LIVERMORE — Perhaps this romance just wasn’t meant to be. A first date between a man and a woman at a Livermore winery ended with the man filing a police report on battery and vandalism charges, claiming that their rendezvous went so badly, she shoved him and then keyed his car, causing $7,000 in damage, […]
From artist residencies to institutional partnerships, Oram Hotels is testing a new model where culture drives place-making. Michal Rzepecki This Q&A is part of Observer’s Expert Insights series, where industry leaders, innovators and strategists distill years of experience into direct, practical takeaways and deliver clarity on the issues shaping their industries. In San Diego, Oram Hotels […]
The second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine, jointly organized with the Government of India, concluded today in New Delhi, marking a major milestone for global health as it drew over 16 000 online registrations and brought together 800 delegates from more than 100 countries, including ministers from over 20 nations. Combined with a strong line up of 160 speakers, the global […]
DEAR HARRIETTE: I just got a huge promotion at my job. They are doing a major reorganization, and somehow they have decided that I should have an important role in the restructuring. I am thrilled, as I have worked overtime many hours to pitch in whenever needed and I have offered ideas, some of which […]
Jens Grede (L) and Emma Grede attend the NikeSKIMS Launch Event at Nike House of Innovation on Sept. 24, 2025 in New York City. Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for SKIMS With a freshly minted $5 billion valuation, Kim Kardashian’s shapewear company Skims has become a case study in modern celebrity-backed retail done right. While Kardashian is […]
Animal rights activist Zoe Rosenberg is expected to be released from the Sonoma County Jail on Wednesday after being approved to serve the final 60 days of her 90 day sentence on house arrest, according to a Monday announcement by the Berkeley protest group Direct Action Everywhere. Rosenberg, 23, who turned herself in Dec. 10 […]
In a world of geopolitical rivalry, supply-chain vulnerability and rising costs, competitiveness has become a strategic balancing act. Unsplash+ Competitiveness is not a new concept. It is likely embedded in our DNA, much like other fundamental instincts such as cooperation, survival, reproduction and mobility. What has changed over time is its geographical scope: once local, […]
(Bloomberg/Megawati Wijaya and Kat Hidalgo) — Netflix Inc. refinanced part of a $59 billion bridge loan with cheaper and longer-term debt, bolstering the financial package underpinning its bid for Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. The streaming giant got a $5 billion revolving credit facility and two $10 billion delayed-draw term loans to refinance part of the […]
Design, long used to protect institutions, may be philanthropy’s most effective tool for rebuilding trust. Unsplash+ Philanthropy, once broadly regarded as a force for civic good, is increasingly now viewed as elitist, opaque and disconnected from the communities it purports to serve. In 2025, that distrust has reached a critical inflection point. On one front, […]
Today is Monday, Dec. 22, the 356th day of 2025. There are nine days left in the year. Today in history: On Dec. 22, 1894, French army officer Alfred Dreyfus was convicted of treason in a court-martial that triggered worldwide charges of antisemitism. (Dreyfus was eventually vindicated.) Also on this date: In 1944, during the […]
