ResidentialBusiness

The $23bn Simandou mine in Guinea has taken almost three decades to begin operating but could tilt the balance of power in the global iron ore marketView the full article

American agriculture is facing a crisis. The average U.S. farmer is nearly 60, and according to American Farmland Trust research, we are losing farmland at a rate of more than 2,000 acres per day. Yet, consumer demand for organic and regenerative food continues to climb, creating an urgent need. This is not just an agricultural issue. It is an economic and cultural challenge with profound implications for our food security, our environment, and our communities. If we step back, the problem reveals an opportunity: Farming must be reimagined as a viable, purposeful career for people who may never have considered it before. Tomorrow’s farmers may not grow up on farms at all. They may be transitioning professionals, entrepreneurs, or military veterans looking for ways to serve their country at home. AGRICULTURE AND FARMING AS A MODERN CALLING For too long, farming has been portrayed as a profession in decline. However, regenerative and organic agriculture offer a different, innovative vision. They represent an economy of renewal through restoring soil, rebuilding ecosystems, and creating healthier food systems. For individuals searching for meaning in their work, farming provides something rare in today’s economy: the ability to see the tangible impact of labor. Planting a seed, nurturing it into food, and feeding a community is deeply rewarding. Unlike many modern jobs, farming ties daily effort to a long-term purpose. A NEW MISSION One group for whom this opportunity has been especially powerful is U.S. military veterans. Each November, we pause as a nation to honor their service and sacrifice. But what happens after the parades and tributes fade? For too many, the transition from service to civilian life brings challenges—finding meaningful work, reconnecting with a sense of purpose, and healing from the wounds of battle. At Rodale Institute, we believe regenerative organic agriculture can be part of the solution. In 2016, we launched the Veteran Farmer Training Program to provide a full-time, hands-in-the-soil experience for service members transitioning into agriculture. On our 400-acre certified organic research farm in Pennsylvania, veterans learn about soil health, crop rotation, livestock management, equipment operation, and business planning. Just as importantly, they rediscover community and mission. The connection between military service and farming runs deep. Historically, returning soldiers often found grounding and renewal in working the land. Farming offers more than a paycheck. It provides structure, purpose, and a tangible way to continue serving others by feeding communities. For example, Josh, a U.S. Army veteran, served multiple tours overseas and struggled with depression after leaving the military. Through the Institute’s farmer training program, he not only learned to grow food organically, but he also found a new calling. Today, he runs a small vegetable farm that supplies fresh produce to local food banks and markets. As another example, Erika, a former Marine Corps logistics officer, came to the Institute with no prior farming experience but a passion for sustainability. After completing training, she joined a regenerative farm and now mentors other veterans looking to enter the field. These stories highlight something bigger than a career shift. Farming becomes a way to support veterans in reconnecting with themselves, their communities, and the land. A BUSINESS CASE FOR FARMING CAREERS The need for new farmers is not limited to veterans. Teachers, engineers, and corporate professionals have also found purpose in regenerative organic agriculture. But to broaden the pipeline, we must lower barriers: access to land, training, financing, and markets. This is where business leaders should pay attention. A resilient food system underpins every sector of our economy. Without healthy soil and secure domestic food production, long-term prosperity is at risk. Veterans, alongside others making the transition into farming, bring leadership, resilience, and discipline, exactly the qualities needed to transform our food system. Supporting new farmers can take many forms: sourcing from regenerative organic farms, investing in training programs, or shaping supply chains that prioritize soil health. Each action strengthens not just agriculture, but the foundation of our economy. A CALL TO ACTION I’ve had the privilege of meeting many people, who like me, left behind one life to answer the call of the land. Each of us carries different reasons, but the same longing: to heal, to grow, to give. What started as my personal leap of faith is now a shared movement, with roots spreading far beyond what we first imagined. We are returning to the farm like never before. We are waking up to how disconnected we are from our food system. We are leaving our jobs and careers to reorient our lives around food, whether that’s growing it, distributing it, or working in advocacy, financing, or education. This Veterans Month, let’s go beyond gratitude and invest in opportunity. Support a veteran-owned farm. Invest in the transition of organic farmland. Partner with organizations preparing the next generation of farmers. The crisis in agriculture is real, but so is the opportunity. Farming can be a modern calling, a path to renewal for both the land and the people who work it. When we acknowledge farming as a career of dignity and innovation, everyone benefits: our veterans, our food system, and our shared future. Jeff Tkach is CEO of Rodale Institute. View the full article

Wall Street lender was sole adviser to the video game maker on largest-ever take-private transaction View the full article

Subscribe to Work LifeGet stories like this in your inbox Subscribe Sharing information freely makes it easier for everyone to do their jobs. For example, opening up project plans and retrospective notes can save teams from re-inventing the wheel, and makes aligning on goals much simpler. Documenting why a decision was made and what other options were explored helps teams understand the “why” behind where the company is headed and how their work fits in. There’s the proactive kind of sharing, where you send out a link, document, or video to a select group of people because it’s relevant to what you’re working on together. There’s also the passive kind of sharing, where information lives in your company’s systems and can be accessed as needed by whoever needs it. Collectively, this body of knowledge is more than just an archive. It’s fuel that can be used to empower teams and propel them forward. But knowledge is only as accessible as we make it. In order for passive sharing to work, information must be stored in a way that makes it easy to retrieve. In the past, we accomplished this by giving documents descriptive titles so people could find what they need by searching a repository or browsing through network folders. Now, however, AI-powered search is increasingly popular, especially in larger companies with mountains of data stored in myriad systems. Global search that reaches across systems and apps is a massive leap forward for discoverability. But beware: AI tools still struggle with unstructured data, and aren’t yet capable of extracting information from images accurately and consistently. It’s time to adjust the way we present and organize information at work such that it’s easier for both humans and AI to access and understand. These are the five (new) commandments of knowledge discoverability. Commandment zero: thou shalt not hoard information Don’t keep knowledge tucked away where others (including AI) can’t find it, such as your email inbox, text messages, and documents saved only on your local hard drive. Information stored in private spaces essentially ceases to exist for anyone but its owner. If AI can’t “see” it, AI can’t surface it, leading to inaccurate or incomplete search results. Use tools like Confluence, SharePoint, shared network drives, or knowledge bases instead. And make sure to transfer useful information discussed in private channels to shared spaces so it’s visible to teammates who might need it. 1. Design for discoverability Related Article Find stuff fast: How to end the endless hunt for information By Erin Mosbaugh In Strategy Structure matters. Any formatting that makes it easier for humans to understand the information will also make it easier for AI. Nobody likes “wall of text” documents, for example. In fact, AI technology tends to lose sight of the context when processing long blocks of text, which can cause it to return results that don’t match the searcher’s intent. Using section headlines goes a long way in helping AI (and humans!) understand the big picture, not just individual paragraphs. Lists are also helpful. First, they provide a welcome visual break for human eyes. Second, when we create lists, we tend to be both concise and precise. As a result, lists become a rich source of information that AI can scan easily. Last, use tags or labels to tie related documents together and show how they are related. E.g., “customer loyalty campaign” or “employee benefits.” 2. Prioritize clarity over volume Information overload is real, so be thoughtful about exactly what (and how much) information you’re including in each document or record. Consider who the information is intended for and the context in which they’ll be accessing it. Tailored, nutrient-dense documentation is better than endless pages that go too far into the weeds or off on tangents. Be sure to make titles and section headlines clear and contextually rich, too – ”Q3 2025 Sales Performance Report” is more helpful to both humans and AI than “Q3 Report.” Pro tip Confluence users can take advantage of the Expand macro. Use it in cases where some people will want all the details they can get, while others just need the basics. This technique, known in the UX world as progressive disclosure, fights information overload for humans while still making all the details available to AI. As you’re writing, address topics directly using clear language. This can be deceptively difficult for people who aren’t comfortable writing! We tend to ramble and use overly elevated language to cover up our insecurity. If this sounds like you, take heart: AI tools can make your drafts more concise, or even kick-start the writing process by generating a draft that you can refine. This isn’t to say you should avoid the figures of speech, slang, cultural references, or humor that make knowledge easier and more enjoyable to take in. In fact, conversational language is preferable whenever it’s appropriate. Not only are our brains trained on casual conversation, but much of the data LLMs are trained on is also written in a casual tone, so AI will feel right at home. Plus, people don’t search for ways to “optimize our synergies across teams,” they simply ask whether other teams are working on a similar project. Yet another reason to go easy on the corporate-speak. 3. Strive for “open by default” Knowledge must be available to those who need it, when they need it, in order for it to have any value. In companies with a culture of locking everything down, making knowledge discoverable may require a fundamental shift in how information is stored. Instead of a “closed by default” approach where you have to make a case for opening documents up, make them open by default and justify your way to locking it. Obviously, some information needs to be kept private to most people, such as HR records, confidential financial performance data, or embargoed press releases. That’s fine. But your project plan, for example, should generally be unlocked (even before it’s finalized). Pro tip Everybody wants to make the best impression possible at work, but that doesn’t mean you have to hide in-progress work. Just include a “draft” or “WIP” disclaimer at the top and leave the document unlocked. This way, you can safeguard your professional reputation, while still making the information available to teammates and AI search. Beyond individual documents, striving for open access means evaluating and optimizing your systems of record. As much as possible, make them open to AI tools and anyone who might benefit from the information they contain. If user seats are cost-prohibitive, ask about free or inexpensive read-only seats for infrequent users so access isn’t unnecessarily hindered by licensing models. Also, the value of knowledge plummets when it can’t flow from one system to another. Are there five separate Jira Cloud subscriptions floating around your company? Consider consolidating them into a single instance. And be sure to integrate apps whenever possible. 4. Be multi-media savvy Related Article 95 AI prompts for better teamwork By Shaina Rozen In Teamwork Sharing information via video can be a life-saver for people who struggle with writing, as well as for people who absorb information better by listening. Video messages, like those you create with Loom, work great for department updates, tutorials, and other one-way communications. Humans receive all the same information as they would in an email, but with the added benefit of seeing the presenter’s body language and facial expressions, which carry rich contextual meaning. Plus, they can zip through the recording at double speed to save time. Platforms like Loom also generate a transcript that AI can search later. Imagery, on the other hand, presents some challenges to be aware of. Diagrams, flowcharts, photos, and illustrations are fabulous ways of conveying conceptual and contextual information to humans. But even though AI technology is advancing all the time, it still struggles to understand flowcharts and diagrams accurately, even when optical character recognition technology is layered on top of an LLM. AI is also unreliable when it comes to extracting text that is embedded within an image (think meme captions, for example). And again: AI can’t retrieve what it can’t see. Does this mean diagrams are dead? No. It just means diagrams and other images need to have clear, descriptive captions that AI can access. If you can add alt-text, that’s even better. (Here’s how to do it in Confluence, PowerPoint, and Google Docs.) Alt-text is also what screen-reading software looks for, making your images accessible and useful to people with vision impairments. Depending on the image, your alt-text might include: The exact verbiage on a graphics-heavy slide A description of an illustration A summary of what a diagram explains The purpose and description of a flowchart Just be sure to include the keywords people would be likely to use in search queries. 5. Keep knowledge fresh Outdated content confuses people and AI alike, so regular refresh cycles are important. Ideally, teams will foster a culture of upkeep. That might mean carving time out each quarter to look through the archives for anything that is no longer current or relevant. Or it might be ad-hoc, where team members are encouraged to flag outdated content as they come across it. It’s also worth refreshing your knowledge of what AI can and can’t do. Search technology is becoming more capable every day, so don’t delete those product updates from your AI vendor without reading them! Open, free-flowing information fosters collaboration, reduces redundant inquiries, and ensures that knowledge is available to inform decisions. By embracing an “open by default” mindset and actively working to make both information and the systems that house it universally accessible (while respecting confidentiality needs), you can use your organization’s collective knowledge to empower teams and unleash more of their potential. Special thanks to Sven Peters for his contributions to this article. Subscribe to Work LifeGet stories like this in your inbox Subscribe The post The 5 commandments of information discoverability appeared first on Work Life by Atlassian. View the full article

Subscribe to Work LifeGet stories like this in your inbox Subscribe Sharing information freely makes it easier for everyone to do their jobs. For example, opening up project plans and retrospective notes can save teams from re-inventing the wheel, and makes aligning on goals much simpler. Documenting why a decision was made and what other options were explored helps teams understand the “why” behind where the company is headed and how their work fits in. There’s the proactive kind of sharing, where you send out a link, document, or video to a select group of people because it’s relevant to what you’re working on together. There’s also the passive kind of sharing, where information lives in your company’s systems and can be accessed as needed by whoever needs it. Collectively, this body of knowledge is more than just an archive. It’s fuel that can be used to empower teams and propel them forward. But knowledge is only as accessible as we make it. In order for passive sharing to work, information must be stored in a way that makes it easy to retrieve. In the past, we accomplished this by giving documents descriptive titles so people could find what they need by searching a repository or browsing through network folders. Now, however, AI-powered search is increasingly popular, especially in larger companies with mountains of data stored in myriad systems. Global search that reaches across systems and apps is a massive leap forward for discoverability. But beware: AI tools still struggle with unstructured data, and aren’t yet capable of extracting information from images accurately and consistently. It’s time to adjust the way we present and organize information at work such that it’s easier for both humans and AI to access and understand. These are the five (new) commandments of knowledge discoverability. Commandment zero: thou shalt not hoard information Don’t keep knowledge tucked away where others (including AI) can’t find it, such as your email inbox, text messages, and documents saved only on your local hard drive. Information stored in private spaces essentially ceases to exist for anyone but its owner. If AI can’t “see” it, AI can’t surface it, leading to inaccurate or incomplete search results. Use tools like Confluence, SharePoint, shared network drives, or knowledge bases instead. And make sure to transfer useful information discussed in private channels to shared spaces so it’s visible to teammates who might need it. 1. Design for discoverability Related Article Find stuff fast: How to end the endless hunt for information By Erin Mosbaugh In Strategy Structure matters. Any formatting that makes it easier for humans to understand the information will also make it easier for AI. Nobody likes “wall of text” documents, for example. In fact, AI technology tends to lose sight of the context when processing long blocks of text, which can cause it to return results that don’t match the searcher’s intent. Using section headlines goes a long way in helping AI (and humans!) understand the big picture, not just individual paragraphs. Lists are also helpful. First, they provide a welcome visual break for human eyes. Second, when we create lists, we tend to be both concise and precise. As a result, lists become a rich source of information that AI can scan easily. Last, use tags or labels to tie related documents together and show how they are related. E.g., “customer loyalty campaign” or “employee benefits.” 2. Prioritize clarity over volume Information overload is real, so be thoughtful about exactly what (and how much) information you’re including in each document or record. Consider who the information is intended for and the context in which they’ll be accessing it. Tailored, nutrient-dense documentation is better than endless pages that go too far into the weeds or off on tangents. Be sure to make titles and section headlines clear and contextually rich, too – ”Q3 2025 Sales Performance Report” is more helpful to both humans and AI than “Q3 Report.” Pro tip Confluence users can take advantage of the Expand macro. Use it in cases where some people will want all the details they can get, while others just need the basics. This technique, known in the UX world as progressive disclosure, fights information overload for humans while still making all the details available to AI. As you’re writing, address topics directly using clear language. This can be deceptively difficult for people who aren’t comfortable writing! We tend to ramble and use overly elevated language to cover up our insecurity. If this sounds like you, take heart: AI tools can make your drafts more concise, or even kick-start the writing process by generating a draft that you can refine. This isn’t to say you should avoid the figures of speech, slang, cultural references, or humor that make knowledge easier and more enjoyable to take in. In fact, conversational language is preferable whenever it’s appropriate. Not only are our brains trained on casual conversation, but much of the data LLMs are trained on is also written in a casual tone, so AI will feel right at home. Plus, people don’t search for ways to “optimize our synergies across teams,” they simply ask whether other teams are working on a similar project. Yet another reason to go easy on the corporate-speak. 3. Strive for “open by default” Knowledge must be available to those who need it, when they need it, in order for it to have any value. In companies with a culture of locking everything down, making knowledge discoverable may require a fundamental shift in how information is stored. Instead of a “closed by default” approach where you have to make a case for opening documents up, make them open by default and justify your way to locking it. Obviously, some information needs to be kept private to most people, such as HR records, confidential financial performance data, or embargoed press releases. That’s fine. But your project plan, for example, should generally be unlocked (even before it’s finalized). Pro tip Everybody wants to make the best impression possible at work, but that doesn’t mean you have to hide in-progress work. Just include a “draft” or “WIP” disclaimer at the top and leave the document unlocked. This way, you can safeguard your professional reputation, while still making the information available to teammates and AI search. Beyond individual documents, striving for open access means evaluating and optimizing your systems of record. As much as possible, make them open to AI tools and anyone who might benefit from the information they contain. If user seats are cost-prohibitive, ask about free or inexpensive read-only seats for infrequent users so access isn’t unnecessarily hindered by licensing models. Also, the value of knowledge plummets when it can’t flow from one system to another. Are there five separate Jira Cloud subscriptions floating around your company? Consider consolidating them into a single instance. And be sure to integrate apps whenever possible. 4. Be multi-media savvy Related Article 95 AI prompts for better teamwork By Shaina Rozen In Teamwork Sharing information via video can be a life-saver for people who struggle with writing, as well as for people who absorb information better by listening. Video messages, like those you create with Loom, work great for department updates, tutorials, and other one-way communications. Humans receive all the same information as they would in an email, but with the added benefit of seeing the presenter’s body language and facial expressions, which carry rich contextual meaning. Plus, they can zip through the recording at double speed to save time. Platforms like Loom also generate a transcript that AI can search later. Imagery, on the other hand, presents some challenges to be aware of. Diagrams, flowcharts, photos, and illustrations are fabulous ways of conveying conceptual and contextual information to humans. But even though AI technology is advancing all the time, it still struggles to understand flowcharts and diagrams accurately, even when optical character recognition technology is layered on top of an LLM. AI is also unreliable when it comes to extracting text that is embedded within an image (think meme captions, for example). And again: AI can’t retrieve what it can’t see. Does this mean diagrams are dead? No. It just means diagrams and other images need to have clear, descriptive captions that AI can access. If you can add alt-text, that’s even better. (Here’s how to do it in Confluence, PowerPoint, and Google Docs.) Alt-text is also what screen-reading software looks for, making your images accessible and useful to people with vision impairments. Depending on the image, your alt-text might include: The exact verbiage on a graphics-heavy slide A description of an illustration A summary of what a diagram explains The purpose and description of a flowchart Just be sure to include the keywords people would be likely to use in search queries. 5. Keep knowledge fresh Outdated content confuses people and AI alike, so regular refresh cycles are important. Ideally, teams will foster a culture of upkeep. That might mean carving time out each quarter to look through the archives for anything that is no longer current or relevant. Or it might be ad-hoc, where team members are encouraged to flag outdated content as they come across it. It’s also worth refreshing your knowledge of what AI can and can’t do. Search technology is becoming more capable every day, so don’t delete those product updates from your AI vendor without reading them! Open, free-flowing information fosters collaboration, reduces redundant inquiries, and ensures that knowledge is available to inform decisions. By embracing an “open by default” mindset and actively working to make both information and the systems that house it universally accessible (while respecting confidentiality needs), you can use your organization’s collective knowledge to empower teams and unleash more of their potential. Special thanks to Sven Peters for his contributions to this article. Subscribe to Work LifeGet stories like this in your inbox Subscribe The post The 5 commandments of information discoverability appeared first on Work Life by Atlassian. View the full article

AI search results tend to recommend sites that are recommended by other sites, which makes cultivating brand mentions a key SEO strategy. The post How To Cultivate Brand Mentions For Higher AI Search Rankings appeared first on Search Engine Journal. 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 been nearly six years since Microsoft released the Surface Laptop 3, but it still holds up as a solid choice for anyone who values portability, clean design, and day-to-day reliability over bleeding-edge specs. The 2019 model is available again through StackSocial in refurbished, Grade A condition (meaning it looks close to new and works like it should) with prices starting at $379.99 for the 13.5-inch i7 model with 512GB of storage and going up to $614.99 for the 15-inch version with 1TB. All variants come with 16GB of RAM and a 10th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, which makes them well-equipped for everyday use, whether that’s writing, web browsing, or streaming. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 (Black) 13.5" ($379.99) Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 (Sand) 13.5" ($379.99) Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 (Blue) 13.5" ($379.99) Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 (Black) 13.5" ($379.99) Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 (Black) 15" ($499.99) Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 (Silver) 15" ($499.99) Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 (Black) 15" ($614.99) For most users, the Surface Laptop 3’s biggest draw is its form factor. The 13.5-inch model weighs just under three pounds, and the larger 15-inch version remains thin enough to slip into a bag without fuss. The aluminum build still feels premium, and the PixelSense touchscreen remains bright and responsive, with a 3:2 aspect ratio that is ideal for scrolling through documents or editing photos. Microsoft’s keyboard and trackpad combo has aged particularly well—PCMag called it “snappy and satisfying”—and the typing experience still beats most modern ultrabooks. You also get USB-C and USB-A ports for flexibility, Wi-Fi 6 for strong wireless performance, and a 720p webcam with dual Studio Mics that’s serviceable for remote work or casual calls. That said, a 2019 laptop in 2025 naturally has limits. You won’t get the faster chips, thinner bezels, or upgraded displays that newer Surface laptops have, and the battery life is closer to eight or nine hours in real use, not the 11.5 hours Microsoft claimed. But it still runs Windows 10 smoothly and can be upgraded to Windows 11, keeping it relevant for a few more years. All in all, for someone seeking a well-built, comfortable-to-use laptop for writing, productivity, or travel (without spending over a thousand dollars), the Surface Laptop 3 remains a great option. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $169.99 (List Price $249.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Shark AV2501AE AI XL Hepa- Safe Self-Emptying Base Robot Vacuum — $297.99 (List Price $649.99) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $24.99 (List Price $49.99) 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 — $99.98 (List Price $99.98) 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) Google Pixel 9 128GB Unlocked 6.9" OLED Smartphone (Obsidian) — $544.98 (List Price $799.00) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

European country hopes to reduce levy from 39% after business leaders stepped in to drive the talks forwardView the full article

Billionaire Warren Buffett warned shareholders Monday that many companies will fare better than his Berkshire Hathaway in the decades ahead because of its massive size, though others might say the company’s prospects will dim because “Father Time” is catching up with the 95-year-old icon who plans to step down as CEO in January. Buffett reflected on life and his health in a new letter to shareholders where he announced $1.3 billion in new charitable gifts to the four family foundations run by his children that—along with the Gates Foundation—have been helping steadily give away his fortune since 2006. Berkshire is known for consistently outperforming the stock market during the past 60 years under Buffett—which helped earn him legions of fans—although that has become harder to do in recent years because of the huge size of the conglomerate. Berkshire owns Geico insurance, BNSF railroad, several large utilities, and a diverse assortment of manufacturing and retail businesses, including such well-known brands as Dairy Queen, See’s Candy, and Helzberg Diamonds. But Buffett also reassured shareholders that he remains confident in his successor. Buffett promised to keep in touch with shareholders through Thanksgiving letters in the future, but he confirmed that next year, Greg Abel will take over Buffett’s famous yearly letter and answer all the questions at the annual meeting after he becomes CEO in January. Buffett will remain chairman. Buffett said that “through dumb luck, I drew a ridiculously long straw at birth” by being born in Omaha, Nebraska, where he met many lifelong friends—including several who helped shape Berkshire’s fortune—and both his wives after attending public schools. He said he has been fortunate to have his life saved three times by doctors who lived nearby while managing to avoid the kind of calamities that often cut life short. Buffett recounted spending several weeks in the hospital after having his appendix out as a child, where he turned to fingerprinting all the nuns who were taking care of him just in case they turned to a life of crime later. Buffett previously battled prostate cancer in 2012, but that wasn’t considered life-threatening. “Those who reach old age need a huge dose of good luck, daily escaping banana peels, natural disasters, drunk or distracted drivers, lightning strikes, you name it,” he wrote. But now, after decades of benefiting from the fickle nature of “Lady Luck,” Buffett said, “Father Time, to the contrary, now finds me more interesting as I age. And he is undefeated; for him, everyone ends up on his score card as ‘wins.’” Buffett said he is moving slowly and now has increasing difficulty reading, but he continues to go into the office five days a week to hunt for useful business ideas or deals that could benefit Berkshire. Berkshire shareholders should have faith in Abel because Buffett said he has consistently met the high expectations he has for him. “He understands many of our businesses and personnel far better than I now do, and he is a very fast learner about matters many CEOs don’t even consider. I can’t think of a CEO, a management consultant, an academic, a member of government – you name it – that I would select over Greg to handle your savings and mine,” Buffett wrote. Berkshire’s fortress-like balance sheet, highlighted by the $382 billion cash it holds, ensures the company is unlikely to encounter a devastating disaster, and Buffett said the board remains conscientious of shareholders’ interests, but still the company will have trouble outperforming. “In aggregate, Berkshire’s businesses have moderately better-than-average prospects, led by a few non-correlated and sizable gems. However, a decade or two from now, there will be many companies that have done better than Berkshire; our size takes its toll,” Buffett said. —Josh Funk, AP business writer View the full article

When the head of schedule planning at American Airlines, Jay Gargas, stepped off the plane in Dallas-Fort Worth after an 18-hour journey from Istanbul last Wednesday, he faced chaos. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy was telling the country that, come Friday, Nov. 7, flights would be cut 10% at 40 key airports in order to ease pressure on an air-traffic control system that, 30-plus days into the longest-ever federal government shutdown, was under crippling stress. “The first mood was chaos,” says Gargas. What they knew: Robert Isom, the CEO of American, would meet with Duffy at 5:30 p.m. “What we needed to do was create a definition of what the requirements were going to be. We needed to know what exactly was going to be required in order to put the puzzle together.” By 8 p.m. that evening, Gargas and his team, fueled by countless cups of coffee and pizza delivery, knew where and by how much they needed to cut American’s schedule of around 6,100 daily flights in about 36 hours. They went to work making those reductions happen and, by around 11:30 p.m. that night, had a schedule in hand for American’s operations center to implement on Friday. All that work was done methodically to ensure American can return to its full schedule quickly whenever the government shutdown ends. Flights flown by its regional affiliates — those on smaller planes under the “American Eagle” banner — and ones to non-hub domestic destinations were pruned to minimize disruptions to both customers and crew. For example, on Friday, American cancelled one of its 11 daily flights between Dallas-Fort Worth and San Antonio but kept its 12 daily flights between its hubs in Dallas-Fort Worth and Chicago, Cirium schedule data shows. “Hub-to-hub is the lifeline to the airline in order to move crew and more people around,” says Gargas. According to Cirium, in the two months before the shutdown (August and September), American Airlines was, on average, cancelling about 1% of flights a day or about 75 flights. In October, the carrier averaged just 0.6% of flights cancelled, or about 37 flights a day. Executives at other major U.S. airlines who were not authorized to speak publicly also described the time around Duffy’s announcement as chaotic and similar to the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. While the flight cuts five years ago were in response to border closures and the decision by most would-be travelers to stay home, these were the result of critical air traffic controllers working unpaid through the government shutdown. A picture of disarray The disarray is understandable. Major airline executives were only notified about 30 minutes before Duffy’s announcement of the cuts, reported The Air Current, an aviation trade publication. And airports, even those among the 40 where flights were being cut, were left in the dark. “The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority has not received official notification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding a decrease in flight activity in response to the federal government shutdown,” Orlando International Airport posted on X at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 6. Orlando was among the 40 affected airports when the FAA released its official order around 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. The other airports include everything from major hubs like Atlanta and Denver, popular but constrained fields in New York and Washington, D.C., and even far flung airports in Anchorage and Honolulu. The FAA’s order outlined a phased implementation. Flights would be cut by 4% from Friday; 6% from Tuesday, Nov. 11; 8% from Thursday, Nov. 13; and finally 10% from Friday, Nov. 14. And, on Sunday, the National Business Aviation Association trade group said that the FAA would restrict private planes at 12 of the country’s busiest airports beginning Monday, Nov. 10. No corner of the country was left untouched by the reductions as they rippled out from major hubs to places like Bakersfield, Calif., and Corpus Christi, Texas. Airlines cancelled 4,978 flights from Friday-through-Sunday, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium. This includes disruptions for weather, aircraft maintenance and air traffic control staffing. Another 1,623 flights in the U.S., or 6.3% of the total, were cancelled on Monday by midday, Cirium data shows. (Still) prepared for the worst Neither American nor any other U.S. airline is taking a chance on when the shutdown will end, even with a funding deal making its way through the Senate. The carrier has loaded cancellations in its schedule through Wednesday, Nov. 12, and is prepared to add cancellations for Thursday, Nov. 13, given the uncertainties around when — and if — Congress could pass the bill. “There was concrete progress last night on a deal, but there are many steps ahead, and the next several days will continue to be challenging,” says David Seymour, chief operations officer at American, in a letter to staff on Monday warning of continued flight disruptions. When the government does reopen and the FAA rescinds the flight reductions, Gargas says American can return to something near a normal schedule as soon as the next day. The exception: Some cancellations are related to run-of-the-mill weather — there was a snowstorm in Chicago over the weekend, for example — or aircraft maintenance that could ripple through its schedule for several days. Delta Air Lines and United Airlines took a similarly methodical approach to cancelling regional and non-hub flights to minimize disruptions. The three airlines also continued to fly their full international schedules. And, despite the initial confusion, the messaging to airline staff was one of order. “Thanks to many similar challenges we’ve faced before with weather and other disruptions, our crew scheduling team has become quite expert at processing these volumes of cancellations efficiently to minimize disruption to our flight crews,” wrote United executives Marc Champion, vice-president of flight operations, and Rob Thomas, vice-president of flight operations planning and development, to the airline’s pilots in a letter on Nov. 6 viewed by Fast Company. Pilots at three major airlines described the notifications from their employers as similar to what they receive during irregular operations like a snowstorm. “The 737 MAX grounding and COVID really helped these kinds of chaos situations,” says Gargas. “You learn quickly on what the art of the possible is.” View the full article

When you think about the tech companies leading the AI race, Apple is pretty much at the bottom of the list. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as far as I'm concerned. From where I'm sitting, many of us couldn't care less about the latest AI features companies are shoving into their products—we just want the products we actually use to work, and work well. But strictly focusing on AI progress, Apple is far behind rivals like Google and Microsoft. While Android and Windows are full of AI features, either through Google's Gemini or OpenAI's GPT models, Apple's first-party AI advances are much more limited. Both Google and Microsoft promote their AI assistants as a cornerstone of their marketing strategies; meanwhile, Apple pulled it AI Siri commercial, as its promised upgrades kept getting delayed. That's not to say there aren't any AI features here—far from it. Since iOS 18, Apple has rolled out AI features under the Apple Intelligence umbrella, including things like Image Playground, AI image editing, and Writing Tools. But, again, these features are not selling iPhones, and it seems like Apple knows it. The company appears to be doing more AI work behind the scenes than in front of it these days. Despite all this, the company is still making serious in-roads with AI. In fact, the company is planning three key new AI features, at least according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. AI SiriRemember how I said Apple's AI Siri upgrade keeps getting delayed? Well, as it happens, AI Siri might be here sooner than later—at least, in part. According to Gurman, Apple plans to roll out "a new Siri" with iOS 26.4, while the assistant will get a "redesign" with next year's iOS 27. If you recall, Apple promised an AI-powered Siri with iOS 18 that was smarter than any iteration of Siri that had come before. This AI Siri was highly contextual, understanding what you meant in your requests without you needing to be hyper-specific. In addition, the assistant could pull information from a variety of sources, such as messages or emails, to fulfill requests, and even had an agent mode to take actions on your behalf. This is similar to how AI browsers let you ask the assistant to do things on the web for you. It's objectively futuristic, to be sure, but not necessarily useful—nor is it secure. As it happens, Apple had a lot of trouble actually getting those features to work. The company's new Siri is an extreme engineering puzzle that wasn't solved by iOS 18's release, and was delayed through iOS 26.0. If the schedule holds, those changes should be coming to 26.4, and may even be powered in part by Google's Gemini model. That said, iOS 26.4 is likely four months away: Apple just released iOS 26.1 and is beta testing iOS 26.2, and neither update comes with any Siri upgrades. Since the company released iOS 18.4 in March of this year, chances are we'll see 26.4 in March 2026. If so, we might only be a quarter year away from a new Siri experience. Next year, according to Gurman, Siri will get a total makeover. The assistant will be more conversational, and will power Apple's upcoming smart home device strategy. But that's a ways away yet. AI health agent Gurman says Apple is also working on an AI agent that can coach users on health-related issues. Codenamed "Project Mulberry," the service combines a new Health app, subscription (Health+), and AI health assistant. This assistant can pull data from the Health app to inform its advice, and is being trained using real doctors across medical professions. According to Gurman, "if the Health app receives data about poor heart-rate trends, a video explaining the risks of heart disease could appear." The company is actually opening studio space to record videos for this service, and may feature a "major doctor personality" to "host" this Health+ service. (My money's on Doctor Mike, but maybe that's the only major doctor personality I know.) Gurman says this AI health agent could arrive as soon as iOS 26.4, alongside the new AI Siri. It will be interesting to see how Apple squares two key problems with this feature: AI sometimes makes mistakes (and sometimes just makes things up), so trusting it to offer health advice raises some red flags. Add in the fact that Apple will be using user data to inform the AI on how to handle health advice, and user privacy questions pop up. The company prides itself on privacy, so I imagine it will have a clear plan here, but if this AI health agent really launches, these points will need to be addressed. Web search toolFinally, Gurman says that Apple has "plans for an AI-powered web search tool." This tool is called "World Knowledge Answers" within the company, and is intended to compete against similar search tools from companies like OpenAI and Perplexity. World Knowledge Answers will integrate directly within Siri, and may come to Safari and Spotlight too. It may include text, images, videos, and "local points of interest," as well as AI summaries. The idea is to keep users asking questions within Apple's own suite of products, rather than see them use other AI search tools. It's likely it'll arrive alongside these other two features with iOS 26.4. Will these AI features be enough to catch Apple up to the rest of the AI players? I'm not sure. But I'm not sure the company needs to catch up. As much as Microsoft has made AI a cornerstone of its new Windows experiences, it's not the reason people are buying PCs. Similarly, few users are choosing their smartphones, tablets, and computers based on whether Apple, Google, or Microsoft has the best AI assistant, or the best array of AI features. AI might be big money right now, but not in a way where Apple needs to be on top to remain one of the biggest companies in the world. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Amazon has finally revealed its Black Friday plans in a press release, much later than the competition, which is unusual for the biggest retailer. Here is everything you need to know about Amazon's Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale. What is Amazon doing for Black Friday and Cyber Monday?Amazon will have an early Black Friday sale that will lead up to Black Friday and then a Cyber Monday sale that will last a few days. They will also have new flash daily deals throughout the events with Today’s Big Deals. When is Amazon's Black Friday Week and Cyber Monday in 2025?Amazon's Black Friday Week and Cyber Monday deal event will kick off on Nov. 20 at 12:01 a.m. PST, and run through Dec. 1. What deals can I expect during Amazon's Black Friday Week and Cyber Monday?Amazon says it will have deals on categories like home, electronics, beauty, apparel, and more where people can shop deals of up to 50% on artificial Christmas trees, seasonal decor, Amazon devices, and select electronics. Here are some deals Amazon has already said people will be able to take advantage of starting Nov. 20: Amazon Devices: Save up to 50% on select Amazon devices, including new releases like Echo Dot Max, Fire TV Stick 4K Select, Fire TV 50" 4-Series, Blink Mini 2K+, and Blink Outdoor 2K+. Customers can also save on favorites such as Echo Show 11, Fire HD 8 and Fire HD 10 tablets, Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Scribe Essentials Bundle, and Ring Indoor Cam. Seasonal: Save up to 50% on artificial Christmas Trees from National Tree Company and Fraser Hill Farm. Customers can also find up to 40% on ornaments from Lenox, and up to 20% on holiday gift wrap, bags, and bows from Hallmark. Grocery: Save on complete holiday meals including Butterball turkeys at $0.69 per pound, pre-made sides like homestyle stuffing, mashed potatoes, and traditional fixings from select brands—all online for same-day delivery where available and at Amazon Fresh stores. Customers can also enjoy great prices on a wide selection of fresh grocery ingredients like carrots, green beans, and gold potatoes, plus wine enthusiasts can save 20% when purchasing six or more bottles through Amazon Fresh (valid through 11/30). Visit amazon.com/grocery for the full selection of grocery items available in your area. Electronics: Save up to 50% on select electronics from JBL and Canon, and up to 45% on select Bose audio and PC hardware from ACER and ASUS. Customers can also get up to 40% on select home entertainment from LG, TCL, and Hisense, and up to 35% on select Samsung and Google products. Home: Save up to 55% on select home products from Shark and up to 40% on select floorcare from BISSELL and iRobot. Customers can also find up to 35% on select floorcare from Dyson and select furniture from Signature Design by Ashley, and up to 25% on select luggage from Away and select fitness equipment from NordicTrack. Kitchen: Save up to 50% on select kitchen appliances from Ninja and up to 40% on select kitchen essentials from Bentgo, Vitamix, Staub, and Nespresso, including deals on Nespresso Original Line Capsules. Customers can also enjoy up to 35% on select espresso and coffee machines from Keurig and De'Longhi, and up to 25% on premium kitchen brands like Breville and Our Place. Beauty: Save up to 50% on select premium beauty products from Lancôme and luxury fragrances from Armani Beauty and Maison Margiela. Customers can also get up to 30% on skincare and bodycare essentials from Kiehl's, ELEMIS, Sol de Janeiro, and medicube, makeup from NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP, Milk Makeup, and Tarte; plus select beauty tools from Drybar and Shark. Fashion: Save up to 50% on select fashion from NAADAM, GAP, Levi's, Cinq A Sept, and Derek Lam 10 Crosby. Customers can also get up to 40% on apparel from Theory, AllSaints, New Balance, Carhartt, and ASTR the Label, plus up to 25% on select styles from Shopbop featuring brands like LE BOP, PAIGE, and FRAME. Toys: Save up to 40% on select toys from MAGNA-TILES, Melissa & Doug, Little Tykes, Play-Doh, and NERF. Customers can also get up to 30% off select classic toys from Hasbro Gaming, Fisher-Price, and American Girl, plus character favorites featuring Disney, WICKED, Barbie, Star Wars, Marvel, and Harry Potter. Books: Save up to 80% on Kindle books and up to 65% on print books, including Editor favorites from Amazon’s Best Books of the Year lists of the past 25 years, including A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara, The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, and The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. Customers can also get three months of Kindle Unlimited for just $0.99, unlocking millions of titles across every genre. Terms and conditions apply. See here for details. Do you need to be a Prime Member to shop during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales?Yes, you will need to be a Prime Member to shop the exclusive sales during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Prime membership starts at $14.99 per month. While only you can decide if buying a yearly Prime membership is worth it for you, remember you can always sign up and then cancel your Prime membership once the sale is over: Amazon offers a free 30-day trial, so you can shop during both events (and even get some early Black Friday deals) before canceling without being charged. Here's how to sign up for a Prime account and all of the benefits that come with it. What other retailers are doing Black Friday sales?The other major retailers doing sales are Best Buy, Target, and Walmart. Right now, Best Buy is the one having the biggest early Black Friday sale, with new deals every Friday. Target has some week-long deals and a Deal of the Day. For Walmart, you'll have to wait until Nov. 14. Some tips for a successful Black Friday with AmazonIf this will be your first Black Friday shopping at Amazon, there are some basic things you need to know about Amazon sales: You can share your Prime membership with family members even if they don't live with you. You can set price alerts for products you want and your Alexa devices can notify you when they go on sale. There are usually some "Invite-Only" deals that you can sign up for. There are tools you can use to see if the deal you're looking at is good or not. But if you only take one bit of advice for shopping on Amazon, let it be this one: Don't buy anything you weren't going to buy anyway. A good way to make sure you do this is by making a list of the products you do want, and only having eyes for those. Our Best Editor-Vetted Early Black Friday Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $169.99 (List Price $249.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Shark AV2501AE AI XL Hepa- Safe Self-Emptying Base Robot Vacuum — $297.99 (List Price $649.99) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $24.99 (List Price $49.99) Google Pixel 9 128GB Unlocked 6.9" OLED Smartphone (Obsidian) — $544.98 (List Price $799.00) 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 — $99.98 (List Price $99.98) 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

Hormone-based drugs used to treat hot flashes and other menopause symptoms will no longer carry a bold warning label about stroke, heart attack, dementia, and other serious risks, the Food and Drug Administration announced Monday. U.S. health officials said they will remove the boxed warning from more than 20 pills, patches, and creams containing hormones like estrogen and progestin, which are approved to ease disruptive symptoms like night sweats. The change has been supported by some doctors—including FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, who has called the current label outdated and unnecessary. But some doctors worried that the process, which led to the decision, was flawed. Health officials explained the move by pointing to studies suggesting hormone therapy has few risks when started before age 60 and within 10 years of menopause symptoms. “We’re challenging outdated thinking and recommitting to evidence-based medicine that empowers rather than restricts,” Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in introducing the update. The 22-year-old FDA warning advised doctors that hormone therapy increases the risk of blood clots, heart problems, and other health issues, citing data from an influential study published more than 20 years ago. Many doctors—and pharmaceutical companies—have called for removing or revising the label, which they say discourages prescriptions and scares off women who could benefit. Dr. Steven Fleischman, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said the warnings have created a lot of hesitancy among patients. “I can spend 30 minutes counseling someone about hormone-replacement therapy—tell them everything—but when they fill the prescription and see that warning, they just get scared,” Fleischman said. Other experts have opposed making changes to the label without a careful, transparent process. They say the FDA should have convened its independent advisers to publicly consider any revisions. Debate over the health benefits of hormone therapy continues Medical guidelines generally recommend the drugs for a limited duration in younger women going through menopause who don’t have complicating risks, such as breast cancer. FDA’s updated prescribing information mostly matches that approach. But Makary and some other doctors have suggested that hormone therapy’s benefits can go far beyond managing uncomfortable mid-life symptoms. Before becoming FDA commissioner, Makary dedicated a chapter of his most recent book to extolling the overall benefits of hormone therapy and criticizing doctors unwilling to prescribe it. On Monday, he reiterated that viewpoint, citing figures suggesting hormone-therapy reduces heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and other age-related conditions. “With few exceptions, there may be no other medication in the modern era that can improve the health outcomes of women at a population level more than hormone replacement therapy,” Makary told reporters. The veracity of those benefits remains the subject of ongoing research and debate— including among the experts whose work led to the original warning. Dr. JoAnn Manson of Harvard Medical School said the evidence for overall health benefits is not “as conclusive or definitive” as what Makary described. Still, removing the warning is a good step because it could lead to physicians and patients making more personalized decisions, she said. “The black box is really one size fits all. It scares everyone away,” Manson said. “Without the black box warning, there may be more focus on the actual findings, how they differ by age and underlying health factors.” Hormone therapy was once the norm for American women In the 1990s, more than 1 in 4 U.S. women took estrogen alone or in combination with progestin on the assumption that—in addition to treating menopause—it would reduce rates of heart disease, dementia, and other issues. But a landmark study of more than 26,000 women challenged that idea, linking two different types of hormone pills to higher rates of stroke, blood clots, breast cancer and other serious risks. After the initial findings were published in 2002, prescriptions plummeted among women of all age groups, including younger menopausal women. Since then, all estrogen drugs have carried the FDA’s boxed warning—the most serious type. “That study was misrepresented and created a fear machine that lingers to this day,” Makary said. Continuing analysis has shown a more nuanced picture of the risks. A new analysis of the 2002 data published in September found that women in their 50s taking estrogen-based drugs faced no increased risk of heart problems, whereas women in their 70s did. The data was unclear for women in their 60s, and the authors advised caution. Additionally, many newer forms of the drugs have been introduced since the early 2000s, including vaginal creams and tablets that deliver lower hormone doses than pills, patches, and other drugs that circulate throughout the bloodstream. The original language contained in the boxed warning will still be available to prescribers, but it will appear lower down on the label. The drugs will retain a boxed warning that women who have not had a hysterectomy should receive a combination of estrogen-progestin due to risks of cancer in the lining of the uterus. FDA sidestepped its usual public process in reviewing warning Rather than convening one of FDA’s standing advisory committees on women’s health or drug safety, Makary earlier this year invited a dozen doctors and researchers who overwhelmingly supported the health benefits of hormone-replacement drugs. Many of the panelists at the July meeting consult for drugmakers or prescribe the medications in their private practices. Two of the experts also spoke at Monday’s FDA news conference. Asked Monday why the FDA didn’t convene a formal advisory panel on the issue, Makary said such meetings are “bureaucratic, long, often conflicted and very expensive.” Diana Zuckerman of the nonprofit National Center for Health Research, which analyzes medical research, accused Makary of undermining the FDA’s credibility by announcing the change “rather than having scientists scrutinize the research at an FDA scientific meeting.” ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. —Matthew Perrone, AP health writer View the full article

Bank’s customer insights team compared financial resilience of lowest-paid staff to customers as part of salary negotiationsView the full article

The Senate was drawing closer to a vote on legislation to end the shutdown on Monday after a small group of Senate Democrats broke a 40-day stalemate late Sunday evening and voted with Republicans to move forward with reopening the government. It is unclear when the Senate will hold final votes on the bill, but Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he hopes passage will take “hours not days.” “The American people have suffered for long enough. Let’s not pointlessly drag this bill out,” he said as the Senate opened on Monday morning. The legislation would still need to clear the House before the government could reopen. Speaker Mike Johnson urged lawmakers to start returning to Washington “right now” given travel delays, but he said he would issue an official notice for the House’s return once the Senate passes the legislation. “We have to do this as quickly as possible,” Johnson said at a news conference. He has kept the House out of session since mid-September, when the House passed a bill to continue government funding. After weeks of negotiations, the moderate Senate Democrats agreed to reopen the government without a guaranteed extension of health care subsidies, angering many in their caucus who have demanded that Republicans negotiate with them on the Affordable Care Act tax credits that expire Jan. 1. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., promised a mid-December vote on the subsidies, but there was no guarantee of success. The final vote was 60-40. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York voted against moving ahead with the package, along with all but eight of his Democratic colleagues. “We will not give up the fight,” Schumer said, adding that Democrats have now “sounded the alarm” on health care. Still, an end to the shutdown could still be days away if any senators object and drag out the process. Thune was still working out concerns within his Republican conference about individual provisions in the underlying spending bills. One of those Republicans, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, had threatened to object to a provision championed by his home state colleague, former GOP leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, to prevent the sale of some hemp-based products. Paul said he was seeking an amendment to strip the language before a final vote. President Donald The President has not said whether he will sign the package, but told reporters at the White House Sunday evening that it “looks like we’re getting close to the shutdown ending.” Five Democrats switch votes A group of three former governors — New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan and Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine — broke the six-week stalemate on Sunday when they agreed to vote to advance three bipartisan annual spending bills and extend the rest of government funding until late January. The legislation includes a reversal of the mass firings of federal workers by the The President administration since the shutdown began on Oct. 1. It also protects federal workers against further layoffs through January and guarantees they are paid once the shutdown is over. In addition to Shaheen, King and Hassan, Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, home to tens of thousands of federal workers, also voted in favor of moving forward on the agreement. Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat, Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman and Nevada Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen also voted yes. The moderates had expected a larger number of Democrats to vote with them as 10-12 Democratic senators had been part of the negotiations. But in the end, only five switched their votes — the exact number that Republicans needed. King, Cortez Masto and Fetterman had already been voting to open the government since Oct. 1. The agreement includes bipartisan bills worked out by the Senate Appropriations Committee to fund parts of government — food aid, veterans programs and the legislative branch, among other things. Democrats call the vote a “mistake” Schumer, who received blowback from his party in March when he voted to keep the government open, said he could not “in good faith” support it after meeting with his caucus for more than two hours on Sunday. Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who caucuses with the Democrats, said giving up the fight was a “horrific mistake.” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., agreed, saying that voters who overwhelmingly supported Democrats in last week’s elections were urging them to “hold firm.” House Democrats swiftly criticized the Senate. Texas Rep. Greg Casar, the chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said a deal that doesn’t reduce health care costs is a “betrayal” of millions of Americans who are counting on Democrats to fight. Others gave Schumer a nod of support. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries had criticized Schumer in March after his vote to keep the government open. But he praised the Senate Democratic leader on Monday and expressed support for his leadership throughout the shutdown. “The American people know we are on the right side of this fight,” Jeffries said Monday, pointing to Tuesday’s election results. Health care debate ahead It’s unclear whether the two parties would be able to find any common ground on the health care subsidies before a promised December vote in the Senate. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has said he will not commit to bringing it up in his chamber. On Monday, Johnson said House Republicans have always been open to voting to reform what he called the “unaffordable care act” but again did not say if they would vote on the subsidies. Some Republicans have said they are open to extending the COVID-19-era tax credits as premiums could skyrocket for millions of people, but they also want new limits on who can receive the subsidies and argue that the tax dollars for the plans should be routed through individuals. Other Republicans, including The President, have used the debate to renew their yearslong criticism of the law and called for it to be scrapped or overhauled. —Mary Clare Jalonick and Lisa Mascaro, Associated Press Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim, Michelle Price, Stephen Groves, and Kevin Freking contributed to this report. View the full article

Broadcaster’s deepest crisis in recent history comes amid fresh questions over its future role in British societyView the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Each year, Apple releases new models of the Apple Watch, but the updates aren't always that significant—meaning it might make more sense to choose an older one and save on the purchase price. That's certainly a good option right now, because you can get last year's Apple Watch Series 10 with GPS + Cellular for $299, $200 off the original price, at Walmart (in four colors!). Apple Watch Series 10 GPS + Cellular 42mm $299.00 at Walmart $499.00 Save $200.00 Get Deal Get Deal $299.00 at Walmart $499.00 Save $200.00 The Series 10 has a larger AMOLED display (30% larger, to be precise) and a thinner case than its predecessor, the Series 9. It also features a more powerful chip, improving performance and helping future-proof the device. According to this PCMag review, where it landed an Editors' Choice Award, its standout features include the Depth app, which measures underwater depth (it's waterproof up to 50 meters), and a water-temperature sensor, making it great for swimmers and divers. Along with other key health and sleep stats from the Series 9, it also monitors breathing disturbances for people with sleep apnea. According to PCMag, it exceeds the official battery life estimate of 18 hours and can last more than 36 hours in real-world tests with heavy use, which is close to the battery life on the 11. It’s also fast-charging, reaching around 80% in just 30 minutes. This model comes with both GPS and Cellular, meaning you don’t need to tether it to your iPhone to take full advantage of its features. Design-wise, it has a minimalist look and a durable aluminum and titanium case. If you’re in the iOS ecosystem and seeking a smartwatch that blends style, readability, and an ergonomic case with advanced health and fitness stats and monitoring, the Apple Watch Series 10 with GPS + Cellular is a feature-packed steal at $299. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $169.99 (List Price $249.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Shark AV2501AE AI XL Hepa- Safe Self-Emptying Base Robot Vacuum — $297.99 (List Price $649.99) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $24.99 (List Price $49.99) 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 — $99.98 (List Price $99.98) 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) Google Pixel 9 128GB Unlocked 6.9" OLED Smartphone (Obsidian) — $544.98 (List Price $799.00) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

Airties has a special knack for landing tier-1 telco clients. Watch our interview here. The post Interview with Airties: Delivering QoE for Deutsche Telekom’s Wi-Fi 7 service & evolving the product portfolio appeared first on Wi-Fi NOW Global. View the full article

New Ahrefs analysis shows where AI Overviews show up in Google: more often on questions and longer queries, less on time-sensitive news and local searches. The post Google AI Overviews Appear On 21% Of Searches: New Data appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

World’s most famous investor warns against corporate greed as he prepares to hand over the reins of Berkshire HathawayView the full article

Recently, New York Times opinion columnist Ross Douthat moderated a debate on the Interesting Times podcast between Helen Andrews and Leah Libresco Sargeant, two conservative critics of modern feminism. The podcast received major blowback, starting with (but not ending with) the fact that the original headline of the conversation was “Did Women Ruin the Workplace?” Quickly, after the predictable backlash hit, the headline was changed to “Did Liberal Feminism Ruin the Workplace?” But the diversion didn’t help the conversation’s case all that much. While the headline was softened to perhaps dress up the discussion as an urgent political issue, mostly, it felt like intellectualized sexism—a debate about women’s rights—when the real question should be, “wait, why are they up for debate anyway?” If you could make it through the whole podcast, good on you. In truth, the question “Did women ruin the workplace?” felt like it was just waiting for Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin, and Jane Fonda to burst through the office door and tie it to its desk chair. All About “Wokeness” Mainly, the debate revolved around wokeness. It started with Andrews, who recently wrote an article called “The Great Feminization” that criticizes women as being emotional and lacking logic, started talking about “wokeness” at work, and suggested that women are to blame for its presence in the office, noting that “the pathology in our institutions known as wokeness is distinctively feminine and feminized.” Andrews continued: “And that, in a very literal sense, our institutions have gone woke because there are more women in them than there used to be.” She also went on to talk about the uptick in sex scandals being reported, and how backward she finds it that we’re “suddenly” expected to “believe all women” regardless of how credible many of them can surely not be. The very boys club argument seemed to suggest that women in the workplace are complaining about innocent flirtations or, men just being men. For Andrews, the platform felt like a continuation of her article. She also talked about female toxicity, which she explained means things like gossiping, being unable to “deal with conflict directly,” and a host of other dated stereotypes she claimed are female traits. Sargeant pushed back on Andrews’ rhetoric several times, but she had her own troubling views about women in the workplace, too. Her take seemed to be more about the idea that no one should really expect total fulfillment at work, and if that’s the case, then women really shouldn’t bring their “woke feminism” ideas to work in the first place. “I think we make a mistake in seeing the workplace as the primary space we work out our cultural foibles,” Sergeant explained. Predictable Outrage The podcast did genuinely feel like it was better suited for an era when objectifying women at work was totally cool, a lack of DEI (another topic the guests railed into), and policies protecting women simply didn’t exist — rather than an era where many are pushing to obliterate women’s rights in the office (and everywhere). Of course, like the overt sexism in even posing the question “Did Women Ruin the Workplace?”, the response has been just as direct. Almost instantly, the response pieces started circulating, critiquing, not just the host of the podcast, or its guest, but NYT for running such a clearly anti-woman article, which asked whether women ruined the workplace with all of their incessant needs, like to be viewed as equal human beings and all. In a Vanity Fair response piece, journalist Kenneal Patterson pressed that such a question is ludicrous in today’s world, and showcases fear around “the encroachment of liberal feminism in the workplace.” Patterson suggests that women are essentially being coerced into standards of womanhood dictated “by the patriarchy.” Patterson continued, “Women are losing the rights to their bodies, dignities, and beliefs every day. Starting an article with the headline “Did Liberal Feminism Ruin the Workplace?” does nothing more than appeal to those who try to keep lower-income women oppressed and drive young people into a tradwife future that keeps them caged.” On X, the podcast is being slammed, too. In a reshare of the article, X user and author Jess Davies wrote, “Dunno, I think the men who created hostile working environments through sexual harassment, sexist behaviours, unfair promotions and being inconsiderate of basic needs like maternity, childcare and women’s health ruined the workplace.” Davies added, “But sure, it’s women’s fault for speaking up.” Who did women ruin the workplace for? Surely, there may be a ton of people who do believe that women have ruined the workplace simply by being in them and demanding to be respected and treated fairly. So, a better question, perhaps, would be, who did they ruin it for? Surely, not their employers because in many regards, women are killing it at work. While glaring pay gaps still exist, women are outpacing men in terms of education, they hold an ever-rising share of high paying occupations, and, according to recent findings, are often held to higher standards than men in CEO roles, too. And while the tradwife trope may be preferred by men and certain groups of women, most modern women want to work. In fact, labor force participation has been rising for young women at the same time it is falling for young men. Women surely may have complicated the workplace for those who are worried about women getting ahead, who fear diversity, or who don’t want the boys’ club to change. As far as ruining it goes, we’re still waiting for the case to be made. View the full article

Sonder Holdings said on Monday it will wind down its operations and file for bankruptcy one day after Marriott International abruptly announced that it had terminated its licensing agreement with the San Francisco operator of thousands of rental properties. The one-two punch of news has caused chaos for employees and guests alike. Shares of Sonder have plummeted more than 64% as of mid-day trading on Monday. In a statement Monday, Sonder said it expects to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and liquid its U.S. business, in addition to initiating insolvency proceedings in the international countries where it operates. “We are devastated to reach a point where a liquidation is the only viable path forward,” said Janice Sears, interim chief executive officer of Sonder. “We explored all viable alternatives to avoid this outcome, but we are left with no choice other than to proceed with an immediate wind-down of our operations and liquidation of our assets.” Neither Marriott nor Sonder immediately responded to a request for comment from Fast Company. Bethesda, Maryland-based Marriott said in a statement on Sunday that its “immediate priority is supporting guests currently staying at Sonder properties and those with upcoming reservations” and that it would contact guests who booked directly through Marriott channels to address their reservation and booking needs. “Marriott remains committed to minimizing disruption to guests’ travel plans.” EMPLOYEES, GUESTS IN CHAOS But the experiences of guests and employees alike indicate that this news has been nothing short of chaotic. On social media platforms including Reddit and LinkedIn, Sonder employees and guests recounted how the news of the termination of the Marriott partnership reached them—with some employees saying they learned their jobs had been terminated from news reports, while guests reported receiving notices that they had to vacate their rental immediately. One New York-based former Sonder employee, who asked to remain anonymous, said that she and her colleagues extended their shifts on Sunday to try to help guests and were on-site Monday cleaning things out and closing operations for the last time. She added that the now-former employees had “no idea” what would happen with their paid time off and sick time payouts. Another Sonder employee declined to comment about the situation amid “a few developing scenarios” that are currently taking place. On its website, Sonder said it has approximately 1,400 employees in more than 35 cities in 10 different countries. Meanwhile, guests have also been thrown into limbo during their stays. One Reddit user posted Sunday that they had been “kicked out of a Sonder hotel mid-stay” and weren’t allowed back in the room in the evening. The user didn’t immediately respond to a request for an interview from Fast Company, but commented on another subreddit that after waiting on-hold with Marriott customer service for two hours, they had been refunded half of the $2,000 booking, along with a $50 credit for the inconvenience. Another Redditor posted Monday that the heating has been turned off and that they’ve been asked to leave during a winter storm warning in Chicago. On LinkedIn, a woman shared that she had been staying at a Sonder location in London on Sunday night only to learn of the change from an email and note slipped under her door overnight. “What a mess,” she wrote. SONDER’S WOES Financial woes for Sonder appear to have been too great for even a partnership with the world’s largest hotel chain to solve. The Marriott-Sonder partnership was announced in August 2024, and now the two companies are pointing fingers at each other, to some extent. “Sonder has faced severe financial constraints arising from, among other things, prolonged challenges in the integration of the company’s systems and booking arrangements with Marriott International,” Sears said in the statement. Both Sonder’s CEO and CFO had left the company earlier in the year and the company had fallen into a pattern of reporting its earnings reports late. Sonder is also the latest bankruptcy victim that stems from the frenzy of special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) deals that began about five years ago. These so-called blank check deals saw a number of companies go public, only to later file for bankruptcy, including 23andMe and WeWork. The hotelier went public with a blank-check deal with Gores Metropoulos II in January 2022. FALLOUT FOR MARRIOTT Marriott, meanwhile, could emerge from the dissolution of this experimental partnership relatively unscathed. The company said the termination was “due to Sonder’s default” when it announced the news on Sunday. In a separate statement, Marriott scaled back its financial outlook for net room growth in 2025, to roughly 4.5% with the removal of Sonder rooms from its system, down from a prior forecast of approximately 5%. On Monday, Marriott announced a new agreement with Pacifica Hotels to convert two existing hotels in Osaka, Japan to its line of City Express Hotels by Marriott next year. Marriott shares fell about 0.2% in mid-day trading. And Jefferies analyst David Katz even upgraded his price target for the stock on Monday to $315, up from $308. View the full article

If your iPhone has been lost or stolen, you'd probably be relieved to get it back, even if it is has been weeks or months since you've replaced your device. Having your old phone in hand may provide some peace of mind that your data is secure, and if nothing else, you can sell or trade it in or repurpose it for another use. Unfortunately, you're pretty unlikely to see your missing iPhone again, but bad actors are hoping you hold out enough hope to fall for a phishing scam promising that your device has been found. How the lost iPhone scam worksAccording to a warning from the Swiss National Cyber Security Center, some iPhone owners whose devices were lost or stolen are receiving SMS or iMessage notifications—purportedly from Apple—claiming that their phones have been located. The text messages include specific and accurate details about the missing iPhones, including the model, color, and storage capacity, and direct recipients to click a link to view the device's location. The message is signed by the "FindMy Support Team." Of course, like all phishing schemes, the link is fake. It directs you to a spoofed Apple Find My page with an Apple ID sign-in designed to steal your credentials, which scammers can use to take over your account. The goal of this scam is to disable Apple's built-in security feature tying your iPhone to your Apple ID, which prevents malicious actors from erasing and reselling the device. How scammers manage to find your phone number to text you is unclear, though in some cases they may get it from the lock screen message you can enable when you switch your device to Lost Mode. This may be a good reason to put alternative contact information, such as a dedicated email address, in your custom message. Avoid falling for lost the iPhone scamIf you do receive a message with a link to locate your lost iPhone, ignore it. Apple does not contact users via text or email with updates about found devices. (Of course, if you've enabled Lost Mode and someone reaches out claiming they have your device, proceed with caution.) Never click on links in unsolicited communication, as these are common vectors for phishing. Of course, you should mark your device as lost in Find My to suspend alerts and notifications that appear on your lock screen as well as payment card access. You should also consider preemptively enabling Apple's Stolen Device Protection, an anti-theft feature that helps prevent thieves from breaking into your iPhone. If your device does go missing, don't remove it from your Apple account, as doing so disables some security protections. View the full article

From Leo Aquino, founder and financial coach, at Queer & Trans Wealth With the cost of living, health insurance and taxes all rising, saving for retirement as a freelancer can feel impossible. In part, that’s because as a freelancer or small business owner, you’re wholly responsible for creating your own retirement savings. Workers at large companies have some notable advantages in this area: many employers offer 401(k) or 403(b) accounts to full-time workers. This lets employees automatically contribute portions of every paycheck before that money hits their account. These contributions are often tax-free, and some match workers’ contributions up to a certain amount, too. The ‘set it and forget it’ elements of this process make it much easier for workers to invest in their future retirements. Partly because of these obstacles, a 2019 study by the Pew Charitable Trust found that only 13% of self-employed workers in single-person businesses put money in their retirement accounts, compared to 72% of workers in companies that offer retirement plans. But freelancers need retirement savings, too. The good news is the first few steps are the hardest, and after those are out of the way, freelancers can save for retirement in ways that are similar to corporate employees. If you’re a freelancer and you’re ready to begin saving for retirement today, here are five tips to help you get started: MicroinvestingApps like Acorns and Qapital help you invest small amounts of money from your account into a Roth IRA (individual retirement account).Picture yourself back in the day, paying for a $4.25 coffee with $5 in cash instead of your phone or a card. The barista gives you 75 cents in change. When you got home, you’d drop your coins in a piggy bank that you used to gradually save up your change. Microinvesting apps apply the same logic to digital payments. The automation makes retirement investing easier, similar to having money deducted from your corporate paycheck — plus, it’s satisfying to watch the small deposits pile up over time.One caveat: Acorns and Qapital will add up the small deposits and deduct them from your account once a week. As a financial coach who serves queer and trans people across the U.S., I have seen that many people who live paycheck to paycheck are at risk of overdrawing their accounts if Acorns takes an unexpected amount under $15 automatically. If you choose this method, make sure you have a solid buffer in your checking account to prevent overdraft fees. Check if the app is connected to a bank that is FDIC-insured, so that your deposits up to $250,000 are protected in case the app goes out of business. Most major banks are FDIC-insured. Enroll in a state-sponsored IRAIf you’re self-employed or run a small business, you can open your own individual retirement account (IRA), which is a tax-advantaged account—meaning most contributions and investment gains are tax-deductible. Some states have auto-IRAs that allow workers who don’t have access to 401(k) through their employer to open state-sponsored retirement accounts. As of October 2025,12 state-sponsored IRAs include freelancers and solopreneurs: California: CalSaversColorado: SecureSavingsDelaware: EARNSIllinois: Secure ChoiceMaine: The Maine Retirement Investment Trust (MERIT)Maryland: MarylandSavesNew Jersey: RetireReadyNevada: Nevada Employee Savings Trust (NEST)New York: New York Secure Choice Savings ProgramOregon: OregonSavesVermont: Vermont SavesVirginia: RetirePathMost of these states allow you to set up automated transfers from your checking account to your retirement account. As an added plus, you won’t need to roll over your benefits into a different IRA if you change jobs or gigs. Open an IRA or a 401(k) using a brokerage accountA brokerage account allows people to invest in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and other investment vehicles. Some brokerages also allow you to open different types of IRAs: A traditional IRA lets you contribute and invest pre-tax dollars,. A traditional IRA is also tax-advantaged, which means contributing to a traditional IRA now may lower your taxable income. However, you’ll have to pay taxes when you make withdrawals in retirement, and any withdrawals you make if you are younger than 59 ½ are subject to an additional 10% federal tax. You also must take out specified amounts (called required minimum distributions, or RMDs) starting at age 72 even if you are still working. A Roth IRA lets you contribute and invest post-tax dollars, but you won’t have to pay taxes when you withdraw money in retirement. Unlike a traditional IRA, investing in a Roth IRA won’t lower your taxable income. Additionally, there are no RMDs with Roth IRAs.A rollover IRA is where people typically roll over their 401(k) balances from previous employers A SEP IRA allows you (as a sole proprietor or your own employer) to contribute up to 25% of your salary into your retirement account.A SIMPLE IRA is for employers with up to 100 employees — including freelancers and solo business owners. Unlike a SEP IRA, a SIMPLE IRA allows you (as your own employer) to match your own retirement contributions.You can open your own IRA anytime through brokerage firms including: Charles SchwabFidelityVanguardWealthfrontFreelancers and solopreneurs can also open their own 401(k)s: A solo 401(k) lets you contribute up to $70,000 annually (up to $77,500 if you’re over the age of 50) with tax advantages as a freelancer or solo business owner.Similar to a SIMPLE IRA, a SIMPLE 401(k) is for employers with up to 100 employees — including freelancers and solo business owners.Talk to your accountant to find out which plan is best for you. Your accountant can also help you submit the right forms to the IRS when you’re ready to open an account. Match your own 401(k) and IRA contributionsAs we’ve mentioned, when you work for a company that offers a 401(k) match, the company may double your retirement contribution up to a certain percentage. For example, if your salary is $100,000 per year and you contribute 3%, you’ll deposit $3,000 in your retirement account over the course of the year. If your company matches your contribution, they’ll deposit an extra $3,000. Freelancers can’t do this as easily, since we work for ourselves. But as a sole proprietor or single-owner LLC, you can set up your retirement accounts so that you, as your own employer, set up a company match for yourself as an employee. Typically, freelancers take this step after paying off personal and business debts, building up ample savings for emergencies, and paying other contractors who support their business. It takes time to get to this point. Don’t rush yourself into using this option right now if you aren’t able to afford it. But consider it as a goal you can achieve down the line, and know that you can have a company match your retirement contributions as a freelancer. Use the IRS contribution limits as a goalpostsThere are a lot of retirement calculators that help you understand how much you need to invest annually to retire comfortably. Spoiler alert: It’s a high number, especially if you’re only getting started to invest in retirement in your 40’s and 50’s. In my financial coaching practice, I see how overwhelming that big number can be for people. Instead of focusing on that, I suggest that folks use the IRS contribution limits as goalposts. For example, the Roth IRA contribution limit for 2026 is $7,500 per year for people under the age of 50. That’s a contribution of $625 per month. If it feels like too much, try committing to 25% or 50% of the contribution limit. For example, 50% of the Roth IRA contribution limit for 2026 is $312.50 per month. You could even split this up into twice-a-month deposits of $156.25. When it comes to saving and investing, forming the habit is more important than depositing a large amount upfront. Start small, try to go bigger, and watch your contributions grow. Before long, you’ll look back and be glad you took these first steps. View the full article

From Leo Aquino, founder and financial coach, at Queer & Trans Wealth With the cost of living, health insurance and taxes all rising, saving for retirement as a freelancer can feel impossible. In part, that’s because as a freelancer or small business owner, you’re wholly responsible for creating your own retirement savings. Workers at large companies have some notable advantages in this area: many employers offer 401(k) or 403(b) accounts to full-time workers. This lets employees automatically contribute portions of every paycheck before that money hits their account. These contributions are often tax-free, and some match workers’ contributions up to a certain amount, too. The ‘set it and forget it’ elements of this process make it much easier for workers to invest in their future retirements. Partly because of these obstacles, a 2019 study by the Pew Charitable Trust found that only 13% of self-employed workers in single-person businesses put money in their retirement accounts, compared to 72% of workers in companies that offer retirement plans. But freelancers need retirement savings, too. The good news is the first few steps are the hardest, and after those are out of the way, freelancers can save for retirement in ways that are similar to corporate employees. If you’re a freelancer and you’re ready to begin saving for retirement today, here are five tips to help you get started: MicroinvestingApps like Acorns and Qapital help you invest small amounts of money from your account into a Roth IRA (individual retirement account).Picture yourself back in the day, paying for a $4.25 coffee with $5 in cash instead of your phone or a card. The barista gives you 75 cents in change. When you got home, you’d drop your coins in a piggy bank that you used to gradually save up your change. Microinvesting apps apply the same logic to digital payments. The automation makes retirement investing easier, similar to having money deducted from your corporate paycheck — plus, it’s satisfying to watch the small deposits pile up over time.One caveat: Acorns and Qapital will add up the small deposits and deduct them from your account once a week. As a financial coach who serves queer and trans people across the U.S., I have seen that many people who live paycheck to paycheck are at risk of overdrawing their accounts if Acorns takes an unexpected amount under $15 automatically. If you choose this method, make sure you have a solid buffer in your checking account to prevent overdraft fees. Check if the app is connected to a bank that is FDIC-insured, so that your deposits up to $250,000 are protected in case the app goes out of business. Most major banks are FDIC-insured. Enroll in a state-sponsored IRAIf you’re self-employed or run a small business, you can open your own individual retirement account (IRA), which is a tax-advantaged account—meaning most contributions and investment gains are tax-deductible. Some states have auto-IRAs that allow workers who don’t have access to 401(k) through their employer to open state-sponsored retirement accounts. As of October 2025,12 state-sponsored IRAs include freelancers and solopreneurs: California: CalSaversColorado: SecureSavingsDelaware: EARNSIllinois: Secure ChoiceMaine: The Maine Retirement Investment Trust (MERIT)Maryland: MarylandSavesNew Jersey: RetireReadyNevada: Nevada Employee Savings Trust (NEST)New York: New York Secure Choice Savings ProgramOregon: OregonSavesVermont: Vermont SavesVirginia: RetirePathMost of these states allow you to set up automated transfers from your checking account to your retirement account. As an added plus, you won’t need to roll over your benefits into a different IRA if you change jobs or gigs. Open an IRA or a 401(k) using a brokerage accountA brokerage account allows people to invest in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and other investment vehicles. Some brokerages also allow you to open different types of IRAs: A traditional IRA lets you contribute and invest pre-tax dollars,. A traditional IRA is also tax-advantaged, which means contributing to a traditional IRA now may lower your taxable income. However, you’ll have to pay taxes when you make withdrawals in retirement, and any withdrawals you make if you are younger than 59 ½ are subject to an additional 10% federal tax. You also must take out specified amounts (called required minimum distributions, or RMDs) starting at age 72 even if you are still working. A Roth IRA lets you contribute and invest post-tax dollars, but you won’t have to pay taxes when you withdraw money in retirement. Unlike a traditional IRA, investing in a Roth IRA won’t lower your taxable income. Additionally, there are no RMDs with Roth IRAs.A rollover IRA is where people typically roll over their 401(k) balances from previous employers A SEP IRA allows you (as a sole proprietor or your own employer) to contribute up to 25% of your salary into your retirement account.A SIMPLE IRA is for employers with up to 100 employees — including freelancers and solo business owners. Unlike a SEP IRA, a SIMPLE IRA allows you (as your own employer) to match your own retirement contributions.You can open your own IRA anytime through brokerage firms including: Charles SchwabFidelityVanguardWealthfrontFreelancers and solopreneurs can also open their own 401(k)s: A solo 401(k) lets you contribute up to $70,000 annually (up to $77,500 if you’re over the age of 50) with tax advantages as a freelancer or solo business owner.Similar to a SIMPLE IRA, a SIMPLE 401(k) is for employers with up to 100 employees — including freelancers and solo business owners.Talk to your accountant to find out which plan is best for you. Your accountant can also help you submit the right forms to the IRS when you’re ready to open an account. Match your own 401(k) and IRA contributionsAs we’ve mentioned, when you work for a company that offers a 401(k) match, the company may double your retirement contribution up to a certain percentage. For example, if your salary is $100,000 per year and you contribute 3%, you’ll deposit $3,000 in your retirement account over the course of the year. If your company matches your contribution, they’ll deposit an extra $3,000. Freelancers can’t do this as easily, since we work for ourselves. But as a sole proprietor or single-owner LLC, you can set up your retirement accounts so that you, as your own employer, set up a company match for yourself as an employee. Typically, freelancers take this step after paying off personal and business debts, building up ample savings for emergencies, and paying other contractors who support their business. It takes time to get to this point. Don’t rush yourself into using this option right now if you aren’t able to afford it. But consider it as a goal you can achieve down the line, and know that you can have a company match your retirement contributions as a freelancer. Use the IRS contribution limits as a goalpostsThere are a lot of retirement calculators that help you understand how much you need to invest annually to retire comfortably. Spoiler alert: It’s a high number, especially if you’re only getting started to invest in retirement in your 40’s and 50’s. In my financial coaching practice, I see how overwhelming that big number can be for people. Instead of focusing on that, I suggest that folks use the IRS contribution limits as goalposts. For example, the Roth IRA contribution limit for 2026 is $7,500 per year for people under the age of 50. That’s a contribution of $625 per month. If it feels like too much, try committing to 25% or 50% of the contribution limit. For example, 50% of the Roth IRA contribution limit for 2026 is $312.50 per month. You could even split this up into twice-a-month deposits of $156.25. When it comes to saving and investing, forming the habit is more important than depositing a large amount upfront. Start small, try to go bigger, and watch your contributions grow. Before long, you’ll look back and be glad you took these first steps. View the full article