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☆ As cocoa prices soar this Easter, chocolatiers consider alternatives
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( John Towfighi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Cocoa prices are surging so high, the Easter Bunny might want to hoard its chocolate. Poor climate and crop diseases in West Africa – home to 70% of global cocoa production – have tightened supply and caused prices to skyrocket. As prices rise, some chocolatiers are exploring cost-cutting alternatives, like diversifying their products to depend less on cocoa. Yet mining often destroys farms and the possibility of a livelihood in cocoa production, Issaka said. “Given the persistently high cocoa prices, it may be necessary for us to make responsible adjustments to pricing in the future,” the spokesperson wrote in an email.

Persons: Hershey’s, Shaquille O’Neal, Michele Buck, Billy Roberts, Roberts, ” Roberts, Issaka, Will Kletter, Kletter, “, Peng Xu, Christopher Taylor, Li, Taylor, ”, “ We’re, “ It’s, ” Taylor Organizations: CNN, Cadbury, NCA, “ Brands, Industries, International Cocoa Organization, Rabobank, US, ”, Euromonitor Locations: West Africa, North Region, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Silicon, Washington ,, Manhattan

☆ Target's collection with Diane von Furstenberg is another step in the right direction for the brand as it leans into luxury for less
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Samantha Grindell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewDiane von Furstenberg has been a household name since the '70s. Despite her place in the luxury world, von Furstenberg partnered with Target and her granddaughter, Talita von Furstenberg, to create a limited-edition collection for the store. Samantha Grindell/Business InsiderThe store has also been leaning into celebrity and top brand-name partnerships to level up its offerings. After seeing it in person, Target's collaboration with von Furstenberg seems like a natural progression of its brand strategy as it continues to offer products that feel luxurious for less. Shop the Diane von Furstenberg x Target collection.

Persons: —, Diane von Furstenberg, Forbes, Jeffery Bezos, von Furstenberg, Talita von Furstenberg, Samantha Grindell, Sally Hansen, Sergio Hudson, Christopher John Rogers, Joanna Gaines, Kendra Scott, Stanley Organizations: Service, Fashion, Target, Business, tote, Valentine's Locations: Brooklyn

PARKLAND, Fla. (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday is expected to tour the blood-stained classroom building where the 2018 Parkland high school massacre happened, accompanied by some victims' family members who are pushing for stricter gun laws and improved school safety. When Harris goes inside, she will see bullet-pocked walls and floors still covered in dried blood and broken glass. Schachter said while there is disagreement over gun laws, school safety brings the sides together. During Harris' visit, the White House says, she will announce a program to provide technical assistance and training to Florida and the other 20 states that have similar “red flag laws." Even officials who don't support stronger gun laws learn from the tours, leading to better discussions, Moskowitz said.

Persons: Kamala Harris, Harris, Marjory Stoneman, Miguel Cardona, wilted, Nikolas Cruz, ”, Jared Moskowitz, Stoneman Douglas, Joe Biden, Linda Beigel Schulman, Scott Beigel, Beigel Schulman, ” Max Schachter, Alex, Schachter, ” Schachter, Cruz, Scot Peterson, Moskowitz Organizations: —, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Democratic U.S . Rep Locations: Fla, Parkland, Utah, Florida, Broward County

☆ Modular homes were hailed as a solution to housing crises. But the sector is now struggling to scale
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Vicky Mckeever | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Modern tech-enabled versions of modular housing promise a faster, more sustainable solution to housing crises, according to experts. The fact that modular housing is also made in a controlled factory environment means less waste is generated, while also resulting in more energy-efficient homes. A 2022 report from industry group Make UK Modular highlighted that 80% fewer vehicle movements were needed to development sites with modular building. In the U.K. last year, Ilke Homes collapsed, while Legal & General moved to wind down its modular housing factory. By comparison, a Make UK Modular report published last year said more than 3,000 modular homes were being built in the U.K. annually, though there was capacity to build five times that number.

Persons: Prefabrication, William the Conqueror, Andrew Shepherd, Shepherd, Modulous, Jonatan Pinkse, Pinkse, Suzanne Peters, Daniel Paterson, prefabrication, Richard Valentine, Valentine, Selsey Organizations: Bloomberg, Getty, Sears, CNBC, University of Cambridge, Edinburgh Napier University, Ilke, Legal, King's College, Alliance Manchester Business School, Savills Research, McKinsey, Company, Ikea, Vonovia Locations: Foston, Derby, housebuilding, England, U.S, King's College London, Wales, Selsey, Sweden, Japan, prefabrication, Berlin, Germany

☆ Does Having a Gun Make a Person Suspicious? Courts Aren’t Sure Now.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Karen Zraick | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The police said they had quickly arrested the man, Robert Homer, and found a loaded Glock pistol in his pocket. That made him ineligible for a gun license under federal law. The case is now in jeopardy after a federal judge in Brooklyn ruled on Feb. 5 that the police did not have probable cause to stop Mr. Homer. The case involving Mr. Homer is the latest test of gun laws in the state, where officials continue to grapple with how to square a legacy of strong gun control with the 2022 ruling. The judge in the state case, Abraham Clott, said he disagreed with the federal judge’s conclusion.

Persons: Robert Homer, Homer, Nicholas G, Garaufis, Garaufis’s, Abraham Clott Locations: Queens, Brooklyn, York, Manhattan

☆ Lindsay Lohan and Bader Shammas' relationship timeline spans only a few years, but several milestones
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Palmer Haasch | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

February 2022: Lohan shares a photo of herself and Shammas for Valentine's Day"My forever Valentine," Lohan captioned the picture of her and Shammas snuggling together. November 2022: Lohan and Shammas make their red carpet debutLindsay Lohan and Bader Shammas at the "Falling for Christmas" premiere on November 9, 2022. Bryan Bedder/Stringer/Getty ImagesIn November 2022, Shammas accompanied Lohan to a fan screening of her movie "Falling For Christmas," marking their red carpet debut. April 2023: Lohan and Shammas commemorate their anniversary in a joint Instagram postAlongside a photo of her embracing Shammas on a beachside cliff, Lohan wrote: "1 year today... AdvertisementMarch 2024: Lohan and Shammas attend the Vanity Fair Oscar Party togetherLindsay Lohan and Bader Shammas at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party.

Persons: —, Lindsay Lohan, Bader Shammas, Lohan, Instagram, Shammas, Lohan's, bader, Valentine, Jimmy Fallon, Fallon, BI's Gabi Stevenson, Dina, Aliana, Dakota, Bryan Bedder, Stringer, we're, they've, Luai, James Devaney, Steve Granitz, Fair's Organizations: Service, Business, Twitter, Credit Suisse's, Wealth Management, Netflix Locations: Dubai, New York, London, New York City

☆ Japan's same-sex marriage ban is unconstitutional, high court says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A high court in Japan on Thursday said the country's ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional, ruling on a matter that has divided lower levels of the judiciary and put the conservative government at odds with shifting public opinion. Japan is the only member of the Group of Seven industrialized nations that doesn't offer legal protection for same-sex unions. Although polls show 70% public support for same-sex unions, they are opposed by the Liberal Democratic Party of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. "Enacting same-sex marriage does not seem to cause disadvantages or harmful effects," the court said. The government will eye other upcoming court decisions, its top spokesperson, Yoshimasa Hayashi, told a briefing.

Persons: Fumio Kishida, Eri Nakaya, Fumiyasu Tsunamori, Yoshimasa Hayashi Organizations: Valentine's, Rights, Liberal Democratic Party of Prime Locations: Shinagawa, Japan, Tokyo, Sapporo

☆ I'm a millennial mom who's visited 57 countries with my kids thanks to many income streams, including $4,000 a month blogging and extra cash from flipping homes
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Karen Edwards has traveled to or lived in 57 countries with her husband and four children. AdvertisementThis as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Karen Edwards, who blogs about her family's life abroad. Karen Edwards' son and the camper van they lived in. My kids played with Peruvian children — it was really, really special. AdvertisementKaren Edwards' husband and children.

Persons: Karen Edwards, —, I've, Edwards, Karen Edwards I've, It's, We've, it's, Karen Edwards ⁠, they've, we'll Organizations: Service, Sri Locations: Sri Lanka, Dublin, London, Abu Dhabi, London Borough, Croydon, Southeast Asia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Canada, Argentina, US, Mexico, Bahamas, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, Belize, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombo, Peru, Bolivia, Europe, Central Asia

☆ Even the stars of 'Madame Web' can't get away from the Sony Marvel movie fast enough
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Eammon Jacobs | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewWith Sony's "Madame Web" failing to ignite the box office, the actors from the Marvel movie are already distancing themselves from the Spider-Man adjacent project. "Madame Web" earned itself a lowly 12% critic's rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The star then suggested that the idea for "Madame Web" looked different when she originally signed onto the project. This isn't the first time a Sony Marvel movie has bombed spectacularly. Hopefully, they're more successful than "Madame Web," and "Morbius," because Sony can't afford any more Marvel misfires.

Persons: —, Cassandra Web, Johnson, Ezekiel Sims, Tahar Rahim, Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, Julia Cornwall, Sweeney, Audiences, Jared Leto, Kraven, Aaron Taylor, Tom Hardy, Marvel Organizations: Service, Marvel, Business, Los Angeles Times, Sony, Rotten, Hollywood, Sony Marvel

☆ Inside chef Duff Goldman's fridge, from the salads helping him lose 47 pounds to his current Costco buys
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Lizzy Briskin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Celebrity chef Duff Goldman lives with his wife and 3-year-old daughter in California. A peek inside Duff Goldman's fridge. Chilling cookie doughIt's no surprise to find cookie dough in Duff Goldman's fridge. Toom garlic dipToom is one of Duff Goldman's go-to dips. Toom Garlic Dip, Tyler Le/BIA bit hidden in Goldman's fridge is a highlighter-yellow tub of Toom garlic dip.

Persons: Duff Goldman, Goldman, —, you've, Johnna, Duff, Jennifer Aniston, he's, I've, Tyler Le, yolks, — Goldman, Duff Goldman's, Kirkland Organizations: Service, Charm, Goldman, Costco, Kirkland Locations: California, Ventura County , California, Italian, West Coast, Buffalo

☆ Uber and Lyft are threatening to leave Minneapolis over a ride-hailing proposal supporters say would guarantee drivers earn the city's minimum wage
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

The conversation around ride-hailing driver pay has been heating up across the country over the past year. AdvertisementLoren Balazs, a full-time driver in Minneapolis, told BI he's worried the city council's proposal would hurt his ride-hailing business. The study estimated that a minimum pay rate of $1.21 per mile and $0.49 per minute would guarantee drivers earned the city's minimum wage. AdvertisementThe debate over minimum pay for ride-hailing drivers has been building in Minneapolis for over a year. Tim Walz vetoed a bill that would have established minimum pay standards for Uber and Lyft drivers.

Persons: —, Erin Hatton, Jacob Frey, Lyft, Lyft haven't, Uber, behemoths wouldn't, aren't, Axios, Alexandrea Ravenelle, Sergio Avedian, Guy, Austin, Avedian, Joe Pierce, he'd, Loren Balazs, Sheri Wegner, they'll, Mayor Frey, Tim Walz Organizations: Service, Business, University at Buffalo, Minneapolis City Council, Minneapolis, New, Seattle, Minnesota, University of North, Star Tribune, Minnesota Gov, Uber, Minneapolis City Locations: Minneapolis, Minneapolis ? Minnesota, New York City , Washington, California, Chicago and Massachusetts, Washington, Seattle, Minneapolis . Washington, Alexandrea, University of North Carolina, Minnesota, Twin Cities

☆ El Salvador Removes Income Taxes for Money From Abroad
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( March | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

SAN SALVADOR (Reuters) - El Salvador's Congress approved on Tuesday a reform to remove income taxes previously imposed on money from abroad, in a move to attract more foreign investment. Money flows from abroad in forms such as remittances and investments in companies will now be exempt from tax, lawmakers said. Prior to the reform, incomes equal to or greater than $150,000 had to pay a rate of 30% at the time of entry into the country. "The initiative aims to stimulate domestic and foreign investment to boost the economy and generate better and more employment opportunities," said lawmaker Suecy Callejas in Congress when defending the reform. (Reporting by Nelson Renteria; Writing by Valentine Hilaire; Editing by Sarah Morland)

Persons: Suecy Callejas, Nelson Renteria, Valentine Hilaire, Sarah Morland Organizations: SALVADOR, Reuters, Salvador's

☆ I visited the most romantic restaurant in the US. We spent $126 on a delicious dinner for an amazing value.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Lara Walsh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

I went to Penumbra, which was named Yelp's most romantic restaurant in the US for 2024. The Latin-inspired steak house in Chicago had an elegant, intimate ambiance. Our $126 meal, which included wine, scallops, shrimp, and steak, was worth the price. AdvertisementAs a self-professed foodie, I had to visit Penumbra when Yelp deemed the Latin-inspired steak house the US's most romantic restaurant in 2024 ahead of Valentine's Day. I went for dinner with my boyfriend, and we spent $126 for our whole meal.

Persons: —, Yelp Organizations: Service, Penumbra Locations: Chicago, Penumbra

☆ Why Walmart's quick success in generative AI search should have Google worried
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( Michelle Castillo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

During a call with analysts after its February earnings, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon talked about the gen AI search capabilities in its app. As a technology company, Walmart has to experiment a lot, and in the case of adding generative AI search capabilities, there's a very low cost for failure, she said. AI and search, shopping business model shiftsIt's not only Walmart investing in this type of search in the retail sector. Amazon's AI shopping assistant Rufus lets people have a conversation with the platform about what they need rather than just looking for direct items. "Google is anxious is about search in general, and the question this raises is will it be a death by a thousand cuts for Google Search?"

Persons: Doug McMillon, McMillon, Marc Lore, Sucharita Kodali, Kodali, Sergey Brin, Brin, Rufus, Jacob Bourne, Bourne, it's Organizations: Google, Walmart, Amazon, Insider Intelligence, Ikea, Lowe's

☆ These viral $2.99 Trader Joe’s tote bags are being resold for as much as $500 on eBay
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —A Trader Joe’s canvas mini tote bag that costs about the same as a pack of gum is being resold online for nearly 200 times its retail price. The Trader Joe’s bags, available in blue, red, green and yellow, have taken social media by storm in the past week, garnering more than 11 million views on Tik Tok. The viral Trader Joe's mini canvas tote bag. From Trader Joe'sSome have been reselling the bags on e-commerce platforms like eBay and Facebook Marketplace. As of Sunday afternoon, hundreds of mini tote bags have been posted on eBay with prices ranging from $5 to $500.

Persons: Tik, ”, “, Stanley tumblers, Stanley Organizations: New, New York CNN, eBay, Facebook, tote, CNN, Target, Shoppers Locations: New York, Iowa, New Jersey

☆ A Night With New York’s Lesbian and Bisexual Backgammon League
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Julia Halperin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

There’s the pirate who’s said to have buried treasure on Liberty Island. And then there’s the Lesbian and Bisexual Backgammon League. “I’d heard whispers of this game for so long,” says the photographer Kate Owen, 35. For a year, she’d wondered where the mysterious tournament was held and who exactly was behind it. Then, on Valentine’s Day, she saw an Instagram post by the queer collective GayJoy calling for “a few more artsy gays to play backgammon” that evening.

Persons: who’s, “ I’d, ”, Kate Owen, she’d, optimistically, ’ Organizations: Lesbian Locations: York City, Liberty, Bortolami, TriBeCa

☆ Seeing Stars, Sperm and Millions of Spawn After a Valentine’s Day Rendezvous
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Kate Golembiewski | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The happy couple, a pair of sunflower sea stars, belonged to a species that has nearly vanished because of climate change. Sunflower sea stars are a far cry from their smaller pink cousins that you might know from Finding Nemo and SpongeBob SquarePants. “In a perfect, climate-change-free world, they would be keeping the kelp forest ecology at a perfect eco-balance,” Ms. Torres said. As a consequence of the heat, a strange wasting condition began spreading among the sunflower sea star population. Since then, an estimated 90 percent of all sunflower sea stars have perished.

Persons: Melissa Torres, Nemo, SpongeBob, They’re, Ms, Torres Organizations: Scripps Institution of Oceanography Locations: La Jolla, Calif, Pacific Northwest, North, California, Oregon

☆ Emma Heming Willis says husband Bruce’s life is still filled with joy
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Lianne Kolirin | Jack Guy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Bruce Willis’ wife has hit out at an online report that “there is no more joy” in her husband’s life. Emma Heming Willis said in a video posted to her Instagram profile on Sunday that she had been “clickbaited” by a headline “to do with my own family.”Appearing angry and frustrated, Heming Willis said she had been “triggered” by the story, which she came across on Sunday morning. Love is a beautiful thing ❤️ Wishing you all a Happy Valentine’s Day 🫶🏽 Emma Heming Willis/InstagramIn an interview last year, Heming Willis admitted that the diagnosis had been tough on her husband, herself and their two daughters. “What I’m learning is that dementia is hard,” Heming Willis told Hoda Kotb on the Today show on NBC. And that is no different for Bruce or myself or our girls.”That said, in a written message accompanying her video, Heming Willis explained that there was a lot more to the family’s situation than many headlines suggest.

Persons: Bruce Willis ’, Emma Heming Willis, ”, Heming Willis, Willis, “ Organizations: CNN, Alzheimer’s Research Locations: FTD

☆ ‘Dune 2’ jolts sleepy box office with $81.5 million opening
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-03 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

1 spot in its opening weekend with a strong $81.5 million in domestic sales, according to studio estimates. The sequel beat out the first Dune installment, which opened with $41 million when it was released in domestic theaters in October 2021. According to Comscore data, “Dune: Part Two” is the largest opening for Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson and Austin Butler. Box office revenue is down 13.5% compared to this time last year, Comscore data shows. February and March have, over the past three years, reliably housed movie releases from established franchises and properties including “The Batman,” ($134 million opening weekend) “Creed III” ($58 million) and “Uncharted” ($51 million).

Persons: ”, Jeff Goldstein, Warner, Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Austin Butler, It’s, Denis Villeneuve’s, Denis Villeneuve, Goldstein, Paul Dergarabedian, “, III ” Organizations: CNN, Warner Bros . Pictures, Warner Bros, Warner Bros ., Dolby, Comscore, Studios

☆ Why the hottest commodity of 2024 could be in for a rude awakening
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Lisa Kailai Han | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Cocoa prices rose to a red-hot sizzle this Valentine's Day — but they could soon be due for a reckoning, according to Citi. Cocoa futures finished 25.5% higher in February, cinching their biggest monthly gain since November 2001, when they rose 31.66%. Cocoa supply might increase on one side of the equation, but Doshi cautioned that demand might also be weighed down by consumption risks. Even against this backdrop, Doshi highlighted that it might take some time before cocoa prices completely retreat off their record highs. "Our base case remains that cocoa terminal prices will enter a bear market by end-2024, off a historically rich nominal price area."

Persons: Aakash, Doshi, haven't, Chocolate, Hershey, — CNBC's Michael Bloom, Gina Francolla Organizations: Citi, Wall Street, Nestle Locations: …

☆ Stanley cup maker has a plan to make its product launches less chaotic
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Parija Bhatnagar | Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

It’s because the Stanley tumbler is arguably one of the most viral products of the moment. So Stanley maker PMI has taken a different approach with its newest limited edition tumbler launch of the much-hyped chocolate and gold Quencher. The new chocolate gold Stanley tumbler. From StanleyOn Tuesday, Stanley unveiled the limited-edition chocolate gold Quencher tumbler on its website. When Target dropped a limited-edition Valentine’s collection of Stanley tumblers in bright pink and cherry red tones in December, the situation wasn’t pretty.

Persons: New York CNN — Stanley, Stanley tumbler, it’s, Stanley, Nike —, ” Andrew Lipp, ”, ” Lipp, William Stanley, Jr, marveled, Stanley tumblers, ” Matt Navarro, Lipp Organizations: New, New York CNN, Stanley, PMI, Nike, CNN, “, Starbucks Locations: New York, Australia

☆ Trump and his favorite fundraising platform both face donor problems
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

and "Donation not approved," but the people who send them all want the same thing: to halt the Republican political contribution platform WinRed from making any more automatic, recurring withdrawals from their accounts. According to campaign finance reports, WinRed processed $14,300 in political contributions from Elliot and her husband, Orin Elliot, between 2020 and the end of 2023. "Older folks are generally more vulnerable and they're often more easily taken in" by aggressive political fundraising appeals, according to Saurav Ghosh, director of federal campaign finance reform at the nonprofit watchdog Campaign Legal Center. "You see with former President Trump, that he's fundraising off his indictments. That refund rate was more than four times that of President Joe Biden's campaign and surrounding political apparatus at that time, according to the Times.

Persons: Matthew Hurtt, Hurtt, he's, Samie Elliot, Elliot, Orin Elliot, WinRed, Donald Trump's, Trump, Saurav Ghosh, Joe Biden's Organizations: Arlington, Arlington County Republican, Republican, Arlington VA, Hurtt, CNBC, Arlington County Republican Party, Federal, Commission, Republican Party, WinRed, The New York Times, Times Locations: Virginia, Arlington County, Arlington, Oklahoma, Hurtt's inbox, WinRed

☆ The last thing people needed to hear this week was what Biden thinks about 'good sex' but here we are anyway
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

When one thinks of Joe Biden, one's first thought probably isn't the phrase "good sex." But that's apparently what keeps the Bidens' marriage going strong. AdvertisementI'm guessing most people didn't think there was much they needed — or wanted — to know about President Joe Biden's sex life, but here we are. Joe and Jill Biden married on June 17, 1977, after Biden proposed to her five times. While the Bidens' sex life might not move the needle for most voters, some Republican figures — like Donald Trump Jr. — certainly are interested in how much "wood" Biden is packing.

Persons: Joe Biden, one's, Katie Rogers, —, Joe Biden's, Biden, Lady Jill Biden, Hillary Clinton, Jill Biden, Joe, Rogers, John Kerry, Jill, — Biden, Al Pacino, Noor Alfallah, Robert De Niro, he'd, Robert Hur, vociferously, Donald Trump Jr Organizations: New York Times White House, Service, The New York Times, The Times, Guardian, The, Democratic Party, Biden Locations: The Times

☆ Inflation is cooling, but small businesses in the U.S. say customers just aren’t spending like they used to
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

While cooling inflation and a robust GDP reading that smashed economists’ expectations are reasons to be optimistic about the US economy, one key economic engine seems to still be sputtering: small businesses. Small business owners say they’re still grappling with the hangover effects of inflation and a labor shortage, according to the National Federation of Independent Business’s most recent monthly survey, which was conducted in January. Dougherty said small businesses may be delayed in feeling the effect of easing inflation, but once businesses experience more prolonged stable prices, that may help their sentiment turn around. A recent survey of American Express small business customers indicated that some small business owners see strength in 2024. Half of the 557 US small businesses surveyed said they plan to grow or expand their businesses in the upcoming year.

Persons: Kevin Meehan, , he’s, ” Meehan, “, hasn’t, Kevin Meehan RJacobsonPhoto, we’d, that’s, Everything’s, ”, Charles Dougherty, Sarah Cash, Cash, Sarah Cash Elise Kutt, “ I’ve, ” Cash, it’s, they’re, doesn’t, Sunny, Dougherty, Meehan, I’m Organizations: CNN, Kali, National Federation of Independent, “, US Chamber of Commerce, American Express, Valentine’s Locations: Los Angeles, Wells Fargo, United States, Grand Rapids , Michigan

☆ Cringe couples are everywhere — and they're just as insecure as the rest of us
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-24 | by ( Kim Schewitz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Read previewIn 2024, cringe is in: people are in love, and they don't care who knows it. It goes without saying that Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are embracing cringe on an unparalleled scale. They're blowing kisses on the jumbotron and running into each other's arms in front of millions of Super Bowl spectators. It can also be comforting to feel like you're following social norms and doing what society expects of you. "If we are with someone, they're going to have flaws, they're going to annoy us.

Persons: —, cringe, Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, Selena Gomez, Benny Blanco, Travis Barker, Rocky, haring, ross, eople, ike, ould, ove, ingle Organizations: Service, Super Bowl, Business, ailey, ust Locations: ife, alues

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