pt barnum circus NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks edged higher in midday trading on Wall Street Friday, keeping the market on track for its fifth gain in a row. The S&P 500 was up 0.1% and is solidly on track for a weekly gain that will erase most of last week’s loss. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 226 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.2% as of 11:32 a.m. Eastern. Several retailers jumped after giving Wall Street encouraging financial updates. Gap soared 9.3% after handily beating analysts’ third-quarter earnings and revenue expectations, while raising its own revenue forecast for the year. Discount retailer Ross Stores rose 3.6% after raising its earnings forecast for the year. EchoStar, parent company of the Dish satellite television provider, fell 3.3% after DirecTV called off its purchase of the company. Smaller company stocks had some of the biggest gains. The Russell 2000 index rose 1.3%. A majority of stocks in the S&P 500 were gaining ground, but those gains were kept in check by slumps for several big technology companies. Nvidia fell 3%. Its pricey valuation makes it among the heaviest influences on whether the broader market gains or loses ground. The company has grown into a nearly $3.6 trillion behemoth because of demand for its chips used in artificial-intelligence technology. Intuit, which makes TurboTax and other accounting software, fell 4.7%. It gave investors a quarterly earnings forecast that fell short of analysts’ expectations. Facebook owner Meta Platforms fell 1.3% following a decision by the Supreme Court to allow a multibillion-dollar class action investors’ lawsuit to proceed against the company. It stems from the privacy scandal involving the Cambridge Analytica political consulting firm. European markets were mostly higher and Asian markets ended mixed. Crude oil prices rose. Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.41% from 4.42% late Thursday. In the crypto market, Bitcoin fell back a bit after surpassing $99,000 for the first time on Thursday. It has more than doubled this year and was most recently trading around $98,600, according to CoinDesk. Retailers remained a big focus for investors this week amid close scrutiny on consumer spending habits headed into the holiday shopping season. Walmart, the nation’s largest retailer, reported a quarter of strong sales and gave investors an encouraging financial forecast. Target, though, reported weaker earnings than analysts’ expected and its forecast disappointed Wall Street. Consumer spending has fueled economic growth, despite a persistent squeeze from inflation and high borrowing costs. Inflation has been easing and the Federal Reserve has started trimming its benchmark interest rates. That is likely to help relieve pressure on consumers, but any major shift in spending could prompt the Fed to reassess its path ahead on interest rates. Also, any big reversals on the rate of inflation could curtail spending. Consumer sentiment remains strong, according to the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index. It revised its latest figure for November to 71.8 from an initial reading of 73 earlier this month, though economists expected a slight increase. It’s still up from 70.5 in October. The survey also showed that consumers’ inflation expectations for the year ahead fell slightly to 2.6%, which is the lowest reading since December of 2020. Wall Street will get another update on how consumers feel when the business group The Conference Board releases its monthly consumer confidence survey on Tuesday. A key inflation update will come on Wednesday when the U.S. releases its October personal consumption expenditures index. The PCE is the Fed’s preferred measure of inflation and this will be the last PCE reading prior to the central bank’s meeting in December.US stocks mostly rose Friday after a report showed a healthy jobs market, and Paris rallied as President Emmanuel Macron vowed to serve out his full term and end France's political crisis. Oil fell on concerns of oversupply and Bitcoin held at a level over $100,000 after hitting records Thursday. The world's biggest economy gained 227,000 jobs in November, more than analysts expected and up from a revised 36,000 in October, said the US Department of Labor. "The US jobs market has emphatically rebounded following October's disappointing data," said Neal Keane, head of global sales trading at ADSS. October's figures had been depressed by hurricanes and workers' strikes, while November's increases may have been exaggerated by the end of a strike at Boeing in particular -- and by retail hiring ahead of the holiday season. US stocks mostly closed higher, with the broad-based S&P 500 and tech-focused Nasdaq both hitting fresh records, although the Dow retreated slightly. Investors are mostly betting that November's jobs numbers, while comforting, are probably not strong enough to deter the Federal Reserve from cutting interest rates again this month. "Investors needed a reassuring jobs report and that's exactly what they got," said eToro analyst Bret Kenwell. "The market still favors a rate cut from the Fed later this month and this report may not change that expectation." The Paris stock market closed up 1.3 percent on "hope that President Emmanuel Macron will serve out his term and that a (French) budget can be passed in the coming weeks," noted Derren Nathan, head of equity research at Hargreaves Lansdown. Macron on Friday was holding talks with French political leaders on the left and right as he seeks to quickly name a new prime minister after Michel Barnier's government was ousted in a historic no-confidence vote. Macron adopted a defiant tone in an address to the nation Thursday evening, just 24 hours after parliament voted out Barnier over his 2025 budget plan, which included unpopular austerity measures forced through without a vote using special powers. The luxury sector benefitted also from hopes of a pickup in Chinese demand. Gucci owner Kering topped the Paris CAC 40 as its shares gained more than six percent, while LVMH rose more than three percent. French video game company Ubisoft jumped 13 percent on takeover speculation. Frankfurt closed slightly higher, other continental markets were mixed, and London slid. In Asia, shares in Seoul sank more than one percent and the won weakened to about 1,420 per dollar as lawmakers prepared to hold an impeachment vote Saturday after President Yoon Suk Yeol's dramatic, short-lived imposition of martial law this week. While analysts said the economic fallout from the crisis would likely be limited, a political storm is ongoing. Hong Kong and Shanghai rallied as investors grew hopeful of fresh stimulus when top Chinese leaders including President Xi Jinping meet to discuss economic policy next week. Bitcoin hovered above $100,000 after having blasted to the historic peak of $103,800 Thursday on news that US President-elect Donald Trump had picked crypto proponent Paul Atkins to head the nation's markets regulator. New York - Dow: DOWN 0.3 percent at 44,642.52 points (close) New York - S&P 500: UP 0.3 percent at 6,090.27 (close) New York - Nasdaq Composite: UP 0.8 percent at 19,859.77 (close) Paris - CAC 40: UP 1.3 percent at 7,426.88 (close) Frankfurt - DAX: UP 0.1 percent at 20,384.61 (close) London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.5 percent at 8,308.61 (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.8 percent at 39,091.17 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 1.6 percent at 19,865.85 (close) Shanghai - Composite: UP 1.1 percent at 3,404.08 (close) Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0566 from $1.0591 on Thursday Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2740 from $1.2760 Dollar/yen: DOWN at 149.97 yen from 150.09 yen Euro/pound: DOWN at 82.93 from 82.97 pence West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 1.6 percent at $67.20 per barrel Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 1.4 percent at $71.12 per barrel gv/rl/bys/aha

Eagles QB Jalen Hurts is in the NFL’s concussion protocol. His status for Sunday is uncertainIf you are looking for a solid Mesh Wi-Fi system that offers high-speed wireless connectivity throughout your home, you should look at this new deal from Amazon US on the ASUS ZenWiFi XT8 Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi system. This Wi-Fi Mesh system includes two Wi-Fi routers that support speeds up to 6600 Mbps and coverage up to 5500 square feet. The 6 GHz band support in this Wi-Fi system, with wider channels and higher capacity, enables a stable backhaul connection between nodes, higher performance, lower latency, and less interference from legacy Wi-Fi devices. ASUS ZenWiFi AX XT8 features a quad-core CPU to deliver faster network performance. The vertical housing features a specially designed antenna and circuit board to deliver stronger Wi-Fi signal strength and also enable better airflow for improved thermal performance. ASUS ZenWiFi is also compatible with the ASUS AiMesh software experience, which will allow you to connect multiple compatible ASUS routers to create a whole-home mesh Wi-Fi network. This deal presents a great opportunity to upgrade your home network with a powerful and reliable mesh Wi-Fi system. You can find the ASUS ZenWiFi XT8 deal If you want a future-proof home Wi-Fi solution, you should consider the latest ASUS Wi-Fi routers that support the Wi-Fi 7 standard. The new ASUS ZenWiFi BT10 Tri-band Wi-Fi 7 router that supports speeds up to 18 Gbps with 6GHz Wi-Fi is now available at a 20% discount from Amazon US. With MLO technology, the ASUS ZenWiFi BT10 combines and switches between the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands for seamless wireless network connections. The 320 MHz bandwidth doubles data capacity when compared to previous-generation routers. This discounted offer is a great opportunity to invest in a cutting-edge Wi-Fi solution.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Two days before recording another milestone, resume-building sack on Sunday at Cincinnati, Myles Garrett delivered a jarring hit — on the Browns. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * CLEVELAND (AP) — Two days before recording another milestone, resume-building sack on Sunday at Cincinnati, Myles Garrett delivered a jarring hit — on the Browns. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? CLEVELAND (AP) — Two days before recording another milestone, resume-building sack on Sunday at Cincinnati, Myles Garrett delivered a jarring hit — on the Browns. In this case, any roughness could be deemed necessary. Garrett piled on to what has been a painful and puzzling season in Cleveland by saying he doesn’t have any interest in going through another rebuild and wants to know exactly what the organization’s offseason plans are to fix things. If that wasn’t enough, Garrett indicated for the first time that he would consider leaving the Browns if his vision doesn’t mesh with the team’s ambitions. “It’s a possibility,” he said of playing elsewhere. “But I want to be a Cleveland Brown. I want to play my career here.” It’s unclear how Garrett’s comments were received by owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam, who have plenty to consider as the Browns (3-12) head into the final two weeks of a season that began with playoff expectations and could be followed by upheaval. The Browns haven’t been this bad since going 0-16 in 2017. Garrett, who reached 100 career sacks by taking down Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow late in the first half of Sunday’s 24-6 loss, may have either added to the Haslams’ long list of concerns — the Deshaun Watson contract situation is a priority — or brought them clarity. There’s no denying that Garrett’s remarks carry substantial weight, which is partly why he spoke up. He’s the Browns’ best player, a franchise cornerstone, a future Hall of Famer and arguably the most disruptive defensive force in the game today. He’s also leading with actions. Garrett showed extraordinary effort in chasing down and tackling Burrow before tumbling out of bounds and crashing into Cleveland’s bench and some portable heaters. He might be frustrated, but he’s not giving up. “A testament of who he is as a player and who he is as a person,” linebacker Jordan Hicks said. What the reigning Defensive Player of the Year says matters. It will be interesting to see if the Haslams listen. At this point, there are indications the Browns intend to stick with coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry, whose major misses in recent drafts have become more magnified with each loss. There will be changes; it’s just a matter of how drastic and if they’ll be enough to satisfy Garrett’s wishes. He turns 29 on Dec. 29 and has two years left on a $125 million contract extension. The All-Pro is in his prime and doesn’t want to waste another season in a pointless pursuit of a Super Bowl title. His goal is to win a championship with Cleveland — or someone. Garrett’s serious. He’s asking the Browns to show him they are, too. What’s working Cleveland’s defense is doing its part. For the second week in a row, the Browns contained one of the NFL’s most talented offenses, holding the Bengals and their top-ranked passing game below most of their season averages. Burrow did throw three TD passes — for the seventh game in a row — but Cincinnati scored fewer than 27 points for the first time in seven games. What needs help The Browns continue to beat themselves with costly turnovers, some more costly than others. They drove to the Cincinnati 1-yard line in the opening minutes only to have D’Onta Foreman fumble as he neared the goal line. The Bengals capitalized by driving 99 yards to take a 7-0 lead that could have been Cleveland’s. Stock up Running back Jerome Ford is making the most of a heavier workload and finishing strong. He ripped off a 66-yard run on the game’s first play and finished with 131 all-purpose yards, including 92 on 11 carries and scored Cleveland’s only TD. Ford’s emergence as a potential No. 1 back — Nick Chubb’s injuries have clouded his future — gives the team one less thing to worry about as it retools the roster. Stock down Kicker Dustin Hopkins hasn’t shaken a startling slump. After being benched for a week to work through his struggles, Hopkins missed his only kick, pushing an extra point to the right. Hopkins felt confident going in, but he’s back to trying to identify issues that could be equally mechanical and mental. He’s just 16 of 25 on field goals, 16 of 19 on PATs and the Browns’ decision to sign him to a three-year, $15.9 million extension this summer looks worse every week. Injuries QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson injured his calf early in Sunday’s game, leaving his status in doubt for a second straight start this week. If Thompson-Robinson can’t go, the Browns could go back to Jameis Winston, but he’s dealing with a sore right shoulder. ... Tight end David Njoku is dealing with yet another injury after hurting his knee. The team is awaiting results on an MRI, perhaps a sign of the severity. Njoku has missed time with injuries all season. He finished with eight catches for 66 yards. Key number Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. 20 — Interceptions for the Browns this season. Thompson-Robinson’s two picks on Sunday gave the team 10 in the last four games. What’s next Probably a half-empty stadium for a final home game on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins, who are still in the hunt for a wild-card spot. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Advertisement AdvertisementLight & Wonder, Inc. Announcement: If You Have Suffered Losses in Light & Wonder, Inc. ...

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The dollar and gold gained Friday amid escalating tensions in the Russia-Ukraine war, while stocks got a boost from data. Bitcoin pushed on further with its march towards the $100,000 mark, as the cryptocurrency benefits from US president-elect Donald Trump’s pledge to ease regulation around digital tokens. The dollar, considered a safe haven asset, was bolstered by geopolitical uncertainty after Russia said the conflict in Ukraine had the characteristics of a “global” war and did not rule out strikes on Western countries. Meanwhile, the Russian ruble slumped to its lowest level since March 2022 against the US dollar, a day after Moscow fired a hypersonic missile on Ukraine and Washington sanctioned a key Russian bank. Yields on government bonds, another safe haven asset, fell as investors snapped them up, while the gold price rose. “Escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which triggered safe haven gold inflows, pushed the precious metal price to new all-time highs in euros and the pound sterling,” said IG analyst Axel Rudolph. Gold also posted strong gains in US dollars. The euro sank to a two-year-low against the dollar and the pound retreated after closely watched surveys showed contractions in business activity in November in the eurozone and Britain. Paris and Frankfurt stocks initially fell after a survey showed that Germany and France, the eurozone’s two biggest economies, were once again driving the weakness, with the latter posting the fastest fall in activity since January. But as the euro fell both Paris and Frankfurt stocks managed to recover their losses and advance. “The eurozone data has increased the chance of more rate cuts from the ECB next year,” said Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB, as well a cut of 50 basis points next month. “Investors have been jolted into recalibrating interest rate expectations on the back of this bleak economic news,” she added. London managed to gain 1.4 percent despite data showing that retail sales figures for October undershot forecasts, as the pound fell against the dollar. Wall Street stocks mostly advanced, comforted by positive economic data. READ ALSO: Dollar soars, bitcoin hits record, stocks swing as Trump win seen “US indices were propped up by the strongest US private sector growth since 2022,” said IG’s Rudolph. In Asia, Tokyo climbed as the government prepared to announce a $140 billion stimulus package to kickstart the country’s stuttering economy. However, Hong Kong and Shanghai sank on a sell-off in tech firms caused by weak earnings from firms including Temu-owner PDD Holdings and internet giant Baidu. Bitcoin set a new record high of $99,505.45 Friday morning before easing back slightly. It is broadly expected to soon burst through $100,000 as investors grow increasingly hopeful that Trump will pass measures to deregulate the crypto sector. Bitcoin has soared more than 40 percent since his election victory this month and has more than doubled since the turn of the year. The recent surge has also been “driven by news that Trump could set up an official crypto department that would sit in the heart of US government”, said XTB’s Brooks. In a further boost, the top US securities regulator Gary Gensler, who oversaw measures to rein in cryptocurrencies, announced Thursday that he intends to step down when Trump takes office in January. The move clears the way for the president-elect to pick Gensler’s successor. – Key figures around 1630 GMT – New York – Dow: UP 0.6 percent at 44,113.57 points New York – S&P 500: UP 0.1 percent at 5,956.74 New York – Nasdaq Composite: DOWN 0.2 percent at 18,944.74 London – FTSE 100: UP 1.4 percent at 8,262.08 (close) Paris – CAC 40: UP 0.6 percent at 7,255.01 (close) Frankfurt – DAX: UP 0.9 percent at 19,322.59 (close) Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.7 percent at 38,283.85 (close) Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 1.9 percent at 19,229.97 (close) Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 3.1 percent at 3,267.19 (close) Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0396 from $1.0476 on Thursday Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2513 from $1.2587 Dollar/yen: UP at 154.88 yen from 154.54 yen Euro/pound: DOWN at 83.10 pence from 83.20 pence West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.9 percent at $70.75 per barrel Brent North Sea Crude: UP 0.8 percent at $74.81 per barrelAH Real Deal: Samsung 2TB Portable SSD drops to $197.67

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In the rapidly evolving world of gaming, vocabulary games are getting an avant-garde makeover with the power of artificial intelligence. While they’ve long served as an engaging tool for learning, these games are set to transcend traditional boundaries, offering players unprecedented interactive experiences. AI-driven personal tutors: Imagine a game that not only teaches you new words but also learns from your interactions to adapt its challenges. Advanced AI algorithms can now personalize vocabulary games based on a player’s skill level and learning speed, offering customized word challenges that maximize vocabulary retention. Augmented Reality (AR) immersion: The integration of AR technology into vocabulary games promises a more engaging experience. Picture a scenario where players, wearing AR glasses, explore a virtual world overlaid on their physical surroundings. Interactive word puzzles pop up as they navigate, turning everyday environments into educational adventures. Social and multiplayer dimensions: The rise of real-time collaboration in gaming is also influencing vocabulary games. New platforms enable players to challenge friends or engage in cooperative word-building tasks. These features not only enhance word knowledge but also foster a sense of community and competition. Gamification of learning: Future iterations will emphasize rewarding progress through virtual rewards, leaderboards, and achievements, making learning something to eagerly anticipate. By leveraging these technological advancements, vocabulary games are poised to play a significant role in educational entertainment. With AI, AR, and social gaming reshaping the landscape, these innovative vocabulary games pave the way for more dynamic, personalized, and interactive learning experiences. The Future of Vocabulary Games: AI Innovations and Immersive Learning Experiences In the dynamic realm of digital gaming, vocabulary games are experiencing a transformative era, courtesy of artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging tech trends. These innovations promise to elevate learning from traditional word exercises to something profoundly interactive and personalized. AI-Driven Personal Tutors One of the most exciting developments in vocabulary gaming is the use of AI to create personal tutors that enhance the learning process. These AI-powered tutors assess a player’s interactions, skill level, and learning speed to tailor challenges specifically for them. The AI’s adaptability ensures that each session remains both engaging and educational, boosting vocabulary retention and mastery. Augmented Reality (AR) Immersion The integration of AR technology into vocabulary games is redefining the way players engage with language learning. Imagine donning a pair of AR glasses and being transported to a world where your immediate environment transforms into a canvas for interactive word puzzles. This not only makes the learning process captivating but also turns everyday settings into interactive educational displays, offering a rich blend of the virtual and the real. Social and Multiplayer Dimensions The evolution of vocabulary games is also marked by their growing social aspects. Modern platforms now support real-time collaboration, enabling players to challenge peers or partake in cooperative word-building tasks. This social layer enhances language acquisition while nurturing a community oriented around learning and competition. Gamification of Learning The gamification trend in education is adding layers of motivation and engagement to vocabulary games. By employing virtual rewards, leaderboards, and achievements, these games make learning a compelling adventure. Players are motivated to return and progress, making vocabulary acquisition a rewarding journey rather than a mundane task. Security Aspects and Privacy With these advancements, security and privacy become paramount. Developers are prioritizing secure platforms where players’ data, such as learning habits and personal progress, is safeguarded. Ensuring that AI and AR technologies are implemented with robust privacy measures will be key to maintaining user trust and integrity. Sustainability and Future Trends The increasing focus on sustainable practices is influencing the gaming industry as well. Developers are exploring energy-efficient software and eco-friendly materials for AR gadgets to lessen their environmental impact. As these innovations continue to evolve, vocabulary games of the future are predicted to be more sustainable, efficient, and accessible to a broader audience. These elements highlight a promising future for vocabulary games, where AI, AR, and social gaming converge to create dynamic, personalized, and interactive learning experiences. As technologies advance and gaming platforms enhance their offerings, language learning will increasingly become an engaging, day-to-day adventure.Unrivaled, the new 3-on-3 women's basketball league launching this winter, signed LSU star guard Flau'jae Johnson to a name, image and likeness deal. Johnson is the second college player to ink an agreement with Unrivaled, following UConn's Paige Bueckers. They won't be participating in the upcoming inaugural season, but Johnson and Bueckers will have equity stakes in the league. Unrivaled dropped a video on social media Thursday showing Johnson -- who also has a burgeoning rap career -- performing a song while wearing a shirt that reads, "The Future is Unrivaled." The deal will see Johnson create additional promotional content for the league. Johnson, 21, was a freshman on the LSU team that won the 2023 national championship. Now in her junior year, Johnson is averaging career highs of 22.2 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game through 10 games for the No. 5 Tigers (10-0). She ranks eighth in Division I in scoring. Johnson has career averages of 14.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game in 82 career appearances (80 starts) for LSU. --Field Level Media

NoneNavigating The Risks Of Digital Public Infrastructure( MENAFN - Daily News Egypt) Cairo for investment and Real estate Developments (CIRA) has announced an exclusive opportunity to acquire 43 fully equipped factories for leather production in the third phase of Robbiki Leather City. This offering marks a significant milestone in advancing Egypt's leather industry and aligns with the nation's strategy to develop integrated industrial clusters. With only two days remaining to apply, investors are encouraged to submit their applications electronically via the Digital Egypt Industrial Platform. The available factories, designed to meet various production capacities, include: To accommodate diverse business needs, investors can combine multiple units. Each factory is optimized for leather production and related industries, offering cutting-edge infrastructure, access to advanced marketing, technological training, and spaces for international and local exhibitions. This offering features unprecedented financial facilities to support investors. Factory prices are based on the actual 2021 cost of infrastructure and construction, ensuring affordability. Key financial options include: Additionally, partnerships with leading banks-including the National Bank of Egypt, Bank of Alexandria, and the Export Development Bank of Egypt-offer tailored financing solutions for purchasing machinery, equipment, and working capital. Investors benefit from significant export incentives, including a 50% rebate on export burden recovery for products manufactured within Robbiki Leather City. The third phase aims to establish a comprehensive manufacturing base for finished leather goods, attracting both local companies and global brands. It completes the leather value chain, from tanning to final product manufacturing, creating an integrated hub for exports. Robbiki Leather City's strategic location connects it to key ports, including Ain Sokhna, Adabiya, Suez, Port Said, Damietta, and Alexandria. The city boasts: During a recent meeting between Nahed Youssef, Chairperson of CIRA, and Gamal El-Samalouti, Head of the Chamber of Leather Industry, industry leaders praised Robbiki Leather City's exceptional facilities. The project is a transformative leap for Egypt's leather sector, adhering to global standards for environmental compliance and infrastructure. Prominent leather investors have expressed strong interest in reserving both large-scale and SME-focused factories. The government's support, facilitated by the Ministry of Industry and the Industrial Development Authority, has been instrumental in advancing the project. Robbiki Leather City aims to be a leading industrial hub with economic, environmental, and social diversity. Its integrated facilities, modern communication services, and advanced training programs position it as a center for innovation and growth in the leather industry. This offering represents an unparalleled opportunity for investors to participate in a landmark project that combines strategic location, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and robust financial support. MENAFN23122024000153011029ID1109025662 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.

By KENYA HUNTER, Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) — As she checked into a recent flight to Mexico for vacation, Teja Smith chuckled at the idea of joining another Women’s March on Washington . As a Black woman, she just couldn’t see herself helping to replicate the largest act of resistance against then-President Donald Trump’s first term in January 2017. Even in an election this year where Trump questioned his opponent’s race , held rallies featuring racist insults and falsely claimed Black migrants in Ohio were eating residents’ pets , he didn’t just win a second term. He became the first Republican in two decades to clinch the popular vote, although by a small margin. “It’s like the people have spoken and this is what America looks like,” said Smith, the Los Angeles-based founder of the advocacy social media agency, Get Social. “And there’s not too much more fighting that you’re going to be able to do without losing your own sanity.” After Trump was declared the winner over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris , many politically engaged Black women said they were so dismayed by the outcome that they were reassessing — but not completely abandoning — their enthusiasm for electoral politics and movement organizing. Black women often carry much of the work of getting out the vote in their communities. They had vigorously supported the historic candidacy of Harris, who would have been the first woman of Black and South Asian descent to win the presidency. Harris’ loss spurred a wave of Black women across social media resolving to prioritize themselves, before giving so much to a country that over and over has shown its indifference to their concerns. AP VoteCast , a survey of more than 120,000 voters, found that 6 in 10 Black women said the future of democracy in the United States was the single most important factor for their vote this year, a higher share than for other demographic groups. But now, with Trump set to return to office in two months, some Black women are renewing calls to emphasize rest, focus on mental health and become more selective about what fight they lend their organizing power to. “America is going to have to save herself,” said LaTosha Brown, the co-founder of the national voting rights group Black Voters Matter. She compared Black women’s presence in social justice movements as “core strategists and core organizers” to the North Star, known as the most consistent and dependable star in the galaxy because of its seemingly fixed position in the sky. People can rely on Black women to lead change, Brown said, but the next four years will look different. “That’s not a herculean task that’s for us. We don’t want that title. ... I have no goals to be a martyr for a nation that cares nothing about me,” she said. AP VoteCast paints a clear picture of Black women’s concerns. Black female voters were most likely to say that democracy was the single most important factor for their vote, compared to other motivators such as high prices or abortion. More than 7 in 10 Black female voters said they were “very concerned” that electing Trump would lead the nation toward authoritarianism, while only about 2 in 10 said this about Harris. About 9 in 10 Black female voters supported Harris in 2024, according to AP VoteCast, similar to the share that backed Democrat Joe Biden in 2020. Trump received support from more than half of white voters, who made up the vast majority of his coalition in both years. Like voters overall, Black women were most likely to say the economy and jobs were the most important issues facing the country, with about one-third saying that. But they were more likely than many other groups to say that abortion and racism were the top issues, and much less likely than other groups to say immigration was the top issue. Despite those concerns, which were well-voiced by Black women throughout the campaign, increased support from young men of color and white women helped expand Trump’s lead and secured his victory. Politically engaged Black women said they don’t plan to continue positioning themselves in the vertebrae of the “backbone” of America’s democracy. The growing movement prompting Black women to withdraw is a shift from history, where they are often present and at the forefront of political and social change. One of the earliest examples is the women’s suffrage movement that led to ratification in 1920 of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution , which gave women the right to vote. Black women, however, were prevented from voting for decades afterward because of Jim Crow-era literacy tests, poll taxes and laws that blocked the grandchildren of slaves from voting. Most Black women couldn’t vote until the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Black women were among the organizers and counted among the marchers brutalized on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Alabama, during the historic march in 1965 from Selma to Montgomery that preceded federal legislation. Decades later, Black women were prominent organizers of the Black Lives Matter movement in response to the deaths of Black Americans at the hands of police and vigilantes. In his 2024 campaign, Trump called for leveraging federal money to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs in government programs and discussions of race, gender or sexual orientation in schools. His rhetoric on immigration, including false claims that Black Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating cats and dogs, drove support for his plan to deport millions of people . Related Articles Tenita Taylor, a Black resident of Atlanta who supported Trump this year, said she was initially excited about Harris’ candidacy. But after thinking about how high her grocery bills have been, she feels that voting for Trump in hopes of finally getting lower prices was a form of self-prioritization. “People say, ‘Well, that’s selfish, it was gonna be better for the greater good,”’ she said. “I’m a mother of five kids. ... The things that (Democrats) do either affect the rich or the poor.” Some of Trump’s plans affect people in Olivia Gordon’s immediate community, which is why she struggled to get behind the “Black women rest” wave. Gordon, a New York-based lawyer who supported the Party for Socialism and Liberation’s presidential nominee, Claudia de la Cruz, worries about who may be left behind if the 92% of Black women voters who backed Harris simply stopped advocating. “We’re talking millions of Black women here. If millions of Black women take a step back, it absolutely leaves holes, but for other Black women,” she said. “I think we sometimes are in the bubble of if it’s not in your immediate circle, maybe it doesn’t apply to you. And I truly implore people to understand that it does.” Nicole Lewis, an Alabama-based therapist who specializes in treating Black women’s stress, said she’s aware that Black women withdrawing from social impact movements could have a fallout. But she also hopes that it forces a reckoning for the nation to understand the consequences of not standing in solidarity with Black women. “It could impact things negatively because there isn’t that voice from the most empathetic group,” she said. “I also think it’s going to give other groups an opportunity to step up. ... My hope is that they do show up for themselves and everyone else.” Brown said a reckoning might be exactly what the country needs, but it’s a reckoning for everyone else. Black women, she said, did their job when they supported Harris in droves in hopes they could thwart the massive changes expected under Trump. “This ain’t our reckoning,” she said. “I don’t feel no guilt.” AP polling editor Amelia Thomson DeVeaux and Associated Press writer Linley Sanders in Washington contributed to this report. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.