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The move comes as the House of Representatives passed a successor bill this week to support distressed homeowners served by the Department of Veterans Affairs. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. If you find running intimidating, know that there is another way to get some fresh air while doing a reasonably intense workout. It’s called interval walking training (IWT), or sometimes "Japanese walking" or "3x3 walking." It’s a form of HIIT, but it won’t end in you collapsing on the floor, hating your life. Here’s how to do it. How to do the 3x3 "Japanese walking" workoutThe original protocol for this exercise, as published here in 2007 by Hiroshi Nose’s team at Shinshu University in Japan, used a lab test to help people determine how fast they should walk during the workout. Since that’s not practical for most of us, a common substitute is to use perceived effort. During the high intensity portions, you walk a strong, fast pace—about as fast as you can without jogging, and without getting too tired. For the low intensity portions, you walk normally. So here’s the protocol. It’s simple, and it doesn’t require a warmup, so you can just jump right in: Walk for three minutes at a normal speed. Walk for three minutes at high intensity (as fast as you reasonably can). Repeat those two steps for 30 minutes or more. To time those intervals, you can program any smartwatch to beep at three-minute intervals, or just use your phone. I like the free Intervals Pro app on my iPhone; try Interval Timer on Android. In the 2007 study, older adults who did this workout four or more times per week, for five months, ended the study with better aerobic fitness and leg strength than when they started. If you’ve ever wondered whether walking counts as exercise, this certainly does. Why interval walking is the new HIITInterval walking is starting to become more popular. Garmin’s latest lifestyle watch, the Vivoactive 6, comes with walking workouts, which include intervals similar to the ones in the 3x3 workout. You can see examples of Garmin’s walking workouts in my review of the watch here. Why the love for walking? I see a few forces at work here. First, there’s a lot of over-the-top, go-get-em attitudes in the fitness world, especially on social media. If you’ve been through a few rounds of HIIT hype, you may be sick of trying to push yourself harder and harder (or you were so intimidated by the idea that you never tried.) The backlash to high intensity fitness can go a bit too far the other way, telling people (often women who have been told to worry about their cortisol) that they don’t need to lift weights or work hard in the gym; they can just go for walks and do some gentle yoga or Pilates. Take that advice seriously enough, and you won’t end up getting much exercise at all. Interval walking occupies a place in the middle—harder than a hot girl walk or cozy cardio, but easier (and more fun!) than a 12-3-30 treadmill trudge. Interval walking is especially accessible to people who don’t have a gym membership or fitnessy clothes: All you need is a pair of shoes that are comfortable to walk in. And here’s where I think the real magic of walking comes in: It stops you from overthinking your fitness routine, and lets you just get started. You won’t be tempted to overthink about running shoes or fitness watches—you just get out there and walk. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Amazon’s Memorial Day Sale is already happening, and plenty of fitness trackers and smartwatches are on sale. This event intersects with some recent Garmin price drops, too, making it a really good time to shop for a new watch. Here are the best deals I’m seeing. Pixel Google’s Pixel Watch 2 is on sale for just $149.99, down from an original price of $249.99. This is the slightly older version, launched in 2023 and replaced two years later by the Pixel Watch 3 (which I reviewed here). The Pixel Watch 2 has most of the same features as the newer model, but only comes in one size (41 mm) and doesn’t have as big or bright a display. Google Pixel Watch 2 with the Best of Fitbit and Google - Heart Rate Tracking, Stress Management, Safety Features - Android Smartwatch - Polished Silver Aluminum Case - Bay Active Band - Wi-Fi $149.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $249.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal Get Deal $149.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $249.99 Save $100.00 SuuntoThe Suunto Core watch is on sale for $159.99, normally $219.99. It’s built for outdoor adventuring, with an altimeter, barometer, and compass built in, and can alert you when a storm is a-comin'. Suunto Core Classic, Outdoor Watch, All Black $159.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $219.00 Save $60.00 Get Deal Get Deal $159.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $219.00 Save $60.00 GarminThe Fenix 8, 47mm size, is on sale for $799.99, normally $999.99. The Fenix is one of Garmin’s most rugged and feature-packed watches, with maps, a flashlight, a titanium bezel, and leakproof buttons. Garmin fēnix® 8 – 47mm, AMOLED, Premium Multisport GPS Smartwatch, Long-Lasting Battery Life, Dive-Rated, Built-in LED Flashlight, Slate Gray with Black Band $799.99 at Amazon $999.99 Save $200.00 Get Deal Get Deal $799.99 at Amazon $999.99 Save $200.00 On the other end of the price spectrum, the Forerunner 165 is on sale for $199.99, normally $249.99. This watch is a budget version of the 265, and a good entry-level option for runners who don’t need a lot of extras. Note that the regular 165 doesn’t come with music storage. If you want to listen to tunes without bringing your phone along, you’ll want to spring for the Forerunner 165 Music, now on sale for $249.99, normally $299.99. The trusty Forerunner 265 is on sale for $349.99, $100 off its original price of $449.99, although that’s probably less about the Memorial Day sale and more about it being replaced with a new Forerunner 570. That said, the 265 is a truly excellent watch, still my personal favorite in the Forerunner line—although I haven’t reviewed the 570 yet, so that may change (I’m wearing a 265S as I write this). The Venu 3 and 3S are on sale for $349.99, down from $449.99. (S means smaller size; they’re the same watch otherwise.) This is Garmin’s most smartwatch-y watch, with voice calling and an ECG app. It’s aimed at people who want a lifestyle watch with fitness features, rather than a sports-focused watch. You can think of it as the fancier version of the Vivoactive 6, which isn’t on sale today (regular price is $299.99) but happens to be one of my favorite fitness watches. The Instinct 3 Solar is on sale for $349.99 in both 45 mm and 50 mm sizes, down from $399.99 when it launched earlier this year. It has a rugged build, outdoor-focused features including an LED flashlight, and solar charging. It also comes in an AMOLED version that’s on sale for $399.99 and a lower-cost Instinct E that is going for $249.99 right now—all $50 off their original prices. View the full article

U.S. TikTok Shop employees received a memo on Tuesday, recommending staff to work from home Wednesday ahead of “difficult decisions.” The memo, which was earlier reported by Bloomberg, told staff they would be updated on “organizational and personnel changes” via email, followed by HR outreach, suggesting possible layoffs. TikTok Shop, the Chinese-owned company’s marketplace feature launched in 2023 in the U.S., allowing users to shop for products in the app. The marketplace—which hosts everything from popular US brands like Crocs, to third-party merchandise in the likes of Temu and Shein— hit $100 million in single day sales on Black Friday alone. “TikTok Shops is the fastest-growing sales channel we’ve ever had at MaryRuth’s. It took off faster than Amazon, faster than retail, faster than anything we’ve seen,” Jay Hunter, chief revenue officer of vitamin and supplement company MaryRuth’s, said via LinkedIn. “It’s messy. It’s unpredictable. But the upside is real.” The video app and its parent company ByteDance has faced several challenges this year, including a looming threat of ban in the U.S., and a month-over-month decline in TikTok Shop sales due to Chinese-based foreign sellers affected by tariffs, Business Insider reported. While specific details regarding changes and scale are yet to be released, the memo follows a series of restructuring efforts to TikTok’s e-commerce unit. In April, TikTok let go of several staff members from the U.S. e-commerce unit’s governance and experience, due in part to failing to meet performance goals. Later that month, reorganization efforts gave more control to executives from the company’s China-based operations, including Mu Qing who authored the Tuesday memo, per Bloomberg. Fast Company reached out to TikTok for comment, but did not receive a response at the time of publishing. View the full article

With 24/7 service, thousands of locations, and affordable food, Waffle House is a go-to road-trip stop. And soon the chain will offer yet another draw to drivers looking for somewhere to take a break: Waffle House diners across the South will be getting EV chargers as soon as 2026. Waffle House is partnering with BP Pulse, the EV charging network operated by energy company BP, to bring DC fast chargers to diners across the South and Southeast, including in Texas, Georgia, and Florida. There are more than 2,000 Waffle House locations across the country; BP Pulse didn’t say how many will ultimately get EV chargers through this effort, but that “an initial tranche of 50 sites” is already in progress. Each site will have six EV charging bays, featuring 400 kilowatt DC fast chargers. Different fast chargers boast different speeds; BP Pulse says its 400 kW chargers can get a vehicle to 80% in as little as 15 to 30 minutes, though it depends on factors like the vehicle’s battery size. Those chargers will be equipped with both CCS and NACS connectors. The first of those stations are expected to go live in 2026, per BP Pulse. This isn’t Waffle House’s first foray into the world of EV charging. In February 2024, the chain announced that a location in Tennessee would get EV chargers through EnviroSpark. That initiative was aided by National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) funding from the state’s Department of Transportation. NEVI was part of the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and set aside $5 billion for states to expand the national EV charging network. The The President administration, however, has thrown the NEVI program into chaos. This February, the administration told state transportation directors that they couldn’t spend that funding, pausing the initiative and halting EV charger projects across the country. The NEVI pause shouldn’t hurt this latest Waffle House deal though; BP Pulse says it isn’t contingent on any incentives. BP Pulse already has a network of more than 8,000 EV charging locations across 46 states, and also operates internationally. California has long dominated in terms of EV adoption, but southern states are becoming big EV players. The second largest state for EVs, based on the number of registrations, is Florida, followed by Texas. Waffle House also makes sense as a hub for EV chargers: The diners are open 24/7 (even, notoriously, through some major storms), and are conveniently located along major corridors and off highway exits, making them an easy place to stop and top off your EV battery. “Charging up while fueling up on an All-Star Special will be convenient and fast—a perfect option for enjoying the Waffle House experience while charging your EV on the go,” David Repp, director of Innovation at Waffle House, said in a statement. View the full article

Google wants to give people access to its Gemini AI assistant with the blink of an eye: The company has struck a partnership with eyeglasses makers Warby Parker and Gentle Monster to make AI smart glasses, it announced at its Google I/O developer conference in Mountain View Tuesday. These glasses will be powered by Google’s new Android XR platform, and are expected to be released in 2026 at the earliest. To show what Gemini-powered smart glasses can do, Google has also built a limited number of prototype devices in partnership with Samsung. These glasses use a small display in the right lens to show live translations, directions and similar lightweight assistance. They also feature an integrated camera that gives Gemini a real-time view of your surroundings and can also be used to capture photos and videos. “Unlike Clark Kent, you can get superpowers when you put your glasses on,” joked Android XR GM and VP Shahram Izadi during Tuesday’s keynote presentation. Going hands- (and eyes-) on Google demonstrated its prototype device to reporters Tuesday afternoon. Compared to a regular pair of glasses, Google’s AI device still features notably thicker temples. These house microphones, a touch interface for input, and a capture button to take photos.Despite all of that, the glasses do feel light and comfortable, similar to Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses. The Google glasses’ big difference compared to Meta’s reveals itself almost immediately after putting them on: At the center of the right lens is a small, rectangular see-through display. It doesn’t obstruct your view of the world when not actively in use. However, during the demo, I at times noticed a purple reflection from the waveguide that’s at the core of the display in the upper right corner of my field-of-view. Google’s AI assistant can be summoned with a simple touch gesture. Once active, Gemini automatically accesses the outward-facing camera of the glasses, which makes it possible to ask about anything you see. During my short demo, the assistant correctly described the content of a painting, identified its painter, and offered some information about books hand-selected by Google for the demo. In addition to AI assistance, the glasses can also be used for live translation and navigation. Google only showed the latter to members of the media. When in Google Maps mode, the glasses automatically display turn-by-turn walking directions while looking up. Look down, and the display includes a small, circular street map floating in front of you. The display itself looked bright and legible, even when showing multiple lines of text at a time. However, Google conducted these demos indoors; it’s unclear how bright sunlight will impact legibility. Also unknown at this point is how long the batteries of such a device will last. Android XR glasses are designed for all-day wear, according to Izadi, but that doesn’t really tell us how many hours they can be used at a time. Lots of open questions Third-party apps were also notably absent from the demo. Izadi said Tuesday that glasses running Android XR will work with your phone, “giving you access to your apps while keeping your hands free.” How exactly that will work is unclear, as the display integrated into the prototype was too small to display the full UI of most apps. Most likely, Android XR will render apps in a simplified, device-optimized fashion, similar to the way apps show up on smart watches such as the Apple Watch and Google’s Android Wear devices. The emergence of these kinds of devices also raises more fundamental questions about privacy. The prototype device shown at Google’s event this week has an LED that’s supposed to signal to bystanders when it takes photos or records video, and an internal LED that signals to the wearer when footage is being captured. However, the LED doesn’t turn on on while Google’s Gemini assistant observes the world through the camera. According to a Google spokesperson, that’s because any video ingested this way is not being stored, but only temporarily used to make sense of the world. Bystanders, however, may not be as receptive to that distinction. They may assume that a device that can “see” the world at all times also continuously captures video. Lastly, it’s still unclear what Google’s vision for other form factors looks like. The company also announced plans to release a pair of tethered AR glasses in partnership with Chinese AR startup Xreal Tuesday. With displays in both eyes, that device will be able to render much more immersive experiences, and presumably emphasize entertainment and work applications over more basic assistance. In addition, Google’s roadmap for Android XR-powered devices includes glasses without any display at all. These are likely going to be similar to Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses, albeit with access to Google’s Gemini assistant instead of Meta’s AI. Omitting a display brings down the manufacturing costs of smart glasses, while also helping with an important goal: To make devices that look and feel familiar to anyone who has ever worn a pair of glasses. “We know that these need to be stylish glasses that you’ll want to wear all day,” Izadi said. View the full article

Republican and Democratic lawmakers have voiced concerns about ethics and security around such a gift View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Garmin Fenix 8 $799.99 at Amazon $999.99 Save $200.00 Get Deal Get Deal $799.99 at Amazon $999.99 Save $200.00 Garmin Venu 3 $354.99 at Amazon $454.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal Get Deal $354.99 at Amazon $454.99 Save $100.00 Garmin Forerunner 265 $349.99 at Amazon $449.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal Get Deal $349.99 at Amazon $449.99 Save $100.00 Garmin Forerunner 255 $279.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $399.99 Save $120.99 Get Deal Get Deal $279.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $399.99 Save $120.99 Garmin Forerunner 955 $369.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $499.99 Save $130.00 Get Deal Get Deal $369.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $499.99 Save $130.00 Garmin Vivoactive 5 $199.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $249.99 Save $50.99 Get Deal Get Deal $199.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $249.99 Save $50.99 Garmin Edge 1050 $599.99 at Amazon $699.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal Get Deal $599.99 at Amazon $699.99 Save $100.00 SEE 4 MORE Even as Memorial Day sales are running hot, Garmin has quietly slashed its prices ahead of the holiday weekend. Its spring sale includes significant price cuts on Garmin's most popular models, from the rugged Fenix 8 series to the newly released Forerunner lineup. The sale arrives just days after Garmin unveiled its next-generation Forerunner 570 and Forerunner 970 models. As is typical when new models launch, previous versions (like the highly regarded Forerunner 265 and 965) are seeing major discounts, creating an excellent opportunity for runners who don't need the latest features. Using the best price-checking tools, I've rounded up my favorite Garmin watches that you can snag at a serious discount right now. Fenix 8 seriesGarmin's flagship outdoor adventure watch rarely sees significant discounts, making this sale particularly noteworthy. The Fenix 8 series, known for its rugged construction, extensive battery life (especially in the solar variants), and comprehensive tracking features, is seeing a 20% markdown, to $799.99 from its list price of $999.99. With advanced mapping, training metrics, and multi-sport capabilities, these watches are ideal for serious athletes and adventurers. Venu 3/3SThe Venu 3 and its smaller 3S stand out as Garmin's most competitive answer to traditional smartwatches. These models offer vibrant AMOLED displays, voice calling capabilities, and Garmin's ECG app—features typically associated with Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy watches. The Venu series balances comprehensive fitness tracking with everyday smart features, making it perfect for users who want health metrics without sacrificing smartwatch functionality. You can get it now for $354.99, down from $454.99. Forerunner seriesFellow runners, this is the series for us. And as my colleague Beth Skwarecki notes, the recent drops of the Forerunner 570 and 970 is excellent news—not because you should pick up those models necessarily, but because the older generations of Forerunner, which remain excellent watches, are now going for ludicrously low prices. Older models like the highly regarded 265, 255, and 955 are seeing significant price drops. And if you're hesitant to buy an older watch, keep in mind that Garmin's Forerunners have serious longevity: The Forerunner 265, with its bright AMOLED display and comprehensive running metrics, remains one of the best dedicated running watches on the market years after its release. The Forerunner 265 is $349.99 (down from $449.99) The Forerunner 255 is $279 (down from $399.99) The Forerunner 955 is $369.99 (down from $499.99) Vivoactive 5The Vivoactive series is Garmin's (and possibly the world’s) most underrated fitness watch. While the Vivoactive 6 is the latest version, the 5 is still one of the best mid-tier options for anyone seeking a balance of features and affordability. The Vivoactive 5 still has a range of fitness tracking capabilities, but in a sleeker, more casual design than the sport-focused models. It's currently $199.99 (down $50 from the retail price of 249.99). Edge cycling computersBeyond watches, Amazon's sale also includes Garmin's Edge 1050 cycling computer, normally $699.99, now at $589.99. When used with the Garmin Connect app, this cycling computer lets you stay connected on group rides with in-ride messaging, live locations, and incident detection alerts. View the full article

When wood thrushes arrive in northern Mississippi on their spring migration and begin to serenade my neighborhood with their ethereal, harmonized song, it’s one of the great joys of the season. It’s also a minor miracle. These small creatures have just flown more than 1,850 miles (3,000 kilometers), all the way from Central America. Other birds undertake even longer journeys — the Swainson’s thrush, for example, nests as far north as the boreal forests of Alaska and spends the nonbreeding season in northern South America, traveling up to 5,600 miles (9,000 kilometers) each way. These stunning feats of travel are awe-inspiring, making it that much more tragic when they are cut short by a deadly collision with a glass window. This happens with alarming regularity. Two recent scientific studies estimate that more than 1 billion birds – and as many as 5.19 billion – die from collisions with sheet glass each year in the United States alone, sometimes immediately but often from their injuries. In fact, window collisions are now considered the top human cause of bird deaths. Due to window collisions and other causes, bird populations across North America have declined more than 29% from their 1970 levels, likely with major consequences for the world’s ecosystems. These collisions occur on every type of building, from homes to skyscrapers. At the University of Mississippi campus, where I teach and conduct research as an ecologist, my colleagues and I have been testing some creative solutions. Why glass is so often deadly for birds Most frequently, glass acts as a mirror, reflecting clear sky or habitat. There is no reason for a bird to slow down when there appears to be a welcoming tree or shrub ahead. These head-on collisions frequently result in brain injuries, to which birds often succumb immediately. In other cases, birds are stunned by the collision and eventually fly off, but many of those individuals also eventually perish from brain swelling. Other injuries, to wings or legs, for example, can leave birds unable to fly and vulnerable to cats or other predators. If you find an injured bird, contact a local wildlife rehabilitator. Which windows are riskiest Some windows are much worse than others, depending on their proximity to bushes and other bird habitats, what is reflected in them, and how interior lighting exacerbates or diminishes the mirror effect. On our campus, some buildings with a great deal of glass surface area kill surprisingly few birds, while other small sets of windows are disproportionately deadly. One particular elevated walkway with glass on both sides between the chemistry and pharmacy buildings is a notoriously dangerous spot. The glass kills migratory birds each spring and fall as they try to pass between the two buildings on their way to The Grove, the university’s central-campus park area with large old oak trees. During the pandemic in 2020, student Emma Counce did the heart-heavy work of performing a survey of 11 campus buildings almost daily during spring migration. She found 72 bird fatalities in seven weeks. Five years later, my ornithology students completed a new survey and found 62 mortalities over the course of five weeks in 2025, demonstrating that we still have a lot of work to do to make our campus safe for migratory birds. Thrushes, perhaps due to their propensity for whizzing through tight spaces in the shady forest understory, have been disproportionately represented among the victims. Others include colorful songbirds – northern parulas, black-and-white warblers, prothonotary warblers, Kentucky warblers, buntings, vireos and tanagers. How to make windows less dangerous The good thing is that everyone can do something to lower the risk. Films, stickers or strings can be added on the exterior of windows, creating dots or lines, 2 to 4 inches apart, that break up reflections to give the appearance of a barrier. Exterior screens and blinds work great too. Just adding a few predator silhouette stickers is not effective, by the way – the treatment needs to span the whole window. When applied properly, window treatments can make a huge difference. An inspiring example is McCormick Place in Chicago, the country’s largest convention center, which notoriously killed nearly 1,000 birds in a single night in 2023. After workers applied dot film to an area of the building’s windows equivalent to two football fields, bird mortality at the lakeside building has been reduced by 95%. The Bird Collision Prevention Alliance provides information on options for retrofitting home or office windows to make them more bird friendly. Options for new windows are also becoming more common. For example, the new Center for Science & Technology Innovation on my campus, which features many windows, mostly used bird-friendly glass with subtle polka dots built into it. This spring, we found that it killed only four birds, despite a very high surface area of glass. How you can help When trying to make a difference on your home turf, I suggest starting small. Make note of which specific windows have killed birds in the past, and treat them first. Use it as an opportunity to learn what approach might work best for you and your building. Either order a product or make something yourself and get it installed. Then do another, and tell a friend. At the office, talk to people, find others who care and build a team to make gradual change. With some creative solutions, anyone can help reduce at least this major risk. Jason Hoeksema is a professor of ecology at the University of Mississippi. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

Whether in fake ads or misleading documents, anywhere fraud might be happening on Google, banks have a new way to quickly shut it down. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Memorial Day sales are in full swing, you can find deals on smart beds, tools, Beats headphones, budget headphones, fitness equipment, and much more. Sony has joined the holiday madness and is offering a buy one, get one free (BOGO) deal when you buy a Bravia 8 II OLED Google TV. Purchase one of these top of the line sets, which start at $3,499.99, and you'll get a X77L LED Google TV, valued at $589.99, free. The deal runs through June 8. Model: K-55XR80M2 BRAVIA 8 II 55” Class QD-OLED 4K HDR Google TV (2025) $3,499.99 at Sony Get Deal Get Deal $3,499.99 at Sony Model: K-65XR80M2 BRAVIA 8 II 65” Class QD-OLED 4K HDR Google TV (2025) $3,999.97 at Sony Get Deal Get Deal $3,999.97 at Sony SEE -1 MORE To qualify for the free TV, you can choose between the 55-inch and the 65-inch Bravia 8 II classes. Both will get you the X77L LED Google TV, but buying the 55-inch OLED will get you the 50-inch X77L, while choosing a 65-inch OLED will get you the 55-inch X77L. The Bravia 8 II is a new OLED from this year, and it's the same price on Amazon and Best Buy without the free LED TV. Sony also offers free shipping with your BOGO purchase, so that won't cut into the deal either. The Bravia 8 II is the successor to the Bravia 8, and has some impressive specs: eight million self-lit pixels, a Quantum Dot panel, XR Triluminos Max to enhance colors and brightness, and an AI-powered XR Processor that enhances images in real time. Both TVs have Google TV built-in—my personal favorite TV operating system, as it allows you to cast your smartphone to the TV. The Bravia 8 II is an OLED set, which is among the best technology you can get right now in terms of picture quality. (An OLED is different from a QLED, so make sure you understand the differences before you buy.) The Sony X77L you'll get free is more of an entry-level model, but should still serve you well if you just need a set for a second bedroom. View the full article

Americans’ electricity bills tend to tick up each year in line with inflation. But upgrades to electric wires, reinforcing and protecting power lines from severe weather, and changing fuel costs – among other factors – are sending rates soaring. High electricity consumption from data centers and other sources of rising demand will likely cause further increases in the near future. The impact on consumers is particularly dramatic in Pennsylvania, where rate hikes are widespread. For example, the monthly bill for a PECO residential customer who uses 700 kilowatt hours of electricity monthly increased 10% – or US$13.58 – in 2025. These bills will go up another $2.70 each month in 2026. Retail price adjustments approved by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission for most electric distribution utilities effective December 2024 led to higher bills for many customers across the state. In some parts of Pennsylvania, the estimated increases topped an estimated 30%. As professors who work in the areas of energy law and electricity markets, we know electricity costs are rising in many parts of the U.S. But Pennsylvania faces distinct challenges related to its electric grid – the maze of wires and generators – that drive both the growing demand for electricity and the limited supply. PJM and the electric grid Pennsylvania power plants produce a lot of electricity. In fact, the Keystone State is the the largest exporter of electricity in the U.S. and has been for many years. But the electricity Pennsylvania produces doesn’t always stay in state. That’s because Pennsylvania’s electric grid is managed by a company called PJM. PJM coordinates the flow of electricity through all or parts of 13 states and the District of Columbia, and it ensures the wholesale electricity transmission system operates reliably and safely. Pennsylvania electric utilities, such as PECO or Duquesne Light, then distribute this wholesale electricity to retail customers, including homeowners and renters. PJM requires the utilities to ensure ahead of time that they can meet their customers’ future electricity demands, including during heat waves and winter storms. This requirement is met using a market called a “capacity auction,” in which electricity suppliers bid to provide physical infrastructure that will generate electricity in the future. The prices at the 2025-2026 PJM capacity auction were more than 800% higher than the previous year, in part due to the growing demand for electricity within PJM. This amounts to tens of billions of dollars in extra costs. Power plants in Pennsylvania can’t simply stop exporting electricity and supply more in-state power because they dispatch their power into the regional grid operated by PJM, and the flow of electricity is dictated by the physical structure of this grid. Soaring demand from data centers U.S. electricity demand rose 3% in 2024 and is expected to rise even more rapidly in the coming years. Much of this new demand comes from data centers, which support everything from AI applications and data storage – think of the thousands of emails and files backed up on our computers – to sports betting, online retailers such as Amazon, and national security applications such as the North American Aerospace Defense Command. Pennsylvania is on the same electric grid as Virginia, which hosts about a quarter of all data center capacity in the Americas. New data centers are also being built in Pennsylvania. Rising demand is also driven by the increase in electric vehicles and the replacement of gas- and oil-based furnaces with electric heat pumps. These replacements are ultimately more energy efficient but require electricity. Bottlenecks in supply The increase in electricity demand within PJM is happening at the same time that supply is shrinking. Many old generating plants in the PJM grid are retiring as they near the end of their useful lives and become less profitable for plant operators, particularly as natural gas and solar become more affordable. Some of these older power plants also emit a lot of pollution and are costly to retrofit to meet current pollution limits. Beyond the challenge of plant retirements, PJM has been slow to allow hundreds of new proposed power plants – most of them solar- and battery-based – to connect to transmission lines. This long “interconnection queue” prevents new, needed generation from coming online. This is happening even though companies are eager and ready to build more generation and battery storage. Aging infrastructure and growing weather extremes One of the primary recent drivers of high consumer electric bills is that the utilities have been slow to upgrade their aging wires. Many have recently made major investments in new infrastructure and in some cases are burying or strengthening wires to protect them from increasingly extreme weather. Electricity customers are footing the bill for this work. Response from policymakers In response to rising electricity prices, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro filed a legal complaint with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission against PJM in December 2024. This complaint blamed PJM’s capacity auction design for creating unnecessary costs for consumers. According to the settlement reached after the complaint, PJM’s price caps will be 35% lower at the next major capacity auction. This reduction in wholesale prices could limit retail price increases. But this is at best a temporary fix. It doesn’t address the increasing demand, aging power infrastructure battered by extreme weather, or transmission bottleneck. In order for Pennsylvania residents to see lower electric bills anytime soon, more changes are needed. For example, many experts previously observed that PJM needs to fix the queue and get online the many power plants that are ready to build and just waiting for a transmission interconnection. While PJM has reformed its queue process, the queue is still long. New power plants are not going up fast enough, in part due to additional challenges such as local opposition and supply chain and financing issues. Read more of our stories about Philadelphia and Pennsylvania. Hannah Wiseman is a professor of law at Penn State. Seth Blumsack is a professor of energy and environmental economics and international affairs at Penn State. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

Alanna McCargo said her return comes at a time when there are "significant policy challenges ahead for affordability, community investment and inclusive finance." View the full article

Stocks also slide after lacklustre $16bn auction for 20-year TreasuriesView the full article

Marketing of unhealthy products to be barred before 9pm on TV but branded advertising using company names will be allowedView the full article

The Justice Department announced plans Wednesday to abandon lawsuits against police departments in Minneapolis and Louisville, a reversal of Biden-era initiatives to reform policing in two cities that sparked a national reckoning around racial justice. “The Civil Rights Division will be taking all necessary steps to dismiss the Louisville and Minneapolis lawsuits with prejudice, to close the underlying investigations into the Louisville and Minneapolis police departments, and to retract the Biden administration’s findings of constitutional violations,” the Justice Department said in a press release. The decision to back away from police reform comes just days before the five-year anniversary of George Floyd’s death. Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was found guilty of second-degree murder in 2021. The Justice Department also plans to throw out any findings of constitutional violations and close ongoing investigations into police departments in Phoenix, Trenton, Memphis, Oklahoma City and the state of Louisiana. Reversing Biden’s planned policing reforms Harmeet Dhillon, the assistant attorney general of the Justice Department’s civil rights division, characterized the Biden administration’s lawsuits as part of an “anti-police agenda.” “Today, we are ending the Biden Civil Rights Division’s failed experiment of handcuffing local leaders and police departments with factually unjustified consent decrees,” Dhillon said. The policy shift signals an aggressive return to the first The President administration’s disinterest in police oversight and a likely roll-back of other federal reforms put in place over the last four years. In its waning days, the Biden administration rushed to finalize a Justice Department deal for police oversight in Minneapolis, securing unanimous approval from the Minneapolis City Council in early January. The agreement, known as a consent decree, was initiated in 2023 after a damning Justice Department report accused the Minneapolis Police Department of racial discrimination, First Amendment violations and the unlawful use of deadly force. In both Minneapolis and Louisville , consent decrees still await a federal judge’s approval. A powerful tool for police accountability Consent decrees are one of the federal government’s most powerful tools for holding police departments accountable for civil rights violations, dangerous policies and the wrongful use of deadly force. The Department of Justice regularly pursues these long-term roadmaps for reform with law enforcement agencies facing federal lawsuits, creating a framework for oversight that can endure until a judge decides that its requirements have been met. During the The Obama administration, 15 law enforcement agencies entered into consent decrees with the Justice Department to resolve lawsuits around policing – up from just three during the Bush era. During The President’s first term, the Justice Department introduced only one new investigation of its own and even made efforts to stall out planned reforms in Baltimore, though it ultimately failed. Most notably, The President’s then Attorney General Jeff Sessions narrowed the scope of consent decrees, introducing new requirements for sunset dates and limiting the reforms they could require. Under Biden, Attorney General Merrick Garland rescinded those sweeping The President-era changes to consent reforms in 2021, clearing a path for the Justice Department to again leverage the powerful agreements when investigating law enforcement misdeeds and civil rights abuses. The President’s early agenda makes it clear that he plans to leave police departments to their own devices in the coming years. That hands-off approach puts the fate of some cities’ planned police reforms up in the air or, like much of The President’s agenda, up to the courts. View the full article

Deal will help AI data centre operator raise fresh capital after size of IPO was cut in Wall Street debut in MarchView the full article

If you use Spotify to listen to audiobooks on your iPhone, you now have fewer hurdles to clear to purchase and download titles to your device. Apple has approved an update that allows Spotify users to view pricing and buy individual audiobooks as well as add "top-up" listening hours right from the iOS app. How in-app purchases are changing on iOSThis change is the outcome of a recent court ruling that requires Apple to allow app developers to provide links to external sites outside of the App Store to make purchases. Previously, users had to seek out where to sign up for subscriptions—in an external browser, for example—or potentially pay a premium price to cover the App Store's 15 to 30 percent cut. In response, Spotify quickly updated its iOS app with links to its various subscription options under the Premium tab, which previously had simply acknowledged that such subscriptions existed and that users could find sign-ups through their web browser. How to purchase audiobooks on SpotifyWith the update, users will now see a Buy button under individual titles in the iOS app and will no longer need to make purchases on Spotify's web player before returning to mobile to listen. Spotify includes 15 hours of use-it-or-lose-it audiobook listening time with Premium plans and the separate Audiobooks Access subscription—you can now add "top-up" listening hours within the app as well. To manage your listening time on mobile, go to Profile > Settings and privacy > Account > Plan name > Manage audiobook time. Top-ups cost $13 for 10 hours. Finally, if Spotify isn't your go-to, check out our top picks for audiobook services. View the full article

Increases in gross domestic product and home sales expectations compared with April are the drivers of Fannie Mae's latest mortgage outlook for 2025 and 2026. View the full article

Labour MPs mobilise to put pressure on chancellor over planned welfare cutsView the full article

The Senate unanimously passed the “No Tax on Tips Act” on Tuesday, a bill that would eliminate federal taxes on tips and that President Donald The President made a campaign promise when running for reelection. It now goes to the House for a vote. If passed, the legislation would create a new tax deduction of up to $25,000 on income made from tips. The legislation comes as many Americans are feeling an added economic burden in the face of inflation, higher prices, and skyrocketing living costs. Here’s what you need to know. What is the No Tax on Tips Act? Bill S. 129, or the “No Tax on Tips Act” creates a federal income tax deduction of up to $25,000 a year for certain types of cash tips for eligible employees. (These are cash tips workers report to employers for withholdings on payroll taxes.) Who is eligible for for the tax break? The deduction applies to employees who earn up to $160,000 in 2025; that amount will likely increase with inflation in the years ahead and applies to tips “received by an individual . . . in an occupation which traditionally and customarily received tips on or before December 31, 2023,” or including tips via cash, credit and debit card, and check, according to The Washington Post. Who supports the bill? Both Republicans and Democrats support the bill. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas introduced it back in January. Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada brought the bill to the Senate floor, where it passed with unanimous consent, which usually happens with more routine legislative matters. Nevada’s Sen. Rosen, along with Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, co-sponsored the legislation. Who championed the No Tax on Tips Act? During the 2024 presidential election, both candidates The President and Harris supported versions of the idea, with The President making it a campaign promise during a June 2024 rally in Nevada, a state 25% of the state’s workers rely on tips; and one way The President set out to court working-class voters, according to The Hill. What do critics say about the No Tax on Tips Act? The National Restaurant Association supports the bill, however, critics say eliminating taxes on tips is an empty win for many hourly workers, who don’t make enough to pay federal income taxes. Critics also say it keeps workers at a lower overall pay rate, as opposed to creating a higher minimum wage. What happens next? The bill now heads to the House of Representatives for a vote. A version of No Tax on Tips is also included in The President’s giant tax and immigration bill, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. On the Senate floor, Cruz said he was confident the bill would eventually pass either way. View the full article

While other streaming services thrive on carefully selected and endlessly curated (meaning: limited) selections of movies, Tubi's a bit different: It feels like the Wild West, with everything from originals; to popular hits; to critically acclaimed favorites; to the lowest-brow, lowest-budget movies you'll find this side of an old Blockbuster. In that spirit, here's a sampling of some of the best stuff currently streaming on Tubi, and it's a wide variety—the streamer will not be pinned down. If you're unfamiliar, Tubi is a free, ad-based service, but generally I find the ads to be less obnoxious and less frequent than on other, similar streamers. Interstellar (2014) Christopher Nolan's mind-bending, but oddly plausible, sci-fi epic takes Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, and Jessica Chastain on a hunt through space and time to find a new home for humans in a near-future during which we've made Earth unlivable. You can stream Interstellar here. Color Out of Space (2019) Nicolas Cage is at his Nic Cage-iest in this H. P. Lovecraft adaptation about a family's descent into madness. A beautiful, horrifying, utterly unique sensory experience. You can stream Color Out of Space here. Friday (1995) An unquestioned classic of stoner comedy, Friday sees Ice Cube and Chris Tucker accidentally smoking weed that they were meant to sell. And who among us hasn't? The two slackers set out to borrow or make the money back during a misadventure-packed Friday. You can stream Friday here. Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022) Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan (alongside Stephanie Hsu and Jamie Lee Curtis) led Everything to Oscar glory a couple of years back, with Yeoh starring as Evelyn Quan Wang, a middle-aged immigrant running a laundromat with her husband. An IRS audit leads to a trip through a wildly outlandish, and ultimately emotional, journey through a multiverse of possibilities. You can stream Everything Everywhere here. Dune (1984) You've probably seen the recent Denis Villeneuve adaptation, but you might be less familiar with this messy and fascinating take from director David Lynch. Kyle MacLachlan leads an all-star cast in a movie that doesn't quite an achieve greatness, but nevertheless offers up a bevy of wild ideas, distinctive visuals, and Lynchian madness. You can stream Dune here. Some Like It Hot (1959) Tubi offers up a better assortment of classics than many of the other streamers, most of which have shifted to a newer-is-better focus. Hot stars Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis as a couple of jazz-age musicians who run afoul of a mob boss, deciding to escape by posing as members of an all-female band (one that, memorably, includes Marilyn Monroe). Director Billy Wilder pitches the farce just right, at the intersection between smart and silly. You can stream Some Like It Hot here. Evil Bong (2006) No socially redeeming value here, just a goofy comedy horror movie about a bong that transports smokers to another planet, one where they're to be murdered by exotic dancers. Tommy Chong co-stars in this movie from Full Moon Features, purveyors of fine low-rent horror movies. You can stream Evil Bong here. Ghost World (2001) Enid (Thora Birch) and Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson) face high school graduation, and a crush on Steve Buscemi, in Terry Zwigoff’s indie dark comedy. You can stream Ghost World here. Donnie Darko (2001) Jake Gyllenhaal stars in this memorable emo mind-bender about a troubled teenager who dodges disaster thanks to a bit of sleepwalking. An instant cult classic, it's the movie all the cool kids were talking about back in the day. You can stream Donnie Darko (director's cut) here, or the theatrical version here. Hollywood Shuffle (1987) Robert Townsend directs himself as Bobby Taylor, a satire about the perils of navigating the Hollywood system for an actor simultaneously too black and not black enough for the tastes of studio bosses. Through elaborate fantasy sequences and parodies of popular movies, Townsend creates a sharp and often extremely funny sendup that’s (sadly) still relevant. You can stream Hollywood Shuffle here. Barbarian (2022) One of the more divisive horror movies of the past few years (I love it), Barbarian stars Georgina Campbell as a woman who rents an Airbnb only to have a man (Bill Skarsgård) show up claiming that he also has rented the house. He seems nice enough, so she lets him in—enough of a premise for a horror movie right there, but Barbarian has twists that you'll never see coming. You can stream Barbarian here. Showgirls (1995) As with most of Paul Verhoeven's other films, it's possible to view his notoriously trashy film as either dark satire or unintended camp. It's tremendous fun either way and, though it quickly gained a reputation as garbage, it's far more watchable than many other better-reviewed films. You can stream Showgirls here. Rec (2007) This Spanish import is top-tier found footage, involving a group of firefighters on an emergency call who wind up trapped inside a building at the center of a creeping zombie infection. That limited, specific geography is key to the movie's brisk, efficient, and nerve-jangling effectiveness. You can stream Rec here. Planet of the Apes (1968) Astronaut Charlton Heston finds himself on an unknown (wink wink) planet in the distant future where he rather quickly finds himself in the power of the world's ape overlords. From a slightly goofy premise came this dark, disturbing, and timely fable. You can stream Planet of the Apes here. The Apartment (1960) Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine star in this searing, bittersweet, but ultimately humane comedy. MacLaine's Fran Kubelik is an elevator operator having an affair with the big boss at an insurance company, while Lemmon's Bud Baxter gets ahead by loaning out his apartment to upper management for various extramarital assignations. The budding friendship between the two threatens both of their careers. You can stream The Apartment here. Whale Rider (2002) Pai is a 12-year-old Māori girl and the direct descendant of their tribe’s traditional notable ancestor, the Whale Rider—except that, traditionally, women can’t lead. Star Keisha Castle-Hughes became the youngest nominee for a Best Actress Oscar for her open, genuine performance. You can stream Whale Rider here. The Descent (2006) Getting lost in those caves is scary enough, even before we discover that we're not alone down there. The ultimate in spelunking horror. You can stream The Descent here. Menace II Society (1993) A searing, raw portrait of urban violence in the 1990s, the Hughes Brothers' film follows Caine Lawson (Tyrin Turner) and his friends as they struggle for a better life amid crime and poverty, but who find themselves drawn deeper into crime and cruelty. The performances here are all phenomenal. You can stream Menace II Society here. Beauty Shop (2005) This Barbershop spin-off follows widowed hairstylist Gina Norris starting over in Atlanta with her daughter, and opening her own shop when a job doesn't pan out. Queen Latifah is as delightful as ever, and is joined by a great cast including Alfre Woodard, Della Reese, Alicia Silverstone, Andie MacDowell, Kevin Bacon, and Djimon Hounsou. You can stream Beauty Shop here. Room 237 (2012) This fascinating documentary explores, without judgement, the many (and often truly wild) theories and interpretations around Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. Probably not what you're after if you want a bit of film analysis, but as an exploration of conspiratorial thinking? You could do a lot worse. You can stream Room 237 here. Terrifier (2016) Damien Leone's low-budget slasher series quietly build into a queasy empire, with the most recent film being a legit box office smash. Here, literal clown-from-hell Art stalks partygoer Tara Heyes and her sister Victoria (Scaffidi) on Halloween night. You can stream Terrifier here. Return of the Living Dead (1985) This horror comedy with punk style is both a knowing parody of zombie movies while also managing to be an impressively gory thriller in its own right that moves the whole genre forward. Plus, it’s got a great death-rock soundtrack. You can stream Return of the Living Dead here. Frankenhooker (1990) A disreputable and goofy but surprisingly effective horror comedy, Frankenhooker stars former Penthouse Pet Patty Mullen as the movie's take on Mary Shelley's monster, made in the image of a med student's dead fiancée and built from sex workers. The style and special effects here are pretty great. You can stream Frankenhooker here. Ghost in the Shell (1995) One of the best anime films of all time, at least when it comes to sci-fi and cyberpunk, Ghost in the Shell boasts impeccable style in addition to the thoughtfulness and complexity of its story. Major Motoko Kusanagi is a cyborg security agent hunting an enigmatic hacker known only as "the Puppet Master" in the rapidly approaching year 2029, a time when the rise of AI threatens even the idea of individual existence. You can stream Ghost in the Shell here. The Leather Boys (1964) A classic of British kitchen sink realism, a movement in the 1960s that saw hyperrealistic portraits of, often, angry teens and young people, The Leather Boys sees young couple Reggie and Dot becoming increasingly estranged when Reggie mostly wants to just hang out with his biker friends. Among those friends is Pete, who seems to be developing an attraction to Reggie that goes a bit beyond that of a typical biker bro. You can stream The Leather Boys here. North by Northwest (1959) One of Hitchcock's best (and that's saying quite a bit), North by Northwest is a nearly non-stop thrill ride, seeing Cary Grant's Roger Thornhill hunted across the country by criminals who've mistaken him for someone else. It's as funny as it is clever, and nearly impossible to stop watching once you've started. You can stream North by Northwest here. Lars and the Real Girl (2007) The sweetest, most charming movie about the romance between a man and his life-like love doll that you're likely to encounter. You can stream Lars and the Real Girl here. They Call Me Trinity (1970) A classic spaghetti western, Trinity (kicking off a trilogy, appropriately enough), stars Terence Hill and Bud Spencer as brothers Trinity and Bambino, who help defend a Mormon settlement from bandits and a land-grabbing Major (Farley Granger). It's a rare comedy to come out of Italy's obsession with westerns, and a lot of fun for it. You can stream They Call Me Trinity here. The Wiz (1978) Long before Wicked reinvented (or at least reinterpreted) L. Frank Baum, the Broadway musical on which this movie is based imagined Dorothy Gale as a Black teacher from Harlem. The joyous film version is nearly a who's who of Black talent in the 1970s: Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross, Mabel King, Theresa Merritt, Thelma Carpenter, Lena Horne and Richard Pryor all play roles, while Quincy Jones, Luther Vandross, and Charlie Smalls all contributed to the music. You can stream The Wiz here. Cabaret (1972) Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey star in this essential musical about the good times and extravagant style of Weimar Germany giving way to the rising tide of fascism. You can stream Cabaret here. View the full article

It was perhaps the worst kept secret in Silicon Valley. When he wasn’t running his design firm LoveFrom, Jony Ive was building another new company, just around the corner in San Francisco’s Jackson Square, called io. Focused on the future of AI hardware—what some have oversimplified as the iPhone of AI—io was rumored to be the physical side of OpenAI’s groundbreaking software. Now, the rumors are reality. OpenAI is acquiring io for $6.5 billion. From a news release: The io team, focused on developing products that inspire, empower and enable, will now merge with OpenAI to work more intimately with the research, engineering and product teams in San Francisco. As io merges with OpenAI, Jony and LoveFrom will assume deep design and creative responsibilities across OpenAI and io. LoveFrom will remain independent. It became clear that our ambitions to develop, engineer and manufacture a new family of products demanded an entirely new company. And so, one year ago, Jony founded io with Scott Cannon, Evans Hankey and Tang Tan. Scott Cannon led teams on the Mac and iPad development. Evans Hankey was a senior member of the Apple design team who took over Ive’s own role after he left Apple. Tang Tan led design on the iPhone for years. It takes no keen analysis to observe how proven and talented this team is at shipping impactful products. But what are they doing with OpenAI, exactly? The io team, focused on developing products that inspire, empower and enable, will now merge with OpenAI to work more intimately with the research, engineering and product teams in San Francisco. As io merges with OpenAI, Jony and LoveFrom will assume deep design and creative responsibilities across OpenAI and io. In other words, io will be making products, plural, for OpenAI, with an undisclosed timeline for release. What it all adds up to is, perhaps, the greatest called bluff in Silicon Valley history. Ive had already brought much of his design team with him when he founded LoveFrom. And others he brought to io. Now, the most hyped AI company of our age is teaming up with the makers of the most defining consumer hardware of the last century. Whatever they build together will define both of their legacies to come. View the full article

US president brandishes printed media reports of murdered farmers in extraordinary Oval Office exchangeView the full article

President The President said his massive tax package is close to being finalized, but the White House has yet to win over a faction who want more spending cuts. View the full article