OAK BROOK, Ill. -- With just under a week left before the sales of flavored cigarettes become illegal, the FDA has issued a letter providing the industry with more specific direction, its first action in regulating tobacco since given the task in July.

As the letter explains, "An important way to reduce the death and disease caused by smoking is to prevent children and adolescents from starting to smoke. Congress has stated that flavors make cigarettes more appealing to youth and often result in exposure to additional carcinogens and other toxic constituents. The removal from the market of cigarettes that contain certain characterizing flavors is an important step in FDA's efforts to reduce the burden of illness and death caused by tobacco products."

ATLANTA -- 7-Eleven, Circle K and BP's ampm are the convenience store chains making the Franchise Direct Top 100 Global Franchises list for 2009. Dallas-based 7-Eleven Inc., the highest ranked c-store company on the list, came in at No. 3, behind fast-feeder McDonald's and Subway sandwich shop. The top 10 spots were rounded out by InterContinental Hotels, Pizza Hut, KFC, Burger King, A&W Restaurants, Ace Hardware and Naturhouse. Circle K, the U.S. arm of Laval, Quebec-based Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., came in at No. 13. And Santa Clara, Calif.-based ampm came in at No. 21.

PUYALLUYP, Wash. -- Animals certainly aren't the target demographic for most convenience stores. But some cattle participating in the Puyallup Fair's opening parade veered off course and decided to check out the product mix in a downtown Puyallup, Wash., c-store, forcing a pair of mounted cowboys to enter the store and drive them out, according to a report in The News Tribune.