Stores keep prices down in a tough year for turkeys. Other Thanksgiving foods may cost more

CHELSEA, Mich. (AP) — Bird flu and another disease have shrunk the U.S. turkey population to a 40-year low this year. Wholesale turkey prices are expected to be up more than 40% as a result. But shoppers preparing for Thanksgiving may not see higher prices themselves because many grocers are offering discounted or even free turkeys to get customers in the door. Market research company Datasembly expects the 10 holiday meal staples it tacks to cost 4% more overall. Canned cranberry sauce had the biggest price increase after drought impacted production and new tariffs on steel made cans more expensive. Pricing out a Thanksgiving dinner isn’t an exact science, though, and the firm’s tally differed from other estimates.

A guide to Thanksgiving travel after the government shutdown

Travelers this Thanksgiving may still feel on edge after the historic government shutdown that caused widespread flight cancellations and delays. But experts say staying informed about weather, traffic, and airport wait times can help ease anxiety. The FAA is preparing for its busiest Thanksgiving in 15 years, with over 360,000 flights scheduled. And the TSA expects to screen more than 17.8 million people. Winter weather could impact major airports, so travelers should check forecasts regularly. Packing smartly and arriving early can also reduce stress. For road trips, AAA advises checking your car and avoiding peak traffic times.

Takeoff of China's flying taxis hits turbulence

HONG KONG (AP) — Chinese companies are rushing to deploy low-flying vehicles and drones for various uses as the country finds innovative ways to drive its economy. Flying taxis, once a sci-fi dream, are being tested in southern China, where pilotless, oval-shaped crafts hover like mini helicopters. In Shenzhen, which neighbors Hong Kong, food-delivery drones already are part of daily life and a novelty attraction for tourists. The industry is growing with support from the government, but strict airspace controls, battery limitations and other obstacles are hindering the rise of the low-altitude economy. Analysts say the industry is still in its early stages and more obvious successes in commercialization may take years.

MrBeast and the Rockefeller Foundation team up to spark youth philanthropy and fight child labor

NEW YORK (AP) — Beast Philanthropy, the charitable organization started by MrBeast founder Jimmy Donaldson, and the Rockefeller Foundation are announcing a strategic partnership. The idea is to pair Donaldson’s unique ability to capture youth attention spans with the foundation’s 112-year history of using its resources and technology to tackle global problems. The exact issues they plan to tackle together are still being hammered out and there is no shared grantmaking to announce yet. Dr. Rajiv Shah, the president of the Rockefeller Foundation, says MrBeast can help them engage young people, inspire hope and communicate their work more accessibly. Donaldson hopes the Rockefeller Foundation can help him be more efficient and make “real, lasting change.”

Another rally for Alphabet leads the US stock market higher

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. stock market is rising again. The S&P 500 climbed 0.9% Monday and added to its jump from Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 72 points, and the Nasdaq composite gained 1.7%. Stocks got a lift from rising hopes that the Federal Reserve will cut its main interest rate again at its next meeting in December. The market also benefited from strength for stocks caught up in the AI frenzy. Alphabet, which has been getting praise for its newest AI model, was one of the strongest forces lifting the market. Big hour-to-hour swings have hit the market in recent weeks, though.

Christmas tree retailers find lots to like at a Pennsylvania wholesale auction

MIFFLINBURG, Pa. (AP) — Christmas went on the auction block this week in Pennsylvania farm country in the form of a giant Christmas tree sale. About 50,000 trees and a huge array of other seasonal items were bought and sold at the Buffalo Valley Produce Auction in Mifflinburg this week. Buyers from across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic were there to supply garden stores and other retail outlets. The Real Christmas Tree Board says the scent of real trees is a major draw for farm-grown trees. A trade group says more than 21 million farm-grown Christmas trees were sold in 2023, with median price of $75.

AP and Trump administration argue access case before federal appeals court

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Associated Press and the Trump administration are back before a federal appeals court. They're still engaged in their fight over media access. The AP arguing that a news outlet should not be punished for its point of view and the White House insisting that the president should determine who can question him in the Oval Office. AP sued three Trump administration officials in February after its reporters were barred from the “pool” of journalists who follow the president. The administration’s action was, it said, in response to an institutional decision by AP to continue using the term “Gulf of Mexico” as its style after Trump renamed it the “Gulf of America.”

BBC leaders to face lawmakers' grilling over its standards after Trump threatened to sue

LONDON (AP) — The BBC's chairman and senior leaders will face tough questions from lawmakers about its editorial standards. The British broadcaster's chairman, Samir Shah, and others will be questioned by Parliament's Culture, Media and Sport Committee on Monday. The session comes after President Donald Trump threatened to file a billion-dollar lawsuit over a misleading edit of his speech in a BBC documentary. The edit of Trump's January 6, 2021 speech made it appear as if he directly encouraged supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol. Shah acknowledged the documentary gave the wrong impression. The BBC apologized but rejected the basis for Trump's lawsuit threat.

Babies who drank ByHeart formula got sick months before botulism outbreak, parents say

At least five families say their babies were treated for infant botulism after consuming ByHeart formula months before a current outbreak was detected. More than 30 babies have been treated for the rare and life-threatening disease in an outbreak that started in August. But parents have reported that babies who drank the formula may have been sickened as early as December 2024. Federal health officials are aware of earlier cases but have not included them or expanded the definition of the outbreak. ByHeart recalled all of its products nationwide on Nov. 11.

Cargo ship fire in Los Angeles nearly contained after shelter-in-place order lifted

A fire that broke out aboard a container ship docked at the Port of Los Angeles was nearly contained by Saturday afternoon. The blaze briefly prompted a shelter-in-place order Friday night for surrounding communities over concerns about hazardous materials within the ship’s cargo. The order was lifted Saturday and port operations also resumed as normal. All 23 crew members of the ship were accounted for and there were no injuries from the electrical fire, officials said. Roughly 100 cargo containers were burned. Officials said they had identified hazardous materials, such as lithium-ion batteries, aboard the vessel. It was not immediately clear how the fire started.