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The long sports-filled Thanksgiving weekend is a time when many Americans enjoy gathering with friends and family for good food, good company and hopefully not too much political conversation. Also on the menu — all the NFL and college sports you can handle. Here's a roadmap to one of the biggest sports weekends of the year, with a look at marquee games over the holiday and how to watch. All times are in EST. All odds are by BetMGM Sportsbook. • NFL: There is a triple-header lined up for pro football fans. Chicago at Detroit, 12:30 p.m., CBS: Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and the Bears go against the Lions, who are one of the favorites to reach the Super Bowl in February. Lions favored by 10. New York at Dallas, 4:30 p.m., Fox: The Giants and Cowboys are both suffering through miserable seasons and are now using backup quarterbacks for different reasons. But if Dallas can figure out a way to win, it will still be on the fringe of the playoff race. Cowboys favored by 3 1/2. Miami at Green Bay, 8:20 p.m., NBC/Peacock: The Packers stumbled slightly out of the gate but have won six of their past seven games. They'll need a win against Miami to try to keep pace in the NFC North. Packers favored by 3. • College Football: Memphis at No. 18 Tulane, 7:30 p.m., ESPN. If college football is your jam, this is a good warmup for a big weekend. The Tigers try to ruin the Green Wave’s perfect record in the American Athletic Conference. Tulane is favored by 14. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes works in the pocket against the Carolina Panthers during the first half of Sunday's game in Charlotte, N.C. • NFL: A rare Friday showdown features the league-leading Chiefs. Las Vegas at Kansas City, 3 p.m. Prime Video: The Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes are 12-point favorites over the Raiders. • College Basketball: Some of the top programs meet in holiday tournaments around the country. Battle 4 Atlantis championship, 5:30 p.m., ESPN: One of the premier early season tournaments, the eight-team field includes No. 3 Gonzaga, No. 14 Indiana and No. 24 Arizona. Rady Children's Invitational, 6 p.m., Fox: It's the championship game for a four-team field that includes No. 13 Purdue and No. 23 Mississippi. • College Football: There is a full slate of college games to dig into. Oregon State at No. 11 Boise State, noon, Fox: The Broncos try to stay in the College Football Playoff hunt when they host the Beavers. Boise State favored by 19 1/2. Oklahoma State at No. 23 Colorado, noon, ABC: The Buffaloes and Coach Prime are still in the hunt for the Big 12 championship game when they host the Cowboys. Colorado favored by 16 1/2. Georgia Tech at No. 6 Georgia, 7:30 p.m., ABC: The Bulldogs are on pace for a spot in the CFP but host what could be a tricky game against rival Georgia Tech. Georgia favored by 19 1/2. • NBA. After taking Thanksgiving off, pro basketball returns. Oklahoma City at Los Angeles Lakers, 10 p.m., ESPN: The Thunder look like one of the best teams in the NBA's Western Conference. They'll host Anthony Davis, LeBron James and the Lakers. Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James dunks during the first half of a Nov. 23 game against the Denver Nuggets in Los Angeles. • College Football. There are more matchups with playoff implications. Michigan at No. 2 Ohio State, noon, Fox: The Wolverines are struggling one season after winning the national title. They could make their fan base a whole lot happier with an upset of the Buckeyes. Ohio State favored by 21. No. 7 Tennessee at Vanderbilt, noon, ABC: The Volunteers are a fairly big favorite and have dominated this series, but the Commodores have been a tough team this season and already have achieved a monumental upset over Alabama. Tennessee favored by 11. No. 16 South Carolina at No. 12 Clemson, noon, ESPN: The Palmetto State rivals are both hanging on the edge of the CFP playoff race. A win — particularly for Clemson — would go a long way toward clinching its spot in the field. Clemson favored by 2 1/2. No. 3 Texas at No. 20 Texas A&M, 7:30 p.m. ABC: The Aggies host their in-state rival for the first time since 2011 after the Longhorns joined the SEC. Texas favored by 5 1/2. Washington at No. 1 Oregon, 7:30 p.m., NBC: The top-ranked Ducks have been one of the nation’s best teams all season. They’ll face the Huskies, who would love a marquee win in coach Jedd Fisch’s first season. Oregon favored by 19 1/2. • NBA: A star-studded clash is part of the league's lineup. Golden State at Phoenix, 9 p.m., NBA TV: Steph Curry and the Warriors are set to face the Suns' Big Three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. • NFL: It's Sunday, that says it all. Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, 1 p.m., CBS: Joe Burrow is having a great season for the Bengals, who are struggling in other areas. They need a win to stay in the playoff race, hosting a Steelers team that's 8-3 and won five of their past six. Bengals favored by 3. Arizona at Minnesota, 1 p.m., Fox: The Cardinals are tied for the top of the NFC West while the Vikings are 9-2 and have been one of the biggest surprises of the season with journeyman Sam Darnold under center. Vikings favored by 3 1/2. Philadelphia at Baltimore, 4:25 p.m., CBS: Two of the league's most electric players will be on the field when Saquon Barkley and the Eagles travel to face Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. Ravens favored by 3. San Francisco at Buffalo, 8:20 p.m. NBC/Peacock: The 49ers try to get back to .500 against the Bills, who have won six straight. Bills favored by 7. • NBA. The best teams in the Eastern Conference meet in a statement game. Boston at Cleveland, 6 p.m., NBA TV: The defending champion Celtics travel to face the Cavs, who won their first 15 games to start the season. • Premier League: English soccer fans have a marquee matchup. Manchester City at Liverpool, 11 a.m., USA Network/Telemundo. The two top teams meet with Manchester City trying to shake off recent struggles. • Auto Racing: The F1 season nears its conclusion. F1 Qatar Grand Prix, 11 a.m., ESPN2 – It's the penultimate race of the season. Max Verstappen already has clinched his fourth consecutive season championship. Before the 2023 National Football League season started, it seemed inevitable that Bill Belichick would end his career as the winningest head coach in league history. He had won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and 298 regular-season games, plus 31 playoff games, across his career. Then the 2023 season happened. Belichick's Patriots finished 4-13, the franchise's worst record since 1992. At the end of the year, Belichick and New England owner Robert Kraft agreed to part ways. And now, during the 2024 season, Belichick is on the sideline. He's 26 wins from the #1 spot, a mark he'd reach in little more than two seasons if he maintained his .647 career winning percentage. Will he ascend the summit? It's hard to tell. Belichick would be 73 if he graced the sidelines next season—meaning he'd need to coach until at least 75 to break the all-time mark. Only one other NFL coach has ever helmed a team at age 73: Romeo Crennel in 2020 for the Houston Texans. With Belichick's pursuit of history stalled, it's worth glancing at the legends who have reached the pinnacle of coaching success. Who else stands among the 10 winningest coaches in NFL history? Stacker ranked the coaches with the most all-time regular-season wins using data from Pro Football Reference . These coaches have combined for 36 league championships, which represents 31.6% of all championships won throughout the history of pro football. To learn who made the list, keep reading. You may also like: Ranking the biggest NFL Draft busts of the last 30 years - Seasons coached: 23 - Years active: 1981-2003 - Record: 190-165-2 - Winning percentage: .535 - Championships: 0 Dan Reeves reached the Super Bowl four times—thrice with the Denver Broncos and once with the Atlanta Falcons—but never won the NFL's crown jewel. Still, he racked up nearly 200 wins across his 23-year career, including a stint in charge of the New York Giants, with whom he won Coach of the Year in 1993. In all his tenures, he quickly built contenders—the three clubs he coached were a combined 17-31 the year before Reeves joined and 28-20 in his first year. However, his career ended on a sour note as he was fired from a 3-10 Falcons team after Week 14 in 2003. - Seasons coached: 23 - Years active: 1969-91 - Record: 193-148-1 - Winning percentage: .566 - Championships: 4 Chuck Noll's Pittsburgh Steelers were synonymous with success in the 1970s. Behind his defense, known as the Steel Curtain, and offensive stars, including Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, and Lynn Swann, Noll led the squad to four Super Bowl victories from 1974 to 1979. Noll's Steelers remain the lone team to win four Super Bowls in six years, though Andy Reid and Kansas City could equal that mark if they win the Lombardi Trophy this season. Noll was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993, two years after retiring. His legacy of coaching success has carried on in Pittsburgh—the club has had only two coaches (Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin) since Noll retired. - Seasons coached: 21 - Years active: 1984-98, 2001-06 - Record: 200-126-1 - Winning percentage: .613 - Championships: 0 As head coach of Cleveland, Kansas City, Washington, and San Diego, Marty Schottenheimer proved a successful leader during the regular season. Notably, he was named Coach of the Year after turning around his 4-12 Chargers team to a 12-4 record in 2004. His teams, however, struggled during the playoffs. Schottheimer went 5-13 in the postseason, and he never made it past the conference championship round. As such, the Pennsylvania-born skipper is the winningest NFL coach never to win a league championship. - Seasons coached: 25 - Years active: 1946-62, '68-75 - Record: 213-104-9 - Winning percentage: .672 - Championships: 7 The only coach on this list to pilot a college team, Paul Brown, reached the pro ranks after a three-year stint at Ohio State and two years with the Navy during World War II. He guided the Cleveland Browns—named after Brown, their first coach—to four straight titles in the fledgling All-America Football Conference. After the league folded, the ballclub moved to the NFL in 1950, and Cleveland continued its winning ways, with Brown leading the team to championships in '50, '54, and '55. He was fired in 1963 but returned in 1968 as the co-founder and coach of the Cincinnati Bengals. His other notable accomplishments include helping to invent the face mask and breaking pro football's color barrier . - Seasons coached: 33 - Years active: 1921-53 - Record: 226-132-22 - Winning percentage: .631 - Championships: 6 An early stalwart of the NFL, Curly Lambeau spent 29 years helming the Green Bay Packers before wrapping up his coaching career with two-year stints with the Chicago Cardinals and Washington. His Packers won titles across three decades, including the league's first three-peat from 1929-31. Notably, he experienced only one losing season during his first 27 years with Green Bay, cementing his legacy of consistent success. Born in Green Bay, Lambeau co-founded the Packers and played halfback on the team from 1919-29. He was elected to the Hall of Fame as a coach and owner in 1963, two years before his death. You may also like: Countries with the most active NFL players - Seasons coached: 26 - Years active: 1999-present - Record: 267-145-1 - Winning percentage: .648 - Championships: 3 The only active coach in the top 10, Andy Reid has posted successful runs with both the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City. After reaching the Super Bowl once in 14 years with the Eagles, Reid ratcheted things up with K.C., winning three titles since 2019. As back-to-back defending champions, Reid and Co. are looking this season to become the first franchise to three-peat in the Super Bowl era and the third to do so in NFL history after the Packers of 1929-31 and '65-67. Time will tell if Reid and his offensive wizardry can lead Kansas City to that feat. - Seasons coached: 29 - Years active: 1991-95, 2000-23 - Record: 302-165 - Winning percentage: .647 - Championships: 6 The most successful head coach of the 21st century, Bill Belichick first coached the Cleveland Browns before taking over the New England Patriots in 2000. With the Pats, Belichick combined with quarterback Tom Brady to win six Super Bowls in 18 years. Belichick and New England split after last season when the Patriots went 4-13—the worst record of Belichick's career. His name has swirled around potential coaching openings , but nothing has come of it. Belichick has remained in the media spotlight with his regular slot on the "Monday Night Football" ManningCast. - Seasons coached: 33 - Years active: 1963-95 - Record: 328-156-6 - Winning percentage: .677 - Championships: 2 The winningest head coach in NFL history is Don Shula, who first coached the Baltimore Colts (losing Super Bowl III to Joe Namath and the New York Jets) for seven years before leading the Miami Dolphins for 26 seasons. With the Fins, Shula won back-to-back Super Bowls in 1972 and 1973, a run that included a 17-0 season—the only perfect campaign in NFL history. He also coached quarterback great Dan Marino in the 1980s and '90s, but the pair made it to a Super Bowl just once. Shula was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997. Story editing by Mike Taylor. Copy editing by Robert Wickwire. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick. You may also like: The 5 biggest upsets of the 2023-24 NFL regular season Get local news delivered to your inbox!

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PHOENIX — Two doctors who perform abortions and Planned Parenthood Arizona filed suit Tuesday to get a court to declare that the state's 15-week limit on abortions is unconstitutional and unenforceable. They say the ban, set by the Republican-controlled Arizona Legislature in 2022, is unconstitutional under the terms of Proposition 139, which was approved last month by 61% of Arizona voters. Prop. 139, a constitutional amendment, bars the state from adopting or enforcing any laws that deny, restrict or interfere with a fundamental right of abortion prior to fetal viability. Viability is considered somewhere between 22 and 24 weeks of pregnancy. The proposition has an exception allowing state intervention in cases of a "compelling state interest.'' But Attorneys for the doctors, Eric Reuss and Paul Isaacson, and Planned Parenthood argue that has a two part-test. First, they said any regulations or laws would have to be adopted for the limited purpose of "improving or maintaining the health of an individual seeking abortion care.'' And, second, under Prop. 139, any regulations or laws can "not infringe on that individual's autonomous decision making.'' A prohibition on abortions beyond 15 weeks, they said, clearly does not meet that standard. "The ban deprives plaintiffs' patients of their fundamental right to abortion under the Arizona Constitution, causing them to suffer significant constitutional, physical, psychological, and other harms,'' the lawsuit states. Proposition 139 itself does not automatically void the 15-week law and the penalties against performing abortions beyond 15 weeks. Both Planned Parenthood and Isaacson have said they will not resume providing abortions beyond that point until there is a clear ruling. A sign held during an abortion-rights protest in downtown Tucson in April 2024. Now the question is who, if anyone, will defend the law. Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes already stipulated that her office agrees the 15-week ban is unconstitutional under Proposition 139. That is crucial as the legal papers name the state of Arizona as a defendant, and it is Mayes' job to defend challenges to Arizona law. That written stipulation also said her office won't take action against any individual accused of violating the 15-week law while the case is being litigated. Even if there is a ruling allowing the 15-week law to remain in effect, Mayes said she won't pursue charges for at least 30 days, to allow for appeals. But that doesn't mean there will be no challenges to the litigation. Arizona law specifically allows the Legislature to intervene any time there is a challenge to the legality of a state statute. "We will pursue every legal option available to protect the sanctity of life and the health of the mother and the baby,'' said Senate President Warren Petersen, a Gilbert Republican. But, when questioned about whether that means defending the law, Petersen would say only that he is "looking into every option right now.'' Questions to Cathi Herrod, president of the anti-abortion Center for Arizona Policy, yielded a similar response. "No decision has been made on any attempt to intervene in the lawsuit,'' she said. "That will take further analysis and consideration.'' But Herrod, who is an attorney, already is sketching out reasons she contends banning abortions beyond 15 weeks fits within the definition of "compelling state interest.'' "An abortion after 15 weeks increases the risk of a woman having significant complications, including infection, heavy bleeding, and injury to the uterus,'' she said. The lawyers suing to void the 15-week law, however, seek to frame the issue in a different way: the right of Arizonans to make "one of the most personal intimate decisions a person can make about their body, their health, and their life.'' That, by itself, may not be enough to convince a court to preemptively block enforcement of the 15-week law. So the attorneys are arguing that the plaintiffs, all of whom perform abortions, have a legitimate right to contest the ban. The law spells out that any doctor who intentionally or knowingly violates the 15-week ban is guilty of a Class 6 felony, which carries a presumptive sentence of one year in state prison. Criminal liability aside, state law also allows the Arizona Medical Board to conduct independent investigations to determine if a physician has engaged in "unprofessional conduct,'' something that includes violating any federal or state law and, specifically, committing a felony. The board then has the power to suspend or revoke a doctor's license and impose penalties of up to $10,000 per violation. "The ban penalizes health care providers who assist their patients ... forcing them to stop providing the critical care their patients seek in accordance with their best medical judgment under the threat of criminal prosecution, severe civil sanctions, and revocation of their medical licenses,'' the lawsuit says. The plaintiffs, in prepared statements, detailed their reasons for filing suit. "I believe that health care decisions should be made in the exam room, between a patient and their doctor, not dictated by political agendas,'' said Isaacson. "... The 15-week ban forces us to withhold essential care from patients, even when their health or future is at risk.'' Dr. Jill Gibson, chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood Arizona, said she has first-hand knowledge of how abortion bans and restrictions "force people to carry forced pregnancies, seek to self-manage their abortion when they would have preferred to access care within the health care system, or bear the financial burden of traveling hundreds or thousands of miles for care.'' Nothing in the new lawsuit, however, deals with the post-Prop. 139 legality of a host of other state laws and restrictions on abortion that also remain on the books. Some of these are procedural, such as a 24-hour waiting period after a woman is examined and informed about the procedure before a pregnancy can be terminated. There also are requirements for an ultrasound and for state licensing of abortion clinics. There are other bans, as well. One bars a doctor from terminating a pregnancy if he or she knows that the woman is seeking the procedure "solely because of a genetic abnormality of the child.'' Another bars abortions sought "based on the sex or race of the child or the race of a parent of that child.'' Arizona also has a separate statute requiring the consent of a parent or a court for a minor to get an abortion. Mayes has said there is no clear answer to whether that will survive after Proposition 139 takes effect, saying that "probably will be litigated.'' Howard Fischer is a veteran journalist who has been reporting since 1970 and covering state politics and the Legislature since 1982. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, Bluesky , and Threads at @azcapmedia or email azcapmedia@gmail.com . Respond: Write a letter to the editor | Write a guest opinion Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.LEADERSHIP Company of the Year 2024: AVSATEL Communications Limited

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NEW YORK: Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have been such a smashing success in the United States that they now hold more than one million of the tokens, or about 5% of what currently exists. That’s in the same ballpark as the amounts that have long been frozen in the wallet of the market’s original whale: The cryptocurrency’s anonymous and enigmatic creator known as Satoshi Nakamoto. Another buyer of equal size potentially may arrive on the scene, as a Senate ally of Donald Trump’s pushes to pass a bill that would require the US Federal Reserve (Fed) to sell some of its gold in order to fund the purchase of one million bitcoin for a US government stockpile. In the corporate world, Michael Saylor’s software company MicroStrategy is sitting on about US$38bil worth of the tokens and has been tapping capital markets to buy more. All of these developments were unthinkable in bitcoin’s early days not so long ago, when each token traded for pennies and the only people interested in it were young Libertarian techies seeking to create a subversive financial system immune to the influence of the government, Wall Street intermediaries and other big corporations. Oh, how times have changed. Now these same establishment institutions are taking over larger and larger swathes of the available bitcoin. And the potential creation of a US national stockpile of the cryptocurrency could trigger more governments to buy up bitcoin, said Mark Connors, founder and chief investment strategist at Risk Dimensions. It all adds up to what’s known as concentration risk. “Will this be a risk of being concentrated by existing G10, G20 countries or institutions like BlackRock?” Connors asked. “This is a concern, especially for the purists.” Yet you won’t hear much complaining, even among the purists. One reason is simply that the overwhelming demand keeps sending the price higher and higher – at least for now – and hope is rampant that it continues to do so. Another reason is that, unlike the ownership of a company’s stock, the underlying programming of the bitcoin blockchain prohibits even the biggest holders from exerting any control over the way it operates. “The bitcoin operational guidance systems no longer have control of the global crypto markets, even if they have made the highest profits,” said longtime crypto investor Michael Terpin. “Ownership of large amounts of bitcoin is different from control of bitcoin. Governments own a large portion of the world’s gold, but they don’t have control over its price or utility. The same will eventually be the case with bitcoin.” Still, with concentrated ownership of the cryptocurrency come risks for everyone involved with bitcoin. Many of the bitcoin ETFs’ individual owners aren’t so-called holders – determined not to sell bitcoin through thick and thin. They may, instead, flee the market if and when the coin’s price crashes, and that could potentially exacerbate bitcoin’s already highly volatile moves. The other potential new whale in the market is the US government itself, which is swinging from being one of the crypto industry’s biggest antagonists to one of its biggest cheerleaders as Trump prepares to return to the White House. A one-time crypto sceptic turned vocal promoter, Trump has promised to create a government stockpile, and it’s expected to be based on the more than 200,000 bitcoin that the government already holds following asset seizures. He has yet to endorse Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis’s bill to sell Fed gold certificates to buy one million bitcoin to add to that stockpile, leaving many market observers on the edge of their seats for any hint that he will. The tantalising prospect of a US strategic bitcoin reserve is already creating risk for investors chasing the token’s price higher and higher, as forecasts for it to reach US$500,000 or even US$1mil become more common. On paper, the Fed has plenty of gold – about US$690bil worth at current market prices – to sell to purchase a proposed quantity of bitcoin currently valued at almost US$100bil. Yet the numbers are bound to change dramatically should the Lummis bill start gaining support from Trump and Congress. It’s expected that large sales of gold by the government would likely cause the precious metal’s price to drop, while telegraphed plans to buy large amounts of bitcoin would likely cause its price to surge. However, there is no guarantee that Trump will succeed in creating the stockpile, let alone that there’s enough support in Congress to pass a bill to sell a precious metal that’s been an accepted store of wealth for millennia in order to buy a 15-year-old form of Internet money famous for its boom-and-bust price swings and reputation as the currency of choice for scam artists. Trading on the crypto-based predictions platform Polymarket implies only about a 28% chance a bitcoin reserve is created in Trump’s first 100 days. And should the reserve actually be created and further purchases funded, the risks may only grow in the longer term. “Sure, the price would surge,” said Noelle Acheson, author of the Crypto Is Macro Now newsletter. “But the market would become more vulnerable to a change of administration, for instance. “Or even a change of mind from the current one could lead to a flood of selling pressure on the market and a crash that could destroy value for holders around the world, many of whom are counting on bitcoin to protect them from long-term currency debasement.” For now, however, as the market waits for Trump and a new Congress to arrive, there’s a honeymoon period in which it’s hard to find many investors who are bearish on bitcoin in the short term. After all, it’s an asset whose price has risen from five US cents in 2010 to almost US$100,000 today, and the ETFs have reduced much of the perceived risk of being exposed to a crypto-native startup like FTX, which blew up in 2022 and spread contagion throughout the crypto industry. Matt Hougan, chief investment officer at bitcoin ETF issuer Bitwise, said in an interview that starting in early October, 40% of the meetings he had with registered investment advisers and institutions resulted in allocations, up from 10% previously. He’s not the only one seeing such interest. “My phone is ringing nonstop,” Matthew Sigel, head of digital-asset research at Bitcoin ETF issuer VanEck, said in an interview. “RIAs in particular seem motivated to get off 0%” crypto asset allocation. As the demand grows and the wallets of the market’s institutional whales grow bigger, there just aren’t enough sellers to keep a lid on prices, especially when it comes to those OG bitcoiners who are reluctant to ever sell. Then there is a certain unknown percentage of bitcoin that will never change hands due to forgotten passwords or lost hard drives containing keys to bitcoin wallets. — Bloomberg

Canadian consumer confidence plunges after Trump election win

Tributes pour in as ‘hero’ dad dies following Christmas Day altercationTulsi Gabbard, Trump’s pick for intel chief, faces questions on Capitol Hill amid Syria falloutThe Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States says it has launched a consultancy to deliver a training programme, to assist the Registrars of Companies in Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines with integrating a new, updated platform for the online registration and incorporation of companies. It said that the Eastern Caribbean has witnessed significant advancement in transforming its business registration processes under the Regional Integration Through Growth Harmonisation and Technology. This initiative was part of broader regional efforts to implement the commitments under the Revised Treaty of Basseterre, which aims to promote the free movement of people, goods, and services in the Eastern Caribbean.

Consumers in the United States scoured the internet for online deals as they looked to take advantage of the post-Thanksgiving shopping marathon with Cyber Monday. Even though e-commerce is now part and parcel of many people's regular routines and the holiday shopping season, Cyber Monday — a term coined in 2005 by the National Retail Federation — has become the biggest online shopping day of the year, thanks to the deals and the hype the industry has created to fuel it. Adobe Analytics, which tracks online shopping, expected consumers to spend $13.2 billion Monday — a record, and 6.1% more than last year. That would make it the biggest shopping day for e-commerce for the season — and the year. Online spending was expected to peak between the hours of 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Monday night, per Adobe — reaching an estimated $15.7 million spent every minute. For several major retailers, a Cyber Monday sale is a dayslong event that began over the Thanksgiving weekend. An Amazon Prime delivery person lifts packages while making a stop Nov. 28, 2023, in Denver. Amazon kicked off its sales event right after midnight Pacific time on Saturday. Target's two days of discount offers on its website and app began overnight Sunday. Walmart rolled out its Cyber Monday offers for Walmart+ members Sunday afternoon and opened it up to all customers three hours later, at 8 p.m. Eastern time. Consumer spending for Cyber Week — the five major shopping days between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday — provides a strong indication of how much shoppers are willing to spend for the holidays. Many U.S. consumers continue to experience sticker shock after the period of post-pandemic inflation, which left prices for many goods and services higher than they were three years ago. But retail sales nonetheless remain strong, and the economy kept growing at a healthy pace. At the same time, credit card debt and delinquencies are rising. More shoppers than ever are also on track to use "buy now, pay later" plans this holiday season, which allows them to delay payments on holiday decor, gifts and other items. Many economists also warned that President-elect Donald Trump's plan to impose tariffs next year on foreign goods coming into the United States would lead to higher prices on everything from food to clothing to automobiles. A FedEx delivery person carries a package from a truck Nov. 17, 2022, in Denver. The National Retail Federation expects holiday shoppers to spend more this year both in stores and online than last year. But the pace of spending growth will slow slightly, the trade group said, growing 2.5% to 3.5% — compared to 3.9% in 2023. A clear sense of consumer spending patterns during the holiday season won't emerge until the government releases sales data for the period, but some preliminary data from other sources shows some encouraging signs for retailers. Vivek Pandya, lead analyst at Adobe Digital Insights, noted that discounts from Thanksgiving onward "exceeded expectations" and online spending throughout Cyber Week is on track to cross a record $40 billion mark combined. U.S. shoppers spent $10.8 billion online on Black Friday, a 10.2% increase over last year, according to Adobe Analytics. That's also more than double what consumers spent in 2017, when Black Friday pulled in about $5 billion in online sales. Consumers also spent a record $6.1 billion online on Thanksgiving Day, Adobe said. Meanwhile, software company Salesforce, which also tracks online shopping, estimated that Black Friday online sales totaled $17.5 billion in the U.S. and $74.4 billion globally. Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks in-person and online spending, reported that overall Black Friday sales excluding automotive rose 3.4% from a year ago. A United Parcel Service driver sorts deliveries July 15, 2023, on New York's Upper West Side. E-commerce platform Shopify said its merchants raked in a record $5 billion in sales worldwide on Black Friday. At its peak, sales reached $4.6 million per minute — with top categories by volume including clothing, cosmetics and fitness products, according to the Canadian company. Toys, electronics, home goods, self-care and beauty categories were among the key drivers of holiday spending on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, according to Adobe. "Hot products" included Lego sets, espresso machines, fitness trackers, makeup and skin care. Other data showed physical stores saw fewer customers on Black Friday, underscoring how the huge crowds that were once synonymous with the day after Thanksgiving are now more than happy to shop from the comfort of their homes. RetailNext, which measures real-time foot traffic in stores, said its early data showed store traffic on Friday was down 3.2% in the U.S. compared to last year, with the biggest dip happening in the Midwest. Sensormatic Solutions, which also tracks store traffic, said its preliminary analysis showed retail store traffic on Black Friday was down 8.2% compared to 2023. Grant Gustafson, head of retail consulting and analytics at Sensormatic Solutions, noted that in-store traffic was getting spread across multiple days since many retailers offered generous discounts before and after Black Friday. "Some of the extended Black Friday promotions really ended up leading to a little bit of a softer day-of traffic than expected," Gustafson said. In 2024, staying small on purpose seems to be paying off big for small businesses. They're keeping operations small and targeting niche, highly specialized customers. And some business owners find this strategy results in more time, energy, and money to intentionally capitalize on unique, small cap opportunities. The data tells the story of growth in small businesses for the year. According to NEXT , the Small Business Administration (SBA) reports awarding 38,000 SBA 7(a) loans under $150,000: double the amount they awarded in 2020. Here are the related small-business trends paying off in 2024. Commercial real estate agent Ryan Beckenhauer of Market Real Estate in Boulder, Colorado, has noticed that small businesses are growing smaller, and that their office and warehouse spaces are starting to reflect that as they shop for business space. In commercial real estate, many small business owners gravitate toward industrial condos and other flexible spaces. These are small-scale industrial spaces with a 90:10 or 80:20 split of warehouse to office. "More individuals are leveraging skills acquired at larger organizations to venture out on their own," explains Beckenhauer. And he goes on to say that they don't need a large commercial space as they make that leap to start a business. His clients include engineers, consultants, builders and other tradespeople. Beckenhauer's clients like the flexibility of being out of an office and being close to their inventory and workshop space. "The clients want to see and touch the finishes," he says. Small business owners both rent or buy these spaces. But he's seeing his clients opt to own industrial condos to stabilize costs due to rent increases in Boulder. And because these spaces are smaller, it can be easier for new buyers to qualify for financing. Mariana Alvarez, owner of Controller Works , an online bookkeeping and advisory firm, has noticed that small business owners outsource financial support services because they don't want to increase headcount. "Outsourcing gives them the possibility of having access to the knowledge and the skills of a CFO without having to pay for the salary," she says. "They don't have to manage or deal with the workload, employment taxes , and all that comes with it," says Alvarez. Additionally, many small business owners in fields like construction are family-owned, and this makes it easier for business owners to hand off delicate financial work to a trusted person with financial experience. Every small business has recurring tasks that can benefit from some level of artificial intelligence automation . And Alvarez sees a lot of value in using AI for small business bookkeeping. She explains that you can automate the data entry on Quickbooks. "When you create rules, as long as you create the rules correctly, it pretty much does itself," says Alvarez. From there, you can lean on financial experts to help you analyze the data and make more informed decisions. She uses AI as a background resource when guiding her accounting clients. "I believe that we still need the human-to-human interaction that comes with more perspective for financial analysis," she explains. According to the SBA , 77% of consumers feel that human interaction is still required for a positive customer experience. People turn to small businesses every day for a human experience. According to Arvind Rongala, CEO of Edstellar , small business workers can show up for their customers but still use AI for routine tasks like customer queries. "This balance allows companies to scale their operations without losing the personal touch that makes them unique. It's important to remember that AI isn't there to replace the human element—it's there to enhance it," he says. "By really focusing on one very small weakness that Amazon has, I've been able to carve out a successful business by offering something different," says Lou Harvey owner of Tank Retailer , a retailer of commercial water and fuel tanks. "When you read our customer reviews, many of them actually mention me by name because of how much we focus on customer service and go the extra mile." One of Harvey's most successful business strategies this year has been to lean into his small, niche market and offer the kind of customer experience that large retailers like Amazon don't. "Any small weaknesses that Amazon has (however small those weaknesses may be) needs to become a strength of a smaller business focusing on a niche market," says Harvey. Harvey has his company's customer service phone number front and center on the website to help earn customer trust. "I prominently feature our phone number, and a real person always answers the phone (usually it's me)," says Harvey. Lucie Voves, CEO and founder of Church Hill Classics , an online, woman-owned diploma framing company that uses sustainable materials, has noticed an uptick in customers seeking services from a business on a mission. "This year, we've seen a growing inclination for consumers to actively seek out and support small businesses owned by women and minorities," says Voves. When consumers shop small, they choose to make their dollars count. "Customers are fueled by a desire to promote social impact through purchasing power," says Voves. Long gone are the days of online retailers "building it and they will come." In 2024 we've seen more small businesses than ever turn to social commerce to sell directly on social media platforms like Instagram Shopping , Facebook Marketplace , and TikTok . Small business owners are turning toward influencers, social media ads, and organic content to target their customers. Mike Vannelli of Envy Creative creates online ads for businesses, and he has seen his clients succeed on TikTok of late. "I've seen businesses, especially in retail, use TikTok's short-form video format to make their products go viral. Think of it as word-of-mouth marketing on steroids," says Vannelli. He uses the platform's algorithm to push a company's content to the right audiences, and it works because TikTok loves storytelling. "I know small brands that use behind-the-scenes videos, customer testimonials, and even playful challenges that tap into trends to humanize their products and build trust," explains Vannelli. To stand out on TikTok, he says, smaller brands need to embrace authenticity and emotional connection. Show your team, share your journey, and involve your community in content creation. This story was produced by NEXT and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.Malakoff, as expected, romped over Maypearl on Thursday and stepped into a regional clash with unbeaten Jefferson, next week. Malakoff swamped the Panthers 70-7 in Ennis to take the Area title. It was only the second time the Tigers had scored 70 or more in a playoff game. The first was in 2000 when they hung 83 on Maypearl in a bi-district game. The Tigers scored 21 in the first quarter behind a strong ground attack and an 11-yard scoring pass from Mike Jones to Parker Poteete. By the time dashed home from 16 yards out with 8 minutes left in the second quarter, Malakoff had built a 35-0 lead. But the Tigers would make even more noise before halftime adding three more touchdowns. Jones connected on a 50-yard pass with 30 second left in the half to pad the lead to 56-0. After intermission, Chris Thompson picked off a pass giving the Tigers the ball on their own 36. From there, they went on another TD march, capped by an Elexon Jones run from 12 yards out. Hunter rush scored the final Tiger points on a 7-yard run in the fourth quarter. Malakoff gained 515 yards on the night, with 362 on the ground on just 29 snaps. Jones had a 67-yard run while Jason Tennyson scored on a 51-yard scoot. Jones hit 8 of 10 for 148 yards and three scores. The Tigers move to the regional semifinal against Jefferson. The 12-0 Eagles are powered by an outstanding running running back, Kamran Williams, who has more than 2,000 yards for the season. The Bulldogs routed the Grandview Zebras 62-18, with Williams causing plenty of problems for the perennial playoff team. Grandview took a 6-0 lead, which was quickly answered on a pass from Tihmyus Taylor to Chris Lowe for a 7-yard TD. When Jefferson got the ball back, they struck again on a 48-yard pass from Taylor to Jakyrie Johnson. With less than a minute left in the first quarter Grandview cut the lead to 14-12 and it appeared the back and forth momentum surges might continue. Kamran Williams put Jefferson back in control with a 56-yard run. By halftime, the Eagles had build a 42-18 lead. As of press time, the time and place of the Malakoff-Jefferson game is set for 2 p.m., Friday, Nov. 29, at Rose Stadium in Tyler.A thunderous doink helped the Kansas City Chiefs gain some breathing room in the race for the No. 1 seed in the AFC after the Buffalo Bills fell short despite Josh Allen’s spectacular performance. The fight for the top spot in the NFC stayed close as the Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles kept pace with the Detroit Lions. Four weeks remain in the NFL regular season to determine the playoff picture. There’s a clear leader in the fight for the AFC’s bye. The two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs (12-1) are in excellent position to secure home-field advantage throughout the playoffs after Matthew Wright drilled a 31-yard field goal off the left upright and through the goal posts as time expired for a 19-17 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday night. Patrick Mahomes again made all the big plays when the Chiefs needed them most and they rallied for their 15th straight one-score victory. Kansas City has a two-game lead over the Bills (10-3) and Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3). Buffalo holds the tiebreaker over the Chiefs after handing Kansas City its only loss in Week 11. The Chiefs and Steelers face off in Pittsburgh on Christmas. Russell Wilson improved to 6-1 this season, tossing two touchdown passes to help the Steelers beat the Cleveland Browns 27-14. Allen became the second player in NFL history to throw three touchdown passes and run for three scores in the same game — Otto Graham did it for the Cleveland Browns in the 1954 NFL championship game — but Buffalo’s defense couldn’t stop Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua and the Los Angeles Rams in a 44-42 loss on Sunday. The Bills had won seven in a row. They visit the Lions next week while the Steelers go to Philadelphia. The Eagles barely held on for a 22-16 victory over the feisty Carolina Panthers. The ugly win left some of Philadelphia’s players in a sour mood. Wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith weren’t thrilled with the offense’s performance. The Eagles (11-2) again relied on Saquon Barkley, who had 124 yards rushing on 20 carries. That meant Jalen Hurts didn’t have to do much. He threw for just 108 yards with two TDs passing and one more rushing. Barkley broke LeSean McCoy’s single-season franchise record for yards rushing. He’s up to 1,623 yards, moving closer to Eric Dickerson’s NFL record of 2,105 set in 1984. Brown, who slammed his helmet out of frustration on the sideline after a three-and-out in the third quarter, responded bluntly when asked where the offense needs improvement. “Passing,” Brown said, without elaborating. Brown was targeted just four times, catching all four passes for 43 yards. Hurts didn’t throw him the ball a couple of times when he was open, including on a TD pass to Smith. Brown said it’s “incredibly tough” for receivers to get into a rhythm because the offense is so run-heavy. The Eagles have won nine straight games and trail the Lions (12-1) by one game for the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Detroit currently has the tiebreaker edge. The Vikings stayed hot on the Lions’ heels thanks to a career day from Sam Darnold in a 42-21 rout over Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons. Darnold had a career-best 347 yards passing and five touchdowns, leading Minnesota (11-2) to its sixth straight win. The Vikings finish the season in Detroit in a matchup that could determine the NFC North and the No. 1 seed in the NFC. But there’s a long way to go until Jan. 5. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers moved into sole possession of first place in the NFC South with a 28-13 win over Las Vegas coupled with Atlanta’s fourth straight loss. The Buccaneers are 7-6 following their third straight win over a last-place team. The Falcons (6-7) swept the Buccaneers, so they own the tiebreaker.

AP Sports SummaryBrief at 6:44 p.m. ESTEarth just experienced its second-warmest November on record — second only to 2023 — making it all but certain that 2024 will end as the hottest year ever measured, according to a report Monday by European climate service Copernicus. Last year was the hottest on record due to human-caused climate change coupled with the effects of an El Nino. But after this summer registered as the hottest on record — Phoenix sweltered through 113 consecutive days with a high temperature of at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit — scientists anticipated 2024 would set a new annual record as well. In November, global temperatures averaged 14.10C (57.38F). Last year's global average temperature was 14.98C (59F). FILE - People are silhouetted against the sky at sunset Nov. 12 as they run in a park in Shawnee, Kan. Jennifer Francis, a climate scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center in Cape Cod, who wasn't involved in the report, said the big story about November is that "like 2023, it beat out previous Novembers by a large margin." This also likely will be the first calendar year in which the average temperature was more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times, the report said. The 2015 Paris Agreement said human-caused warming should be limited to 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), and ideally below 1.5. In the following years, the world's top scientist said limiting to 1.5 was crucial to stave off the worst impacts of climate change, such as increasing destructive and frequent extreme weather events. Scientists say the main cause of climate change is the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas. That "does not mean that the Paris Agreement has been breached, but it does mean ambitious climate action is more urgent than ever," said Copernicus Deputy Director Samantha Burgess. A young family visiting Washington cools off from the warm weather in a fountain Nov. 6 at the base of the Washington Monument. Francis said the new records are "terrible news for people and ecosystems." "The pace of warming is so fast that plants and animals cannot adapt as they always have during previous changes in the Earth's climate. More species will go extinct, which disrupts natural food webs they're a part of. Agriculture will suffer as pollinators decline and pests flourish," she said, also warning that coastal communities will be vulnerable to sea-level rise. Heat waves over the oceans and a loss of reflective sea ice and snow cover probably contributed to the temperature increase this year, experts said. Copernicus said the extent of Antarctic sea ice in November was 10% below average, a record. Oceans absorb about 90% of the heat trapped by greenhouse gases, later releasing heat and water vapor back into the atmosphere. Last year's record heat was caused partly by an El Nino — a temporary natural warming of parts of the central Pacific that alters weather worldwide. People walk Nov. 27 on an autumn-colored ginkgo tree-lined avenue in Tokyo. But that ended this year and a cooling effect that often follows, called La Nina, failed to materialize, leaving the scientific community "a little perplexed by what's going on here ... why temperatures are staying high," said Jonathan Overpeck, a climate scientist at the University of Michigan. One explanation is that an El Nino releases more heat to the atmosphere because of warmer ocean waters, then "we're not getting the cooling effect that often in decades gone by helps bring the temperature back down," Overpeck said. "So it does look like this could be contributing to the acceleration of global warming. But this year, he said, "is such a big jump following yet another jump, and that's a scary thing." It's no secret that a warming world will drive food prices higher, a phenomenon increasingly known as " heatflation ." What's less known, but a growing area of interest among economists and scientists alike, is the role individual extreme weather events — blistering temperatures in Texas , a destructive tornado in Iowa — may have on what U.S. consumers pay at the supermarket. At first glance, the answer might seem logical: A drought or flood that impacts agricultural production will, eventually, drive up prices. But it's not that simple, because what consumers pay for groceries isn't only reflective of crop yields or herd sizes, but the whole supply chain. As Grist reports, that's where it gets interesting: Economists are beginning to see a growing trend that suggests weather forecasts play a part in sticker shock. Sometimes the mere prediction of an extreme event — like the record-breaking temperatures, hurricanes, and wildfires forecasters are bracing for this summer — can prompt a spike in prices. It isn't the forecast itself to blame, but concerns about what the weather to come might mean for the entire supply chain, as food manufacturers manage their risks and the expected future value of their goods, said Seungki Lee, an agricultural economist at Ohio State University. "When it comes to the climate risk on food prices, people typically look at the production side. But over the last two years, we learned that extreme weather can raise food prices, [cause] transportation disruptions, as well as production disruptions," said Lee. How much we pay for the food we buy is determined by retailers, who consider the producer's price, labor costs, and other factors. Any increases in what producers charge is typically passed on to consumers because grocery stores operate on thin profit margins. And if manufacturers expect to pay more for commodities like beef or specialty crops like avocados in the future, they may boost prices now to cover those anticipated increases. "The whole discussion about the climate risks on the food supply chain is based on probabilities," Lee said. "It is possible that we do not see extreme temperatures this summer, or even later this year. We may realize there was no significant weather shock hitting the supply chain, but unfortunately that will not be the end of the story." Supply chain disruptions and labor shortages are among the reasons food prices have climbed 25 percent since 2020 . Climate change may be contributing as well. A study published earlier this year found " heatflation " could push them up by as much as 3 percentage points per year worldwide in just over a decade and by about 2 percentage points in North America. Simultaneous disasters in major crop and cattle producing regions around the world — known as multi-breadbasket failure — are among the primary forces driving these costs. Crop shortages in these regions may also squeeze prices, which can create volatility in the global market and bump up consumer costs. Historically, a single, localized heat wave or storm typically wouldn't disrupt the supply chain enough to prompt price hikes. But a warming world might be changing that dynamic as extreme weather events intensify and simultaneous occurrences of them become the norm. How much this adds to consumers' grocery bills will vary, and depends upon whether these climate-fueled disasters hit what Lee calls "supply chain chokepoints" like vital shipping channels during harvest seasons. "As the weather is getting more and more volatile because of climate change, we are seeing this issue more frequently," he said. "So what that means is the supply chain is getting more likely to be jeopardized by these types of risks that we have never seen before." An ongoing drought that plagued the Mississippi River system from the fall of 2022 until February provides an excellent example of this. The Mississippi River basin, which covers 31 states, is a linchpin of America's agricultural supply chain. It produces 92 percent of the nation's agricultural exports, 78 percent of the world's feed grains and soybeans , and most of the country's livestock. Vessels navigating its roughly 2,350 miles of channels carry 589 million tons of cargo annually . Transportation barriers created by low water, seen above, hampered the ability of crop-producing states in the Corn Belt to send commodities like corn and soybeans, primarily used for cattle feed, to livestock producers in the South. Thus emerged a high demand, low supply situation as shipping and commodity prices shot up , with economists expecting consumers to absorb those costs . Past research showing that retail prices increase alongside commodity prices suggests that the drought probably contributed to higher overall food costs last year — and because droughts have a lingering impact on production even after they end, it may be fueling stubbornly high grocery prices today. But although it seems clear that the drought contributed to higher prices, particularly for meat and dairy products, just how much remains to be gauged. One reason for that is a lack of research analyzing the relationship between this particular weather event and the consumer market. Another is it's often difficult to tease out which of several possible factors, including global trade, war, and export bans , influence specific examples of sticker shock. While droughts definitely prompt decreases in agricultural production, Metin Çakır, an economist at the University of Minnesota, says whether that is felt by consumers depends on myriad factors. "This would mean higher raw ingredient costs for foods sold in groceries, and part of those higher costs will be passed onto consumers via higher prices. However, will consumer prices actually increase? The answer depends on many other supply and demand factors that might be happening at the same time as the impact of the drought," said Çakır. In a forthcoming analysis previewed by Grist, Çakır examined the relationship between an enduring drought in California, which produces a third of the nation's vegetables and nearly two-thirds of its fruits and nuts , and costs of produce purchased at large grocery retailers nationwide. While the event raised consumer vegetable prices to a statistically significant degree, they didn't increase as much as Çakır expected. This capricious consumer cost effect is due largely to the resiliency of America's food system . Public safety nets like crop insurance and other federal programs have played a large part in mitigating the impacts of adverse weather and bolstering the food supply chain against climate change and other shocks. By ensuring farmers and producers don't bear the brunt of those losses, these programs reduce the costs passed on to consumers. Advanced agricultural technology, modern infrastructure, substantial storage, and efficient transport links also help ensure retail price stability. A 2024 study of the role climate change played on the U.S. wheat market from 1950 to 2018 found that although the impact of weather shocks on price variability has increased with the frequency of extreme weather, adaptive mechanisms, like a well-developed production and distribution infrastructure with sufficient storage capacity, have minimized the impact on consumers. Still, the paper warns that such systems may collapse when faced with "unprecedented levels of weather variability." Last year was the world's warmest on record , creating an onslaught of challenges for crop and livestock producers nationwide. And this year is primed to be even more brutal , with the transition from El Niño — an atmospheric phenomenon that warms ocean temperatures — to La Niña , its counterpart that cools them. This cyclical change in global weather patterns is another potential threat for crop yields and source of supply chain pressures that economists and scientists are keeping an eye on. They will be particularly focused on the Midwest and stretches of the Corn Belt, two regions prone to drought as an El Niño cycle gives way to a La Niña, according to Weston Anderson, an assistant research scientist at the University of Maryland and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Those growing regions for corn and soybeans are what he'll be watching closely as La Niña develops. It's something Jennifer Ifft, an agricultural economist at Kansas State University, is also thinking about. "If you have a very severe drought in the Corn Belt ... that's going to be the biggest deal, because that's gonna raise the cost of production for cattle, hogs, poultry," said Ifft. "So that would probably have the largest inflationary impacts." As of January , U.S. beef herd inventory was at its lowest in 73 years, which multiple reports noted is due to the persisting drought that began in 2020 . Americans, the majority of whom are already spending more on groceries than last year, are poised to soon see "record" beef prices at the supermarket. Food prices are also expected to rise another 2.2 percent in 2024 , according to the USDA's Economic Research Service. In a world enmeshed in extremes, our already-fragile food supply chain could be the next system teetering on the edge of collapse because of human-caused climate change. And costlier groceries linked to impending risk is the first of many warning signs that it is already splintering. This story was produced by Grist and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Get the daily forecast and severe weather alerts in your inbox!When An Astrology Skeptic Goes on a Zodiac-Themed Retreat in St. LuciaAndre Drummond latest 76er to hit the injury list

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