Author: admin

Snapchat is making its new “Imagine Lens,” the company’s first open prompt image-generation AI Lens, available to all users for free. The Lens was initially launched in September but only for paid subscribers. With the Lens, users can edit their own Snaps using custom prompts or generate their own. For instance, you could prompt the app “turn me into an alien” after snapping a selfie, or request an image of a “grumpy cat.” The company suggests you could use the Lens to try on Halloween costume ideas, or reimagine your friend in a new look, among other things. The results…

WASHINGTON (AP) — The University of Virginia has agreed to abide by White House guidance forbidding discrimination in admissions and hiring, becoming the latest in a growing list of campuses striking deals with the Trump administration as it tries to pause months of scrutiny brought by the U.S. Justice Department.The agreement was announced by the Justice Department, which began reviewing the admissions and financial aid processes at the Charlottesville campus in April. Officials accused its president of failing to end diversity, equity and inclusion practices President Donald Trump has called unlawful.The mounting pressure prompted James Ryan to announce his resignation…

Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty ImagesWestern Alliance, one of the regional banks at the center of concerns over loans made to non-bank financial players, said Wednesday it believes the loan that sparked last week’s selloff is an isolated case.The bank reported third-quarter earnings Tuesday afternoon and noted it had set aside $30 million in reserves for possible losses on a $98 million loan made to the Cantor Group. Last week, Western Alliance disclosed that it had sued the borrowers behind the Cantor Group for alleged fraud related to the collateral for the loans.”While incredibly frustrating, we believe this is…

by Lacey Pfalz Last updated: 2:15 PM ET, Tue October 21, 2025 Cruise booking trends are exceeding expectations this year, according to new data on the current state of the cruise industry from Cleveland Research Company. The company’s latest analysis of bookings over the past 45 days shows that 46 percent of advisors and cruise line operators are seeing stronger than expected bookings, similar to what the data suggested in September and showcasing a strong end-of-year season ahead of the New Year’s busy Wave Season.  Despite what Cleveland Research calls an “underwhelming” travel backdrop, tempered somewhat by geopolitical issues and the…

General Motors is abandoning its BrightDrop electric delivery vans, just four years after introducing the vehicles. The company announced Tuesday alongside third-quarter earnings that it made the decision because the “commercial electric delivery van market developed much slower than expected.” GM also blames the “changing regulatory environment and the elimination of tax credits in the United States” — the result of the second Trump administration’s hostility toward EVs. BrightDrop production has been suspended at GM’s CAMI Assembly facility in Ontario, Canada, since May, when the company also cut 500 jobs. GM said Tuesday that it needs to have “meaningful discussions”…

Aurora Expeditions has partnered with CounterCurrent, an Australian climate technology company, to incorporate its Artificial Intelligence navigation system onboard its newest ship, Douglas Mawson.Aurora, a Certified B Corporation that meets high standards of environmental performance, said it is the first cruise line to integrate AI-powered navigation technology via CounterCurrent. “Launching in December 2025, the Douglas Mawson will host a CounterCurrent sensor throughout the 2025–26 Antarctic season, capturing real-time wind, wave and ocean-current data from some of the most remote waters on Earth,” Aurora said.“The data will feed into global climate and weather models, improving forecasting accuracy worldwide while supporting safer,…

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei published a statement Tuesday to “set the record straight” on the company’s alignment with the Trump administration’s AI policy, responding to what he called “a recent uptick in inaccurate claims about Anthropic’s policy stances.”  “Anthropic is built on a simple principle: AI should be a force for human progress, not peril,” Amodei wrote. “That means making products that are genuinely useful, speaking honestly about risks and benefits, and working with anyone serious about getting this right.”  Amodei’s response comes after last week’s dogpiling on Anthropic from AI leaders and top members of the Trump administration, including AI czar David…

To kick-start Hispanic Heritage Month, students at Brashear High School festooned the building’s south wing corridors with bright murals, forming a tapestry of color that reflects the school’s diversity. A pillar is painted with flags from countries around the world alongside a painting of a man holding a letter that says, “We the people of all nations.”Flags of various countries are also hung throughout the hallway with information about languages, currency and landmarks. Another wall highlights stories of students who immigrated to Pittsburgh from Venezuela, Uzbekistan, Colombia, Honduras and other countries, charting their journeys to the U.S. This part of…

A Walmart store is shown in Oceanside, California, on May 15, 2025.Mike Blake | ReutersWalmart is pausing the hiring of job candidates who need H-1B visas to work in the U.S., according to a person familiar with the decision, an example of the ways the Trump administration’s immigration policies are shaping corporate strategy.Walmart’s decision comes after President Donald Trump in September announced higher fees for the visas, which allow companies to temporarily hire skilled workers from other countries such as China and India. The Trump administration said it would now require companies to pay a $100,000 fee for each new…

Last updated: 4:30 PM ET, Tue October 21, 2025 The holidays are inevitably a costly time of year, so if you’re looking for ways to reign in your budget (where possible), keep reading.A new report from Dollar Flight Club says holiday airfare is the lowest it has been since 2022. In fact, the cost for some routes during the Thanksgiving and Christmas/New Year travel windows has plummeted as much as 40 percent in some places, according to Dollar Flight Club’s holiday travel report. This revelation is based on an analysis of 250 high-volume holiday routes spanning more than 80 airports…