The search for a missing Nova Scotia fisherman who went overboard on Boxing Day morning was suspended early Tuesday afternoon. Lt. Commander Len Hickey said that despite a robust search effort that carried on overnight Monday and into Tuesday morning, rescue crews were unable to locate the missing man. The file will be handed over…

More than 145,000 Sydneysiders and visitors soaked up the festive spirit of Noël Sydney, a hugely popular family-friendly Christmas celebration spanning 16 nights in Sydney CBD.  Attendees got the chance to immerse themselves in a magical wonderland of Christmas trees and market stalls—selling items sourced from around the state of New South Wales—at the Royal…

Shoppers are expected to make the most of the Boxing Day sales this year as rising living expenses continue to weigh on household budgets. Australian Retailers Association (ARA) and Roy Morgan analysis anticipates an almost eight percent rise in post-Christmas spending compared to this time last year. Spending is expected to reach a record $23.5…

Black Friday is expected to overtake Boxing Day as Australia’s biggest shopping day of the year, with clothes and technology at the top of most shopping lists. According to the Australian Retail Association (ARA) and Roy Morgan, Australians will spend a record $6.2 billion (US$4.2 billion) over the Black Friday/Cyber Monday shopping weekend, while finance…

Many Australians will receive the greatest gift of all this Christmas Day—good weather. The Bureau of Meteorology has released its first official Christmas Day forecast and it is promising warm and dry weather for much of the country. A high pressure system moving east to west across southern Australia will lead to mild and settled…

Online sales in Australia are expected to reach a record on Boxing Day, according to data released this week by Commonwealth Bank. The survey of 1,005 people revealed that 60 percent of online shoppers were mainly motivated by convenience, 54 percent want to avoid queues, and 43 percent were happy to avoid traffic. Australian Retailers…

Quebec will tighten COVID-19 restrictions on Boxing Day, limiting the number of people permitted in indoor private gatherings to six, Premier Francois Legault said on Dec. 22. Starting Dec. 26, the current 10-person limit for gatherings in private homes will shrink to six people or two-family bubbles, Legault said during a press conference. Restaurants, which are…

New measures are to be introduced in Wales from 6am on Boxing Day to tackle rising rates of the Omicron variant, ministers have announced. First Minister Mark Drakeford said the measures are a revised version of alert level two and are designed to help keep businesses open and trading. The regulations bring back protections in…

After spending a record amount on Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, Australians are expected to spend a further $21 billion (US$15 billion) across the country after Christmas. The Australian Retailers Association and Roy Morgan released a forecast, that argues that Australians will back this up with a strong trading period between Boxing Day and…

Australian shoppers are being kindly urged to “spend big” at small businesses this weekend as Black Friday kicks off. Bruce Billson, the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, said Australians had the opportunity to support small businesses after a challenging period. “When you spend at a local small or family business, it’s the gift…