Retailers coax Black Friday shoppers into stores with big discounts and giveaways NEW YORK (AP) — Retailers in the U.S. have used giveaways and bigger-than expected discounts to reward shoppers who ventured out on Black Friday. The day after Thanksgiving still reigns for now as the unofficial kickoff of the holiday shopping season even if it’s lost some luster. Analysts reported seeing the biggest crowds at stores that offered real savings. They say many shoppers are being cautious with their discretionary spending despite the easing of inflation. Stores are even more under the gun to get shoppers in to buy early and in bulk since there are five fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. Online sales figures from Thanksgiving Day gave retailers a reason to remain hopeful for a lucrative end to the year. Canada's Trudeau says he had an 'excellent conversation' with Trump in Florida after tariffs threat WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he had an “excellent conversation” with Donald Trump in Florida after the president-elect’s threat to impose significant tariffs on two of America’s leading trade partners raised alarms in Ottawa and Mexico City. It's unclear, as Trudeau headed back to Canada on Saturday, whether the conversation had alleviated Trump’s concerns. Trump’s transition team hasn't responded to questions about what the leaders had discussed at their dinner Friday night at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club. The Republican president-elect has threatened to impose tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico if the countries don’t stop what he said was the flow of drugs and migrants across their borders. Trump and Republicans in Congress eye an ambitious 100-day agenda, starting with tax cuts WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans swept to power on Election Day and now control the House, the Senate and the White House, with plans for an ambitious 100-day agenda come January. Their to-do list includes extending tax breaks, cutting social programs, building the border wall to stop immigration and rolling back President Joe Biden's green energy policies. Atop that list is a plan to renew some $4 trillion in expiring tax cuts that were a signature domestic achievement of Republican Donald Trump’s first term as president. It's an issue that may define his return to the White House. The ruble's in a slump. For the Kremlin, that's a two-edged sword Russia’s ruble is sagging against other currencies, complicating the Kremlin’s efforts to keep consumer inflation under control with one hand even as it overheats the economy with spending on the war against Ukraine with the other. Over time a weaker ruble could mean higher prices for imports from China, Russia's main trade partner these days. President Vladimir Putin says things are under control. One wild card is sanctions against a key Russian bank that have disrupted foreign trade payments. If Russia finds a workaround for that, the ruble could regain some of its recent losses. Why your favorite catalogs are smaller this holiday season PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — While retailers hope to go big this holiday season, customers may notice that the catalogs arriving in their mailboxes are smaller. Many of the millions of catalogs getting sent to U.S. homes were scaled down to save on postage and paper. Some gift purveyors are sending out postcards. In a sign of the times, the American Catalog Mailers Association rebranded itself in May as the American Commerce Marketing Association. Despite no longer carrying an extended inventory of goods, industry experts say catalogs help retailers cut through the noise and still hold their own in value because of growing digital advertising costs. Iceland votes for a new parliament after political disagreements force an early election REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) — Icelanders are electing a new parliament after disagreements over immigration, energy policy and the economy forced Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson to pull the plug on his coalition government and call early elections. This will be Iceland’s sixth general election since the 2008 financial crisis devastated the economy of the North Atlantic island nation and ushered in a new era of political instability. Opinion polls suggest the country may be in for another upheaval, with support for the three governing parties plunging. Benediktsson, who was named prime minister in April following the resignation of his predecessor, struggled to hold together the unlikely coalition of his conservative Independence Party with the centrist Progressive Party and the Left-Green Movement. Massachusetts lawmakers push for an effort to ban all tobacco sales over time BOSTON (AP) — A handful of Massachusetts lawmakers are hoping to persuade their colleagues to support a proposal that would make the state the first to adopt a ban meant to eliminate the use of tobacco products over time. Other locations have weighed similar “generational tobacco bans.” The bans phase out the use of tobacco products based not just on a person's age but on birth year. Lawmakers plan to file the proposal next year. If approved, the bill would set a date and ban the sale of tobacco to anyone born after that date forever, eventually banning all sales. Vietnam approves $67 billion high-speed railway project between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam has approved the construction of a high-speed railway connecting the capital Hanoi in the north with the financial capital of Ho Chi Minh in the south. It is expected to cost $67 billion and will stretch 1,541 kilometers (957 miles). The new train is expected to travel at speeds of up to 350 kph (217 mph), reducing the journey from the current 30 hours to just five hours. The decision was taken by Vietnam’s National Assembly on Saturday. Construction is expected to begin in 2027 and Vietnam hopes that the first trains will start operating by 2035. But the country has been beleaguered by delays to its previous infrastructure projects. Inflation rose to 2.3% in Europe. That won't stop the central bank from cutting interest rates FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Inflation in the 20 countries that use the euro currency rose in November — but that likely won’t stop the European Central Bank from cutting interest rates as the prospect of new U.S. tariffs from the incoming Trump administration adds to the gloom over weak growth. The European Union’s harmonized index of consumer prices rose 2.3 percent, up from 2.0% in October, according to EU statistics agency Eurostat. However, worries about growth mean the Dec. 12 ECB meeting is not about whether to cut rates, but by how much. Market buzz says there could be a larger than usual half-point cut in the benchmark rate, currently 3.25%. Stock market today: S&P 500 and Dow post gains and close out best month of 2024 NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks closed with solid gains as Wall Street put the finishing touches on one of its best months of the year. The S&P 500 rose 0.6% while the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 188 points, or 0.4%. The Nasdaq added 0.8%. Friday was an abbreviated trading day, with stocks closing at 1 p.m. ET and the bond market an hour later. Investors were looking to see how much shoppers are willing to spend on gifts for the holidays. Black Friday unofficially kicked off the holiday shopping season, although retailers had been offering early deals for weeks. Macy’s and Best Buy each gained around 2%.
Russian police raid Moscow nightclubs in LGBTQ+ crackdownMohamed Salah’s landmark goal pulls Liverpool clear in Champions LeagueCommanders Have Cut, Traded All 2019-2023 1st-Round Draft Picks After Forbes Release
Salah nervelessly converted a 63rd-minute penalty, his 16th goal of the season, after French referee Benoit Bastien had been advised to take another look at Donny van de Beek’s clumsy challenge on Luis Diaz. In the process, he became just the 11th man to score 50 goals in the competition – Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe later also joined that exclusive club – on a night when victory at the Estadi Montilivi meant the six-time European champions will enter 2025 sitting proudly at the top of the table. ⭐️ A FIVE STAR PERFORMANCE ⭐️ | — FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) France international Michael Olise produced a moment of magic to set the seal on Bayern Munich’s demolition of Shakhtar Donetsk and ease them towards the knockout stage. Olise’s brilliant stoppage-time run and finish capped a 5-1 victory for the Germans, in which he had early scored from the penalty spot, in Gelsenkirchen. Kevin’s fifth-minute strike had given the home side the perfect start, but Konrad Laimer levelled before Thomas Muller’s 55th goal in the competition sent the visitors in ahead at the break and set the stage for Olise’s double either side of Jamal Musiala’s strike. Jude Bellingham breathed life back into Real Madrid’s campaign as they held off Atalanta to earn a 3-2 victory in Bergamo. 🫲 🫱 — Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) After Charles De Ketelaere had cancelled out Mbappe’s opener from the penalty spot, second-half goals from Vinicius Junior and Bellingham in quick succession put the visitors in charge, although Ademola Lookman’s 65th-minute strike meant the contest was alive until the final whistle. Ross Barkley took Aston Villa a step closer to automatic qualification with a late winner against RB Leipzig in Germany. Villa had led twice through John McGinn and Jhon Duran, but equalisers from Lois Openda and Christoph Baumgartner kept Leipzig in it until substitute Barkley struck five minutes from time to snatch a 3-2 victory. Goals from Goncalo Ramos, Nuno Mendes and substitute Desire Doue – his first in the competition – handed French champions Paris St Germain a much-needed three points after a comfortable 3-0 win at RB Salzburg. He's making a list and checking it twiceB04 won and Nordi scored – nice! 🎅 — Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) Nordi Mukiele left it late to end Inter Milan’s unbeaten Champions League record as Bayer Leverkusen claimed a dramatic 1-0 victory at the BayArena. Mukiele struck in the 90th minute to inflict a first defeat across six games in this season’s competition on the Serie A champions – it was also the first goal they have conceded. Casper Nielsen came off the bench to fire Club Brugge to a 2-1 home victory over Sporting Lisbon after Eduardo Quaresma’s own goal had handed them a way back into the game following Geny Catamo’s early opener. Julien Le Cardinal’s first-half strike was enough to handed Brest a 1-0 victory over Eredivisie leaders PSV Eindhoven, while Kasper Schmeichel’s save from Marko Pjaca’s close-range 80th-minute header ensured Celtic returned from Dinamo Zagreb with a 0-0 draw.
Pune: The next chief minister of Maharashtra will be from the BJP and there will be two deputy chief ministers from other Mahayuti constituents, NCP chief Ajit Pawar said here on Saturday. The Mahayuti, which comprises the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) headed by Ajit Pawar, registered a resounding victory in the Maharashtra assembly elections. By winning 132 seats, the BJP emerged as the single largest party, while Shiv Sena and NCP won 57 and 41 seats respectively. However, government formation has been delayed and suspense over the next CM continues. Ajit Pawar was in the city to meet 95-year-old social activist Dr Baba Adhav, who held a protest against the alleged misuse of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the recent Maharashtra assembly polls. When asked who will be the chief minister of the state, Pawar said, “The state will have one chief minister from BJP and two deputies from other two parties of Mahayuti. Tentatively, the oath taking ceremony will take place on December 5. We have decided to move ahead with a strong vision.” State BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Saturday evening announced that the new Mahayuti government will be sworn in at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai on the evening of December 5 in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s presence. While there was no announcement yet on who would be the chief minister, BJP sources said Devendra Fadnavis, who has been chief minister twice and was deputy CM in the last Eknath Shinde-led government, was the frontrunner for the top post. Ajit Pawar was another deputy CM in the Shinde-led government.3 recipes to help you through the busy holiday season
Drake apparently likes to be petty and unfollow his opps on social media, whether it's as surefire as Kendrick Lamar or as seemingly meaningless as LeBron James. However, the reasons as to why he takes people off his Instagram are always combative, as he usually tries to send a message via these "cosigns." Of course, the 6ix God is pretty corny for using social media in this way and treating follows and comments like gospel – see his version of "The Heart Part 6" for some disgusting proof of that. But it looks like he will still engage with this approach, even amid his most controversial move perhaps ever. Moreover, Timbaland recently commented under an Instagram post that asked whether or not Drake could win a $2 billion lawsuit and "declare war on the music industry" as a result. The producer posted a shaking head, and this is allegedly what made Drizzy supposedly unfollow him. Still, when DJ Akademiks covered this alleged development on Instagram, TImbo actually responded in his comments section and provided an explanation. "That head shake means let the story play out," he wrote. "Mal might b on to something. They say you have to destroy to rebuild!!!" Read More: XXXTentacion’s Killer Points To Drake In Appeal Brief As such, it seems like Drake reacted brashly to just a vague and easily excusable reaction, which should show you how petty thinking can warp your actions. Then again, there's also a very good chance that he and Timbaland might share some more serious beef that we have no idea about. Either way, the beat-maker is one of many hip-hop icons who weighed in on this UMG and Spotify petition. Others were much more critical, though, such as Uncle Luke's assessment of a "soft" display . Meanwhile, Drake continues to be a frequent name in conversations, even when he's not really doing that much to warrant discussion. For example, J. Cole recently alleged that Jay-Z once told Aubrey to give Cole a hit in an embarrassing way , and we didn't really hear about his reaction. These interpersonal industry dynamics are tough to navigate, and they can lead to plenty of strife. Read More: Chrisean Rock Reacts After Timbaland Flips Her Gospel Snippet Into A New SongNone
Against the backdrop of endorsement for second term in office and activities ahead of the 2026 governorship election, Ekiti State governor, Biodun Oyebanji has said his political future would be determined by God who has never failed him. Governor Oyebanji stated this in Ado Ekiti on Friday night at the monthly Evening of Praise and Worship at the Jibowu Hall, Government House Ground. He expressed confidence in God’s ability to work out things in his favour, maintaining that God who did it for him in 2022, would do it again in 2026. The Governor who disclosed that he received text messages from politicians regularly, expressing anxieties over 2026, said his belief is that God’s plan supersedes any human agenda, adding that he would not lose sleep over the development as God is in control. Reflecting on his administration’s achievement so far, Governor Oyebanji attributed the significant progress recorded across critical sectors in the state to divine intervention despite the economic realities. He added that since he handed over Ekiti state to God, the state has enjoyed abundant peace, progress and prosperity. Speaking further, the Governor said his focus remains on delivering good governance and fulfilling the promises he made to Ekiti people. “God is in charge of everything including the 2026 that many people are anxious about. “He will take care of everything. For now, let us concentrate on the work that has been given to us and let us do it very well,” he added. According to him, “For those that are worried about 2026, sending me text messages everyday, don’t bother yourself. “God that did the last one will do it again. Don’t bother yourself. Some complain that I am not a politician, that I don’t understand politics. “I am not bothered about this, nothing is going to stop my peace because I serve the God of peace. “What God does not give a man, he cannot have it and when God makes up his mind, nobody can stop him. “So, I am just saying this so that you can stop sending me text messages expressing anxieties about 2026.” NIGERIAN TRIBUNE Get real-time news updates from Tribune Online! Follow us on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive stories and interviews, and much more. Join our WhatsApp Channel nowGEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands — Hailey Van Lith scored 23 points, Sedona Prince had her second double-double of the tournament and No. 17 TCU rolled to an 87-46 victory over South Florida on Saturday night in the Cayman Island Classic. Van Lith shot 8 of 15 from the floor and had eight of TCU's 18 assists. Prince scored 17 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to go with three blocked shots and two assists. Madison Conner added 14 points and Taylor Bigby chipped in 10 for TCU (8-0), which shot 31 of 59 (52.5%) from the floor and 12 of 29 (41%) from long range. Vittoria Blasigh scored 14 points to lead South Florida (4-5). TCU built a 21-11 lead heading into the second quarter and led 40-22 at the break. Van Lith scored 10 points in the first half and Prince had eight. South Florida kept pace in the third quarter before the Horned Frog pulled away with a 24-5 fourth quarter. Van Lith scored 19 second-half points and Prince tallied 20 points, 20 rebounds, eight blocks, four assists and three steals in the Horned Frogs’ 76-68 victory over No. 3 Notre Dame in a tournament game on Friday. __ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball
( MENAFN - IANS) Bagalkot (Karnataka), Dec 1 (IANS) Kudalasangama Panchamasali Peeth seer Basavaraj Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swami leading the agitation demanding reservation under 2A Category has charged that the community leaders are being threatened by the congress government in Karnataka led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to suppress the agitation for reservation. Speaking to reporters, the seer warned that if anything went wrong, there would be a "blood revolution" in the state. "In the backdrop of agitation for 2A Category for Panchamasali Lingayat community, we are being threatened under the CM Siddaramaiah led government. For four days, the taluk unit presidents and district presidents have been threatened. If anything goes wrong, there is going to be a blood revolution,” he said. “We took up agitation during the tenure of the BJP government led by former CM Basavaraj Bommai. We had staged a protest before the residence of Bommai. No case was filed against us. But, under CM Siddaramaiah-led government, we are being threatened,” he added. The seer further stated that if the involvement of Congress legislators is found in these threatening calls, they won't be spared. “The Congress government should not play with the emotions of people. When there was a BJP government, they used to come to us and the CM used to visit us. However, now we are forced to go to the legislators and the CM. We have decided not to invite community MLAs of the Congress party as it would harm their progress," he said. "The previous BJP government did not give reservation quota appropriately. The present government has not done anything. CM Siddaramaiah did not even speak to us for courtesy. Previously, the CM under the BJP government spoke to us for two hours. But they did not show commitment to give the quota. "CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar did not even give an appointment. Now, we are prepared to lay siege to the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha. I appeal to community members not to get distracted with any statements. Considering the future of upcoming generations, all should take part in the agitation," he said. Asked if he has plans to enter politics, the seer said that he is not interested in politics. "I won't be a king, I would be a king maker," he stated. Kudalasangama Panchamasali Peeth seer Basavaraj Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swami warned earlier that they plan to lay siege to the Karnataka Assembly with 5,000 tractors while expressing unhappiness over Chief Minister Siddaramaiah not responding to the demand of providing reservation to Panchamasali Lingayats. MENAFN30112024000231011071ID1108941708 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.HOLIDAY shoppers can score the best deals of the season at Dollar Tree, which has a host of festive finds for a great price. The discount chain is selling five perfect stocking stuffers for just $1.25 each. With Christmas just weeks away, consumers are frantically hitting the aisles to find gifts for everyone on their list. Holiday shopping , however, does not need to break the bank. Dollar Tree is offering a variety of stocking stuffers for just $1.25, ideal for shoppers on a budget . BEAUTY BUYS The discount chain is selling two $1.25 products perfect for the beauty lovers in your life. Read More on Holiday Deals First is the BPure Body Lotion , which is eight ounces and comes in three varieties. Shoppers can choose between an illuminating vitamin C lotion, revitalizing collagen lotion, or hydrating hyaluronic acid lotion. The body lotion will leave skin "feeling fresh and looking radiant," per the product description. Dollar Tree shoppers are raving over the lotion, which has five stars on the chain's website. Most read in Money One customer called the product "absolutely amazing" while a second said they were "impressed." "This makes my over-washed hands feel so soft. For the price I began to use for entire body. Game changer. My skin is thanking me. One of the best products you can buy at the store," praised another shopper. Another beauty stocking stuffer from Dollar Tree is the Mini Nail Files with Cases for just $1.25. Shoppers can manicure their nails on the go with the adorable mini files, which come in packs of two and measure 3.5 inches. They are assorted among three fun patterns. "Great for leaving one in your purse and one in your car, or sharing one with a friend!" reads the product description. AFFORDABLE ARTISTRY In addition to its beauty bargains, Dollar Tree is selling a variety of cheap stocking stuffers for all the artists out there. For example, shoppers can score Jumbo Christmas Coloring and Activity Books for just $1.25 each. Each book is 128 pages long and includes four song downloads, filled with fun for any age. "While the adults are cleaning up after dinner, these Christmas coloring books will keep the littles entertained until we move onto more fun and games. At $1 each, I can afford to spoil all my grandkids!" shared a five-star review. Dollar Tree shoppers can also score Christmas Pencils for just $1.25. "These Christmas Pencils from Christmas House are the perfect tool for composing all your naughty or nice lists," reads the product description. The festive pencils come in packs of 16 with assorted Christmas designs, including snowmen, candy canes, snowflakes, Christmas trees, penguins, and nutcrackers. "Good value! These pencils are perfect stocking stuffers for children!" wrote one happy shopper. "I buy these for every holiday and give them out to my students!" shared a teacher. COZY COMFORT Dollar Tree is also the retail destination for cozy winter essentials. The chain is selling Christmas Crew Socks for $1.25, a soft stocking stuffer sure to bring a smile to the recipient's face. The fun and affordable socks are assorted among five festive holiday styles, including Christmas trees, Santa, polar bears, reindeer, and elf socks. The socks are flexible and breathable yet durable enough to endure cold weather and frequent use, according to the product description. Dollar Tree customers are praising the socks for how soft, comfortable, and festive they are. Read More on The US Sun BPure Body Lotion, $1.25 - buy here Jumbo Christmas Coloring & Activity Book, $1.25 - buy here Mini Nail Files with Cases, $1.25 - buy here Christmas Pencils, $1.25 - buy here Christmas Crew Socks, $1.25 - buy here Dollar Tree is also selling three winter staples to spruce up your home for Christmas – and they’re all under $5. Plus, the chain's $1.25 viral Christmas bathroom essential has sent shoppers on a search.
