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Retailers bank on Black Friday to energize bargain-hungry holiday shoppers
Nation & World
AP

Retailers bank on Black Friday to energize bargain-hungry holiday shoppers

  • By ANNE D'INNOCENZIO - AP Retail Writer

After weeks of pushing early deals, retailers in the United States and some other countries are promising bigger discounts on Black Friday. The day after Thanksgiving still reigns as the unofficial kickoff of the holiday shopping season even if it’s lost some luster. In the U.S., analysts envision solid sales, though perhaps not as robust as last year’s. Despite the easing of inflation, many shoppers are being cautious with their discretionary spending, according to analysts. Retailers 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.

Santa's annual train visit delivers hope and magic to one corner of coal country
Nation & World
AP

Santa's annual train visit delivers hope and magic to one corner of coal country

  • By TRAVIS LOLLER - Associated Press

Since 1943, the people of Appalachian Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee have looked forward to Santa’s arrival. Not in a sleigh on their rooftops, but on a train. At each stop of the CSX Santa Train there are dozens to hundreds of people. Many crowd around the back, where Santa and his helpers toss stuffed animals. Meanwhile groups of volunteer “elves” fan out with gifts, making sure every child goes home with something. Many of the children who line the tracks on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, waiting for Santa, are the third, fourth or fifth generation to do so. Sandra Owens has been coming for 43 years and now brings her grandchildren. She says, “The faces of the kids, that’s what makes me happy. You can’t see anything better.”

Jordan Love tosses 2 TDs as Packers take down Dolphins
National

Jordan Love tosses 2 TDs as Packers take down Dolphins

  • Field Level Media

Jordan Love threw for 274 yards and a pair of touchdowns to Jayden Reed and Quay Walker made a key goal-line stop in the fourth quarter to help the host Green Bay Packers defeat the Miami Dolphins 30-17 on Thursday. Green Bay (9-3) won for the third time in 12 days to remain two games behind the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions and pull even with the Minnesota Vikings in the win column. The Dolphins (5-7) saw a three-game winning streak snapped. Miami fell two games behind Denver for the final AFC playoff spot. A 14-yard touchdown pass from Tua Tagovailoa to De'Von Achane and a two-point conversion drew the Dolphins within 27-11 late in the third quarter. Miami trailed by the same score when it reached the Green Bay 1-yard line early in the fourth, but Walker sacked Tagovailoa on fourth down. Green Bay responded with a 33-yard Brandon McManus field goal, his third make of the night, to seal the win with 5:02 to go. Miami is 0-8 in games started by Tagovailoa in which the temperature is 40 degrees or colder. Thursday's cold, snowy weather impacted Miami's initial opportunity to handle the ball. After the defense forced a Packers punt on the first possession of the game, Malik Washington mishandled the return. Green Bay's Robert Rochell recovered at the Dolphins' 9-yard line and the Packers scored three plays later on a 3-yard connection from Love to Reed. Green Bay took a 24-3 lead into halftime. Jacobs punctuated a 12-play, 76-yard drive with a 1-yard scoring run with 55 seconds left in the first quarter. Miami responded with a 33-yard Jason Sanders field goal midway through the second quarter but yielded the next 10 points before intermission. Love hit Reed for a 12-yard TD pass with 1:36 to go, then added McManus' 46-yarder following a Dolphins turnover on downs. The Dolphins drew within the final margin on a 12-yard TD pass from Tagovailoa to Tyreek Hill with 3:04 left. Tagovailoa passed for 365 yards and two touchdowns. Jonnu Smith had 10 receptions for 113 yards and Hill had six catches for 83 yards. Tucker Kraft led the Packers with six catches for 78 yards. Jacobs ran for 43 yards and caught four passes for 74 yards. Dolphins cornerback Cam Smith left the game with a shoulder injury. --Field Level Media