The UK government has started a new Energy Wealth Fund with £2 billion taken from the existing National Wealth Fund. This fund aims to invest the money from North Sea oil and gas revenues to support future generations, similar to Norway’s successful oil fund.
Key Facts
Chancellor John Healey announced the Energy Wealth Fund during the approval of the Jackdaw gas project.
The UK has earned around £200 billion from North Sea oil and gas over past decades but did not create a large sovereign wealth fund like Norway.
Treasury officials estimate that if the UK had invested these revenues like Norway, the fund could be worth about £1 trillion today.
Norway’s sovereign wealth fund started in 1996 and is now over 1000 times larger than its initial investment.
Norway invests mainly overseas and uses about 3% of the fund’s value yearly to support government spending.
The UK’s new fund will focus on investing in domestic green energy projects, which may yield different returns than Norway’s fund.
North Sea oil production is expected to slow down, but projects like Jackdaw may extend its life.
The UK's fund is a recent initiative aiming to avoid past missed chances to save and invest oil revenues.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Nearly two dozen American farms are featuring corn mazes themed after Dolly Parton this fall. One such maze in New Jersey was highlighted by ABC News as part of this seasonal tribute.
Key Facts
About 24 farms across the United States are creating Dolly Parton themed corn mazes for the fall season.
These mazes celebrate Dolly Parton, a famous American singer and cultural icon.
ABC News reporter Reena Roy explored one of these mazes in New Jersey.
The themed corn mazes are part of farm fall activities.
Corn mazes are popular seasonal attractions where people navigate through paths cut into cornfields.
This tribute connects farming communities with popular culture for entertainment.
The article is part of a larger news update with various topics, but focuses on this seasonal farm event.
The activity aims to attract visitors looking for outdoor, family-friendly entertainment in the fall.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
More UK university graduates are planning to move abroad after finishing their studies, seeking better job opportunities. Australia, the US, and Europe are the most popular destinations, with factors like visa policies, weather, and higher pay influencing decisions.
Key Facts
Over 10% of UK final-year university students now plan to live abroad after graduating, up from 7.8% two years ago.
Competition for graduate jobs in the UK is very high, with about 140 applicants per vacancy on average.
Australia is the top destination because of good weather, English language, and a visa program allowing young British adults to stay up to three years.
Rachel James moved from London to Sydney; her salary dropped slightly, but she values the lifestyle and outdoor activities.
The US is the second most popular destination, offering better pay and more funding for academic opportunities.
Charlie West moved to the US for a funded PhD and earns more than he would in the UK.
Around two-thirds of British people who move abroad are aged 16 to 34.
Europe remains attractive, but visa rules after Brexit have made moving there more difficult.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Airbnb has updated its rules to make house rules clearer and fairer for guests and hosts. From November 20, hosts cannot require guests to do major cleaning tasks like washing dishes or stripping beds, especially since guests pay a cleaning fee.
Key Facts
Airbnb now limits the number and type of house rules hosts can set, allowing seven standard rules plus some reasonable requests.
Guests should not be asked to do tasks usually done by cleaners, such as washing dishes, stripping beds, or taking out trash.
These new rules apply to bookings made on or after November 20.
Hosts can still ask guests to follow local safety or legal rules, like limiting shower time during water shortages.
House rules will be shown more clearly to guests before and during their stay.
Hosts cannot impose fines on guests but can appeal if Airbnb flags their rule requests.
The changes come after many guests complained about unreasonable demands despite paying cleaning fees.
Viral videos of strict hosts inspecting properties sparked discussion about the fairness of house rules.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A New Mexico judge ordered Meta, the parent company of Facebook, to pay $25 billion after a jury decided Meta misled users about how it handled their data. The case relates to the Cambridge Analytica scandal, where a political firm connected to President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign obtained Facebook data without user consent.
Key Facts
The $25 billion penalty is linked to Meta misleading Facebook users about data access and content management.
Cambridge Analytica accessed personal data from up to 87 million Facebook users through a third-party app.
The jury found Meta made 26 misleading statements and broke New Mexico’s consumer protection laws over 43 million times.
State law allows fines up to $5,000 per violation; New Mexico initially sought $35-$40 billion.
Meta plans to appeal the $25 billion judgment, arguing it is excessive and violates constitutional rights.
In August, Meta agreed to a possible $17.1 billion settlement with multiple states over harm to young social media users and agreed to improve child safety.
New Mexico separately fined Meta $375 million and later ordered $567 million paid for teen mental health support.
Meta has faced multiple major legal penalties related to privacy and user safety in recent years.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
House prices in every Australian capital city have fallen for the first time in 15 years, according to a recent report. Prices dropped due to higher interest rates, cost-of-living pressures, changes in tax rules, and weaker buyer confidence.
Key Facts
House prices in Sydney fell 4.7% in the September quarter, reaching a two-year low of $1.66 million.
Melbourne house prices have dropped for three quarters in a row, falling 3.3% in the latest quarter to about $1.014 million.
Perth experienced the largest price drop of 4.7%, with Brisbane and Adelaide also seeing their steepest quarterly falls on record.
Both houses and units have seen falling prices, with homes taking longer to sell and more chance for buyers to negotiate.
Higher interest rates and changes in housing tax rules have reduced people’s ability and confidence to buy homes.
The market currently favors buyers, with more homes available for sale than in recent years.
Experts expect prices to keep falling until interest rates drop, which might happen in late 2027.
Morgan Stanley predicts the total drop in house prices could be as much as 15% from their highest point.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Tesla’s profits fell by 43% in the third quarter of 2026 compared to the same time in 2025. While the company made about the same amount of money overall, expenses rose sharply and revenues from solar panels, storage batteries, and regulatory credits declined.
Key Facts
Tesla earned $28 billion in revenue in Q3 2026, nearly unchanged from Q3 2025.
Automotive revenues dropped 3% to $20.6 billion compared to last year.
Revenue from solar panels and storage batteries fell 16% to $2.9 billion.
Service-related revenues, including parts and Supercharger use, increased by one-third to $4.6 billion.
Operating expenses grew by 39% to $4.8 billion, reducing the operating margin from 5.8% to 2.6%.
Net profit decreased by 43% to $787 million year over year.
Capital expenditures more than doubled to $4.7 billion, while free cash flow fell 62% to $1.5 billion.
Revenue from regulatory credits dropped from $417 million to $113 million as other automakers now produce their own electric vehicles.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A group of officials who worked in past presidential administrations sent a letter to Congress asking for changes to the rules about government permits. They believe updating these permit rules will help the economy and national security.
Key Facts
The group includes economic and national security officials from different past administrations.
They wrote a letter to Senate Majority Leader asking for permit reform.
The requested reform focuses on how government permits are approved.
Permit reform is seen as important for improving the economy.
The officials also argue permit reform can strengthen national security.
The letter represents a call for Congress to act on this issue.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Airbnb is updating its rules for guests and hosts starting November 20. Guests will no longer have to do certain cleaning tasks like stripping beds and washing dishes, and hosts cannot charge their own fines. The company wants house rules to be simpler and clearer for everyone.
Key Facts
New Airbnb rules apply to bookings made on or after November 20, 2026.
Guests are no longer required to strip beds, wash and put away dishes, or take out trash offsite.
Guests can still be asked to do simpler tasks, like putting used dishes in the sink.
Hosts cannot impose their own fines on guests anymore.
House rules will be shown more clearly on listings, guest trip pages, and reminders.
Hosts can pick from seven standard house rules and add reasonable guest requests.
Hosts can still update rules anytime, but Airbnb will flag any rule breaking the new policy.
Separate contracts are allowed only in some cases, such as when required by law or homeowners associations.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The Plaza Hotel in New York City, a historic building opened in 1907, will close in January 2027 for at least four years to restore its landmark-protected exterior. This restoration follows a major renovation completed in 2008 and is part of a larger trend of refurbishing older buildings across the U.S. for environmental and preservation reasons.
Key Facts
The Plaza Hotel opened in 1907 and has hosted many famous guests and leaders.
The hotel will close in January 2027 for at least four years to repair its façade (exterior front).
The restoration will follow historic preservation rules to keep the building’s original look.
A similar big renovation occurred in 2005, costing $450 million, changing parts of the hotel into condos.
Other historic buildings in NYC, like the Flatiron Building and Hotel Bossert, are also undergoing restorations or conversions.
Nearly half of U.S. buildings are older than 50 years, making restoration important for sustainability.
Reusing buildings can reduce carbon emissions by 50-75% compared to new construction.
There is growing interest in adapting existing buildings rather than building new ones from scratch.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
French government bond yields have risen above 5%, the highest level since 2002, after protests and violence occurred over the weekend. This shows that investors are worried about France's financial situation, including its budget and debt challenges.
Key Facts
French bond yields reached over 5%, the highest in 24 years.
The increase happened following widespread protests and violence across France.
Higher bond yields mean investors are less confident in France’s finances.
The government is facing problems with its budget and national debt.
French retailers are starting to file insurance claims due to weekend looting.
Authorities have banned protests in some cities and certain parts of Paris to prevent further unrest.
Related news includes major investments in European tech firms by Nvidia and energy issues in the UK.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Russia will send its first tanker carrying 40,000 metric tons of diesel fuel to the United States on Thursday, according to Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak. More shipments are planned for the future.
Key Facts
The shipment is the first diesel fuel delivery from Russia to the U.S.
The tanker will carry 40,000 metric tons of diesel fuel.
Alexander Novak, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister, announced the shipment.
The shipment is scheduled for Thursday.
Additional diesel shipments from Russia to the U.S. will follow.
The information was reported by Reuters, citing Russian media RIA.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Mercedes-Benz is using a strategy of updating existing car models rather than creating entirely new ones to save money and meet customer needs. The company faces challenges in China with a 29% drop in car sales but is investing in technology and engines, especially in its popular SUVs and high-performance electric models.
Key Facts
Mercedes-Benz has slowed down creating new car designs and instead updates existing models to save costs.
Sales of Mercedes cars in China dropped by 29% in early 2026 compared to the same period in 2025.
The refreshed versions of the GLE (two-row) and GLS (three-row) SUVs focus on improved engines and software instead of new body designs.
The GLE and GLS SUVs make up more than 25% of Mercedes-Benz’s new passenger vehicle sales in the U.S.
Mercedes distributed about $4.97 billion to shareholders in the last fiscal year.
Mercedes-AMG GT SUV uses advanced electric motors and a special battery designed for high performance without overheating.
The AMG GT SUV and sedan emphasize both cutting-edge technology and strong performance, aiming to stand out among luxury electric vehicles.
Mercedes is focusing on long-term planning rather than quick product launches to respond to market changes and competition.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A judge in New Mexico ordered Meta to pay $25 billion after a jury found that the company misled users about how their data was shared. The case involves the political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica, which obtained personal data from millions of Facebook users without their permission.
Key Facts
The $25 billion fine is related to Meta’s role in the Cambridge Analytica data scandal linked to the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign.
A jury found Meta made 26 misleading statements about data access, hate speech, and misinformation policies.
State law allows fines up to $5,000 per violation, with more than 43 million violations counted in this case.
The judge initially suggested a penalty over $219 billion but reduced it to $25 billion.
The money will go to New Mexico’s school system as required by state law.
Meta denied selling user data and argued that the penalties were too high and that no proof showed consumers were misled.
This is the second large financial penalty for Meta in New Mexico this year; earlier, it was ordered to pay $375 million related to teen users’ safety.
Meta has not yet commented on the latest ruling.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A judge in New Mexico ordered Meta to pay $25 billion to the state after a jury found the company lied to users about its data privacy. The case involved a data breach where personal information from about 87 million Facebook profiles was improperly collected and sold to a political consulting firm.
Key Facts
Meta was ordered to pay $25 billion to New Mexico for misleading consumers about data privacy.
The ruling came from Judge Francis Mathew.
The case involved a data breach linked to a third-party quiz that collected Facebook user data.
About 87 million Facebook profiles were affected by this breach.
The data was sold to Cambridge Analytica, a political consulting company.
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez called the verdict one of the largest against a company in U.S. history.
The judge said the company had a plan to mislead the public about data privacy issues.
Meta has not yet publicly responded to the ruling.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A judge ordered Meta to pay New Mexico $25 billion after a jury found Meta guilty of misleading users about privacy and content rules on Facebook. The case involved data misuse by Cambridge Analytica during the 2016 election, and New Mexico chose to take Meta to court separately from other states.
Key Facts
Meta must pay New Mexico $25 billion for deceiving users about privacy and content moderation.
The penalty is one of the largest state verdicts against a company in U.S. history.
The case is linked to the 2016 election data breach, where Cambridge Analytica used Facebook data for targeted political ads.
Forty-eight other states settled with Meta, but New Mexico took the company to court alone.
New Mexico’s Attorney General said the money will help fund state education under state law.
Meta plans to appeal the verdict and the amount awarded.
Meta’s lawyers argued the company should pay no more than $3.4 billion and questioned the claim of harm.
Jurors found Meta liable for over 43 million violations of consumer protection laws in New Mexico.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
This article gives a warning to people who have credit card debt. It explains that managing credit card debt carefully is important and offers advice on how to avoid problems.
Key Facts
The article focuses on credit card debt and its impact.
It warns that credit card debt can cause financial trouble if not managed well.
Advice is provided to help people avoid debt-related issues.
The article is related to personal money management.
It is published under the "Business" section.
The content includes updates on money and credit cards.
It is connected to topics like personal debt and finances.
The article encourages paying attention to credit card use and debt repayment.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has asked government ministers to create a plan to remove fixed daily fees, known as standing charges, from gas bills. These charges apply regardless of how much gas a household uses and vary by region. The goal is to reduce energy costs, especially for people on low incomes, while exploring how the costs could be moved elsewhere on bills.
Key Facts
Standing charges are daily fixed fees on gas bills that cover connection and infrastructure costs, paid even if no gas is used.
Burnham asked Chancellor John Healey and Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh to report back on removing these charges.
Energy UK said any impact on bills depends on where the costs are moved if standing charges are removed.
Research group Nesta suggests moving standing charges to the unit rate, meaning people pay more when they use more gas.
Low gas users might benefit, but heavy users could pay more under such a system.
Ofgem, the energy regulator, has been consulting on standing charges and is running pilot schemes but has not made final changes.
Average standing charges are about 30p per day for gas and 55p per day for electricity.
Removing gas standing charges is seen as a way to help low-income households with rising energy bills, while the government also plans to invest in renewables to lower long-term costs.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The UK government has approved the Jackdaw gas field project, which is expected to provide heating for millions of homes. The project aims to support energy supply and help fund the shift to cleaner energy sources.
Key Facts
The Jackdaw gas field has received approval from the UK government.
It will supply gas for heating millions of homes in the UK.
The project is located in the North Sea oil and gas region.
It is intended to enhance energy security and supply in the UK.
Revenue generated will help support the transition to clean energy.
The project involves the oil and gas industry and impacts the UK energy market.
The UK government sees it as part of balancing energy needs with climate goals.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Researchers studied coffee drinking habits in the U.S. from 2003 to 2018 and found that while the amount of coffee people drank stayed about the same, the calories in their coffee increased. This increase is mostly due to more people adding non-dairy creamer to their coffee, which has more calories than sugar or dairy milk.
Key Facts
About 66% of American adults drink coffee every day, averaging three cups each.
The average coffee intake stayed steady at around 13 ounces daily from 2003 to 2018.
Calories from coffee rose from 43 kcal per day in 2003 to 60 kcal per day in 2018.
Non-dairy creamer use increased from 3.65 grams to 10.5 grams per day during this time.
By 2018, non-dairy creamer added about 18.5 calories per day to coffee, more than sugar (16 calories) and dairy milk (11 calories).
Non-dairy creamers can be high in saturated fat, which is a calorie-dense fat.
The rise in non-dairy creamer use is linked to more people choosing plant-based or dairy alternatives.
The amount of dairy milk, sugar, and black coffee consumption stayed mostly the same.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
