Retail sales rose at healthy pace last month in latest sign of US economy's health WASHINGTON (AP) — Consumers stepped up their spending at retail stores last month, providing a boost to the economy in the early phases of the winter holiday shopping season. Retail sales rose 0.7% in November, the Commerce Department said Tuesday, a solid increase and higher than October’s 0.5% gain. The boost in spending underscores that the economy is still growing at a healthy pace even with higher interest rates, a trend that could cause the Federal Reserve to lower borrowing costs more slowly next year than they have previously signaled. Tuesday’s report arrives just a day before the Fed is set to announce its latest rate decision Wednesday. Americans end 2024 with grim economic outlook, but Republicans are optimistic for 2025: AP-NORC poll WASHINGTON (AP) — A new poll finds that Democrats are feeling more pessimistic about the U.S. economy after Donald Trump's victory. Republicans, meanwhile, are still dour about the current state of the economy but hopeful that growth will be stronger next year when Trump returns to the White House as president. The latest survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research suggests that some Americans are evaluating the economy more by who holds political power than on what the underlying trends suggest. This was a persistent challenge for President Joe Biden and raises the possibility that Trump might also struggle to translate his economic ideas into political wins. Energy chief Granholm warns against 'unfettered exports' of liquefied natural gas WASHINGTON (AP) — Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm says the incoming Trump administration should proceed cautiously as it considers proposals for new natural gas export terminals. Granholm warns that “unfettered exports” of liquefied natural gas, or LNG, could raise wholesale domestic prices by more than 30% and increase planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions. Granholm’s statement Tuesday came as the Energy Department released a long-awaited study on the environmental and economic impacts of natural gas exports, which have grown exponentially in the past decade. The analysis found that U.S. LNG shipments drive up domestic prices and could lead to higher global carbon emissions. Biden calls for ban on congressional stock trading WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has endorsed a ban on congressional stock trading in an interview that’s being released this week. It's the first time he's publicly backed the idea. He made the comments to Faiz Shakir, a political adviser for Sen. Bernie Sanders. Shakir interviewed the Democratic president for A More Perfect Union, a pro-labor advocacy and journalism organization. The Associated Press reviewed a video of the interview before its release. A bipartisan proposal to ban trading by members of Congress and their families has dozens of sponsors, but it has not received a vote. What does Big Tech hope to gain from warming up to Trump? NEW YORK (AP) — In a string of visits, dinners, calls, monetary pledges and social media overtures, big tech chiefs have joined a parade of business and world leaders in trying to improve their standing with President-elect Donald Trump before he takes office in January. The tech list includes Apple’s Tim Cook, OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos. Meanwhile, the list of what the executives may be hoping for includes an open path toward developing artificial intelligence, easier access to energy for data centers and an easing of antitrust enforcement. Suspect charged with killing UnitedHealthcare's CEO as an act of terrorism NEW YORK (AP) — The man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare’s CEO has been charged with murder as an act of terrorism. Prosecutors disclosed the indictment Tuesday as they worked to bring Luigi Mangione to a New York court from from a Pennsylvania jail. The 26-year-old Mangione already had been charged with murder in the Dec. 4 killing of Brian Thompson. But the terror allegation is new. Under New York law, such a charge can be brought when an alleged crime is “intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, influence the policies of a unit of government by intimidation or coercion and affect the conduct of a unit of government by murder, assassination or kidnapping.” Mangione's New York lawyer hasn't commented. Amazon investing another $10 billion in Ohio-based data centers COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Amazon Web Services will invest another $10 billion to bolster its data center infrastructure in Ohio. The company and Republican Gov. Mike DeWine announced the plan Monday. The new investment will boost the amount it has committed to spending in Ohio by the end of 2029 to more than $23 billion. AWS launched its first data centers in the state in 2016. It currently operates campuses in two counties in central Ohio. The new investment will allow AWS to expand its data centers to new sites across the state, but the company says those locations have not been determined yet. Federal Reserve is likely to slow its rate cuts with inflation pressures still elevated WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans hoping for lower borrowing costs for homes, credit cards and cars may be disappointed after this week’s Federal Reserve meeting. The Fed’s policymakers are likely to signal fewer interest rate cuts next year than were previously expected. The officials are set to reduce their benchmark rate, which affects many consumer and business loans, by a quarter-point to about 4.3% when their meeting ends Wednesday. The problem is that while inflation has dropped far below its peak of 9.1% in mid-2022, it remains stubbornly above the Fed’s 2% target. Stock market today: Wall Street trims its stellar gains as Nvidia's star dims again NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes trimmed some of their stellar gains for the year. The S&P 500 slipped 0.4% Tuesday, though it’s still near its all-time high set earlier this month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dopped 267 points, and the Nasdaq composite lost 0.3% from its record set the day before. Nvidia, the superstar stock that’s been a big reason for Wall Street’s run to records this year, fell for its eighth loss in the last nine days. Treasury yields held relatively steady after sales at U.S. retailers strengthened by more than expected. Bitcoin set another record. Why is tech giant SoftBank investing over $100 billion in the US? BANGKOK (AP) — Japanese tycoon Masayoshi Son has joined President-elect Donald Trump in announcing plans by technology and telecoms giant SoftBank Group to invest $100 billion in projects in the United States. Trump said the investments would create 100,000 jobs over four years, twice what Son promised when he pledged $50 billion in U.S. investments in 2016. Son is known for making bold choices, sometimes paying big and sometimes not. SoftBank has investments in dozens of Silicon Valley startups, big companies like semiconductor maker Arm and Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba. The stock market rally and craze for AI has boosted the value of its assets, but some question if its investments will create that many jobs.jili 333 。

Ripple (XRP) Gains Over 300% Following Trump's Victory, But Another Altcoin Could Soon Take Its Place as Top PerformerChina Replaces General in Charge of Ground Force’s Political LoyaltyRepublican Rep. Virginia Foxx has reached her final hours as the conference's leader on education policy. For 20 years, Foxx has served on the House Education and the Workforce Committee. For the last two terms while Republicans were in the majority in the House, she's held the coveted position of chairwoman and was ranking member when Democrats were in control from 2019 until 2021. In fact, the 81-year-old congresswoman was granted a waiver to lead the committee for the 118th Congress because Republicans limit their top committee position to six years. The Republican Steering Committee will elect the next chair on Thursday. Foxx told ABC News that her top priority this session was reducing college costs through reauthorizing the Higher Education Act. Many of the K-12 topics on the former college instructor and community college president's legislative agenda became winning issues for Republicans. Parents' rights, protecting women and girls in sports, and school choice policies -- issues that reached the national stage on the campaign trail this year -- were widely supported by Republicans under Foxx's leadership. Foxx is known for foiling the Biden administration's signature higher education policies, including his student loan forgiveness program. She's been called a "hero" by staffers and a "force of nature" by House Speaker Mike Johnson. "She has been a very faithful friend to me and a good model for all of us," Johnson recalled in an interview with ABC News. "Her work ethic is incredible. She is so passionate about what she does. She is a force of nature, but she also has a way to balance it with humility," Johnson said. Dedication to education Foxx's dedication to education was exhibited by her committee's crackdown on alleged antisemitism engulfing college campuses over the last year. She spearheaded the collecting of more than 400,000 pages of documents, historic subpoenas for documents and internal communications, and hearings that led to the resignations of Ivy League presidents who failed to protect Jewish students at U.S. universities, according to the committee's wide-reaching report . "Our goal was and is to make sure that Jewish students are safe on campus," Foxx told ABC News, adding, "All students should be safe on campus, but it was the Jewish students who were being threatened and harassed and, at times, assaulted." House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik has worked alongside Foxx for the last decade on the committee. Stefanik credits Foxx with being the driving force pushing education to the top of the House's agenda as Johnson took up the antisemitism issue earlier this spring. "The great thing about Virginia is she's not going to slow down, and I think she will have other great chapters in Congress, but it's been great to be on the committee with her, and I'm very proud of her, and she is someone that so many people look up to," Stefanik told ABC News. Foxx's work ethic can be traced back to her humble beginning in Avery County, North Carolina, in Appalachia. She told ABC News that she grew up very poor. "I just never imagined, in my wildest dreams, being in Congress or having a portrait," Foxx said when asked this fall about the painting of her that now hangs in the Education Committee's hearing room on Capitol Hill. "I grew up in a town with no electricity and no running water." Foxx is now a mentor to her colleagues, including Stefanik and Utah's Burgess Owens. "She's a bulldog when it comes down to what she wants to get accomplished and that's what we've needed to actually bring education to the forefront," Rep. Owens told ABC News. A former NFL player, Owens said he admires Foxx's ability to build a team and compared the chairwoman to his legendary head coach Al Davis. "I see what Dr. Foxx is doing with education in the same way," Owens said. "I think for the first time, education is becoming a priority, not only for those of us who have a passion for it, but for Americans across the country who just took it for granted," he said. Who will be the next chair? A relative newcomer to the committee, Owens wants to follow in Foxx's footsteps. He is challenging Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Michigan, to succeed Foxx as chair. Owens told ABC News he's feeling anxious about winning over his colleagues on the committee. Meanwhile, Walberg and Rep. G.T. Thompson of Pennsylvania are the second-longest serving Republicans on the committee behind Foxx. After 16 years, Walberg said he believes he deserves the top position. Foxx said she has loved chairing the committee, but it's just one of many highlights during her time on the Hill. "My greatest achievement comes every day when we help another constituent, so my life isn't just tied up in the committee," she said.

The question of who uses which bathroom on Capitol Hill has become a heated topic ahead of the 119th U.S. Congress convening next year. This debate was sparked by the historic election of Sarah McBride , a transgender woman, to represent Delaware in Congress. In response, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) introduced a resolution aiming to require transgender individuals to use bathrooms corresponding to their sex assigned at birth. Democratic state Rep. Zooey Zephyr, the first transgender woman in Montana's state legislature, understands what it feels like to be singled out. She joined Scripps News on Friday to weigh in on the controversy unfolding in D.C. "It's important to acknowledge that while these attacks on transgender people are always brought one bill at a time, they do not focus on specific issues," Zephyr said. "The hate of trans people is boundless. We saw that when Nancy Mace went on far-right media earlier this week and claimed that it was 'offensive' that Congresswoman McBride views herself as an equal to Nancy Mace." "When we see policies targeting trans women just trying to live their lives in the restroom, trying to play sports with their friends — that is not where the hate stops from the right," Zephyr said. "That hate is on display at every moment, which is why it's important for us to resist these efforts to target our community." In 2023, Republican lawmakers in Montana voted to ban Zephyr from the House floor and from participating in debates after she spoke out against a bill banning gender-affirming care for minors. The incident led to legal challenges over Zephyr's censure and to political activism from supporters of transgender rights. "The attacks we see on trans people will escalate. This will not be the last attack on Congresswoman McBride," Zephyr said. "In my perspective, it is important that we make sure as trans people in this country that we do not cede ground to someone who wants to erase us — regardless of whether they want to erase us in the Capitol, or if they want to erase us as we go through our daily lives in public. We have to stand strong." In an interview with Scripps News this week, Mace said her resolution was specifically targeted at Rep.-elect McBride, who stated she will "follow the rules as outlined" even if she disagrees with them. "I'm not here to fight about bathrooms," McBride said . "I'm here to fight for Delawareans to bring down the costs facing families." Despite McBride's statement, Mace said her effort to ban transgender individuals from certain bathrooms extends beyond Washington. She is advocating for legislation requiring transgender people to use restrooms that align with their sex assigned at birth on any property receiving public funds. "I have PTSD from the sexual abuse I have suffered at the hands of a man. We have to as women draw a line in the sand, a big fat red line, about our rights," Mace said. "And the basic question today is, do women have rights or do we not? And I will tell you just the idea of a man in a locker room watching me change clothes after a workout is a huge trigger and it's not OK to make and force women to be vulnerable in private spaces." RELATED STORY | As House GOP targets McBride, she says 'I'm not here to fight about bathrooms'PTA enables VPN registration for freelancers via mobile numbers

Rosen Law Firm Announces Investigation of Breaches of Fiduciary Duties by the Directors and Officers of Southwest Airlines Co. - LUVBrock Purdy and Nick Bosa are not available for the San Francisco 49ers when they enter Green Bay with designs on finding their finishing kick on Sunday afternoon. Purdy is out with a right shoulder injury and won't leave the sideline at Lambeau Field, head coach Kyle Shanahan said Friday, when he also declared Bosa out and confirmed journeyman Brandon Allen would make his 10th career start at quarterback. "Outside of here people haven't seen a lot of Brandon. But it's his second year (with the 49ers)," Shanahan said. "Obviously guys want Brock up, but guys are excited to see Brandon play." Shanahan said the 49ers are "a little surprised" Purdy experienced tightness and discomfort in his shoulder after an MRI exam on Monday that showed no long-term cause for concern. "The way it responded this week, it's really up in the air for next week," Shanahan said of Purdy's long-term prognosis. Allen's last NFL start on the road was with the Bengals at the Ravens in 2020. Allen completed 6 of 21 passes for 48 yards with two interceptions. He finished with a passer rating of 0.0 in a 38--3 loss. "It's definitely an opportunity for me to go out and play well and put our guys in a good position to win the game," Allen said Friday. "And obviously we want Brock back and healthy and all that, but for time being, it is an opportunity for me." Purdy took the practice field Thursday with the intent to participate. His shoulder tightened significantly, and the 49ers ushered him off the field to meet with trainers. Purdy beat the Packers in the NFC divisional playoffs at San Francisco in January, but Allen is familiar to Packers head coach Matt LaFleur. LaFleur was an assistant coach with the Rams during Allen's two-year run in Los Angeles. Allen broke into the NFL in 2016 with the Jaguars and is 2-7 in nine career starts. He went 1-2 with the Broncos in 2019 and 1-5 in six starts over two years with the Bengals in 2020 and ‘21. A victory against the visiting 49ers on Sunday would bolster the Packers' playoff chances, send a conference rival below .500 and avenge a bitter playoff defeat. Those seemingly rank in no particular order for the Packers (8-3), although they don't shy from living at least partially in the past ahead of a Week 12 showdown. San Francisco eliminated Green Bay 24-21 in the NFC divisional playoffs last season, scoring 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. "That's what you've got to sit with all offseason, is going back, watching the game, trying to see what you could have done better," Packers quarterback Jordan Love said. "What you could have done differently in that game. ... Just knowing that's the team that knocked us out, we're definitely hungry for this game." Ditto for San Francisco. The 49ers fell to 5-5 after last week's 20-17 home loss to Seattle, done in by Geno Smith's 13-yard touchdown run with 12 seconds to play. Still only a game behind NFC West-leading Arizona, the reigning conference champion 49ers are just 1-3 in division play and can ill afford to lose more ground. A visit to AFC East leader Buffalo awaits after the trip to Green Bay. While they're dealing with plenty of not-so-good news on the injury front, the 49ers do anticipate the return of other contributors. Cornerback Charvarius Ward, who missed the past two games following the death of his 1-year-old daughter, practiced Wednesday. Tight end George Kittle also is eager to play after a nagging hamstring injury sidelined him against the Seahawks. "Very excited," Kittle said. "Can't pass up playing the Packers, so no, I will be out there for sure." Allen was a three-year starter at Arkansas but has been a journeyman backup since entering the NFL in 2016 as the 201st overall pick of the Jaguars. Shanahan and LaFleur have been fierce competitors since twice working together, first as low-level assistants with the Texans in 2008, then on the so-called "dream team" staff in Washington that also included Sean McVay, Mike McDaniel and Raheem Morris; and two seasons with the Falcons (2015, 2016) where LaFleur was quarterbacks coach and Shanahan called the plays. Shanahan scored the most recent win over LaFleur in January. Green Bay has won seven of the past eight regular-season meetings between the franchises. But the familiarity and shared-brain approach to offense that has the coaches completed each other's play calls has led to some tight games. The past three at Lambeau Field were all decided by three points. Green Bay, which hosts a home game on Thanksgiving next Thursday, is starting a run of three games in 12 days. They'll play back-to-back Thursday games. Their Week 14 game is at Detroit. That might make it good news for LaFleur that surprising contributors have emerged of late. Packers wideout Christian Watson had a career-best 150 receiving yards on only four catches during last week's 20-19 road win against the Chicago Bears. His diving 60-yard reception in the fourth quarter put the Packers in position for Love's go-ahead, 1-yard scoring run with 2:59 to play. Watson entered the game with eight catches for 83 yards over his previous three contests, but LaFleur assured Watson remains a "big part" of the attack. "He's a guy who's got every measurable known to man in terms of the size, the speed, and it's not like those were easy plays he was making," LaFleur said. "He was making tough, contested catches." San Francisco will aim to generate more pressure against Love than the Bears, who sacked him just once. The 49ers collected four sacks against the Seahawks, with Bosa and Leonard Floyd contributing 1.5 apiece. Recent regular-season history between the Packers and 49ers at Lambeau Field has favored Green Bay. The Packers have won seven of their past eight home games against the 49ers and are 22-11 versus San Francisco at home all-time. Green Bay leads the series 34-28-1. --Field Level Media