DOJ watchdog review sparks change to policy on lawmaker recordsPLAINS, Ga. (AP) — Newly married and sworn as a Naval officer, Jimmy Carter left his tiny hometown in 1946 hoping to climb the ranks and see the world. Less than a decade later, the death of his father and namesake, a merchant farmer and local politician who went by “Mr. Earl,” prompted the submariner and his wife, Rosalynn, to return to the rural life of Plains, Georgia, they thought they’d escaped. The lieutenant never would be an admiral. Instead, he became commander in chief. Years after his presidency ended in humbling defeat, he would add a Nobel Peace Prize, awarded not for his White House accomplishments but “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” The life of James Earl Carter Jr., the 39th and longest-lived U.S. president, ended Sunday at the age of 100 where it began: Plains, the town of 600 that fueled his political rise, welcomed him after his fall and sustained him during 40 years of service that redefined what it means to be a former president. With the stubborn confidence of an engineer and an optimism rooted in his Baptist faith, Carter described his motivations in politics and beyond in the same way: an almost missionary zeal to solve problems and improve lives. Carter was raised amid racism, abject poverty and hard rural living — realities that shaped both his deliberate politics and emphasis on human rights. “He always felt a responsibility to help people,” said Jill Stuckey, a longtime friend of Carter's in Plains. “And when he couldn’t make change wherever he was, he decided he had to go higher.” Carter's path, a mix of happenstance and calculation , pitted moral imperatives against political pragmatism; and it defied typical labels of American politics, especially caricatures of one-term presidents as failures. “We shouldn’t judge presidents by how popular they are in their day. That's a very narrow way of assessing them," Carter biographer Jonathan Alter told the Associated Press. “We should judge them by how they changed the country and the world for the better. On that score, Jimmy Carter is not in the first rank of American presidents, but he stands up quite well.” Later in life, Carter conceded that many Americans, even those too young to remember his tenure, judged him ineffective for failing to contain inflation or interest rates, end the energy crisis or quickly bring home American hostages in Iran. He gained admirers instead for his work at The Carter Center — advocating globally for public health, human rights and democracy since 1982 — and the decades he and Rosalynn wore hardhats and swung hammers with Habitat for Humanity. Yet the common view that he was better after the Oval Office than in it annoyed Carter, and his allies relished him living long enough to see historians reassess his presidency. “He doesn’t quite fit in today’s terms” of a left-right, red-blue scoreboard, said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who visited the former president multiple times during his own White House bid. At various points in his political career, Carter labeled himself “progressive” or “conservative” — sometimes both at once. His most ambitious health care bill failed — perhaps one of his biggest legislative disappointments — because it didn’t go far enough to suit liberals. Republicans, especially after his 1980 defeat, cast him as a left-wing cartoon. It would be easiest to classify Carter as a centrist, Buttigieg said, “but there’s also something radical about the depth of his commitment to looking after those who are left out of society and out of the economy.” Indeed, Carter’s legacy is stitched with complexities, contradictions and evolutions — personal and political. The self-styled peacemaker was a war-trained Naval Academy graduate who promised Democratic challenger Ted Kennedy that he’d “kick his ass.” But he campaigned with a call to treat everyone with “respect and compassion and with love.” Carter vowed to restore America’s virtue after the shame of Vietnam and Watergate, and his technocratic, good-government approach didn't suit Republicans who tagged government itself as the problem. It also sometimes put Carter at odds with fellow Democrats. The result still was a notable legislative record, with wins on the environment, education, and mental health care. He dramatically expanded federally protected lands, began deregulating air travel, railroads and trucking, and he put human rights at the center of U.S. foreign policy. As a fiscal hawk, Carter added a relative pittance to the national debt, unlike successors from both parties. Carter nonetheless struggled to make his achievements resonate with the electorate he charmed in 1976. Quoting Bob Dylan and grinning enthusiastically, he had promised voters he would “never tell a lie.” Once in Washington, though, he led like a joyless engineer, insisting his ideas would become reality and he'd be rewarded politically if only he could convince enough people with facts and logic. This served him well at Camp David, where he brokered peace between Israel’s Menachem Begin and Epypt’s Anwar Sadat, an experience that later sparked the idea of The Carter Center in Atlanta. Carter's tenacity helped the center grow to a global force that monitored elections across five continents, enabled his freelance diplomacy and sent public health experts across the developing world. The center’s wins were personal for Carter, who hoped to outlive the last Guinea worm parasite, and nearly did. As president, though, the approach fell short when he urged consumers beleaguered by energy costs to turn down their thermostats. Or when he tried to be the nation’s cheerleader, beseeching Americans to overcome a collective “crisis of confidence.” Republican Ronald Reagan exploited Carter's lecturing tone with a belittling quip in their lone 1980 debate. “There you go again,” the former Hollywood actor said in response to a wonky answer from the sitting president. “The Great Communicator” outpaced Carter in all but six states. Carter later suggested he “tried to do too much, too soon” and mused that he was incompatible with Washington culture: media figures, lobbyists and Georgetown social elites who looked down on the Georgians and their inner circle as “country come to town.” Carter carefully navigated divides on race and class on his way to the Oval Office. Born Oct. 1, 1924 , Carter was raised in the mostly Black community of Archery, just outside Plains, by a progressive mother and white supremacist father. Their home had no running water or electricity but the future president still grew up with the relative advantages of a locally prominent, land-owning family in a system of Jim Crow segregation. He wrote of President Franklin Roosevelt’s towering presence and his family’s Democratic Party roots, but his father soured on FDR, and Jimmy Carter never campaigned or governed as a New Deal liberal. He offered himself as a small-town peanut farmer with an understated style, carrying his own luggage, bunking with supporters during his first presidential campaign and always using his nickname. And he began his political career in a whites-only Democratic Party. As private citizens, he and Rosalynn supported integration as early as the 1950s and believed it inevitable. Carter refused to join the White Citizens Council in Plains and spoke out in his Baptist church against denying Black people access to worship services. “This is not my house; this is not your house,” he said in a churchwide meeting, reminding fellow parishioners their sanctuary belonged to God. Yet as the appointed chairman of Sumter County schools he never pushed to desegregate, thinking it impractical after the Supreme Court’s 1954 Brown v. Board decision. And while presidential candidate Carter would hail the 1965 Voting Rights Act, signed by fellow Democrat Lyndon Johnson when Carter was a state senator, there is no record of Carter publicly supporting it at the time. Carter overcame a ballot-stuffing opponent to win his legislative seat, then lost the 1966 governor's race to an arch-segregationist. He won four years later by avoiding explicit mentions of race and campaigning to the right of his rival, who he mocked as “Cufflinks Carl” — the insult of an ascendant politician who never saw himself as part the establishment. Carter’s rural and small-town coalition in 1970 would match any victorious Republican electoral map in 2024. Once elected, though, Carter shocked his white conservative supporters — and landed on the cover of Time magazine — by declaring that “the time for racial discrimination is over.” Before making the jump to Washington, Carter befriended the family of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., whom he’d never sought out as he eyed the governor’s office. Carter lamented his foot-dragging on school integration as a “mistake.” But he also met, conspicuously, with Alabama's segregationist Gov. George Wallace to accept his primary rival's endorsement ahead of the 1976 Democratic convention. “He very shrewdly took advantage of his own Southerness,” said Amber Roessner, a University of Tennessee professor and expert on Carter’s campaigns. A coalition of Black voters and white moderate Democrats ultimately made Carter the last Democratic presidential nominee to sweep the Deep South. Then, just as he did in Georgia, he used his power in office to appoint more non-whites than all his predecessors had, combined. He once acknowledged “the secret shame” of white Americans who didn’t fight segregation. But he also told Alter that doing more would have sacrificed his political viability – and thus everything he accomplished in office and after. King's daughter, Bernice King, described Carter as wisely “strategic” in winning higher offices to enact change. “He was a leader of conscience,” she said in an interview. Rosalynn Carter, who died on Nov. 19 at the age of 96, was identified by both husband and wife as the “more political” of the pair; she sat in on Cabinet meetings and urged him to postpone certain priorities, like pressing the Senate to relinquish control of the Panama Canal. “Let that go until the second term,” she would sometimes say. The president, recalled her former aide Kathy Cade, retorted that he was “going to do what’s right” even if “it might cut short the time I have.” Rosalynn held firm, Cade said: “She’d remind him you have to win to govern.” Carter also was the first president to appoint multiple women as Cabinet officers. Yet by his own telling, his career sprouted from chauvinism in the Carters' early marriage: He did not consult Rosalynn when deciding to move back to Plains in 1953 or before launching his state Senate bid a decade later. Many years later, he called it “inconceivable” that he didn’t confer with the woman he described as his “full partner,” at home, in government and at The Carter Center. “We developed a partnership when we were working in the farm supply business, and it continued when Jimmy got involved in politics,” Rosalynn Carter told AP in 2021. So deep was their trust that when Carter remained tethered to the White House in 1980 as 52 Americans were held hostage in Tehran, it was Rosalynn who campaigned on her husband’s behalf. “I just loved it,” she said, despite the bitterness of defeat. Fair or not, the label of a disastrous presidency had leading Democrats keep their distance, at least publicly, for many years, but Carter managed to remain relevant, writing books and weighing in on societal challenges. He lamented widening wealth gaps and the influence of money in politics. He voted for democratic socialist Bernie Sanders over Hillary Clinton in 2016, and later declared that America had devolved from fully functioning democracy to “oligarchy.” Yet looking ahead to 2020, with Sanders running again, Carter warned Democrats not to “move to a very liberal program,” lest they help re-elect President Donald Trump. Carter scolded the Republican for his serial lies and threats to democracy, and chided the U.S. establishment for misunderstanding Trump’s populist appeal. He delighted in yearly convocations with Emory University freshmen, often asking them to guess how much he’d raised in his two general election campaigns. “Zero,” he’d gesture with a smile, explaining the public financing system candidates now avoid so they can raise billions. Carter still remained quite practical in partnering with wealthy corporations and foundations to advance Carter Center programs. Carter recognized that economic woes and the Iran crisis doomed his presidency, but offered no apologies for appointing Paul Volcker as the Federal Reserve chairman whose interest rate hikes would not curb inflation until Reagan's presidency. He was proud of getting all the hostages home without starting a shooting war, even though Tehran would not free them until Reagan's Inauguration Day. “Carter didn’t look at it” as a failure, Alter emphasized. “He said, ‘They came home safely.’ And that’s what he wanted.” Well into their 90s, the Carters greeted visitors at Plains’ Maranatha Baptist Church, where he taught Sunday School and where he will have his last funeral before being buried on family property alongside Rosalynn . Carter, who made the congregation’s collection plates in his woodworking shop, still garnered headlines there, calling for women’s rights within religious institutions, many of which, he said, “subjugate” women in church and society. Carter was not one to dwell on regrets. “I am at peace with the accomplishments, regret the unrealized goals and utilize my former political position to enhance everything we do,” he wrote around his 90th birthday. The politician who had supposedly hated Washington politics also enjoyed hosting Democratic presidential contenders as public pilgrimages to Plains became advantageous again. Carter sat with Buttigieg for the final time March 1, 2020, hours before the Indiana mayor ended his campaign and endorsed eventual winner Joe Biden. “He asked me how I thought the campaign was going,” Buttigieg said, recalling that Carter flashed his signature grin and nodded along as the young candidate, born a year after Carter left office, “put the best face” on the walloping he endured the day before in South Carolina. Never breaking his smile, the 95-year-old host fired back, “I think you ought to drop out.” “So matter of fact,” Buttigieg said with a laugh. “It was somehow encouraging.” Carter had lived enough, won plenty and lost enough to take the long view. “He talked a lot about coming from nowhere,” Buttigieg said, not just to attain the presidency but to leverage “all of the instruments you have in life” and “make the world more peaceful.” In his farewell address as president, Carter said as much to the country that had embraced and rejected him. “The struggle for human rights overrides all differences of color, nation or language,” he declared. “Those who hunger for freedom, who thirst for human dignity and who suffer for the sake of justice — they are the patriots of this cause.” Carter pledged to remain engaged with and for them as he returned “home to the South where I was born and raised,” home to Plains, where that young lieutenant had indeed become “a fellow citizen of the world.” —- Bill Barrow, based in Atlanta, has covered national politics including multiple presidential campaigns for the AP since 2012.Sean "Diddy" Combs remains in custody while a judge reviews his $50-million bail bid after a 10-week detention. The decision following a federal court hearing is eagerly anticipated. In cinematic news, 'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' have captivated audiences, gathering $25.7 million in early screenings, a notable achievement since 'Barbenheimer.' Meanwhile, Chinese films have won prestigious awards in Taiwan, and Italy is anxious over Sheri Taliani's arrest in Egypt. Netflix's stock surges post Tyson-Paul bout, while Disney's 'Moana 2' premiere highlights Pacific Islander culture. (With inputs from agencies.)
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said there are "individuals among us" who are secretly carrying out "anti-national" religious conversions and asked youngsters to be vigilant to put an end to it. Adityanath said this while addressing a special session on the closing day of the three-day 70th National Convention of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) held at the Deendayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University campus. Commending the efforts of Dipesh Nair , co-founder of NGO Teach and recipient of the Prof. Yashwantrao Kelkar Award, the chief minister shared an incident related to "anti-national" religious conversions involving deaf-and-mute children. He recounted that in 2019, following the arrest of two men under false identities for plotting the killing of a seer at a temple, a thorough probe revealed their ties to a religious preacher associated with Batla House in Delhi. Further probe uncovered that their ancestors had converted to Islam three generations ago, he said. Given the significance of the Batla House connection, especially after Delhi Police Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma was killed in an encounter with terrorists there in 2008, the probe was intensified. 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Similar cases were uncovered in Gurugram and Kanpur, where this conversion network had affected 500 families, he added. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader noted that in this case, the court sentenced seven people, including three key figures responsible for the conversions, to life imprisonment. Recounting this incident, Adityanath said, "There are individuals among us who are secretly carrying out anti-national conversions." He described such activities as the "business of service", emphasising that "it is not only the responsibility of the government or any organisation, but of every vigilant citizen to put an end to it". Referring to the ABVP's motto -- "Gyan, Sheel, Ekta (knowledge, modesty, unity)" -- the chief minister said no country in the world matches India's zeal for knowledge. It is said in the Bhagavad Gita that there is no other purifier in the world like knowledge. To become knowledgeable, the tradition of "rishis" who carried knowledge has been respected here, he added. "Youngsters should embrace science and technology to be able to navigate this dynamic era effectively. There is a need to harmonise knowledge and virtue with an awareness of the rapid advancements in science and technology. Failure to adapt could result in significant challenges and hardships," Adityanath said. He urged students to keep abreast of the times, adapting to technological advancements as the flow of time waits for none. Reflecting on the opposition to computerisation in the 1990s, the chief minister pointed out that while it was once resisted, today we live in an era dominated by e-offices and smartphones. Technologies like electricity, telephone, television, airplanes, microwave ovens, the internet, GPS and social media are part of our daily lives now, he noted. Adityanath said youngsters willing to serve the society and country can use technology to strengthen both. He cautioned them against becoming a victim of demonic mentality. Adityanath emphasised that technology becomes a tool for the public and national welfare in the hands of the virtuous. However, he added that in the hands of "negative people", it becomes a weapon to spread terror and unleash destructive forces. Citing the example of atomic power, he explained that when used properly, it can provide clean, affordable energy, but its misuse can lead to devastating destruction through atomic bombs. "By prioritising 'rashtradharma is supreme', we can pave the way for the welfare of humanity," Adityanath said. Imparting the mantra of national duty to youngsters, the chief minister also outlined the way to overcome obstacles in its path. He emphasised that the challenges facing national duty can only be met through unity. Adityanath highlighted the power of youth energy through examples from both the mythological and revolutionary eras. The chief minister said the ABVP is the world's largest youth organisation and a powerful platform that channels youth energy in the right direction. Citing the provision of 4 per cent reservation for the differently-abled and the recognition of 16 categories of disabilities under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, Adityanath highlighted that "Divyangjan" are making remarkable progress in every field today. He emphasised that talent is not determined by caste, opinion or religion and added that even if god has bestowed a deficiency on someone, he has compensated for it in other ways. The programme was presided over by ABVP national president Prof. Rajsharan Shahi. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )Barco’s HDR Technology Explained In An Engaging Masterclass By Anthon Muller At 55th IFFI. - TRIPURA STAR NEWS
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Huawei has more than 15,000 applications based on Harmony that can meet consumers' basic needs, but the ecosystem requires more personalised and boutique apps. China's Huawei, blacklisted by the US, said on Saturday it is targeting 100,000 applications for its Harmony operating system in coming months as it seeks widespread help to achieve self-reliance. The tech giant has more than 15,000 applications based on Harmony that can meet consumers' basic needs, but the ecosystem requires more personalised and boutique apps, Huawei Chairman Xu Zhijun told a conference on Saturday. "Based on our analysis, for the Harmony ecosystem to be mature in meeting consumer needs, 100,000 apps is the milestone, and that is the key objective over the next six to 12 months," Xu said in a speech posted on the WeChat messaging app. The ambitious app target highlights the urgency in developing home-grown technologies as China faces elevated tensions with the US in areas ranging from trade to technology as President-elect Donald Trump threatens to be tougher on China. Huawei launched its operating system five years ago after US sanctions cut off support for Google's Android. The Shenzhen-based company, which sells products ranging from smartphones to laptops, later developed an open-source version of the Harmony system. Due to the US sanctions, "Huawei has been forced to accelerate developing its own operating system," Xu said. Although much progress has been made, "for any operation system, no matter how advanced it is, it would be of no value if no one uses it." Xu expressed hope that developers could work hard to enrich app offerings and called on government agencies, state companies and social organisations to use Harmony as their operating system at work. He asked consumers to be tolerant of the system's immaturity, saying, "The more people use it, the more quickly it will become mature." Huawei unveiled Harmony in August 2019, three months after Washington placed it under trade restrictions over alleged security concerns. Huawei denies its equipment poses a risk. "No way back leads to victory," Xu said. “Huawei will unwaveringly invest in developing the Harmony ecosystem, and strive to make the impossible possible.” Published 22:04 IST, November 24th 2024Starbucks workers are walking off the job at hundreds of stores across dozens of cities on Tuesday, their union says, on the last planned day of what it is calling “the strike before Christmas.” “Starbucks Baristas at over THREE HUNDRED stores have walked off the job to demand Starbucks bargain a fair contract from coast-to-coast,” Starbucks Workers United (SBU) wrote in an Instagram post , touting it as the largest unfair labor practices strike in the coffee chain’s history. The union says the strike is in response to Starbucks backtracking on its commitment to negotiate a “ foundational framework ” — for collective bargaining and resolving outstanding litigation on unfair labor practices charges — by the end of the year. “Our unfair labor practice (ULP) strikes will begin Friday morning and escalate each day through Christmas Eve ... unless Starbucks honors our commitment to work towards a foundational framework,” it said last week. The strike began on Friday in three cities: Los Angeles, Seattle and Chicago. It has expanded every day since, with the list of participating stores now including Boston, Buffalo, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland, Seattle and San Jose. Exton Starbucks baristas petition for union election The filing in Exton is the first at a Starbucks in Chester County since workers at the coffee behemoth began organizing in 2021. 5 months ago Starbucks said Monday that about 60 stores nationwide were closed due to the strike, but stressed that that the “overwhelming majority” of its more than 10,000 U.S. locations remain unaffected. It said some of the stores that closed during the weekend had already reopened. “The public conversation may lack the important context that the vast majority of our stores (97-99%) will continue to operate and serve customers, and we expect a very limited impact to our overall operations,” Executive Vice President Sara Kelly said in a statement. The union is urging customers to boycott Starbucks stores during the strike and show up at picket lines to show their support for workers. Why baristas are striking SWU, which first unionized in 2021, represents some 10,000 employees across 535 U.S. stores. It celebrated a milestone in February when Starbucks said it would work with the union to reach a labor agreement and resolve litigation by the end of the year. But last week, with matters still unsettled ahead of the last scheduled bargaining session of 2024, a whopping 98% of union partners voted to authorize a strike to “to protest hundreds of still-unresolved unfair labor practice charges (ULPs) and win a strong foundational framework for union contracts.” The union acknowledged that both sides have engaged in “hundreds of hours of bargaining” and “advanced dozens of tentative agreements” in recent months. But it said hundreds of complaints accusing Starbucks of unfair labor practices — including retaliatory firings — remain unsettled, with more than $100 million in legal liabilities still outstanding. Plus, it said, the company “has yet to bring a comprehensive economic package to the bargaining table.” Starbucks’ latest proposal included no immediate wage increase for union baristas, and a guarantee of just 1.5% wage increases in future years. The union called that “insulting,” especially compared to the salary of its new CEO , who started in September. “This year, Starbucks invested $113 million into CEO Brian Niccol’s compensation package at a time when baristas’ wages aren’t keeping up with the cost of inflation,” it said. “Workers regularly struggle to receive the hours we need to qualify for benefits and pay our bills. Starbucks needs to invest in the workers who run their stores.” Workers at University City Starbucks vote 14-2 to join national union Workers at the Starbucks at 39th and Walnut Streets joined a growing national movement. They want fair wages, better scheduling and more. 12 months ago Ruby Walters, who works at a Starbucks location in Columbus, told member station WOSU from the picket line over the weekend that most workers “have a very similar experience of the company not affording them enough resources that they need, not only to take home and improve their lives, but literally on the job.” “So as far as I’m concerned, what we’re fighting for isn’t just for us,” Walters added. “It’s for all Starbucks workers across the country.” What Starbucks is saying Kelly, the Starbucks executive, said the union’s proposals amount to an increase in the hourly minimum wage of 64% immediately and 77% over three years, which she dismissed as unrealistic. “These proposals are not sustainable, especially when the investments we continually make to our total benefits package are the hallmarks of what differentiates us as an employer — and, what makes us proud to work at Starbucks,” she said. Those benefits include health care, free college tuition, paid family leave and company stock grants, Starbucks says, adding that the combination of average pay and benefits equates to an average of $30 per hour for the vast majority of baristas working at least 20 hours per week. The union is asking for a base wage of at least $20 an hour for all baristas with annual 5% raises and cost of living adjustments, enrollment in a Starbucks-sponsored retirement plan, more consistent schedules, enhanced paid leave protocols and better healthcare, among other initiatives. In the final stretch of the four-day strike, it is calling on Starbucks to present a “serious economic offer at the bargaining table.” The company, for its part, says the union “prematurely ended” the most recent bargaining session and is urging it to come back. “The union chose to walk away from bargaining last week,” Kelly said. “We are ready to continue negotiations when the union comes back to the bargaining table.” Get daily updates from WHYY News! The free WHYY News Daily newsletter delivers the most important local stories to your inbox. WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.
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.
TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Tulsa fired football coach Kevin Wilson on Sunday and will elevate wide receivers coach Ryan Switzer on an interim basis for the remainder of the season. The Golden Hurricane lost to South Florida 63-30 on Saturday, dropping their record to 3-8. The school's decision concludes Wilson's two-year tenure with a 7-16 record, including 3-12 in American Athletic Conference play. “With the rapidly evolving landscape of college athletics, we know the importance of positioning our football program and athletic department to thrive and excel in the upcoming years,” athletic director Justin Moore said in a statement. “Our standard will be to play in bowl games every season, compete for conference titles, and build a program that everyone connected to the Golden Hurricane will be proud of." Wilson spent six years as Indiana’s head coach, going 26-47 from 2011 to 2016. He then joined Urban Meyer’s staff at Ohio State and stayed on under Meyer’s successor, Ryan Day, before taking over at Tulsa. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
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President of the NAACP Eugene Edge recalls discussions with President CarterSir Keir Starmer has led a host of tributes to former US president Jimmy Carter, saying he “redefined the post-presidency with a remarkable commitment to social justice and human rights at home and abroad”. The Prime Minister said Mr Carter, who died aged 100, will be remembered for the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt, as well as his “decades of selfless public service”. He added that it was the Democrat’s “lifelong dedication to peace” that led to him receiving the Nobel Peace prize in 2002. Very sorry to hear of President Carter’s passing. I pay tribute to his decades of selfless public service. My thoughts are with his family and friends at this time. — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) Sir Keir was joined in paying tribute to the 39th president by other leaders including the King, current President Joe Biden, Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey and former PM Tony Blair. The King remembered former US president Jimmy Carter’s 1977 visit to the UK with “great fondness” and praised his “dedication and humility”. In a message to Mr Biden and the American people, Charles said: “It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of President Carter. “He was a committed public servant, and devoted his life to promoting peace and human rights. “His dedication and humility served as an inspiration to many, and I remember with great fondness his visit to the United Kingdom in 1977. “My thoughts and prayers are with President Carter’s family and the American people at this time.” Mr Biden said that Mr Carter was an “extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian”. He said his fellow Democrat was a “dear friend”, as he announced that he will order a state funeral to be held for him in Washington DC. “Today, America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian,” he said. “Over six decades, we had the honour of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter though is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well. “With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us. He saved, lifted and changed the lives of people all across the globe. “He was a man of great character and courage, hope and optimism.” Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey said Mr Carter “will be remembered for generations”. “Jimmy Carter was an inspiration,” Mr Davey wrote on X. “He led a truly remarkable life dedicated to public service with a genuine care for people. “My thoughts are with his family, friends and all those who loved him. He will be remembered for generations.” Mr Blair said: “Jimmy Carter’s life was a testament to public service; from his time in office, and the Camp David Accords, to his remarkable commitment to the cause of people and peace round the world over the past 40 years,” he said. “I always had the greatest respect for him, his spirit and his dedication. He fundamentally cared and consistently toiled to help those in need.”This is how generative AI will boost procurement function globally
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The MLB Draft Lottery has generated some incredible results for the league. The completely unpredictable process allowed teams like the Cleveland Guardians and Cincinnati Reds to enter the lottery in 2024 despite relatively respectable seasons. Nonetheless, the anti-tanking process has made for some interesting results. Thanks to the St. Louis Cardinals and Seattle Mariners jumping up into the lottery, the Chicago Cubs fell from their original spot. Beginning the evening with the highest likelihood of remaining at their 14th pick, the Cubs fell back three spots with teams like the Oakland Athletics and Chicago White Sox also jumping up into the top 12 following horrific seasons. The results for the top 18 picks are as follows: MLB Draft Lottery 2025 Results 18 Arizona Diamondbacks (16, 0.27%) 17 Chicago Cubs (14, 0.68%) 16 Minnesota Twins (12, 1.09%) 15 Boston Red Sox (11, 1.22%) 14 Tampa Bay Rays (10, 1.50%) 13 San Francisco Giants (9, 1.90%) 12 Texas Rangers (8, 2.45%) 11 Oakland Athletics (ineligible) 10 Chicago White Sox (ineligible) 9 Cincinnati Reds (7, 3.67%) 8 Toronto Blue Jays (5, 7.48%) 7 Miami Marlins (1-T, 22.45%) 6 Pittsburgh Pirates (6, 5.31%) 5 St. Louis Cardinals (13, 0.82%) 4 Colorado Rockies (1-T, 22.45%) 3 Seattle Mariners (15, 0.53%) 2 Los Angeles Angels (3, 17.96%) 1 Washington Nationals (4, 10.20%) Although the Cubs fell, they're still in position to add another impact player. In 2023, the Cubs landed top prospect Matt Shaw at the 13th spot and in 2024 landed Cam Smith, another top-10 prospect, with the 14th overall selection . Perhaps the Cubs' front office can channel some of that luck again and find another impact player at the 17th spot. The 2025 MLB Draft will take place July 13-15 from Atlanta, home of the 2025 MLB All-Star Game. This article first appeared on On Tap Sports Net and was syndicated with permission.