Category: Finance

Monthly checks for the nearly 76 million Americans who receive Social Security benefits will rise by 3.6% in 2027. The increase, announced on Oct. 14, 2026, is the largest since the one that took effect in 2023. This cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, is how the government tries to make sure that the value of Social […]

A spike in diesel prices is hammering broad sectors of the U.S. economy – especially agriculture and shipping – and becoming a flash point ahead of the November 2026 midterm elections. This squeeze has prompted Republicans from hard-hit farm states to call for a ban on U.S. diesel exports, with President Donald Trump reportedly weighing […]

Imagine an artificial intelligence system that has performed reliably for months. Its recommendations are almost always right, and the employee reviewing them has learned that close scrutiny rarely changes the outcome. Then something unusual happens. The AI makes an error or can’t proceed and needs human intervention. The employee is expected to step in and […]

Artificial intelligence has moved quickly from a novelty on the job to a common workplace tool. Gallup found that 52% of U.S. employees and 68% of professional services workers were using AI by February 2026. Thomson Reuters similarly found in spring 2026 that 74% of professionals use AI several times a week for work. This […]

The nearly 76 million Americans who receive Social Security benefits are slated to find out on Oct. 14, 2026, how much their monthly check will rise. This cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, is how the government tries to make sure that the value of Social Security benefits keeps up with inflation. Without it, the same payment […]

There’s a paradox that drives the shopping decisions of many Americans: Almost three-quarters say they’re feeling stressed out about skyrocketing grocery bills. But they keep discarding large quantities of food that’s safe to eat, from crooked carrots to surplus yogurt to “best before” items pulled from shelves early. Overall, the U.S. government estimates that 30% […]

In 1638, John Harvard, an English-born Puritan minister and teacher in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, bequeathed 400 books and half his £779 estate, today equivalent to roughly US$2 million, to the college that would be renamed in his honor after his death. In addition to launching America’s oldest university, Harvard’s donation began a tradition of […]

Dolly Parton’s nephew Bryan Seaver announced the legendary singer’s death on Aug. 25, 2026, in a prerecorded video. Seaver, the son of one of Parton’s 11 siblings, had been her head of security for many years. But Seaver is currently embroiled in a messy dispute with She’s Alive LLC, the company Parton established to manage […]

The fall of 2026 is a moment of energy centrality, when geopolitics unfolding far away shows up in Americans’ everyday lives. In Pennsylvania, the statewide diesel price averages US$6.50 per gallon. In Iowa, farmers are paying more than $6 a gallon for diesel. And in Alaska, unleaded gas runs more than $9 a gallon. As […]

The post-pandemic push to bring workers back to the office has left many nostalgic for more flexible arrangements, such as hybrid or remote work. But a wealth of data since the pandemic now suggests that workplace factors like feeling appreciated and having a good relationship with your manager are much more tied to job satisfaction […]