who doesn’t learn that becomes a screaming five-year-old‚&;quot; Heth added.&;quot;Someone once told me if u can't afford to let your kid get whatever meal they want at a restaurant‚ u shouldn’t be eating out‚&;quot; Kiana stated. &;quot;You are paying for the seat at the table‚ not just the food. The price of the food to the restaurant is a tiny part of it‚&;quot; LiverpoolLilac wrote.However‚ many people felt for Smith and thought she was doing the right thing for her child and finances.&;quot;This is a great idea and I will be using it&;#33; Why would I buy a 2-year-old a meal they won’t eat&;#63; People need to stop harassing you‚&;quot; Katy Brown wrote. &;quot;This is great cause restaurant food is rarely healthy for kids. Always chicken tenders and grilled cheese or corn dogs etc‚ and fries fries fries‚&;quot; Luna added.&;quot;This is so smart‚ my kids always waste out food &; always eat what I make so thanks for this tip&;#33;&;quot; Ceryna said.After the video was bombarded with comments‚ Smith told Today.com that‚ as a former server‚ she always leaves a tip that compensates for the food brought from home and cleans up the table.Smith put out a follow-up video where she had some fun with the negative comments she received on the video. @unbreakablemomma Visit TikTok to discover videos&;#33; This article originally appeared on 5.26.23

For those who feel like they could be happier but know they’re missing a key element‚ a therapist has shared her “hack” to happiness and it’s pretty simple: have an energizing hobby. The conversation about the happy hobby hack started on TikTok when marketing expert Harrison Swales noted that all his “successful” and “happy” friends have one thing in common: they enjoy energizing hobbies. He added that instead of binging on Netflix or drinking all weekend‚ they were either in sports leagues or enjoyed creating things like books or videos instead of passively watching what other people make on TikTok. &;quot;I don't know if it's directly correlated to your career and success in other areas of your life‚&;quot; he said‚ &;quot;but it certainly seems like it.&;quot; The video went viral‚ amassing over 560‚000 views and inspired a follow-up from therapist Israa Nasir‚ who shared the psychological reasons why energizing hobbies are so beneficial.&;quot;This is literally the way to hack your happiness‚&;quot; Nasir said in response to the video‚ &;quot;and there are two reasons why this creator is totally accurate.&;quot; @israajnasir #stitch with @Harrison Swales where is the lie&;#63; #neurosciencetok #happinesstips #positivepsychology #emotionalresilience 1. Sense of flow&;quot;A sense of flow is being so present and immersed in the present moment‚ being completely where you are‚” she said‚ adding that it’s a state where &;quot;mind and body [are] in the same place‚ and you're engaging in something that gives you joy or creativity or movement‚ boosts dopamine in your mind.”&;quot;When we're able to engage in that long period of time in a state of flow‚ we have a slow‚ sustained state of dopamine‚&;quot; Nasir continued. &;quot;So that we feel happier for longer‚ which is the opposite experience when we do things like scrolling mindlessly or watching Netflix or mindlessly drinking.&;quot;2. Hobbies de-center work and romantic relationships&;quot;If you think about it‚ your whole life is structured around work … and your romantic relationship‚” Nassir explained. “So that makes us very flat and one-dimensional. By adding hobbies‚ we add more depth and dimension into our life.&;quot;She then had a message for the TikTokkers out there who claim they don’t have enough time for a new hobby. &;quot;Open your phone app where it measures how much time you're spending on social media and you'll see that you're probably spending three to four hours a day on your phone‚&;quot; she said. &;quot;So even if you cut that in half‚ you can make time for energizing hobbies.&;quot;So now that we know that energizing hobbies are a key to happiness‚ what are they‚ specifically&;#63; In the comments section‚ Nasir clarified what she meant by energizing hobbies‚ saying that they are any activity that helps you lose yourself or enter a state of flow.That could mean dancing‚ doing puzzles‚ playing a musical instrument‚ playing golf‚ crocheting‚ metal detecting at the park‚ surfing‚ writing‚ or any other creative activity. One commenter compared energizing hobbies with those that aren’t beneficial. “I have growth hobbies and rot hobbies. You can guess which ones are energizing vs draining‚” Curtis Lane wrote.

If you grew up in the '90s then you were part of the last generation of kids who lived without being constantly connected to the internet. You lived during that last gasp of the analog era where most of your entertainment came on tape and if you wanted a new pair of Guess jeans or LA Gear shoes‚ you had to drive to the mall.Also‚ if you wore parachute pant‚ aka &;quot;Hammer Pants‚&;quot; people actually thought you were cool.Families mattered on Friday nights.People listened to rock 'n' roll because it was important.Hip-hop was at its peak.People spent time talking to each other instead of staring at their phones.It was a time of hope and optimism.Some folks over at Reddit have been sharing funny memes that explain exactly what life was like in the '90s. From the terrible pastel-colored designs that were everywhere to the charming‚ but antiquated‚ technology kids today will never understand.Here are 19 of the best memes from r/90s/.1. 1994 was 30 years agoSorry‚ if that made you feel old.2. &;quot;Go&;#33; Go&;#33;&;quot; (Fill in the blank)This person is living the Gen X dream.3. Oh snap&;#33;There was no greater diss in 1991. 4. Make a run for the borderDoes this picture make you instinctively think &;quot;You quiero Taco Bell&;quot;&;#63;5. In the '90s‚ every night was a Blockbuster nightIt's like looking back in time.6. We'll always have Chuck E. Cheese'sOur immune systems were forged through miles of sweaty PVC. 7. Don't touch the 'purple stuff' Ingredients: Water‚ High Fructose Corn Syrup and 2% or Less of: Concentrated Orange Juice‚ Concentrated Tangerine Juice‚ Concentrated Apple Juice‚ Concentrated Lime Juice‚ Concentrated Grapefruit Juice‚ Concentrated Pear Juice‚ Citric Acid‚ Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)‚ Thiamin Hydrochloride (Vitamin B1)‚ Natural Flavor‚ Modified Cornstarch‚ Canola Oil‚ Sodium Citrate‚ Cellulose Gum‚ Sucralose‚ Acesulfame Potassium‚ Neotame‚ Sodium Hexametaphosphate‚ Potassium Sorbate to Protect Flavor‚ Yellow 5‚ Yellow 6.8. These actually existedHow in the world did they cram 25 different colored pens into one super writing utensil&;#63;9. Nu metal didn't last longA.D.I.D.A.S. 10. People aged quickly in the '90sThis is what happens when you have children.11. This weighed 25 pounds and went everywhere you went I can still hear the sound of the rumpling plastic as I flip through the pages.12. They got 'Jerry Maguire'&;#63; Of course they have &;quot;Jerry Maguire.&;quot; In fact‚ they have 500 copies of &;quot;Jerry Maguire.&;quot;13. The hippest computer lab everAfter the iMac dropped‚ only vertified dorks used an IBM. 14. Just looking at this hurtsThis may have hurt your fingers‚ but was probably safer than licking the battery to see if it still had &;quot;juice.&;quot;15. It's like they didn't want you to play solitaireSolitaire wasted more people's time in 1998 than Instagram does in 2022. 16. In 1993 this could cure anythingStomach ache&;#63; Flu&;#63; Munchausen's syndrome&;#63; This unique combination would have you back on your feet in no time. 17. SynergyTo quote a popular philosopher from the '90s‚ they went together like &;quot;peas and carrots.&;quot; 18. This cup went perfect with pizzaIf the joint had all-you-can-drink refills‚ you drank 'em out of this cup. It held tokens‚ too. 19. The only pattern that mattered in the '90sThrow on those shorts‚ then hop in your Miata and get yourself some action&;#33;This article originally appeared on 01.06.22

Beatle George Harrison was pigeon-holed as the &;quot;Quiet Beatle‚&;quot; but the youngest member of the Fab Four had an acerbic‚ dry sense of humor that was as sharp as the rest of his bandmates.He gave great performances in the musical comedy classics‚ &;quot;A Hard Days Night&;quot; and &;quot;Help&;#33;&;quot; while holding his own during The Beatles' notoriously anarchic press conferences. After he left the band in 1970‚ in addition to his musical career‚ he would produce the 1979 Monty Python classic‚ &;quot;The Life of Brian.&;quot;Harrison clearly didn't lose his sense of humor for the rest of his life. Shortly before his death in 2001‚ he played an elaborate prank on Phil Collins that shows how the &;quot;Here Comes the Sun&;quot; singer would go the extra mile for a laugh.In 1970‚ Harrison was recording his first solo record and arguably the best by a Beatle‚ &;quot;All things Must Pass.&;quot; The session for the song‚ &;quot;The Art of Dying&;quot; featured former Beatle Ringo Starr on drums‚ keyboard legend Billy Preston on keys‚ virtuoso Eric Clapton on guitar‚ and was produced by the notorious Phil Spector.Harrison wanted a conga player for the session‚ so Ringo's chauffeur reached out to Phil Collins' manager. At the time‚ Collins was a relative unknown who was about to join Genesis‚ a band that would bring him worldwide stardom.The 18-year-old Collins was starstruck playing on a session with two former Beatles‚ so he played extra hard in rehearsals‚ resulting in blood blisters on both hands.&;quot;Anyway‚ after about two hours of this‚ Phil Spector says‚ 'Okay congas‚ you play this time.' And I'd had my mic off‚ so everybody laughed‚ but my hands were shot‚&;quot; Collins told Express.&;quot;And just after that they all disappeared – someone said they were watching TV or something – and I was told I could go‚&;quot; after that‚ Collins was relieved of his duties and told to go home. A few months later‚ Collins bought the massive triple album in the record shop and was devastated to learn he'd been edited out of the song.&;quot;There must be some mistake&;#33; Collins thought. &;quot;But it's a different version of the song‚ and I'm not on it.&;quot;Some thirty years later‚ Collins bought the home of Formula One driver Jackie Stewart‚ a close friend of Harrison. Stewart mentioned to Collins that Harrison was remixing &;quot;All Things Must Pass&;quot; for a rerelease.&;quot;And he said‚ 'You were on it‚ weren't you&;#63;' And I said‚ 'Well I was there‚&;quot;' Collins recalled.Two days later‚ a tape was delivered from Harrison to Collins with a note that read: &;quot;Could this be you&;#63;&;quot; Collins continued: &;quot;I rush off and listen to it‚ and straight away I recognize it.&;quot; It was a recording of &;quot;The Art of Dying.&;quot;&;quot;Suddenly the congas come in – too loud and just awful‚&;quot; Collins was devastated‚ then as the end of the take‚ Harrison can be heard saying‚ &;quot;Hey‚ Phil‚ can we try another without the conga player&;#63;&;quot;Collins was devastated‚ to say the least.A while later‚ Stewart calls Collins and puts Harrison on the line. &;quot;'Did you get the tape&;#63;' Harrison asked. &;quot;I now realize I was fired by a Beatle‚&;quot; Collins sighed. The two changed the subject‚ but a few minutes later‚ Harrison couldn't stop laughing.&;quot;Don't worry‚ it was a piss-take. I got Ray Cooper to play really badly and we dubbed it on‚&;quot; Harrison admitted. &;quot;Thought you'd like it&;#33;&;quot; So‚ Harrison had an entire recording session with a conga player who he asked to play poorly‚ just to pull one over on Collins.If you're in the mood for another of rock's greatest pranks. The story of &;quot;The Ring&;quot; told by Beastie Boys' Adam &;quot;Ad-Rock&;quot; Horovitz shared in &;quot;Beastie Boys Story&;quot; is another great example of someone going to incredible lengths just for a laugh.The story revolves around the late Beasties' rapper Adam &;quot;MCA&;quot; Yach‚ his bandmate Horovitz‚ and a very creepy ring given to him by a fan backstage at a concert.This article originally appeared on 12.01.21

Recent polls suggest that Republicans and Democrats have slightly different tastes that have nothing to do with politics. If you like cats‚ The Beatles‚ and Starbucks‚ you tend to vote Democrat. If you're into Toby Keith‚ Budweiser‚ and Dunkin' Donuts‚ you tend to vote Republican. But an interesting new quiz claims to be 98 percent effective at determining people's political affiliations by asking questions that have zero to do with politics.Click here to take the quiz.So how does it work&;#63; (Don't read the answer if you haven't taken the quiz yet.)According to ChartsMe‚ recent studies have found that people who were more prone to disgust are more conservative. This leads them to more closely align with the Republican Party.Some scientists believe it's ancestral and that the adverse reactions to conditions we'd label “disgusting&;quot; were used to protect primitive ancestors from contamination and disease. This way a person wouldn't confuse drinking water with dirty pond scum. But if the test told you that you're a Republican‚ you probably won't accept that explanation because studies show you probably don't believe in evolution.Click here to take the quiz.This article originally appeared on 08.09.18