Unit Sales Fell 5.6% Last Week (publishersweekly.com)

Our hearts are with all those directly and indirectly impacted by the tragic events in Ukraine. With a reported 2 million people fleeing the violence and suffering in the region—most of whom are women and children with little more than the clothes on their backs—Gap Inc.’s brands will make a collective in-kind donation of more than $1 million worth of women and children's clothes to the UNHCR for communities in need. We are also encouraging employees to contribute company-matched donations to USA for UNHCR, CARE and the International Rescue Committee. As a values-led company, one that is proud to do the right thing over the past 53 years in business, at this time, we have also suspended deliveries to Russia, where we have a small franchise presence. We also have a handful of franchise locations in the Ukraine, which are currently closed, and we are working through our partner to account for the safety of those employees.

Thomas G. Day was officially sworn in as a commissioner of the Postal Regulatory Commission and named vice chairman of the agency by a unanimous vote of commissioners; while Commissioner Robert G. Taub begins his third term with the agency after being confirmed by the United States Senate on September 28, 2023. PRC Chairman Michael Kubayanda said “I am pleased to continue serving alongside Commissioner Taub and to serve with Commissioner Day. They are experienced and highly skilled public servants who have contributed significantly to the nation and our postal system, and will continue to do so.”

Simon & Schuster has acquired Veen Bosch & Keuning, the largest Dutch book publishing house. The acquisition includes all of VBK's imprints in the Netherlands and Belgium, as well as its sister companies, the audiobook producer Thinium, and Bookchoice, a subscription-based platform for e-books and audiobooks. Financial terms of the cash acquisition, which is still subject to review, were not disclosed. The move marks the first major instance of a promised international expansion of S&S, which CEO Jonathan Karp alluded to last year following the acquisition of S&S by private equity firm KKR. The acquisition is also S&S's first of a non-English-language publisher, and provides the company a new foothold in the European market, where "the companies aim to provide a better avenue to sell, produce, and distribute... titles in Europe and to publish more S&S titles locally," as per a release.