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Consumer confidence up despite soaring gas prices

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumer confidence inched higher in March despite soaring energy prices brought on by the war in Iran. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index rose modestly to 91.8 in March from 91 in February. The board said that while rising costs due to tariffs and spiking oil prices induced by the conflict in the Middle East did not affect the topline confidence reading, there was increasing pessimism in other measures of the survey, including expectations of higher inflation. Respondents’ comments about oil, gas and the war spiked and ...

Trump’s moves to influence market may fall flat

WASHINGTON (AP) — As the Iran war intensifies, President Donald Trump has prioritized efforts to calm the financial markets — trying to keep oil prices from exploding upward, stocks from cratering and interest rates from surging. When the markets have flashed danger, Trump has been quick with a social media post or a remark to claim the war he launched last month could soon end. He’s publicly declared that the markets are doing better than he expected, even with the S&P 500 stock index declining over the past five weeks and the global oil benchmark up roughly 60%. “I thought ...

Hints From Heloise

Fastening buttons with ease Dear Heloise: Arthritis and stiff fingers can make fastening buttons a daily struggle, but one of my friends found a simple solution: Instead of unbuttoning a blouse, leave most of the buttons fastened. Then slip the blouse over your head like a pullover, fastening only the top button. This small change removes the need to handle multiple buttons each time you dress or undress. It works best with loose blouses or shirts that pull over your head easily. People with limited hand mobility may find this trick especially helpful. Simple adjustments like this ...

Drawing boundaries without hurting family ties

Dear Annie: I’ve been married to my husband for six years, and for the most part we have a happy, peaceful life together. The one area where things feel complicated is with my in-laws. My husband is very close to his parents, which is something I truly admire about him. They raised a kind, thoughtful son, and I know family means a lot to them. The challenge is that sometimes it feels like there’s no clear boundary between their household and ours. For example, his mother will often call him several times a day to check in, and she sometimes asks detailed questions about things ...

Horoscope

Tomorrow is an astrological and cultural convergence of the full moon in Libra, April Fool’s Day and Passover. To make the most of the auspicious lunar omen, consider preparing for a personal nod to the Pink Moon, named for the flame-bright phlox that spreads across springtime hillsides. Here are tips to prepare for that magic moment when wild wonder will wander in. ARIES (March 21-April 19). Your personal Pink Moon ritual will be charged with good fortune when it involves a vow made to yourself. If you could only keep one rule, what would it be? The focus on a single sacred promise ...

NFL set to begin hiring and training replacement officials

PHOENIX (AP) — The NFL is moving forward with plans to begin hiring and training replacement officials in the next several weeks because negotiations with the referees’ union have been unsuccessful, two people with knowledge of the discussions told The Associated Press. Both people spoke on condition of anonymity Sunday because the conversations are private. The league and the NFL Referees Association have been negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement since the summer of 2024. The current CBA expires on May 31. The NFL has increased its offer to a 6.45% annual growth ...