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Middle East Starbucks cuts 2,000 workers amid Gaza war boycotts
Starbucks’ Middle East franchisee is laying off roughly 2,000 workers at its restaurants throughout the region as it grapples with ongoing boycotts of the brand over the Israel-Hamas war.
The Starbucks operator cited business conditions as behind its decision to fire just over 10% of its workforce in its Middle Eastern and North African locations.
“As a result of the continually challenging trading conditions over the last six months, we have taken the very sad and very difficult decision to reduce the number of colleagues” in Starbucks stores in the region, the Kuwait-based family business, Alshaya Group, told the Associated Press.
Alshaya operates roughly 1,900 Starbucks stores in Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and United Arab Emirates.
Starbucks is one of several Western brands that have drawn criticism from pro-Palestinian activists since Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel. McDonald’s also faced boycott campaigns from both pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel groups over their perceived support for one side or the other.
McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski said in January that the fast-food chain is seeing a “meaningful business impact” in the Middle East and elsewhere related to the Israel-Hamas war. McDonald’s also faced boycott calls after a local franchisee in Israel in October said it would distribute free meals to Israeli soldiers.
Rumors that Starbucks financially backs the Israeli government and its military are “unequivocally false,” the company states on its website. As a public company, Starbucks is required to disclose any corporate giving, it notes.
A Starbucks employee in Glen Rock, New Jersey, in February found red paint and antisemitic stickers related to the Israel-Hamas war on the shop’s sign, police said. The Seattle-based company also sued Workers United over a pro-Palestinian message the union posted online.
—The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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How to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears NFL game today: Livestream options, more
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The Minnesota Vikings will take on the Chicago Bears today. The Vikings are currently 8-2, an impressive run so far this season, and will be looking to add a fourth win to their current streak after last Sunday’s 23-13 win against the Tennessee Titans. The Bears, on the other hand, are entering this game on the heels of a four-game losing streak after a tough 20-19 loss against the Green Bay Packers last Sunday.
Here’s how and when you can watch the Vikings vs. Bears game today, whether or not you have cable.
How and when to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears
The Vikings vs. Bears game will be played on Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. PT). The game will air on Fox and stream on Fubo and the platforms featured below.
How and when to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears game without cable
You can watch this week’s NFL game on Fox via several streaming services. All you need is an internet connection and one of the top options outlined below.
Fubo offers you an easy, user-friendly way to watch NFL games on CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network, plus NCAA football channels. The Pro tier includes 200+ channels and unlimited DVR, while the Elite with Sports Plus tier adds NFL RedZone and 4K resolution. New subscribers get a seven-day free trial and all plans allow streaming on up to 10 screens simultaneously.
You can watch today’s game with a subscription to Sling’s Orange + Blue tier, which includes ESPN, ABC, NBC, and Fox. The plan offers 46 channels with local NFL games, nationally broadcast games and 50 hours of DVR storage. For complete NFL coverage, add Paramount+ to get CBS games, or upgrade with the Sports Extra add-on for additional sports channels like Golf Channel, NBA TV and NFL RedZone.
Watching NFL games, including Fox broadcasts, is simple with Hulu + Live TV, which includes 90 channels, unlimited DVR storage, and access to NFL preseason games, live regular season games and studio shows. The service includes ESPN+ and Disney+ in the subscription.
Want to watch today’s game live on your smartphone? If so, NFL+ streaming service is the solution you’re looking for. It lets you watch NFL Network and out-of-market games on mobile devices, with an upgrade option to NFL+ Premium that includes NFL RedZone for watching up to eight games simultaneously. Note that NFL+ only works on phones and tablets, not TVs.
