1. ISRAEL-HAMAS TRUCE BEGINS |
A four-day truce in the Israel-Hamas war went into effect early today ahead of the expected release of hostages held by Gaza militants in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned in Israel. Soon after the pause in fighting began, four fuel tankers and four tankers with cooking gas entered Gaza at the Rafah crossing from Egypt. The territory is in desperate need of fuel, food, water and medicine. |
Palestinians walk by a building destroyed overnight in Rafah on Friday. (AP Photo/Hatem Ali) |
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2. SEXUAL ASSAULT LAWSUIT |
A woman has accused New York City Mayor Eric Adams of sexually assaulting her in 1993, according to a legal filing. The three-page document names Adams, the transit bureau of the New York Police Department and the New York Police Department Guardians Association as defendants but does not detail the alleged assault. Adams says he does not remember meeting the woman and denied sexually assaulting anyone. |
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3. WHAT HAPPENED TO BLACK FRIDAY? |
Brick-and-mortar stores had their best November two decades ago, when fewer than 2% of retail sales were online. Last year? Ecommerce made up 16% of holiday sales. But we can't just blame online shopping. Some electronics are so cheap now that their discounts aren't worth as much. As one retail expert put it, two decades ago, when flatscreen TVs cost $3,000 or more, a 20% discount was a big draw. Today, 20% saves you $16 on an $80 TV, and "I'm not standing in line at midnight for $16." |
Ahh, the good old days. (Giphy) |
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4. GIFT BUDGETS SHRINKING? |
Three in 10 people told an online Cheddar News poll they planned to spend less on gifts this year. If you're working with a smaller holiday shopping budget too, Adam Davis at Wells Fargo Retail Finance has a few ideas, starting with signing up for loyalty programs and newsletters, which often give you a discount code for burdening your inbox. Also: Should you wait for last-minute discounts? |
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There are 2,500 units in Maui that could house many of the 7,000 survivors of the August wildfire who are still living in hotels. The only problem: They're being rented to tourists. A group of Lahaina survivors have set up a protest camp on a popular beach in the town, where they vow to stay until the county's mayor ends a permit exemption for the rentals. |
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If you're planning a second round with your leftovers, trainer Whitney Berger has a Pilates exercise and two yoga poses that could help you digest and feel less sluggish afterward. All you need is a mat or soft carpet — the kind you may be reposing on right now as you regret the amount you ate. Our post-meal workout: Waddling from the table to the couch for another nap. |
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7. CREATIVE LEFTOVER RECIPES |
There's nothing wrong with a turkey, gravy, stuffing and cranberry leftover sandwich, but even those get old after a couple of lunches. Boredom is not an issue with chef Eric Levine's leftover meal ideas — that is, unless you've already been making waffle batter with pulled turkey and vegetables. To be clear, we're still making leftover sandwiches. To be even clearer, do not touch that sandwich. |
Avoid Ross' fate. Label your leftover creations. (Giphy) |
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| Impress your holiday guests, or just be a little extra fancy at home, with these twists on classic cocktails from Back Bar in New York. Beverage director Jason Hedges showed us how to make the Sour Attitude, Desert Paloma and Autumn Oasis, an herbally mocktail. |
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9. DOG'S MIRACULOUS RECOVERY |
The discovery of a hiker's body late last month brought closure to the man's family after he had gone missing in the Colorado wilderness 72 days earlier. It also brought a small miracle: The man's dog, Finney, had stayed with him the whole time. Her recovery has been its own miracle. |
Finney, a loyal companion. (Dana Holby via AP) |
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Wondering what to watch this holiday weekend? This week we have classic faceoffs in the Royal Family and on the gridiron. Plus: Two of our favorite Chucks. |
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One thing we love: Time with family and friends. (We're allowed to get sappy now and then, OK?) One thing we hate: So many dishes. One thing we ate: Oh, we ate more than one thing. Lots more than one. (Even though we're full, we'll still gladly accept your favorite recipes. It's never too early to plan for T-Day '24.) |
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