Dollar Tree's decade-long effort to fold the Family Dollar chain into its business is ending after agreeing to sell the bargain store chain to a pair of private equity firms for $1 billion.Dollar Tree Inc. bought Family Dollar with its over 7,000 stores ten years ago for more than $8 billion.Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData, said that…

Data and tech are helping ski resorts operate more efficiently.A New Hampshire mountain destination is using technology to analyze everything from how many ski runs its customers complete to the busiest time for selling hot dogs.The Black Mountain resort is owned by businessman Erik Mogensen. He calls it a “quintessential independent mountain.” But…

They may belong to the TikTok generation, but a group of Australian high schoolers is reviving the classic tradition of the student magazine. The teens believe it’s more crucial than ever that their voices are heard away from the realm of social media.Student Spotlight is now up to its seventh issue and between student writers, editors and graphic …

Lori Matthias and her husband had tired of Atlanta traffic when they moved to St. Augustine, Florida, in 2023. For Mike Waldron and his wife, moving from the Boston area in 2020 to a place that bills itself as "the nation's oldest city" was motivated by a desire to be closer to their adult children.They were among thousands of white-collar remote w…

For Allyson Howell, her hometown library is more than just a place to borrow a book; it's also a unique space where different cultures from the U.S. and Canada have mingled and developed ties for more than a century.Howell and others fear that could change under a new regulation implemented by President Donald Trump’s administration as tensions con…

After sending its most famous work to be featured in Amsterdam's blockbuster 2023 exhibition of nearly every work by Johannes Vermeer, the Mauritshuis museum found itself with a blank space where the iconic Girl with a Pearl Earring had been displayed.The Hague-based institution turned to more than 2,700 artists, from Texas to Ukraine, from age 7 t…

Around the world, plastics are finding their way into farm fields—coated over the ground in fertilizer, wrapped around seeds, stretched as tarps to lock in moisture and as plastic waste from other industries.It's a problem that has long littered the landscape in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, where a plague of plastic bags, locally known as buveer…

Minimalism is out for 2025, and exuberance is in, according to top interior designers. People looking to improve their homes and gardens are increasingly wanting something "posher" and more high-tech according to style gurus at the Ideal Home Show in London.The Ideal Home Show is the UK's largest interior design show and has been setting trends sin…

The phrase “hybrid athlete” is gaining popularity on social media, with thousands of followers embracing a multi-disciplinary approach to training and racing.While it’s considered a positive trend, experts warn that diving into an intense training routine can be risky if not executed properly.Hyrox is a fitness competition that blends running with …

Hansen, a retired Danish police officer, loaded up his basket at the supermarket, carefully checking each product to avoid buying anything made in the United States. No more Coca-Cola, no more California Zinfandel wine or almonds.On his recent shopping trip, Hansen returned home with dates from Iran. It shocked him to realize that he now perceives …

The Swiss town of Neuchâtel is offering its residents a novel medical option: Expose yourself to art and get a doctor’s note to do it for free.Under a new two-year pilot project, local and regional authorities are covering the costs of “museum prescriptions” issued by doctors who believe their patients could benefit from visits to any of the town’s…

Japan became the first team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after beating Bahrain 2-0 at Saitama Stadium on March 20. Second-half goals from Daichi Kamada and Takefusa Kubo ensured the Samurai Blue secured a spot in Asia Group C's top two automatic qualification places.At its eighth straight World Cup, Japan joins co-hosts the United States, Cana…

More states are passing or considering laws that require employers to offer paid medical leave. Advocates say these laws can reduce financial stress and make workers more productive. But some measures also stress employers, and the patchwork nature of different state laws can create frustration.Paid family and medical leave allows workers time off …

It's highly technical work in what looks more like a lab than a museum: a fragment of a glazed roof tile from Beijing's Forbidden City is analyzed in a state-of-the-art X-ray diffraction machine that produces images which are then projected onto computer screens.The fragment being examined has a dark area on its surface that restorers want to under…

A shortage of dialysis centers in Kenya means patients with kidney failure often have to travel long distances to be treated. Now, an organization is starting to ease that burden with an innovative mobile dialysis unit.The 12-wheeled truck hauls a modern clinic around Murang'a County, offering dialysis to patients who live far from traditional trea…

A solar-powered oven is giving people in Kenya a cheap, healthy way to cook food. The simple contraption is an alternative to firewood and charcoal which are linked to harmful gases.The box is set up outside, food is placed inside, and the lid is closed. The sun's rays are reflected into the cavity, heating it up and cooking the meal."I used to use…

In New York City, spirited badge-holders and independent music fans wove in and out of 150-person capacity clubs filled with groups from around the globe during the New Colossus Festival, held a few weeks ago.Now in its sixth year, 196 artists were scheduled to perform, more than half from outside the United States. But New Colossus may be an excep…

The Los Angeles Dodgers gave Shohei Ohtani an unprecedented $700 million contract hoping to drive interest—and the dollars that come with it—from fans across the Pacific.It seems to be working. He was the main attraction as the Dodgers and Chicago Cubs opened the MLB regular season in March at the Tokyo Dome.He also produced off the field, the marq…

Large crowds, loud music, and time pressure aren't typically considered the best environments for artistic expression. But in Sydney, on-stage art battles are turning painting into competitive entertainment.Artists are taking part in a new type of competition where their painting skills will be tested to their limits. In just 20 minutes, they need …

A study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences finds that even in the most optimistic scenarios, grass-fed beef produces no less planet-warming carbon emissions than industrial beef. The finding calls into question the frequent promotion of grass-fed beef as a more environmentally friendly option. Still, other scientists say grass-f…

Oregon transportation officials say that without more funding, residents could see further declines in the quality of roads, highways and bridges starting this year. But revenues from gas taxes paid by drivers at the pump are projected to decrease as more people adopt electric and fuel-efficient cars, forcing officials to look for new ways to fund …

At Fishtown Seafood, owner Bryan Szeliga is trying to navigate Trump’s on-again, and off-again tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods.Szeliga, who operates three retail and wholesale locations in Philadelphia and Haddonfield, New Jersey, sells a range of seafood. He said a fair amount of shrimp comes from Mexico and briny, slurpable oysters are the …

James Delaney wants his public art in South Africa's biggest city to be more than a magnet for selfies and a delight for children. He's determined to have the vibrant metal sculptures change the mood of its gritty and sometimes dangerous neighborhoods.Over the past decade, artist James Delaney has designed more than 100 sculptures for The Wilds Par…

The New York Yankees dropped their ban on beards 49 years after it was imposed by owner George Steinbrenner, in a move aimed at improving player recruitment as the team tries to win its first World Series title since 2009.Current owner Hal Steinbrenner, son of The Boss, announced the change before the team's spring training opener. He called the ba…

Until recently, most Americans had never heard the term “seed oils,” even though they’ve likely cooked with and consumed them for decades.It’s the catchy description coined by internet influencers, wellness gurus and some politicians to refer to common cooking oils—think canola, soybean and corn oil—that have long been staples in many home kitchens…

Most of the world has dirty air, with just 17% of cities globally meeting air pollution guidelines, a report found.Switzerland-based air quality monitoring database IQAir analyzed data from 40,000 air quality monitoring stations in 138 countries and found that Chad, Congo, Bangladesh, Pakistan and India had the dirtiest air. India had six of the ni…

Birkenstocks: They are ubiquitous in summer, comfy and very German. Sometimes they look chic and sometimes shabby. But can these sandals be considered art?That's the question Germany's Federal Court of Justice wrestled with in February, and it ruled they're just comfy footwear.Birkenstock, which is headquartered in Linz am Rhein, Germany, and says …

A cybercrime crew stole and then resold more than 900 digital tickets to Taylor Swift concerts and other pricey events on StubHub, according to prosecutors in New York.The international scam involved people working in Jamaica for a firm contracted by the online ticket marketplace, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said.The contractors stole the…

Mobile technology is predicted to generate $11 trillion for the global economy by 2030, according to a new report. The analysis was released by the organizers of the Mobile World Congress (MWC), the tech show which opened in Barcelona on March 3.It’s the ‘who’s who’ of the mobile technology industry.MWC is billed as the biggest connectivity event i…

A device aimed at keeping teens safe and two more for football fans—these are the latest offerings from phone maker HMD.The Finnish manufacturer, famous for making Nokia phones, revealed the details on the opening day of the MWC tech show in Barcelona.HMD unveiled its first smartphone specifically designed to protect teens. Parents can control the …

President Donald Trump's administration backed off its demand for an extra layer of federal scrutiny whenever states seek even minor changes to their transportation plans after the rescinded requirement sparked concern that some payments for roads, bridges and transit would be delayed or even halted due to policy differences.Most of the federal mon…

Microsoft is closing down Skype, the video-calling service it bought for $8.5 billion in 2011, which had helped spark a transformation in how people communicate online.The tech giant said it will retire Skype in May and shift some of its services to Microsoft Teams, its flagship videoconferencing and team applications platform. Skype users will be …

Sunday night, March 2 marked Hulu's first time airing the Oscars (or the Academy Awards) live. But its Academy Awards debut ended on a chaotic and frustratingly premature note.Hulu's livestream cut off in the final moments of the show—with two major award categories, best actress and best picture, still to be announced because of a scheduling syste…

A group of lobster fishermen can sue one of the world’s largest seafood watchdog groups for defamation, a federal court has ruled, over a report that described Maine lobster as an unwise choice for consumers.The threat to a rare whale species from getting tangled in fishing gear has prompted Monterey Bay Aquarium in California to caution against ea…

In Tasmania, a school lunch program is giving children a healthy diet and building relationships around the dining table. The number of schools taking part in the scheme is expected to double in the next two years.At least once a week, the school provides students with a healthy meal and snack as part of Tasmania’s school lunch program. It encourag…

Huawei tri-foldable phone—an industry first.The Mate XT has been launched to the international market in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. Its 10.2-inch screen is similar to the most compact Apple iPads.The company says the phone, first released in China six months prior, is the thinnest foldable phone at 3.6 millimeters (0.14 inches), and tho…

A push to ban sugary drinks, candy and more from the U.S. program that helps low-income families pay for nutritious food has been tried before—but it may soon get a boost from new Trump administration officials.Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the newly confirmed Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, and Brooke Rollins, the new Department of Agriculture…

Missy Vraney and Kristin Westphal didn't go to Marquette University. Neither did any of their relatives. Yet their family tradition of attending Marquette Golden Eagles basketball games spans generations.They're still supporting the school regularly—just in beer money rather than tuition fees. It happens every time they buy a Marquette Golden Ale b…

A group of seniors is learning beauty secrets. They draw in their eyebrows, select their favorite lip color and apply blush.The event is run by Japanese cosmetics company Shiseido Co. It's holding these free courses for older people across the country.Japan is the fastest-aging society in the world. More than a quarter of its population is over 65 …

Thieves used a stolen card to buy a winning French lottery ticket worth 500,000 euros ($523,000). But they vanished before cashing in—and now they’re among France’s most famous fugitives.The man whose card was stolen, identified in police documents as Jean-David E., is offering to split the cash with the lucky winners. He wants his wallet back, too…

Top-ranked chess player Magnus Carlsen turned his controversial denim into some greens—for charity.The Norwegian chess grandmaster announced in February that he is auctioning off the Italian luxury brand jeans that started a dress code dispute at December's World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships. Carlsen ultimately quit the New York competition …

As a citizen of both France and America, Margaux Lantelme has noticed a difference in how store cashiers work in the two countries: in France, they do their jobs sitting down. In the U.S., where Lantelme works a register at REI, cashiers typically spend eight hours a day on their feet.For Lantelme, a former kayaking instructor, prolonged standing c…

A jury sat solemnly in a gilded hall in central London, presided over by a bewigged representative of the crown in flowing black robes, but there were no criminals in the dock.Britain’s coinage was on trial.In a ceremony that dates back to the 12th century, the jury filed into the Livery Hall of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths to begin the pro…

West Virginia's reliance on federal funds to help address deeply ingrained issues makes it particularly vulnerable to President Donald Trump's freeze on spending on federal loans and grants.Federally funded programs provide social safety nets and employment in one of the nation’s poorest, most rural states, where nonprofits play a vital role in pro…

NASA's two stuck astronauts are returning to Earth a little sooner than planned.The space agency announced that SpaceX had switched capsules for the astronaut flights in order to bring Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams home in mid-March instead of late March or April. That decision shaved at least a couple of weeks off their prolonged stay at the Int…

A bakery owner in New Hampshire testified that his excitement about displaying a painting by high school students of giant pastries quickly turned to annoyance after a zoning code officer told him it was a sign and had to be changed or removed.Sean Young said the work atop his bakery is art and was never intended to be a sign.“I was artistically of…

Analyzing the brains of London's taxi drivers could be key to improving AI navigation systems and Alzheimer’s research, scientists say. University College London (UCL) researchers have found that London taxi drivers develop a larger posterior hippocampus (the part of the brain responsible for memory and navigation) due to years of training.Each dri…

The Louisiana Department of Health “will no longer promote mass vaccination” according to a memo written by the state's top health official and obtained by The Associated Press.A department spokesperson confirmed Louisiana Surgeon General Ralph Abraham had ordered his staff to stop engaging in media campaigns and community health fairs to encourage…

Loneliness is a widespread issue across Australia, with studies showing it can have a harmful effect on both mental and physical health.In the outer suburbs of Melbourne, residents are taking action to ensure their communities stay connected.Gaye Martin has come to a cafe on the northern periphery of Melbourne to meet a group of women. At first sig…

Large areas of the planet may become too hot to be habitable during extreme heat events.Researchers say that even healthy young humans would struggle to maintain a safe body temperature if we hit 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels in a new study that examines a 'worst-case' scenario.An international group of scientists has found that an a…