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Over 2 million Ninja-branded pressure cookers are recalled after reports of serious burn injuries
This photo provided by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission shows the Ninja-branded 'Foodi OP300 Series Multi-Function Pressure Cooker" that is being recalled in the US and Canada.
Uncredited/Associated Press
SharkNinja is recalling more than 2 million pressure cookers sold in the United States and Canada — after consumers reported over 100 burn injuries spanning from a hazard that can cause hot food to spew out. According to a recall notice published by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission on Thursday, Ninja-branded 'Foodi OP300 Series Multi-Function Pressure Cookers' have a lid that can be opened while the cooker is in use. That can cause hot contents to escape from the product, posing serious burn risks. SharkNinja has received 106 reports of burn injuries in the United States — including more than 50 reports of second or third-degree burns to the face or body, per the CPSC, which adds that 26 lawsuits have been filed as a result. Those in possession of the now-recalled cookers are urged to immediately stop using the pressure-cooking function and contact Massachusetts-based SharkNinja for a free replacement lid. But you can still use the cookers' other functions, including air frying, which are not affected by the recall. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
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RETAIL
Kohl's CEO is fired for violating company policy
A Kohl's store in Pleasant Hill, Calif., on Nov. 25, 2024.
David Paul Morris/Bloomberg
Kohl's, one of the largest department stores in the United States, is searching for a new CEO after firing its current one, Ashley Buchanan, who had been on the job since only Jan. 15, the company said Thursday. The department store chain said Buchanan, 51, had 'violated company policies by directing the company to engage in vendor transactions that involved undisclosed conflicts of interest.' Buchanan's termination, the company said, was 'unrelated' to the performance of Kohl's. Still, the abrupt departure of the CEO has come at a challenging time for the retailer, with sales falling and dampening interest from younger shoppers. The chain has not posted an increase in sales since late 2021. The company discovered Buchanan's violation after an investigation by an outside firm hired by Kohl's. The company has appointed Michael J. Bender, director of its board, as interim CEO. — NEW YORK TIMES
AVIATION
US offers bonuses to help boost air traffic control staffing
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy holds a news conference about adding more air traffic controllers to the workforce at the DOT headquarters on May 1 in Washington, D.C.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty
The US Transportation Department will offer new bonuses worth thousands of dollars to help address a persistent shortage of air traffic controllers. Certified professional controllers who are eligible for retirement will receive a 20 percent lump sum payment for each year they continue to work, the department said in a statement on Thursday. New hires and graduates of the Federal Aviation Administration's academy for controllers who complete initial qualification training will get a $5,000 award. Graduates will get $10,000 if they're assigned to one of 13 locations that are considered difficult to staff, according to a statement. The incentives are part of a broader effort by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to boost staffing in the FAA's organization that oversees about 45,000 US flights that carry about 2.9 million passengers each day. Improving the air traffic system has gained additional attention after a deadly midair collision near Washington earlier this year. — BLOOMBERG NEWS
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AUTOMOTIVE
GM says tariffs will cost it up to $5 billion
Vehicles are passed through final inspection at the end of the assembly line at the General Motors facility in Spring Hill, Tenn., on Oct. 7, 2024.
Brett Carlsen/NYT
General Motors cut its profit forecast for 2025 on Thursday by more than 20 percent and said the Trump administration's tariffs would increase its costs by $4 billion to $5 billion this year. In a conference call with analysts, GM executives said the company now expected to make $8.2 billion to $10.1 billion this year, down from a previous forecast of $11.2 billion to $12.5 billion. 'GM's business is fundamentally strong as we adapt to the new trade policy environment,' the company's CEO Mary Barra said. In April, President Trump imposed tariffs of 25 percent on imported vehicles and will begin imposing the same duty on imported auto parts on Saturday. On Tuesday, the president modified how the tariffs are applied to give automakers some relief, including partial reimbursement for tariffs on imported parts for two years. Barra said GM hoped to offset about 30 percent of the impact of the tariffs by increasing production in US plants, cutting costs and working with suppliers to raise their domestic production of parts and components. — NEW YORK TIMES
TECH
Apple violated court's order to loosen app store rules, judge says
Apple's App Store icon is displayed on an iPad in Baltimore on March 19, 2018.
Patrick Semansky/Associated Press
A federal judge in California
said Wednesday that Apple violated her legal order to offer
Americans more options
for making digital purchases from iPhone apps. She also referred the case to prosecutors for potential criminal investigation into the company and a top finance executive. US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers criticized the conduct of Apple CEO Tim Cook and two key finance executives in her ruling, writing that one of the finance executives had 'outright lied under oath' to conceal Apple's defiance of her order. 'We strongly disagree with the decision,' Apple said in a statement. 'We will comply with the court's order and we will appeal.' The company was ordered in 2021 to stop requiring app developers to offer any digital purchases via its own payment system, from which Apple takes a commission of up to 30 percent. — WASHINGTON POST
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E-COMMERCE
Wayfair first-quarter profit tops estimates on strong demand
A view of Wayfair's first large-format store in Wilmette, Ill., on May 23, 2024
Andrew Burke-Stevenson for The Boston Globe
Wayfair Inc.'s earnings results came in better than expected as consumers brought forward spending while suppliers are holding back from price increases. Demand stayed strong in the quarter, cochairman Steve Conine said on a call Thursday, adding that the Boston-based company's seeing suppliers 'actually trying to not raise price or to defer it as long as possible and do the minimum that they would need to do.' Consumers 'likely sought items ahead of anticipated price increases due to tariffs,' according to Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Poonam Goyal and Sydney Goodman. Globally positioned suppliers could help insulate the company from tariffs. The set up 'creates a much more beneficial scenario than if we were a traditional retailer,' chief executive Niraj Shah said on the call, clarifying that it won't benefit from tariffs directly. — BLOOMBERG NEWS
PHARMACEUTICALS
Obesity drug price wars heating up as CVS picks Novo over Lilly
Wegovy injection pens.
Shelby Knowles/Bloomberg
The obesity drug price wars are finally starting. After being publicly lambasted for the high cost of their weight-loss shots, two of world's biggest drugmakers — Eli Lilly & Co. and Novo Nordisk A/S — are racing to lock up deals with drug benefit managers that control which prescriptions many Americans get as well as popular telehealth companies that sell directly to consumers. Investors are worried about how low prices will go. It's not the first time the companies are facing off in the byzantine world of drug economics, where list prices often don't reflect what the consumer pays or even how much the manufacturer makes. Novo's starting off with a higher price. Its obesity drug Wegovy costs $1,349 for a month's supply, while Lilly's Zepbound is $1,086. Contrary to typical consumer economics, that higher price helps Novo compete by giving it more wiggle room to offer discounts. Known as 'rebates,' these are the payments drugmakers offer to drug benefit managers in return for wider — or even exclusive — coverage by health plans. That quid pro quo showed up Thursday morning, when CVS Health Corp. dropped Lilly's Zepbound from its list of preferred drugs in exchange for Novo providing undisclosed price concessions for its competing drug Wegovy that will make it more widely available. It was a step Novo took to boost sales of its medicine, which made it to the market first but was quickly losing share. What's unclear is the extent of the rebates and their ultimate impact on the bottom lines. — BLOOMBERG NEWS
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Business Upturn
an hour ago
- Business Upturn
Populous Acquires Fentress Architects, Expanding Global Aviation Portfolio
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CNBC
2 hours ago
- CNBC
U.S. judge approves settlement allowing NCAA schools to pay athletes
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In today's rapidly evolving workplace, dominated by advancements in generative AI, a consensus has emerged among younger workers: soft skills—such as empathy, communication, and leadership—are more important for career advancement than purely technical expertise. Deloitte's recent Gen Z and Millennial survey, which includes feedback from 23,000-plus such workers from around the world, reveals that more than eight in 10 young professionals believe these human qualities are essential to stand out and thrive, while only six in 10 believe that generative AI skills are somewhat or highly required. What's behind these numbers? As Elizabeth Faber, Deloitte Global Chief People & Purpose Officer, points out, 'In the age of GenAI, it's the human element that sets professionals apart … Soft skills are the bridge between human and machine, helping individuals navigate complex problems, collaborate across diverse teams, and lead with authenticity in increasingly dynamic environments.' This perspective resonates deeply with Sonali Karmarkar, the 31-year-old Head of Content and Community for YouTube Shopping. Karmarkar emphasizes that 'soft skills are inimitable—they are very difficult to teach yet are so crucial in the professional world.' For her, these skills 'enable one to connect with coworkers, business partners, and direct reports,' shaping how people influence and elevate projects beyond technical know-how. New York City-based career coach Eliana Goldstein echoes this sentiment, noting that while AI is 'infiltrating so many workplaces' and causing concern among many, 'there are people who have fear and concern around [if they'll be] replaced by AI. And if so, when is that going to happen? What do I do about it?' However, Goldstein stresses a reframing of this fear into opportunity: 'Once you plant those seeds, then people do genuinely start to feel that excitement of, oh, this is a really exciting opportunity for me right now; how do I capitalize on it?" According to Deloitte's survey, more than half of Gen Z and millennial workers are already integrating generative AI into their daily tasks—from brainstorming ideas and content creation to data analysis and project management. Yet many recognize AI as a complement, not a substitute, for soft skills. Valerie Chapman, a 26-year-old AI and technology creator, highlights how AI has transformed her work: 'AI has enabled me to scale my outreach, establish myself clearly as a subject matter expert, and amplify my voice in ways previously unimaginable.' However, she stresses that 'AI complements [soft skills] beautifully, allowing us to amplify our voices and share our stories more effectively.' For Chapman, the intersection of AI and soft skills holds promise, especially for historically underserved groups like women, helping them build confidence and advocate for themselves. Goldstein adds that while many believe AI to be intuitive, 'people are definitely still under utilizing it' She continues, 'It's not necessarily that people need tactical training on it; it's more so just about rethinking how they're using it.' She points out common uses such as helping to make emails more polished or aiding in the crafting of sales pitches, emphasizing AI's broad applicability across industries. At the same time, Briana Henry, a 34-year-old Senior Technical Engineer at Namaste Solar Electric, provides a cautionary note. She admits, 'I constantly forget that AI exists' in her highly technical and safety-critical role, where reliance on AI is limited by liability and trust concerns. Henry worries that over-reliance on AI could stunt creative problem-solving and diminish essential hard skills, underscoring that 'people need to have the knowledge and ability to at least review AI results for correctness.' The sentiment that soft skills are increasingly vital is echoed in how younger workers view career advancement. Karmarkar explains, 'Especially as one gets to a more senior level, these intangibles are what set people apart, since technical skill level becomes the baseline.' She sees soft skills as critical for motivating teams, coaching individuals, and adapting in ways technology cannot replicate. Goldstein reinforces this view, highlighting that while technical skills are 'incredibly important,' anybody can learn them through courses or training. In contrast, she explains, 'it is much more difficult to learn soft skills. Either communication just comes naturally to you, or it's incredibly hard, whether because you get nervous talking in front of people or other reasons.' She stresses the irreplaceable role soft skills play alongside AI: 'The human is the one communicating to other teams and leveraging the soft skills they have in order to disseminate AI across an organization or team.' Henry has witnessed this firsthand through her leadership experience. 'I have held leadership positions where I made decisions on hiring or punitive action in the past, and I have seen time and again where people with the soft skills required for the job have excelled and the reason people have required punitive action is because of the lack of their soft skills,' she shares. Chapman adds that in a landscape flooded with AI-generated content, 'genuine human connection and emotional intelligence become incredibly rare and valuable.' For her, the soft skills of storytelling, empathy, and communication are 'the heart of how we connect with technology,' especially for women navigating workplace challenges. While many companies provide some technical training, the development of soft skills often remains optional or undervalued. 'Soft skill trainings are often viewed as 'nice to have' and not mandatory, where employees aren't incentivized for taking time to cultivate their communication,' says Karmarkar. She advocates for mandatory soft skill modules to complement technical training, ensuring workers are fully equipped to collaborate and lead. Goldstein confirms that employer support for soft skills varies widely: 'It depends on leadership. If leadership cares about those things, you'll see it trickle down to the rest of the organization. If not, you won't.' She emphasizes that investing in soft skills will only strengthen workplaces. 'Investing in soft skills will not only help companies be more successful, but it will help in terms of employee retention.' Henry credits her company's cooperative culture for fostering her soft skills, through opportunities in leadership and teamwork: 'Being a co-owner has helped me build my skills with teamwork, communication, problem-solving, leadership, and many other areas of soft skills.' Yet she acknowledges that many companies may lack sufficient support for this development. Chapman, who has built her personal brand publicly, emphasizes self-driven growth: 'I've developed my soft skills by openly sharing my journey on social media… This practice has naturally boosted my confidence, honed my communication skills, and significantly expanded my network.' She warns that without mindful integration of AI, employees might feel anxiety or fear, rather than empowerment, highlighting a critical gap in workplace training. The message from Gen Z and millennial workers is clear: as AI reshapes the technical landscape, the qualities that make us human—our empathy, leadership, and communication—are the true currency of career progression. These skills not only help individuals use technology more effectively but also build authentic connections that machines cannot replicate. Karmarkar sums it up succinctly: 'Soft skills are what will set candidates apart in their ability to use the tech to unlock new solutions, be able to effectively synthesize the information to align to a long-term vision and compellingly communicate to their intended audiences.' In the end, mastering AI is important, but it's the human touch that remains the defining factor in professional success. You Might Also Like 4 Investment-Worthy Skincare Finds From Sephora The 17 Best Retinol Creams Worth Adding to Your Skin Care Routine
