The idea of a Black Friday shopping day is spreading to countries that don't celebrate Thanksgiving, "prompting a backlash from some activists, politicians and even consumers," AP reports.
Why it matters: Black Friday sales are expected to beat old records this year in several European countries, the Washington Post reports, as it highlights German protests against the shopping day.
America is dotted with ghostly, long-abandoned carcasses of malls — massive structures that were once bustling shopping centers but were forced to close down after seeing dismal foot traffic.
The state of play: Many of these malls have been repurposed. Some have been retrofitted into community centers or water treatment plants. Others have been turned into big warehouses to serve e-commerce companies (that one's a little on the nose).
The holidays are often a pricey time for families. But new numbers show that the cost of an average Thanksgiving meal remained steady this year — with certain staples actually seeing a cut.
Where it stands: The average cost of a Thanksgiving dinner for 10 is up only one cent — to $48.91 — from last year's total, the American Farm Bureau Federation reports. A 16-pound bird costs about $20.80 — or about $1.30 per pound — down 4% from last year.
At least nine GOP organizations, Republican candidates and advocacy groups are selling Donald Trump Jr.'s first book, "Triggered," boosting his sales and sending him to the top of the New York Times' bestseller list for nonfiction, the New York Times reports.
Why it matters: The candidates and groups are recouping their cash through donations, so the story is mostly valuable as an interesting look at how these books make the Times bestseller list.
China summoned the U.S. ambassador on Thursday to "strongly protest" President Trump's signing of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act in support of protesters, state media report.
Why it matters: Trump signed the bipartisan congressional bill condemning Chinese interference in Hong Kong's affairs and supporting the rights of pro-democracy protesters as Washington and Beijing hold crucial trade talks.
