ResidentialBusiness

The The President administration has announced a massive package of arms sales to Taiwan valued at more than $10 billion that includes medium-range missiles, howitzers and drones, drawing an angry response from China. The State Department announced the sales late Wednesday during a nationally televised address by President Donald The President, who made scant mention of foreign policy issues and did not speak about China or Taiwan at all. U.S.-Chinese tensions have ebbed and flowed during The President’s second term, largely over trade and tariffs but also over China’s increasing aggressiveness toward Taiwan, which Beijing has said must reunify with the mainland. If approved by Congress, it would be the largest-ever U.S. weapons package to Taiwan, exceeding the total amount of $8.4 billion in U.S. arms sales to Taiwan during the Biden administration. The eight arms sales agreements announced Wednesday cover 82 high-mobility artillery rocket systems, or HIMARS, and 420 Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS — similar to what the U.S. had been providing Ukraine during the Biden administration to defend itself from Russia — worth more than $4 billion. They also include 60 self-propelled howitzer systems and related equipment worth more than $4 billion and drones valued at more than $1 billion. Other sales in the package include military software valued at more than $1 billion, Javelin and TOW missiles worth more than $700 million, helicopter spare parts worth $96 million and refurbishment kits for Harpoon missiles worth $91 million. The eight sales agreements amount to $11.15 billion, according to Taiwan’s Defense Ministry. The State Department said the sales serve “U.S. national, economic, and security interests by supporting the recipient’s continuing efforts to modernize its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability.” “The proposed sale(s) will help improve the security of the recipient and assist in maintaining political stability, military balance, and economic progress in the region,” the statements said. China’s Foreign Ministry attacked the move, saying it would violate diplomatic agreements between China and the U.S.; gravely harm China’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity; and undermine regional stability. “The ‘Taiwan independence’ forces on the island seek independence through force and resist reunification through force, squandering the hard-earned money of the people to purchase weapons at the cost of turning Taiwan into a powder keg,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun. “This cannot save the doomed fate of ‘Taiwan independence’ but will only accelerate the push of the Taiwan Strait toward a dangerous situation of military confrontation and war. The U.S. support for ‘Taiwan Independence’ through arms will only end up backfiring. Using Taiwan to contain China will not succeed,” he added. Under federal law, the U.S. is obligated to assist Taiwan with its self-defense, a point that has become increasingly contentious with China, which has vowed to take Taiwan by force, if necessary. Taiwan’s Defense Ministry in a statement Thursday expressed gratitude to the U.S. over the arms sale, which it said would help Taiwan maintain “sufficient self-defense capabilities” and bring strong deterrent capabilities. Taiwan’s bolstering of its defense “is the foundation for maintaining regional peace and stability,” the ministry said. Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung similarly thanked the U.S. for its “long-term support for regional security and Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities,” which he said are key for deterring a conflict in the Taiwan Strait, the body of water separating Taiwan from China’s mainland. The arms sale comes as Taiwan’s government has pledged to raise defense spending to 3.3% of the island’s gross domestic product next year and to reach 5% by 2030. The boost came after The President and the Pentagon requested that Taiwan spend as much as 10% of its GDP on its defense, a percentage well above what the U.S. or any of its major allies spend on defense. The demand has faced pushback from Taiwan’s opposition KMT party and some of its population. Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te last month announced a special $40 billion budget for arms purchases, including to build an air defense system with high-level detection and interception capabilities called Taiwan Dome. The budget will be allocated over eight years, from 2026 to 2033. The U.S. boost in military assistance to Taiwan was previewed in legislation adopted by Congress that The President is expected to sign shortly. Last week, the Chinese embassy in Washington denounced the legislation, known as the National Defense Authorization Act, saying it unfairly targeted China as an aggressor. The U.S. Senate passed the bill Wednesday. Mistreanu reported from Beijing. AP video journalists Olivia Zhang in Beijing and Johnson Lai in Taipei, Taiwan, contributed to this report. —Matthew Lee and Simina Mistreanu, Associated Press View the full article

Further mortgage payment reductions and other "aggressive" changes to federal policy impacting homeowners are on the roadmap for the coming year. View the full article

A new hotspot just opened in New York—and it’s in terminal 5 of John F. Kennedy International Airport. BlueHouse, a 9,000-square-foot space exclusively available to select JetBlue Airways customers, welcomed its first guests at 5 a.m. this morning as the airline’s first foray into the pitched battle for lucrative premium fliers. Designed by Gensler, BlueHouse is a smorgasbord of New York’s iconic and eclectic design heritage. From the Art Deco elevator indicator to black-and-white deli tile on the floor and the Grand Central Terminal-inspired ceiling mural, the space screams Big Apple while staying true to JetBlue’s quirky and, well, blue heritage. “It’s unquestionably a hip New York experience,” said Marty St. George, president of JetBlue, on a recent pre-opening tour of BlueHouse. His favorite feature is the 45 pieces of art that fill the space from artists around the city and three of the airline’s “crewmembers,” as it calls its staff, including a bespoke piece from New Yorker illustrator Matt Reuter. JetBlue goes premium BlueHouse is part of the larger premiumization trend sweeping air travel. Everyone from JetBlue to egalitarian stalwart Southwest Airlines and even discounter Spirit Airlines are unveiling more upscale offerings for their planes and at airports. The aim is two-fold: strengthen loyalty among top tier customers and wring more money from everyone all in the hope of improving their bottom lines. JetBlue’s effort, dubbed “JetForward,” includes BlueHouse locations at JFK and, in 2026, Boston Logan International Airport. It’s also introducing domestic first class on its fleet of Airbus planes, a new partnership with United Airlines, and changes to its TrueBlue loyalty program aimed to make customers even more loyal to the airline. The lounge is also an effort to counter JetBlue’s nemesis at JFK and Boston: Delta Air Lines. While St. George did not name the carrier, keeping JetBlue’s customers from leaving the fold and, maybe, wooing some widget fliers away from Delta is top of mind. “Our number one goal was to not repeat the mistakes our competitor made with lounges,” he said. Delta is known for overcrowded lounges and, at times, long waits to access its Sky Clubs. Access to BlueHouse is, for now, limited to only JetBlue’s most loyal frequent fliers, transatlantic Mint business class passengers, and holders of its premium credit card, which has an annual fee of $499. Delta has also upped its lounge game with the exclusive Delta One Lounges, the first of which opened at JFK in mid-2024. It now has four locations, including in Boston, Los Angeles, and Seattle. Inside BlueHouse Travelers enter through a foyer that can best be described as a quintessential New York apartment lobby: a “Just Ask” desk in the place of a doorman’s desk in front of a set of mailboxes (inside are keepsakes for visitors, just ask for a key), a stairway to the second level lined with art, an elevator with a Deco indicator and a blue tunnel leading to the lounge area of the lounge. Elsewhere across the lounge’s two floors, books curated by the Strand bookstore match JetBlue’s white-and-blue color palette line bookshelves and ledges. Bespoke wallpaper by Brooklyn’s Flavor Paper decorates the restrooms. And craft cocktails by Please Don’t Tell in the East Village are served at the bar. To be frank, it borders on New York cliché. “This isn’t about making fake luxury,” said Siobhan Barry, a design principal at Gensler who specializes in hospitality interiors and worked on BlueHouse. “We wanted to make it feel modern and playful, the way we all think of JetBlue, but allow there to be that irreverence.” Look closely at the Grand Central-inspired ceiling by Artists for Humanity and it is not the constellations of the night sky that greet you but icons of New York and other JetBlue destinations. A classic New York Checker taxicab. The Hollywood sign. A coquí frog for Puerto Rico. The team at Gensler sought to make BlueHouse something of a home—a house so to speak—amid the chaos of the airport, much like a New Yorker’s apartment is a refuge from the hubbub of the city. And it succeeds, to a degree. Downstairs is the lounge’s more active space with a game room, TVs, booths and the main bar. Upstairs is a quieter space with reading nooks, couches, and semiprivate phone booths. Grab-and-go food and drink options are available on both levels. The diversity of zones aims to meet the varied needs of travelers today, from the business traveler who wants a drink before their red-eye to London or a family on their way to the Caribbean who want a quiet nook to spend their layover. “This speaks to how people travel now,” said Barry. “We want our options.” View the full article

Property experts say decision adds momentum to downward trajectory of lending costsView the full article

The latest data offered some relief to traders worried about more pronounced inflation that could keep a lid on rate cuts. View the full article

A Republican push to make drilling cheaper on federal land is creating new fiscal pressure for states that depend on oil and gas revenue, most notably in New Mexico as it expands early childhood education and saves for the future. The shift stems from the sweeping law President Donald The President signed in July that rolls back the minimum federal royalty rate to 12.5%. That rate — the share of production value companies must pay to the government — held steady for a century under the 1920 Mineral Leasing Act. It was raised to 16.7% under the Biden administration in 2022. The President and Republicans in Congress say the rate reset will boost energy production, jobs and affordability as the administration clears the way for expanded drilling and mining on public lands. States receive nearly half the money collected through federal royalties, depending on where production takes place. The environment and economics research group Resources for the Future estimates a roughly $6 billion drop in collections over the coming decade. The stakes are highest in New Mexico, the largest recipient of federal mineral lease payments. The state could could forgo $1.7 billion by 2035 and as much as $5.1 billion by 2050, according to calculations by economist Brian Prest at Resources for the Future. More than one-third of the general fund budget in the Democratically-led state is tied to the oil and gas industry. “New Mexico’s impact is way bigger than Wyoming or Colorado or North Dakota,” Prest said, “and that’s just because that’s where the action is on new development.” The effects will unfold gradually, since federal leases allow a 10-year window to begin drilling and production. Still, state officials say they’re already prepping for leaner years. “It all hurts when you’re losing revenues,” said Democratic state Sen. George Muñoz of Gallup, who said lawmakers still hope to invest more in mental health care and support Medicaid, even if federal royalty payments decline. “We’ve learned that until the chicken’s got feathers, we’re not even looking at it.” The higher federal royalty rate was in place for roughly three years while leasing activity was muted, Prest said. New Mexico budget forecasters never tallied the additional income. New Mexico’s nest-egg strategy A nearly five-fold surge in local oil production since 2017 on federal and state land in New Mexico delivered a financial windfall for state government, helping fund higher teacher salaries, tuition-free college, universal free school meals and more. The state set aside billions of dollars in investment trusts for future spending in case the world’s thirst for oil falters, including a early childhood education fund to help expand preschool, child care subsidies and home wellness visits for pregnancies and infants. The state’s investment nest egg has grown to $64 billion, second only to Alaska’s Permanent Fund. Earnings from the trusts are New Mexico’s second-biggest source for general fund spending. That sturdy financial footing shaped a defiant response to this year’s federal government shutdown, when lawmakers voted to subsidize the state’s Affordable Care Act exchange, cover food assistance and backfill cuts to public broadcasting. But lawmakers reviewing state finances last week learned that predictable income fell 1.6% — the first contraction since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Muñoz said matters would be worse if the state had not raised its own royalty rates this year to 25%, from 20%, for new leases on prime oil and gas tracts, while ending a sales moratorium, under legislation he co-sponsored this year. Universal free child care under scrutiny The slowdown has cast uncertainty over a universal free child care initiative launched by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham last month. Some fellow Democrats in the Legislature have balked at a proposed $160 million spending increase. State Rep. Meredith Dixon of Albuquerque said hundreds of families earning more than $320,000 annually could qualify for free child care despite not needing it. “Universal child care is a fantastic idea,” said Dixon, a Democrat. “I 100% don’t agree with this approach.” Lawmakers are also under court order to carry out a remedial plan to improve K-12 education for Native American students and others from low-income households. New Mexico has long ranked near the bottom nationally on education outcomes, with lagging test scores and low graduation rates. Encouraged in Alaska After New Mexico, the states receiving the most federal oil and gas royalties are Wyoming, Louisiana, North Dakota and Texas. Texas, the nation’s top oil producer, shares the bountiful Permian Basin with New Mexico but has far less federal land and therefore less exposure to changes in royalty policy. In Alaska, state officials say they are encouraged by the royalty cut, seeing potential for increased development in places like the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, where the massive Willow project — approved in 2023 and now under development — is viewed by some as a catalyst for further activity. The reserve is expected to hold its first lease sales since 2019. “If reduced federal royalty rates stimulate new leasing, exploration and production, that also could increase other kinds of revenue,” said Lorraine Henry, a spokesperson for Alaska’s Department of Natural Resources. In North Dakota, federal royalties are split evenly between the state and county governments where drilling occurs. State Office of Management and Budget Director Joe Morrissette said the industry’s future remains difficult to forecast. “There are so many variables, including timing, price, availability of desirable tracts, and federal policies regarding exploration activities,” Morrissette said. Associated Press writers Becky Bohrer in Juneau, Alaska; and Jack Dura in Bismark, North Dakota, contributed. View the full article

If you’re considering a franchise, it’s vital to follow five fundamental steps to increase your chances of success. Start with a self-assessment to confirm your personal and financial goals align with your franchise vision. Next, check your financial readiness to comprehend your capital needs. Research the industry to find franchises that match your interests and market demand. Then, review the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) for key details. Finally, secure a legal review to clarify your obligations and rights. Grasping these steps can set you on the right path. Key Takeaways Conduct a self-assessment to identify personal, financial goals, and risk tolerance before pursuing a franchise opportunity. Evaluate your financial readiness, ensuring you have sufficient liquid capital and a good credit score for financing options. Research the industry and specific franchises to identify strong market demand and assess potential franchisors. Review the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) thoroughly to understand fees, obligations, and earnings potential. Seek a legal review from a franchise attorney to clarify terms, ensure compliance, and avoid common legal pitfalls. Self-Assessment and Goal Setting When considering franchise ownership, it’s crucial to start with a thorough self-assessment and goal setting, as these steps lay the foundation for your success. Begin by identifying your personal and financial goals to guarantee they align with your vision for owning a franchise. Reflect on your desired lifestyle and income expectations, which will influence the type of franchise you pursue. Assess your comfortable risk level to understand the financial and operational risks you’re willing to undertake. Clarify your expectations for future alignment with the franchise, focusing on how well the business model matches your values. Utilize tools like personality assessments and financial planning resources to guide your franchise research, helping you find an opportunity that fits your strengths and aspirations. Financial Readiness Check Before plunging into franchise ownership, it’s essential to conduct a financial readiness check to confirm you’re fully prepared for the investment and operational demands ahead. Start by evaluating your liquid capital and net worth to ascertain you can cover the initial costs, which typically range from $50,000 to $100,000. Check your credit score, as it greatly affects your financing options and borrowing capacity. Understand your borrowing potential by exploring financing avenues, such as SBA loans, known for their favorable terms. You might as well consider using retirement funds through a Rollover for Business Start-ups (ROBS) to avoid early withdrawal penalties. Finally, maintain cash reserves for initial operating expenses and unforeseen costs, confirming a solid financial foundation for your franchise expedition. Research the Industry and Franchises Researching the industry and potential franchises is crucial for anyone considering franchise ownership, as it lays the groundwork for informed decision-making. Start by identifying sectors with strong market demand; the franchise industry generates over $890 billion annually, highlighting significant growth opportunities. Assess potential franchisors by examining their brand reputation, operational support, and historical performance to guarantee they align with your personal and financial goals. Utilize federal and state data for market analysis to understand trends, competition levels, and customer preferences. When evaluating franchise options, consider initial investment, ongoing fees, and the franchisor’s growth potential for a sustainable business model. Finally, avoid impulsive decisions by gathering information from various sources, including expos and conversations with existing franchisees for unfiltered insights. Review the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) Grasping the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) is essential for anyone considering franchise ownership, as it serves as an extensive guide to the franchise opportunity. The FDD includes 23 critical disclosure items that cover everything from fees to obligations. You’ll receive the FDD at least 14 days before signing any agreements, giving you ample time to review it. Significantly, Item 19 outlines potential earnings, whereas Item 20 lists current and former franchisees, allowing you to validate claims and gather experiences. Remember, the FDD is regularly updated to comply with federal and state laws and varies by registration state. Disclosure Item Importance Key Information Item 19 Financial Performance Potential earnings insights Item 20 Franchisee Experiences Current and former franchisees 23 Disclosure Items Thorough Information Covers agreements and obligations Professional Legal Review Once you’ve reviewed the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), the next step is to secure a professional legal review. Engaging a franchise-specialized attorney is vital to guarantee a thorough examination of the FDD and Franchise Agreement, safeguarding your interests. A franchise attorney will clarify key legal terms and obligations before you sign, guaranteeing you fully understand the commitments involved. It’s important to confirm that the review includes compliance checks with federal and state franchise laws, as missteps can lead to significant penalties. Additionally, the legal review should assess the franchise agreement’s rigidity or flexibility, allowing for potential negotiations. Consulting a franchise attorney helps you avoid common pitfalls, such as misclassifying a franchise as a license, which can result in legal complications and financial loss. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the 4 P’s of Franchising? The 4 P’s of franchising are Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. Product involves what you offer, focusing on quality and uniqueness. Price refers to competitive pricing strategies that guarantee profitability during attracting customers. Place emphasizes the importance of strategic locations for your franchise units to maximize visibility and accessibility. Finally, Promotion encompasses marketing efforts to build brand awareness and drive sales, including local marketing initiatives that involve franchisee participation for better community engagement. What Are the Steps to Franchising? To franchise your business, start by evaluating its profitability and market demand, and consider how much control you’re willing to give up. Next, prepare a compliant Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) and create an operations manual detailing procedures and brand standards. Protect your intellectual property by registering trademarks. Finally, establish a legal entity to manage franchise operations, ensuring you comply with federal and state laws throughout the process. What Is the 7 Day Rule for Franchise? The 7-Day Rule in franchising requires that franchisors provide you with the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) at least 14 days before you sign any agreements or make payments. This rule gives you enough time to review the franchise’s obligations, fees, and legal commitments. It’s vital for you to understand what you’re entering into, ensuring transparency and allowing for due diligence, which helps protect your investment in the franchise. Why Is It Only $10,000 to Open a Chick-Fil-A? Opening a Chick-fil-A franchise costs only $10,000 because of the company’s unique business model. Chick-fil-A covers most startup expenses, including equipment and initial inventory, as you retain ownership of the land and building. This arrangement allows you to focus on running the restaurant without real estate costs. Nevertheless, you’ll pay a 15% royalty fee on sales, which supports marketing and training, ensuring you receive the necessary operational support for success. Conclusion In summary, following these five crucial steps can greatly improve your chances of success in the franchise world. Start with a self-assessment to align your goals, then confirm your financial readiness to invest. Conduct thorough research to find franchises that meet market demand, carefully review the FDD for obligations, and secure a legal review to understand the franchise agreement. By addressing each of these areas, you’ll be better equipped to make informed decisions and build a successful franchise. Image via Google Gemini This article, "5 Essential Steps in Your Franchise Guide" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

If you’re considering a franchise, it’s vital to follow five fundamental steps to increase your chances of success. Start with a self-assessment to confirm your personal and financial goals align with your franchise vision. Next, check your financial readiness to comprehend your capital needs. Research the industry to find franchises that match your interests and market demand. Then, review the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) for key details. Finally, secure a legal review to clarify your obligations and rights. Grasping these steps can set you on the right path. Key Takeaways Conduct a self-assessment to identify personal, financial goals, and risk tolerance before pursuing a franchise opportunity. Evaluate your financial readiness, ensuring you have sufficient liquid capital and a good credit score for financing options. Research the industry and specific franchises to identify strong market demand and assess potential franchisors. Review the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) thoroughly to understand fees, obligations, and earnings potential. Seek a legal review from a franchise attorney to clarify terms, ensure compliance, and avoid common legal pitfalls. Self-Assessment and Goal Setting When considering franchise ownership, it’s crucial to start with a thorough self-assessment and goal setting, as these steps lay the foundation for your success. Begin by identifying your personal and financial goals to guarantee they align with your vision for owning a franchise. Reflect on your desired lifestyle and income expectations, which will influence the type of franchise you pursue. Assess your comfortable risk level to understand the financial and operational risks you’re willing to undertake. Clarify your expectations for future alignment with the franchise, focusing on how well the business model matches your values. Utilize tools like personality assessments and financial planning resources to guide your franchise research, helping you find an opportunity that fits your strengths and aspirations. Financial Readiness Check Before plunging into franchise ownership, it’s essential to conduct a financial readiness check to confirm you’re fully prepared for the investment and operational demands ahead. Start by evaluating your liquid capital and net worth to ascertain you can cover the initial costs, which typically range from $50,000 to $100,000. Check your credit score, as it greatly affects your financing options and borrowing capacity. Understand your borrowing potential by exploring financing avenues, such as SBA loans, known for their favorable terms. You might as well consider using retirement funds through a Rollover for Business Start-ups (ROBS) to avoid early withdrawal penalties. Finally, maintain cash reserves for initial operating expenses and unforeseen costs, confirming a solid financial foundation for your franchise expedition. Research the Industry and Franchises Researching the industry and potential franchises is crucial for anyone considering franchise ownership, as it lays the groundwork for informed decision-making. Start by identifying sectors with strong market demand; the franchise industry generates over $890 billion annually, highlighting significant growth opportunities. Assess potential franchisors by examining their brand reputation, operational support, and historical performance to guarantee they align with your personal and financial goals. Utilize federal and state data for market analysis to understand trends, competition levels, and customer preferences. When evaluating franchise options, consider initial investment, ongoing fees, and the franchisor’s growth potential for a sustainable business model. Finally, avoid impulsive decisions by gathering information from various sources, including expos and conversations with existing franchisees for unfiltered insights. Review the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) Grasping the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) is essential for anyone considering franchise ownership, as it serves as an extensive guide to the franchise opportunity. The FDD includes 23 critical disclosure items that cover everything from fees to obligations. You’ll receive the FDD at least 14 days before signing any agreements, giving you ample time to review it. Significantly, Item 19 outlines potential earnings, whereas Item 20 lists current and former franchisees, allowing you to validate claims and gather experiences. Remember, the FDD is regularly updated to comply with federal and state laws and varies by registration state. Disclosure Item Importance Key Information Item 19 Financial Performance Potential earnings insights Item 20 Franchisee Experiences Current and former franchisees 23 Disclosure Items Thorough Information Covers agreements and obligations Professional Legal Review Once you’ve reviewed the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), the next step is to secure a professional legal review. Engaging a franchise-specialized attorney is vital to guarantee a thorough examination of the FDD and Franchise Agreement, safeguarding your interests. A franchise attorney will clarify key legal terms and obligations before you sign, guaranteeing you fully understand the commitments involved. It’s important to confirm that the review includes compliance checks with federal and state franchise laws, as missteps can lead to significant penalties. Additionally, the legal review should assess the franchise agreement’s rigidity or flexibility, allowing for potential negotiations. Consulting a franchise attorney helps you avoid common pitfalls, such as misclassifying a franchise as a license, which can result in legal complications and financial loss. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the 4 P’s of Franchising? The 4 P’s of franchising are Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. Product involves what you offer, focusing on quality and uniqueness. Price refers to competitive pricing strategies that guarantee profitability during attracting customers. Place emphasizes the importance of strategic locations for your franchise units to maximize visibility and accessibility. Finally, Promotion encompasses marketing efforts to build brand awareness and drive sales, including local marketing initiatives that involve franchisee participation for better community engagement. What Are the Steps to Franchising? To franchise your business, start by evaluating its profitability and market demand, and consider how much control you’re willing to give up. Next, prepare a compliant Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) and create an operations manual detailing procedures and brand standards. Protect your intellectual property by registering trademarks. Finally, establish a legal entity to manage franchise operations, ensuring you comply with federal and state laws throughout the process. What Is the 7 Day Rule for Franchise? The 7-Day Rule in franchising requires that franchisors provide you with the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) at least 14 days before you sign any agreements or make payments. This rule gives you enough time to review the franchise’s obligations, fees, and legal commitments. It’s vital for you to understand what you’re entering into, ensuring transparency and allowing for due diligence, which helps protect your investment in the franchise. Why Is It Only $10,000 to Open a Chick-Fil-A? Opening a Chick-fil-A franchise costs only $10,000 because of the company’s unique business model. Chick-fil-A covers most startup expenses, including equipment and initial inventory, as you retain ownership of the land and building. This arrangement allows you to focus on running the restaurant without real estate costs. Nevertheless, you’ll pay a 15% royalty fee on sales, which supports marketing and training, ensuring you receive the necessary operational support for success. Conclusion In summary, following these five crucial steps can greatly improve your chances of success in the franchise world. Start with a self-assessment to align your goals, then confirm your financial readiness to invest. Conduct thorough research to find franchises that meet market demand, carefully review the FDD for obligations, and secure a legal review to understand the franchise agreement. By addressing each of these areas, you’ll be better equipped to make informed decisions and build a successful franchise. Image via Google Gemini This article, "5 Essential Steps in Your Franchise Guide" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Considering we're awaiting word of a (likely) sixth season renewal, it's undeniable that Emily in Paris has been an unqualified success for Netflix, a reliable hit that rivals the success of buzzier genre shows like Stranger Things. Lily Collins stars as the faux pas-prone Emily Cooper, who moves to Paris and lands a temporary job at a glitzy French marketing firm kind of by accident. She doesn't speak the language and doesn't get the culture, but slowly manages to ingratiate herself to the locals while juggling work and romance in a new country. The series hails from Darren Star, creator of Sex and the City, so her budding high-fashion sense and tendency to narrate adventures à la Carrie Bradshaw make perfect sense. While you wait for Emily's next round of misadventures, here are 15 other shows that offer similarly stylish coming-of-age vibes. The Bold Type (2017 – 2021) Inspired by the career of Cosmopolitan editor-in-chief Joanna Coles, this show follows three young besties—Jane Sloan (Katie Stevens), Kat Edison (Aisha Dee), and Sutton Brady (Meghann Fahy)—working for the fictional women's magazine Scarlet in NYC. As with Emily's mentors Madeline and Sylvie, the three are never without the firm guiding hand of editor-in-chief, Jacqueline Carlyle (Melora Hardin), as they navigate life and careers in their dramatically stylish world. Stream The Bold Type on Hulu, HBO Max, and Tubi. The Bold Type at Hulu Learn More Learn More at Hulu Survival of the Thickest (2023 - ) No international travel here (or at least, not until the second season), but we do have a fashion-forward stylist who'd devoted herself to the wrong guy for way too long. As the series opens, Mavis (Beaumont (Michele Buteau, who also co-created the series) is ready for a fresh start, putting herself and career first—which does not preclude falling into a number of romantic entanglements. As she says more than once, she's going to take on the fashion world with a "body-positive attitude, cute v-neck, and some lip-gloss." Stream Survival of the Thickest on Netflix. Survival of the Thickest (2023 - ) at Netflix Learn More Learn More at Netflix The Carrie Diaries (2013 – 2014) Before Emily in Paris, creator Darren Star produced this two-season prequel to Sex and the City, and it's a good bet for fans of either show. Even as a 16-year-old living in Connecticut, Carrie Bradshaw (AnnaSophia Robb) is firmly on the road to becoming the iconic New York fashionista that we know she'll grow into. The high school junior takes an internship at a law firm in the Big Apple, only to moonlight from that pretty-darn-good gig by taking a second job at Interview magazine. The young Ms. Bradshaw has to balance school, family, a volatile relationship, a budding career, and a new and very outgoing bestie named Samantha (Lindsey Gort). Stream The Carrie Diaries on The CW or buy episodes from Prime Video and Apple TV The Carrie Diaries at Netflix Learn More Learn More at Netflix The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017 – 2023) The connection here is largely based on style, as in Mrs. Maisel's impeccable period 1950s pairs nicely with Emily's heightened modern Paris, but there's also the aspect of a young woman striking out on her own, and damn the consequences. Maisel was one of Prime’s first truly buzzy original series, a comedy-drama from Amy Sherman-Palladino (Gilmore Girls) about the title’s Midge Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan), a New York housewife of the late 1950s who discovers a talent for stand-up comedy. Inspired by the real-life careers of comedians like Totie Fields and Joan Rivers, the show is warm and welcoming, with great performances and dialogue; it also achieves something rare in being a show about comedy that’s actually funny. Stream The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Prime Video. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017 – 2023) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Étoile (2025) Amy Sherman-Palladino and David Palladino returned to TV, and to the ballet world (following Bunheads), for this series about two world-renowned ballet companies (one in NYC and one in Paris) that decide to spice things up by swapping their most talented dancers. Each company is on the brink of financial disaster, and so Jack McMillan (Luke Kirby), director of the Metropolitan Ballet, and Geneviève Lavigne (Charlotte Gainsbourg), director of of Le Ballet National, come up with the plan, and recruit an eccentric billionaire (Simon Callow) to pay for it. Much of the comedy comes from the mismatched natures of their swapped dancers, and there's a tangible love of ballet that keeps things light, despite the fancy title. The focus is a bit more on the dance directors than on the younger dancers, but there's still plenty of impeccable Parisian style on display. Stream Étoile on Prime Video. Étoile (2025) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video I Love LA (2025 – ) Rachel Sennott (Shiva Baby, Bottoms) created, produces, writes, and stars as Maia, who is 27, living in LA, and desperate for promotion in her job as an assistant talent manager. She's joined in town by Tallulah (Odessa A’zion), a former New York City influencer fallen on messy times, and an alternately fun and exhausting circle of friends that includes West Hollywood stylist Charlie (Jordan Firstman) and Maia's teacher boyfriend Dylan (Josh Hutcherson). It's a great looking show and, though tolerance for a coming-of-age comedy about twenty-ish-year-olds in LA will vary, it's smartly written and impressively acted. Stream I Love LA on HBO Max. I Love LA at HBO Max Learn More Learn More at HBO Max Fleabag (2016 – 2019) There’s no high concept hook here. This critical favorite stars Phoebe Waller-Bridge as the title character (only ever referred to as Fleabag) in a comedy drama about a free-spirited, but also deeply angry single young woman in living in London who shares her romantic ups and downs via confessional asides to us, the audience. So...Emily in Paris, but messier? Waller-Bridge won separate Emmys as the star, creator, and writer of the series (all in the same year), and co-stars Sian Clifford, Olivia Coleman, Fiona Shaw, and Kristin Scott Thomas were lauded as well. Stream Fleabag on Prime Video. Fleabag (2016 – 2019) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video The Sex Lives of College Girls (2021 – 2025) Kimberly (Pauline Chalamet) is an endlessly naïve scholarship student; Bela (Amrit Kaur), is an aspiring comedy writer on the make for the hottest guys; Whitney (Alyah Chanelle Scott) is an overachieving athlete and senator’s daughter; Leighton (Reneé Rapp) is a closeted sorority girl. They're randomly assigned to room together as freshmen at the fictional Essex College in Vermont. Created by Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble, this comedy-drama isn't nearly as salacious as its title suggests: There's sex, for sure, but like Sex and the City before it, the funny, queer-friendly show is more about female friendship. Stream The Sex Lives of College Girls on HBO Max. The Sex Lives of College Girls at HBO Max Learn More Learn More at HBO Max Spellbound (2023 – ) A young woman movies from the U.S. to France to pursue her dream of dancing. Oh, and also she's magic. A successor to Find Me in Paris, set at that show's same Paris Opera Ballet School, Spellbound introduces a new cast and, where the earlier series dealt with time travel, Spellbound is all about real magic: Fifteen-year-old American Cece Parker Jones travels to Paris to join the prestigious dance school, only to discover that she's an actual witch with a family history of spellcraft. She struggles to balance dance, magic, and her desire to be a normal teenager while dealing with the Mystics, natural enemies to Cece's type of witch. It's a solid and stylish coming-of-age drama. Stream Spellbound on Hulu. Spellbound (2023 – ) at Hulu Learn More Learn More at Hulu Call My Agent! (2015 – 2020) There's no Chicago gal traveling overseas in this French series, so if you want your Parisian marketing industry workplace dramedy straight up, with no American hand-holding, you're in luck. The series shifts its focus between four talent agents at a prestigious agency who are forced to take the reins following the sudden death of the agency founder. They navigate their messy personal lives while catering to the needs of their real celebrity clients (Juliette Binoche, Monica Bellucci, Isabelle Huppert, and Sigourney Weaver are just some of the name guest stars playing faintly exaggerated versions of themselves). It's soapy, addictive showbiz fun, a dishy delight even if you know not a lick of French. Stream Call My Agent! on Netflix or buy episodes from Prime Video and Apple TV. Call My Agent at Netflix Learn More Learn More at Netflix Gossip Girl (2007 – 2012) Teen drama at its finest and most bitchy, Gossip Girl follows the many, many scandals of a group of young Upper East Side socialites and hangers-on. The tangled teenage lives of Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively), her best frenemy Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester), scholarship kid Dan Humphrey (Penn Badgley), and plenty more pretty young boys and girls are chronicled in meticulous detail by the title's mysterious, omnipresent Gossip Girl (voiced by Kristen Bell). This one shares with Emily an impeccable sense of style, as its leads never miss a fashion beat. The short-lived 2021 follow-up is also available on HBO Max. Stream Gossip Girl on HBO Max and Netflix. Gossip Girl at HBO Max Learn More Learn More at HBO Max Ugly Betty (2006 – 2010) Just as Emily's tourist kitsch gets her read for filth in the opening episode of her series, Betty Suarez (America Ferrera) has a...let's say "distinct" sense of fashion that sets her much apart from the rest of the striving staffers at the prestigious fashion magazine Mode, where she manages to land a job despite not quite fitting into the mold (her opening episode poncho is, of course, iconic). Betty's only coming from Queens, but her adult braces and good heart set her well apart in the catty, high-pressure world of NYC fashion. Stream Ugly Betty on Hulu. Ugly Betty at Hulu Learn More Learn More at Hulu Sweetbitter (2018 – 2019) Based on the novel of the same name from Stephanie Danler, drawing on her experiences as an NYC waitress, Sweetbitter stars Yellowjackets' Ella Purnell as Tess, 21 at the series' opening, as she arrives in the city and gets a job at a prestigious restaurant. As we (and she) quickly learn, there's at least as much drama (including drugs, booze, and sex) in the restaurant industry as there is in the world of social media. Stream Sweetbitter on Prime Video. Sweetbitter (2018 – 2019) at Prime Video Learn More Learn More at Prime Video Younger (2015 – 2021) Another Darren Star show, this one's seven-season run overlapped just a bit with Emily. It flips a more common premise on its head: rather than a young woman seeking to make a name for herself, Younger follows Liza Miller (Sutton Foster), a recently divorced woman in her 40s who finds that her age is a barrier to reentering the publishing industry she left years earlier. After a compliment convinces her that she could pass for a younger woman, she lies that she's just 26 in order to land an entry-level job. Misadventures ensue. Think of it as a story of coming-of-age, again. Stream Younger on Netflix. Younger (2015 – 2021) at Netflix Learn More Learn More at Netflix Real Girlfriends in Paris (2022) How about Emily in Paris for real? This hard-hitting documentary series follows the lives of American ex-pats in Paris...just kidding, it's a Bravo reality show. Still, the vibes are not at all dissimilar, though this bit of reality TV nonsense somehow feels more heightened than the scripted drama of Emily (which probably inspired it). Six women trying to make names for themselves in the City of Lights: one a fashion designer, one an art historian, one an English teacher, etc. What they all share is a level of impeccable fashion that most people only experience by starring in a TV show. Stream Real Girlfriends in Paris on Peacock. Real Girlfriends in Paris (2022) at Peacock Learn More Learn More at Peacock View the full article

It might surprise people that my husband and I pay a financial planner, given that I spend a lot of time on financial, tax, and investment planning at work. However, hiring a planner has delivered a return that can’t be quantified: peace of mind. Here are some key reasons we pay for financial advice. 1) We wanted a second opinion on a few important decisions. I wanted a different perspective on less-familiar subjects, such as handling employer stock, and whether we needed long-term care insurance. We could have confronted both issues on our own, but having professional guidance helped us move forward more confidently. 2) We found a business model that makes sense for our situation. We were delighted to find a financial planning firm that could work with us on an hourly basis to address our specific questions, rather than ongoing portfolio management. Paying for financial advice on an ongoing basis, via an assets-under-management fee or other arrangement, can be right for some people. Shop around to find a business model that fits with the type and level of service you need. This requires clarity on what you want. Most holistic financial planners, including ours, are uncomfortable answering questions without fully understanding your financial situation. My question about long-term care insurance seemed straightforward, but our planner could only answer confidently if she understood our retirement assets, expected Social Security, and anticipated in-retirement spending. A good-quality planner needs time to review your total situation before giving answers. (I consider it a red flag if a planner is willing to give targeted advice without a comprehensive review.) That can mean more fees than you anticipated. 3) It gave us an impetus to get, and stay, organized. A holistic financial planner also requires you to share a lot of information—statements for all your financial accounts, tax returns, pay stubs, and so forth. If you’re paying hourly, it’s in your best interest to gather all that documentation yourself rather than turning over piles of disorganized paperwork. Gathering the documents was not a light lift, but I was able to cull a lot of financial paperwork through that process. That initial organization blitz has continued to pay dividends: We maintain just a small sheaf of financial documents and can readily access anything we need. 4) We love having a succession plan. As an unexpected benefit to working with a planner, they now have current information on every financial relationship we have: our bank accounts, company retirement plans and IRAs, and insurance policies. Our accounts are linked to the firm’s financial planning portal so that our planner can see what’s happening with them in real-time, without needing fresh documents. Any of the planners in the firm could also access our information in a pinch. If something happened to us, our loved ones would have a one-stop resource to help them sort things out. You can keep scrupulous records and develop your own succession plan, but storing all of our documentation with a third party helps alleviate worries about records being damaged or lost. 5) A third party can help give us “permission to spend.” My husband and I don’t deprive ourselves, but we’ve spent our lifetimes earning and saving. Turning the spending switch “on” in retirement could be mentally challenging. Our planner’s retirement projections (including stress tests for big market downdrafts and tax-law changes) have provided tremendous peace of mind. There are other avenues to help with the “permission to spend” problem, but for me a financial planner can provide a lot of value in this context. For our own peace of mind as we age, it’s a relationship we plan to maintain. This article was provided to The Associated Press by Morningstar. For more personal finance content, go to https://www.morningstar.com/personal-finance. Christine Benz is director of personal finance and retirement planning for Morningstar. Related Links When IRS Guidance Goes Wrong: How to Avoid Costly IRA Mistakes https://www.morningstar.com/retirement/when-irs-guidance-goes-wrong-how-avoid-costly-ira-mistakes A Checklist for Retirees to Finish This Year https://www.morningstar.com/retirement/checklist-retirees-finish-this-year 4 Smart Moves to Cut Your 2025 Tax Bill Under New Rules https://www.morningstar.com/personal-finance/4-smart-moves-cut-your-2025-tax-bill-under-new-rules Christine Benz of Morningstar View the full article

Small business owners are always on the lookout for innovative tools to enhance operations and improve customer interactions. Recent updates to Google’s Gemini audio model could be the game-changer many have been seeking. With features like live speech translation and advanced audio capabilities, businesses can enhance both customer service and internal communications. Gemini’s new updates are already generating buzz among early adopters. “Users often forget they’re talking to AI within a minute of using Sidekick, and in some cases have thanked the bot after a long chat,” said David Wurtz, VP of Product at Shopify. This highlights how advanced AI can make interactions more engaging and human-like, particularly in customer service scenarios. With Gemini’s advanced audio capabilities, businesses can leverage features like the Live API. Jason Bressler, Chief Technology Officer at United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM), pointed out that integrating the Gemini 2.5 Flash Native Audio model has allowed them to significantly enhance their capabilities, stating, “This powerful combination has enabled us to generate over 14,000 loans for our broker partners.” Such results underscore the potential of Gemini in streamlining workflows and improving customer engagement. A particularly enticing feature of the new Gemini model is its live speech translation capabilities. Designed for both continuous listening and two-way conversations, this tool allows users to hear translations in real time. Imagine a situation where a small business owner needs to communicate with a client who speaks a different language. Gemini makes it seamless by translating speech into over 70 languages and 2000 language pairs. With its continuous listening feature, the model can pick up conversations and translate them on the fly. This means wearing headphones and being able to engage in a multi-language environment without losing context. For two-way conversations, Gemini automatically switches the output language based on who is speaking. “If you speak English and want to chat with a Hindi speaker,” the device will broadcast translations in real time, maintaining the flow of conversation effectively. The real-world applications of these features are vast. For global businesses, eliminating language barriers can significantly broaden market reach. Even for local businesses with diverse clientele, effective communication enhances customer experience and fosters loyalty. The ability to handle multiple languages simultaneously means businesses can engage in multilingual conversations without extra effort on the part of staff. However, small business owners should also consider potential challenges. Implementing AI solutions like Gemini requires an upfront investment in training and resources. Staff must be well-versed in utilizing the technology efficiently to maximize its benefits. Additionally, while AI can simulate human interaction, there’s a fine line to tread between automation and maintaining a personal touch in customer service. Noise robustness is another valuable feature. The model filters out ambient noise, allowing effective communication even in bustling environments. This capability can be particularly beneficial during trade shows or in retail settings where sound distractions are commonplace. Ultimately, Gemini’s enhancements present several exciting opportunities for small businesses looking to modernize their operations and improve customer engagement. As competition becomes stiffer, leveraging advanced technologies may be key to staying ahead. Keep an eye on how these tools evolve and consider how they can specifically benefit your operational needs. As AI and audio technology continue to advance, small business owners should stay informed. For further details on these innovative features, visit the original post. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Gemini Enhances Conversations with New Live Speech Translation Features" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Small business owners are always on the lookout for innovative tools to enhance operations and improve customer interactions. Recent updates to Google’s Gemini audio model could be the game-changer many have been seeking. With features like live speech translation and advanced audio capabilities, businesses can enhance both customer service and internal communications. Gemini’s new updates are already generating buzz among early adopters. “Users often forget they’re talking to AI within a minute of using Sidekick, and in some cases have thanked the bot after a long chat,” said David Wurtz, VP of Product at Shopify. This highlights how advanced AI can make interactions more engaging and human-like, particularly in customer service scenarios. With Gemini’s advanced audio capabilities, businesses can leverage features like the Live API. Jason Bressler, Chief Technology Officer at United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM), pointed out that integrating the Gemini 2.5 Flash Native Audio model has allowed them to significantly enhance their capabilities, stating, “This powerful combination has enabled us to generate over 14,000 loans for our broker partners.” Such results underscore the potential of Gemini in streamlining workflows and improving customer engagement. A particularly enticing feature of the new Gemini model is its live speech translation capabilities. Designed for both continuous listening and two-way conversations, this tool allows users to hear translations in real time. Imagine a situation where a small business owner needs to communicate with a client who speaks a different language. Gemini makes it seamless by translating speech into over 70 languages and 2000 language pairs. With its continuous listening feature, the model can pick up conversations and translate them on the fly. This means wearing headphones and being able to engage in a multi-language environment without losing context. For two-way conversations, Gemini automatically switches the output language based on who is speaking. “If you speak English and want to chat with a Hindi speaker,” the device will broadcast translations in real time, maintaining the flow of conversation effectively. The real-world applications of these features are vast. For global businesses, eliminating language barriers can significantly broaden market reach. Even for local businesses with diverse clientele, effective communication enhances customer experience and fosters loyalty. The ability to handle multiple languages simultaneously means businesses can engage in multilingual conversations without extra effort on the part of staff. However, small business owners should also consider potential challenges. Implementing AI solutions like Gemini requires an upfront investment in training and resources. Staff must be well-versed in utilizing the technology efficiently to maximize its benefits. Additionally, while AI can simulate human interaction, there’s a fine line to tread between automation and maintaining a personal touch in customer service. Noise robustness is another valuable feature. The model filters out ambient noise, allowing effective communication even in bustling environments. This capability can be particularly beneficial during trade shows or in retail settings where sound distractions are commonplace. Ultimately, Gemini’s enhancements present several exciting opportunities for small businesses looking to modernize their operations and improve customer engagement. As competition becomes stiffer, leveraging advanced technologies may be key to staying ahead. Keep an eye on how these tools evolve and consider how they can specifically benefit your operational needs. As AI and audio technology continue to advance, small business owners should stay informed. For further details on these innovative features, visit the original post. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Gemini Enhances Conversations with New Live Speech Translation Features" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Update Thursday, December 18, 1:35 p.m.: Shares of The President Media and Technology Group (Nasdaq: DJT) remained elevated throughout early trading on Thursday following the Truth Social parent company’s eye-opening announcement that it will merge with the privately held fusion energy company TAE Technologies. As of midday, the stock was up more than 40% to roughly $14.67 a share. The stock is still down roughly 56% year to date. Shares had peaked for the year in January, early into President The President’s second term. Original story: In a surprising move, The President Media and Technology Group (DJT) said on Thursday that it is fusing itself to a fusion company. The company will merge with TAE Technologies—a privately held fusion energy firm that’s backed by Alphabet, Chevron Technology Ventures, and others—in a deal that’s worth more than $6 billion. It’s an all-stock deal, which is expected to close sometime next year, and is a huge and eyebrow-raising move for The President Media, which is best known as the owner of President The President’s social media platform, Truth Social. When all is said and done, shareholders of both companies will “own approximately 50% of the combined company on a fully diluted equity basis,” per the company release. Following the announcement, DJT shares jumped nearly 30% during premarket trading. The stock was up almost 35% in early trading on Thursday as of this writing. However, shares are down nearly 70% year to date, and are down roughly 92% from their peak in March 2022. Why is this merger happening? As for the logic behind the surprising merger, the combined company aims to build massive fusion power plants that can supply energy to power the ongoing AI boom. “In 2026, the combined company plans to site and begin construction on the world’s first utility-scale fusion power plant (50 MWe), subject to required approvals,” the company’s statement reads. “Additional fusion power plants are planned and expected to be 350 – 500 MWe.” It added: “Fusion power plants are expected to provide economic, abundant, and dependable electricity that would help America win the A.I. revolution and maintain its global economic dominance.” Devin Nunes, chairman and CEO of The President Media and a former California congressman, echoed the sentiment in a statement included in that release—in true The Presidentian fashion. “The President Media & Technology Group built uncancellable infrastructure to secure free expression online for Americans, and now we’re taking a big step forward toward a revolutionary technology that will cement America’s global energy dominance for generations,” he said, adding that “fusion power will be the most dramatic energy breakthrough since the onset of commercial nuclear energy in the 1950s.” Notably, there are not currently any operating fusion power plants. A report published in October by the Clean Air Task Force, a nonprofit environmental group, counts 29 fusion energy startups in the U.S. that have attracted significant funding in recent years. Further, the latest annual survey from Fusion Industry Association found that 75% of respondents don’t expect fusion power plants to start supplying energy to the grid until the 2030s. View the full article

In a surprising move, The President Media and Technology Group (DJT) said on Thursday that it is fusing itself to a fusion company. The company will merge with TAE Technologies—a privately held fusion energy firm that’s backed by Alphabet, Chevron Technology Ventures, and others—in a deal that’s worth more than $6 billion. It’s an all-stock deal, which is expected to close sometime next year, and is a huge and eyebrow-raising move for The President Media, which is best known as the owner of President The President’s social media platform, Truth Social. When all is said and done, shareholders of both companies will “ own approximately 50% of the combined company on a fully diluted equity basis,” per the company release. Following the announcement, DJT shares jumped nearly 30% during premarket trading. The stock was up almost 35% in early trading on Thursday as of this writing. However, shares are down nearly 70% year to date, and are down roughly 92% from their peak in March 2022. Why is this merger happening? As for the logic behind the surprising merger, the combined company aims to build massive fusion power plants that can supply energy to power the ongoing AI boom. “In 2026, the combined company plans to site and begin construction on the world’s first utility-scale fusion power plant (50 MWe), subject to required approvals,” the company’s statement reads. “Additional fusion power plants are planned and expected to be 350 – 500 MWe.” It added: “Fusion power plants are expected to provide economic, abundant, and dependable electricity that would help America win the A.I. revolution and maintain its global economic dominance.” Devin Nunes, chairman and CEO of The President Media and a former California congressman, echoed the sentiment in a statement included in that release—in true The Presidentian fashion. “The President Media & Technology Group built uncancellable infrastructure to secure free expression online for Americans, and now we’re taking a big step forward toward a revolutionary technology that will cement America’s global energy dominance for generations,” he said, adding that “fusion power will be the most dramatic energy breakthrough since the onset of commercial nuclear energy in the 1950s.” Notably, there are not currently any operating fusion power plants. A report published in October by the Clean Air Task Force, a nonprofit environmental group, counts 29 fusion energy startups in the U.S. that have attracted significant funding in recent years. Further, the latest annual survey from Fusion Industry Association found that 75% of respondents don’t expect fusion power plants to start supplying energy to the grid until the 2030s. View the full article

One of the ways AI models are rapidly improving is in their image editing capabilities, to the extent that they can now quickly take care of tasks that would previously have taken a substantial amount of time and effort in Photoshop. This is undoubtedly one of the main reasons Adobe has decided to introduce its own ChatGPT plug-ins. Want your t-shirt to be blue rather than red? Need to cut out a person or an object from an otherwise perfect group selfie? These are tricks that AI chatbots are now able to do cleanly and professionally, from just a text prompt. You don't need to have any digital photo editing skills; you only need to describe what you want to happen. Over the past few months, both Gemini and ChatGPT have become better at more precise edits. They're able to tweak part of an image and leaving the rest of it untouched, rather than rendering everything again from scratch just to alter one detail. Now Gemini has quietly added some more markup tools for this job. Marking up images in GeminiGoogle hasn't said anything officially about these markup tools, which suggests the feature is still in testing (it's also previously been spotted by the team at Android Authority). If you're not seeing these tools, try quitting and restarting the Gemini app on mobile, or refreshing the app on the web—and if you still can't see the options after that, you may have to be wait a little bit longer If this functionality has rolled out to you, you should be able to upload an image in a chat using the + (plus) button in the prompt box, and then tap or click on the image thumbnail to find the markup tools. At the moment, they only show up before the image has been edited—you can't find them after you've started generating edits. Look out for this pop-up to see if you have the new feature. Credit: Lifehacker The easiest tool to understand is the drawing tool, which is enabled via the icon that looks like a scribble. You can use this to highlight a particular part of an image—a space in the sky, a lamppost in the street, a face in a crowd—and then describe the change you want Gemini to carry out. For example, rather than just saying "add a cartoon dragon in the sky" in your prompt, you can actually combine that prompt with a circle on the image showing exactly where the dragon should go. It gives you even more of that Photoshop-level precision, without cluttering up the interface too much. The scribblings can also be used if you're asking questions about the image. For example, you could circle an actor or an object in a scene and then ask "who is this?" or "what is this?" in the attached prompt. In that sense it works in a similar way to the Circle to Search feature that's available for images on Android. You can add scribbles and text to your images. Credit: Lifehacker There's also a text tool—the T icon—but I'm not sure exactly how you use this (and there's no official help available yet). You can use it to describe changes you want to apply to your picture (like "an add arrow here"), but the text stays in place—it's almost like a rudimentary text overlay feature, with a choice of colors but no font or styling options. You can use the prompt to manipulate the text you've added, adding outlines and backgrounds for example, so perhaps that's the way it's intended to be used: a more precise editing option, but for text. Presumably once these tools have reached all Gemini users, we'll get some more information from Google on how to use them—but you may well find they're available to you now. View the full article

Bloomberg Intelligence puts odds on a release from conservatorship and issuing new shares. Its study estimates critical steps would take "months if not years." View the full article

Every year since 2010, I’ve posted an article about what trend I expect to dominate the next twelve months. Throughout the 2010s, these forecasts usually focused on emerging technologies or new currents in management thinking. But around 2020, that began to shift. The annual trends increasingly centered on how we cope with change rather than the change itself. Last year my trend was “The Coming Realignment.” History tends to propagate at a certain rhythm and then converge and cascade around certain points. Years like 1776, 1789, 1848, 1920, 1948, 1968, 1989—and, it seems, 2020—mark these inflection points. The years that follow are usually spent absorbing the shock and navigating the consequences. Today, everything is up for question. Will AI boom or bust? Will it take our jobs or bring new prosperity? What kind of economic system will we adopt for the future? We are in the midst of a great realignment. What we know from previous inflections is that what comes after will be profoundly different from before. What we most need to watch is our institutions. AI boom or bust? Today, the AI investment boom is without a doubt the single biggest factor propping up the US economy. Just this year, tech giants are expected to invest roughly $364 billion in the technology. And the spending won’t stop there. McKinsey projects that building AI data centers could add up to $5.2 trillion in investment by 2030. This boom is different from what we’ve seen in the past because the main investors aren’t speculators or startups, but some of the world’s most profitable companies, including Alphabet, Meta, and Microsoft. Unlike in past cycles, if the industry hits a downturn, there will still be tens of billions of dollars in annual profits to cushion the blow. Still, as investor Paul Kedrosky points out, there are reasons to worry. Investment in data center infrastructure has already surpassed the peak of the dot-com boom and is beginning to approach levels last seen during the railroad frenzy of the 19th century. Also, 60% of the cost of those data centers goes to AI chips, which have a useful life of only about three years. That means this is not a boom that can wait decades to pay off. If today’s investments don’t generate returns in the near future, much of the infrastructure could fully depreciate before delivering meaningful profit. In practical terms, unless tech firms can earn more than $200 billion in profit—on these investments alone, not from their core businesses—they will be underwater. And as investment accelerates, that bar only rises. Kedrosky also notes signs of growing systemic risk. Increasingly, tech giants are choosing to finance their infrastructure build-outs with Enron-like special-purpose vehicles. These structures cost more but keep the debt off their balance sheets. That risk, in turn, is increasingly being passed to more traditional investors, including REITs. Will AI displace humans or enhance us? A 2023 report by the World Economic Forum, analyzing 673 million jobs, predicted structural job growth of 69 million jobs and a decline of 83 million, an overall decrease of 14 million jobs. An IMF analysis found that 40% of global employment is exposed. In an interview with Axios, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said AI could wipe out half of all entry-level white-collar jobs in the next one to five years. Yet more grounded economic analyses suggest a much more modest impact. A study by the St. Louis Fed suggests a 1.1% increase in aggregate worker productivity, with much of that increase concentrated in the tech sector. A paper by Nobel laureate Daron Acemoglu, which looks at total factor productivity (TFP), a measure which takes use of capital into account, sees a 0.66% increase over 10 years, translating to a 0.064% increase in annual TFP growth. A recent McKinsey report takes an optimistic view. While noting that many routine office and production jobs are likely to disappear, those that leverage technical, social and emotional skills are likely to flourish, just as Autor has predicted. However, there is reason to suspect that optimists may be merely extrapolating from historical trends that may no longer apply. There’s no guarantee that the future will look like the past. An analysis in Harvard Business Review suggested that AI could disrupt the non-routine creative work that, to this point, has been hard to automate. Meanwhile, research in Science has found that, although AI may enhance individual creative work, it diminishes the diversity of novel output, potentially stifling the very innovation it aims to support. What will be the economic system of the future? Before 1789 the world was ruled by the divine right of kings and the feudal system. Yet that year would prove to be an inflection point. The American Constitution, the French Revolution, and the first Industrial Revolution, already underway since the introduction of the steam engine in 1776, together created a fundamental realignment of power. These forces would build and clash for decades until things came to a head in the revolutionary year of 1848. Today, we seem to be in a similarly liminal space, as we decide what kind of future we want to live in. The next century and a half would be dominated by the tensions between socialism and capitalism. When the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, the West was triumphant. Communism was exposed as a corrupt system bereft of any real legitimacy. Yet for anyone paying attention, communism had long been discredited. As far back as the 1930s, Stalin’s disastrous collectivization and industrialization campaigns had led to mass starvation. By the 1970s, Soviet total factor productivity growth had gone negative, meaning more investment actually brought less output. Yet today, it is capitalism that finds itself under siege from all sides. Leftist progressives like Bernie Sanders and Zohran Mamdani advocate for reining in the private sector and creating a bigger safety net. The mercantilist American president rails against free trade and nationalizes the means of production. Christian nationalists openly call for theocratic rule. At the same time, a new cadre of theorists has emerged whose ideas don’t fit the traditional right-left paradigm. New Right thinkers such as Curtis Yarvin and Patrick Deneen call for wholesale reordering of society. On the more technocratic side, a new school of thought is emerging that is associated with Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson’s book Abundance. It’s the institutions, stupid In Why Nations Fail, economists Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson explain why the fate of nations rests less on innate factors such as geography, culture, or climate and more on the quality and types of institutions they build. In particular, they make the distinction between inclusive institutions and extractive institutions. Inclusive institutions protect property rights broadly across society, establish fair competition, and reward innovation. Extractive institutions, on the other hand, concentrate wealth in the hands of a small elite who exploit the broader population. These elite players control resources and use state power to enrich themselves at society’s expense. We are clearly in a liminal period in which we are struggling to adapt to shifts in technology, economics, and identity. Will AI oppress or empower regular people? Will we trade openly or retreat behind national barriers? Will we focus primarily on our local communities or see ourselves as citizens of a larger planet? As ever, there will be no shortage of pundits predicting the paths the future will take. Many of their narratives will be persuasive—but also mutually contradictory. The real tell will be what kinds of institutions we build and which ones we allow to decay or be destroyed outright. Are we creating institutions that strengthen rights and the rule of law, or those that serve the powerful? The outcome is still unclear, but the lines of battle have been drawn. If you want to know what to expect in the near to mid-term, pay less attention to predictions about technology, politics, or ideology and focus instead on institutions. Those are what create the norms and rituals that will shape the behaviors of the future. View the full article

Hedge fund billionaire says acquisition of Vantage is milestone in effort to transform real estate company Howard Hughes View the full article

If you get a letter from a company called 700Credit, don't ignore it. Your information may have been compromised in a massive breach affecting more than 5.8 million consumers, and you should take the necessary steps to protect your data. 700Credit supplies credit and identity verification services to more than 21,000 vehicle, RV, powersport, and marine dealerships in the U.S., so if you've purchased a vehicle and applied for dealer financing—or even been pre-screened or pre-qualified to do so—your information could have been affected. What happened with 700Credit?According to the company's filing with the Maine Attorney General, 700Credit's systems were hacked between Oct. 25 and Oct. 27. Attackers stole personal information about customers of 700Credit's dealership clients, including names, addresses, Social Security numbers (SSNs), and dates of birth. As BleepingComputer reports, this breach was actually a consequence of a system compromise back in July at one of 700Credit's 200 integration partners. Threat actors were able to gain access to an API used to pull consumer data, and a security vulnerability in the API allowed them to exfiltrate information from 700Credit. What you need to doIf you receive a data breach notice from 700Credit, read it carefully. 700Credit is offering 12 months of credit monitoring and identity restoration services through TransUnion's Cyberscout to affected consumers. You will need to go to the URL listed in your notice and enter your unique activation code in order to enroll, and you have 90 days from the date of the letter to complete the process. 700Credit expects to begin notifying individuals starting on Dec. 22. In addition to utilizing the free credit protection, you should take the usual precautions to lock down your identity: Freeze your credit at all three credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion). Place a fraud alert on your credit file. You only need to do this at one bureau, which will apply it to all three. Keep an eye on your financial accounts for suspicious transactions as well as your credit report. Note that if your credit is frozen, thieves shouldn't be able to take out new credit in your name. Request an IP PIN from the IRS to prevent someone from filing a tax return using your SSN. Follow good digital hygiene practices, such as using strong passwords and multi-factor authentication. You cannot reverse a data breach, but you can (and should) do damage control. View the full article

Murtaza Lakhani is the highest-profile oil trader to have been targeted by western sanctions since 2022View the full article

Net zero is difficult enough — but an age of net negative emissions goals would be far tougher 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. For parents shopping for a first kids’ tablet that won’t turn into a headache or break after one drop, the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids (2024) might be worth a look. It usually retails for $149.99, but it’s currently marked down to $74.99 on Amazon, its lowest price to date, according to price trackers. Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids tablet $74.99 at Amazon $149.99 Save $75.00 Get Deal Get Deal $74.99 at Amazon $149.99 Save $75.00 At that price, you’re getting a rugged case, a year of Amazon Kids+ subscription, a two-year worry-free replacement guarantee, and solid parental controls all bundled into one eight-inch tablet. It’s not fast, and it doesn’t have a high-res display, but for young kids starting out with screen time, it does a lot right. It has a 2.0GHz hexa-core processor, 32GB of storage (expandable to 1TB), and a 1,280-by-800 resolution display. It handles video streaming and basic apps well, though heavier games and multitasking can slow it down. Battery life is impressive, lasting close to 10 hours in PCMag’s video playback tests. The case, which adds bulk, also includes a built-in stand that doubles as a handle, though younger kids might need help adjusting it. It’s not waterproof, but if it breaks, Amazon will replace it for free within two years—no questions asked. Setup requires a parent to create profiles, set screen time limits, and customize content filters. Once done, kids can access Amazon Kids+, which includes age-appropriate books, videos, games, and a genuinely fun “Quest” feature that blends learning with light gamification. When the free trial ends, though, you’ll need to pay $5.99 a month (or $48 annually) to keep access to that library. Without it, the experience is much more limited and depends on how much effort you want to put into finding and installing your own content. But for under $75, with a kid-proof case and thoughtful tools for parents, it’s one of the better value tablets out there for kids aged three to seven. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $199.00 (List Price $249.00) Sony WH-1000XM5 — $248.00 (List Price $399.99) Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 10.9" 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Graphite) — $139.99 (List Price $219.99) Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 46mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - M/L. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant — $329.00 (List Price $429.00) Blink Outdoor 4 1080p 3-Camera Kit With Sync Module Core — $74.99 (List Price $189.99) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $29.99 (List Price $49.99) Meta Quest 3 512GB Mixed Reality VR Headset with Controllers — (List Price $499.99 With Code "QUEST50") Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

Stargazers and scientists are getting a holiday present from the cosmos this week. 3I/ATLAS, an interstellar comet, will get “closest” to Earth on Friday, December 19, as part of its journey across the galaxy. Let’s break the facts of this natural phenomena down because it sounds like it could be the plot of an exciting science fiction thriller. What is an interstellar comet? Much like a Christmas tree, planets in our Solar System revolve around our star, the sun. It’s not the only planetary system out there. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, contains other systems, and if you zoom out even further, there are even more. The comet 3I/ATLAS is labeled interstellar because it comes from outside our star system and is not gravitationally bound to the sun. It’s on an elliptical vacation of sorts, exploring new locations with a greater freedom than the other objects surrounding it. When was 3I/Atlas discovered? Scientists only recently discovered 3I/ATLAS, on July 1, 2025. The Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System survey telescope, funded by NASA and located in Rio Hurtado, Chile, first laid eyes on the object. This observation caused scientists to go back and look over records from other Atlas telescopes to learn more. These pre-discovery findings found evidence of the comet dating back to June 14, 2025. The comet got its name because it is a tradition to name objects after the people or system that discover them. In this case, it was named after Atlas. The 3 and the I tell the world this is the third interstellar object found. How close will 3I/ATLAS actually get? On Friday, 3I/ATLAS will get the closest to Earth in its orbit, but close is a relative term. It will cross within 167 million miles of our planet. To put that in perspective, that is around two times the distance between the Earth and the Sun. The comet poses no danger to Earth, meaning there’s no need to hire a ragtag group of oil drillers à la the 1998 film Armageddon. How best to view 3I/Atlas Unfortunately, 3I/ATLAS cannot be viewed by the naked eye. Dedicated stargazers will need a small telescope. But the silver lining is that the comet will hang around until spring. For best results, view in the early, predawn hours. According to NASA, those who are extra enthusiastic and planning a Friday adventure should focus on the bright star Regulus in the constellation Leo, as 3I/ATLAS should appear near that location. For those who are without a telescope and would rather sleep in, NASA has done the work for you. You can visit the NASA website to view 3I/ATLAS from many different angles. Maybe the pictures will inspire you to write the next great science fiction tale. Finally, NASA’s “eyes on the solar system” tool lets you view a simulated live version of 3I/ATLAS as it hurls through space. View the full article

The Christmas holiday season is a time to step back from the busy pace of modern life and connect with our nearest and dearest instead of screens, apps and chatbots. Here are some suggestions on how to unplug from the online world for the next few weeks as you sit down for a festive meal, exchange gifts or take time out for some self-reflection. Do not disturb me Your phone already has built-in features that can help you stop getting distracted. To temporarily silence all those attention-seeking notifications, use the Focus setting on your iPhone or Android device. This mode is designed to stop interruptions when you want to concentrate. You can customize it by blocking specific apps or muting only when you’re doing certain things, like sleeping or reading. Android and iOS also have related screen time controls to manage overall device usage. Too much Instagram scrolling? Limit yourself to a daily total of 20 minutes. There are other tricks you could try, like turning the screen gray to make it less appealing. On iPhones or Android devices, tweak the color filter or adjustment settings. On Android, activating Bedtime Mode also turns the screen gray. Delete apps If you need to be more strict with yourself, then delete any or apps you’re addicted to. An effective way to stop looking at your phone is by removing those apps that you spend the most time scrolling through, even if temporarily. You can always reinstall them again if the withdrawal symptoms become too much. Get outside … When the temperature drops, it’s tempting to hunker down inside and stay cozy. But don’t sit on the couch all day. Head outdoors, away from Wi-Fi signals. If it’s been snowing where you are, have a snowball fight or go sledding. To keep your hands warm, don’t forget to put on bulky mittens — which your phone’s touch screen won’t respond to. Even if there’s no snow, take a walk in the woods, a park or along some tree-lined streets. Time spent outdoors, and away from screens, can benefit your mental health and physical well-being. There’s even a term for it: forest bathing. … And touch grass There’s an app you can use to force yourself to — literally — get back in touch with nature. Touch Grass takes its name from a viral catchphrase for when someone has lost their connection to the real world because they’re consumed by what’s on their screens. It’s similar to other apps designed to restrict screen time by forcing users to take a timeout from scrolling. The difference is that Touch Grass requires users to go outside and take a picture of themselves physically touching some grass. Touch Grass has a free service level that allows you to block two apps. I found it was quite effective at stopping me from opening two of my favorite time-wasters, Reddit and Instagram, though I ended up spending more time on other apps like Facebook. To block all apps, you’ll have to shell out for a subscription — $6 a month or $50 annually. If you can’t find grass because it’s winter, there’s also the option to touch snow or sand. It’s only available for iPhones so far, but there are copycat versions for both iOS and Android, though we haven’t tested them. Putting pen to paper When was the last time you sent a Christmas card? Most digital natives find it easier to type out holiday greetings or send digital cards over chat apps, than to put pen to paper. The consequence of all the time that we spend tapping, typing or swiping on our devices is that handwriting is becoming something of a dying art. But there are neurological and cognitive benefits of handwriting, research suggests. For example, taking notes by hand is a better way for students to learn and to remember information. So use this time of year to write a thoughtful message to someone special, a letter to a long-lost friend, or thank you notes for presents received. Pick up a book If you still don’t know what you want for Christmas, why not ask for a book? It’s easy to find inspiration and ideas at this time of year, when many people like to share the books they’ve read over the past 12 months, and outlets including The Associated Press compile their list of the year’s best books. Reading long-form literature or non-fiction has many benefits that can’t be gained from glancing at short-form bursts of text on your device, including a deeper understanding of a topic, developing empathy, increasing your focus and concentration and more. Lock your device up If you’re looking for a last-minute gift, how about a time-lock vault to put your devices out of reach for, say, 15 minutes, a few hours or even weeks? There are plenty of versions for sale online. For about $30, I bought a battery-powered gray plastic model that can hold several smartphones. The instruction leaflet says it’s intended to “enhance self-discipline.” Punch in the amount of time — up to 30 days — and a digital display will count down until it unlocks. The lid has portholes so you can thread in cables for charging while you wait. One evening, I locked my phone up for an hour and then grabbed my laptop to do some online Christmas shopping. But my plans were foiled because I forgot that authentication requests for my credit card and Amazon went to my phone. Not-as-smart phones For another gift idea, consider putting a brick phone under the tree. Also known as a feature phone, these devices cater to those who want a back-to-basics phone without all the digital stimulation that comes with a smartphone. Retro devices from Nokia evoke the early days of the cellphone era — no touch screens, numeric keypads and throwback video games like Snake. Most can only make voice calls and send text messages. If that sounds too primitive, there are so-called digital minimalist phones that serve a similar market niche. Devices from Light, Punkt and Balance offer sleek, modern designs but with a stripped-down experience. Is there a tech topic that you think needs explaining? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your suggestions for future editions of One Tech Tip. —Kelvin Chan, AP Business Writer View the full article

One of the best things about the Christmas period is all the yummy desserts found in people’s kitchens. But now one of the largest food companies in America is issuing a warning about one of those sweet treats. Here’s what you need to know about a new recall from Danone U.S., which impacts one of its dairy-free frozen desserts. What’s happened? On December 15, North American food producer Danone U.S. announced a voluntary recall of one of its dessert products, per a notice posted on the website of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The company is recalling its So Delicious Dairy Free brand of Salted Caramel Cluster Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert. The recall is due to concerns that the product may contain foreign materials mixed into the dessert. Specifically, there is a chance that the cashews in the frozen dessert may have “small stones and other hard objects” embedded within them. The potential for foreign material contamination is obviously concerning, which is why Danone U.S. is pulling the impacted products from the shelves and urging consumers who have them not to eat them. What products are included in the recall? Only one product is listed as being part of this recall, though the product has multiple best-by dates: Product Name: So Delicious Dairy Free Salted Caramel Cluster Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert pints SKU: 136603 UPC: 744473476138 Best-By Dates / Lot No (Exp Dates): Before 08 Aug 2027 The recalled product, as the notice on the FDA website states, can have multiple “Best-By Dates / Lot No (Exp Dates),” all of which are before August 8, 2027. Danone U.S. has also posted photographs of the recall product, which you can view here. It should be noted that the recalled product actually came in two different packaging designs. Products purchased before February 7, 2025, have a different package design than those purchased after. Has anyone been harmed by the recalled product? The recall notice does not state whether anyone has been harmed by the presence of foreign materials in the frozen dessert. Danone U.S. says, “So Delicious Dairy Free is working swiftly with retail partners to remove the potentially impacted product from shelves. In the meantime, the company has already identified and corrected this issue and will soon be able to bring back the frozen dessert so many people enjoy.” Where was the recalled product sold? The notice does not specify where the product was sold. Fast Company has reached out to Danone U.S. for additional details. What should I do if I have the recalled product? You should not consume the recalled product if you have it in your possession. Instead, the recall notice posted on the So Delicious website states that you should dispose of the product. For information about a refund for the product, consumers are asked to contact So Delicious via the contact form on its website. Alternatively, consumers can call the company on the So Delicious Dairy Free Care Line at 1-833-367-8975. View the full article