News briefs include: Kid wins baking contest; Taliban parades US equipment; Home Depot sales; All-you-can-fly airline deal.
Home Depot sales down over recession fears
Home Depot, long a gauge of the strength of the economy, is mirroring concerns of a recession. The home improvement giant lowered its sales expectations for the year. “It said customers were spending less on home improvement projects, pressured by higher interest rates and concerns that the economy is getting worse,” reports CNN. It reports sales down 3.6% at stores open at least 12 months to but forecasts sales to fall between 3% and 4% this year compared to last year.
Kid beats adults in baking competition
Seven-year-old Allen Gage of Mabank, Texas, did the unthinkable at the State Fair of Texas’ “Battle for the Blue Ribbons” baking competition. He won. His entry of a blueberry pie in the fruit pie division — making him the youngest person ever to qualify for the fair’s “Best of Show” set for October, according to Fox News. “He had the biggest old grin on his face,” Sara Smith, the third place winner from Arlington. “When they called his name, we were all just looking around. We couldn’t see him at first because he was so short. Then everyone just started hooting and hollering and clapping, and he was just smiling. It was really nice and very special.” His mom Penny says “In the kitchen, he’s just very calm and very precise in what he’s doing, very focused.”
All-you-can fly airline deal
European budget airline Wizz Air is offering an ‘all you can fly’ subscription, with unlimited flights for an annual fee $549. The plan is similar to plans being offered by Frontier Airlines and Malaysia-based AirAsia. Wizz Air has faced criticism in the UK for its customer service and flight delays, according to the BBC. The discounted price for the yearly pass will be available until 16 August and then increase in price. Beginning in September, travelers can fly to destinations in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Asia by booking an available flight up to three days before departure and paying a flat fee of 9.99 euro.
Afghanistan celebrates US withdrawal with parade of US military equipment
Afghanistan on Wednesday held a military parade celebrating the ouster of American troops under the Biden administration. Taliban rulers celebrated “their homemade bombs used in war, fighter aircraft and goose-stepping security forces,” according to the BBC. The parade featured some of the billions of dollars worth of military equipment left by the Biden administration. Taliban forces seized the capital on August 15, 2021, after the US-backed government collapsed. A suicide bomber soon killed 13 members of the US military. The anniversary is marked a day earlier on the Afghan calendar. Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund praised the Taliban authorities’ victory over “Western occupiers” in a statement read by his chief of staff.
–Dwight Widaman and wire services