As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of its founding, Americans are reflecting not only on the triumphs of the Revolutionary Era but also on the sacrifices that made independence possible. Commemorations across the nation highlight the battles, leaders, and ideals that shaped the struggle for liberty. Yet amid these celebrations, it is important…
More than 2,300 years ago, Aristotle mused in Politics that to live alone, a man must be a god or a beast, or words to that effect. I wonder what he would have thought of the popularity of China’s “Are You Dead?” app. For Aristotle, we are social animals, thriving in the “polis” in the…
Starting as a lifestyle trend in the 2010s, the ‘sober curious’ movement has encouraged a substantial societal shift toward more mindful alcohol consumption, driven by people’s growing focus on longevity, mental well-being, and productivity. According to the annual consumer sentiment survey by NCSolutions, 49% of Americans have been actively trying to drink less in 2025,…
Are we in an AI bubble? On the one hand, lots of people think we’re in an AI bubble. Including Sam Altman, whose OpenAI may be the single largest cause, and beneficiary, of the AI bubble. On the other hand … vibes? By which I mean: I’ve been in bubbles before. On paper, this most…
Americans’ stock holdings are at an all-time high, a trend that has proved positive as the markets have continued to climb. However, experts are now warning that this has left many overly exposed to a potential slump. Direct and indirect stock holdings account for 45% of American households’ financial assets in the second quarter, according…
US President Donald Trump on Thursday declared that a deal for TikTok satisfied the requirements of the US’ sale-or-ban law for the Chinese-owned short-video app, punctuating months of deliberations and years of angst in Washington over the app’s security implications. “I have determined that the proposed divestiture would allow the millions of Americans who enjoy…
Amazon is set to pay a multi-billion-dollar fine to settle claims that it misled customers into renewing their Prime subscriptions. The Federal Trade Commission announced on Thursday that it had settled the case with a $2.5 billion fine, of which $1.5 billion will go toward refunding customers. The settlement came just days after Amazon’s trial…
The White House claimed on Saturday that the US operations of TikTok will be spun off, its board will be mostly Americans and its algorithm will be controlled in the US, after President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping discussed a deal for the short video platform in a phone call on Friday….
Koreans have dubbed it the “night owl getaway” – a weekend city of shimmering towers, acclaimed cuisine and a vibrant urban energy. In recent months, Shanghai has surpassed Tokyo and Hong Kong as the destination of choice for a new generation of Korean travellers, driven by China’s visa-free entry during 2025 and a rising appetite…
A deep dive into Americans’ mobile habits in 2025 Smartphones aren’t just for calls and texts anymore; they’re how most Americans handle just about everything. As of 2023, over 91% of people in the U.S. own one, according to Pew, and the average person now spends over four hours a day glued to their screen,…