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Iceland has long been known as the only habitable place in the world free from mosquitoes. (Antarctica is also mosquito-free, but is not habitable to humans). The Nordic country has been spared from the insects in part because of its intense winters and oceanic climate—until now. Mosquitoes have been found in Iceland for the first time this month, a sign of how our warming world is enabling the pesky and downright deadly insects to expand their range. An insect enthusiast in Kjós named Björn Hjaltason posted about his discovery in a Facebook group that translates to “Insects in Iceland,” multiple Icelandic news outlets have reported. “Ladies and gentlemen—may I introduce . . . for the first time in Iceland . . . MOSQUITO!” the post read, according to the Icelandic newspaper Vísir. After finding three mosquitoes, Hjaltason sent the insects to the Natural Science Institute of Iceland, which researches the country’s natural environment. Matthías Alfreðsson, an entomologist there, confirmed the bugs were, in fact, mosquitoes—specifically, ones from the Culiseta annulata species, which is native to northern Europe. Mosquitoes have previously been found on planes coming into Iceland, Alfreðsson told RÚV, the national public broadcaster, but this recent finding marked the first time that the insect has been found on Icelandic soil. He said the discovery was significant. A warming world Climate change is causing the entire planet to experience record-high temperatures, and Iceland is particularly affected. Iceland has been warming about three times faster than the global average warming rate, according to the Icelandic Meteorological Office. Rising temperatures are also lighting a fuse under volcanoes, causing more eruptions—a process already observed in Iceland. Almost all of Iceland’s glaciers are receding, and some have vanished completely. As our planet warms, it becomes more hospitable to insects, which spread beyond their native regions. Scientists have long warned that mosquitoes are on the move, and as they are the world’s deadliest animal—carrying diseases from malaria to Zika virus to dengue fever—that puts millions more people at risk. Culiseta annulata is not considered a primary vector for disease, but other mosquitoes that have been expanding into colder areas of the world are. Asian tiger mosquitoes, originally from Southeast Asia, which transmit dengue, have recently been found in the United Kingdom, for example. In Iceland to stay Iceland was always somewhat of an anomaly when it came to its lack of the buzzing, biting bugs. Its Nordic neighbors, including Denmark, Norway, and Greenland, have had thriving mosquito populations. Iceland is also full of lakes and ponds, where mosquitoes often breed. (The country is home to other flying, biting bugs, though.) Scientists have theorized, The New York Times previously reported, that Iceland’s “oceanic climate,” including its multiple major freezes and thaws each year, has kept the bugs from breeding and surviving. But the mosquitoes recently found in Iceland are likely there to stay, entomologists say. The species is particularly cold-resistant and may survive the Icelandic winters by hiding out in basements or barns. Experts will need to monitor the situation come spring to see if the species really becomes “established” in Iceland, one entomologist told Fast Company. Their potential infiltration of the Nordic island ultimately isn’t much of a surprise to scientists, who have expected this outcome as the evidence of global warming has mounted. Iceland’s average air temperature has increased about 2 degrees Fahrenheit in the past 20 years, per the Times, allowing some 200 new insect species to make Iceland their home, when they couldn’t previously survive its conditions. “If the warming continues, we may find mosquitoes in Iceland in the near future,” Gisli Mar Gislason, a biologist at the University of Iceland, predicted in an interview with the Times in 2016. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Exercise is a healthy and, one might argue, necessary part of our lives. The guidelines from public health organizations tell you to aim for at least 150 minutes of “moderate” exercise each week, and that each minute of “vigorous” exercise counts double. That raises the question: What the hell is “moderate” exercise? How do you know when you’re doing it? Scientists measure METs, but you don't have to If you have any kind of smartwatch or fitness tracker, it may try to tell you that "moderate" exercise occurs at a certain heart rate. This isn't actually the case. The scientists who came up with the exercise guidelines didn't use heart rate as their guide. Instead, they used charts that measured how many "METs," or metabolic equivalents, each type of exercise requires. I'll explain more about METs below, but the important thing to know is that the type and intensity of exercise is what tells you whether it's moderate, not your heart rate while you're doing it. You can look up exercises on a chart like this one, but here's the basic idea: Walking is moderate, jogging or running is vigorous. Bicycling is moderate if it’s under about 12 miles per hour on the flat. Indoor cycling is moderate if it’s up to about 100 watts of power. All that said, you don’t have to overthink it. The guidelines that mention “moderate” and “vigorous” activities aren’t asking you to monitor your heart rate or any other numeric metric. They want you thinking in terms of generalities: walking versus running, leisurely bike commuting versus sweating your heart out in a spin studio. And honestly, if it’s easier to watch your heart rate than to worry about the above, that’s fine. For most of us, 150 minutes of Zone 2 is going to be at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise. So follow that guideline, and you’ll be an overachiever. It’s not really about heart rateSo why does your watch want to steer you toward a certain heart rate during exercise? Mostly because that's easy to measure. Moderate exercise sorta-kinda matches up to "zone 2" cardio, which I’ve previously explained. (Zone 2 is is the second-lowest intensity in a five-zone system, and the easiest way to know which zone you're in is to glance at your fitness watch.) While you can use heart rate zones as a rule of thumb to find moderate exercise, this idea falls short in two ways: (1) different gadgets and systems use different cutoffs to decide which numbers count as "zone 2", and (2) for most of us, zone 2 includes most moderate activities but also some vigorous activities. If you’re relatively fit, you can jog at a 12 minute-per-mile pace while keeping your heart rate in zone 2. That’s a “vigorous” activity in terms of METs, though. The other reason heart rate isn’t accurate for this task is that your heart rate changes for all kinds of reasons. The hotter it is when you're working out, the higher your heart rate tends to be. Same goes for when you’re nervous or stressed. And as you get fitter, you’ll be able to do the same activities at a lower heart rate. Those activities might feel easier than they used to, but they’re not any less work. What is a MET, anyway?One MET is the energy expended when you’re at rest—the amount of oxygen, calories, etc that it takes to keep you alive and breathing. (We use oxygen in the process of burning calories, so officially a MET is 3.2 milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute.) Researchers can then put a mask on a person and measure how much oxygen they use while running, walking, playing guitar, etc. If an activity takes twice as much oxygen as sitting still, they say it takes two METs. Here are a few examples (taken from this scientific paper): 2 MET: washing dishes, or playing croquet 3 MET: walking at 3 miles per hour (a pretty typical walking pace) 4 MET: table tennis, ice skating 5 MET: modern dance, fast-paced ballroom dance 6 MET: volleyball, singles tennis 7 MET: jogging, jumping rope The numbers go up from there. Speed skating clocks in at 15 MET. To be clear, you will not be measuring METs directly when you exercise. The MET studies are done in labs so that we can use the information to get a sense of what MET values each common type of exercise tends to have. Moderate exercise is 3 to 6 MET, and vigorous is 6 or moreThe physical activity guidelines define “moderate” exercise as at least 3 MET, but less than 6. Vigorous is 6 MET or more. Because METs are specific to the activity, not to how fit you are, it makes the most sense to look at METs in terms of the pace you run or the settings you use on your treadmill or other cardio machine. Here are paces and activities that have been clocked as between 3 and 6 METs: Walking at 3-4 mph (a 15-minute to 20-minute mile) Cycling, between 50 to 100 watts Shooting baskets Playing baseball Taking a low-impact aerobics class And these are vigorous (6 or more MET): Race walking (5+ mph) Walking uphill Walking with a 12-pound pack Jogging (a 12-minute mile is 8.0 MET; the faster you go, the higher the MET) Bicycling at 12 miles per hour or faster Swimming laps Playing a game of basketball, soccer, or hockey So when you're trying to get your 150 minutes (or more) of moderate exercise each week, you can count all your walking, your easy bike riding, and your low-impact aerobics class. Give yourself credit for vigorous exercise for all the time you spend jogging (at any heart rate), lap swimming, or rucking. You may find you've been doing more exercise than you think. View the full article

Chancellor fleshes out Budget plan to target those with ‘the broadest shoulders’ such as lawyers, doctors and accountantsView the full article

Netflix missed Wall Street’s third-quarter earnings targets because of an unexpected expense from a dispute with Brazilian tax authorities, while it offered a forecast a touch ahead of Wall Street projections for the rest of the year. The report failed to impress investors accustomed to fast-paced growth from the streaming video pioneer. Shares of Netflix, which had risen 39% this year ahead of the earnings report, fell 6.3%, to $1,163.80, in after-hours trading on Tuesday. Netflix posted net income of $2.5 billion and diluted earnings per share of $5.87 for July through September, a period when the animated K-Pop Demon Hunters became the most-watched movie in Netflix history. Analysts had expected $3 billion and $6.97, respectively, according to the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG). Revenue was even with forecasts, at $11.5 billion. Netflix is seeking growth from new areas such as advertising and video games after attracting more than 300 million customers around the world. It faces competition from YouTube, Amazon’s Prime Video, Disney+, and others. The media business is facing major changes, including the potential sale of industry titan Warner Bros. Discovery and the rise of generative artificial intelligence with the ability to produce short-form video. Netflix reported an operating margin of 28% for the third quarter. Without the Brazilian tax expense of roughly $619 million, the margin would have exceeded the company’s guidance of 31.5%, it said, adding that it did not expect the matter to have a material impact on future results. PP Foresight analyst Paolo Pescatore said he believed the tax issue weighed on Netflix shares. “All things considered, this was another robust quarter, despite a blip due to an unforeseen expense,” Pescatore said. For the fourth quarter, Netflix forecast revenue of $11.96 billion, compared with Wall Street’s projection of $11.90 billion. It projected diluted earnings per share a penny ahead of analysts’ targets, at $5.45. For the third quarter, Netflix said it recorded its best ad sales quarter in history but did not disclose a number. “This gives the impression that the sustained revenue growth achieved this quarter, and forecasted for next quarter, will predominantly continue to come from subscription fees,” eMarketer analyst Ross Benes said. Netflix will release the final season of one of its biggest hits, Stranger Things, in November and December, and stream two live National Football League games on Christmas. “We’re finishing the year with good momentum and have an exciting Q4 slate,” Netflix said in its quarterly letter to shareholders. Earlier this year, Netflix stopped reporting subscriber numbers and urged investors to focus on revenue and profit. It has expanded into video games and advertising, two areas that have contributed little to revenue so far, according to analysts and investors. —By Lisa Richwine, Reuters View the full article

Seeking a flatter management structure is a leadership trend you could compare to fashion’s craze for skinny jeans—trendy yesterday, forgotten tomorrow, then back in fashion again before you know it. Recently, big tech firms like Meta, Microsoft, and Google made headlines for cutting management positions to lower costs and increase productivity—turning some of their workloads over to AI tools. But a new survey from San Francisco-based workplace communications outfit Firstup shows that eliminating too many management jobs can have some unexpected effects on the way your teams work, sometimes damaging employee engagement, which undermines productivity. This is definitely something to bear in mind if you’re considering restructuring your own company’s management ranks. The survey’s top results show that employees think middle management layers are crucial to the company success. More than half the people surveyed said their direct manager was their “most trusted source” for up-to-date workplace news—compared to just 10% who think that senior leadership is their best source for this information. Interestingly, the Firstup survey, which quizzed 1,000 U.S.-based, full-time non-managerial employees at companies that carried out layoffs in the last year, shows that junior staff think that their middle management layers are critical to their well-being at work. Fully 75% of respondents said they rely on managers for recognition and appreciation, 63% said they relied on them for helping tackle workplace challenges, while 50% said they seek coaching and development advice from managers. Meanwhile, 86% of people said they relied on managers to “translate” company updates into meaningful advice about what changes mean for individual workers. This paints a picture of junior staff relying on their layers of middle management as a trust and information barrier between themselves and senior leadership—perhaps hinting at an “ivory tower” syndrome surrounding senior management. Other survey details offer a deeper view of what happens when layoffs hit the management structure of a company. Fully 38% of survey respondents said that since their company experienced layoffs, their manager had become less accessible. This has had consequences: 30% of people said they’d felt less support when things were disrupted or changed, 34% expected they’ll lose a sense of connection and 30% expected decreased or zero access for mentorship and career development options. Employees also don’t trust senior leaders, with nearly 40% saying they can’t get mentorship or guidance from upper management, 37% saying they feel unheard by the top leaders, and only 47% agreeing that their company leadership is “somewhat” transparent. This paints an interesting picture of how the average U.S. worker views their management, relying on their direct supervisors while apparently distrusting upper layers of company leadership. The report quotes Firstup CEO Bill Schuh, who explained that the data show workers see middle managers as critical for “translating organizational priorities into action, clarity, and connection for their direct report.” As companies shed middle managers, they risk losing this vital link, which can leave frontline workers feeling lost and unsupported. That discontent will likely diminish their engagement with their work, and could reduce their productivity. Meanwhile Schuh also noted that stripping managers out adds strain on their remaining colleagues. That means companies are “asking fewer managers to do more, and that simply is not sustainable,” he said. While AI is useful for handling some mundane managerial tasks, it “won’t replace the human connection and leadership that great managers provide.” What does this mean for your company? In smaller organizations, there may be more of a direct line of communication between senior leaders and frontline workers: but these data are still important. If you’re considering trimming your intermediate management structure, you should consider how this will impact employee trust and expectations for career advancement. Open and frank conversations may improve levels of trust among your employees and help support their engagement and productivity during times of upheaval. —Kit Eaton This article originally appeared on Fast Company‘s sister publication, Inc. Inc. is the voice of the American entrepreneur. We inspire, inform, and document the most fascinating people in business: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters that represent the most dynamic force in the American economy. View the full article

Kin, a direct-to-consumer insurance provider, has started a mortgage broker in Florida which also takes loan applications through a call center or online. View the full article

Bank of America has a playbook for government shutdowns, which includes providing fee and payment waivers as well as loan deferrals and forbearance programs, CEO Brian Moynihan said at the American Bankers Association's annual convention. View the full article

Streamer reports strong revenue growth due to success of films such as ‘KPop Demon Hunters’View the full article

For many of us, Monday was a workday defined by the AWS outage. Amazon Web Services experienced intermittent issues, throwing a huge fraction of the internet into chaos, as the sites and services built on it faltered or stopped working altogether. It was a sobering reminder that a lot of the world relies on AWS for networking, computing, and data storage. Truth be told, I was surprised to learn just how owned we really are, especially after a number of my work apps experienced issues. In fact, over four million business with a physical address use AWS for cloud-computing needs. It is the largest cloud infrastructure servicer in the world, with a whopping 30% of the market share. That's why when a global outage like this occurs, it's impossible to ignore: So many companies and products are affected, from streaming platforms like Prime Video, to social media sites like Facebook, that almost everyone who goes online will experience the disruption. But 30% is not 100%. AWS might be the market leader, but it is not the entire market. There are plenty of other cloud infrastructure companies out there offering similar services—and posing similar risks should they experience outages. Why use a cloud infrastructure company?It's not necessarily a bad thing for companies turn to an AWS for their computing needs. It's simply much more cost efficient to outsource the resources necessary for running programs, storing data, and hosting traffic, especially as businesses rapidly grow and change. Rather than spend the time and money constantly purchasing and upgrading on-site hardware, companies can pay for servers as they go. Companies like AWS will scale up or down as needed, without interruption to service—until, of course, there is an interruption to services. These companies can offer a host of cloud-based services and tools, including compute, databases, machine learning, networking, security, and storage. AWS just so happens to be the biggest of the bunch, but plenty of companies choose other cloud infrastructure options for their needs. AWS alternativesThere are many other companies offering the same services as AWS, but for our purposes, I'm going to list seven of the most popular, starting with AWS' main competitors: Microsoft Azure: Microsoft's cloud computing services is only second to AWS in terms of global market share. Microsoft obviously uses its own cloud infrastructure, but plenty of other companies do too, including Ralph Laruen, Best Buy, Procter & Gamble, Coca Cola, Abercrombie & Fitch, and even local, state, and federal governments. Google Cloud: Google Cloud is the third largest player in this space, with companies like Lowe's, Wendy's, EA, Fox Sports, Bayer, and McLaren all using its services. Alibaba Cloud: Alibaba Cloud has a large cloud computing market share, and is used by companies like Air Asia, Zara, Lenovo Group, and JNE Express. Oracle Cloud: Oracle Cloud includes customers like Quest Diagnostics, Baylor University, Smeg, Northwell Health, DHL, and MEO. Salesforce: Companies like Pacers Sports, Indeed, F1, and The Adecco Group use Salesforce's data cloud services. IBM Cloud: Deloitte, Pfizer, Harvard, Vodafone, and even the US Open purchase cloud products from IBM Cloud. Tencent Cloud: You might know Tencent particularly from its massive games division, but its cloud services are also wide reaching. They include services for companies like L'Oréal Paris, Tim Hortons, and Dell, as well as its own subsidiaries like Supercell and DouYu. If there's a silver lining here, it's that there are more than just two or three companies powering sites and services around the globe, and we're not quite at the point where every company connected to the internet relies on AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud. That level of centralization would pose even larger risks than the ones we're currently living with. Still, present circumstance are, still pretty risky. AWS has 30% of the market share, Azure has 20%, and Google Cloud has 12%. Taken together, these three companies make up 62% of all cloud infrastructure companies around the globe. Yes, it's good the other 38% is spread out amongst a collection of other players, but the risk of another AWS-like outage is high. Hopefully, following Monday's debacle, there is work currently being done to prevent such a thing from happening again, but that's being optimistic. View the full article

After a record-setting rally over the past week, commodities traders went all in on a massive gold sell-off on Tuesday. The price of the precious metal fell down to $4,118 an ounce, after a high of $4,381.52 an ounce just one day before. Meanwhile, silver is trading at $48.76 an ounce in midday trading at the time of this writing, down from $54.35 last week. At the time of this writing, the live gold spot price for an ounce of gold in U.S. dollars (USD) is $4,133.13, a gram of gold is $132.88 and one kilogram of gold is $132,883.22, according to JM Bullion.(Gold spot price can fluctuate by the second.) For some context, that means gold prices have decreased the most they have in four years, and silver is seeing its biggest drop since early 2021, per Bloomberg. This is a stunning reversal from last week, which saw gold and silver prices spiking as investors sought out a “safe haven” from more volatility in the stock market due to overall economic uncertainty. The two main ways to invest in gold and silver are by buying the physical metals, or through futures contracts. What’s causing the abrupt change? Analysts say it’s not just one thing causing the slump. They point to the current economic and political climate, including a prolonged government shutdown; upcoming U.S. and China trade talks amid The President’s escalating tariff wars with Beijing; and softer than expected numbers from the US Consumer Price Index (CPI), which are expected to be released by end of week. The shutdown is delaying some economic and jobs data from coming out as government workers are currently furloughed, while at the same time, there have been mass firings. Meanwhile, a standoff with Beijing over rare earth minerals resulted in President Donald The President threatening a “massive increase of tariffs on Chinese products,” seemingly triggering a market sell-off. However, a retreat from gold and silver could mean the market is feeling more secure—and therefore, a good sign investors aren’t running for cover. View the full article

Brussels’ trade commissioner and Chinese commerce minister also discuss ‘serious’ situation at chipmaker NexperiaView the full article

The housing agency director also announced plans to donate his salary to help wounded veterans as CHLA and ICBA push for the enterprises to resume MBS buying. View the full article

My friend turned to me the other day with a sly smirk and whispered, “Are you also part of Group 7?” I shook my head, unsure of what she meant—feeling left out of whatever secret club she was referring to. It didn’t take long for the algorithm to catch up with me. Within a few hours, my For You Page on TikTok was flooded, and before I knew it, I, too, was officially part of the internet’s newest inside joke. “Group 7” began as a simple experiment by musician Sophia James, who wanted to promote her new song So Unfair—and experiment with the quirky nature of TikTok’s algorithm. TikTok’s For You Page, or FYP, described by the Guardian as “uncannily good at predicting what videos will catch your eye,” works differently than older recommendation systems. Rather than passively waiting for users to engage with a video, it actively evaluates its own predictions, presenting content it anticipates users will find appealing and gauging their responses. “It pushes the boundaries of your interests and monitors how you engage with those new videos it seeds in your For You Page,” Chris Stokel-Walker, author of TikTok Boom and frequent Fast Company contributor, told the Guardian in 2022. Every user has the potential for global fame. Even with zero followers, a video can eventually land on someone’s FYP. Positive engagement can quickly snowball into millions of views. TikTok’s short-form format accelerates this learning. Leveraging this insight, James posted seven nearly identical videos of her track, each labeled with a different group number. “You are in group [number],” the text read. “Group 7,” uploaded last, swiftly became the algorithm’s favorite—and TikTok’s latest obsession. Before long, everyone wanted in. Users jumped on the “exclusive” group trend, now the center of TikTok lore. “Can you imagine not being in Group 7?” one user commented. “I hereby declare group 7 is the most elite group,” another added. “Group 7 is the hot girl group—I don’t make the rules.” Even brands and celebrities crowded into the group. Clorox dubbed Group 7 “clean girl coded.” HBO Max chimed in with “judging groups 1–6,” and Shark Tank star Barbara Corcoran along with the actress Madelyn Cline also jumped on board. On music marketing and memes “It’s immaculate marketing,” one TikTok user said in a viral post praising the stunt. And she wasn’t wrong. James managed to get millions of people to stream, share, and memeify So Unfair without spending a cent on traditional promotion, now garnering over 2.5 million likes and 114,600 comments on her post. Fans soon began referring to the song as the “Group 7 anthem.” The track became ubiquitous, climbed the charts, and Sophia James emerged as the internet’s latest marketing sensation. According to the New York Times, she has gained more than 100,000 TikTok followers and seen a significant uptick in streams of her music. Taking her efforts beyond TikTok, James has launched an official “Group 7” section on her website, promoting a real-life meetup at the Bedford Pub in London on October 24. Are inside jokes the new marketing strategy? This is not the first instance of the internet transforming a half-joke into a cultural phenomenon. From the chair emoji saga to Crop and Story Time, TikTok users gravitate toward communities that feel exclusive—even when built entirely on shared irony. James’s experiment demonstrates a larger trend: In an era where authenticity is algorithmic, the best marketing doesn’t feel like marketing at all. 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. Ever since the Google Pixel Watch 4 came out this summer, the Pixel Watch 3 became "old," which means you can expect a better price for it. And right now, Walmart is selling the wifi-only 45mm Google Pixel Watch 3 for $224.33 (originally $399.99) after a $175.66 discount. It might have been supplanted by the Pixel Watch 4, but the Pixel Watch 3 is still a great fitness watch in 2025, and it's at a great price right now. Pixel Watch 3 (WiFi, 45mm) $224.33 at Walmart $399.99 Save $175.66 Get Deal Get Deal $224.33 at Walmart $399.99 Save $175.66 Certainly there is not enough of a difference between the Pixel Watch 4 and the Pixel Watch 3 to warrant an upgrade if you already own the latter. The main differences are the 4's ultra-fast charging, satellite SOS, and dual-band GPS. But if those things aren't very important to you, the Pixel Watch 3 can still get you the latest Pixel software features for much less money. The Pixel Watch series has never been known for its long battery life, although the third generation improved the battery significantly, to 36 hours. That might not be anywhere near what you can get from competitors like Garmin, but the Pixel makes up for it with other features. The display is bright and can be seen outdoors on a sunny day while wearing polarized glasses, a big plus for outdoor enthusiasts. It offers a ton of fitness metrics, including recovery and running dynamics that are perfect for casual fitness, according to Lifehacker senior health editor Beth Skwarecki's review. The GPS tracking is good, but not perfect, so sticklers should probably go with a different option if this is an important feature. The sleep and heart rate monitor are reliable, however. Keep in mind the Pixel Watch 3 is all touchscreen, and there are no physical buttons, which is a pro or con depending on your preferences. If you're not a professional athlete and are looking for a health- and fitness-focused smart watch that will save you money in the Android ecosystem, the Pixel Watch 3 is a great buy right now. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $169.99 (List Price $249.00) Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 256GB Unlocked AI Phone (Titanium JetBlack) — $799.99 (List Price $799.99) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Blink Mini 2 1080p Indoor Security Camera (2-Pack, White) — $69.99 (List Price $69.99) Ring Battery Doorbell Plus — $149.99 (List Price $149.99) Blink Video Doorbell Wireless (Newest Model) + Sync Module Core — $69.99 (List Price $69.99) Ring Indoor Cam (2nd Gen, 2-pack, White) — $79.99 (List Price $99.98) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (2nd Gen, 2023) — $49.99 (List Price $49.99) Shark AV2501S AI Ultra Robot Vacuum with HEPA Self-Empty Base — $359.89 (List Price $549.99) Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) — $139.99 (List Price $139.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

Statement by Volodymyr Zelenskyy and nine national leaders comes after volatile White House meeting View the full article

The NRMLA/Riskspan Reverse Mortgage Market Index set a new high of 502.42, with the dollar amount of home equity for those 62 or over reaching $14.4 trillion. View the full article

Chancellor seeks to bear down on inflation as Treasury braces for latest figures on Wednesday View the full article

White House announces two leaders have ‘no plans’ to meet to discuss ways to end the war View the full article

Taylor Swift is an economic force all on her own. The superstar’s relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce brought not only eyeballs to his games but a monetary boost to the city overall. Thanks to her Eras tour, Swifties spent an estimated $5 billion across the country. And most recently, she spurred fans to give more than $2 million in donations to the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s sea otter program—just by wearing an old t-shirt. Earlier this month, Swift launched her “The Official Release Party of a Showgirl” movie, an 89-minute film tied to the release of her latest album. It was only shown in theaters for three days. Eagle-eyed fans noticed how, in that film, Swift wore a 1993 Monterey Bay Aquarium t-shirt featuring an illustration of sea otters. And swiftly, “social media lit up with requests for us to bring it back,” Liz MacDonald, Monterey Bay Aquarium director of content strategy, said via email. The Aquarium quickly realized this moment could be huge. “It was an opportunity to elevate our Sea Otter Program to a global audience and engage new supporters in our conservation work in a big and fun way,” MacDonald says. Long story shirt Aquarium staff got to work building a donation campaign about the t-shirt. They tracked down the original artwork from the 1990s, first printed by Harborside Graphics. That company has since become a part of Liberty Graphics, an employee-owned cooperative, and the aquarium worked directly with Liberty to re-issue the design. The campaign came together in about a week, offering the t-shirt for $65.13 (a nod to Swift’s favorite number, 13). In just seven hours, the aquarium hit its goal of raising $1.3 million. The re-issue of the sea otter shirt has since raised more than $2.3 million for the aquarium’s sea otter program, which has rescued, rehabilitated, and returned threatened southern sea otter pups to the wild for more than 40 years. The campaign was launched on Tiltify, an online fundraising platform that uses social media sites like Twitch and TikTok to foster virtual donations. Tiltify’s flexibility and online experience (it has hosted campaigns for YouTube stars MrBeast and Jacksepticeye that brought donations in the double-digit millions in just hours) helped the aquarium respond to the viral moment, CEO Michael Wasserman says in a statement. “When Swifties mobilized, we processed tens of thousands of orders . . . Most traditional donation platforms would crash handling 20,000 shirt orders in hours, plus 13,000+ backorders before the campaign had to pause for fulfillment,” Wasserman said. “This is the difference between modern giving and traditional fundraising—it’s interactive, social, and immediate.” Even before the Tiltify campaign, Monterey Bay staff had noticed a bump of $13 donations coming in after Swift’s movie. But the t-shirt campaign went beyond what staff could have expected. “The outpouring of love for the Aquarium is honestly touching,” MacDonald says, adding that she hopes the increased attention will draw even more people to the cause of helping sea otters. “We had a Taylor Swift dance party in the office when we hit our initial goal.” View the full article

OpenAI has released a new web browser, the company’s latest bid to become consumers’ chief gateway to the web. The new browser, called ChatGPT Atlas, will initially be available on macOS on the desktop. Versions for Windows, iOS, and Android are coming soon, OpenAI says. OpenAI worked hard to build as many AI-driven features into Atlas as possible. For example, Atlas learns the user’s browsing history and, in some cases, can make content suggestions proactively. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman suggested that this first version of the browser is just the start, pledging to add “way more stuff that we will tell you about later” and adding that the company “can take this pretty far.” The browser also integrates an AI agent, which can perform certain tasks for the users, such as filling out web forms and booking reservations. These things can happen in the background while the user does other things on the web. This, OpenAI says, may cut down on the number of browser tabs that users must currently wade through. However, “agent mode” is only available to OpenAI’s paying Plus and Pro subscribers. The Atlas browser isn’t the only AI-first product out there—Perplexity, for instance, launched its Comet browser earlier this year. But Atlas may pose a serious threat to Google’s dominant Chrome browser, which plays a central role in the company’s advertising business model. OpenAI announced the new browser via a livestream on Tuesday. “We think AI presents a rare once-in-a-decade opportunity to rethink what a browser can be about,” Altman said at the beginning of the stream. View the full article

Small business confidence dipped in September, signaling renewed concern among entrepreneurs over inflation, supply chains, and hiring challenges. According to the latest report from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the Small Business Optimism Index fell two points to 98.8 — the first decline in three months — though it remains above the survey’s 52-year average of 98. The report also noted that the Uncertainty Index climbed seven points to 100, the fourth-highest reading in more than five decades. “Optimism among small business owners decreased in September,” said NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg. “While most owners evaluate their own business as currently healthy, they are having to manage rising inflationary pressures, slower sales expectations, and ongoing labor market challenges. Although uncertainty is high, small business owners remain resilient as they seek to better understand how policy changes will impact their operations.” For many entrepreneurs, inflation remains a persistent headache. Fourteen percent of owners identified inflation as their most significant problem — up three points from August — with higher input costs and supply chain issues leading the concerns. Nearly one-third of owners (31%) said they plan to raise prices over the next three months, signaling that cost pressures are not easing. Supply chain problems also worsened, with 64% of small business owners reporting disruptions in September, a 10-point jump from the previous month. Inventory levels also shifted sharply, with the number of owners viewing their stocks as “too low” dropping by seven points — the largest monthly decline in the survey’s history. Despite these challenges, small business owners reported an uptick in profits, with actual earnings changes reaching their highest level since December 2021. A net negative 16% reported profit declines, a modest improvement that suggests businesses are adapting to higher costs through pricing adjustments or improved efficiency. Hiring continues to be a mixed picture. Eighteen percent of owners cited labor quality as their top concern, tying with taxes as the most frequently mentioned problem. About 32% of small business owners reported job openings they couldn’t fill, unchanged from August. Of those hiring or attempting to hire, 88% said they found few or no qualified applicants. Still, hiring plans edged up slightly — 16% plan to create new jobs in the next three months, the highest level since January. Wages also remain under pressure. A net 31% of small business owners reported raising compensation, and 19% plan further increases in the next three months. Labor costs ranked as the most pressing issue for 11% of owners, up three points from August. Investment activity held steady, with 56% of small business owners making capital outlays in the past six months. Most of that spending went toward equipment, vehicles, and facility improvements. However, only 21% plan future capital outlays — a historically weak figure that suggests caution in the months ahead. Borrowing costs are also climbing. The share of owners paying higher interest rates rose to 7%, with average short-term loan rates hitting 8.8%. More owners reported difficulty securing credit, a sign that tighter financial conditions may be squeezing growth plans. When asked about the overall health of their businesses, 11% of owners said “excellent” and 57% said “good,” while 27% described their business as “fair.” Only 4% rated their business health as “poor.” Taxes continue to be a significant concern, cited by 18% of owners as their biggest problem. Government regulations and red tape fell to 6%, while poor sales (10%) and competition from larger businesses (5%) remained stable. Overall, the report paints a picture of cautious resilience among small businesses — a group facing rising costs, persistent labor shortages, and uncertainty over future policy. Still, many remain optimistic that conditions can improve with stable demand and clearer economic signals. The full NFIB report is available on the organization’s website at here. Image via Envanto This article, "Small Business Optimism Slips as Inflation and Uncertainty Rise" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Small business confidence dipped in September, signaling renewed concern among entrepreneurs over inflation, supply chains, and hiring challenges. According to the latest report from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the Small Business Optimism Index fell two points to 98.8 — the first decline in three months — though it remains above the survey’s 52-year average of 98. The report also noted that the Uncertainty Index climbed seven points to 100, the fourth-highest reading in more than five decades. “Optimism among small business owners decreased in September,” said NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg. “While most owners evaluate their own business as currently healthy, they are having to manage rising inflationary pressures, slower sales expectations, and ongoing labor market challenges. Although uncertainty is high, small business owners remain resilient as they seek to better understand how policy changes will impact their operations.” For many entrepreneurs, inflation remains a persistent headache. Fourteen percent of owners identified inflation as their most significant problem — up three points from August — with higher input costs and supply chain issues leading the concerns. Nearly one-third of owners (31%) said they plan to raise prices over the next three months, signaling that cost pressures are not easing. Supply chain problems also worsened, with 64% of small business owners reporting disruptions in September, a 10-point jump from the previous month. Inventory levels also shifted sharply, with the number of owners viewing their stocks as “too low” dropping by seven points — the largest monthly decline in the survey’s history. Despite these challenges, small business owners reported an uptick in profits, with actual earnings changes reaching their highest level since December 2021. A net negative 16% reported profit declines, a modest improvement that suggests businesses are adapting to higher costs through pricing adjustments or improved efficiency. Hiring continues to be a mixed picture. Eighteen percent of owners cited labor quality as their top concern, tying with taxes as the most frequently mentioned problem. About 32% of small business owners reported job openings they couldn’t fill, unchanged from August. Of those hiring or attempting to hire, 88% said they found few or no qualified applicants. Still, hiring plans edged up slightly — 16% plan to create new jobs in the next three months, the highest level since January. Wages also remain under pressure. A net 31% of small business owners reported raising compensation, and 19% plan further increases in the next three months. Labor costs ranked as the most pressing issue for 11% of owners, up three points from August. Investment activity held steady, with 56% of small business owners making capital outlays in the past six months. Most of that spending went toward equipment, vehicles, and facility improvements. However, only 21% plan future capital outlays — a historically weak figure that suggests caution in the months ahead. Borrowing costs are also climbing. The share of owners paying higher interest rates rose to 7%, with average short-term loan rates hitting 8.8%. More owners reported difficulty securing credit, a sign that tighter financial conditions may be squeezing growth plans. When asked about the overall health of their businesses, 11% of owners said “excellent” and 57% said “good,” while 27% described their business as “fair.” Only 4% rated their business health as “poor.” Taxes continue to be a significant concern, cited by 18% of owners as their biggest problem. Government regulations and red tape fell to 6%, while poor sales (10%) and competition from larger businesses (5%) remained stable. Overall, the report paints a picture of cautious resilience among small businesses — a group facing rising costs, persistent labor shortages, and uncertainty over future policy. Still, many remain optimistic that conditions can improve with stable demand and clearer economic signals. The full NFIB report is available on the organization’s website at here. Image via Envanto This article, "Small Business Optimism Slips as Inflation and Uncertainty Rise" was first published on Small Business Trends 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. It's not very common to see a budget 75-inch Smart TV for $400, but that's what Amazon is offering right now with the Toshiba C350 Smart TV for $399.99 (originally $729.99), the lowest price it has ever been, according to price-tracking tools. If you're looking for a massive, affordable budget TV that won't break the bank, this is your best bet right now. TOSHIBA 75-inch Class C350 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV with Voice Remote with Alexa (75C350NU) $399.99 at Amazon $729.99 Save $330.00 Get Deal Get Deal $399.99 at Amazon $729.99 Save $330.00 The Toshiba C350 Smart TV won't be winning any awards or be on the list for best TVs of 2025, but it serves a purpose for people who want size at an affordable price. This TV series has been around for many years, getting an update every couple of years. This is the 2025 version, which comes with some new features, like Apple AirPlay compatibility, so you can seamlessly cast your media from your iPhone. This is a 4K LED TV with Fire TV as its OS, meaning you'll be able to install Kodi to virtually stream anything you want for free. It has a 60 Hz refresh rate and 300 nits of brightness; neither is impressive, but it's a budget TV after all. The viewing angle is 178 degrees, which is perfect for such a big TV, so a sports night with friends and family gathered around the TV should not be a problem. There is HDR10, so compatible streaming services should look good. The remote is an Alexa Voice Remote, making searches and navigation much easier. There are three HDMI ports as well, so you can have a different streaming stick, a soundbar, and a video game console installed all at once if you wish. This is a good deal for anyone looking for a statement TV in a large living room for a budget price. Getting 75-inch TVs of any caliber usually costs much more than $400, so getting the Toshiba C350 Smart TV for $399.99 is a great deal. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $169.99 (List Price $249.00) Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 256GB Unlocked AI Phone (Titanium JetBlack) — $799.99 (List Price $799.99) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Blink Mini 2 1080p Indoor Security Camera (2-Pack, White) — $69.99 (List Price $69.99) Ring Battery Doorbell Plus — $149.99 (List Price $149.99) Blink Video Doorbell Wireless (Newest Model) + Sync Module Core — $69.99 (List Price $69.99) Ring Indoor Cam (2nd Gen, 2-pack, White) — $79.99 (List Price $99.98) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (2nd Gen, 2023) — $49.99 (List Price $49.99) Shark AV2501S AI Ultra Robot Vacuum with HEPA Self-Empty Base — $359.89 (List Price $549.99) Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) — $139.99 (List Price $139.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

The Coca-Cola Co. said sales of premium beverages and mini cans helped boost its third-quarter results despite tepid demand in the U.S. and elsewhere. The Atlanta beverage giant said Tuesday it continues to see a divergence among consumers in North America and Europe, with higher-income buyers opting for its more expensive brands like Smartwater, Topo Chico, and Fairlife, while middle- and lower-income consumers are under more pressure. Henrique Braun, Coke’s chief operating officer, said the company has focused on affordability by shrinking package sizes and leaning into sales of mini cans. Earlier this month, Coke announced it will sell individual, 7.5-ounce mini cans for the first time at North American convenience stores starting Jan. 1. The mini cans have a suggested retail price of $1.29. “We’re pivoting accordingly. We know that the consumer landscape has not changed,” Braun said during a conference call with investors. Coca-Cola said its organic revenue rose 6% to $12.41 billion in the July-September period. That was in line with what Wall Street expected, according to analysts polled by FactSet. Unit case volumes were up 1% worldwide, reversing a 1% slide in the second quarter. Case volumes were flat in North America and Latin America and down 1% in Asia. But they rose 4% in the company’s Europe, Middle East and Africa region. Coke said prices grew 6% in the quarter, partly due to the mix of beverages sold. Coca-Cola Zero Sugar was a standout in the third quarter, with unit case volumes up 14% globally, while Diet Coke and Coca-Cola Light sales grew 2%. Case volumes for water, sports drinks, coffee and tea rose 3%, while dairy and juice volumes fell 3%. The company’s net income jumped 30% to $3.69 billion. Adjusted for one-time items, Coke earned 82 cents per share. That was also higher than the 78 cents analysts forecast. Coca-Cola reiterated its full-year financial guidance, including organic revenue growth of 5% to 6% and adjusted earnings-per-share growth of 3%. Coke also said it continues to expect the impact of tariffs to be “manageable.” Coca-Cola shares rose 3.5% in morning trading Tuesday. Coca-Cola also said Tuesday it is refranchising its bottling operations in Africa. Coke and Gutsche Family Investments, a private South African company, have agreed to sell a 75% controlling interested in Coca-Cola Beverages Africa to Coca-Cola HBC AG, a major bottler for the company based in Switzerland. The deal is worth $2.55 billion. Coca-Cola will retain a 25% stake in Coca-Cola Beverages Africa. The transactions are expected to close by the end of 2026. Coca-Cola Beverages Africa is the largest bottler on the continent, operating in 14 countries and accounting for 40% of Coke’s product volume in Africa. Coca-Cola HBC operates in 29 countries in Europe and Africa, including Nigeria and Egypt. Coca-Cola Chairman and CEO James Quincey said Tuesday that the deal in Africa and a similar transaction in India in July were the last two big pieces of a bottler refranchising plan that Coke set in motion a decade ago. Quincey said the strategy helps Coke focus more on brand building and innovation while bottlers can invest in the manufacturing system. “The bottler performs better and it helps us drive overall growth for the total system, so that the combination grows faster and is more profitable,” Quincey said. Rival PepsiCo is under some pressure from an activist investor, Elliott Investment Management, to refranchise its bottling operations in North America. —Dee-Ann Durbin, AP business writer View the full article

Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of CNN and HBO, announced Tuesday that it is up for sale after receiving unsolicited interest from multiple potential buyers. The news adds a new wrinkle to an already-planned shakeup at the media giant. In June, WBD announced plans to cleave the company into two separate publicly traded companies. The company’s streaming and studio brands—which include HBO, HBO Max, Warner Bros. Pictures, and New Line Cinema—would be part of Warner Bros., while Discovery Global would oversee its cable networks that include CNN, TNT Sports, and Discovery. Though it’s not abandoning plans to split the company, WBD indicated in its announcement on Tuesday that it’s now reviewing “strategic alternatives,” with no set timeline for this process. This move merely confirms what many people had already suspected—that the company wants to be acquired. Earlier this month, the newly merged Paramount Skydance Corporation reportedly made a lowball offer for the company. WBD rejected a takeover offer from Paramount of about $20 per share, according to reporting by Bloomberg. The newly appointed Paramount CEO, David Ellison, has made it clear he’d like to buy Warner Bros. Discovery before that split can occur. ‘INTEREST FROM MULTIPLE PARTIES’ But Ellison isn’t the only interested buyer, it seems, and that news sent shares of WBD surging more than 10% in midday trading Tuesday to as high as $20.58. And it may scuttle plans that Ellison, son of billionaire Oracle founder Larry Ellison, has for completing another mega-consolidation in the media industry. “It’s no surprise that the significant value of our portfolio is receiving increased recognition by others in the market,” David Zaslav, president and CEO of WBD, said in a statement. “After receiving interest from multiple parties, we have initiated a comprehensive review of strategic alternatives to identify the best path forward to unlock the full value of our assets.” Among the other companies interested in a possible acquisition of part or all of WBD? The list includes Netflix and Comcast, sources told CNBC’s David Faber. SHAREHOLDER VALUE While splitting up the company—similar to what NBCUniversal did this year with its networks and various entitites—is still WBD’s preferred path forward, its board decided to consider all opportunities, according to chair Samuel A. Di Piazza, Jr. “We determined taking these actions to broaden our scope is in the best interest of shareholders.” WBD shares have nearly doubled in value this year. And the acquisition interest means it’s likely that Warner Bros. Discovery could sell before that split occurs. And if there’s a bidding war, the winner may have to pay upwards of $60 million to acquire the media company, according to estimates, even though the company is saddled with more than $40 million in debt related to its 2022 merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery Inc. View the full article