Avocados will likely be in short supply and more expensive due to Mexican import suspension

In this article LOCO CMG Avocados are seen in a grocery market in New York, United States on February 14, 2022. Tayfun Coskun | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images Avocados will likely be in short supply and more expensive in the coming weeks if the U.S. suspension of Mexican avocado imports persists. On Saturday, the…

Retail sales surge 3.8% in January, much more than expected amid inflation rise

Consumer spending bounced back sharply in January as rising inflation and a post-holiday surge kept cash registers ringing, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday. Retail sales for the month rose 3.8%, much better than the 2.1% Dow Jones estimate. The numbers are not adjusted for inflation, so the 7.5% rise in the consumer price index for…

Babies are protected from hospitalization for Covid if their moms get vaccinated, study suggests

Michelle Melton, who is 35 weeks pregnant, receives the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at Skippack Pharmacy in Schwenksville, Pennsylvania, February 11, 2021. Hannah Beier | Reuters Mothers who get vaccinated against Covid-19 while pregnant likely protect their babies from hospitalization due to the virus when they are born, according to the Centers…

Tim Hortons focuses its next phase of U.S. expansion on snowbirds and retirees

In this article QSR-CA A pedestrian walks past a Tim Hortons restaurant. Ben Nelms | Bloomberg | Getty Images Tim Hortons is slated to open its first location in Houston this summer, signaling the Canadian coffee chain’s strategy to move further south for its next phase of U.S. expansion. The Restaurant Brands International chain has…

Taco Bell accelerates international growth as chain aims for $20 billion in annual sales

In this article YUM People eat at a newly-opened Taco Bell restaurant in Beijing on August 21, 2020. Greg Baker | AFP | Getty Images Taco Bell is accelerating its growth outside the U.S., opening 25% of its international restaurants in just the last two years. The Yum Brands chain announced Tuesday that it opened…

Here’s how much money athletes at the Beijing Olympics earn for winning medals

Gold medalist USA’s Nathan Chen celebrates at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games on February 10. Sebastien Bozon | AFP | Getty Images The 2022 Winter Olympics is well underway in Beijing, and more than 200 medals have already been awarded to athletes from around the world. Finishing on the podium is a matter of…

Western drought fueled by climate change is the worst in 1,200 years, scientists say

A dried cracked lake bed at Lake Oroville during a drought in Oroville, California, U.S., on Monday, Oct. 11, 2021. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images The megadrought gripping the American West has generated the driest two decades in the region in at least 1,200 years, and human-caused climate change has fueled the…

Coal mines transformed society. Now, their flooded remains could heat the homes of the future

LONDON — The ramifications of the Industrial Revolution, which had its roots in 18th-century Britain, were huge. Britain’s abundance of coal — as well as the ease with which it could be accessed — was a crucial ingredient in this historical turning point, powering the steam engines which helped drive society’s transformation. But things have…

Chevrolet reboots, updates ‘The Sopranos’ intro for surprise Super Bowl ad

In this article GM Chevrolet rebooted and updated the introduction sequence of the HBO show “The Sopranos” for a surprise Super Bowl ad for its new electric Silverado pickup truck. Chevrolet Chevrolet rebooted and updated the introduction sequence of the HBO show “The Sopranos” for a surprise Super Bowl ad for its new electric Silverado…

Oil jumps amid escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine

Oil well pump jacks operated by Chevron Corp. in San Ardo, California, U.S., on Tuesday, April 27, 2021. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images Oil prices jumped in afternoon trading Friday amid escalating tensions between Ukraine and Russia, with the U.K. advising British nationals to leave Ukraine immediately. A Downing Street spokesperson also…