Business Insider

Canadian Premier David Eby advised Ottawa to respond to US trade tensions by targeting assets beyond tariffs, citing the US-Canada trade war. He specifically suggested that Canada reconsider its planned purchase of American F-35 fighter jets and impose additional export taxes on American thermal coal shipped through British Columbia.

Amid escalating trade tensions, Donald Trump publicly threatened to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America on social media. Canadian leaders responded by dismissing the threat, asserting that regardless of what he decides, the body of water will always be called Lake Ontario in Canada. These remarks follow recent tariff exchanges between the two neighboring countries.

Taiwan conducts an annual military exercise called Han Kuang, simulating a Chinese invasion, which local media estimates draws over 100 US advisors. The presence of these US trainers is described as an open secret in Taiwan, despite overt ties remaining politically sensitive. Officials confirm that US-Taiwanese military collaboration is far closer than assumed, making the support difficult to keep completely hidden.

A reader asked for advice after loaning $2,500 to a friend who has been avoiding conversations about repayment for months. The columnist advised that lending money to friends is not always advisable and suggested treating such loans as gifts instead. The article stressed setting clear boundaries in relationships.

Trade tensions persist between the US and Canada, marked by ongoing threats of increased tariffs. Trump threatened to double the tariff on Canadian automobiles and parts to 50% starting in January 2027. These escalating levies impact the economies and raise concerns about inflationary pressure, which could complicate decisions regarding rate cuts from the Fed.

The article reports on a test comparing the 3-hour delivery services offered by Home Depot, Target, and Walmart. The author ordered paper towels from all three stores and found that Home Depot delivered the items in less than 30 minutes.

Many workers spend Sundays getting ahead for the week, a practice that some feel is necessary to prepare for Monday. Executive coach Shane Arthur warns against this habit, advising clients instead to carve out planning time during the week or review previous work on Friday afternoon. This advice counters trends like hustle culture and promotes protecting dedicated downtime.

The article advises that being assertive by confidently sharing one's opinion in meetings can signal passion and engagement, traits leaders notice. Evidence supporting this comes from a study cited by MIT researcher Jackson Lu, which found that employees who received debate training were 12% more likely to be promoted into leadership roles.

Target apologized after pulling an "offensive" kids' Halloween costume following backlash on social media. Critics likened the product to racist depictions and Jim Crow-era caricatures, leading Target to apologize for the deeply hurtful item. This controversy is part of a pattern of retailers facing criticism over problematic costumes.

Vice President JD Vance backed a proposed $103,265 fee for employers filing cap-subject H-1B petitions, stating that American companies should "hire and train Americans." The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposed the fee, projecting about $8.8 billion in annual revenue to support various federal immigration agencies. This fee would apply broadly to petitioners but not to cap-exempt H-1B petitions.

Goldman Sachs' chief information officer, Marco Argenti, noted that engineers now face the challenge of transferring 'tribal knowledge' into AI tools to make them Goldman-specific. With over 12,000 developers using agentic technology like Claude and Devin, the firm is creating specialized instructions called 'skills' to systematize unwritten corporate rules and standards. This constant process of improvement aims to help AI agents perform better by mimicking the knowledge of experienced employees.

Authorities in Bali are tightening rules amid a growing debate regarding how foreigners conduct themselves on the island. Recent flashpoints include running clubs like Entourage Bali, which led to immigration authorities barring two Dutch nationals from re-entering Indonesia. Despite these crackdowns and local tensions, Bali maintains its reputation as a major global destination for digital nomads.

Anthropic mandated that its San Francisco staff work remotely because of a potential strike by security workers who receive services from Allied Universal. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which represents these workers, stated it is engaged in contract negotiations with Allied and other California security firms but has not issued any strike threats.

Srikar Srinivasan founded his first company, Comzys, at age 14 with an automatic pet paw washer and sold it for a six-figure sum. Now, while attending Babson College, he is building Arcangel, an AI platform for intellectual property. He advises new entrepreneurs to identify personal problems for business ideas, talk to 100 potential customers before development, and not be afraid of pivoting.

A website called "Have I Been Flocked?" was launched by Cris van Pelt to increase transparency regarding license plate reader technology used by Flock Safety. The site allows users to check if a specific vehicle's license plate has been part of an audit log search conducted by a Flock customer. This grassroots effort is situated within a larger debate about police surveillance and the prevalence of such monitoring systems.

Former Lyft drivers are now working at a new Lyft Flexdrive depot in Nashville to service Waymo robotaxis. The job involves cleaning, charging, and visually inspecting vehicles, relying on human judgment for determining road readiness. This transition highlights how the autonomous vehicle industry may shift jobs by eliminating some roles while creating new work around maintaining AI-powered machines.

Sandra Bullock spoke about grieving her partner, Bryan Randall, long before his death in August 2023. She revealed that he had been diagnosed with ALS three years earlier, a diagnosis which the family kept private until after his passing. Speaking on the "Smartless" podcast, she reflected on starting the process of grief early due to the challenges of caregiving.

Mark Carney highlighted that icebreakers are one of many things the United States needs from Canada. While trade tensions led to new tariffs between the two countries, Canada announced an $8.2 billion contract for Chantier Davie to build six new icebreakers for the Canadian Coast Guard. These cooperative efforts occur as both nations race to expand their polar fleets in response to changing conditions in the Arctic.

China's insular internet economy appears to be opening up, with signs like WeChat Pay integrating PayPal and content site Bilibili launching an international app. Previously restricted for foreign users, this development allows US PayPal users to make in-store QR payments at Weixin Pay merchants across China without needing a Chinese bank account. These changes signal that major local companies are making it easier for outsiders to engage with the Chinese digital economy.

US robotics leaders have voiced significant concerns that China possesses a critical manufacturing advantage for essential hardware components used in robotics. Experts note that while American companies lead in developing robotic software or 'brains,' they are heavily reliant on China for physical parts such as motors and sensors due to cost efficiency and capacity. Policymakers view this dependence as a major bottleneck that threatens America's ability to compete globally in the emerging industry.