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USPS Issues New Warning About Sending “Valuables” in the Mail iStock With the holidays growing closer and closer, we’re relying on the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) more often than we usually do. The mail itself may be more important, too, as we send off gifts, cards, and money to our loved ones. But following a report of a woman missing a package full of sentimental items, the agency is now reminding customers to be a little cautious....

USPS Just Announced This Major Upgrade to Your Holiday Mail iStock From holiday cards to Christmas presents, the last few months of the year is the busiest time for the mail system . The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) normally processes over 425 million pieces of mail every day, but this ramps up significantly once the holiday season hits. Last year, the agency accepted more than 13.2 billion letters, cards, flats, and packages for delivery between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve....

USPS Says Take These 3 Steps to Stay Safe From Holiday Scams in New Warning iStock Right now, many of us are rushing around trying to order last-minute gifts online and nervously tracking packages to ensure they’ll arrive on time. Unfortunately, con artists are more than ready to take advantage of the hectic and stressful holiday season. In its Dec. 14 postal bulletin , the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) sent out a new alert to warn us to watch out for holiday scams....

USPS Warns to Never Do This With Your Packages Shutterstock As we near the fall and winter holiday season, the number of packages traveling through the country is going to skyrocket. Millions of people will have at least one online purchase coming to their doorstep over the next few months, whether that’s a Halloween costume, a gift purchased on Cyber Monday, or a loved one’s Christmas present. But with loads of merchandise expected to come through the mail, thieves are also preparing themselves to take advantage of the situation....

USPS Will End the Year With “Dramatic Change,” Postmaster General Says DCStockPhotography/Shutterstock Like any other business, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has had to adapt and grow as customer needs change over time. But as an essential service, any alterations to delivery, pricing, or operations can have an outsized effect on the public who rely on it to send documents, conduct business, and ship parcels. It’s also no secret that the mail service has been struggling to keep its bottom line consistent and become more efficient in recent years....

Virus Expert Explains “Very High Likelihood” of Bird Flu Spreading to Humans Shutterstock After COVID, we’re all a little more on edge when it comes to the possibility of a new pandemic. But what are the chances of that happening with bird flu? There is currently widespread transmission of H5 bird flu in wild birds that is causing outbreaks among U.S. poultry and dairy cows. The concern for many experts and the general public, however, is that the virus will make a more significant jump to people....

Walgreens and CVS Announce Major Pharmacy Changes—Here’s How They’ll Affect You Images: Shutterstock; Design: Best Life Walgreens and CVS may be the two largest pharmacy chains in the U.S., but this doesn’t mean they’ve been immune to the retail apocalypse that’s been hitting brick-and-mortar stores since the pandemic. Retail theft, online shopping, and steep competition from discount sellers have all played a part. Since the spring of 2022, CVS has shuttered a whopping 900 locations, and in January, the company announced that it would also be scaling back its pharmacy footprint in Target stores....

Walmart Is Being Accused of “Deceiving Its Consumers” by Doing This Michael Vi / Shutterstock Walmart has gotten many things “right” recently—they’ve given shoppers more buying opportunities via Walmart Restored and expanded their search engine capabilities for those who speak Spanish. But with the good, there’s also the bad, as one consumer claims that the retailer is knowingly pulling one over on you. Deceit is a pretty serious accusation, but that’s exactly what a new lawsuit alleges Walmart, as well as Target, are guilty of....

Image: Shutterstock; Design: Best Life RELATED: 17 Worst Items to Buy at Walmart in 2025, Retail Experts Say . Walmart “I am very, very grateful that we have 4,700, roughly, stores,” John Furner , chief executive of Walmart U.S., told The Wall Street Journal in an interview, clarifying that they’re also used as delivery hubs. “It’s something that perhaps a few years ago people would not have expected we would have been able to deliver at scale....

Weight-Loss Drugs Can Cause Bone Loss, Research Shows Shutterstock While weight-loss drugs have made headlines for their impressive results, they’ve also made waves due to the potential side effects they can cause. Gastrointestinal (GI) issues have been among the most common, but they are far from the only issues that have arisen among patients. The treatments can also result in loss of muscle mass and bone density, doctors previously warned. However, it’s worth noting that decreased muscle and bone mineral density (BMD) is a big concern with weight loss in general, which is why a new study aimed to evaluate how bone health would be affected by different interventions, including liraglutide (better known by the brand names Saxenda and Victoza)....

Weight-Loss Drugs Spike Risk of “Extremely Serious” Stomach Condition, Studies Find iStock There’s no denying the impact that Ozempic and other similar medications have had over the past year. While Ozempic itself is approved for the treatment of diabetes, it’s often prescribed off-label to help patients shed pounds—along with its sister drug, Wegovy, and others like it that are FDA-approved for the treatment of obesity. The side effects of these medications have been well-documented, but researchers are looking into more serious complications....

What “A Different World” Stars Now Say About Rumors Lisa Bonet Was “Difficult” Lynn Goldsmith/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images In the fall of 1987, when The Cosby Show was still on the air, a spinoff that followed Denise Huxtable to the fictional institution of higher learning Hillman College, made its debut. But while A Different World was initially intended to revolve around Lisa Bonet’s character , by the second season, the actor and Denise were gone, and the sitcom was retooled to feature other new and returning cast members....

What Numerology Can Tell You About Your Love Life, According to Astrologers iStock / janiecbros Like astrology, numerology can tell you a lot about your personality and your love life. “In this esoteric practice, numbers possess specific energies that can be used to guide you through tough life decisions (like angel numbers ) or discern certain patterns and personality traits,” explains Brittany Beringer , writer, mystic, and artist . READ THIS NEXT: The One Word That Sums up Each Zodiac Sign, According to an Astrologer ....

What Your Birth Month Flower Says About Your Personality SeventyFour/Shutterstock RELATED: What Your Favorite Season Says About Your Personality . iStock “Much like the carnation’s enduring nature, those born in January exhibit fortitude and endurance in the face of challenges,” says Maria Hayes , astrologer and founder of Trusted Astrology . “The carnation’s delicate beauty mirrors their hope-filled outlook and the ability to find joy in the simplest of moments.”...

Whooping Cough Cases Are on the Rise—How to Stay Safe This Winter Shutterstock As fall turns to winter, many people brace for cold, flu, and Covid season . But this year, a sudden spike in whooping cough cases has experts on high alert, too. According to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. has recorded five times as many cases of the respiratory illness on September 21, 2024, compared to the same date in 2023....

Why Experts Say You Should Rethink Using Fabric Softener Immediately Shutterstock Fabric softener makes clothes and towels feel extra soft and fluffy, but could it be doing more harm than good? “Overuse of fabric softeners over time starts to build a film and deposits [that] start to slow down drain time,” James Copeland , director of technical services for Prism Specialties, tells TODAY . “It can actually start to fill the drain lines and then you get other dirt, debris, grime and things from the clothes that we pick up from the environment [that] start to cling even more....

Why Julia Roberts & George Clooney Needed 80 Takes to Get Their Onscreen Kiss Right Denis Makarenko / Shutterstock They may both be Oscar-winners with extremely successful careers in Hollywood, but even Julia Roberts and George Clooney don’t always nail their scenes on the first take—or even the 79th. The two actors and long-time friends are starring in the upcoming romantic comedy Ticket to Paradise (in theaters Oct. 21), and despite all their experience onscreen and their familiarity with each other, it took them forever to nail their big love scene....

You Could Live Longer on the Okinawa Diet—Here’s How to Try it Shutterstock What we eat not only affects our health, wellness, and fitness, but can seriously impact how long we live . “Longevity, of course, is influenced by many factors,” Dr. Frank B. Hu , a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health,” tells CNBC . “But diet is one of the most important factors that can impact chronic disease risk, mortality and longevity....

Your Kissing Style, Based on Your Zodiac Sign iStock There’s nothing more intimate than a kiss . From the first time you peck a partner to the moment you say “I do,” a person’s kissing style tells you a lot about them and how they feel about you. As with everything else in life, everyone has a different kissing preference—and some of us just aren’t compatible. If you’re wondering if you’ll enjoy the way your crush smooches, or if you’re curious about how you measure up, you might want to look to the stars for answers....

Your Luckiest Month of 2023, Based on Your Zodiac Sign undefined undefined / iStock Each year brings new energy and with it the chance for a fresh start. Whether you’re looking to take the next step in your career or make things official with a special someone, it doesn’t hurt to have luck on your side. Whatever you hope 2023 will bring, knowing your personal power month can help align the stars in your favor....