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  • The Sundance Film Festival goes online this week. Here’s how to watch the films

    The Sundance Film Festival goes online this week. Here’s how to watch the films

    PARK CITY, Utah — Access to the Sundance Film Festival doesn’t require a trip to Park City, Utah, anymore — just an internet connection. Over half of the films that premiered this past week will be available to steam on the festival’s online platform starting Thursday.

    What started as a COVID-era necessity has become one of the festival’s most beloved components, even for those who do brave the cold and the lines to see films in person.

    “I think it’s really great to be able to offer that opportunity to our audiences, but also to our artists. Sundance is a festival of discovery and each of the films coming to the festival is seeking that moment with audiences,” said festival director Eugene Hernandez. “How cool is it that even for that short window of time, just a few days, folks from anywhere in the country can log on in their living room with family and friends, get together and watch a few of the films?”

    The Sundance Film Festival website has information on the technical requirements, but there are ways to watch on your computer and television. After you click the “Watch Now” button, you have five hours to complete the feature film.

    Anyone in the U.S. can access the online portal. Rights restrictions make the films and shows unavailable to stream internationally.

    All of the feature films playing in the main competitions are included on the platform and a few extras, many of which do not yet have theatrical distribution plans. That includes the Dylan O’Brien breakout “Twinless,” the Marlee Matlin, Sally Ride and Selena Quintanilla documentaries, and Ukrainian documentaries “2000 Meters to Andriivka” and “Mr. Nobody Against Putin.”

    Other highlights include “Love, Brooklyn”; “Ricky”; the Barry Jenkins produced “Sorry, Baby” made by triple threat Eva Victor; the politically relevant “Heightened Scrutiny” which looks at how the media is responsible for shaping narratives around transgender issues; and “The Perfect Neighbor,” which uses police bodycam footage to reconstruct a deadly neighborhood incident in Florida.

    Some films already have distributors and won’t be streaming on the platform. A24 will release both the Ayo Edebiri film “Opus” and the Rose Byrne psychological thriller “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You” in theaters this year. Same with Focus Features’ Carey Mulligan charmer “The Ballad of Wallis Island,” which will be in theaters in March. And in general, movies that played in the premieres section will not be available online, whether or not they have distribution plans yet. That includes Bill Condon’s “Kiss of the Spider Woman” remake.

    Between Jan. 30 through Feb. 2.

    It’s $35 for a single film and up to $800 for unlimited. Proceeds benefit the Sundance Institute’s artist programs and funds.

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    For more coverage of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/sundance-film-festival

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  • Entrepreneur Paul Graham Asks 7-Year-Olds At Charity Bake Sale For Change, Sparks Debate Online

    Entrepreneur Paul Graham Asks 7-Year-Olds At Charity Bake Sale For Change, Sparks Debate Online

    American entrepreneur and computer scientist Paul Graham recently sparked a debate on X (formerly Twitter) after he posted about his experience at a school bake sale. He is said to have a net worth of over a billion dollars. In the now-viral post, he reveals that the sale was being helmed by 7-year-old children. After purchasing an item, he requested them to give him his change back. However, they refused to do so because they said it was meant for charity. The caption of the post read, “At the school bake sale, I bought a baked good of indeterminate type from a pair of 7-year-olds. I asked if they could give me change for 5 pounds. They said they couldn’t. I pointed to their tub of coins, but they said they couldn’t give me any of that, because it was for charity.”

    The post has clocked 1.2 million views so far on X. It has sparked a range of reactions in the comments. Several people praised the business acumen of the children in keeping the change. A few claimed that the students knew Paul could “afford” it. Some criticised Paul for even asking for change at a charity sale. Read the selected reactions below:

    “Seems like a ploy by the elites to impose cashless even at school bake sales. Get to the important point please: was the pastry good or was it a regretful purchase?”

    “Deflect from offering change, guilt the customer to oblige. Sounds like smart business to me.”

    “Why would you demand change at a charity event?”

    “My net worth is roughly one tenth of one percent of Paul’s and I wouldn’t imagine even considering the audacity of asking for change at a kids charity bake sale.”

    “7 year olds are incredible negotiators, they don’t adhere to the logic of our world.”

    Recently, a food-related post by another prominent American tech personality went viral on X. Elon Musk took to the platform to declare his love for Diet Coke and how he felt after reducing its intake. Click here to read the full story.

    Also Read: Woman Stumbles Upon Late Grandmother’s Stunning Salt And Pepper Shaker Collection



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  • LinkedIn Post About “Disheartening” Job Offer From Zomato Sparks Online Debate

    LinkedIn Post About “Disheartening” Job Offer From Zomato Sparks Online Debate

    Recently, an MBA graduate shared a long post on LinkedIn about what he characterises as a “disheartening” experience finalising a job offer from Zomato. The post has received a lot of interest online, sparking a debate about the realities of the corporate world in the comments section. The LinkedIn user discussed how the salary offered to him felt inadequate and how he did not receive the kind of support he wanted. He wrote, “I recently received an offer for an Associate role at Zomato. While I was excited to start a new journey, the process left me both heartbroken and frustrated. From the start, the salary offered was barely enough to cover basic living expenses in Gurgaon. When I tried negotiating, the response was dismissive -“Take it or leave it.” This attitude hurt deeply, especially knowing I was relocating from another city, leaving behind my comfort zone and support system.”

    The LinkedIn user proceeds to provide a breakdown of his estimated costs. He pegs his rent for “basic PGs” (paying guest accommodation style) in Gurgaon at Rs 14K-20K, as a starting amount. He estimates that food would cost him a minimum of Rs 5000 per month, electricity would cost Rs 2000 each month and travel expenses around Rs 4000. He states, “Even after managing these essentials, I’m left with a mere Rs 1,000-Rs 2,000 in hand. How does one survive, let alone save or grow, in such conditions? I accepted the offer hoping the promised “relocation assistance” would help bridge the gap. However, the reality was far from helpful. A travel allowance and 15 days of hotel accommodation don’t suffice when relocation requires upfront payments like a month’s rent, security deposit, and brokerage. I requested an alternative – perhaps support with the security deposit but was met with a rigid policy and no further response.”

    Also Read: LinkedIn Employee Shares Life In Bengaluru Office – Cafeteria Food, Meeting Room Named ‘Gulab Jamun’ And More

    The LinkedIn user further claims that he asked the company for “reasonable adjustment” in these circumstances but to no avail. “When I requested a revision of the compensation, I was met with the same cold response: “Take it or leave it.” I also tried to make adjustments for relocation, asking for more meaningful help, but once again, there was no change-no adjustment,” he writes. The LinkedIn user goes on to highlight his dismay at what he saw as a lack of support. He claims that the company’s response to his concerns has left him “disheartened.” Furthermore, on being told that “There are thousands of applicants,” he perceived it as “a lack of respect for employees.”

    The user ends his post with a “humble plea to employers,” in which he asks them to treat graduates more “fairly.” He writes, “This isn’t just about one company – it’s about a pervasive attitude in the corporate world. When candidates request fair pay or support, dismissing them with “Take it or leave it” creates an atmosphere of disrespect and exploitation. Remember, without motivated employees, businesses cannot thrive.” Furthermore, he calls on employers to avoid taking advantage of “desperate job seekers.” Check out the full post below:

    Disclaimer: NDTV does not vouch for the claims in the post by the LinkedIn user.

    LinkedIn users shared their takes in the comments. While a few people expressed sympathy, several others felt like his expectations were too much. Some also felt that this post should not have been shared in the first place. Check out some of the reactions below:

    “Your post resonates deeply with the challenges many face today. Relocation and fair pay are not just financial issues but also reflect respect for employees’ efforts and aspirations. Employers must understand that motivated and supported employees drive long-term success. Here’s hoping for more compassionate and equitable workplaces. Well said!”

    “Thank you for sharing your experience so honestly. It’s heartbreaking to see how many talented individuals face such challenges in the corporate world. Your plea for fairness and respect resonates deeply, not just for job seekers but for anyone trying to build a sustainable career.”

    “Buddy, I would suggest you delete this post immediately. Venting such frustrations on these platforms can do more harm than good to you. Learn to control your emotions.”

    “Associate-level roles at startups and unicorns can indeed be demanding, often testing one’s perseverance to adapt and thrive in a fast-paced environment. The focus tends to be on learning agility, adaptability, and resilience during the initial phase, sometimes even requiring personal sacrifices like relocating.”

    “The problem is the lack of opportunities in India for freshers. If you are a fresher you will have to go through this everywhere. All the best, gain some experience and things will be better.”

    NDTV Food has reached out to Zomato for a comment but they haven’t responded yet.

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  • Watch: Story Of Elderly Couple Selling Snacks At Thane Station Wins Hearts Online

    Watch: Story Of Elderly Couple Selling Snacks At Thane Station Wins Hearts Online

    An Instagram reel featuring an elderly couple who frequents Thane railway station (near Mumbai) is winning many hearts online. The video, which has since gone viral with millions of views, was shared by digital creator Siddhesh Lokare. In the video, the vlogger explains that someone sent him a photo of the couple – Bhimrao and Shobha – at Thane station a few days earlier. He later managed to track them down and interview them. He first asks them when they got married and the man states the exact date. The woman points out that they have been together for over four decades. Next, the vlogger asks them how often they come to the railway station. The woman replies that they come every day and they also go to deliver the snacks/sweets if someone has placed an order. We get a glimpse at some of their wares, which include treats like chakli, kachori, bhakarwadi, etc.

    In response to a question, Bhimrao also reveals that he lost his vision when he was two. The vlogger highlights that Shobha knew she was getting married to someone without sight. He asks her about the same and she smilingly declares that she still married him. She said that they always imagine themselves in each other’s shoes. Her husband says, “I am visually impaired. She has a deformed hand. We thought we’d complete each other.” She adds, “We’ll stay together… for life.”

    The vlogger asks the man how his wife helps him. He explains that she cooks food and serves water, etc. He also helps her out by chopping the vegetables for her dishes. His wife praises his cutting skills wholeheartedly. Next, the vlogger asks the couple what love means to them. The man replies that they need each other, especially at this age. The woman admits that they fight sometimes but they don’t stay away from each other for long. “It’s home. Utensils will collide but they will never break,” summarises the man. The vlogger also asks them what they are currently in need of. Shobha explains that they need a stall (for their wares) so they don’t have to remain standing most of the time to do their work. Finally, the vlogger asks the couple if they have a message for his generation (the youth). Bhimrao states, “Hard work is everything. You can’t live only for yourself. If you have lived for others, you have truly lived.”

    Also Read: Strangers-Turned-Friends Reunite At Same Restaurant Where They First Met A Year Ago

    In the caption, the content creator wrote, “I discovered Bhimrao and Shobha near Thane railway station and what happened next was just cathartic. Bhimrao is visually impaired and Shobha has a deformed hand, though, physical limitations never stopped them from being with each other and growing as a family. They visit Thane station daily to sell calendars, and snacks like chakli, laddoos, bhakarwadi and more. They stand as an example for me to realise what true love and companionship are.”

    The heartwarming video has received a lot of praise on Instagram. Many people asked the vlogger in the comments how they could help the couple out. Check out some of the reactions below:

    “Love is the answer to everything.”

    “They define the term, ‘LOVE’.”

    “I’m not crying. You are.”

    “More power to them.”

    “Respect for both of them.”

    “So so so wholesome.”

    “Videos like this are the ones that I genuinely look forward to.”

    “‘It’s a home, utensils will collide but they won’t break’ – Uncle dropping some heavy words.”

    For more such heartwarming stories, click here.



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  • As TikTok bill steams forward, online influencers put on their lobbying hats to visit Washington

    As TikTok bill steams forward, online influencers put on their lobbying hats to visit Washington

    WASHINGTON — Lawmakers, meet your latest lobbyists: online influencers from TikTok.

    The platform is once again bringing influencers to Washington, this time to lobby members of Congress to reject a fast-moving bill that would force TikTok’s Beijing-based parent company to sell or be banned in the United States. On Tuesday, some influencers began a two-day advocacy event in support of TikTok, which arranged their trip ahead of a House floor vote on the legislation on Wednesday.

    But unlike a similar lobbying event the company put together last March when talks of a TikTok ban reached a fever pitch, this year’s effort appeared more rushed as the company scrambles to counter the legislation, which advanced rapidly on Capitol Hill.

    Summer Lucille, a TikTok content creator with 1.4 million followers who is visiting Washington this week, said if TikTok is banned, she “don’t know what it will do” to her business, a plus-sized boutique in Charlotte, North Carolina.

    “It will be devastating,” Lucille said in an interview arranged by the platform.

    In an unusual showing of bipartisanship, a House panel unanimously approved the measure last week. President Joe Biden has said he will sign the legislation if lawmakers pass it. But it’s unclear what will happen in the Senate, where several bills aimed at banning TikTok have stalled.

    The legislation faces other roadblocks. Former president and current presidential candidate Donald Trump, who holds sway over both House and Senate Republicans, has voiced opposition to the bill, saying it would empower Meta-owned Facebook, which he continues to lambast over his 2020 election loss. The bill also faces pushback from some progressive lawmakers in the House as well as civil liberties groups who argue it infringes on the First Amendment.

    TikTok could be banned if ByteDance, the parent company, doesn’t sell its stakes in the platform and other applications it owns within six months of the bill’s enactment.

    The fight over the platform takes place as U.S.-China relations have shifted to that of strategic rivalry, especially in areas such as advanced technologies and data security, seen as essential to each country’s economic prowess and national security. The shift, which started during the Trump years and has continued under Biden, has placed restrictions on export of advanced technologies and outflow of U.S. monies to China, as well as access to the U.S. market by certain Chinese businesses.

    The Biden administration also has cited human rights concerns in blacklisting a number of Chinese companies accused of assisting the state surveillance campaign against ethnic minorities.

    TikTok isn’t short on lobbyists. Its Beijing-based parent company ByteDance has a strong lobbying apparatus in Washington that includes dozens of lobbyists from well-known consulting and legal firms as well as influential insiders, such as former members of Congress and ex-aides to powerful lawmakers, according to the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

    TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew will also be in Washington this week and plans to meet with lawmakers, according to a company spokesperson who said Chew’s visit was previously scheduled.

    But influencers, who have big followings on social media and can share personal stories of how the platform boosted their businesses — or simply gave them a voice — are still perhaps one of the most powerful tools the company has in its arsenal.

    A TikTok spokesperson said dozens of influencers will attend the two-day event, including some who came last year. The spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions about how many new people would be attending this year’s lobbying blitz. The company is briefing them ahead of meetings with their representatives and media interviews.

    Lucille, who runs the boutique in North Carolina, says has seen a substantial surge in revenue because of her TikTok page. The 34-year-old began making TikTok content focusing on plus-sized fashion in March 2022, more than a decade after she started her business. She quickly amassed thousands of followers after posting a nine-second video about her boutique.

    Because of her popularity on the platform, her business has more online exposure and customers, some of whom have visited from as far as Europe. She says she also routinely hears from followers who are finding support through her content about fashion and confidence.

    JT Laybourne, an influencer who also came to Washington, said he joined TikTok in early 2019 after getting some negative comments on videos he posted on Instagram while singing in the car with his children.

    Laybourne, who lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, said he was attracted to the short-form video platform because it was easy to create videos that contained music. Like Lucille, he quickly gained traction on the app. He says he also received more support from TikTok users, who reacted positively to content he produced on love and positivity.

    Laybourne says the community he built on the platform rallied around his family when he had to undergo heart surgery in 2020. Following the surgery, he said he used the platform to help raise $1 million for the American Heart Association in less than two years. His family now run an apparel company that gets most of its traffic from TikTok.

    “I will fight tooth-and-nail for this app,” he said.

    But whether the opposition the company is mounting through lobbyists or influencers will be enough to derail the bill is yet to be seen. On Tuesday, House lawmakers received a briefing on national security concerns regarding TikTok from the FBI, Justice Department and intelligence officials.

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    AP Journalist Didi Tang contributed to this report.

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    This story was originally published on March 12, 2024. It was updated on December 23, 2024 to clarify a quote by TikTok content creator Summer Lucille.

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  • An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump’s political coalition

    An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump’s political coalition

    WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump’s supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in his political movement into public display, previewing the fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House.

    The rift laid bare the tensions between the newest flank of Trump’s movement — wealthy members of the tech world including billionaire Elon Musk and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and their call for more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump’s Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies.

    The debate touched off this week when Laura Loomer, a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration. Krishnan favors the ability to bring more skilled immigrants into the U.S.

    Loomer declared the stance to be “not America First policy” and said the tech executives who have aligned themselves with Trump were doing so to enrich themselves.

    Much of the debate played out on the social media network X, which Musk owns.

    Loomer’s comments sparked a back-and-forth with venture capitalist and former PayPal executive David Sacks, whom Trump has tapped to be the “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar.” Musk and Ramaswamy, whom Trump has tasked with finding ways to cut the federal government, weighed in, defending the tech industry’s need to bring in foreign workers.

    It bloomed into a larger debate with more figures from the hard-right weighing in about the need to hire U.S. workers, whether values in American culture can produce the best engineers, free speech on the internet, the newfound influence tech figures have in Trump’s world and what his political movement stands for.

    Trump has not yet weighed in on the rift. His presidential transition team did not respond to questions about positions on visas for highly skilled workers or the debate between his supporters online. Instead, his team instead sent a link to a post on X by longtime adviser and immigration hard-liner Stephen Miller that was a transcript of a speech Trump gave in 2020 at Mount Rushmore in which he praised figures and moments from American history.

    Musk, the world’s richest man who has grown remarkably close to the president-elect, was a central figure in the debate, not only for his stature in Trump’s movement but his stance on the tech industry’s hiring of foreign workers.

    Technology companies say H-1B visas for skilled workers, used by software engineers and others in the tech industry, are critical for hard-to-fill positions. But critics have said they undercut U.S. citizens who could take those jobs. Some on the right have called for the program to be eliminated, not expanded.

    Born in South Africa, Musk was once on an a H-1B visa himself and defended the industry’s need to bring in foreign workers.

    “There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent,” he said in a post. “It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley.”

    Trump’s own positions over the years have reflected the divide in his movement.

    His tough immigration policies, including his pledge for a mass deportation, were central to his winning presidential campaign. He has focused on immigrants who come into the U.S. illegally but he has also sought curbs on legal immigration, including family-based visas.

    As a presidential candidate in 2016, Trump called the H-1B visa program “very bad” and “unfair” for U.S. workers. After he became president, Trump in 2017 issued a “Buy American and Hire American” executive order, which directed Cabinet members to suggest changes to ensure H-1B visas were awarded to the highest-paid or most-skilled applicants to protect American workers.

    Trump’s businesses, however, have hired foreign workers, including waiters and cooks at his Mar-a-Lago club, and his social media company behind his Truth Social app has used the the H-1B program for highly skilled workers.

    During his 2024 campaign for president, as he made immigration his signature issue, Trump said immigrants in the country illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country” and promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history.

    But in a sharp departure from his usual alarmist message around immigration generally, Trump told a podcast this year that he wants to give automatic green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges.

    “I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country,” he told the “All-In” podcast with people from the venture capital and technology world.

    Those comments came on the cusp of Trump’s budding alliance with tech industry figures, but he did not make the idea a regular part of his campaign message or detail any plans to pursue such changes.

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  • Book Review: ‘The Rivals’ is Jane Pek’s fine new mystery novel of online dating, love and death

    Book Review: ‘The Rivals’ is Jane Pek’s fine new mystery novel of online dating, love and death

    Claudia Lin, an online dating detective in the age of AI, is hunting once again through a dark cybersphere of tech systems in “The Rivals,” the second novel in a new mystery series by Jane Pek.

    Pek, who introduced Claudia in her 2022 debut book, “The Verifiers,” has given the mystery genre fresh trappings — a vivid New York City landscape of chatbots and apps that can create chaos or sniff out fraud, and a delightfully plucky new sleuth, who is in her mid-20s, Asian American and gay.

    In “The Rivals,” Claudia and Becks Rittel are the co-owners of the fact-checking firm Veracity. It’s a tiny business — it only has one other employee, the unkempt gamer Squirrel — but helps clients of giant matchmaking platforms make sure the strangers they meet for dates are not unscrupulous liars or worse.

    “The Rivals” opens with a couple of customers from online meet-up sites seeking different kinds of assistance. One wants Veracity to make sure his new lady friend, the charming Amalia Suarez, is all she claims to be; the other, Pradeep Mehta, anxiously asks for help taking down a false online gay-dating profile that could ruin his life.

    Claudia takes on both projects, despite Becks’ protests and disparagement. A curt, tough-minded colleague in her mid-30s, Becks is nicknamed the “Blonde Assassin.” In short order, both cases present Claudia with false turns, odd developments and scary possibilities. These twists make “The Rivals” a modern mystery unfolding amid synthetic culprits — cyberworld bots known as “synths” — that can wreck real lives.

    Pek adds a few vital human ingredients to the story’s digital mix. One is Claudia’s striving but dysfunctional family. Her siblings, Charles and Coraline, and their irritable mother are introduced in an early chapter as they gather in the West Village for a meal celebrating the Chinese New Year. Coraline’s beau is there, too. Their father is out of the picture. A celebration the meal is not, but the Lin family fracas adds sparks to the narrative throughout.

    Pek also makes neighborhoods and go-to sites of Manhattan, Brooklyn and other city environs an integral and appealing part of the story. Claudia, for example, plays Ultimate frisbee in Prospect Park and takes the reader on her many rendezvous, from the touristy High Line to a bike path through Fort Washington Park.

    Claudia’s sexuality is not a central tug-of-war plot issue. But it does give an edgy lift to the story line when Claudia, as the novel’s narrator, notes the inner romantic tingles set off in her by others.

    Pek writes with wit and AI savvy. At times “The Rivals” unfolds with so much tech-heavy dialogue that it can be hard to follow. But Claudia is a winning new entry in the field of modern serial detectives. “The Rivals” hints that she has more work in store. With the freshness of Pek’s staging of online love and death, a third entry in the series will be welcome.

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    AP book reviews: https://apnews.com/hub/book-reviews

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  • Viral: X User Shares Pic Of “Human Ads” Walking On Street, Sparks Debate Online

    Viral: X User Shares Pic Of “Human Ads” Walking On Street, Sparks Debate Online

    Creative advertising and marketing ideas often go viral on social media – receiving attention for the uniqueness of their conception or execution. However, a recent viral ad example has received mixed reactions online for its unconventional approach. A person took to X to share a photo of “human ads” being used by a food delivery app. On closer inspection of the same, one can make out that the company in question is called Swish and that it is promising food delivery “in just 10 minutes.” The photo, reportedly taken in Bengaluru, shows people carrying the lit-up billboards on their backs as they walk on the street. Three such ads are visible in the viral post. Check it out below:

    Also Read: How A Frenchman Built A Rs 50 Crore Sandwich Business In Bengaluru

    The X post has received over 135K views so far. In the comments, some people have expressed curiosity about how successful such ads can be. A few have pointed out that this is not the first time “human billboards” have been deployed by a brand. On the other hand, many X users claimed that the concept made them feel disturbed/uncomfortable. Some called it “dehumanising”. Check out some of the reactions below.

    “Worse kind of advertising.”

    “If I see ads like this, I will find the option to block that app in the PlayStore.”

    “I don’t know how one sees this and doesn’t feel sick in their stomach.”

    “I can’t put a word to it but seems weirdly inhumane.”

    “Nothing new… come to Delhi you will see this all over the place… Sarojini , Lajpat, KB, KNags list is pretty long…”

    “Imagine you are in a park, want to relax and these people start walking with bright advertisements. Same on busy street as well. It might lead to negative publicity.”

    “Maybe it’s just me, but human ads make me so sad, they’re walking around with that heavy thing on their backs for god knows how long.”

    NDTV Food has reached out to Swish for a comment but they have not yet responded.



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  • Cyber Monday shoppers expected to set a record on the year’s biggest day for online shopping

    Consumers in the United States are scouring the internet for online deals as they look to take advantage of the post-Thanksgiving shopping marathon with Cyber Monday.

    Even though e-commerce is now part and parcel of many people’s regular routines and the holiday shopping season, Cyber Monday — a term coined in 2005 by the National Retail Federation — has become the biggest online shopping day of the year, thanks to the deals and the hype the industry has created to fuel it.

    Adobe Analytics, which tracks online shopping, expects consumers to spend a record $13.2 billion on Monday, 6.1% more than last year. That would make it the season’s — and the year’s — biggest — shopping day for e-commerce.

    For several major retailers, a Cyber Monday sale is a days-long event that began over the Thanksgiving weekend. Amazon kicked off its sales event right after midnight Pacific time on Saturday. Target’s two days of discount offers on its website and app began overnight Sunday. Walmart rolled out its Cyber Monday offers for Walmart+ members on Sunday afternoon and opened it up to all customers three hours later, at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

    Consumer spending for Cyber Week — the five major shopping days between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday — provides a strong indication of how much shoppers are willing to spend for the holidays.

    Many U.S. consumers continue to experience sticker shock following the period of post-pandemic inflation that left prices for many goods and services higher than they were three years ago. But retail sales nonetheless have remained strong, and the economy has kept growing at a healthy pace.

    At the same time, credit card debt and delinquencies have been rising. More shoppers than ever are also on track to use “buy now, pay later” plans this holiday season, which allows them to delay payments on holiday decor, gifts and other items.

    Many economist have also warned that President-elect Donald Trump’s plan to impose tariffs next year on foreign goods coming into the United States would lead to higher prices on everything from food to clothing to automobiles.

    The National Retail Federation expects holiday shoppers to spend more this year both in stores and online than last year. But the pace of spending growth will slow slightly, the trade group said, growing 2.5% to 3.5% — compared to 3.9% in 2023.

    A clear sense of consumer spending patterns during the holiday season won’t emerge until the government releases sales data for the period, though preliminary data from other sources shows some encouraging signs for retailers.

    U.S. shoppers spent $10.8 billion online on Black Friday, a 10.2% increase over last year, according to Adobe Analytics. That’s also more than double what consumers spent in 2017, when Black Friday pulled in roughly $5 billion in online sales. Consumers also spent a record $6.1 billion online on Thanksgiving Day, Adobe said.

    Software company Salesforce, which also tracks online shopping, estimated that Black Friday online sales totaled $17.5 billion in the U.S. and $74.4 billion globally.

    E-commerce platform Shopify said its merchants raked in a record $5 billion in sales worldwide on Black Friday. At its peak, sales reached $4.6 million per minute — with top categories by volume including clothing, cosmetics and fitness products, according to the Canadian company.

    Toys, electronics, home goods, self-care and beauty categories were among the key drivers of holiday spending on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, according to Adobe. “Hot products” included Lego sets, espresso machines, fitness trackers, makeup and skin care.

    Other data showed physical stores saw fewer customers on Black Friday, underscoring how the huge crowds that were once synonymous with the day after Thanksgiving are now more than happy to shop from the comfort of their homes.

    RetailNext, which measures real-time foot traffic in stores, reported that its early data showed store traffic on Friday was down 3.2% in the U.S. compared to last year, with the biggest dip happening in the Midwest.

    Sensormatic Solutions, which also tracks store traffic, said its preliminary analysis showed retail store traffic on Black Friday was down 8.2% compared to 2023.

    Grant Gustafson, head of retail consulting and analytics at Sensormatic Solutions, noted that in-store traffic was getting spread across multiple days since many retailers offered generous discounts before and after Black Friday,

    “Some of the extended Black Friday promotions really ended up leading to a little bit of a softer day-of traffic than expected,” Gustafson said.

    While physical items like toys and electronics are always popular around the holidays, experts note that consumers have turned to more “experience-driven spending” in recent years, especially as the COVID-19 pandemic waned.

    Jie Zhang, a marketing professor at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, told The Associated Press ahead of the post-Thanksgiving shopping weekend that he expected shoppers to “indulge themselves a bit more” when it comes to self-gifting.

    ___

    AP Business Writer Wyatte Grantham-Philips contributed to this report from New York.

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  • Port City Colombo Offers A Variety Of Lifestyle, Leisure, And Entertainment Experiences – Lanka Business Online

    Port City Colombo Offers A Variety Of Lifestyle, Leisure, And Entertainment Experiences – Lanka Business Online

    Port City Colombo, a visionary multi-service Special Economic Zone and master-planned city, invites the local community to partake in an assortment of engaging excursions that range from luxury shopping to serene strolls by the waterfront. With a series of experiences that provide something for everyone, Port City Colombo further encourages local guests to spend more time within the vibrant, thriving city of Colombo, especially during this holiday season.

    Embodying the dynamic lifestyle ambiance of Port City Colombo set to emerge once the project is fully operational, the Mall at Port City Colombo caters to discerning shoppers who seek world-class convenience, luxury travel retail, and diverse culinary offerings. The Mall at Port City Colombo, being South Asia’s first downtown duty-free retail concept, features China Duty Free — the world’s No.1 travel retail operator, with additional travel retail brands set to commence operations shortly. The Mall is open to all eligible visitors, including returning Sri Lankans and foreign residents, general tourists, diplomats and diplomatic organisations, and departing travelers. Returning Sri Lankans and foreign residents will be able to avail an annual allowance limit of USD 2,000, with specified quantity limits as per Schedule 1 of the published Extraordinary Gazette, and purchases to be made on a single visit within four days from the First Date of Arrival (FDOA). For returning Sri Lankans and foreign residents, only the permitted customer and one family member are allowed.

    Guests visiting the Mall could also explore the curated assortment of other dining, cultural retail, and lifestyle offerings, which include the renowned Nihonbashi by Dharshan, Café Chill, Spa Ceylon, Department of Coffee, and so forth.

    Port City Colombo further encompasses Sri Lanka’s only artificial beach, increasingly popular with local guests since its opening in 2023, which provides the perfect tropical sanctuary in the urban heart of Colombo. This includes a swimmable beach within the vicinity of Port City Colombo’s breakwater lagoon, vivid, awe-inspiring sunsets, and a lively beachside restaurant culture that is ideal for any guest who desires a tranquil day by the ocean. The exquisite Marina Promenade, which is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, enables guests to enjoy panoramic views of the Colombo city skyline and the sea as they take a saunter down this distinct pathway up to the arched footbridge, which is slowly becoming an icon of the city’s landscape. The newly opened Central Park also presents an urban oasis of relaxation, recreation, and physical activity, enhancing Colombo’s appeal as a city that harmonizes modernity with nature.



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