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British Columbia business owner Joe Chaput will spend $5,500 a month on security guards during the holiday season and plans on upgrading his store’s video camera system for around $5,000 more. He’s not selling luxury brands or expensive jewels. Chaput sells cheese, and at Christmas, cheese is a hot commodity. He is the co-owner of specialty cheese store les amis du Fromage, with two locations in Vancouver. While cheeselifting is rare in their Kitsilano store, the outlet in East Vancouver is hit in waves, with nothing happening for a month, then three of four people trying to steal their inventory within a week. “Sometimes, you miss it. Sometimes, you catch it. The way shoplifters behave ... they tend to gravitate toward expensive things,” said Chaput. Expensive cheese is on shoplifters’ Christmas list, he said. “They tend to do the classic examples of staying away from customer service and trying to go to a different part of the store so they can be left alone to steal.” Chaput isn’t alone. Police say food-related crimes on are the rise in Canada and as prices climb for items such as cheese and butter, they become lucrative on the black market for organized crime groups, not to mention theft for local resale. Sylvain Charlebois, the director of Dalhousie University’s Agri-food Analytics Lab, said a black market tends to emerge as soon as food prices surge. “Organized crime will steal anything (if) they know they can sell it and so, they probably would have known who their clients are before even stealing anything at all, and that’s how a black market is organized,” said Charlebois. He said he believes there are two categories of people shoplifting — those who do so out of desperation because they can’t afford the food, or organized criminals, profiting from sales on the black market. Mounties in North Vancouver made cheesy headlines when they ran into a man with a cart of stolen cheese in the middle of the night in September. The cheese, valued at $12,800, was from a nearby Whole Foods Store. While the cheese was recovered, it had to be disposed of because it hadn’t been refrigerated. Const. Mansoor Sahak, with the North Vancouver RCMP, said officers believe cheese is targeted because it’s “profitable to resell.” “If they are drug addicts, they will commit further crimes with that or feed their drug habits. It’s a vicious cycle,” said Sahak. Sahak said meat is also a top target for grocery thieves, with store losses sometimes in the thousands. “So, we’re not surprised that this happened,” said Sahak. Police in Ontario have been chasing down slippery shoplifters going after butter. Scott Tracey, a spokesman with Guelph Police Service, said there have been eight or nine butter thefts over the last year, including one theft last December worth $1,000. In October, two men walked into a local grocer and filled their carts with cases of butter valued at $936, and four days later a Guelph grocer lost four cases valued at $958. Tracey said he has looked at online marketplaces and found listings by people selling 20 or 30 pounds of butter at a time. “Clearly, somebody didn’t accidentally buy 30 extra pounds of butter. So, they must have come from somewhere,” said Tracey, “I think at this point it appears to be the black market is where it’s headed.” He said the thefts seem to be organized, with two or three people working together in each case. Police in Brantford, Ont., are also investigating the theft of about $1,200 worth of butter from a store on Nov. 4. Charlebois said retailers could invest in prevention technologies like electronic tags, but putting them on butter or cheese is rare. He said up until recently grocery store theft has been a “taboo subject for many years.” Stores didn’t wanted to talk about thefts because they didn’t want to alarm people but now they feel they need to build awareness about what is “becoming a huge problem,” said Charlebois. Chaput, the cheese store owner, said he had been running the East Vancouver store for 15 years while managing the store in Kitsilano for 30 years, and he loves his customers. “It’s really one of the best parts of our businesses, seeing familiar faces and making new customers. It’s why we come to work, really. Partly it’s the cheese, and partly it’s the people,” said Chaput. He said his strategy to combat would-be thieves is to give them extra customer service to make it harder for them to steal. He admits, however, that the shoplifting causes him stress. “It’s challenging. You’re busy trying to run your business day to day and take care of customers and take care of employees. Having to deal with criminals, just kind of scratches away. It can be a bit exhausting,” said Chaput.

Canadian investment fund Brookfield said Wednesday it has dropped its bid for Spanish pharmaceutical firm Grifols following disagreement over its valuation. Brookfield and the Grifols family, which owns about a third of the Barcelona-based company that makes medicine derived from blood plasma, have since July been in talks to take it private. Earlier this month Brookfield made a 6.45-billion-euro bid for Grifols, offering a tentative non-binding price of 10.50 euros ($11) per share. Grifols swiftly rejected the bid, saying it “significantly underestimated the fundamental prospects and long-term potential” of the company. In a statement sent to Spanish stock market regulator CNMV, Brookfield said it was “not in a position to continue with a potential offer” for Grifols. Grifols said its board agreed that “it is not feasible that the transaction goes ahead” and remains focused on “improving the company’s long-term value”. Its share price plunged in January after US hedge fund Gotham City released a research note accusing the company of “manipulating” its reported debt and operational results to “artificially reduce” its debt ratio, and therefore its financing costs. Grifols has repeatedly denied the allegations. Gotham City is a prominent “short-seller” hedge fund that borrows stock in a company and sells it, hoping to buy it back cheaper to return it to the lender and pocket the difference. Grifols traces its history back to 1909, first as a blood analysis and transfusion laboratory before specialising in products derived from blood plasma. It is present in more than 30 countries including Australia, the United States and Japan. It posted revenue of 6.6 billion euros in 2023, a 10.9 percent increase over the previous year. With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives.

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The Pixel Watch is great, but there are more than a few options for smartwatches if you need something a bit more rugged and long-lasting. The Ticwatch Pro 5 Enduro ticks all the right boxes for outdoorsy users wanting an Android smartwatch that can last as long as 90 hours on a single charge. It gets better. This Cyber Monday , you can grab the Ticwatch Pro 5 Enduro for just $210 . That's an incredible $140 off when coupled with the $35 coupon code. The TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro is a feature-packed smartwatch that combines style, durability and advanced functionality, making it an excellent choice for those seeking a high-performance wearable. Its 1.43-inch OLED screen offers a vibrant and clear display with auto-adjustable brightness and is protected by Sapphire Crystal Glass for enhanced durability. The interchangeable 24mm Fluororubber strap is sweat-proof and built for comfort, while the US Military Standard 810H certification and reinforced bezel carvings ensure the watch can withstand even the toughest conditions. With access to over 10,000 customizable watch faces via the TimeShow app, you can effortlessly personalize your look and adapt the watch to suit any style. Performance is another standout feature of the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro. Powered by the Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 Wearable Platform, it delivers seamless responsiveness and energy efficiency, supported by 2GB RAM and 32GB storage. The dual-layer display technology provides up to 90 hours of battery life in Smart Mode and an impressive 45 days in Essential Mode, while fast charging ensures two days of use with just a 30-minute charge. Health and fitness enthusiasts will appreciate the 110+ sports modes, built-in GPS and advanced monitoring capabilities, including heart rate, sleep, stress, VO2 Max and even snoring detection. Seamless integration with popular third-party apps like Strava and Adidas Running, coupled with TicHealth’s intuitive interface, makes tracking your goals and progress easier than ever. Whether you’re navigating the outdoors with the built-in compass, barometer and altimeter or striving for better sleep and fitness, the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro is ready to keep step with you. Why this deal matters This is one of the lowest prices we've seen for the Ticwatch Pro 5 Enduro. In our experience with the product, we appreciated the watch's updated and consolidated health-tracking features. With some of the best battery life you can get out of a Wear OS smartwatch, this is an excellent deal if you need a wearable that can keep up with your outdoorsy adventures. Looking for steals on home tech, laptops , iPads and more? Head over to the Amazon Cyber Monday deals hub, where CNET's editors have put together the absolute best savings on the internet.

Nate Diaz teases boxing return in chilling post just days after Jake Paul vs. Mike TysonCALGARY, Alberta – Minnesota Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury bounded down the tunnel and onto the ice for his 1,000th NHL start and what was presumably the final start of his career in the home rink of the Edmonton Oilers — a team he’d beaten 16 times previously in his career. ADVERTISEMENT He corralled one of the dozens of pucks strewn around the ice and fired toward the cage he would soon be guarding. But his attempt at an empty-net goal was foiled when the puck he had shot hit another puck at the top of the crease and both slid to the corners of the rink. It was just the first thing that would go wrong for the guy teammates lovingly call “Flower” on this night. Less than 30 seconds into the game, he swung at a puck bouncing in his direction all the way from the red line. He missed, and the Oilers led 1-0 on a fluke that had the Rogers Place crowd roaring and smiling. After the initial shock wore off, Fleury was smiling too. “I haven’t played in so long, I wanted to do well and help the team, and at the beginning to let that one in, I was mad for a little bit and then I just laughed. It was so stupid,” he said following Minnesota’s 5-3 win, which gave him a 4-0-1 record for the season. “The guys came by and they gave me a tap, and they laughed and kind of made it a little lighter. And they battled well, nobody sat back.” ADVERTISEMENT Just under 60 minutes of game time later, Flower was the one grinning in the Wild locker room as Minnesota won its ninth road game in a dozen opportunities. Fleury finished with 28 saves, and the other two Edmonton goals both went off the skates of Wild defenders. In the first period, he made a sprawling poke-check save to thwart Oilers star Connor McDavid’s rush to the net that had the Edmonton crowd primed to explode again. It was the 1,030th appearance in an NHL game for Fleury, moving him past Patrick Roy into third in the NHL record books for most games played by a goalie. He will turn 40 on Thanksgiving Day and has been in the league since 2003, after the Penguins made him the first-overall pick in that summer’s draft. But with Filip Gustavsson off to a fantastic start as the Wild’s mainstay in the crease, and Jesper Wallstedt waiting in the wings (in Iowa) presumably as the franchise’s goalie of the future, Fleury finds himself in a new role: backup goalie. Perhaps the only time his ever-present smile seemed forced following the win in Edmonton was when Fleury pointed out, on two occasions, that it was his first start in three weeks, since a win at San Jose on Nov. 7. ADVERTISEMENT Minnesota coach John Hynes reiterated on Friday afternoon that there was, for a brief moment, a thought that the Wild would carry three goalies — Gustavsson, Fleury and Wallstedt — for a time in October, meaning there would be two backups, or a rotation plus a third stringer. It didn’t work out that way. “Gus and Flower played well. Wally played well. But based on contracts and things like that and where everyone’s at in their career, Wally went down and played (in Iowa) and he’s doing a good job now and has found his game,” Hynes said. “But Flower’s playing really well and Gus is playing really well. So, it hasn’t been that he’s...the understudy. It’s just, here’s what we need to do everyday and then we’ll try to let you know when we’re going to start. Sometimes, it might be in advance. Sometimes, it might be a little closer to the game.” Fleury has made it clear that this will be the final season of his career, so like a rare flower that only blooms once in a while, seeing one of his remaining starts is worth seeking out. Of course, with the Wild defying expectations, the team’s fanbase is clearly hoping this flower keeps blooming well into May or even June. ADVERTISEMENT ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch made a round of administrative appointments Thursday, naming new heads to the department’s public information and technology bureaus. Tisch named Delaney Kempner as the new Deputy Commissioner of Public Information, replacing controversial top spokesman Tarik Sheppard . Kempner has spent the last four years as director of communications for New York State Attorney General Letitia James. Kempner will not start until Jan. 13. In the interim, Assistant Commissioner Carlos Nieves will serve as acting DCPI, officials said. Sheppard will be put back in uniform and assigned a leadership role in the department, law enforcement sources said. Other appointments include Kristine Ryan as Deputy Commissioner of Management and Budget — marking the second time she has been in this role — and Yisroel Hecht as the department’s new Deputy Commissioner of Information Technology. Hecht is currently serving as Deputy Commissioner of Infrastructure Management for the New York City Office of Technology and Innovation. Tisch named Alex Crohn as Deputy Commissioner of Strategic Initiatives and Steven Harte as Deputy Commissioner of Support Services. “This group of skilled and experienced leaders will answer the public call to transform NYPD technology, modernize our fleet, and elevate the department’s voice to make Courtesy, Professionalism, and Respect central to our communication and interaction with the people we serve,” Commissioner Tisch said Thursday. “New Yorkers should have every confidence that these appointments make their police department stronger, our service better, and our city safer.” In one of his last acts as DCPI, Sheppard attended a luncheon at police headquarters for local media Thursday, where he thanked the press and his staff for getting out important information and sharing the NYPD’s story with the public. He pointed to the arrest of accused CEO killer Luigi Mangione as an example of how DCPI and the press worked together to distribute images of the gunman, which ultimately led to his arrest. Sheppard was considered one of the most visual, outspoken, and sometimes volatile public information commissioners in the department’s recent history He was often front and center at press conferences and was seen wearing a bullet-resistant vest at high-profile operations such as when the NYPD cleared the Columbia University campus of protesters. He also defended NYPD executives’ controversial use of social media to blast reporters and legislators they disagree with. During the New York Marathon last month, while he was temporarily reassigned as former Interim Police Commissioner Thomas Donlan’s Chief of Staff, Sheppard got into a public shouting match with the NYPD’s top cop . Nearby NYPD officers had to separate the two men, witnesses said. Tisch was sworn in as NYPD commissioner on Nov. 25. One of her first acts in office was to name longtime aide Ryan Merola, who had worked with her at the Department of Sanitation and other agencies, as her chief of staff .

NEW YORK — Stoli Group USA, the owner of the namesake vodka , has filed for bankruptcy as it struggled to contend with slowing demand for spirits, a major cyberattack that has snarled its operations and several years of fighting Russia in court. The company in its bankruptcy filing said it is “experiencing financial difficulties” and lists between $50 million and $100 million in liabilities. Stoli vodka and Kentucky Owl bourbon will continue to be available on store shelves while the company navigates the Chapter 11 process, which only pertains to its U.S. business. Until 2022, Stoli was sold as Stolichnaya in the United States, which loosely translates to “capital city” in Russian. The company shortened its title following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and boycotts against Russian-branded vodkas . Stoli Group’s founder, Russian-born billionaire Yuri Shefler, was exiled from that nation in 2000 because of his opposition to President Vladimir Putin. Intel announced on December 2 that CEO Pat Gelsinger has resigned after a difficult stint at the company. The once-dominant chipmaker’s stock cratered as it missed the AI boom and was surpassed by most of its rivals. The liquor has long been marketed as a Russian vodka, but its production facilities have been in Latvia for several decades. Stoli Group is a unit of Luxembourg-based SPI Group, which owns other spirit and wine brands. “The Stoli Group has been targeted by the Russian Federation since it was formed nearly 25 years ago,” said Stoli Group CEO Chris Caldwell in a statement. “Earlier this year the company and our owner were both named by the Russian state as ‘extremist groups working against Russia’s interests.’” Its ongoing legal battle with the Russia government has forced Stoli to “spend dozens of millions of dollars on this long-term court battle across the globe with the Russian authorities,” according to its court filing. Caldwell also said that Stoli’s global operations has been a “victim of a malicious cyber attack” that has forced the company to operate “entirely manually while the systems are rebuilt.” A slowdown in demand for alcohol has crushed several company’s bottom lines following the pandemic when people were stuck at home and stocked up. Stoli’s filings said that it has seen a “decline and softening of demand for alcohol and spirits products post-Covid and especially beginning in 2023 and continuing into 2024.” Stoli Group USA, maker of Stoli vodka, has filed for bankruptcy due to slowing demand for spirits, a major cyberattack, and ongoing legal battles with Russia. The-CNN-WireTM & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.

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Tottenham Hotspur return to action for the first time since their 4-0 demolition of Manchester City when they welcome Roma to North London on Thursday night in the Europa League . Ange Postecoglou 's side will look to recover from dropping their first points in the league phase away to Galatasaray last time out, while this will be Claudio Ranieri 's first European game in charge since rejoining the club as manager for the third time earlier this month. © Imago Out: Guglielmo Vicario (ankle), Micky van de Ven (hamstring), Mikey Moore (illness), Will Lankshear (suspended), Richarlison (hamstring), Wilson Odobert (hamstring) Doubtful: Cristian Romero (foot) Sports Mole's predicted XI: Forster; Spence, Dragusin, Davies, Gray; Sarr, Bentancur, Bergvall; Johnson, Solanke, Werner Out: Eldor Shomurodov (muscle) Doubtful: Mario Hermoso (muscle), Alexis Saelemaekers (ankle) Sports Mole's predicted XI: Svilar; Celik, Mancini, Hummels, Angelino; Soule, Baldanzi, Cristante, Zalewski; Dybala, Dovbyk

Stoli vodka files for bankruptcy in the United States