DHAKA, Bangladesh—Firefighters were working to get under control a massive fire that burned through a popular clothing market and spread to other small markets and buildings in Bangladesh’s capital Tuesday. No casualties have been reported so far. The fire started at Bangabazar Market in Dhaka at 6:10 a.m. and firefighters from 47 units were working…

MADRID—Fashion giant Zara has started charging shoppers in Spain for returns of online purchases, the company announced on Wednesday, though store returns remain free. Customers now have to pay 1.95 euros ($2.13) if they wish to return pieces from home, with the cost deducted from their refund, Zara said on its Spanish website. However, items…

Commentary It’s utterly astonishing that so many otherwise intelligent people got taken in by Sam Bankman-Fried, the now disgraced former head of crypto exchange FTX who is still nonetheless invited to speak at a New York Times seminar that costs $2,400 to attend. Part of his supposed appeal was his slovenly dress: t-shirts, cargo shorts,…

The average Canadian family spent over 40 percent of its income on taxes in 2021—more than food, housing, and clothing combined—according to a new study by the Fraser Institute. Published on Sept. 21, the study [pdf] found that while the average Canadian family earned an income of $99,030 in 2021, a total of $42,547 was used…

NEW YORK—Inflation-weary U.S. shoppers have been skimping on clothing purchases, prompting retailers to slash prices to clear inventory off the racks. Gap was the latest retailer to report a slump in apparel shopping for the second-quarter, saying on Thursday that net sales slumped 8 percent from a year earlier to $3.86 billion. Earlier this month,…

By Alan Behr From Tribune News Service I had cautioned Ryan that, whatever else we did on our father-son military history tour of England, we would begin with live-fire etiquette practice in preparation for a big event we would shortly be attending. Owing to a transit strike (which seems to occur every other time I…

You should see the big wad of lint I just plucked from the trap of my clothes dryer. Ack! Where does all of that come from? I know I emptied all pockets, and I’m certain I did not wash a bag of pillow stuffing. I’ll tell you what it is, and I am not happy…

SAN DIEGO—A man who tried to slither past U.S. border agents in California had 52 lizards and snakes hidden in his clothing, authorities said Tuesday. The man was driving a truck when he arrived at the San Ysidro border crossing with Mexico on Feb. 25 and was pulled out for additional inspection, U.S. Customs and…

While most retail stores are hanging on by a thread due to COVID-19’s assault on the U.S. economy, thrift stores, specifically consignment stores, are having the opposite problem: Business is booming! According to thredUP.com, a major secondhand shopping site, the resale apparel market will grow to $64 billion from $28 billion in the next five…

Increased enforcement of a ban on imported products made with forced labor has led to cargo stoppages and complaints from importers, The Wall Street Journal reported. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers are charged with enforcing the ban on goods, such cotton and tomato products from the Xinjiang region of China, where Uyghurs are detained…