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Revolut chair calls for curbs to cash Isa tax-free allowance View the full article

A lack of intrepid amateurs might explain stagnant societiesView the full article

The next bailout is likely to involve inflationary financing of fiscal deficits by central banksView the full article

Regional leaders fear proposal to rebuild half of enclave under Israeli control will lead to long-term partitionView the full article

Both sides must abandon false moral certainties and oversimplified historical narratives if the cycle of violence is to be brokenView the full article

Biotech says it opted for revised offer from US pharma company after rival Novo bid raised antitrust concernsView the full article

Asset manager’s move to close Impact Opportunities strategy comes amid broader pullback from ESGView the full article

US president grants relief to fellow rightwing populist after moving to punish Russia over lack of peace deal with UkraineView the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The Microsoft Surface Book 3 isn't the newest model on the market, but it's one of the few laptops that can serve as both a tablet and a creative workstation, which helps explain why it initially launched at nearly $1,700. Currently, StackSocial is offering the 15-inch 2020 Surface Book 3 on sale for $929.99, equipped with 32GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage, or on sale for $999.99 for the 1TB version. The smaller 13.5-inch models are also available, priced between $699.99 and $799.99. Each one is refurbished to Grade A condition, meaning it looks nearly new, has undergone thorough testing, and comes with a one-year warranty. Even today, the Surface Book 3 remains a standout in real-world use. The combination of a 10th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics still handles most creative workloads—such as photo editing, video projects, or even casual gaming—with minimal slowdown. The 15-inch PixelSense touchscreen is crisp and color-rich, supporting both touch and stylus input, making it ideal for sketching or taking handwritten notes. The screen detaches completely, transforming it into a tablet or studio-style canvas when needed. That flexibility is where the Surface Book line really shines, especially for individuals who frequently switch between productivity, design, and entertainment. The 32GB of RAM and 512GB or 1TB SSD options make it easy to run multiple apps or store large projects, and the battery life still impressively stretches close to 15 hours under normal use. Of course, this is still a 2020 model, so there are trade-offs: The design isn’t as slim as newer Surface devices, and the webcam is limited to 720p. Also, it ships with Windows 10, but is fully upgradeable to Windows 11. For anyone who values flexibility in their setup (something that works as a full laptop one minute and a sketching tablet the next), the Surface Book 3 offers plenty of value at its refurbished price. Microsoft Surface Book 3 (2020) 15" 512GB ($929) Microsoft Surface Book 3 (2020) 15" 1TB ($999) Microsoft Surface Book 3 (2020) 13.5" 512 GB ($699) Microsoft Surface Book 3 (2020) 13.5" 1TB ($799) Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods 4 Wireless Earbuds — $119.00 (List Price $129.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Shark AI Ultra Matrix Clean Mapping Voice Control Robot Vacuum with XL Self-Empty Base — $299.99 (List Price $599.00) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $24.99 (List Price $49.99) Google Pixel 10 Pro 128GB Unlocked Phone (Obsidian) — $749.00 (List Price $999.00) Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) — $69.99 (List Price $139.99) Google Nest Cam Indoor (Wired, 3rd Gen) - Security Camera with 2K Video and Gemini, Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Works with Google Home - 2025 Model - Snow — $74.99 (List Price $99.99) Sony WH-1000XM5 — $328.00 (List Price $399.99) Fitbit Versa 4 Fitness Smartwatch (Black) — $119.95 (List Price $199.95) Blink Outdoor 4 1080p Wireless Security Camera (5-Pack) — $159.99 (List Price $399.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

Move would reduce tax benefits from salary sacrifice pension schemes as chancellor aims to fill fiscal hole View the full article

President claims groups are pushing up prices via ‘illicit collusion and price-fixing’ View the full article

Defence secretary announces measures to increase competition for Pentagon contractsView the full article

Now that Halloween has come and gone, you might have wrongly assumed that candy season is over. Not if the Hershey Company anything to say about it. In fact, the sweets are just getting started. On its first-annual holiday virtual preview this week, the confectionary company revealed four exciting new products and explained how the company is stocked and ready to make the hectic holiday season even sweeter. Here’s what to know: What new items does Hershey have up its sleeve? Hershey announced four new treats that will hit shelves this holiday season: Hershey’s Kisses Snickerdoodle Cookie Candy Kit Kat Peppermint Stick Reese’s Mini Trees Hershey’s Grinch Milk Chocolate Bar After extensive market research, Hershey discovered that a resounding 76% of people stated they would purchase a snickerdoodle-flavored option, and Hersey is obliging with new snickerdoodle Kisses. It’s the perfect topping for a cookie and there’s even a recipe right on the packaging. The gold wrapper also looks delightful in a candy dish. Research also showed that mint is a popular flavor during the winter months. To capitalize on that trend, Kit Kat bars now have a peppermint version. These come in snack size, normal size, and king size to appease all hunger magnitudes. Meanwhile, the classic Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bars are continuing their partnership with the Grinch, Dr. Seuss’s iconic Christmas hater. Popular characters such as Cindy Lou Who, Max, and the big-hearted green guy himself are molding into the chocolate making it extra festive. Cheerful shapes are also here to stay. Reese’s Peanut Butter Trees, now available in a mini version, are a perfect tree trimming snack. How Hershey became a confectionary powerhouse These days, the name Hershey is almost synonymous with chocolate bars but the company actually started with caramel. In 1886, Milton S. Hershey founded the Lancaster Caramel Company in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. After attending the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893, Hershey fell in love with chocolate and created the Hershey Chocolate Company as a subsidiary of his original company. In 1900, he would sell the Lancaster Caramel Company but retain the chocolate side of the business. That same year, the first Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bars were sold in an effort to make the confection affordable to the average person. Hershey’s Chocolate Kisses would make their debut seven years later. In 1925, the Goodbar was introduced, and in 1963 Hershey acquired H.B. Reese Candy Company. The Hershey Company today is the parent company for over 100 brands, including Jolly Rancher, Rolos, and SkinnyPop. With a market cap of roughly $34 billion, the company reported net sales of $11.2 billion last year. And it’s not just about sweet treats. Hershey’s salty snacks unit in North America grew 10% in the third quarter of this year, generating $321 million. It’s never too early Hershey’s is ready for the big holiday shopping rush. In the preview event, the company explained that customers shop early because they are planning ahead, want a little treat for themselves, and don’t want to miss out on limited-edition items. So if you were worried about missing the Halloween season, consider holiday sweets as just as satisfying. And as an added bonus, you get to create traditions around the confections that don’t require anything scary. Savor the sweetness of the season with Hershey’s many merry offerings. View the full article

Property and other assets are being used as collateral in fast private loans for those who have little cash on handView the full article

Technology stocks fell on Friday, amid fears of an AI bubble, a further drawn out federal government shutdown, and economic data that suggests consumer sentiment has fallen toward record-low levels. That’s in addition to economic data that showed last month’s layoffs hit their highest level for October—in 20 years. That report, from global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, also also said hiring slowed to lowest point in 14 years. Despite strong third-quarter earnings reports, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (^IXIC) was down once again, for the second consecutive day, about 1% in afternoon trading on Friday, as big Tech Stocks tumbled, closing out the week as the Index heads toward what could be its worst week since April, when the The President Administration introduced its “Liberation Day” tariffs. Chip stock Arm Holdings plc (ARM) was down 4%, while Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD) fell 3%, and Al chip designer Nvidia (NVDA) was down 1%, at the time of this writing in afternoon trading, as investors worry about high valuations, and mass layoffs in the name of artificial intelligence (AI). Tesla (TSLA) was also down some 3%. Among those sounding alarm bells is hedge fund investor Michael Burry, who runs Scion Asset Management, and is betting against both betting against both Nvidia and Palantir. According to his Securities and Exchange Commission filings, Scion bought an estimated $187.6 million in puts on Nvidia, and another $912 million on Palantir, as CNN reported. Burry has warned both companies are overvalued. (Burry famously predicted the 2008 housing market collapse, and was made famous by the 2015 film The Big Short.) Last week Burry posted on X, “Sometimes, we see bubbles. Sometimes, there is something to do about it. Sometimes, the only winning move is not to play,” in what some think is his way of saying there is an AI bubble. View the full article

The FHFA director hinted at a partnership in the works and doubled down on criticism of homebuilders and the Fed chair in a housing conference interview. View the full article

Two years ago, Peloton recalled seat posts on its classic Bike models. Now, the brand is doing the same for seats on its older Bike+ models (but not the new Cross Training Bike+ that came out a few weeks ago). If you have the old model of Bike+, you'll need to reach out to Peloton to arrange a replacement. Which Peloton models are affected by the recall?Per Peloton, this is a voluntary recall of seat posts for Bike+ models made between December 2019 and July 2022 and sold in the U.S. and Canada. If your Bike+ has a PL02 model number on the label inside or behind the front fork or behind the flywheel, it is impacted by the recall. If you've checked and you're still not sure, head to this link for more information. Why the recall is happeningLike the previous recall of classic Bike seats, this issue centers around the Bike+'s seat post, which, "can break during use, posing a potential fall and injury risk to consumers," according to Peloton. The situation seems less serious than that previous recall, when at least 11 people were injured due to the faulty posts. Peloton says it has received three reports of seats breaking across about 833,000 units in the U.S., but no reports of broken seats among the almost-45,000 units in Canada. How to get a replacement Bike+ seatThe replacements are free, so if you qualify, get one right away. To get yours, visit this link or call Peloton's customer service at (833) 821-0099. View the full article

With Black Friday just about three weeks away, retailers and shoppers have one thing on their mind—Christmas, the busiest and most profitable time of the year. And now, with Halloween behind us, Spirit Halloween has pivoted to holiday-themed Spirit Christmas, featuring festive decor, gifts, holiday apparel, and interactive displays—including nutcrackers, inflatable lawn Santas, and ugly Christmas sweaters. The retail chain, owned by Spencer Gifts, launched nearly a dozen Spirit Christmas stores throughout the Northeast in 2024. This year, Spirit Christmas is opening 30 store locations in 12 states in the Northeast and Great Lakes area, including its flagship store in Mays Landing, New Jersey. Those stores are in: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania (see below for a full list of locations). As for the Spirit Halloween locations, some are making the transition to Christmas themes, while others are closing down till next year. Here are all 30 Spirit Christmas locations, according the store locator: CONNECTICUT Manchester, CT Milford, CT DELAWARE Christiana, DE ILLINOIS Bloomingdale, IL Joliet, IL Naperville, IL INDIANA Fort Wayne, IN Merrillville, IN KENTUCKY Lexington, KY MARYLAND Waldorf, MD MASSACHUSETTS North Attleborough, MA Dartmouth, MA MICHIGAN Grand Rapids, MI Novi, MI NEW HAMPSHIRE Salem, NH NEW JERSEY Cherry Hill, NJ Lawrenceville, NJ Mays Landing, NJ Paramus, NJ Rockaway, NJ Toms River, NJ NEW YORK Amherst, NY Bohemia, NY Poughkeepsie, NY OHIO Mentor, OH North Canton, OH PENNSYLVANIA Bethel Park, PA Erie, PA Pittsburgh, PA Whitehall, PA View the full article

iPadOS 26 is a huge deal for anyone who wishes Apple would just make a touchscreen MacBook already. The update rolls out a major multitasking redesign that introduces macOS-like windows, a macOS-like menu bar, and a macOS-like file management. The iPad even has the Preview app, for crying out loud—though, to be fair, so does the iPhone. Apple has toed the line with its tablets over the years, introducing features and functions that make the experience more like using a computer, while never really committing to the bit entirely. To that point, iPadOS 26 probably won't replace your MacBook, but it comes pretty close. If your major concerns have to do with things like window and file management, this update is likely up your alley. But even as this new iPad era seems all about a more traditional computing affair, Apple is going backwards a bit, but in a very good way: The latest iPadOS update brings back a fan-favorite multitasking feature: Slide Over. Slide Over makes window management easierPrior to iPadOS 26, Slide Over had been a cornerstone of multitasking on Apple's tablets for years. While you could have multiple apps open at once in varying window sizes, Slide Over let you designate an app window that kept more of an iOS shape—specifically something long and vertical. As the name implies, this window could slide over from the ride side of the display whenever it was needed, and could easily slide back when it wasn't. It was perfect for keeping a social media feed or a messaging app at hand while working on something else: Imagine having two windows open on your iPhone, one for Safari and one for Google Docs, but whenever you needed to send a text, you could pull a Messages window out from the right side of the screen, and swipe it away when it was time to get back to work. The Mac has no equivalent to this, of course, as it relies on standard window management. Perhaps Apple thought that if iPadOS 26 also had more of a standard window management, it no longer needed Slide Over. As such, the company removed the feature as part of its big iPad update this fall. It's not clear whether Apple received negative feedback about this omission, or whether the company decided it missed the feature as well, but regardless of the reasoning, Slide Over is back as of iPadOS 26.1. Slide Over is a little different with iPadOS 26.1 Credit: Lifehacker That said, t feature doesn't work exactly the same as it used to. In order to use it, you need to be using your iPad in Stage Manager or windowed mode, which you can choose from Control Center, or from Settings > Multitasking & Gestures. From here, open an app for which you want to use Slide Over. Long press on the window controls in the top-left corner of the app window, then choose "Enter Slide Over." The app will squish into an iOS-like window on the right side of the display, and you can dismiss it by swiping it away. You can also resize the window into whatever shape or size you want, while still retaining that Slide Over ability. In the image above, you'll see that I shrunk my Apple Music window into more of a square, but you can make it as big as you want—though that might defeat the purpose of setting it as a Slide Over window. How to update to iPadOS 26.1 (and beyond)If you haven't yet done so, you can install the 26.1 update right now from Settings > General > Software Update. In addition to Slide Over, you'll find some other neat features and changes, like the ability to control how Liquid Glass looks on your iPad. If you're a beta tester, you'll skip right over iPadOS 26.1, as Apple is currently testing iPadOS 26.2. The public beta is currently available, and lets you add alarms to reminders for the first time. View the full article

Partners called vote to oust chief after controversial incidents rocked Silicon Valley venture capital firmView the full article

On November 6, Sweetgreen announced that it was selling Spyce, its division that developed and made its Infinite Kitchen technology to automate the assembly of its bowls and salads. The acquirer is Wonder, the “restaurant and mealtime superapp,” as Fast Company dubbed it earlier this year. With that, it’s time to eulogize Sweetgreen’s star-crossed life as a tech company. No more dreams of AI, blockchain, or robots. Sweetgreen receives $100 million in cash and $86.4 million in Wonder stock, a positive return given that it acquired Spyce in 2021 for a total cost of $70 million. Wonder, which is privately held, was valued north of $7 billion in May after it raised another $600 million. Sweetgreen, which went public four years ago, has a market cap under $750 million. After Sweetgreen’s disastrous Q2 2025 earnings report, I wrote that Infinite Kitchen represented “the first effort by the company to use technology to solve its biggest problem—operations—rather than mere magic dust sprinkles to make the company look like something it’s not.” Now the company’s latest earnings are worse, and it doesn’t own what had felt like a competitive advantage. “A lot of other companies are trying to figure out how to add automation to their experience and are not willing to start over,” Sweetgreen CEO Jonathan Neman told the Wall Street Journal in 2023 while showing off his first restaurant equipped with an Infinite Kitchen. “I’m willing to blow the whole thing up.” The question, though, is when did Neman light the fuse that’s blown up Sweetgreen? Was it two years ago? Was it just November 6? Or was the bomb planted in the company’s earliest days and it finally detonated? Sweetgreen’s stock is down another 12.5% as of Friday afternoon. (In response to queries, Sweetgreen directed me to Neman’s public statements.) In this piece, we’ll explore: What we still don’t know about the sale of Infinite Kitchen Whether Neman could have taken a page from Pixar or Tesla to alter Sweetgreen’s course Why Neman has even harder decisions ahead to make Sweetgreen profitable How Sweetgreen’s positioning as a tech company ultimately failed it Infinite Kitchen has been working Sweetgreen remains committed to deploying Infinite Kitchen; it opened eight restaurants in Q3 and six included the tech. More are planned for 2026. Rather than be responsible for developing and making the systems, Sweetgreen will buy them from Wonder at cost plus 5%, which Neman said was about $25,000, putting the Infinite Kitchen’s cost at $500,000. In turn, Sweetgreen promised investors that the sale will shave $8 million annually from its general and administrative expenses. Those G&A costs are high. As the veteran restaurant operator and consultant Rick Vanzura noted on LinkedIn, Sweetgreen’s overhead was 17.9% of sales compared with Cava’s 10.8%. But $8 million is just over 1% of expected 2025 revenues, meager savings for proprietary technology that Neman lauded again this week as having: “consistently proven its ability to deliver faster throughput, improved accuracy and consistency, and elevated food quality.” In Q3, restaurants with an Infinite Kitchen “continue to realize approximately 700 basis points of labor savings and nearly 100 basis points of [cost of goods sold] improvement compared to restaurants of similar age and volume.” Why give up control of the tech driving 7% labor savings per quarter and 1% in food costs, while it’s improving the product itself? Why Sweetgreen sold its big tech bet The Occam’s Razor explanation appears to be that Sweetgreen really needed the money. Look at its cash on hand: Q3 2025: $130M Q2 2025: $168M Q4 2021: $472M In August, I anticipated that Sweetgreen would soon require fresh capital. I wondered whether the parties providing it would demand company control from Neman and his two co-founders in exchange. This move cleverly sidestepped that possibility (for now) by selling the most valuable thing Sweetgreen owned that it could part with to a private company, buying Neman and company time to turn things around. Neman still likely needs to do a more wrenching corporate restructuring that vastly reduces its overhead (read: major layoffs). The company’s new CFO reported that she’s launched a full review of the company’s restaurant expenses as well as its G&A. We’ll see if Neman can make some hard decisions to reinvent Sweetgreen. The logic underpinning the Spyce sale may be irrefutable, but there’s still a lot we don’t know. To wit: Whether Wonder can also license the Infinite Kitchen tech How long Sweetgreen’s cost-plus deal lasts Whether those terms also apply to future Spyce innovations I don’t expect we’ll get direct answers but this is what investors in particular should be thinking about and monitoring. Sweetgreen’s Sliding Doors moment No. 1: The Pixar path In 1989, Pixar, six years before the debut of Toy Story, decided to sell its RenderMan technology to other companies. Pixar needed cash, especially if it was going to fulfill its vision of making feature-length computer-generated animated movies. The gambit worked. Pixar retained control of the tech, has enhanced it repeatedly over the years, and major motion pictures from other studios still rely on RenderMan. Could Sweetgreen have decided to license the Infinite Kitchen tech to competitors rather than selling it to one and being the licensee? Doing so could have helped bring down the costs of Infinite Kitchen and spurred further innovation, as Wonder now hopes to do. Given how hot the private markets are for robotics tech, could Sweetgreen have engineered some complex financial deal to get funding for Spyce to scale it without having to sell it? I don’t think that’s too outlandish an idea. Alas, public market investors haven’t been patient with Neman (the stock is down almost 90% since it went public). This would have been bold and visionary in 2021 after Sweetgreen acquired Spyce, or in 2023 when Neman talked of his willingness to “blow the whole thing up” and energized investors with the Infinite Kitchen’s potential. Making that call in late 2025 when consumers appear to be cooling to bowl-based meals (the “slopcession,” or “slopapocalypse,” as it were) would have been risky. But the siren call of those labor and cost savings could have won it some customers and allowed it to control its destiny. Sweetgreen’s Sliding Doors moment No. 2: The Tesla way In 2014, Elon Musk open sourced Tesla’s electric vehicle patents. This, too, was a bold move for a still shaky, unprofitable company. Musk did it to accelerate the auto industry’s adoption of EVs, which it did. At the time, Tesla’s market cap was approximately $28 billion. Today it’s $1.4 trillion. What if Sweetgreen had open sourced Spyce’s patents? Would it have sparked a wave of innovation in automated restaurant tech? This is less likely than if it merely licensed systems to rivals, as the restaurant industry is far more atomized than the car business. But the move would have been a bravura stroke that at the least would have bolstered Neman’s narrative that Sweetgreen is a different kind of company. Live by the tech narrative, die by the tech narrative Not long after Sweetgreen went public in November 2021, Kristen Hawley, a Fast Company contributor, wrote in her food and tech newsletter, Expedite, the uncomfortable truth that “salad doesn’t scale like software.” Now we can confirm that restaurant automation hardware to make salads and bowls doesn’t scale like software either. Companies need a story, a vision to sell investors, media, and customers. It’s why Tesla backers voted to give Elon Musk his potential $1 trillion pay package this past week. For Sweetgreen, its story has long been that this was a tech company—no, a platform—that sold healthy salads and bowls rather than a restaurant company that used tech like, um, every other restaurant chain. I wanted to find the first instance of Sweetgreen publicly presenting itself as a tech company, and I believe it initially did so on the occasion of its 2011 Sweetlife festival thanks to a planned integration with a then buzzy social app: “We look at ourselves less as a restaurant group than a think tank,” co-founder Nathaniel Ru told Mashable. “We’re more of tech startup than a restaurant business.” Fourteen years later, Sweetgreen is a restaurant business. Its future success will be determined by continuing to improve its operations, developing new menu items, and marketing itself as a “lifestyle brand,” as Neman told investors, “focused on creating culture through distinct brand moments.” Again, like every other restaurant chain. As I understand it, the company still has a tech team, but so does everyone else. The tech dream may die hard at Sweetgreen HQ but die it should. In other words, the troubled company’s tech Cinderella story is over. Sweetgreen’s enchanted digital coach has become a garden variety analog pumpkin. View the full article

Flight cancellations under the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) government shutdown order have begun, with hundreds of flights and thousands of travelers across 40 U.S. airports affected. This could continue for as long as the shutdown lasts (and potentially impact many more travelers as the busy holiday season approaches). While flight cancellations are never fun, the cascading effect of due to the government shutdown could make dealing with one even more frustrating. Here are four actions you should take right away if your itinerary is cut. Enable alerts from your airlineFlight cancellations often happen with little to no notice, sometimes when you're already en route to your destination, and airlines are certainly scrambling to comply with the FAA's shutdown order. As they continue to pare down their schedules, there's a chance your flight may be cut well before you head to the airport. To keep yourself in the loop, download your airline's app and turn on push notifications so you receive status updates as soon as they're available—and keep an eye on your email and text messages for additional alerts. Check your rebooking options ASAPAirlines will often automatically rebook passengers whose flights are canceled on the next available alternative—so again, make sure you have your airline's app on your phone to quickly view your options. If the airline offers this, you can accept the rebooked itinerary, choose a different one, or reject it and get a refund instead. Going through the mobile app is likely to be much faster than queuing at the customer service counter or trying to get through over the phone. (Though if you do need to talk to an actual person at your airline, we've got a guide for that.) Of course, you should check your airline's guidance specific to shutdown cancellations. Frontier, for example, is waiving change and cancellation fees and allowing passengers to request a rebooked itinerary or refund, but you may not automatically be placed on the next flight. United is offering rebooking options as well as refunds to anyone who chooses not to travel, even if their flight isn't affected. You'll find relevant advisories on your airline's website (for example, Delta, American, JetBlue, and Southwest). Know what you're entitled toIf your flight is canceled less than 14 days before departure and you choose not to travel, you are entitled to a refund—even if you booked a nonrefundable or basic economy ticket. Airlines may offer travel credits or vouchers first, but you can try to request cash if that's your preference. You can look up your airline's standard commitments in the event of "controllable" cancellations on the Department of Transportation's Airline Cancellation and Delay Dashboard, but you should also check the policies specific to the FAA flight reduction as outlined above. Consider booking a backupIf your trip is an absolute must, you may want to book a back-up option at a different time, on a different airline, or through an alternative airport. While there's no guarantee that this flight won't also be canceled, it does at least increase your odds of getting to your destination with a confirmed seat while other affected travelers are being rebooked on itineraries hours or days later. You can buy a refundable ticket—knowing you'll either get to where you need to go or get the extra money back if your original itinerary works out—or use points and miles, which are often easily deposited back into your account if you cancel your ticket. Be sure to check the terms and conditions of your rewards program. You can also look into travel insurance, which will usually fully refund your purchase, albeit for a fee View the full article

Since 1818, loyal readers of the Farmers’ Almanac have turned to the publication for weather predictions, gardening tips, astronomy calendars, and more. But, on November 6, the Farmers’ Almanac announced that the 2026 edition of the magazine will be its last. The news came through a post to the Farmers’ Almanac website by editor Sandi Duncan and editor emeritus Peter Geiger. “It is with a great appreciation and heartfelt emotions that we write to share some sad news,” the note reads. “After more than 200 years of sharing a unique blend of weather, wit and wisdom, we’ve made the very difficult decision to write the final chapter of this historical publication.” Per the post, readers will be able to access the Farmers’ Almanac website until December, and they can find the last edition of the magazine on its website, Amazon, and in certain local stores. The shuttering of this legacy publication is yet another blow to a beleaguered print media landscape. “Tell your kids how grandad always swore by the Almanac” The Farmers’ Almanac was first founded by Jacob Young, a poet, astronomer, and teacher who ran the publication for 34 years. Its long-range weather predictions, which have been trusted by some American farmers over other forecasts for decades (despite the publication being notoriously cagey about how it devises said predictions), predate the creation of the National Weather Service by more than 50 years. During its 207 year run, the Farmers’ Almanac has had just seven editors. It’s become particularly known for its “Best Days” section, which offers readers suggestions on the ideal timing to garden, go fishing, kill plant pests, or even cut hair and quit smoking. Farmers’ Almanac did not immediately respond to Fast Company‘s request for further detail on the reasoning behind its closure, but the writing has likely been on the wall for some time now. Over the past several years, print media has become a notoriously difficult business as readers turn to digital publications and social media for their news. Print publications that have either gone fully digital or shut down entirely include O: The Oprah Magazine, LIFE Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, InStyle, and, most recently, Teen Vogue. Print magazines have seen something of a revival as a luxury good among young consumers in recent months, but they’re unlikely to see a return to the heyday of publications like the Farmers’ Almanac. Already, dedicated fans are taking to the comments of the Farmers’ Almanac announcement, as well as social media, to mourn the loss of the annual publication. “Oh no, I buy this every year & my friends & family call to ask if we have any storms coming !” one commenter wrote under the publication’s post. “The almanac is so accurate I’ll be lost without it.” Another follower on Instagram wrote, “This is so sad! I just got land to start growing herbs and food and planned to get a membership just as my dad always had.” In their note to readers, Duncan and Geiger expressed their gratitude for supporters, contributors, and partners, adding that, though the Almanac will no longer be available in print or online, “it lives on within you.” “So go ahead—plant your peas when the daffodils bloom,” Duncan and Geiger wrote. “Watch for a red sky at night. Tell the kids how granddad always swore by the Almanac. That’s how our story stays alive.” View the full article

The The President administration isn’t backing down from its refusal to fully fund the SNAP program – even after being ordered to by a judge on Thursday. The federal government asked a federal appeals court on Friday to block a judge’s order directing the The President administration to fully distribute November’s SNAP benefits by the end of the day. In the U.S., 42 million people – 12% of Americans – rely on food stamps to buy groceries and afford food. Nearly 40% of SNAP recipients are children and another 20% are over the age of 60. On Thursday, a federal judge in Rhode Island ordered the government to release the full amount of federal funds for food stamps set to be distributed in November. “People have gone without for too long,” U.S. District Judge John McConnell said during the Thursday hearing. “Not making payments to them for even another day is simply unacceptable.” On November 3, the The President administration said in a court filing that it would pay out half of November’s benefits to SNAP recipients, tapping into a USDA contingency fund, after being ordered to distribute funds by two federal judges. A day later, The President declared that SNAP benefits will only be restored after the shutdown. “SNAP BENEFITS, which increased by Billions and Billions of Dollars (MANY FOLD!) during Crooked Joe Biden’s disastrous term in office… will be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up government, which they can easily do, and not before!” The President wrote on Truth Social earlier this week. Last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers the SNAP program on the federal level, said that it would not deploy a $6 billion contingency fund to cover the cost of food stamps, in contrast with a version of a shutdown funding plan that was later removed from its website. “SNAP contingency funds are only available to supplement regular monthly benefits when amounts have been appropriated for, but are insufficient to cover, benefits,” a USDA memo stated in late October. “The contingency fund is not available to support FY 2026 regular benefits, because the appropriation for regular benefits no longer exists.” Picking up the SNAP slack The SNAP program has found itself on the chopping block as the federal shutdown drags on, but the The President administration has found ways to keep other programs funded without court intervention. In the shutdown’s early days, The President ordered the Pentagon and the White House to use “all available funds” to pay active-duty members of the military, avoiding the fallout of service members going unpaid. In contrast to the fight over SNAP, the White House also chose to fund the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, better known as WIC, using money collected from tariffs. “The The President White House will not allow impoverished mothers and their babies to go hungry because of the Democrats’ political games,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Axios. In many cities, food banks and restaurants are scrambling to pick up the slack from the lapsed food program. In Portland, one coffee shop raised over $300,000 to provide free meals to people who have seen their SNAP benefits dry up. Many other local businesses followed suit, offering free special meals for residents in need. The USDA has warned grocery stores offering special deals for SNAP recipients that they might be breaking the law. “You must offer eligible foods at the same prices and on the same terms and conditions to SNAP-EBT customers as other customers,” a USDA notice confirmed by Fast Company reads. “You cannot treat SNAP-EBT customers differently than any other customers.” View the full article

Wendy’s announced plans to close a “mid-single-digit percentage” of its underperforming U.S. store locations, during its quarterly earnings call on Friday, or 200 to 350 of some 6,000 locations, according to CNN. The news comes as the fast-food giant reports third-quarter profits of $44.3 million, with $549.5 million in revenue, beating analyst expectations by 2.71%; and adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of 24 cents, versus 20 cents. International business delivered strong system-wide sales growth, with international net unit growth expected to come in over 9% in 2025. Shares in Wendy’s Co. (NASDAQ: WEN) were up about 2% in midday trading on Friday, after Wendy’s stock surged 11.66% in pre-market trading. On the earnings call, Interim CEO Ken Cook said the shuttering will begin this year and continue through 2026, but did not give a list of specific locations. He said Wendy’s will approach the closings on a case-by-case basis. He explained some of their current restaurants “do not elevate the brand” and are “a drag from a franchisee financial performance perspective.” The goal is to address and fix those restaurants by improving operations, through additional technology, or equipment. In other cases, that means closing a restaurant “which will put money back in franchisees’ pockets and enable them to reinvest both capital and resources in their remaining restaurants.” The bottom line: “Closures of underperforming units are expected to boost sales and profitability at nearby locations,” Cook said. One year ago, in November 2024, Wendy’s also announced it was closing 140 ‘outdated’ restaurants. View the full article