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The Fast Company Impact Council is a private membership community of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual membership dues for access to peer learning and thought leadership opportunities, events and more. Ageism in Hollywood is a tale as old as time. It’s well-documented that older women have been less represented in mainstream media and female actors over 40 are less likely to get work compared to their male counterparts. The stigma surrounding aging women in entertainment has been so pervasive that many actresses have felt forced to hide the natural realities of aging. Actress Naomi Watts recently revealed, “I was told I would never work again if I admitted to being menopausal.” Her experience is not unique—many women in the industry have echoed similar sentiments, facing a shrinking pool of opportunities as they age. This year’s award show season has shown that the tides are turning. We’ve started to see a shift with actresses in Hollywood experiencing success later in life. One of the most discussed films of the past year, The Substance, tackles ageism head-on. And in a historic moment, Demi Moore—44 years into her career—won her first Golden Globe at 62 and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. During the Golden Globes, we saw seven of the Best Actress nominations go to women over the age of 40. These nominations signal a growing recognition that talent doesn’t have to have an expiration date. For decades Hollywood has created the perception that women in their 40s and beyond, often when they are perimenopausal or menopausal, are past their primes and reaching the end of their careers. Moore previously shared that she almost quit acting because of ageism and how difficult it can be, particularly for women over 50. However, this cultural shift in Hollywood’s acceptance and celebration of aging women could change how this demographic is represented. Now the question is, will we see other industries shift their perceptions of midlife women? Here’s why they should. Outdated research has failed menopausal women Before looking ahead, we have to understand how we got here. The societal stigma around aging has often overlapped with menopause, and unfortunately, that’s led to a negative perception of this transitional period of a woman’s life. Menopause has been widely understudied. For example, a study in Nature Aging has shown that researchers haven’t properly considered menopause in 99% of studies of the biology of aging. Furthering the stigma, outdated research has led to a lack of treatment options for women experiencing menopause symptoms. The use of hormone therapy to treat menopause symptoms stopped nearly overnight due to a study showing that hormone therapy increased the risks of cancer. However, recent studies have debunked that theory and shown the benefits of hormone therapy outweigh the risks. The lack of research and controversial history around hormone therapy has hurt menopause care and prevented aging women from getting the adequate support they need. That all is changing. What the entertainment industry can teach Companies can take a page from Hollywood’s playbook by supporting and empowering its female senior talent. Women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s are some of the most experienced managers, leaders, and mentors in the workplace. As they age, they are also often at the height of their careers. McKinsey and Lean In found that female leaders contribute more to employee engagement—including creating an inclusive workplace and mentorship—than their male counterparts, and another McKinsey report found that organizations with gender diversity of executive teams were 25% more likely to have above-average profitability compared to those who didn’t. Senior female leaders are an essential part of the workforce. Yet according to our 2022 Menopause in the Workplace report, 46% of working women experiencing menopause said their 50s have been the most difficult time in their careers. Our latest data also showed that 50% of Gen X women have experienced ageism at work. Now is a critical time for companies to step up and support. Organizations must invest in meeting the evolving needs of their midlife female workforce. Investing in menopause support for senior women leaders—such as access to specialized providers, educational resources, and coverage for hormone therapy—enables these women to manage their symptoms effectively, remain at peak productivity, and pave the way for the next generation of female leaders. What happens in Hollywood strongly influences culture, including workplaces. On March 2, Moore is up for her first Oscar for her critically acclaimed role. No matter who wins, it’s a victory for Moore and all aging women at work. Asima Ahmad, MD, MPH, FACOG is cofounder and Chief Medical Officer of Carrot Fertility. View the full article

UK leader hails ‘very productive discussion’ but president declines to back plan for Ukrainian peacekeepers View the full article

Executives have met with investors this week to test waters on an offering that could value the company at $35bn View the full article

From the rising cost of eggs and the staggering cost of housing, the constant chaos from mass government firings to the tariff threats against Canada and Mexico, Americans are struggling to cope with rampant economic uncertainty the best way they can: doom spending. One in 5 Americans say they are buying more than usual, “purchasing items excessively or impulsively in response to fears or anxiety about future events,” according to a recent report by CreditCards.com. The act of buying things as a way to self-soothe and cope with discomfort can be particularly problematic, especially when you’re worried about your personal finances and the economy at large in the first place. The survey, published in February 2025, examines consumer spending habits since President Donald Trump took office and focuses on the role economic factors and uncertainty play. Here are some key findings. Americans are buying more, driven by Trump tariffs President Trump’s proposed tariffs are weighing heavily on many people’s minds. In fact, more than one in 4, or 29%, of respondents say fear of Trump’s tariffs greatly impacts their desire to make additional purchases. Trump has said, starting March 4 (next week!), he will slap a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico and may in the future even broaden the scope of goods to include automobiles, pharmaceuticals, and semiconductors—all of which means higher prices for American consumers already dealing with cost of living concerns and inflation. Digging a little further, the report shows 19% of respondents say they are buying significantly (5%) or slightly more (14%) items than usual, and of this group, 29% say fear of Trump’s tariffs greatly impacts their desire to make additional purchases, while 37% say it’s having some impact. Another pandemic also prompts spending The report found that 3 in 10 respondents are purchasing items to prepare for another pandemic. Meanwhile, 42% say they are, or will start, stockpiling items, mainly food and toilet paper. Also, since November 2024, 28% of respondents say they have made one large purchase (over $500) and 21% say they soon plan to. The most common of those large purchases were electronics (39%), home appliances (31%), and home improvement materials (25%). People also bought furniture (22%) and cars (17%). Finally, and perhaps the most worrisome finding of the report, is that 34% of respondents say they are likely to worsen or go into credit card debt this year to secure purchases. View the full article

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican-controlled Congress has voted to repeal a federal fee on oil and gas producers who release high levels of methane, undoing a major piece of former President Joe Biden’s climate policy aimed at controlling the planet-warming “super pollutant.” The fee, which had not gone into effect, was expected to bring in billions of dollars. The Senate on Thursday voted along party lines 52-47 to repeal the fee, following a similar House vote on Wednesday. The measure now goes to President Donald Trump, who is expected to sign it. Methane is a much stronger global warming gas than carbon dioxide, especially in the short term, and is to blame for about one-third of the world’s warming so far. Oil and gas producers are among the biggest U.S. methane emitters and controlling it is critical to address climate change. Most major oil and gas companies do not release enough methane to trigger the fee, which is $900 per ton, an amount that would increase to $1,500 by 2026. The measure was part of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, but the Environmental Protection Agency didn’t formally set rules until late last year. That timing made it vulnerable to the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to pass a resolution to undo rules that are finalized toward the end of a president’s term. If those resolutions pass and the president signs them, the rule is terminated and agencies can’t issue a similar one again. “It’s a sorry testament to the influence of Big Oil on Capitol Hill that one of the top priorities of Congress is a blatant handout to the worst actors in the fossil fuel industry,” said Tyson Slocum, director of Public Citizen’s energy program. The American Petroleum Institute, the largest lobbying group for the oil and gas industry, applauded the move, calling the fee a “duplicative, punitive tax on American energy production that stifles innovation.” “Thanks to industry action, methane emissions continue to decline as production increases, and we support building on this progress through smart and effective regulation,” said Amanda Eversole, the executive vice president and chief advocacy officer at API. Globally, methane concentrations in the atmosphere have been steadily climbing. Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, who chairs the Senate’s Environment and Public Works committee, spoke in favor of repeal on the Senate floor. “We should be expanding natural gas production, not restricting it. Instead, the natural gas tax will constrain American natural gas production, leading to increased energy prices and providing a boost to the production of natural gas in Russia,” she said. Repeal of the methane fee is the latest of several pro-oil and gas moves Republicans have taken since the start of Trump’s term. On his first day, he declared a national energy emergency, calling for more oil and gas production, and fewer environmental reviews. Democrats failed to overturn that declaration yesterday. Trump has also lifted a pause on new applications for liquified natural gas export terminals, removed the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement, and moved to open up more areas of public lands and waters for oil and gas drilling. The fee on methane releases was aimed at pushing companies to adopt better practices to curb emissions and make their operations more efficient. Technology exists to prevent leaks and to fix them. The EPA had said the fee was expected to reduce 1.2 million metric tons of methane emissions by 2035—that’s about the same as removing 8 million cars from the road for a year. The Biden administration had also implemented methane regulations on existing oil and gas wells, after addressing methane escaping from new wells. The EPA at the time meant for the fee to complement that rule and focus on the worst polluters. About half of all methane emissions from wells are from just 6% that are smaller producers, according to a recent study. — Michael Phillis and Matthew Daly, Associated Press View the full article

Donald Trump says America is looking to forge pact as ‘quickly as it can be done’View the full article

In a livestream today, OpenAI finally announced the launch of its GPT-4.5 model, but with a twist: For now, using it requires a $200 per month ChatGPT Pro subscription. That’s because the new large language model, or LLM, is still technically in a “research preview” state. This is all apparently shorthand for “please pay us for the privilege of being a beta tester.” Jokes aside, the company is promising GPT-4.5 provides more “natural conversation,” and performs better when it comes to programming, pattern recognition, writing, and “solving practical problems.” Note that GPT-4.5 isn’t intended as a reasoning model, meaning it won’t have the self-correcting or deep research capabilities of OpenAI o1, o3-mini, or the upcoming full version of o3. In a leaked document, the company said it’s not considering GPT-4.5 a “frontier” model, but it is OpenAI’s largest LLM yet, which should make it ideal for everyday queries, as the large database of training material should make for quicker answers. Credit: OpenAI In internal tests, OpenAI says the new model hallucinated about 24.7% less frequently than GPT-4.0, and was about 34.3% more accurate. Around 57% of internal human testers reportedly preferred GPT-4.5 to 4.0. Credit: OpenAI In other words, GPT-4.5 isn’t exactly at the cutting edge of AI, but it should be an improvement on other non-reasoning models, providing a nice middle ground between cheaper, more traditional LLMs and their frequently paywalled successors. The only major omissions seem to be multimodal features like AI Voice Mode and video input, although OpenAI says its working on updating its user experience, which seems to hint some version of these capabilities might come to the model in the future. That makes sense, given that, once again, this is technically an early release, with OpenAI saying it’s “still exploring” GPT-4.5’s limits and how people can use it. To that end, the LLM is set to expand to all paid ChatGPT plans over the next two weeks, before presumably reaching free users as a replacement for GPT-4.0 once it leaves its preview state. View the full article

A grassroots organization is encouraging U.S. residents not to spend any money Friday as an act of “economic resistance” to protest what the group’s founder sees as the malign influence of billionaires, big corporations and both major political parties on the lives of working Americans. The People’s Union USA calls the 24 hours of spending abstinence set to start at midnight an “economic blackout,” a term that has since been shared and debated on social media. The activist movement said it also plans to promote weeklong consumer boycotts of particular companies, including Walmart and Amazon. Other activists, faith-based leaders and consumers already are organizing boycotts to protest companies that have scaled back their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and to oppose President Donald Trump’s moves to abolish all federal DEI programs and policies. Some faith leaders are encouraging their congregations to refrain from shopping at Target, one of the companies backing off DEI efforts, during the 40 days of Lent that begin Wednesday. Here are some details about the various events and experts’ thoughts on whether having consumers keep their wallets closed is an effective tool for influencing the positions corporations take. Who’s behind the “24-hour economic blackout?” The People’s Union USA, which takes credit for initiating the no-spend day, was founded by John Schwarz, a meditation teacher who lives near the Chicago area, according to his social media accounts. The organization’s website said it’s not tied to a political party but stands for all people. Requests for comment sent to the group’s email address this week did not receive a reply. The planned blackout is scheduled to run from 12 a.m. EST through 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday. The activist group advised customers to abstain from making any purchases, whether in store or online, but particularly not from big retailers or chains. It wants participants to avoid fast food and filling their car gas tanks, and says shoppers with emergencies or in need of essentials should support a local small business and try not to use a credit or debit card. People’s Union plans another broad-based economic blackout on March 28, but it’s also organizing boycotts targeting specific retailers — Walmart and Amazon — as well as global food giants Nestle and General Mills. For the boycott against Amazon, the organization is encouraging people to refrain from buying anything from Whole Foods, which the e-commerce company owns. What other boycotts are being planned? There are a number of boycotts being planned, particularly aimed at Target. The discounter, which has backed diversity and inclusion efforts aimed at uplifting Black and LGBTQ+ people in the past, announced in January it was rolling back its DEI initiatives. A labor advocacy group called We Are Somebody, led by Nina Turner, launched a boycott of Target on February 1 to coincide with Black History Month. Meanwhile, an Atlanta-area pastor, the Rev. Jamal Bryant, organized a website called targetfast.org to recruit Christians for a a 40-day Target boycott starting March 5, which marks Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Other faith leaders have endorsed the protest. The Rev. Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network, a civil rights organization, announced in late January it would identify two companies in the next 90 days that will be boycotted for abandoning their diversity, equity and inclusion pledges. The organization formed a commission to identify potential candidates. “Donald Trump can cut federal DEI programs to the bone, he can claw back federal money to expand diversity, but he cannot tell us what grocery store we shop at,” Sharpton said in a statement posted on the National Action Network’s website. Will the events have any impact? Some retailers may feel a slight pinch from Friday’s broad “blackout,” which is taking place in a tough economic environment, experts said. Renewed inflation worries and Trump’s threat of tariffs on imported goods already have had an effect on consumer sentiment. “The (market share) pie is just so big,” Marshal Cohen, chief retail advisor at market research firm Circana, said. “You can’t afford to have your slices get smaller. Consumers are spending more money on food. And that means there’s more pressure on general merchandise or discretionary products.” Still, Cohen thinks the overall impact may be limited, with any meaningful sales declines more likely to surface in liberal-leaning coastal regions and big cities. Anna Tuchman, a marketing professor at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, said she thinks the economic blackout will likely make a dent in daily retail sales but won’t be sustainable. “I think this is an opportunity for consumers to show that they have a voice on a single day,” she said. ”I think it’s unlikely that we would see long-run sustained decreases in economic activity supported by this boycott.” Other boycotts have produced different results. Target saw a drop in sales in the spring and summer quarter of 2023 that the discounter attributed in part to customer backlash over a collection honoring LGBTQ+ communities for Pride Month. As a result, Target didn’t carry Pride merchandise in all of its stores the following year. Tuchman studied the impact of a boycott against Goya Foods during the summer of 2020 after the company’s CEO praised Trump. But her study, based on sales from research firm Numerator, found the brand saw a sales increase driven by first-time Goya buyers who were disproportionately from heavily Republican areas. However, the revenue bump proved temporary; Goya had no detectable sales increase after three weeks, Tuchman said. It was a different story for Bud Light, which spent decades as America’s bestselling beer. Sales plummeted in 2023 after the brand sent a commemorative can to a transgender influencer. Bud Light’s sales still haven’t fully recovered, according to alcohol consulting company Bump Williams. Tuchman thinks a reason is because there were plenty of other beers that the brand’s mostly conservative customer base could buy to replace Bud Light. Afya Evans, a political and image consultant in Atlanta, said she would make a point of shopping on Friday but will focus on small businesses and Black-owned brands. Evans is aware of other boycotts but she said she liked this one because she believes it could have some effect on sales. “It’s a broader thing,” she said. “We want to see what the impact is. Let everybody participate. And plan from there.” —Anne D’innocenzio and Haleluya Hadero, AP business writers AP business writer Dee-Ann Durbin in Detroit contributed to this report. View the full article

Rafael Caro Quintero had been sought since 1985 for the murder of an American agentView the full article

Love Warby Parker glasses, but not the high price tags? This one’s for you. Target is partnering with Warby Parker to bring designer-quality, affordable eyewear to customers, opening five “shop-in-shops” in 2025, the retailers announced on Thursday. Warby Parker staff will run the shops within Target locations, which will offer glasses, sunglasses, contacts, eye exams, and vision screenings, consistent with the eyewear brand’s own stores. Prices will start at $95, including prescription lenses. The first five locations will open in the second half of 2025 at the following Target stores: Willowbrook, IL Bloomington, MN Brick, NJ Columbus, OH (Polaris) Exton, PA Warby Parker at Target will also debut online at Target.com with the opening of the first location. More Warby Parker shops are slated to open in 2026. “Warby Parker at Target reflects both brands’ commitment to style, affordability, quality and convenience,” Christina Hennington, executive vice president of Target said in a statement. “As we test and learn with this new partnership—bringing Warby Parker’s expertise into select stores—we’re enticing new consumers to discover more of Target.” The new partnership will complement, not replace the Minneapolis-based retailer’s growing Target Optical business, which offers a range of products and services at more than 500 of Target’s 2,000 stores nationwide. The Warby Parker shops are the latest addition to Target’s growing number of in-store partnerships, which already include Starbucks, Apple, and Ulta. The news comes after Target announced it was rolling back its DEI efforts, ending its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and investments. The move has angered activists, who are calling for customers to boycott the brand as part of both the ”Target Fast” and “Feb. 28 Economic Blackout” movements. 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. I used to buy cheap earbuds from random brands all the time, simply because I needed some earbuds that wouldn't give me a heart attack if (or when) I lost them or got them wet. If that sounds like your earbud-buying strategy, there's a great deal on a pair of budget earbuds that actually have pretty decent specs: the Anker Soundcore P20i. Right now, they're on sale for $19.99 (originally $39.99), the lowest price they have been according to price-checking tools. Soundcore by Anker P20i Color: White, Ear Placement: In Ear, Battery life: 30 hours, Water resistant: Yes. $19.99 at Amazon $39.99 Save $20.00 Get Deal Get Deal $19.99 at Amazon $39.99 Save $20.00 Anker has been making surprisingly good, budget-friendly earbuds, headphones, and speakers for a while. The Anker P20i/P25i (same earbuds, different names) came out in late 2023 and are a nice pair of budget earbuds offering a lot of features that you usually see in higher end earbuds. You get Bluetooth 5.3, 10-hour battery life per charge and another 30 hours from the case, a bass boost feature, and a companion app that offers more features. The app lets you choose from 22 preset EQ options so you can find the sound signature that best works for you. There is no custom EQ, but the fact that you have a companion app from a reliable brand for under $20 is impressive by itself. You can also set up a voice assistant from your phone through the app by making it one of the touch control commands. The earbuds are great for people who need a cheap pair of earbuds to take to the gym since they are rated IPX5 for water resistance, and although they don't have ANC, the in-ear design naturally eliminates a lot of background noise. These earbuds work with iOS and Android phones and have a "Find My Device" feature with its app. If I was still in my cheap earbuds era, I'd be grabbing these right away. View the full article

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation will increase its giving over the next two years in response to what it calls a “crisis” prompted by the Trump administration‘s freeze on federal foreign aid and the now- suspended freeze on federal grants. “This is a major crisis for our sector and it’s a time when those of us who can do more should do more,” said John Palfrey, president of MacArthur Foundation, in an interview Wednesday with The Associated Press. Palfrey announced the increase in a blog post on the foundation’s website, saying, “The cliff of funding from federal programs has sent budgets underwater in field after field, and people and communities in the United States and abroad will suffer.” Palfrey said the foundation would increase giving from 5% of its endowment, which is the minimum required by the Internal Revenue Service, to at least 6% for the next two years. The foundation reported it had $8.7 billion in assets in 2023 and it pays out around $400 million annually. Palfrey said he expected to grant out around $150 million more over the next two years. In his first days in office, President Donald Trump suspended foreign aid and directed the Office of Management and Budget to temporarily suspend all federal grants and contracts. Trump said he wanted to review whether all the grants aligned with his policies. The moves have had profound impacts across many sectors. The U.S. is the largest funder of global humanitarian responses and spent $68 billion on foreign aid in 2023. In 2021, nonprofits reported receiving $267 billion in government grants, according to an analysis of the tax forms that nonprofits file by the Urban Institute. In comparison, foundations granted out $103 billion in 2023, according to research from GivingUSA. Palfrey called on other foundations to join them in the commitment to increase their giving. “Philanthropy should act in a different way than we have in the past, which is historically, we’ve simply given out more money when the stock market has gone up and we’ve given out less money when the stock market has gone down,” he said. Freedom Together Foundation, formerly called the JPB Foundation, also announced that it would double its grantmaking to 10% of its endowment in response to the Trump administration’s policies. Deepak Bhargava, the foundation’s president, wrote in a letter that the current moment reminds him of the AIDS crisis, when activists pushed the government to find a cure and changed the place of LGBTQ+ people in society. “The movement made a way out of no way. That can happen again, as it has so many times throughout American history,” Bhargava wrote. “There is a dispiriting tide of fear right now, and I’m disappointed by how few leaders and institutions are stepping up. But my own experience and our shared history teaches us a hopeful lesson: courage is contagious.” The Chicago-based MacArthur Foundation is best known for its “genius” fellowship, which recognizes extraordinary people who work across disciplines and awards them a $800,000 grant. The foundation also focuses on climate, criminal justice and journalism initiatives and has ongoing commitments to Chicago and Nigeria. Palfrey said foundations found ways to make more money available to their grantees during the COVID-19 pandemic and could do so again now. For example, the MacArthur Foundation was one of eight foundations that issued bonds, essentially borrowing against their endowments to be able to pay out more in the short term. “I think we need to do something different in 2025,” Palfrey said. “But I think it’s the same rationale.” Elisha Smith Arrillaga, vice president of research at The Center for Effective Philanthropy, said nonprofits report feeling a great deal of uncertainty and anxiety because of the president’s executive orders. “Really what nonprofits do is that they stand in the gap for all Americans,” she said. “So my hope is that organizations and individuals across this country doing this work in their communities will stand up for the nonprofits that they support, especially at a moment like this.” Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy. —Thalia Beaty, Associated Press View the full article

Pending sales of existing US homes slumped to a record low in January as severe winter weather slowed activity and consumers balked at high prices and mortgage rates ahead of the vital spring selling season. View the full article

The grandson of the PulteGroup founder did not elaborate on plans for a much-anticipated government-sponsored enterprise exit from conservatorship. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Sony's PlayStation VR 2 headset is getting a permanent price price drop this March, down to $400 from $550. That'll include the headset, the controllers, and a pair of wired earbuds—but is that a deal worth getting excited over? Well, for Sony, maybe. The price cut comes a year after Bloomberg reported that Sony had stopped making new PSVR 2 units and shifted efforts towards getting rid of excess stock. That points to lower-than-expected sales for the peripheral, and it's easy to see why. Sony's VR loyalists were surprised to hear when the headset came out, for instance, that it would not work with the existing library of games built for PSVR 1. That's because the PSVR 2 uses improved tracking technology and controllers compared to Sony's first crack at virtual reality, but still, the difference meant gamers had to rebuy their entire libraries, or just ditch games that hadn't been ported to the new headset altogether. This means PSVR 2 gamers have a slightly smaller selection of games than on other systems, with little assurance that their games will continue to work as hardware gets upgraded. Even Sony mascot Astro Bot has yet to come to the new system, with Astro Bot Rescue Mission still being stuck on the PSVR 1. That doesn't mean the headset is totally unworthy of the upgrade, though. It has a higher resolution than the PSVR 1, with a higher field-of-view, more precise controllers, and the addition of eye tracking. Having tried it myself, I was pretty happy with the experience, but I didn't see much to use it on with the PS5. Luckily, in the time sense its release, Sony has made the PSVR 2 available for PC, with the release of a $60 adapter. That just about fixes the library issue, assuming you have a VR-compatible PC, but it also opens the headset up to increased competition. Namely, while the PSVR 2 is well-priced compared to luxury PCVR headsets like the Valve Index (which can reach upwards of $930), it still has to compete with the likes of the Meta Quest 3 and 3S, which also work with PC. Compared to those other devices, whether this price drop is a good deal comes down to your priorities. It's still more expensive than the Quest 3S ($300), but it has higher-resolution displays and a built-in halo strap, something that I find more comfortable than the default Quest strap. On the other hand, it doesn't have a processor for standalone gaming and loses out on Meta exclusives like Batman: Arkham Shadow. The PSVR 2 is cheaper than the regular Quest 3 ($500), but you do get those same downsides plus slightly lower-resolution screens. However, the PSVR 2's screens are OLED, and again, it's pretty comfortable right out of the box (I've swapped the default Quest 3 strap for an aftermarket halo strap, which cost me $50). Personally, I'd prefer to see another $50 chopped off before I start recommending it, but it could work in the niche case where you don't care about standalone play and just want a comfortable PCVR headset that can occasionally also come to the living room to play the odd Sony exclusive, like Horizon Call of the Mountain. Bloomberg has also reported that Apple might soon adopt the PSVR 2's controllers for use with the Apple Vision Pro, so getting a set now could get you ahead of the game if you plan to upgrade later on. Note that the exact start date for the price drop might vary based on region, according to Sony's blog, so be sure to check your local retailer before purchasing. View the full article

The deadly Los Angeles wildfires had just begun when Comic Relief U.S.’s new CEO took the helm at the charity that uses entertainment to combat poverty. Michele Ganeless noticed Hollywood’s response all the way from New York. She saw late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel turn his show’s backlot into a donation center. The Largo, an intimate nightclub featuring A-list comedians, hosted benefit performances. Inspired, Ganeless saw an opportunity to help out from the nation’s other cultural hub through “Stand-Up for LA.” “The goal was to help the New York comedy community give back,” Ganeless said of the March 3 comedy event including Jon Stewart, John Oliver, Ramy Youssef and Hannah Berner at The Town Hall in Manhattan. “Everybody has their own special connection,” she added. “But, obviously, in the entertainment community and the comedy community, there is a New York-LA connection.” Disasters tend to elicit widespread support for those impacted and researchers say meaningful relationships drive charitable donations. The six weeks since Los Angeles’ most destructive wildfires have proven no different. FireAid raised an estimated $100 million with performances from dozens of popular musical acts. But the unique relationship between the United States’ two largest cities has been evident in the fundraisers organized by New York’s entertainment, creative and hospitality industries — motivated by their professions’ bicoastal ties. Comic Relief US’ grantees on the ground — including actress Taraji P. Henson’s foundation dedicated to marginalized communities’ mental health, youth homelessness nonprofit Covenant House and The Boys & Girls Club — are helping the nonprofit determine the areas of greatest need. Berner, a former reality show cast member who has become a fixture of internet comedy, promised a fun night at “Stand-Up for LA” and called it “a joy” to also fundraise for families. “I was born and raised in New York and have seen others rally for us when we needed it,” Berner said in a statement. “And now it’s our turn to show up for L.A. during their difficult time.” TV personality Andy Cohen is offering fans the chance to be guests at a New York taping of Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live.” With a donation of at least $10 until April 6, entrants could win a behind-the-scenes experience, airfare and lodging. The beneficiary is the SoCal Fire Fund, which works with vulnerable students, school employees and families recovering from the blazes. “As completely different as they are, New York and Los Angeles are inexorably connected; when a calamity happens on either coast it’s just instinctual that we support each other,” Cohen said in a statement to The Associated Press. It isn’t just celebrities getting involved. Over 170 people bought tickets for a benefit show on a recent Friday night in Brooklyn. The organizers, artist manager Heather de Armas and music publicist Ava Tunnicliffe, donated the $3,275 in proceeds to Mutual Aid LA. The wildfires felt more present as the two watched the devastation unfold through social media posts. The majority of Tunnicliffe’s clients and coworkers are based in the Los Angeles area. Alt-pop vocalist B.Miles told the crowd “this is a very special thing to be a part of” because the Pasadena native still has family there. “It was easy to get people on board to help out what I would call our sister city,” Tunnicliffe said. “And I think they would do the same for us.” Carlos Quirarte, co-founder of Ray’s Bar, wasn’t sure anyone would pitch in for a clothing drive he organized at his locations in Greenpoint and the Lower East Side. But people overwhelmed their “tiny, little” spaces, he said, and local movers Piece of Cake dropped off 300 boxes for shipping. Skateboarder Mark Gonzales, a longtime Supreme collaborator, donated six boxes of the streetwear brand’s merchandise. Customers again showed up for a Jan. 18 fundraiser. Guests’ $20 entry fees and $1 of every drink purchase went to World Central Kitchen. Quirarte said the event, co-sponsored by dating app Bumble, garnered more than $20,000. It wasn’t the first time that he and his business partner have rallied their clientele around communities impacted by disasters. A 2012 “power-on party” after Hurricane Sandy stands out as the “craziest example,” he said. But he’s still blown away by the response. “We just have so many regulars at both locations that are transplants. So, you were hearing stories at the bar,” Quirarte said. “Aside from that, and aside from having a mass bunch of friends from the area, you couldn’t help but feel. And it’s here. It’s at home.” A seven-hour “fundraiser bridging coasts” brought together runners, cooks, artists, musicians and yogis on January 25. Gina Bruno, a classically trained chef from New York who runs a food-focused event space, said the idea began as just a bake sale. But the concept snowballed into something more ambitious after she texted Luke Haverty, the founder of a creative studio called “A Supper Series.” The bake-off continued with participants including lifestyle photographer Chloé Crane-Leroux and James Beard Award winner Sophia Roe — who have a combined 1.8 million Instagram followers — as well as viral spots L’Appartement 4F and Leon’s Bagels. A 5K run took participants across the Williamsburg Bridge. There was live music, a bouquet workshop and yoga classes. “For LA” raised $52,000 for California Community Foundation and World Central Kitchen, according to Haverty. A silent auction supported a GoFundMe for Los Angeles artists. Haverty said they felt a responsibility to provide as many ways as possible for people to put their individual talents toward something “bigger than one small donation.” “Once there was a platform for people to be able to invest into, that ultimately is what connected the coast,” he said. “You kind of put your hands up in the air until there’s something to dump your time and your energy into,” Bruno added. “I needed to do something because I was able to do something.” Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy. —James Pollard, Associated Press View the full article

Lukewarm response to Nvidia’s earnings left market vulnerable to drop in consumer and business sentimentView the full article

Any rollback in property taxes would require enough signatures to place a question on the ballot and pass with at least 60% of support from Florida voters. View the full article

Prada opened its runway show during Milan Fashion Week on Thursday with its take on the little black dress, reflecting what Miuccia Prada called “a very black moment” in world affairs. “To work in this difficult moment is really tough,” Prada said backstage. Sidestepping overtly political discussion, she added: ”What we try to do are clothes that make sense for women today.” Liberating women Prada’s Fall-Winter 2025-26 collection is aimed to liberate women from strictly feminine forms. In that way the little black dress series and other runway looks were loosely constructed, not body-hugging. Co-creative director Raf Simons said liberation was in itself an act of resistance. “You cannot be liberated if you don’t take a risk. There needs to be more resistance,” he said. The black numbers gave way to girlish knit dresses in Alice-in-Wonderland oversized proportions, layered over trousers for winter days on the playground. Pajamas made a now-familiar shift to daywear, with button tops tucked into sleeper skirts. Raw seams were intentionally revealed on garments. Waistlines were gathered as if by basting, and could be moved from the waist for a midi-skirt or over the bust for a minidress. “I would also say that we have rejected a lot of construction,” Simons said, specifically construction that restricts movement. Gestures of glamour It’s a mix-and-match world at Prada and just about any of the pieces work as separates: Short-sleeve and tube knitwear tops were bedecked with baubles, like found treasures. Men’s shirts scrunched messily at the waist, as if they came untucked. Staples were glammed up with faux fur stoles and fur lapels on coats, blazers and a striking lime green poncho. Prada VIPs American actress Hunter Schafer was among the front-row guests, invited in a show of support, the designers said. The trans actress posted recently that her new passport had been issued with a male gender marker. As usual, crowds of fans waited opposite the Fondazione Prada show space to shower adoration on VIPs. Other front-row stars included actresses Juliette Binoche, Gal Gadot, Maya Hawke and Chen Haoyu, along with Japanese singers Jo and Harua and Korean singer Karina. Is Prada shopping? Milan is abuzz with speculation over whether an Italian company might step forward to buy the rival fashion house Versace. Market speculation has focused on the Prada Group, which besides its namesake brand owns Miu Miu, the footwear brands Church’s and Car Shoe, and Marchesi 1824 pastry shops. “I think it is on everybody’s table,” Prada said with a chuckle when asked about the Prada Group’s interest. —Colleen Barry, AP fashion writer View the full article

John Mueller suggested causes for a seemingly false 'noindex detected' error in Search Console The post Google On Search Console Noindex Detected Errors appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Obsidian is the Winamp of productivity tools. If you're as ancient as I am, you might remember that the best part of that once-ubiquitous music player extension was the massive number of plugins and themes you could install to make it better, all of them built by enthusiasts. Obsidian is a good note-taking application on its own, stuffed with all kinds of features: You can organize notes in folders, link to notes from other notes, and even use advanced options like Mermaid diagrams. But like Winamp, Obsidian truly shines once you dig into its extensive plugin ecosystem. There are over 2,000 Obsidian plugins available as of this writing, and you can use them to basically turn Obsidian into whatever you can dream up. Many of these plugins are small in scope, granted, but not all of them. Some of the extensions are extensive enough to replace entire applications you might otherwise be using. Here's how I used Obsidian plugins to replace four different productivity tools. Your kanban app My real kanban board is full of secrets so enjoy this fake one. Credit: Justin Pot I used to be a big fan of Trello, once a humble personal kanban planner. Fifteen years of bloat and upselling mean that application is unrecognizable today, which I'm fine with, because Obsidian works better for me than Trello ever did. I owe it all to the Obsidian Kanban plugin. Install it, and you can create as many Kanban boards in Obsidian as you like. Every card can include as much text as you want, formatted the same way you would anything else in Obsidian. That includes links—every card can link to the pages you're using to manage your projects. I'm a freelance journalist who writes for a handful of publications, including the one you're reading now. I typically write around 20 articles a month, meaning I always have multiple projects on the go. I use an Obsidian Kanban board to keep track of everything. I have columns for "Plan to write this month," "Plan to write this week," "Outlined," "Submitted need edits," "Edited not invoiced," "Invoiced not paid," and, finally, "Paid." This system allows me to see everything I'm working one in one place, and track my progress on all of them. I honestly don't know if I could manage my workflow without it. And, because I also do all of my writing directly in Obsidian, I can jump straight to a project from my dashboard. This is just one example—I'm sure you can think of other uses. But perhaps my favorite part of this system is that every kanban board in Obsidian is, in reality, just a markdown document that combines a few lists, meaning I can export them and keep an archive, even if I stop using Obsidian. Your journaling app Credit: Khamosh Pathak Lifehacker has written a lot about journalling apps over the years, and I personally have extensively tested every example you can think of, multiple times. All of them have pros and cons, and I'm not going to pretend that Obsidian is the best tool for everyone. What I will say is that I use Obsidian for my personal journal, and I can't imagine using anything else. My colleague Kamosh has already written about using Obsidian as a journalling app, so I'll refer you to him for more on how to get started. But I'll add that I recommend installing the journal review plugin so that you can regularly look back at previous entries. You can also look into Obsidian's templates feature if you want to use the same outline for your journal every day. I used it to create something similar to a bullet-journal, with questions about my day. Your read-it-later app Credit: Justin Pot A few months ago, Obsidian launched Obsidian Clipper, which saves webpages to your personal "vault." This is an extension for every major browser that allows you to save entire articles from the web. This is useful for research, but it also means you can use Obsidian as a replacement for read-it-later applications like Pocket or Instapaper. Just set up a dedicated vault for articles you want to read later, point the plugin toward that vault, and open your read-it-later vault every time you want to catch up on your backlog. You can even do things like highlight or add your own notes while you read, all without having to pay for a subscription. Your to-do app Credit: Obsidian Tasks The problem with many to-do apps—and the reason Lifehacker will seemingly never stop writing about them—is that everyone has different productivity needs and no single app can serve them all. If you have never found a to-do system that's perfect for you, that's understandable. But if that's you, and you're a fan of Obsidian generally, look into the tasks plugin. This tool goes through every single note in your vault and collects all of the markdown task lists you've created. It's a perfect add-on if you already use Obsidian to outline your projects. The extension also allows you to add due dates, including recurring tasks, and set your priorities. View the full article

Remarks are a significant win for Sir Keir Starmer as he visits the White House for talks over UkraineView the full article

A joint venture with Sixth Street will give Figure more liquidity to scale Figure Connect, a blockchain-based private capital marketplace. 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. GoPro is the indisputable king of small outdoor action cameras. Its latest flagship camera, the GoPro Hero13 Black came out this past September, but the older GoPro Hero12 (released in 2023) has a good bundle deal you should consider. The Black Creator Edition bundle offers the Volta pack, a media and light mod, extra battery, and carrying case all for just $55 more than the camera alone. You can get the bundle for $399 (originally $499), its lowest price yet, according to price-tracking tools. GoPro HERO12 Black Creator Edition Color: Black, Brand: GoPro, Item Weight: 454 Grams, Maximum Weight Recommendation: 5E+2 Grams. $399.00 at Amazon $499.00 Save $100.00 Get Deal Get Deal $399.00 at Amazon $499.00 Save $100.00 GoPro releases a new camera just about every year, so the changes aren't always ground-breaking. There's not much you can do with just a GoPro, since they heavily rely on their accessories, so the bundles are usually where the best offers are. That's what makes the GoPro HERO12 Black Creator Edition a great deal in 2025. Here is what you get: HERO12 Black, Carrying Case, Enduro Battery, Curved Adhesive Mount, Mounting Buckle + Thumb Screw, USB-C Cable, Volta, USB-C Pass-Through Door, Lanyard, Media Mod, Vertical Mounting Buckle, Light Mod, Light Diffuser, and 2-Finger Adapter. The Volta handle is arguably the most valuable item. The handle is a portable battery, has built-in buttons for easier control, lets you use the GoPro wirelessly with a remote, and doubles as a tripod. The media mod and light mod also offer useful tools, giving you a microphone with audio ports and an LED light so you can see better in the dark. The GoPro Hero 12 Black received an "outstanding" review from PCMag upon its 2023 release, and the bundle is almost the same price as the GoPro Hero 13 Black, so it makes it a great deal for anyone looking to get a good GoPro with all the important accessories at a discounted price. View the full article

Stripe on Thursday announced a tender offer for employees and shareholders that valued the company at $91.5 billion, nearly 41% higher than its valuation a year ago, potentially delaying the fintech firm’s ambitions of going public. The deal signals the strong recovery of the global venture capital sector, as central banks have started to cut interest rates amid subdued inflation and strong economic data. “Stripe was profitable in 2024, and we expect to be so in 2025 and beyond,” co-founders John Collison and Patrick Collison said in their annual letter published on Thursday. The payments processing company was valued at $65 billion in a deal last year, which allowed employees to cash out their stock. At its peak, Stripe was valued at $95 billion in 2021. The company serves a variety of high-profile customers, including Elon Musk-led social media platform X, Amazon, car rental firm Hertz Global and grocery delivery app Instacart. Stripe, which has headquarters in San Francisco and Dublin, allows companies to accept payments, send payouts and automate financial processes. —Pritam Biswas and Jaiveer Shekhawat, Reuters View the full article