Online holiday spending rises nearly 9%, as deals and AI-powered chatbots fuel purchases, data shows

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  Heads say they face tough choices on school spending as costs rise

  A new report says schools in England may have to make cuts to meet pupils' needs and cover pay rises.
  
  BBC News - 10h
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  Meta hosts AI chatbots imitating 'Hitler,' 'Jesus Christ' and Taylor Swift

  In less than six months users have created and successfully published chatbots on Meta’s platforms that violate its rules.
  
  NBC News - 16h

• Online holiday spending rises nearly 9%, as deep discounts and AI-powered chatbots fuel purchases, Adobe data says

  The holiday e-commerce results from Adobe are a promising sign for the retail industry, which will begin reporting holiday results in February.
  
  CNBC - 1d
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  Online Holiday Shopping Got an AI Boost, Says Salesforce

  Online sales climbed 4 percent in the year-end buying period, as AI-powered chatbots facilitated sales and returns.
  
  Inc. - 1d

• France signals fewer spending cuts and tax rises ahead of budget talks

  Economy minister seeks to ‘protect growth’ with slightly higher deficit target for 2025
  
  Financial Times - 2d
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  Vikings spend nearly $2 million on tickets at Detroit's Ford Field for Week 18 clash vs. Lions

  The Vikings purchased the seats on the secondary market and offered them to season ticket-holders.
  
  Yahoo Sports - 3d

• Microsoft expects to spend $80 billion on AI-enabled data centers in fiscal 2025

  Over half of Microsoft's $80 billion in spending will take place in the U.S., Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith wrote in a Friday blog post.
  
  CNBC - 4d
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  Microsoft expects to spend $80 billion on AI-enabled data centers over next 12 months

  Microsoft plans to spend $80 billion in fiscal 2025 on the construction of data centers that can handle artificial intelligence workloads, the company said in a Friday blog post.
  
  NBC News - 4d

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  Destructive winds will lead to explosive fire growth in Southern California

  The Palisades, Eaton and Hurst wildfires raging in Southern California will be fueled by peak winds of 100 mph, placing 19 million people at risk. NBC News meteorologist Angie Lassman has the ...
  
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  Three fires grow, forcing at least 80,000 evacuations around L.A.

  A fire in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles has forced some residents to evacuate amid "life-threatening and destructive" winds.
  
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  Wildfire turns scenes of L.A. into a nightmare of burning homes and fleeing residents

  Tens of thousands of Southern Californians were ordered to flee their homes Tuesday after a brush fire exploded in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles.
  
  NBC News - 11h
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  Nursing home in Pasadena evacuated as thick smoke from wildfire approaches

  Residents at the Pasadena Park Healthcare & Wellness Center in Pasadena, California, are being evacuated as the Eaton Fire grows nearby. KNBC's Macy Jenkins reports.
  
  NBC News - 8h
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  Los Angeles wildfires: TODAY's Al Roker tracks Santa Ana winds

  Dangerous winds in Los Angeles are intensifying the rapidly-spreading wildfires. Meanwhile, much of the rest of the country is bracing for a major winter storm. TODAY’s Al Roker tracks the forecast.
  
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