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Ever wanted to bring your dog with you aboard a cruise ship? Do you have a business focused on dogs and their families? If you answered yes to either question, you’ll be excited to learn that what’s being called the first-ever dog-friendly cruise is being planned aboard Margaritaville at Sea’s Islander out of the Port of Tampa in November 2025. And business opportunities await. Cruise ships famously don’t allow dogs other than service animals. Organizers of this cruise anticipate selecting from a long line of hopefuls. A “waitlist for all dog parents who have dreamt of bringing their furry friends along for their vacations will open soon,” a news release says. Organizers are calling for 250 dogs, “their owners and their closest humans” to become “inaugural ambassadors” for the cruise, which they promise will offer “unique experiences and activities including gifts and samples from top vendors, dog shows and trainings, guest speakers, costume contests, parades, and more.” The event is being staged by two organizations — Cruise Tails and Expedia Cruises of West Orlando. The website cruisetails.com seeks sponsors and investors in hopes of turning the cruise into a recurring event. Sponsorship and partnership opportunities are available for companies seeking brand visibility “across a passionate pet-loving audience,” the site says. And participants must sign photo waivers, the website says, adding, “We anticipate the fun will be all over social media and even in the press. In fact, the 250 chosen will undoubtedly be asked by sponsors to try products and post about them.” Cruise Tails was formed by Steve Matzke, a Bradenton-based entrepreneur listed on LinkedIn as beginning his career this month as an “independent consultant.” Matzke spent four years prior to that as senior director of external relations for the American Accounting Association, and 12 years before that as director of faculty and university initiatives for the American Institute of CPAs, his LinkedIn profile shows. Expedia Cruises of West Orlando was founded in 2019 by Dawn von Graff, an avid traveler who has taken more than 75 cruises and visited more than 80 countries, and her husband. She owned a computer networking firm, worked as an international tour manager, and was a top salesperson for Marriott before forming Expedia Cruises of West Orlando as a full-service travel agency. Details including dates, prices and itineraries have not yet been released. According to the website, organizers hope to select the inaugural 250 dogs based partly on how the dogs perform in a “video talent singing contest” as well as “a variety of criteria” to be announced “over the next few weeks.” The bigger the dog’s entourage, the better chance it will have to be chosen, the website says. “Preference will be given to dogs in a group which includes one dog cabin traveling with two or more associated cabins of friends or family without dogs,” it says. A spokeswoman for Margaritaville at Sea says the organizers are chartering the Islander, and the cruise will not be available for booking to the general public. Each dog will have “private relief stations” on their cabin balconies, and when dogs don’t make it to the relief station, each will have its own “pet butler” to ensure “their cabin and the boat remain in top condition,” a Cruise Tails spokeswoman said. Participants must agree to follow protocols on board, including keeping their dogs in permitted areas and making sure they are up to date with appropriate vaccinations. Dogs will not be allowed in dining areas, the ship’s casino, pool decks, lounges or music venues, according to the news release. Organizers will also be looking for workers and vendors. “We’re going to need dog walkers, pet butlers, and so much more,” the website says. And “if you have a proven skill like pet massage, grooming and pet walking or if you make custom dog costumes, have a unique dog product you would like to promote or are a well-known dog expert, we would love to chat with you.” Calls for pet handlers and vendors will be posted “in the next few months,” the site says. Whether the event turns into the profitable industry that its organizers hope for will undoubtedly depend on how the first one unfolds. A spokeswoman did not immediately have answers to such questions of what will happen to dogs that get aggressive with humans or other dogs? Will owners be required to purchase additional insurance to cover any possibilities? Will food be provided and how will feedings be handled? Contributors on Reddit.com posted mixed reactions to the announcement on Monday. “Cruises are already floating petri dishes. This doesn’t seem like a very good idea,” said one. “Now all decks are poop decks,” said another. A couple of posters worried about dogs going overboard. One said, “sounds awesome if you like dogs,” while another chimed in, “Better than a gorilla-friendly cruise, I suppose.” Ron Hurtibise covers business and consumer issues for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. He can be reached by phone at 954-356-4071, on Twitter @ronhurtibise or by email at rhurtibise@sunsentinel.com.

It was a fine first win for Ruud van Nistelrooy , and perhaps one final defeat for Julen Lopetegui. Leicester marked Van Nistelrooy’s first match in charge of the team by surging to a 3-1 win over Lopetegui's West Ham in the Premier League on Tuesday. Van Nistelrooy, the former Manchester United striker, is back in English soccer this time as a manager, with Leicester taking something of a gamble on the Dutchman after his brief and impressive spell as interim coach at United this season following Erik ten Hag's departure. He faces the tough task of keeping Leicester, one of the top candidates for relegation, in the top division. For that to happen, he’s likely to need goals from Jamie Vardy — and the 37-year-old former England international delivered immediately. Nine years after breaking Van Nistelrooy’s record for scoring in consecutive games, Vardy scored the first goal of the Dutchman’s tenure at Leicester by beating the offside trap and slotting home a finish with less than two minutes gone. Morocco midfielder Bilal El Khannouss supplied the pass for Vardy’s goal and scored himself with a low shot in the 61st minute to make it 2-0. Patson Daka added a third for Leicester in the 90th minute, before a stoppage-time consolation by West Ham substitute Niclas Füllkrug. “We are very happy with the new manager," El Khannouss said of Van Nistelrooy. “He arrived two days ago, and there’s a new dynamic in the group.” Van Nistelrooy praised the “spirit and energy” in his team. “The foundation for us going forward is everyone working their socks off, fighting for every inch and defending together,” he said. “We can look further then, and they did that in an unbelievable way.” This dismal result for West Ham came three days after its 5-2 thrashing at home by Arsenal , which piled more pressure of Lopetegui early in the former Spain and Real Madrid coach's first season with the London club. West Ham's disgruntled traveling fans chanted "You’re getting sacked in the morning” toward Lopetegui during the second half — even if his team dominated large parts of the game but only had one goal to show from 31 shots on goal. “We're very frustrated but in the same way I can say nothing about the players — they fight until the end,” Lopetegui said. "It’s not easy to explain football some days.” West Ham has lost seven of its 14 games so far and is in 14th place in the 20-team league, one spot above Leicester. Guehi defies FA Crystal Palace won for just the second time in the league this season, beating relegation rival Ipswich 1-0 to pull clear of the bottom three. Jean-Philippe Mateta scored the goal in the 59th minute. Palace’s only other league victory was against Tottenham in October. While Ipswich stayed in next-to-last place, Palace moved three points above the relegation zone. Much of the focus ahead of the game was on the teams’ captains , Sam Morsy of Ipswich and Marc Guehi of Palace, during another round when the Premier League was celebrating LGBTQ+ inclusion in its campaign to promote equality and diversity. For the second straight game, Morsy chose against wearing a rainbow armband issued to the captain of each of the 20 teams in the league. He has made the decision “due to his religious beliefs,” Ipswich says. Guehi did wear the rainbow armband but defied Football Association rules by writing a religious message on the item. The message read “Jesus loves you” — using a heart sign instead of the word “loves.” During the match against Newcastle on Saturday, Guehi wrote “I love Jesus” — and was later contacted by the FA for acting in contravention of its regulations. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer Steve Douglas, The Associated PressSmodin Unites Powerful Domains to Deliver an All-in-One AI PlatformRosen Law Firm Encourages Joint Stock Company Kaspi.kz Investors to Inquire About Securities Class Action Investigation - KSPI

Sen. Maggie Hassan is leading a bipartisan effort to close a loophole that is denying no-cost contraception to at least one million young and middle-aged women in America. MAGGIE HASSAN Currently, private insurance and Medicaid for low-income residents must cover all types of contraception at no cost to the patient that include oral contraception and IUD insertion. There are one million women, 20 to 49 years old, who get health coverage from Medicare, traditionally reserved for older Americans, because they become eligible due to a long-term disability. Hassan, D-N.H., along with another Democratic senator and two Republican senators, have authored the Closing the Contraception Coverage Act that would mandate the Government Accountability Office to analyze if there are any other contraception coverage gaps so that those could also be closed. “Every woman should be able to get the health care that’s right for her, and this bipartisan bill will help ensure that all women can access no-cost contraception under all insurance plans,” Hassan said. “This bill will close a gap that has stopped many women from getting coverage for contraception and help ensure that there are no other gaps in coverage.” Joining Hassan in this effort are Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, along with Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois. “Unlike Medicaid and private insurance, which generally cover most FDA-approved contraceptive methods and services without cost to patients, Medicare coverage leaves thousands of women without the same access to reproductive health care,” Collins said in a statement. “This bipartisan bill would require Medicare to cover contraception methods and services at no cost to patients, removing a significant barrier to health care for women who qualify for Medicare because of a long-term disability.” The head of the American Association of People with Disabilities said this legislation would correct a long-known injustice. "Though the disability community is often left out of discussions about sex education, safer sex, and reproductive rights, many disabled people have active sex lives and are capable of getting pregnant. In addition, many people take contraceptives for reasons other than preventing pregnancy or managing their reproductive health,” aid Maria Town, president and CEO. ‘AAPD strongly supports bodily autonomy and access to reproductive choice, including multiple contraceptive options, for all disabled people, and recognizes bodily autonomy as a core value of the disability rights movement. All people with disabilities deserve access to numerous options for contraception so that they may elect the option that works best for their lives, their bodies, and their wallets.” Hassan's career in public service became as an advocate for disabilities, as she and husband, Tom, care for their son, Ben, now 36, who has cerebral palsy and requires round-the-clock medical care. Then-Gov. Jeanne Shaheen said she witnessed Hassan's passion on the issue. Shaheen, among others, encouraged Hassan to seek public office and the Newfields Democrat went on to become become a state senator and then just the second woman in American history after Shaheen to become both a state's governor and U.S. senator. This legislation has also been endorsed by Upstream, Autistic Self Advocacy Network, National Women’s Law Center, National Partnership for Women & Families, Physicians for Reproductive Health, Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs, Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network, New Disabled South, National Council of Jewish Women, and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. In a related matter this week, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H. got into the defense spending bill to require that women who receive health care through the military to get Food and Drug Administration-approved contraception with no co-pays. The amendment also requires the Department of Defense to develop a comprehensive family planning education program for servicemembers to ensure families can make informed decisions about their future and guarantees that survivors of sexual assault in the military have access to emergency contraception. This development ended a decade-long, stiff Senate resistance to this proposal, Shaheen said. “Service members who are sacrificing so much to protect our freedoms deserve the same access to contraception as their civilian counterparts,” Shaheen said. “I look forward to seeing this long-overdue win for our military become law.” klandrigan@unionleader.com

Judge to hear arguments on whether Google's advertising tech constitutes a monopoly ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — The Justice Department and Google are set to make closing arguments in a trial alleging Google’s online advertising technology constitutes an illegal monopoly. The arguments in federal court Monday in northern Virginia come as Google is already facing a possible breakup of the company over its ubiquitous search engine. The Justice Department says it will seek the breakup of Google to remedy its search engine monopoly. The case focuses not on the search engine but on technology that matches online advertisers to consumers on the internet. A judge is expected to rule by the end of the year. ‘Busiest Thanksgiving ever’: How the TSA plans to handle record air travel DALLAS (AP) — The Thanksgiving travel rush is expected to be bigger than ever this year. AAA predicts that nearly 80 million people in the U.S. will venture at least 50 miles from home between Tuesday and next Monday — most of them by car. Thanksgiving Day falling so late this year has altered traditional travel patterns. At airports, the Transportation Security Administration says it could screen a record number of U.S. air travelers on Sunday. Meanwhile, the head of the Federal Aviation Administration says a shortage of air traffic controllers could cause flight delays. Transportation analytics company INRIX says roads could be congested on Monday with both commuters and returning holiday travelers. Macy’s says employee hid up to $154 million in expenses, delaying Q3 earnings Macy’s says it’s delaying the release of its fiscal third-quarter earnings results after it discovered an up to $154 million accounting-related issue. The company did provide some preliminary results for its third quarter, including that net sales fell 2.4% to $4.74 billion. It anticipates reporting its full third-quarter financial results by Dec. 11. 'Buy now, pay later' is more popular than ever. Experts warn shoppers not to overdo it NEW YORK (AP) — More shoppers are using ‘buy now, pay later’ plans heading into Black Friday and the holiday season, as the ability to spread out payments looks attractive at a time when Americans still feel the lingering effect of inflation and already have record-high credit card debt. Experts say the short-term loans can lead consumers to overextend themselves and warn that those who use credit cards for the service face higher interest expenses. The data firm Adobe Analytics predicts shoppers will spend 11.4% more this holiday season using buy now, pay later than they did a year ago. Warren Buffett gives away another $1.1B and plans for distributing his $147B fortune after his death OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Investor Warren Buffett renewed his Thanksgiving tradition of giving by announcing plans Monday to hand more than $1.1 billion of Berkshire Hathaway stock to four of his family's foundations, and he offered new details about who will be handing out the rest of his fortune after his death. Buffett has said previously that his three kids will distribute his remaining $147.4 billion fortune in the 10 years after his death, but now he has also designated successors for them because it’s possible that Buffett’s children could die before giving it all away. Buffett said he has no regrets about his decision to start giving away his fortune in 2006. Workers at Charlotte airport, an American Airlines hub, go on strike during Thanksgiving travel week CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Service workers at Charlotte Douglas International Airport have gone on strike during a busy week of Thanksgiving travel to protest what they say are unlivable wages. Employees of ABM and Prospect Airport Services authorized the work stoppage in North Carolina that started Monday morning. Union spokesperson Sean Keady says the strike is expected to last 24 hours. The companies contract with American Airlines to provide services such as cleaning airplane interiors, removing trash and escorting passengers in wheelchairs. Airport officials say this holiday travel season is expected to be the busiest on record. The companies have acknowledged the seriousness of a strike during the holiday travel season. At the crossroads of news and opinion, 'Morning Joe' hosts grapple with aftermath of Trump meeting The reaction of those who defended “Morning Joe” hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski for meeting with President-elect Trump sounds almost quaint in the days of opinionated journalism. Doesn't it makes sense, they said, for hosts of a political news show to meet with such an important figure? But given how “Morning Joe” has attacked Trump, its viewers felt insulted. Many reacted quickly by staying away. It all reflects the broader trend of opinion crowding out traditional journalist in today's marketplace, and the expectations that creates among consumers. By mid-week, the show's audience was less than two-thirds what it has typically been this year. Stock market today: Wall Street rises near records as Treasury yields ease NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are rising near records and adding to last week’s gains. The S&P 500 rose 0.1% Monday and was just below its all-time high set two weeks ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 286 points to its own record set on Friday, while the Nasdaq composite was 0.1% higher. Treasury yields also eased in the bond market after President-elect Donald Trump said he wants Scott Bessent, a hedge fund manager, to be his Treasury Secretary. Bessent has advocated for reducing the U.S. government’s deficit, which could soothe some worries that had been building on Wall Street. Judge in Alex Jones' bankruptcy case to hear arguments on The Onion's bid for Infowars A federal judge in Texas is set to hold a hearing on whether the satirical news outlet The Onion made a valid bid for the Infowars platforms of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, who alleges a bankruptcy auction was marred by fraud and collusion. The hearing is set for Monday afternoon. It's not clear how soon the bankruptcy judge will rule. He could allow The Onion to move forward with its purchase, order a new auction or even name the only other bidder as the winner. Jones filed for bankruptcy after being ordered to pay nearly $1.5 billion in defamation lawsuits by families of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut. As Amazon expands use of warehouse robots, what will it mean for workers? Amazon has introduced a handful of robots in its warehouses that the e-commerce giant says will improve efficiency and reduce employee injuries. Two robotic arms named Robin and Cardinal can lift packages that weigh up to 50 pounds. Sparrow transfers items from bins to other containers. The company says it's already seeing benefits, such as reducing the time it takes to fulfill orders and helping employees avoid repetitive tasks. However, automation also carries drawbacks for workers who might need to be retrained for new positions. The Associated Press recently spoke with Julie Mitchell, the director of Amazon’s robotic sortation technologies, about where the company hopes to go from here.4 best ways to hit a calorie deficit for weight lossEverything to Know About Elon Musk's Inner Circle

Nikola Jokic: Runaway MVP has best season everStickler First With Live Commerce Analytics App in TikTok Shop App Store

India News Today Live Updates: Trending India News brings you the most significant stories and developments from across the nation, covering everything from politics and economy to culture and technology. Whether it's a major policy change, a groundbreaking legal verdict, or the latest in entertainment and sports, we ensure you don't miss out on the news that's shaping the nation. Our in-depth coverage and timely updates keep you informed about the trends that are making headlines in India today. Stay connected to the pulse of the nation with Trending India News. India News Today Live: E-auction of sick business assets on dedicated platform may become compulsoryReal estate Q&A: What can we do about neighbor’s smelly and possibly dangerous pets?Newly hired University of North Carolina football coach Bill Belichick insisted Thursday he's sold on the college game and not looking for a steppingstone back to pro ball. The University of North Carolina stunned much of the football world this week by hiring Belichick, whose all-time great NFL résumé stands in stark contrast to an empty syllabus of college experience. “I didn’t come here to leave," Belichick, the six-time Super Bowl-champion coach, told reporters in Chapel Hill . "I’m here to do the best I can for the University of North Carolina and the program." Belichick's contract is for five years, pending approval by the university’s Board of Trustees and Board of Governors. "We've been playing football at Carolina since 1888, and I suspect that in those 136 years, there are few days that have been as auspicious as this one," UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts said. Roberts sat at a table with Belichick and athletic director Bubba Cunningham, wearing a suit jacket with its sleeves cut off, mimicking Beli c hick' s sideline fashion . "I’ve said many times that we want to be the best public university in the United States, and that means excellence in everything that we do," Roberts said. "We’re going to have an excellent college football program. We want to compete with the best, and we’ve hired the best coach." Belichick coached the Patriots from 2000 to 2023, and New England won Super Bowls after the 2001, 2003, 2004, 2014, 2016 and 2018 seasons. He and New England mutually parted ways in January. Now Belichick hopes to join a select club of coaches who've won it all both in college and the NFL: Belichick's curious career choice comes just 11 months after he and the Patriots agreed to part following a remarkable 24-season run that included six Super Bowl wins with quarterback Tom Brady at the helm. His 302 regular season wins , leading the Patriots and the Cleveland Browns, is No. 3 on the all-time list , trailing only George Halas' 318 and Don Shula's 328. It had been long believed that Belichick coveted Shula's record and would want another NFL gig to achieve it. But time might be running out for Belichick at his age (72) to get back to the NFL and score the 26 wins needed to catch Shula . Belichick was asked why he's even coaching at all with nothing left to prove. “Well, it beats working," he joked. "When you love what you do, it’s not working. It’s really, I love what I do. I love coaching. I love the interaction with the players." Belichick also said the transition from pros to college isn't the gulf it used to be now that the NCAA game includes technology, rules and even a pay structure that can be compared to those of the pros. In his brief time away from pro football, Belichick said, a host of college coaches have been asking his advice on how to implement those pro football features into college. "Here’s what I would say — college kind of came to me this year. I didn’t necessarily go and seek it out," Belichick said. "I'd say that [those conversations] started to make me a lot more aware of it, because the first thing I had to do was learn about it," he said. Belichick takes over a UNC program that's solidly in the upper middle tier of college football but still far from elite. The Tar Heels last won an Atlantic Coast Conference title in 1980 when they were led by future Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor. North Carolina last month parted ways with coach Mack Brown, who had been the leader among all active Bowl Subdivision coaches in career wins. Brown, who coached Texas to the 2005 national championship, was 44-33 in hi s s econd stint at UNC , which lasted six years. Belichick's father, longtime Navy assistant coach Steve Belichick , had a stint at UNC from 1953 to 1955. A childhood spent around college influenced his decision to come back to campus, Belichick said. "This is really kind of a dream come true," he said. "So as a kid, all I knew was college football, and so it's great to come back home to Carolina and back in an environment that I really grew up in."

On November 18, Domino’s started selling a 1kg Cheese Volcano, which is the chain’s third-ever volcano pizza, following on from its original debut in January, and the Halloween-themed edition released last month. ▼ A key feature of the volcano is the “crater” of cheesy lava which you can dip your slices into ▼ Now, the volcano is bigger than ever, with a whole kilo of cheese used in this latest release. We were fortunate enough to try this cheesy monstrosity at a press event prior to its official release, where representatives for the chain told us the reason behind its creation, saying, “Cheese sells!” Cheese certainly does sell, and this one contains 720 grams of mozzarella cheese and 280 grams of cheddar cheese sauce for a rich flavor. Receiving a box of our own to try, we opened the lid to reveal... Though we knew this would be cheesy, the topping here was crazy. It was as if the pizza had disappeared beneath the lava after a massive cheese eruption, and after picking up a slice, we felt the heaviness of the cheese. We hadn’t felt a slice quite this heavy before, and when we dipped it in the crater and took a bite, it felt totally immoral. You wouldn’t want to eat one of these on your own, as you may never recover from the sense of guilt after eating a kilo of cheese, but for sharing with friends, this would be a fun and tasty treat. The dipping process gives this pizza a uniqueness that makes it extra fun to eat, but it’ll only be around for a limited time until 22 December, priced from 3,690 yen for take-out and 4,430 yen for delivery. Related: Domino’s Pizza Japan Images ©SoraNews24 Read more stories from SoraNews24. -- Domino’s Japan’s New Cheese Volcano Pizza is a game-changer that’s about to go global -- Domino’s Pizza Japan creates abomination out of 2.2 pounds of cheese, we order one immediately -- Domino’s Japan’s new Pickles Pizza: Does it taste as bad as it looks?Point Douglas residents demand input on consumption site plan49ers claim RB Israel Abanikanda off waivers from Jets

Schlumberger Ltd. stock underperforms Wednesday when compared to competitors despite daily gains

Smodin Unites Powerful Domains to Deliver an All-in-One AI PlatformNEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes got back to climbing on Wednesday after the latest update on inflation appeared to clear the way for more help for the economy from the Federal Reserve . The S&P 500 rose 0.8% to break its first two-day losing streak in nearly a month and finished just short of its all-time high. Big Tech stocks led the way, which drove the Nasdaq composite up 1.8% to top the 20,000 level for the first time. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, meanwhile, lagged the market with a dip of 99 points, or 0.2%. Stocks got a boost as expectations built that Wednesday’s inflation data will allow the Fed to deliver another cut to interest rates at its meeting next week. Traders are betting on a nearly 99% probability of that, according to data from CME Group, up from 89% a day before. If they’re correct, it would be a third straight cut by the Fed after it began lowering rates in September from a two-decade high. It’s hoping to support a slowing job market after getting inflation nearly all the way down to its 2% target. Lower rates would give a boost to the economy and to prices for investments, but they could also provide more fuel for inflation. “The data have given the Fed the ‘all clear’ for next week, and today’s inflation data keep a January cut in active discussion,” according to Ellen Zentner, chief economic strategist for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. Expectations for a series of cuts to rates by the Fed have been one of the main reasons the S&P 500 has set an all-time high 57 times this year , with the latest coming last week. The biggest boosts for the index on Wednesday came from Nvidia and other Big Tech stocks. Their massive growth has made them Wall Street’s biggest stars for years, though other kinds of stocks have recently been catching up somewhat amid hopes for the broader U.S. economy. Tesla jumped 5.9% to finish above $420 at $424.77. It’s a level that Elon Musk made famous in a 2018 tweet when he said he had secured funding to take Tesla private at $420 per share . Stitch Fix soared 44.3% after the company that sends clothes to your door reported a smaller loss for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It also gave financial forecasts for the current quarter that were better than expected, including for revenue. GE Vernova rallied 5% for one of the biggest gains in the S&P 500. The energy company that spun out of General Electric said it would pay a 25 cent dividend every three months, and it approved a plan to send up to another $6 billion to its shareholders by buying back its own stock. On the losing end of Wall Street, Dave & Buster’s Entertainment tumbled 20.1% after reporting a worse loss for the latest quarter than expected. It also said CEO Chris Morris has resigned, and the board has been working with an executive-search firm for the last few months to find its next permanent leader. Albertsons fell 1.5% after filing a lawsuit against Kroger, saying it didn’t do enough for their proposed $24.6 billion merger agreement to win regulatory clearance. Albertsons said it’s seeking billions of dollars in damages from Kroger, whose stock rose 1%. A day earlier, judges in separate cases in Oregon and Washington nixed the supermarket giants’ merger. The grocers contended a combination could have helped them compete with big retailers like Walmart, Costco and Amazon, but critics said it would hurt competition. After terminating the merger agreement with Kroger, Albertsons said it plans to boost its dividend 25% and increased the size of its program to buy back its own stock. Macy’s slipped 0.8% after cutting some of its financial forecasts for the full year of 2024, including for how much profit it expects to make off each $1 of revenue. All told, the S&P 500 rose 49.28 points to 6,084.19. The Dow dipped 99.27 to 44,148.56, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 347.65 to 20,034.89. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.27% from 4.23% late Tuesday. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for the Fed, edged up to 4.15% from 4.14%. In stock markets abroad, indexes rose across much of Europe and Asia. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was an outlier and slipped 0.8% as Chinese leaders convened an annual planning meeting in Beijing that is expected to set economic policies and growth targets for the coming year. South Korea’s Kospi rose 1%, up for a second straight day as it climbs back following last week’s political turmoil where its president briefly declared martial law. AP Writers Matt Ott and Zimo Zhong contributed.