Cruise into this holiday season with a non-traditional vacation
Missoula police gets approval for $515K Taser deal; evaluating AI report-writing softwareNone
Article content It’s 8:30 a.m. and some of the children coming into the Strathcona Community Centre for breakfast are tired, some are chirpy, but they are all hungry. They enter up a flight of stairs at the back of the centre and waiting for them are Bonnie Jarvis, who runs the breakfast program, and longtime breakfast volunteer Vuong My. Not only students come up those stairs. There are teachers and support workers, too, from the adjoining Lord Strathcona Elementary School, carrying large bags filled with today’s meal — three different kinds of cereal, cartons of milk, bananas and boiled eggs. They will take this food back to the school for their students to eat before classes begin. Each day, staff here prepare and provide as many as 270 grab-and-go breakfasts for Strathcona students. There are plenty of needy communities in this province, but then there is Strathcona. The proverbial most needy of all in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. “This breakfast program is very important for the community,” said Amy Weeks, the food security manager for the centre. “It’s grab-and-go breakfast because we don’t know who really needs a breakfast, so this de-stigmatizes it.” A communal breakfast was once served inside the community centre for parents and children, but that model was abandoned when the province ordered schools closed and people to isolate during the COVID pandemic. “This breakfast is essential for supporting the health and well-being of our students,” said Weeks. Half of the families living in the area are considered low-income, many living in two large social housing complexes nearby. Strathcona has the highest rate of child poverty in the city. Those families not in subsidized housing struggle with the financial instability caused by the rising cost of housing and food, said Weeks. Many families rely on income assistance, disability benefits, or low-paying jobs. “For many students, hunger is a significant and daily challenge,” she said. She estimated that 60 per cent of the school’s 500 students could be classified as vulnerable because of poverty. “The vulnerable student population we serve face a variety of interconnected challenges beyond hunger, ” she explained. “Many children come from single-parent households, or are being raised by grandparents or other extended family members, or are new to Canada and still adjusting to the language. ... Breakfast is a stabilizing anchor for these students. It’s where they are cared for and valued.” The community centre is asking The Vancouver Sun’s Adopt-A-School campaign for $35,000 to feed these children each morning. From September to November, a total of 13,726 breakfasts have been served. The menu varies each day and students from the school will come in and help prepare the next day’s meal as part of the centre’s Breakfast Buddies program. The average cost of a breakfast is $3 and a variety of items are offered on different days, such as banana muffins, pancakes, french toast, grilled cheese sandwiches, hash browns, egg bites, yogurt cups and fruit, as well as cereal and milk. First grade teacher Lourdes Friess was there filling a large shopping bag with cereal, milk, eggs and bananas. “This will keep my class going all day,” she said. There was enough in her bag to provide breakfast for her class and for snacks later in the day after lunch. “It’s really important for them,” she said. The Vancouver Sun Children’s Fund which administers Adopt-A-School is being asked for $2.9 million to support hundreds of schools in the province. Almost $2.2 million is being sought for food and clothing for hungry and impoverished children. All donations made to Adopt-A-School will be sent to schools. No administration fees are deducted from donations. To pay by credit card, call .Retail Market in Indonesia to Expand by USD 49.56 Billion (2024-2028), Driven by Retail Growth and AI-Redefined Market Landscape - Technavio
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In 2011, a shock celebrity break-up garnered headlines around the world – not the separation of Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore, nor Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, but the sudden, inexplicable rupture between Bibi and Poldi, two 115-year-old Galápagos tortoises at Happ reptile zoo in Austria. After nearly a century as a couple, the female, Bibi, had had enough: one day, she bit a chunk off Poldi’s shell, drawing blood, and continued to attack him until zoo staff moved him to a separate enclosure. In the wild, Galápagos tortoises are , so it’s no small feat that Bibi and Poldi’s liaison lasted as long as it did, though their coupling never produced any offspring. Unfortunately, attempts at reconciliation were not successful. “We get the feeling they can’t stand the sight of each other any more,” the zoo’s director, Helga Happ, . Why do breakups occur? Among humans it’s a question that has engendered ballads, provided rich fodder for novelists and continues to intrigue scientists. In many mammals, there’s no parental care by the dad To break up, of course, you have to be together in the first place. In social monogamy, animals live together and form strong ties known as pair bonds – though sexual faithfulness is a separate question. In mammals, humans are among the exceptions: social monogamy has been observed in less than 10% of mammal species. That low figure comes down to the difference in parental investment between males and females, says Prof Simon Griffith, an evolutionary ecologist at Macquarie University. In most mammal species, parental care comes primarily from the female, who invests hugely in gestating and providing milk for her young. “In many mammals, there’s no parental care by the dad,” Griffith says. “It may be that he’ll do a bit of guarding, or he’ll hold the territory, but ... he can’t really provide that much for the offspring. “In birds, it’s completely different. The dad can actually care almost as much as the female in terms of delivering food. “That’s why birds tend to have partnerships and mammals don’t.” Before methods to establish paternity existed, evidence suggested that birds as a group were mostly sexually monogamous, says Prof Raoul Mulder, an evolutionary ecologist at the University of Melbourne. “If you look at whether or not a particular species pairs, and how long they pair for, and how long they stay together for, and you classify all the known birds, you’d arrive at a figure of over 90%,” Mulder says. But after genetic testing techniques were developed, scientists began to realise that birds were not as faithful as previously believed that social and sexual monogamy don’t necessarily go hand in hand. Mulder’s work on the found that born in nests were fathered by other males. That astonishing rate of cuckoldry is bested only by the Australian magpie, at a . On the whole, however, Australian birds tend to divorce less than European species, Griffith says, as strong partnerships are required to survive fickle environmental conditions. In the northern hemisphere, the timing of breeding seasons is predictable, tied to day length, but in Australia the decision to breed also depends on climatic factors. Australian birds tend to divorce less than European species “Some years, you literally don’t get any rain that’s meaningful and nothing grows, and the birds and animals that live there can’t breed,” Griffith says of Australia’s arid zone. “[Breeding] is a much more complicated decision at an individual level but, if you’re in a good partnership, you can together optimise that decision.” Among birds, the poster child for monogamy is the wandering albatross, which can live up to 50 years and usually mates for life. “This bird takes such a long time to establish a pair bond,” says Dr Ruijiao Sun, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Santa Barbara. “If an individual loses their partner, it takes years to bond with a new one to be able to start breeding again. “Wandering albatrosses only have one egg at each breeding season but there always needs to be one parent sitting on the nest to protect their chick and do the incubating but they also need to forage ... so they have to take turns. “It really takes two to be able to raise their chicks.” Sun suggests long-lived species such as the wandering albatross benefit more from strong pair bonds. “Each time they breed, they fine-tune their behaviours – they coordinate with each other much better, making reproduction effortless [over time].” Short-lived species, in contrast, might be more ready to ditch their partner to maximise breeding opportunities. Even so, Sun’s research estimates that the divorce rate in wandering albatrosses is about 10%. (Compare this to the king penguin, which, though while with a partner, divorces at a rate .) Other factors that might drive animals to divorce – what scientists call mate switching – include a high mortality rate and a . Both drive up competition for mates, creating temptation for those of the minority sex to shack up with someone more appealing. Research is also emerging that the climate crisis may also play a role in divorce. In a , which nest in rock crevices in Antarctica, Sun and her co-authors found that the number of snow days in a breeding season was directly linked to the rate of break-ups. Too much snow fills nests and freezes the eggs, leading to incubation failure. “They may either abandon their previous nest or abandon their partner,” Sun says, adding that the stress of constant snow-shovelling might make birds “blame their partner more than they normally would do”. The work projected that declining sea ice under climate change would also affect survival rates in future, skewing the sex ratio. “We will have a lot of males in a population, and fewer females available to mate with them,” Sun says. probably also play a role in the Falkland Islands, where unusually warm water temperatures have been linked to in black-browed albatrosses. “Environmentally driven divorce,” the researchers suggested at the time, “may therefore represent an overlooked consequence of global change”.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will miss Sunday's game against the Packers with a sore throwing shoulder.A video has emerged on social media showing Man City boss Pep Guardiola in a fiery confrontation with a fan in Manchester city centre. The Citizens ended a seven-match winless run in midweek with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest in the Premier League. Man City are currently fourth in the Premier League table , two points behind Chelsea and Arsenal, and nine points adrift of leaders Liverpool, who are having a brilliant season under Jurgen Klopp’s successor Arne Slot. Guardiola recently signed a two-year extension to his contract at the Etihad Stadium but he’s been showing signs of the increasing pressure with the Man City boss appearing in a post-match interview covered in a cut and scratches after a draw with Feyenoord. When asked how he got his cut, Guardiola revealed. “I cut it with my finger.” He then jokingly said: “I want to hurt myself.” And on Friday a video emerged of him being held back after being heckled by a Liverpudlian fan, who was heard saying “right mate, just cause you lost”. Guardiola had to be restrained by two members of his entourage while saying “do you know what is lost?” before being led away. There have been suggestions that is from Man City losing 2-1 to Man Utd in the FA Cup final back in May and not during their recent bad run of form. A video of Pep Guardiola in an altercation with a fan is going viral currently... 😳 pic.twitter.com/FnelwLvsH1 — CentreGoals. (@centregoals) December 6, 2024 MORE MAN CITY COVERAGE ON F365... 👉 Man City, Newcastle swap deal including transfer-listed ‘disaster’ mooted as Guardiola ‘insists’ 👉 Guardiola ‘puts four Man City players on transfer list’ as legend’s ‘days are numbered’ 👉 Man City FFP: ‘Expulsion unlikely’ but ‘punishment expected’ amid ‘timeline’, ‘notable aspect’ reveal Man City face Crystal Palace on Saturday and Harry Redknapp expects Guardiola to guide his side to a second successive victory in a 3-1 win. Redknapp told BetVictor : “Are Manchester City out of the woods? Their performance against Nottingham Forest was far from perfect, with too many stray passes for my liking, so the jury is out on that one for the moment. “Then there’s all the gossip about Kevin De Bruyne’s rift with Pep Guardiola before the game, and lo and behold, KDB goes and scores! Sometimes the pundits stir up stuff that isn’t there. “There were goals galore in the week, and quite a few stunners. No less than Jean-Philippe Mateta’s match-winning chip against a gob-smacked Ipswich. To be fair, the game was seriously lacking in class up until that point. “Oliver Glasner will be pleased with his side’s performance but will not relish a visit from Man City with the bit between their teeth. “I had no doubt that City would turn up against Forest. That match will likely be their springboard back to winning ways.”
ATLANTA, Dec. 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Oxford Industries, Inc. (NYSE:OXM) today announced financial results for its third quarter of fiscal 2024 ended November 2, 2024. Consolidated net sales in the third quarter of fiscal 2024 were $308 million compared to $327 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2023. Loss per share on a GAAP basis was $0.25 compared to net earnings per share of $0.68 in the third quarter of fiscal 2023. On an adjusted basis, loss per share was $0.11 compared to net earnings per share of $1.01 in the third quarter of fiscal 2023. Tom Chubb, Chairman and CEO, commented, “Following a difficult third quarter, we are pleased with the beginning of the holiday season now that some recent headwinds have started to abate. The cumulative effects of several years of high inflation combined with distractions from the U.S. elections and other world events, led to less frequent and more tentative consumer spending behavior during the third quarter which is traditionally our smallest volume quarter of the year. Additionally, our most significant and important market, the Southeastern United States, was impacted by two major hurricanes in quick succession that resulted in estimated lost sales of $4 million and an estimated impact of $0.14 per share. When combined with a highly competitive and promotional environment, these headwinds led to financial performance that was weaker than expected.” Mr. Chubb concluded, “Encouragingly, consumers have responded favorably to our recent product introductions and marketing campaigns, driving a nice improvement in comp store trends once the holiday season got underway. However, due to the weaker than expected consumer environment before the election and the fourth quarter impact of the hurricanes, which we project will include an additional $3 million of lost revenue and $0.11 per share, we have lowered our fiscal 2024 sales and EPS guidance. We are confident that our business model will drive profitable growth and long-term shareholder value well into the future. We could not do this without our exceptional team of people, to whom we extend our sincere gratitude.” Third Quarter of Fiscal 2024 versus Fiscal 2023 Consolidated net sales of $308 million decreased compared to sales of $327 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2023. Full-price direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales decreased 8% to $200 million versus the third quarter of fiscal 2023. Full-price retail sales of $99 million were 6% lower than prior-year period. E-commerce sales of $101 million were 11% lower than prior-year period. Outlet sales of $17 million were 3% higher than prior-year period. Food and beverage sales were $24 million, a 4% increase versus prior-year period. Wholesale sales of $67 million were 2% lower than the third quarter of fiscal 2023. Gross margin was 63.1% on a GAAP basis, compared to 62.9% in the third quarter of fiscal 2023. The increase in gross margin was primarily due to a $4 million lower LIFO accounting charge and lower discounts at Lilly Pulitzer. This was partially offset due to full-price retail and e-commerce sales representing a lower proportion of net sales at Tommy Bahama, Lilly Pulitzer and Johnny Was with more sales occurring during promotional and clearance events. Adjusted gross margin, which excludes the effect of LIFO accounting, decreased to 63.0% compared to 64.0% on an adjusted basis in the prior-year period. SG&A was $205 million compared to $195 million last year. On an adjusted basis, SG&A was $201 million compared to $191 million in the prior-year period. The increase in SG&A was primarily driven by: Expenses related to 33 new store openings since the third quarter of fiscal 2023, including four Tommy Bahama Marlin Bars. Pre-opening expenses related to approximately five additional stores planned to open in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024, including two additional Tommy Bahama Marlin Bars that are expected to open in the next few months. The addition of Jack Rogers. Royalties and other operating income of $4 million were comparable to the third quarter of fiscal 2023. Operating loss was $6 million, or (2.0%) of net sales, compared to operating income of $14 million, or 4.4% of net sales, in the third quarter of fiscal 2023. On an adjusted basis, operating income decreased to an operating loss of $3 million, or (1.1%) of net sales, compared to operating income of $21 million, or 6.6% of net sales, in the third quarter of fiscal 2023. The decreased operating income includes the impact of decreased net sales and increased SG&A as the Company continues to invest in the business. Interest expense decreased from $1 million in the prior year period. The decreased interest expense was primarily due to a lower average outstanding debt balance during the third quarter of fiscal 2024 than the third quarter of fiscal 2023. Due to lower earnings during the third quarter as compared to our other fiscal quarters, certain discrete or other items have a more pronounced impact on the effective tax rate. Our effective income tax rate of 42.5% for the third quarter of fiscal 2024 included the impact of discrete, favorable US federal return-to-provision adjustments primarily related to an increase in the research and development tax credit and certain adjustments to the US taxation on foreign earnings. For the third quarter of fiscal 2023, our effective income tax rate of 18.6% included the favorable utilization of the research and development tax credit and adjustments to the US taxation on foreign earnings which reduced the effective tax rate. Balance Sheet and Liquidity Inventory decreased $3 million, or 2%, on a LIFO basis and increased $2 million, or 1%, on a FIFO basis compared to the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2023. Inventory balances were comparable in all operating groups. During the first nine months of fiscal 2024, cash flow from operations was $104 million compared to $169 million in the first nine months of fiscal 2023. The cash flow from operations in the first nine months of fiscal 2024, along with borrowings of $29 million, provided sufficient cash to fund $92 million of capital expenditures and $33 million of dividends. During the third quarter of fiscal 2024, long-term debt decreased to $58 million compared to $66 million of borrowings outstanding at the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2023 as cash flow from operations exceeded increased capital expenditures primarily associated with the project to build a new distribution center in Lyons, Georgia, payments of dividends and working capital requirements. The Company had $7 million of cash and cash equivalents versus $8 million of cash and cash equivalents at the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2023. Dividend The Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.67 per share. The dividend is payable on January 31, 2025 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on January 17, 2025. The Company has paid dividends every quarter since it became publicly owned in 1960. Outlook For fiscal 2024 ending on February 1, 2025, the Company revised its sales and EPS guidance. The Company now expects net sales in a range of $1.50 billion to $1.52 billion as compared to net sales of $1.57 billion in fiscal 2023. In fiscal 2024, GAAP EPS is expected to be between $5.78 and $5.98 compared to fiscal 2023 GAAP EPS of $3.82. Adjusted EPS is expected to be between $6.50 and $6.70, compared to fiscal 2023 adjusted EPS of $10.15. For the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024, the Company expects net sales to be between $375 million and $395 million compared to net sales of $404 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023. GAAP EPS is expected to be between $1.02 and $1.22 in the fourth quarter compared to a GAAP loss per share of $3.85 in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023 that included noncash impairment charges totaling $114 million, or $5.31 per share. Adjusted EPS is expected to be between $1.18 and $1.38 compared to adjusted EPS of $1.90 in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023. The Company anticipates interest expense of $3 million in fiscal 2024, with interest expense expected to be $1 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024. The Company’s effective tax rate is expected to be approximately 23% for the full year of fiscal 2024. Capital expenditures in fiscal 2024, including the $92 million in the first nine months of fiscal 2024, are expected to be approximately $150 million compared to $74 million in fiscal 2023. The planned year-over-year increase in capital expenditures includes approximately $75 million now budgeted in fiscal 2024 for the distribution center project in Lyons, Georgia. Additionally, we have been investing in new brick and mortar locations, relocations and remodels of existing locations resulting in a year-over-year net increase of full price stores of approximately 30 by the end of fiscal 2024, which includes approximately five planned to open in the fourth quarter of the year. We will also continue with our investments in our various technology systems initiatives, including e-commerce and omnichannel capabilities, data management and analytics, customer data and insights, cybersecurity, automation, including artificial intelligence, and infrastructure. Conference Call The Company will hold a conference call with senior management to discuss its financial results at 4:30 p.m. ET today. A live web cast of the conference call will be available on the Company’s website at www.oxfordinc.com. A replay of the call will be available through December 25, 2024 by dialing (412) 317-6671 access code 13750235. About Oxford Oxford Industries, Inc., a leader in the apparel industry, owns and markets the distinctive Tommy Bahama ® , Lilly Pulitzer ® , Johnny Was®, Southern Tide ® , The Beaufort Bonnet Company ® , Duck Head ® and Jack Rogers ® lifestyle brands. Oxford's stock has traded on the New York Stock Exchange since 1964 under the symbol OXM. For more information, please visit Oxford's website at www.oxfordinc.com. Basis of Presentation All per share information is presented on a diluted basis. Non-GAAP Financial Information The Company reports its consolidated financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). To supplement these consolidated financial results, management believes that a presentation and discussion of certain financial measures on an adjusted basis, which exclude certain non-operating or discrete gains, charges or other items, may provide a more meaningful basis on which investors may compare the Company’s ongoing results of operations between periods. These measures include adjusted earnings, adjusted earnings per share, adjusted gross profit, adjusted gross margin, adjusted SG&A, and adjusted operating income, among others. Management uses these non-GAAP financial measures in making financial, operational, and planning decisions to evaluate the Company’s ongoing performance. Management also uses these adjusted financial measures to discuss its business with investment and other financial institutions, its board of directors and others. Reconciliations of these adjusted measures to the most directly comparable financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP are presented in tables included at the end of this release. Safe Harbor This press release includes statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Generally, the words "believe," "expect," "intend," "estimate," "anticipate," "project," "will" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, which generally are not historical in nature. We intend for all forward-looking statements contained herein, in our press releases or on our website, and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf, to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and the provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (which Sections were adopted as part of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Such statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions including, without limitation, demand for our products, which may be impacted by macroeconomic factors that may impact consumer discretionary spending and pricing levels for apparel and related products, many of which may be impacted by inflationary pressures, elevated interest rates, concerns about the stability of the banking industry or general economic uncertainty, and the effectiveness of measures to mitigate the impact of these factors; possible changes in governmental monetary and fiscal policies, including, but not limited to, Federal Reserve policies in connection with continued inflationary pressures and the impact of the recent elections in the United States; competitive conditions and/or evolving consumer shopping patterns, particularly in a highly promotional retail environment; acquisition activities (such as the acquisition of Johnny Was), including our ability to integrate key functions, recognize anticipated synergies and minimize related disruptions or distractions to our business as a result of these activities; supply chain disruptions; changes in trade policies and regulations, including the potential for increases or changes in duties, current and potentially new tariffs or quotas; costs and availability of labor and freight deliveries, including our ability to appropriately staff our retail stores and food & beverage locations; costs of products as well as the raw materials used in those products, as well as our ability to pass along price increases to consumers; energy costs; our ability to respond to rapidly changing consumer expectations; unseasonal or extreme weather conditions or natural disasters, such as the September and October 2024 hurricanes impacting the Southeastern United States; lack of or insufficient insurance coverage; the ability of business partners, including suppliers, vendors, wholesale customers, licensees, logistics providers and landlords, to meet their obligations to us and/or continue our business relationship to the same degree as they have historically; retention of and disciplined execution by key management and other critical personnel; cybersecurity breaches and ransomware attacks, as well as our and our third party vendors’ ability to properly collect, use, manage and secure business, consumer and employee data and maintain continuity of our information technology systems; the effectiveness of our advertising initiatives in defining, launching and communicating brand-relevant customer experiences; the level of our indebtedness, including the risks associated with heightened interest rates on the debt and the potential impact on our ability to operate and expand our business; the timing of shipments requested by our wholesale customers; fluctuations and volatility in global financial and/or real estate markets; our ability to identify and secure suitable locations for new retail store and food & beverage openings; the timing and cost of retail store and food & beverage location openings and remodels, technology implementations and other capital expenditures; the timing, cost and successful implementation of changes to our distribution network; the effectiveness of recent, focused efforts to reassess and realign our operating costs in light of revenue trends, including potential disruptions to our operations as a result of these efforts; pandemics or other public health crises; expected outcomes of pending or potential litigation and regulatory actions; the increased consumer, employee and regulatory focus on sustainability issues and practices, including failures by our suppliers to adhere to our vendor code of conduct; the regulation or prohibition of goods sourced, or containing raw materials or components, from certain regions and our ability to evidence compliance; access to capital and/or credit markets; factors that could affect our consolidated effective tax rate; the risk of impairment to goodwill and other intangible assets such as the recent impairment charges incurred in our Johnny Was segment; and geopolitical risks, including ongoing challenges between the United States and China and those related to the ongoing war in Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas war and the conflict in the Red Sea region. Forward-looking statements reflect our expectations at the time such forward-looking statements are made, based on information available at such time, and are not guarantees of performance. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, these expectations could prove inaccurate as such statements involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our ability to control or predict. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties, or other risks or uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial, materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those anticipated, estimated or projected. Important factors relating to these risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those described in Part I. Item 1A. Risk Factors contained in our Fiscal 2023 Form 10-K, and those described from time to time in our future reports filed with the SEC. We caution that one should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. We disclaim any intention, obligation or duty to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.'I am so excited'- Ange Postecoglou predicts bright future for calm and effecient Tottenham starRitu Beri unveils Escape lifestyle store
Retailers coax Black Friday shoppers into stores with big discounts and giveaways NEW YORK (AP) — Retailers in the U.S. have used giveaways and bigger-than expected discounts to reward shoppers who ventured out on Black Friday. The day after Thanksgiving still reigns for now as the unofficial kickoff of the holiday shopping season even if it’s lost some luster. Analysts reported seeing the biggest crowds at stores that offered real savings. They say many shoppers are being cautious with their discretionary spending despite the easing of inflation. Stores are even more under the gun to get shoppers in to buy early and in bulk since there are five fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. Online sales figures from Thanksgiving Day gave retailers a reason to remain hopeful for a lucrative end to the year. Trump and Republicans in Congress eye an ambitious 100-day agenda, starting with tax cuts WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans swept to power on Election Day and now control the House, the Senate and the White House, with plans for an ambitious 100-day agenda come January. Their to-do list includes extending tax breaks, cutting social programs, building the border wall to stop immigration and rolling back President Joe Biden's green energy policies. Atop that list is a plan to renew some $4 trillion in expiring tax cuts that were a signature domestic achievement of Republican Donald Trump’s first term as president. It's an issue that may define his return to the White House. The ruble's in a slump. For the Kremlin, that's a two-edged sword Russia’s ruble is sagging against other currencies, complicating the Kremlin’s efforts to keep consumer inflation under control with one hand even as it overheats the economy with spending on the war against Ukraine with the other. Over time a weaker ruble could mean higher prices for imports from China, Russia's main trade partner these days. President Vladimir Putin says things are under control. One wild card is sanctions against a key Russian bank that have disrupted foreign trade payments. If Russia finds a workaround for that, the ruble could regain some of its recent losses. Why your favorite catalogs are smaller this holiday season PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — While retailers hope to go big this holiday season, customers may notice that the catalogs arriving in their mailboxes are smaller. Many of the millions of catalogs getting sent to U.S. homes were scaled down to save on postage and paper. Some gift purveyors are sending out postcards. In a sign of the times, the American Catalog Mailers Association rebranded itself in May as the American Commerce Marketing Association. Despite no longer carrying an extended inventory of goods, industry experts say catalogs help retailers cut through the noise and still hold their own in value because of growing digital advertising costs. Massachusetts lawmakers push for an effort to ban all tobacco sales over time BOSTON (AP) — A handful of Massachusetts lawmakers are hoping to persuade their colleagues to support a proposal that would make the state the first to adopt a ban meant to eliminate the use of tobacco products over time. Other locations have weighed similar “generational tobacco bans.” The bans phase out the use of tobacco products based not just on a person's age but on birth year. Lawmakers plan to file the proposal next year. If approved, the bill would set a date and ban the sale of tobacco to anyone born after that date forever, eventually banning all sales. Vietnam approves $67 billion high-speed railway project between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam has approved the construction of a high-speed railway connecting the capital Hanoi in the north with the financial capital of Ho Chi Minh in the south. It is expected to cost $67 billion and will stretch 1,541 kilometers (957 miles). The new train is expected to travel at speeds of up to 350 kph (217 mph), reducing the journey from the current 30 hours to just five hours. The decision was taken by Vietnam’s National Assembly on Saturday. Construction is expected to begin in 2027 and Vietnam hopes that the first trains will start operating by 2035. But the country has been beleaguered by delays to its previous infrastructure projects. Inflation rose to 2.3% in Europe. That won't stop the central bank from cutting interest rates FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Inflation in the 20 countries that use the euro currency rose in November — but that likely won’t stop the European Central Bank from cutting interest rates as the prospect of new U.S. tariffs from the incoming Trump administration adds to the gloom over weak growth. The European Union’s harmonized index of consumer prices rose 2.3 percent, up from 2.0% in October, according to EU statistics agency Eurostat. However, worries about growth mean the Dec. 12 ECB meeting is not about whether to cut rates, but by how much. Market buzz says there could be a larger than usual half-point cut in the benchmark rate, currently 3.25%. Stock market today: S&P 500 and Dow post gains and close out best month of 2024 NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks closed with solid gains as Wall Street put the finishing touches on one of its best months of the year. The S&P 500 rose 0.6% while the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 188 points, or 0.4%. The Nasdaq added 0.8%. Friday was an abbreviated trading day, with stocks closing at 1 p.m. ET and the bond market an hour later. Investors were looking to see how much shoppers are willing to spend on gifts for the holidays. Black Friday unofficially kicked off the holiday shopping season, although retailers had been offering early deals for weeks. Macy’s and Best Buy each gained around 2%. From T-shirts to thongs, how indie film merchandise became a hot commodity LOS ANGELES (AP) — Merchandise is nothing new. But in recent years, movie-inspired streetwear has exploded in popularity among film buffs, thanks in part to viral marketing campaigns put on by independent film studios. Take the hourslong line for one-day-only “Anora” pop-up in Los Angeles, for instance. Clothes are promoted as trendy and in limited supply and are often made in collaboration with popular brands. The experience of watching movies has become a less collective one in recent years. For many fans, repping their favorite films in public is a way to combat that. Santa's annual train visit delivers hope and magic to one corner of coal country ON BOARD THE SANTA TRAIN (AP) — Since 1943, the people of Appalachian Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee have looked forward to Santa’s arrival. Not in a sleigh on their rooftops, but on a train. At each stop of the CSX Santa Train there are dozens to hundreds of people. Many crowd around the back, where Santa and his helpers toss stuffed animals. Meanwhile groups of volunteer “elves” fan out with gifts, making sure every child goes home with something. Many of the children who line the tracks on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, waiting for Santa, are the third, fourth or fifth generation to do so. Sandra Owens has been coming for 43 years and now brings her grandchildren. She says, “The faces of the kids, that’s what makes me happy. You can’t see anything better.”
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