Author: arthursheikin@gmail.com

[ad_1] She first noticed the plush monsters with toothy grins dangling from kids’ belt loops.Carly Anderson, 45, had discovered the Labubu craze. She was truly initiated into the obsessed fandom when she was gently laughed out of the Pop Mart store at her local mall for trying to buy one of the coveted toys in person.While she stood morosely by a Pop Mart vending machine, a “nice gentleman” gave her tips and a list of third-party stores where she might find a monster, she said.After 20 hours of legwork and around $180, she tracked down three of the little monsters…

[ad_1] CNN  —  With just a week and a half remaining of a 90-day pause on President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, the White House is running out of time to negotiate its long-promised trade deals that could bring some certainty to an increasingly uneasy economy. But with just two trade frameworks inked and dozens to go before the July 9 deadline, that timeframe appears increasingly unlikely — just as America’s economy might be taking a turn for the worse. For months, the Trump administration has said deals are imminent, working with 18 key partners to lower trade barriers while…

[ad_1] Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.Through the fog that has shrouded global markets during the second coming of US President Donald Trump, a form is starting to take shape. If you squint, you can just about make out an outline of how Europe can mount a challenge to the centrality of the dollar in global finance, and what reform of its disjointed government bond markets might look like.This will be a long, stuttering, at times exasperating process. It is Europe, after all. But the question of…

[ad_1] The most important matter, gray matter that is, sits right at the surface.At least that’s the line from Dr. Ben Rapoport, the cofounder and chief science officer of Precision Neuroscience, a brain-computer interface, or BCI, company.”Many people have the impression that the data that we care about is sort of everywhere inside this dimensional structure,” Rapoport, a neurosurgeon and engineer, told Business Insider.That’s a big misconception, he said. People often incorrectly assume that “you need electrodes that penetrate deep inside the brain to get that information out,” he added.But brain implants don’t need to be as invasive as they…

[ad_1] Most tech-savvy observers understand that AI is transforming large enterprises across functions such as customer service, HR, and the supply chain. Chatbots and virtual assistants are now powered by large language models (LLMs) that respond to nearly any natural-language query.These models are trained on business-specific data to provide targeted, accurate answers. According to a poll from the US Chamber of Commerce and Teneo, 98% of small businesses now use AI-enabled software, and 40 % of them employ generative tools like chatbots and image creators to cut costs and speed workflows. But AI isn’t just making a splash at big…

[ad_1] The Enquirer said it had tracked the couple “across five states and 40,000 miles, tailed them in private jets, swanky limos, helicopter rides, romantic hikes, five-star hotel hideaways, intimate dinner dates and ‘quality time’ in hidden love nests.” Page Six, which published the news a few hours before the Enquirer, reported that Bezos and his then-wife knew that the Enquirer report was coming out and had timed their divorce announcement to get ahead of the news.Page Six also reported at the time that Bezos and Sánchez started dating after he and Scott had separated the previous fall, and that Scott knew…

[ad_1] Silicon Valley has opined on the promise of generative AI to forge new career paths and economic opportunities – like the newly coveted solo unicorn startup. Banks and analysts have touted AI’s potential to boost GDP. But those gains are unlikely to be distributed equally in the face of what many expect to be widespread AI-related job loss.  Amid this backdrop, Anthropic on Friday launched its Economic Futures Program, a new initiative to support research on AI’s impacts on the labor market and global economy and to develop policy proposals to prepare for the shift.  “Everybody’s asking questions about…

[ad_1] I review lots of TVs every year, and as performance improves across the board, it’s becoming harder for flagship models to stand out. But LG’s G5 doesn’t have this problem. Simply put, the G5 OLED offers the best picture quality I’ve ever seen from a consumer TV. Panasonic’s upcoming Z95B has a chance to surpass it, but for now, the G5 is the premium 4K TV to beat.Using LG’s latest OLED panel technology, the G5 balances perfect contrast with high brightness, sharp detail, rich colors, and wide viewing angles. This is the kind of high-end image quality that makes…

[ad_1] Stay informed with free updatesSimply sign up to the US equities myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox.US stocks rose to a fresh closing high on Friday, capping a stunning rebound from a sell-off sparked by Donald Trump’s initial tariff announcements in April.Wall Street’s S&P 500 ended the session up 0.5 per cent despite the US president halting trade talks with Canada. The index had been up as much as 0.8 per cent earlier, reaching a new record intraday peak for the first time since February.A US-brokered ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Iran has boosted equities…

[ad_1] Gig work apps like Uber and DoorDash offer their drivers instant pay options for quick cash deposits. A recent survey shows that speedy deposits are not merely a matter of convenience; they’re key to drivers’ financial stability.Everee, a payroll provider for gig work platforms, found in a survey released Thursday that 59% of drivers working on platforms like Uber, DoorDash, Shipt, Veho, and others rely on gig work for at least half of their income. And, despite gig work’s reputation as a side hustle, that income isn’t just spare pocket change; it’s essential for drivers looking to pay rent…