CNN news 2014-12-02 加文本

cnn news 2014-12-02

CARL AZUZ, cnn ANCHOR: Welcome back to cnn STUDENT NEWS into the first day of December. I`m Carl Azuz kicking off ten minutes of commercial free

current events.

First up, Black Friday. It ain`t what it used to be. Traditionally, one of the busiest shopping days of the year in the U.S. It`s losing a little

ground to Thanksgiving Thursday.

This year, a company that tracks retail sales found that American spending had increased on Thanksgiving Day and slightly decreased on Black Friday.

As compared with last year.

There are also changes in where people shopped. Sales at brick and mortar stores, the ones you can actually visit, were reportedly less than they

were last year. Sales online were mixed. The National Retail Federation says all things considered, the average American shopper spent just over

$380 this holiday weekend. That`s down from $407 last year.

Economists watch retail spending to get an idea of how the U.S. economy is doing.

When we left you last week, violent protests had begun in Ferguson, Missouri. Many of the demonstrators had wanted a white police officer,

Darren Wilson, to be charged in the fatal shooting of a black 18-year old Michael Brown. But a grand jury decided not to charge Officer Wilson after

hearing evidence and accounts from witnesses and police.

Hundreds of protesters have been arrested, both in the town of Ferguson and in several other U.S. cities where people demonstrated against the grand

jury decision. Over the weekend, the policeman resigned from his job. Darren Wilson said it was for the safety of other officers and the

community, and that he hoped it would help Ferguson heal.

While the demonstrations in other cities have mostly been peaceful, those in Ferguson have not.

SARA SIDNER, cnn CORRESPONDENT: On the streets of Ferguson the morning light revealed the devastation after two nights of destruction.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stop throwing objects, it`s police and disperse immediately.

SIDNER: The announcement of the Grand Jury decision brought an explosion of anger and violence in Ferguson. Police surrounded this auto part store

early in the evening, but rioters torched it. The store lit up the night sky and continued burning well into the next day.

Ferguson Market and Liquor is a store where Michael Brown allegedly stole some cigarillos just minutes before he was fatally shot. It became an

especially symbolic target for looters. But some hose to stand up for their town. Andre Thomas didn`t even know the owner of this wig shop.

(on camera): Tell me what you are doing out here.

ANDRE THOMAS, PROTESTER: I saw some people looting, that`s not what I`m about. So, I just want to protect it.

SIDNER (voice over): Others tried to save Cathy`s Kitchen. A favorite local restaurant run by a local family.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Leave this alone! Leave this alone!

SIDNER: Still, even Cathy`s was vandalized and the days and weeks before Monday`s decision, business owners boarded up hoping for the best, but

their best efforts were no match for this week`s fury.

This is what`s left of Little Caesars, prime beauty supply, Flood Christian Church.

More than 2,000 National Guard troops were ordered to the streets Tuesday. The governor promising there would not be a repeat of Monday night`s

violence.

Still, another police car was set on fire and flipped over, more businesses were trashed as police tried to break up crowds with tear gas and smoke

bombs.

Natalie Dubose`s Bakery was heavily damaged.

NATALIE DUBOSE, OWNER, NATALIE`S CAKES AND MORE: It kind of feels like I`m in a twilight zone, that I`m watching this happen. But I`m actually happen

to live it and the destruction here is just absolutely - it`s unbelievable.

SIDNER: By daylight, there were small glimmers of hope, volunteers turned up to help with the cleanup. Natalie Dubose`s turned to crowd funding for

help. More than $100,000 has been pledged, and at Cathy`s Kitchen ..

JEROME JENKINS, OWNER, CATHY`S KITCHEN: I can rebuild, I will make it.