Related ArticlesEuropean Commission hails trade deal with Mercosur blocBryson DeChambeau Finally Accomplishes Viral TikTok Challenge After Two WeeksAirports and highways are expected to be jam-packed during Thanksgiving week, a holiday period likely to end with another record day for air travel in the United States. AAA predicts that nearly 80 million Americans will venture at least 50 miles from home between Tuesday and next Monday, most of them by car. However, travelers could be impacted by ongoing weather challenges and those flying to their destinations could be grounded by delays brought on by airline staffing shortages and an airport service workers strike . Here's the latest: 2.2 billion packages are expected to ship between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve U.S. airlines are preparing for a Thanksgiving holiday rush, and so are the U.S. Postal Service, United Parcel Service and FedEx. Shipping companies will deliver about 2.2 billion packages to homes and businesses across the U.S. from Thanksgiving to Dec. 31, said Satish Jindel, a shipping and logistics expert and president of ShipMatrix. That’s down from 2.3 billion packages last year. Because the shopping period is a week shorter than in 2023, consumers are shopping further ahead of Black Friday and more purchases are taking place in physical stores, he said. The number of holiday package shipments grew 27% in 2020 and by more than 3% the following year during the pandemic. The numbers have been falling since then, with a projected decline of about 6% this holiday season. Does your airport offer therapy dogs? Looking to de-stress while waiting for your flight? Many airports have a fleet of therapy dogs — designated fidos and puppers that are eager to receive pets and snuggles from weary travelers. Rules and schedules vary from airport to airport, but the group AirportTherapyDogs uses online crowdsourcing to share the locations of therapy dogs across its various social media accounts. Today, Gracie, a toy Australian shepherd, and Budge, an English bulldog, wandered the concourses at Denver International Airport, and an American Staffordshire Terrier named Hugo greeted travelers at Punta Gorda Airport in Florida. Some airports even feature other therapy pals. San Francisco International Airport’s fleet of animals includes a Flemish Giant rabbit and a hypoallergenic pig. What the striking airport workers are saying “We cannot live on the wages that we are being paid,” ABM cabin cleaner Priscilla Hoyle said at a rally earlier Monday. “I can honestly say it’s hard every single day with my children, working a full-time job but having to look my kids in the eyes and sit there and say, ‘I don’t know if we’re going to have a home today.’” Timothy Lowe II, a wheelchair attendant, said he has to figure out where to spend the night because he doesn’t make enough for a deposit on a home. “We just want to be able to have everything that’s a necessity paid for by the job that hired us to do a great job so they can make billions,” he said. ABM said it is “committed to addressing concerns swiftly” and that there are avenues for employees to communicate issues, including a national hotline and a “general open door policy for managers at our worksite.” What are striking Charlotte airport workers’ demands? Employees of ABM and Prospect Airport Services cast ballots Friday to authorize the work stoppage at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, a hub for American Airlines. They described living paycheck to paycheck while performing jobs that keep planes running on schedule. Most of them earn $12.50 to $19 an hour, union officials said. Rev. Glencie Rhedrick of Charlotte Clergy Coalition for Justice said those workers should make $22 to $25 an hour. The strike is expected to last 24 hours. Several hundred workers participated in the work stoppage. US flights are running normally Forty-four fights have been canceled today and nearly 1,900 were delayed by midday on the East Coast, according to FlightAware . According to the organization’s cheekily named MiseryMap , San Francisco International Airport is having the most hiccups right now, with 53 delays and three cancellations between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. EST. While that might sound like a lot of delays, they might not be so bad compared to last Friday when the airport suffered 671 delays and 69 cancellations. Cutting in line? American Airlines’ new boarding tech might stop you now at over 100 airports In an apparent effort to reduce the headaches caused by airport line cutting, American Airlines has rolled out boarding technology that alerts gate agents with an audible sound if a passenger tries to scan a ticket ahead of their assigned group. This new software won’t accept a boarding pass before the group it’s assigned to is called, so customers who get to the gate prematurely will be asked to go back and wait their turn. As of Wednesday, the airline announced, the technology is now being used in more than 100 U.S. airports that American flies out of. The official expansion arrives after successful tests in three of these locations — Albuquerque International Sunport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Tucson International Airport. ▶ Read more about American Airlines’ new boarding technology Tips to make holiday travel a bit easier Travel can be stressful in the best of times. Now add in the high-level anxiety that seems to be baked into every holiday season and it’s clear travelers could use some help calming frazzled nerves. Here are a few ways to make your holiday journey a little less stressful: 1. Make a checklist of what you need to do and what you need to bring 2. Carry your comfort with you — think noise-canceling headphones, cozy clothes, snacks and extra medication 3. Stay hydrated 4. Keep up to date on delays, gate changes and cancellations with your airline’s app ▶ Read more tips about staying grounded during holiday travel The timing of this year’s holiday shapes travel patterns Thanksgiving Day takes place late this year, with the fourth Thursday of November falling on Nov. 28. That shortens the traditional shopping season and changes the rhythm of holiday travel. With more time before the holiday , people tend to spread out their outbound travel over more days, but everyone returns at the same time, said Andrew Watterson, the chief operating officer of Southwest Airlines . “A late Thanksgiving leads to a big crush at the end,” Watterson said. “The Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday after Thanksgiving are usually very busy with Thanksgiving this late.” Airlines did a relatively good job of handling holiday crowds last year, when the weather was mild in most of the country. Fewer than 400 U.S. flights were canceled during Thanksgiving week in 2023 — about one out of every 450 flights. So far in 2024, airlines have canceled about 1.3% of all flights. Advice for drivers Drivers should know that Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons will be the worst times to travel by car, but it should be smooth sailing on freeways come Thanksgiving Day, according to transportation analytics company INRIX. On the return home, the best travel times for motorists are before 1 p.m. on Sunday, and before 8 a.m. or after 7 p.m. on Monday, the company said. In metropolitan areas like Boston, Los Angeles, New York, Seattle and Washington, “traffic is expected to be more than double what it typically is on a normal day,” INRIX transportation analyst Bob Pishue said. FAA staffing shortage could cause flight delays Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Mike Whitaker said last week that he expects his agency to use special measures at some facilities to deal with an ongoing shortage of air traffic controllers. In the past, those facilities have included airports in New York City and Florida. “If we are short on staff, we will slow traffic as needed to keep the system safe,” Whitaker said. The FAA has long struggled with a shortage of controllers that airline officials expect will last for years, despite the agency’s lofty hiring goals. Thanksgiving travel, b y the numbers 5. Auto club and insurance company AAA predicts that nearly 80 million Americans will venture at least 50 miles from home between Tuesday and next Monday. Most of them will travel by car. 6. Drivers should get a slight break on gas prices . The nationwide average price for gasoline was $3.06 a gallon on Sunday, down from $3.27 at this time last year. 7. The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen 18.3 million people at U.S. airports during the same seven-day stretch. That would be 6% more than during the corresponding days last year but fit a pattern set throughout 2024. 8. The TSA predicts that 3 million people will pass through airport security checkpoints on Sunday; more than that could break the record of 3.01 million set on the Sunday after the July Fourth holiday. Tuesday and Wednesday are expected to be the next busiest air travel days of Thanksgiving week. ▶ Read more about Thanksgiving travel across the U.S. Charlotte airport workers strike over low wages Workers who clean airplanes, remove trash and help with wheelchairs at Charlotte’s airport, one of the nation’s busiest, went on strike Monday to demand higher wages. The Service Employees International Union announced the strike in a statement early Monday, saying the workers would demand “an end to poverty wages and respect on the job during the holiday travel season.” The strike was expected to last 24 hours, said union spokesperson Sean Keady. Employees of ABM and Prospect Airport Services cast ballots Friday to authorize the work stoppage at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, a hub for American Airlines. The two companies contract with American, one of the world’s biggest carriers, to provide services such as cleaning airplane interiors, removing trash and escorting passengers in wheelchairs. ▶ Read more about the Charlotte airport workers’ strike Northeast should get needed precipitation Parts of the Midwest and East Coast can expect to see heavy rain into Thanksgiving, and there’s potential for snow in Northeastern states. A storm last week brought rain to New York and New Jersey, where wildfires have raged in recent weeks, and heavy snow to northeastern Pennsylvania. The precipitation was expected to help ease drought conditions after an exceptionally dry fall. Heavy snow fell in northeastern Pennsylvania, including the Pocono Mountains. Higher elevations reported up to 17 inches (43 centimeters), with lesser accumulations in valley cities including Scranton and Wilkes-Barre. Around 35,000 customers in 10 counties were still without power, down from 80,000 a day ago. In the Catskills region of New York, nearly 10,000 people remained without power Sunday morning, two days after a storm dumped heavy snow on parts of the region. Precipitation in West Virginia helped put a dent in the state’s worst drought in at least two decades and boosted ski resorts as they prepare to open in the weeks ahead. ▶ Read more about Thanksgiving week weather forecasts More rain expected after deadly ‘bomb cyclone’ on West Coast Two people died in the Pacific Northwest after a rapidly intensifying “ bomb cyclone ” hit the West Coast last Tuesday, bringing fierce winds that toppled trees and power lines and damaged homes and cars. Hundreds of thousands lost electricity in Washington state before powerful gusts and record rains moved into Northern California. Forecasters said the risk of flooding and mudslides remained as the region will get more rain starting Sunday. But the latest storm won’t be as intense as last week’s atmospheric river , a long plume of moisture that forms over an ocean and flows over land. “However, there’s still threats, smaller threats, and not as significant in terms of magnitude, that are still going to exist across the West Coast for the next two or three days,” weather service forecaster Rich Otto said. As the rain moves east throughout the week, Otto said, there’s a potential for heavy snowfall at higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada, as well as portions of Utah and Colorado. California’s Mammoth Mountain, which received 2 feet (0.6 meters) of fresh snow in the recent storm, could get another 4 feet (1.2 meters) before the newest system clears out Wednesday, the resort said. Forecasts warn of possible winter storms across US during Thanksgiving week Another round of wintry weather could complicate travel leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday, according to forecasts across the U.S., while California and Washington state continue to recover from storm damage and power outages. In California, where two people were found dead in floodwaters on Saturday, authorities braced for more rain while grappling with flooding and small landslides from a previous storm . Here’s a look at some of the regional forecasts: 9. Sierra Nevada: The National Weather Service office issued a winter storm warning through Tuesday, with heavy snow expected at higher elevations and wind gusts potentially reaching 55 mph (88 kph). Total snowfall of roughly 4 feet (1.2 meters) was forecast, with the heaviest accumulations expected Monday and Tuesday. 10. Midwest and Great Lakes: The Midwest and Great Lakes regions will see rain and snow Monday and the East Coast will be the most impacted on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, forecasters said. 11. East Coast: A low pressure system is forecast to bring rain to the Southeast early Thursday before heading to the Northeast. Areas from Boston to New York could see rain and breezy conditions, with snowfall possible in parts of northern New Hampshire, northern Maine and the Adirondacks. If the system tracks further inland, there could be less snow and more rain in the mountains, forecasters said. ▶ Read more about Thanksgiving week weather forecasts The Associated Presslol646b 。

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Kari Dziedzic, former Minnesota Senate majority leader, dies at 62

Kari Dziedzic, former Minnesota Senate majority leader, dies at 62NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — Chucky Hepburn had 16 points, 10 assists and seven steals, Noah Waterman also had 16 points and Louisville beat No. 14 Indiana 89-61 on Wednesday in the opening game of the Battle 4 Atlantis. Louisville (4-1) beat a ranked team for the first time since topping Virginia Tech 73-71 on Jan. 6, 2021. Kasean Pryor scored 10 of his 14 points in the second half and Reyne Smith added 12 points for Louisville. Malik Reneau scored 21 points and Oumar Ballo added 11 for Indiana (4-1). Reneau reached 20-plus points for the eighth time in his career. The Cardinals led 37-29 at the break after making 7 of 17 from 3-point range and shooting 57% overall. Indiana missed six straight shots on two occasions in the first half, sandwiched around a string of seven missed field goals, as the Cardinals shot 9 of 29 (31%). Louisville exploded for 52 second-half points by shooting 66.7% from the field. Pryor missed only one of his six shots in the second half. Louisville quickly built a commanding lead in the second half after starting on an 11-2 run, highlighted by Pryor's fast-break dunk . The lead reached 30 on freshman Khani Rooths' alley-oop dunk that came during the Cardinals’ 16-0 run for a 78-40 lead. Louisville entered the week ranked sixth in the country in 3-point attempts per game at 34. The Cardinals attempted 27 against Indiana and made 10 of them — with four apiece from Waterman and Smith. Louisville also came into the game averaging 19 forced turnovers per game. The Cardinals scored 30 points off 23 Indiana turnovers. Louisville, which played its first road game of the season, faces West Virginia on Thursday. Indiana plays No. 3 Gonzaga in the consolation bracket. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketballMinnesota cannabis license lottery challenge moves to state appeals court

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More sports betting UFC 310: Updated DraftKings promo code provides two exclusive $150 sports betting offers tonight Conference Championship Saturday: Extended BetMGM promo code CUSE1500 unlocks $1.5K in bonus bets Penn State vs. Oregon prediction, odds, best bets for Big 10 Championship Big 10 Championship tonight: Updated Bet365 bonus code SYRACUSE secures $150 extended Cyber Monday betting bonus BetMGM Promo Code Updated for December: Unlock $1,500 First-Bet Refund for Championship Saturday If you or a loved one has questions or needs to talk to a professional about gambling, call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit 1800gambler.net for more information.Mass Effect director's new studio shuts down before it can even reveal its first game after an "unexpected shortfall of funding"Clintons urge voters agitated by today's politics to remain involved in public serviceSaquon Barkley and the Philadelphia Eagles make their second-to-last road trip of the regular season Sunday to face Derrick Henry and the Baltimore Ravens. The NFC East-leading Eagles (9-2) have won seven in a row and play four of their final six games in Philadelphia, traveling only about 125 miles to visit the Ravens (8-4) this weekend and the Washington Commanders in Week 16. Sunday's game features the NFL's two leading rushers. Barkley (1,392 yards) and Henry (1,325) are far ahead of Green Bay's Josh Jacobs (944) in third place. Henry leads the league with 13 rushing touchdowns. Barkley (10) is tied for fourth and Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts (11) tied for second. The matchup also features two of the top candidates for Most Valuable Player honors entering Week 13 in Barkley and Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson, who won his second MVP award last season. Their competition includes quarterbacks Josh Allen of Buffalo and Jared Goff of Detroit, with Allen widely considered the favorite. 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Philadelphia is coming off a 37-20 road win over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night in which Barkley smashed the franchise record with 255 rushing yards. Baltimore also earned a prime-time win in Los Angeles, defeating the Chargers 30-23 in the "Harbaugh Bowl" on Monday night behind Jackson's three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing). Jackson said he's looking forward to the Barkley and Henry show. "I've known Saquon from high school. We were in the all-star game together and he jumped over somebody's head," Jackson recalled Wednesday. "So I've pretty much seen him before I even got to the league, college, anything. I've been knowing about Saquon, but Derrick Henry -- King Henry -- I'm with him every day and I'm seeing what he's capable of, so it's going to be a great matchup." Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith practiced Wednesday after sitting out Monday with a hamstring issue. Nose tackle Michael Pierce (calf) was designated to return from injured reserve. Tight end Charlie Kolar (broken arm) is out for several weeks and cornerback Arthur Maulet (calf) did not practice. The Eagles lost veteran defensive end Brandon Graham to a season-ending triceps injury Sunday. Wideout DeVonta Smith (hamstring) missed the win over the Rams and did not practice Wednesday. Neither did cornerbacks Darius Slay (concussion) or Kelee Ringo (calf). Philadelphia is 5-1 away from home this season -- 6-1 if you count their season-opening "home" victory against the Packers in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Baltimore is 4-1 at home. The Ravens hold a 3-2-1 lead in the series with the Eagles. They haven't met since Baltimore's 30-28 win in Week 6 at Philadelphia in 2020. --Field Level Media

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SAN JOSE – The San Jose Sharks activated center Nico Sturm off injured reserve Monday and made room for him on the 23-man roster by assigning defenseman Jack Thompson to the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda. The transactions mean that the Sharks currently have 14 forwards, six defensemen, and three goalies: Mackenzie Blackwood, Vitek Vanecek, and rookie Yaroslav Askarov. Sturm’s return to the Sharks’ active roster was believed to be imminent after he showed signs of improvement last week and practiced with the team on Sunday. He also took part in the Sharks’ morning skate on Monday, when he was officially considered a game-time decision by coach Ryan Warsofsky. The Sharks play the Los Angeles Kings on Monday night in the second game of a four-game homestand. Warsofsky did not say who his starting goalie would be. Warsofsky said he had a few players who were “nicked up” and considered game-time decisions, although it would be a surprise not to see Sturm, a mainstay as the Sharks’ fourth-line center, play against the Kings. Sturm, injured in the Sharks’ game earlier this month against the New York Rangers, is the Sharks’ faceoff leader by percentage and is one of the team’s leading penalty-killing forwards. Thompson has been on the Sharks’ roster for almost the entire season and played in 13 of the team’s 23 games. His five points are third-most among all Sharks defensemen, as he’s averaged just under 16 minutes of ice time per game. The Sharks have had three goalies on their roster since Nov. 18, when they recalled Askarov from the Barracuda. At the time, Vanecek was considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury, but Vanecek backed up Blackwood on Saturday in the Sharks’ 4-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. Askarov made his Sharks debut on Thursday, making 29 saves in a 3-2 shootout loss to the St. Louis Blues. Please check back for updates to this story.Secular and Hindu nationalist historians spar over 18th century Indian Muslim rulerIS VINYL ON THE DECLINE? Why ‘unrealistic’ pricing is slowing down sales