The Evening: Cautious Black Friday spending

Plus, a look inside a revived Notre Dame.

View in browser|nytimes.com November 29, 2024 By Justin Porter Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Friday. The holiday shopping season A first glimpse at Notre-Dame Plus, exercise and hangovers Black Friday shoppers at Best Buy in Albany, N.Y., today.  Dave Sanders for The New York Times Holiday shopping got off to a cautious start Shoppers headed into Black Friday weekend searching for deals and being choosier about their spending, retailers said, even as data suggested that consumer spending was still strong. Consumers are pickier about what and where they buy. Many are still reeling from the squeeze of inflation. Early data on online spending released today showed consumers were being drawn to discounts. Shoppers spent $6.1 billion on Thanksgiving, according to Adobe Analytics, around a 9 percent increase over last year. That was driven by large discounts on items like toys, electronics and apparel. The spending patterns are separating retailers into winners and losers. Walmart is emerging as one of the winners, reporting that its U.S. sales had increased 5 percent in its most recent quarter. Higher-income households accounted for most of its market share gains. But Target — which features more discretionary categories like apparel and home décor — badly missed sales expectations, cut its forecast and saw the steepest drop in its stock in years. Some big department chains with a lot of middle-income customers have also missed the mark. Russell Vought, one of the authors of Project 2025. Doug Mills/The New York Times Trump is embracing Project 2025 President-elect Donald Trump said during his campaign that he had "nothing to do with" Project 2025, a right-wing blueprint to overhaul the federal government. But since winning, Trump has recruited at least a half dozen architects and supporters of the plan. Among them is Russell Vought, one of the plan's authors, who has been tapped to lead the Office of Management and Budget. He wrote in Project 2025 that whoever held the job should view themselves as an "approximation of the president's mind." Democrats and government watchdogs say Trump will use Project 2025 as a road map to expand his executive power, replace civil servants with political loyalists and gut government agencies like the Department of Education. In other politics news: Trump has called President Biden's foreign policy "horrible" but he may find more common ground with Biden than many assume. Dr. Dave Weldon, Trump's choice to lead the C.D.C., has often agreed with his potential boss, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., on health issues, particularly vaccine safety. Kennedy has reached a pinnacle of power in a life shaped by addiction and trauma. Trump's cabinet picks have a familiar, traditional look, our chief fashion critic writes. This Times analysis shows where Democrats lost ground in 11 major cities since 2020. A demonstration in support of assisted dying outside Parliament in London.  Carl Court/Getty Images British lawmakers voted to legalize assisted dying After weeks of emotional public debate, lawmakers gave their support today to a bill that would allow doctors to help some terminally ill patients end their lives. The measure will now be scrutinized in parliamentary committees, and amendments may be put forward. The scope of the proposed law extends only to England and Wales. A push for similar legislation is underway in the Scottish Parliament. Here's more about the bill. Polls suggest a clear majority of Britons support the principle of assisted dying as long as conditions are attached. Pool photo by Christophe Petit Tesson A first glimpse at the fully restored Notre-Dame France's president, Emmanuel Macron, took viewers on a live tour today of the cathedral's dazzlingly clean interior and rebuilt roofing, five years after a devastating fire that was followed by a colossal reconstruction effort. "You've achieved what was said to be impossible," Macron told an assembly of workers and craftsmen who contributed to the cathedral's reconstruction. Take a look. The monument is scheduled to reopen next week. Here's how to plan your visit and what to expect. More top news Lebanon: Israel's military told residents of towns on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border not to return to their homes. Ukraine: Russia hit electrical substations crucial for Ukraine's nuclear plants, heightening concerns among experts about the potential for a nuclear disaster. Markets: Stocks resumed their upward surge, propelling the S&P 500 to its best monthly gain since November 2023. Weather: Several feet of snow are expected this weekend in areas of Michigan, Northern New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Syria: Antigovernment fighters reached the city of Aleppo, raising fears that the civil war is reigniting. Soccer: A report recommended that FIFA compensate migrant workers who were injured while building facilities for the Qatar World Cup. A.I.: Canada's biggest news organizations are suing OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, for illegally using their content. Awards: Vito beat out nearly 2,000 other dogs to become the first pug to win the National Dog Show. TIME TO UNWIND Gabriel Alcala Hung over? Exercise may help. Some people swear that a workout can help cure, or blunt, a hangover. If it can, what type of movement could be most helpful? "There's very few settings where exercise is not beneficial," said Dr. Andy Peterson, a team physician at the University of Iowa. It's "the closest thing we have to a miracle drug in medicine." Here's what else experts advise about sweating through a rough morning. Before you do anything, though, make sure you're rehydrated. Marlon Riggs's "Tongues Untied." Ron Simmons A place for quality indie films When the streaming service Ovid started in 2019, it aimed to fill a hole in the online cinematic landscape: independent films off the beaten path. Ovid's creators had watched services like Netflix turn away from smaller films in favor of splashier mainstream movies and their own, in-house offerings. The smaller platform has quickly become a home for fringe makers and viewers, now offering 2,282 titles and working with over 60 distribution partners around the world. Dinner table topics Coburns' General Store in Strafford, Vt. Jacob Hannah for The New York Times The heart of the town: The residents of a Vermont town are trying to find a way to save their general store, with help from the folk-pop sensation Noah Kahan. More bananas: The cryptocurrency entrepreneur who paid $6 million for a banana at an art auction offered to buy 100,000 more from an ordinary fruit stand. Disputed donation: A man despised for refusing to serve during World War I gave a Wright brothers plane to a museum. Now, his heirs want it back. Killer whales: Orcas were documented off the coast of Mexico attacking whale sharks, the largest fish on Earth. WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND David Malosh for The New York Times Cook: This mellow turkey barley soup is a perfect place for your Thanksgiving leftovers. Read: The author of "The Serviceberry" wants us to give thanks every day. Watch: These great documentaries deal with life under troubled governments and under a demanding filmmaker. Travel: Spend 36 hours in Honolulu. Consider: Which home would you buy in Paris for $1.3 million? Compete: Take this week's news quiz. Play: Today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. For more, find all our games here. ONE LAST THING King Studio The perfect gift for a K-pop fan In a small office building in the Gangnam district of Seoul, King Studio is making dreams come true. There, a full roster of professionals coach K-pop wannabes through the process of recording a hit of their own in a fully equipped music studio. Packages can even include a music video, complete with hair and makeup. "I'm rewarding myself for graduating from college," said Caro Ve Hondt, a 25-year-old Belgian tourist who sings in a community choir. During her two-hour session, she recorded her favorite song, "Navillera," from the girl group Gfriend. Have a chart-topping evening. Thanks for reading. Hope you had a good Thanksgiving. Matthew Cullen will be back on Monday. — Justin Emree Weaver was our photo editor today. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at evening@nytimes.com. And follow The New York Times on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and TikTok at @nytimes. Writer: Matthew Cullen Editors: Carole Landry, Whet Moser, Justin Porter, Jonathan Wolfe Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The Evening from The New York Times. To stop receiving The Evening, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018