Its common knowledge that garlic makes everything betterbut if youre cooking with a garlic press you bought from Ikea, its time to check the model and potentially look into a refund. The company just issued a voluntary recall on thousands of garlic presses due to a laceration or ingestion hazard.
The recall, published on July 31 by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) includes about 43,830 Ikea garlic presses sold in the U.S. and another 10,700 sold in Canada. Heres what to know about the affected products:
Which garlic press is being recalled?
The product in question is the Ikea 365+ VÄRDEFULL garlic press, used to crush garlic cloves.
The garlic press has a black rubber handle and zinc-coated garlic chamber, and affected models were sold for $8 at Ikea stores nationwide and online at IKEA.com from March 2024 through May 2025. According to the CPSC, only models with the Ikea logowhich can be found at the upper part of the handleare subject to the recall.
Whats happened?
Per an Ikea press release, the garlic presses are being recalled Due to a production error, identified after an internal investigation, indicating a risk of small metal pieces detaching during use and subsequently being ingested with food.
Have any incidents been reported so far?
Unfortunately, yes. The CPSC report notes that Ikea has received a total of 10 incident reports globally, including three reports of lacerations and finger splinters. No incidents or injuries have been reported in the U.S. thus far.
What should I do if I own a recalled garlic press?
If you own the Ikea 365+ VÄRDEFULL, stop using it immediately. The product can be returned to any Ikea location for a full refund, even without proof of purchase.
Additionally, IKEA encourages customers to spread the word about this recall, especially if they know that the recalled product was offered, lent or sold to someone else, Ikeas report reads.
For more information, customers are directed to visit IKEA.ca/ProductRecalls or call the company at 1-800-661-9807.
The clock is ticking on tax credits for electric vehiclesand that’s pushing a lot of people who were debating whether or not to get one off of the fence.
Sales are surging at dealerships for EVs, and likely will remain high for the next month and a half. That’s because on September 30, the $7,500 tax credit for new EV purchases (and $4,000 for a used one) will disappear, a move that will add challenges to an industry that already has plenty.
Wait times for a new Tesla are currently hovering between four and six weeks, but over the weekend, the Tesla site was reportedly showing waits of four to six months. (It’s unclear if that was a mistake or glitch on Tesla’s part. Tesla did not reply to Fast Company‘s request for comment on the matter.)
Ford and General Motors, which also make EVs, have not reported extended wait times, but customer interest is growing.
Analysts say that’s to be expected, but once September comes to an end, the party may well be over for EV companies.
The July 4 signing of the Trump budget bill marked the death knell for EV incentives (and also spurred a feud between the White House and Elon Musk). That puts the EV industry at something of a crossroads.
Last month, consumers purchased 130,100 new EVs, the second-highest total on record, according to Cox Automotive. That was a 26.4% jump from June, and roughly 20% higher than last July. Used EV sales came in at 36,700, which was a record high.
Tesla is emphasizing the expiration of the tax credits on its site to encourage potential buyers to commit to a sale. The company has also increased lease rates of the Model Y by as much as 14% and done away with a free upgrade incentive for the Models Y and 3.
But the sales numbers won’t remain that high, experts say.
“Volatility is anticipated, as EV share mix from July-September is expected to advance, followed by much lower take rates in the fourth quarter of 2025,” S&P wrote in a blog post.
A June report from AAA showed flagging consumer interest in EVs. Only 19% of the people surveyed by the organization said they were likely or very likely to purchase one as their next car. The number who were adamantly against buying an EV was up, with 63% saying they were unlikely or very unlikely to buy an EV. Thats the highest number since 2022.
Tesla, meanwhile, reported a 16% drop in vehicle sales in its second quarter earnings. (The company’s stock is down 10% year to date.)
What to know if you’re thinking about buying an EV
If you’re one of the people who was considering an EV purchase, experts say you should figure out which car you want soonand not hesitate on the purchase. Those who do could find themselves at the mercy of the dealers.
“Electric vehicle demand and sales will absolutely spike between now and September 30,” says iSeeCars executive analyst Karl Brauer. “I expect the typical last-minute rush between September 20 and 30, and I expect those buyers will be left with the dregs of the EV market. Dealers will be happy to leverage their advantage if they still have a desirable EV on the lot on September 29 and 30.”
An alternate scenario could see a stand-off between dealers and consumers in the coming weeks. Dealers, who know sales are about to plummet in October, could be willing to come down much further on pricing as September 30 approaches if they still have a surplus of inventory.
(To receive the tax credit, consumers must not only purchase their vehicle before the September 30 deadline, but must also take delivery by that date.)
The good news for potential buyers is that in July, at least, EV prices are still coming down. Kelley Blue Book says the average new EV cost $55,689, down by 2.2% from the June average and 4.2% lower than the year prior. Tesla saw the biggest price drops.
“The urgency created by the administrations decision to sunset government-backed, IRA-era EV incentives was expected to create serious demand for EVs in the short term,” said Stephanie Valdez Streaty, senior analyst, Cox Automotive. “If last month is any measure: Mission Accomplished. . . . At this pace, Q3 will be the best ever and then some, as buyers jump in before the big incentives dry up.”
A feel good herbal supplement is facing backlash online after a number of social media users shared their stories of addiction and terrifying health effects.
Feel Free drinks are sold at many gas stations and retailers across the United States. That is where influencer Misha Brown first heard of the product. On July 25, he posted a now-viral video recounting how a teenage boy tried stealing his wallet outside a gas station after he refused to purchase a Feel Free tonic for the boy.
After Brown informed the cashier about what had just transpired, she pointed to some bottles of Feel Free and told him that people were coming in multiple times a day to purchase the product. Its so addictive and people lose their minds, Brown recalled the attendant telling him.
His video now has over 23 million views and has sparked a wave of media attention. Social media users and experts alike are warning people about the addictive effects of products containing kratom, NBC News reported.
Launched in 2020, the drink is advertised online as for whenever you want a mood lift, a caffeine-free energy boost, or a little extra focus.
Notably, the ingredients in Feel Frees Classic tonic include kratom, a plant native to Southeast Asia thats known for its stimulant and opioid-like effects.
Concerns around the ingredient and its effects are not new. Scott Gottlieb, then commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), said in 2018 that evidence pointed to the presence of opioid compounds in kratom, that it acts in the brain the same way as opioids do, and that it comes with “potential for abuse. It is currently banned in five states, according to a report from the Congressional Research Service.
On Reddit, a group dedicated to quitting Feel Free currently has more than 5,000 followers. Users have shared experiences that include skin infections, seizures, and stints in rehab. These drinks are insane and not only leave you financially ruined but also physically and mentally, one user wrote in a recent post.
Botanic Tonics, the company behind Feel Free, agreed to pay $8.75 million to settle a 2023 class action lawsuit that claimed it failed to warn consumers about the dangers of kratom.
Without admitting wrongdoing, the company has since updated its labels to warn that the drink may, in fact, be habit-forming. People with a history of substance abuse are advised to avoid using it.
Fast Company has contacted Botanic Tonics for comment.
In July, the FDA announced that it is recommending scheduling action to control products containing 7-OH, a byproduct of the kratom plant. This recommendation does not apply to natural kratom leaf products.
Following the announcement, Feel Free wrote that its Feel Free Classic tonic contains only natural leaf kratom, meaning the FDAs proposed action would not affect the drink. 7-OH products bear absolutely no resemblance to the natural leaf kratom products that are used by more than 23 million Americans, the company states.
Pumpkin spice lovers rejoice! While we’re still battling the summer heat, Krispy Kreme just brought back the iconic fall flavor in its doughnuts and drinks. But you’ll need to act fast.
In a recent announcement, the doughnut giant said its Pumpkin Spice Original Glazed doughnut will be available August 11 through August 17. So, those who want to get their hands on the fall favorite will have one week to snag one.
Krispy Kreme has also brought back its Pumpkin Spice Latte, Pumpkin Spice Coffee (hot or cold), and Pumpkin Spice Cake doughnut. Beginning August 11, all three will be available throughout the entire fall.
“Pumpkin spice fans are counting down the days to their favorite season, and were happy to kick it off by bringing back our Pumpkin Spice Original Glazed doughnutearlier and for a longer period,” said Alison Holder, Krispy Kreme’s chief brand and product officer. “But it wont be around long. Let pumpkin spice season begin!”
Krispy Kreme is not the only fast-food restaurant getting an early jump on pumpkin spice items. Starbucks already announced that its PSL (Pumpkin Spice Latte) will return earlier than usual this year, too. While it usually doesn’t hit the menu until September, this year the drink will be on sale August 26. Starbucks said in the announcement that the flavor is already available in stores in the form of coffees and creamers.Dunkin’ is about to drop its fall menu as well, according to Markie Devo, a popular food blogger who’s known for having the inside scoop on food releases. The drop is said to be scheduled for August 20 (Dunkin’ hasn’t confirmed or denied the menu or launch date) and, according to Devo, will include Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts, doughnut holes, and the Pumpkin Spice Signature Latte, made with “pumpkin swirl, vanilla shot, milk, espresso, whipped cream, caramel drizzle, and cinnamon sugar.”
Love it or hate it, the return of pumpkin spice offerings is always highly anticipated. And in recent years, the popularity of the flavor has meant its return has come earlier and earlier. The pumpkin pie spice market is projected to reach $1.1 billion this year, and $2.2 billion by 2032, according to Coherent Market Insights.
While some people might feel that summer is a tad too early to enjoy pumpkin flavorsand others say climate change has destroyed pumpkin spice season altogethertheir arrival on menus does serve as a reminder that colder weather is on its way. But for some die-hard Pumpkin Spicers, the doughnuts and drinks bring back the feeling that autumn has already arrived, no matter what the calendar says.
Paramount will become the new home to Ultimate Fighting Championship events across the U.S. next year, through a seven-year agreement announced with TKO Group on Monday.
The news comes just days after Skydance and Paramount officially closed their $8 billion merger kicking off the reign of a new entertainment giant after a contentious endeavor to get the transaction over the finish line.
Under the deal with UFC, Paramount will exclusively distribute UFCs full lineup of its 13 marquee numbered events and 30 Fight Nights on its streaming platform Paramount+ with select numbered events also set to simulcast on CBS starting in 2026.
It’s a shift away from the UFCs existing pay-per-view model, which Paramount and TKO say will allow the mixed martial arts programming to reach more consumers nationwide.
Paramounts advantage lies in the expansive reach of our linear and streaming platforms,” David Ellison, chairman and CEO of Paramount, said in a statement. Live sports continue to be a cornerstone of our broader strategy driving engagement, subscriber growth, and long-term loyalty, and the addition of UFCs year-round must-watch events to our platforms is a major win.”
Mark Shapiro, president and COO of TKO, added that the deal will mean deeper engagement for UFCs passionate fan base and that its athletes “will love this new stage.
UFC events currently air on ESPN which has offered tiered pricing for fans to view content across the sports network’s TV offerings and streaming platform ESPN+ since 2019. UFC’s partnership with Disney-owned ESPN runs through the end of 2025.
The seven-year deal between Paramount and TKO has an average annual value of $1.1 billion, the companies said Monday marking a notable jump from the roughly $550 million that ESPN reportedly pays each year for UFC coverage today. But UFC’s new home on Paramount will simplify offerings for fans with all content set to be available on Paramount+ (which currently costs between $7.99 and $12.99 a month), rather than various pay-per-view fees.
Paramount also said it intends to explore UFC rights outside the U.S. as they become available in the future.
While now a done deal, the path towards approval for the Paramount and Skydance merger was far from smooth sailing. Months of scrutiny and turmoil surrounded the transaction particularly amid President Donald Trumps legal battle with 60 Minutes, the crown jewel of Paramount-owned broadcast network CBS. With the specter of the Trump administration potentially blocking the hard-fought deal with Skydance, Paramount agreed to pay a $16 million settlement to the president in early July. The deal later received regulatory approval from the Trump administration.
Trump has long been friends with UFC CEO Dana White and routinely attends UFC events. Last month Trump said that hes thinking of staging a UFC match on the White House grounds with upwards of 20,000 spectators to celebrate 250 years of American independence.
Trump announced his plan in Iowa during the kickoff for a years worth of festivities to celebrate Americas 250th birthday on July 4, 2026.
White said in a post on social media platform X that the deal with Paramount will make it more affordable and accessible for U.S. consumers to watch UFC events.
This deal puts UFC amongst the biggest sports in the world, he wrote. The exposure provided by the Paramount and CBS networks under this new structure is a huge win for our athletes and anyone who watches and loves this sport.
Aside from the UFC, TKO also houses the WWE and has been actively working out deals for the sports entertainment company. Last week Disney announced an agreement with WWE that will see its premium live events, like WrestleMania , streamed by ESPN.
Disney subsidiary ESPN struck a rights agreement with TKO Groups WWE to become the exclusive U.S. domestic streamer of the sports entertainment companys premium live events starting next year. Aside from gaining access to WrestleMania, ESPN will also air marquee events such as the Royal Rumble, SummerSlam and Survivor Series.
The wrestling events will be available on ESPNs new streaming service, which is set to launch next month, with select ESPN cable channels also airing them.
Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but The Wall Street Journal said that its a five-year deal worth more than $1.6 billion.
Shares of TKO jumped over 7% in midday trading on Monday.
Wyatte Grantham-Philips and Michelle Chapman, AP business writers
An explosion at a U.S. Steel plant near Pittsburgh left dozens injured or trapped under the rubble Monday, with emergency workers on site trying to rescue them, officials said.
There are no confirmed fatalities at the Clairton Coke Works, said Abigail Gardner, director of communications for Allegheny County. The explosion sent black smoke spiralling into the midday sky in the Monongahela Valley, a region synonymous with the state for more than a century.
It felt like thunder, Zachary Buday, a construction worker near the scene, told WTAE-TV. Shook the scaffold, shook my chest, and shook the building, and then when we saw the dark smoke coming up from the steel mill and put two and two together, and it’s like something bad happened.
Allegheny County Emergency Services said a fire at the plant started around 10:51 a.m. and that it has transported five people. The agency did not provide any more details on those people transported.
An Allegheny County emergency services spokesperson, Kasey Reigner, said dozens were injured and the county was sending 15 ambulances, on top of the ambulances supplied by local emergency response agencies.
Air quality concerns and health warnings
The plant, a massive industrial facility along the Monongahela River south of Pittsburgh, is considered the largest coking operation in North America and is one of four major U.S. Steel plants in Pennsylvania that employ several thousand workers.
Democratic Sen. John Fetterman, who formerly served as the mayor of nearby Braddock, called the explosion absolutely tragic and vowed to support steelworkers in the aftermath.
I grieve for these families, Fetterman said. I stand with the steelworkers.
The Allegheny County Health Department said it is monitoring the explosion and advised residents within 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) of the plant to remain indoors, close all windows and doors, set air conditioning systems to recirculate, and avoid drawing in outside air, such as using exhaust fans. It said its monitors have not detected levels of soot or sulfur dioxide above federal standards.
The plant converts coal to coke, a key component in the steel-making process. According to the company, it produces 4.3 million tons (3.9 million metric tons) of coke annually and has approximately 1,400 workers.
The plant has a long history of pollution concerns
In recent years, the Clairton plant has been dogged by concerns about pollution. In 2019, it agreed to settle a 2017 lawsuit for $8.5 million. Under the settlement, the company agreed to spend $6.5 million to reduce soot emissions and noxious odors from the Clairton coke-making facility.
The company also faced other lawsuits over pollution from the Clairton facility, including ones accusing the company of violating clean air laws after a 2018 fire damaged the facilitys sulfur pollution controls.
In 2018, a Christmas Eve fire at the Clairton coke works plant caused $40 million in damage.
The fire damaged pollution control equipment and led to repeated releases of sulfur dioxide, according to a lawsuit. Sulfur dioxide is a colorless, pungent byproduct of fossil fuel combustion that can make it hard to breathe. In the wake of the fire, Allegheny County warned residents to limit outdoor activities, with residents saying for weeks afterward that the air felt acidic, smelled like rotten eggs and was hard to breathe.
In February, a problem with a battery at the plant led to a buildup of combustible material that ignited, causing an audible boom, the Allegheny County Health Department said. Two workers who got material in their eyes received first aid treatment at a local hospital but were not seriously injured.
Last year, the company agreed to spend $19.5 million in equipment upgrades and $5 million on local clean air efforts and programs as part of settling a federal lawsuit filed by Clean Air Council and PennEnvironment and the Allegheny County Health Department.
The fire at the Clairton plant knocked out pollution controls at its Mon Valley plants, but U.S. Steel continued to run them anyway, environmental groups said.
The lawsuits accused the steel producer of more than 12,000 violations of its air pollution permits.
Environmental group calls for an investigation
David Masur, executive director of PennEnvironment, another environmental group that has sued U.S. Steel over pollution, said there needed to be a full, independent investigation into the causes of this latest catastrophe and a re-evaluation as to whether the Clairton plant is fit to keep operating.
In June, U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel announced they had finalized a historic partnership, a deal that gives the U.S. government a say in some matters and comes a year and a half after the Japanese company first proposed its nearly $15 billion buyout of the iconic American steelmaker.
The pursuit by Nippon Steel for the Pittsburgh-based company was buffeted by national security concerns and presidential politics in a premier battleground state, dragging out the transaction for more than a year after U.S. Steel shareholders approved it.
Clairton Mayor Richard Lattanzi said his heart goes out to the victims of Monday explosion.
The mill is such a big part of Clairton, he said. Its just a sad day for Clairton.
Marc Levy, Michael Casey, and Patrick Whittle, Associated Press
Associated Press reporters Holly Ramer and Beatrice Dupuy contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump said Monday that hes deploying the National Guard across Washington and taking over the citys police department in the hopes of reducing crime, even as the citys mayor has noted that crime is falling in the nations capital.
The Republican president, who said he was formally declaring a public safety emergency, compared crime in the American capital with that in other major cities, saying Washington performs poorly on safety relative to the capitals of Iraq, Brazil and Colombia, among others.
Trump also said at his news briefing that his administration has started removing homeless encampments from all over our parks, our beautiful, beautiful parks.
We’re getting rid of the slums, too, Trump said, adding that the U.S. would not lose its cities and that Washington was just a start.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi will be taking over responsibility for Washington’s metro police department, he said, while also complaining about potholes and graffiti in the city and calling them embarrassing.
For Trump, the effort to take over public safety in Washington reflects a next step in his law enforcement agenda after his aggressive push to stop illegal border crossings. But the move involves at least 500 federal law enforcement officials as well as the National Guard, raising fundamental questions about how an increasingly emboldened federal government will interact with its state and local counterparts.
Combating crime
The president has used his social media and White House megaphones to message that his administration is tough on crime, yet his ability to shape policy might be limited outside of Washington, which has a unique status as a congressionally established federal district. Nor is it clear how his push would address the root causes of homelessness and crime.
Trump said he is invoking Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to deploy members of the National Guard.
About 500 federal law enforcement officers are being tasked with deploying throughout the nations capital as part of the Trump administrations effort to combat crime, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Monday.
More than 100 FBI agents and about 40 agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are among federal law enforcement personnel being assigned to patrols in Washington, the person briefed on the plans said. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Marshals Service are also contributing officers.
The person was not authorized to publicly discuss personnel matters and spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity. The Justice Department didnt immediately have a comment Monday morning.
The National Guard
Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, questioned the effectiveness of using the Guard to enforce city laws and said the federal government could be far more helpful by funding more prosecutors or filling the 15 vacancies on the D.C. Superior Court, some of which have been open for years.
Bowser cannot activate the National Guard herself, but she can submit a request to the Pentagon.
I just think thats not the most efficient use of our Guard, she said Sunday on MSNBC’s The Weekend, acknowledging it is “the presidents call about how to deploy the Guard.
Bowser was making her first public comments since Trump started posting about crime in Washington last week. She noted that violent crime in Washington has decreased since a rise in 2023. Trump’s weekend posts depicted the district as one of the most dangerous cities anywhere in the World.”
For Bowser, Any comparison to a war-torn country is hyperbolic and false.
Focusing on homelessness
Trump in a Sunday social media post had emphasized the removal of Washingtons homeless population, though it was unclear where the thousands of people would go.
The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY, Trump wrote Sunday. We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital. The Criminals, you dont have to move out. Were going to put you in jail where you belong.
Last week, the Republican president directed federal law enforcement agencies to increase their presence in Washington for seven days, with the option to extend as needed.
On Friday night, federal agencies including the Secret Service, the FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service assigned more than 120 officers and agents to assist in Washington.
Trump said last week that he was considering ways for the federal government to seize control of Washington, asserting that crime was ridiculous and the city was unsafe, after the recent assault of a high-profile member of the Department of Government Efficiency.
Crime statistics
Police statistics show homicides, robberies and burglaries are down this year when compared with this time in 2024. Overall, violent crime is down 26% compared with this time a year ago.
Trump offered no details in Truth Social posts over the weekend about possible new actions to address crime levels he argues are dangerous for citizens, tourists and workers alike. The White House declined to offer additional details about Monday’s announcement.
The police department and the mayors office did not respond to questions about what Trump might do next.
The president criticized the district as full of tents, squalor, filth, and Crime, and he seems to have been set off by the attack on Edward Coristine, among the most visible figures of the bureaucracy-cutting effort known as DOGE. Police arrested two 15-year-olds in the attempted carjacking and said they were looking for others.
This has to be the best run place in the country, not the worst run place in the country, Trump said Wednesday.
He called Bowser a good person who has tried, but she has been given many chances.
Trump has repeatedly suggested that the rule of Washington could be returned to federal authorities. Doing so would require a repeal of the Home Rule Act of 1973 in Congress, a step Trump said lawyers are examining. It could face steep pushback.
Bowser acknowledged that the law allows the president to take more control over the city’s police, but only if certain conditions are met.
None of those conditions exist in our city right now,” she sai. We are not experiencing a spike in crime. In fact, were watching our crime numbers go down.
David Klepper, Associated Press
Associated Press writers Ashraf Khalil, Alanna Durkin Richer, and Michelle L. Price contributed to this report.
Commercial fishing that recently resumed in a vast protected area of the Pacific Ocean must halt once again, after a judge in Hawaii sided this week with environmentalists challenging a Trump administration rollback of federal ocean protections.
The remote Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument is home to turtles, marine mammals and seabirds, which environmental groups say will get snagged by longline fishing, an industrial method involving baited hooks from lines 60 miles (about 100 kilometers) or longer.
President Donald Trump’s executive order to allow this and other types of commercial fishing in part of the monument changed regulations without providing a process for public comment and rulemaking and stripped core protections from the monument, the groups argued in a lawsuit.
U.S. District Judge Micah W. J. Smith granted a motion by the environmentalists on Friday. The ruling means boats catching fish for sale will need to immediately cease fishing in waters between 50 and 200 nautical miles (93 kilometers to 370 kilometers) around Johnston Atoll, Jarvis Island and Wake Island, said Earthjustice, an environmental law organization representing the plaintiffs.
U.S. Justice Department attorneys representing the government did not immediately return an email message seeking comment on Saturday.
Trump has said the U.S. should be the worlds dominant seafood leader, and on the same day of his April executive order, he issued another one seeking to boost commercial fishing by peeling back regulations and opening up harvesting in previously protected areas.
President George W. Bush created the marine monument in 2009. It consists of about 500,000 square miles (1.3 million square kilometers) in the remote central Pacific Ocean southwest of Hawaii. President Barack Obama expanded it in 2014.
Soon after Trump’s executive order, the National Marine Fisheries Service sent a letter to fishing permit holders giving them the green light to fish commercially in the monument’s boundaries, Earthjustice’s lawsuit says. Fishing resumed within days, the group said.
Government attorneys say the fisheries services letter merely notified commercial fishers of a change that had already taken place through Trumps authority to remove the prohibition on commercial fishing in certain areas.
Earthjustice challenged that letter, and by granting the motion in their favor, the federal judge found the government had chosen not to defend its letter on the merits and forfeited that argument. Smith also ruled against the government’s other defenses, that the plaintiffs lacked standing to challenge the letter and that the court lacked jurisdiction over the matter.
David Henkin, an Earthjustice attorney, said Smith’s ruling requires the government to go through a process to determine what kind of fishing, and under what conditions, can happen in monument waters in a way that wouldn’t destroy the area.
Members of Hawaiis longline fishing industry say they have made numerous gear adjustments and changes over the years, such as circle hooks, to avoid that.
The lawsuit says allowing commercial fishing in the monument expansion would also harm the cultural, spiritual, religious, subsistence, educational, recreational, and aesthetic interests of a group of Native Hawaiian plaintiffs who are connected genealogically to the Indigenous peoples of the Pacific.
Jennifer Sinco Kelleher and Audrey McAvoy, Associated Press
There’s a war brewing in the world of AI agents. After declaring a month ago that it would block AI crawlers by default on its network, Cloudflare openly accused Perplexity of deliberately bypassing internet standards to scrape websites. It published a detailed blog post, explaining how, even if its bots were blocked, Perplexity would use certain tacticsincluding third-party crawlersto access those websites anyway.
Perplexity responded swiftly with its own post, pointing out that its use of third-party crawlers was actually significantly less than Cloudflare was saying. But the crux of Perplexity’s rebuttal was that Cloudflare fundamentally misunderstood its bot activity: because its agent bots act on behalf of specific user requestsand not crawling the web generallyPerplexity believes they should be able to access anything its human operator could.
This divide gets right at the heart of how the AI internet works, and settling on a standard will be crucial to how agents, the media industry, and information retrieval in general will evolve. Notably, Perplexity didn’t deny that its agent bots bypass the Robots Exclusion Protocol (known as robots.txt) to access contentit instead said that behavior was justified: If you wouldn’t deny the content to a person, you should also provide it to a bot acting on behalf of that person.
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On the web, nobody knows you’re a bot
There are some nuanced but important aspects to this: Agent bots are different from AI training bots or search crawlers. They don’t scrape data to either train AI models or for a general search index. These bots go out and get data directly in response to a user query. When you, say, ask a chatbot what the hours are for your hairdresser, it sends a bot to go check the website right then and there. Once the data is delivered, it’s not stored in a general database, Perplexity says.
As a user of AI, the difference isn’t obvious. When you ask a chatbot for any particular piece of information, it’s often not clear which parts of the answer are based on training data, search indexing, or agent activity. You just expect it to work, and to give you the best available information. A lot of the time, that means checking in real time with an external source, a trend that points toward a surge in AI bot activity as everyone starts sending agents to do their browsing for them.
For agent-based web browsing to work, agents will need to have the same kind of access to the web that humans do. The problem, as I’ve articulated before, is that agents aren’t humans. A person visiting a website can be enticed by advertising, calls to action, or other content. Much of the economics of the web depends on this basic fact. Think about Google search results: What if you program agents to simply ignore all links marked “Sponsored”? Now, imagine if half of all web searches currently done by humans are performed by agents. You think Google might care?
Until very recently, the web has run on human attention. But that is already shifting: Thanks to generative AI, more than half of web activity is now automated, according to Imperva, and that will certainly increase now that consumer agents like Perplexity’s Comet browser and ChatGPT Agent have arrived.
The convenience of agent browsing is a game-changer: I’ve personally been using Comet for less than a month and it’s now my default browser. I routinely ask its built-in Assistant to perform tasks in the background. The more I use it, the more it’s difficult to deny that agents will be the future of the web.
That is, as long as they can access it. And there’s good reason to deny them access, especially if your business model relies on humans interacting with your contenti.e. the entire media industry. Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince, in responding to discussion about the issue on X, seemed to say that blocking AI browsers like Comet is on the table, since they further blur the line between agent and user.
The divided internet
The question the Perplexity-Cloudflare conflict forces us to answer is: Who should have final say over access? Should a website be able to block user agents if they desire? Or should a person be able to send an agent on their behalf, and expect it to have the same level of access?
A lot hinges on the answer to this. If users can employ agents as an unhindered proxy for their own browsing, as Perplexity defends, that’s sure to accelerate the shift to the internet of bots, and websites will need to contend with far fewer human visitors. A fairly reasonable assumption is it would also lead to a large expansion of hard paywalls as site owners seek to lock off or monetize access.
Team Cloudflare, however, would prefer that sites have the ability to block agents specifically, bifurcating the experience between humans and bots, and the economics along with it. Charging bots to access content is a rapidly growing space, fueling a set of startups (including TollBit and ScalePost) as well as Cloudflare’s own Pay Per Crawl program. Although user agents aren’t the only type of bot, they might end up being the largest category, especially if AI browsers become popular.
Ironically, it’s Perplexity who might have the best business model to deal with this future. The Perplexity Publishers’ Program, which shares ad revenue with content partners, is more scalable than signing individual deals with media companies, as OpenAI has done. The program is nascent, but if Perplexity could make it both available to any content creator and self-servesimiar to YouTube’s Partner Programperhaps it could provide the rails for monetizing the activity of agents.
Either way, the economy of the web is going to be remade. We can see that the future is agents, but how the future sees them is a question that needs to be answered. And for the media, it might even be the most important one.
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Have you ever thought about starting a business?
Maybe youve got an amazing idea that you just have to bring to the world. Or, maybe youre tired of working for others, and want the freedom and control that comes with working for yourself.
Whatever your situation, theres one thing you should know: Building and growing a business is hard work. But doing so is much easier when you have a template or system that walks you through it all.
Below is a simple, step-by-step guide to help you start your business. You dont have to follow these steps in exact order, and you may not even need some of them at all. But this guide should give you all the basics you need to get your product or services on the market, and a solid foundation you can build upon.
So, here we go.
Identify a problem that needs a solution
Everyone needs help. Whats something you love to do and would enjoy helping others get better at?
Do you enjoy technology? Are you a great communicator? Do you make pottery? As you encounter problems doing your thing, think about how you could share solutions with others.
Alternatively, you could simply be observant. Maybe you see other business owners, or even family and friends, who all have the same problem. Think about how you can solve that problem.
Start small
Starting a business is hard. It might take a while to make enough money to support you or your family.
So, if youre already employed, consider starting your business on the side. A side hustle can be a great way to practice, hone your craft, and experiment before you go all in. You could work a bit in the evening, on the weekend, or on your day off. Consider it your hobby.
On the other hand, you might be forced into working for yourself. If thats the case, give it your all and dont look back.
Find more customers
Once youve exhausted your current network (friends, family, current or former colleagues), youll need to find more customers.
Talk to anyone and everyone about your new business. You dont have to sell; just share what youre doing. If youve focused on solving a real-world problem, some of the people you share with will have that problemor, know someone who does.
In the beginning, consider working for free. You can tell the potential client or customer youre doing this for a limited time to help refresh your portfolio.
Also consider reaching out to others who work in a similar industry and ask for advice. Of course, you dont want them to view you as competition. Depending on what youre offering, you might focus on people in a different geographical area, or in a slightly different niche.
Or, if the niche or industry you work with is large enough, you can offer to take on work from bigger players who are maxed out, or even consider subcontracting for them.
Practice, in publica lot
Even if youre already an expert in what youre selling, youre bound to experience imposter syndrome; thats human nature. (Multiply that feeling exponentially if youre still learning to do the thing.)
Thats why sharing what youve learnedand are continuing to learnis so helpful. It gives you the chance to:
Show and sharpen your skills.
Get free feedback.
Grow your network.
Attract clients.
With this in mind, look for opportunities to share examples of your work. Collect pictures or sample and build a portfolio. Start a blog or website, or a YouTube channel. Share what youre making on social media.
The other advantage in doing this is showcasing your face and your personality. After all, people do business with people, not with faceless companies.
Double down on the good stuff
The more work you do, the more youll start to identify:
What youre especially good at
What resonates with others
What gives the biggest return on investment (for you and them)
What you enjoy most
As you do, try to work on projects that balance satisfying all four of these. As you do, your work will start to spread. In time, youll have more freedom to choose the work you want to do most.
Choose a name
In the beginning, the business is just you. But in time, you might consider choosing a separate name for your business.
The right business name can make more of a difference than you think. The more the name stands out and the easier it is to remember, the more people will be to talk about your business. And word of mouth advertising is the best kind of advertising. (Hat tip to Creator Science founder Jay Clouse for teaching me much of this.)
Try to choose a name that:
Is easy to remember (and say)
Is different or unique
Resonates with you
Want to test out your business name? Youll find a free name evaluation test (and more naming tips) at Eat My Words.
Decide on a business structure.
Ok, things are starting to move; your business is starting to do well. If you havent started thinking about a structure for your business, you definitely want to start.
Your business structure will impact many things, including whether or not you hire employees and how you do so, to what type of income tax return you file, to how much of your personal assets are at risk. In the U.S., business structures include the following:
Sole proprietorship
Partnership
Limited Liability Company (LLC)
Corporation (includes C corporation, S corporation, benefit corporation, and nonprofit corporation, among others)
The benefits, protections, and risks of each of these can be complex. So, take your time and seek advice as you make a decision.
Write a business plan
A business plan is a document that outlines a companys goals and strategies. It can serve as a roadmap for how your business continues to grow and develop.
Wait a second, youre thinking. Ive gotten this far without a business plan. Do I really need one?
The answer is, it depends. Some business owners never write an official business plan. However, taking time to think through exactly what you want to achieve with the business, along with how you plan to achieve it, can help you reach those goals more quickly. And since clear writing leads to clear thinking (and vice versa), a business plan is usually a good idea.
Of course, your business plan can be more formal or informal, depending on why youre doing it. If youre planning to stay small and just want help setting goals and staying on track, a more informal businss plan will likely serve your needs. On the other hand, if youre planning to pitch to potential lenders and investors, youll need a business plan thats more refined, and youll likely want help writing it. (You can read more about what a business plan entails and how to write one here.)
Register your business
Depending on your business name, your business structure, and where your business is located, you may need to register your business.
For example, if you conduct business as yourself and you use your legal name, there is likely no need to register. However, in other cases you will need to establish your business as a distinct legal entity. Further, business registration can support your goals of protecting yourself against personal liability and make it easier to get certain tax and other legal benefits.
Dont worry, registering your business isnt as hard as you might imagine. For most small businesses, it simply involves filling out some forms and submitting them to state and local governments. (You can read more about business registration in the U.S. here.)
Get a Tax Identification Number
After registering your business, you should consider applying for an Employer Identification Number (EIN).
An EIN is your business tax number; its like a Social Security number for your business. Youll need it to pay federal taxes and hire employees, to open a bank account, and to apply for licenses and permits. (You can read more about EINs and apply for one on the official IRS website here.)
State tax ID numbers are handled on the state level. You can learn more by checking the official website of the state(s) where you do business.
Secure a business license and permits
Depending on what your business does, and where, you may need a combination of licenses and permits from government agencies, either on the federal or state level, or both.
In addition to obtaining the proper licenses and permits, youll want to make sure to keep them currentrenewing licenses and permits is usually easier than applying for a new one. (You can find more information on licenses and permits in the U.S. here.)
Open a business bank account
Depending on your business structure, you may need to open a business bank account to stay legally compliant and protected. And even if youre not legally required to do so, a business bank account will provide separation between your personal and business finances.
Additionally, some business bank accounts offer perks that you may not get with a standard personal bank account, like a larger line of credit or a business credit card.
When looking for a business bank account, you could check with your personal bank if you have a good experience with them. Or, you could shop around to see which bank offers the best rates and/or the specific perks youre looking for. Be sure to research or ask ahead of time which documents youll need to open an account, which may include, but not be limited to, your Employer Identification Number (or Social Security number if youre a sole proprietorship), formation documents, business license, and other documents.
Get help
One thing about being a business owner: You have to wear a lot of hats, especially in the beginning. Youre the executive team. The production, marketing, sales, finance, and research and development departments, all wrapped up into one.
Eventually, though, you may be in a position to start hiring specialists to help you manage your ever-increasing workload. You could start by hiring specialized freelancers or agencies. Or, you might search for an assistant who can handle a variety of tasks.
In time, you may even want to hire your first employee(s). That will bring a whole new set of questions and complex considerations. To get help, you might consider partnering with a Professional Employer Organization (PEO). As long as your business has its own registered entity and fits other requirements, a PEO can work with your business to co-employ individuals and offer a wide range of HR services such as payroll, benefits, tax filing, workers compensation, and business insurance.
No matter how big or small your business, hopefully this guide will help you begin to navigate the complexityand help turn your business idea from dream to reality.
By Justin Bariso
This article originally appeared in Fast Companys sister publication, Inc.
Inc. is the voice of the American entrepreneur. We inspire, inform, and document the most fascinating people in business: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters that represent the most dynamic force in the American economy.
