Latest news with #Lent
The Star
2 days ago
- The Star
Malaysian family goes on a whirlwind tour of Italy
We'd love to hear what made your holiday so special. Your story – experiences, tips, advice – should be 700 to 800 words long in Word or Text format. Please attach at least five photos (1MB, captioned) in a separate email. There is no payment for submissions, and we reserve the right to edit all submissions. Email star2travel@ with the subject 'Readers Share'. My family and I had always wanted to visit Italy for its rich culture and history. After saving up enough money for a family holiday, we finally managed to tick this country off our travel bucket list recently. Early spring is a good time to head to Italy for Malaysians, as the weather is pleasantly cold and, most importantly, it is still considered the off-peak period for tourism. Our Italian journey began in Rome. There was so much to see here, like the Colosseum and Palatine Hill. If their walls could talk, they'd have a lot of legends and stories to tell, for sure. In the evening we went searching for the famous Trevi Fountain. I think in general, Rome is a pretty safe place; it felt safe for us to walk in the small alleyways at night. However, we did wear waist pouches under our clothing to keep our valuables, as we know that there are many pickpockets who target tourists like us. Much like in Rome, Pompeii offered a glimpse of the ancient Roman empire too. The social classes of the residents back in the day were evident in this city's well-preserved ruins and houses. Despite Pompeii's destruction (caused by the Mount Vesuvius volcanic eruption), its murals and mosaics are still mostly intact after all the centuries. Another must-see destination in Italy is the Vatican City, which is actually considered a country of its own. Since we were there during Lent, the Catholic pilgrims performing their dues at St Peter's Basilica certainly enlivened the atmosphere at this religious site. At the Vatican Museums, we marvelled at the Renaissance art, Roman sculptures and numerous other pieces collected by the church that were on display. Later, I particularly enjoyed my time in Sorrento, a quaint coastal town overlooking Naples. We took a bus from there down to the Amalfi Coast, a popular seaside resort where lemon trees grow in abundance. If the weather is right, you could also sunbathe on the beaches in Amalfi, which has a view of some dramatic cliffs. After a brief stopover in Florence, we picked up our rental car. We had been travelling on public transport to get around before then, and it was fairly easy and accessible, though perhaps not that convenient. The writer doing the classic tourist pose at the Leaning Tower Of Pisa. Our itinerary became more packed from that point, but having our own vehicle meant that we had more freedom to explore off-the-beaten track places. We also drove to the Leaning Tower Of Pisa, which may have been a little difficult to get to with public transport. Later, we took our time to visit the peaceful village of Lucca and even had a picnic there. In fact, so did the locals, who took their riposa (break) seriously. Typically, small businesses will close from noon till 3pm when the owners and workers have their lunch and rest. Groceries are cheap in Italy, especially in rural towns like Lucca. Naturally, we took this chance to have a home-cooked meal in our cosy rented villa. My father, the de facto home chef, cooked. Throughout our holiday, we chased sunsets whenever we could. The last one we managed to see was in Cinque Terre. The sun rays were beaming down on the colourful houses and it was just a beautiful sight to see. In the medieval town of Verona, the setting for Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet, Juliet's Balcony is perhaps the most popular attraction. But I was there for something else: Gelato. I was lucky enough to find a place that sold 'authentic' gelato, though after quite a few attempts. I did my research on how to spot real gelato. For example, the real thing will not melt too fast or have unnatural, bright colours like blue. After a few scoops of creamy gelato, we continued our journey. Dad finally fulfilled his long-overdue promise to Mum to take her to Venice ... but with me and my sister tagging along! I can see why it's a 'City Of Love', though. There were many couples who opted to go on gondola rides through the city's canals. For me, taking pictures of the Rialto Bridge, old buildings and canals was enjoyable enough. The writer in front of the Duomo di Milano. Our next stop was Milan, one of the world's fashion capitals. We were only here for a short while so we took lots of pictures of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and Duomo di Milano (Milan Cathedral). We also window shopped for a bit. After having seen glimpses of the Swiss Alps along the road while driving around the country, we were in full view of the majestic snow-capped mountain range in Bellagio. This was along the popular Lake Como, and it was our last day in Italy. My sister was the one who suggested we go to Bellagio, which was a really charming place. Although driving around was easy, we did have a flat tyre ... two, in fact. The second time it happened there was actually a nail in the tyre. Luckily, we managed to resolve them with the help of locals. Our sinful eating was compensated by the long walks we took in each town and city. I'm proud to say that we went way above average with our step count! The views expressed are entirely the writer's own.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Pastor Jamal Bryant calls for Dollar General protests after Target boycott
The Brief Rev. Jamal Bryant is calling for a massive electronic protest against Dollar General over the company's rollback of diversity initiatives. The pastor previously led a boycott of Target that spread from a 40-day fast to a national consumer movement. Bryant is not calling for a full boycott, citing Dollar General's locations in food deserts. DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - Metro Atlanta megachurch pastor Jamal Bryant is shifting his focus to another retailer after a months-long boycott of Target over corporate rollbacks of diversity initiatives. In an interview with USA Today, the pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church said that he is calling for an electronic protest of Dollar General. The backstory In February, Bryant took to the pulpit to urge his congregants to boycott Target to show the company the impact of Black consumers. That 40-day "fast" for Lent has expanded to a full boycott that has spread to churches across the country. On Sunday, Bryant led a peaceful prayer protest outside a Target store in Conyers to honor the anniversary of the police killing of George Floyd. Target has faced declining sales, with company leadership citing a range of factors, including tariffs and economic pressures. A spokesperson told Business Insider that the company remains committed to fostering inclusivity for all customers. What they're saying On Wednesday, Bryant announced that he was going to put pressure on Dollar General, saying that the company had "walked away from DEI." "Target is canceled since they have betrayed and walked away from our community, and we've gone on from there,'' Bryant told USA Today. "We're done with Target, and then our next focus will be around Dollar General." Instead of a boycott, Bryant is asking supporters to flood the company's email accounts, phone lines, and social media. "Like other corporations, Dollar General has bowed to pressure from the Trump administration and rolled back their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives," Bryant said. "Dollar General also needs to be held accountable for failing to invest in the very Black and low-income communities that make up the backbone of their customer base. This isn't just a corporate retreat − it's a betrayal of the people they profit from." Bryant said that he is not calling for a full boycott due to there being parts of the country where the stores are the only locations where consumers can get produce. What's next Bryant said the electronic protest is beginning immediately. You can learn more about the protest here. The Source Information for this story came from a USA Today interview with Rev. Jamal Bryant and previous FOX 5 reporting.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Black church leader calls for electronic protest of Dollar General over DEI retreat
A leader in the Black faith community who has been spearheading a consumer boycott of Target is expanding his group's efforts to put pressure on another retailer he said has retreated from diversity, equity and inclusion. Next up is an electronic protest of Dollar General starting immediately. The protest will entail flooding the discount retailer's email account and phone lines and a social media campaign to get it to change course. At the same time, Jamal-Harrison Bryant, senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest, Georgia, who led what started as a "Target Fast" during Lent that was extended into a longer boycott, said his group is moving to a "Target blackout" that will be indefinite. "Target is canceled since they have betrayed and walked away from our community, and we've gone on from there,'' Bryant told USA TODAY in an exclusive interview. "We're done with Target, and then our next focus will be around Dollar General." USA TODAY has reached out to both Dollar General and Target and is awaiting responses. Bryant said Dollar General has also "walked away from DEI and have said absolutely nothing." "Like other corporations, Dollar General has bowed to pressure from the Trump administration and rolled back their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives," Bryant said. "Dollar General also needs to be held accountable for failing to invest in the very Black and low-income communities that make up the backbone of their customer base. This isn't just a corporate retreat − it's a betrayal of the people they profit from.' The call to action for Dollar General will be different from Target's, Bryant said. Instead of boycotting shopping at Dollar General, the group is calling for "a mass technological campaign of telephone and e-mail and social media." Supporters will be encouraged to clog the retailer's phone lines and email and use social media to pressure Dollar General to reinstate its DEI initiatives, Bryant said. Shoppers who want to stay away from Dollar General can, but Bryant is not calling for a full boycott because "a lot of our family members in rural communities are at the hands of Dollar General because of food deserts that bring a whole other conversation." In parts of the country where Dollar General locations are in a "food desert," or an area where access to fresh fruits and vegetables are limited, the store may be the only place people "can get produce and vegetation, and so we'll be shifting the approach ... so that we can really make an impact without having an adverse impact on those who really need a Dollar General," Bryant said. There are more than 20,000 Dollar General stores in the United States as of April, the company said on its website. The effort begins immediately, Bryant said. Bryant's group wants Dollar General to restore and strengthen DEI infrastructure, create a community reinvestment fund, expand contracts to Black-owned vendors and address systemic racism within Dollar General's corporate culture. Bryant said he believes the electronic protest can put pressure on Dollar General even if some who participate don't actually shop at the retailer. "The reality is the amount of people who protest Tesla dealerships, those people don't drive Teslas," Bryant said. "The impact of the brand is still tarnished, so we think we've found there's more than one way to skin a cat." Two boycotts have been aimed specifically at Target – one that began on Feb. 1 to coincide with Black History Month, then Bryant's action. The first indefinite Target boycott was launched at the start of February by Minnesota activists, including Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights attorney and founder of the Racial Justice Network. Armstrong has told USA TODAY that Target's DEI retreat was a slap in the face to many Black shoppers who supported the retailer. Separately, consumer boycotts also have been led by The People's Union, which organized a one-day economic blackout of all consumer spending Feb. 28. The group has since held several weekly boycotts of other businesses and supported a three-day economic blackout in April. The Latino community has also been active on social media, using the hashtag #LatinoFreeze to encourage supporters to "hold your money'' amid freezes on DEI initiatives, reduced funding for the National Institutes of Health and actions on immigration. On May 25, Bryant's group partnered with more than 50 Black churches around the country to peacefully protest outside Target stores on the anniversary of the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020 to continue to pressure the retailer to reinstate its DEI initiatives and meet the four demands of Bryant's organization. Those also include investing in Black-owned banks and establishing retail centers at historically Black colleges and universities. On April 17, the Rev. Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network (NAN), met with Target CEO Brian Cornell at Cornell's request. Bryant, who was at the meeting, told USA TODAY a commitment to reestablish a $2 billion pledge to invest in Black-owned brands and businesses was underway, and Cornell said at the meeting that it would be complete by July 31. No announcements have been made by Target, and a Target spokesman said the goal would be completed within the year. Bryant said that because the other three demands have not been met, the Target blackout will move on. Target is "suspended indefinitely," Bryant said, adding that he is always "amenable to meet." On May 16, Target told USA TODAY in a statement: "We are absolutely dedicated to fostering inclusivity for everyone – our team members, our guests and our supply partners. To do that, we're focusing on what we do best: providing the best retail experience for the more than 2,000 communities we're proud to serve."Target stock has plummeted since earlier this year. On Jan. 31, before the first boycott began on Feb. 1, shares closed at $137.91. It reached a low of $88.76 on April 8, a 35.6% drop. In-person foot traffic at Target has also been affected, according to which uses a panel of tens of millions of devices and employs machine learning to make estimations for in-store visits. Traffic dropped as much as 8.10% the week of Feb. 17 and has ebbed and flowed, sometimes increasing. Traffic was down 2.1% the week of May 12, according to the latest information available. Target also slashed its annual forecast during its last earnings report on May 21, reporting a sharp fall in quarterly same-store sales as customers pulled back on purchases because of worries about inflation and the economy. Target also acknowledged that its performance was affected by the consumer boycotts. Consumer boycotts: Target boycott leaders plan protests on anniversary of George Floyd's murder Bryant said his group's efforts will expand to other businesses that have rolled back DEI initiatives. "Any organization or company that is adverse to our community is on the list. It is just so exhaustive that we start strategically, and it is better to focus on one at a time," he said. Bryant said he has been grateful to supporters who have stayed away from Target as well as expressed their displeasure on social media. "I'm grateful for every post on TikTok and Instagram and Snapchat and Facebook,'' Bryant said. "They are really the unsung heroes that helped make this happen." Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at blinfisher@ or follow her on X, Facebook or Instagram @blinfisher and @ on Bluesky. Sign up for our free The Daily Money newsletter, which will include consumer news on Fridays, here. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Target boycott leader calls for Dollar General protest next
USA Today
3 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
Black church leader calls for electronic protest of Dollar General over DEI retreat
Black church leader calls for electronic protest of Dollar General over DEI retreat Show Caption Hide Caption Consumer Boycotts target DEI retreats—are they working? What we know. Consumer boycotts are targeting companies like Amazon and Target, who've rolled back DEI initiatives, but are they working? Here's what we know. A leader in the Black faith community who has been spearheading a consumer boycott of Target is expanding his group's efforts to put pressure on another retailer he said has retreated from diversity, equity and inclusion. Next up is an electronic protest of Dollar General starting immediately. The protest will entail flooding the discount retailer's email account and phone lines and a social media campaign to get it to change course. At the same time, Jamal-Harrison Bryant, senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest, Georgia, who led what started as a "Target Fast" during Lent that was extended into a longer boycott, said his group is moving to a "Target blackout" that will be indefinite. "Target is canceled since they have betrayed and walked away from our community, and we've gone on from there,'' Bryant told USA TODAY in an exclusive interview. "We're done with Target, and then our next focus will be around Dollar General." Why is the group protesting Dollar General? Bryant said Dollar General has also "walked away from DEI and have said absolutely nothing." "Like other corporations, Dollar General has bowed to pressure from the Trump administration and rolled back their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives," Bryant said. "Dollar General also needs to be held accountable for failing to invest in the very Black and low-income communities that make up the backbone of their customer base. This isn't just a corporate retreat − it's a betrayal of the people they profit from.' The call to action for Dollar General will be different from Target's, Bryant said. Instead of boycotting shopping at Dollar General, the group is calling for "a mass technological campaign of telephone and e-mail and social media." Supporters will be encouraged to clog the retailer's phone lines and email and use social media to pressure Dollar General to reinstate its DEI initiatives, Bryant said. Shoppers who want to stay away from Dollar General can, but Bryant is not calling for a full boycott because "a lot of our family members in rural communities are at the hands of Dollar General because of food deserts that bring a whole other conversation." In parts of the country where Dollar General locations are in a "food desert," or an area where access to fresh fruits and vegetables are limited, the store may be the only place people "can get produce and vegetation, and so we'll be shifting the approach ... so that we can really make an impact without having an adverse impact on those who really need a Dollar General," Bryant said. There are more than 20,000 Dollar General stores in the United States as of April, the company said on its website. The effort begins immediately, Bryant said. Bryant's group wants Dollar General to restore and strengthen DEI infrastructure, create a community reinvestment fund, expand contracts to Black-owned vendors and address systemic racism within Dollar General's corporate culture. Bryant said he believes the electronic protest can put pressure on Dollar General even if some who participate don't actually shop at the retailer. "The reality is the amount of people who protest Tesla dealerships, those people don't drive Teslas," Bryant said. "The impact of the brand is still tarnished, so we think we've found there's more than one way to skin a cat." What is the Target boycott? Two boycotts have been aimed specifically at Target – one that began on Feb. 1 to coincide with Black History Month, then Bryant's action. The first indefinite Target boycott was launched at the start of February by Minnesota activists, including Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights attorney and founder of the Racial Justice Network. Armstrong has told USA TODAY that Target's DEI retreat was a slap in the face to many Black shoppers who supported the retailer. Separately, consumer boycotts also have been led by The People's Union, which organized a one-day economic blackout of all consumer spending Feb. 28. The group has since held several weekly boycotts of other businesses and supported a three-day economic blackout in April. The Latino community has also been active on social media, using the hashtag #LatinoFreeze to encourage supporters to "hold your money'' amid freezes on DEI initiatives, reduced funding for the National Institutes of Health and actions on immigration. On May 25, Bryant's group partnered with more than 50 Black churches around the country to peacefully protest outside Target stores on the anniversary of the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020 to continue to pressure the retailer to reinstate its DEI initiatives and meet the four demands of Bryant's organization. Those also include investing in Black-owned banks and establishing retail centers at historically Black colleges and universities. How has Target reacted to the consumer boycotts? On April 17, the Rev. Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network (NAN), met with Target CEO Brian Cornell at Cornell's request. Bryant, who was at the meeting, told USA TODAY a commitment to reestablish a $2 billion pledge to invest in Black-owned brands and businesses was underway, and Cornell said at the meeting that it would be complete by July 31. No announcements have been made by Target, and a Target spokesman said the goal would be completed within the year. Bryant said that because the other three demands have not been met, the Target blackout will move on. Target is "suspended indefinitely," Bryant said, adding that he is always "amenable to meet." On May 16, Target told USA TODAY in a statement: "We are absolutely dedicated to fostering inclusivity for everyone – our team members, our guests and our supply partners. To do that, we're focusing on what we do best: providing the best retail experience for the more than 2,000 communities we're proud to serve." How have the Target boycotts affected the retailer? Target stock has plummeted since earlier this year. On Jan. 31, before the first boycott began on Feb. 1, shares closed at $137.91. It reached a low of $88.76 on April 8, a 35.6% drop. In-person foot traffic at Target has also been affected, according to which uses a panel of tens of millions of devices and employs machine learning to make estimations for in-store visits. Traffic dropped as much as 8.10% the week of Feb. 17 and has ebbed and flowed, sometimes increasing. Traffic was down 2.1% the week of May 12, according to the latest information available. Target also slashed its annual forecast during its last earnings report on May 21, reporting a sharp fall in quarterly same-store sales as customers pulled back on purchases because of worries about inflation and the economy. Target also acknowledged that its performance was affected by the consumer boycotts. Consumer boycotts: Target boycott leaders plan protests on anniversary of George Floyd's murder Will the Black faith community scrutinize other businesses? Bryant said his group's efforts will expand to other businesses that have rolled back DEI initiatives. "Any organization or company that is adverse to our community is on the list. It is just so exhaustive that we start strategically, and it is better to focus on one at a time," he said. Bryant said he has been grateful to supporters who have stayed away from Target as well as expressed their displeasure on social media. "I'm grateful for every post on TikTok and Instagram and Snapchat and Facebook,'' Bryant said. "They are really the unsung heroes that helped make this happen." Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at blinfisher@ or follow her on X, Facebook or Instagram @blinfisher and @ on Bluesky. Sign up for our free The Daily Money newsletter, which will include consumer news on Fridays, here.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Target's problems are escalating
Target was already facing a very public revolt from some of its most loyal customers. Now it's warning about tariffs. The company said Wednesday that sales fell last quarter, driven in part by customer backlash to Target's reversal on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. Target also cut its guidance as President Donald Trump's tariffs push up costs for the company. Target's sales at stores open for at least a year tumbled 3.8% last quarter. Fewer customers visited Target and spent less when they shopped. Target also cut its financial outlook, a sign Target's problems won't go away quickly. The company expects sales to decline by low single-digits this year. The company announced that it established a multi-year 'Enterprise Acceleration Office' to speed up growth plans, and it reshuffled its executive team. 'We faced several additional headwinds this quarter, including five consecutive months of declining consumer confidence, uncertainty regarding the impact of potential tariffs, and the reaction to the updates we shared on (DEI) in January,' Target CEO Brian Cornell said on a call with analysts Wednesday. Cornell warned of 'massive potential costs' from tariffs, but said the retailer could offset them by diversifying suppliers, adjusting products – and hiking prices, if necessary. 'We have many levers to use in mitigating the impact of tariffs and price is the very last resort,' he said. Target's stock (TGT) dropped 7% during pre-market trading Wednesday. Target's stock has declined 37% over the past year. Cornell acknowledged in a recent email to staff that it has been 'a tough few months' between the retail economy 'headlines, social media and conversations that may have left you wondering,' the Minnesota Star Tribune reported. (Target confirmed the email to CNN.) Cornell said Target's culture and commitment to staff has not changed. 'I recognize that silence from us has created uncertainty, so I want to be very clear: We are still the Target you know and believe in,' Cornell said. Boycotts over Target's DEI reversal hurt Target's business. On January 24, days into Donald Trump's presidency, Target announced it was eliminating hiring goals for minority employees, ending an executive committee focused on racial justice and making other changes to its diversity initiatives. Target said it had a new strategy called 'Belonging at the Bullseye' and the company remained committed to 'creating a sense of belonging for our team, guests and communities.' Target also stressed the need for 'staying in step with the evolving external landscape.' But the decision angered supporters of diversity and inclusion policies, who felt blindsided by Target. Target had been a champion of diversity initiatives and LGBTQ rights. Customers online protested Target's decision and Anne and Lucy Dayton, the daughters of one of Target's co-founders, called the company's actions 'a betrayal.' Target faced a 40-day consumer boycott during Lent led by Rev. Jamal Bryant, a prominent Atlanta-area megachurch pastor, over its DEI rollback. Protestors picketed outside Target headquarters in Minneapolis and other Black leaders such as Rev. Al Sharpton supported boycott efforts. Target came under more pressure than other companies that rolled back DEI policies because Target had gone further in its DEI efforts, and it has a more progressive base of customers than those competitors. On CNN on Wednesday evening, Bryant said that though Target was the first business targeted, it wouldn't be the last. He said he is aware of more than 17 companies that have rolled back DEI initiatives. 'Another company is going to be coming on the radar the next couple of weeks,' he said. Target was a leading advocate for DEI programs in the business world in the years after George Floyd was murdered by police in the company's home city of Minneapolis in 2020. Target also spent years building a public reputation as a progressive employer on LGBTQ issues. Tariffs and a consumer slowdown put even more pressure on Target. The chain stocks more nonessential merchandise compared to competitors such as Walmart (WMT) and Costco (COST). More than half of Target's merchandise is discretionary and is at risk as consumers reign in spending. Around 50% of Target's products are also imported from overseas, including an estimated 25% from China, leaving Target in a 'challenging position,' Steven Shemesh, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets, said in a note Wednesday. Tariffs may force Target to either absorb added costs, hurting its profit, or raise prices on consumers. Home Depot said Tuesday that it plans to keep most of its prices stable, despite Trump's tariffs driving costs up. But tariffs may cause Home Depot to increase prices on select items and eliminate some product lines entirely. Walmart said last week that Trump's tariffs are 'too high' and it will raise prices on some items, prompting an angry response from Trump. 'Walmart should STOP trying to blame Tariffs as the reason for raising prices throughout the chain,' Trump said over the weekend. 'Between Walmart and China they should, as is said, 'EAT THE TARIFFS,' and not charge valued customers ANYTHING. I'll be watching, and so will your customers!!!' CNN's Ramishah Maruf contributed to this story. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
