Experts caution U.S. shoppers as deferred interest financing emerges as major holiday risk
Experts caution U.S. shoppers as deferred interest financing emerges as major holiday risk

A new WalletHub study reveals that many Americans misunderstand how deferred interest financing works, putting them at risk of hefty retroactive charges during peak holiday spending. Though promotions often advertise “no interest for 12 months,” interest quietly accrues in the background and becomes fully due if the balance isn’t paid off in time — even by a penny. Experts warn that retailers like Best Buy, Home Depot, and Lowe’s heavily rely on these offers, while stores such as Costco and Target avoid them entirely. With interest rates often exceeding 25%, analysts say these programs disproportionately affect shoppers with lower credit scores and can turn routine purchases into costly debt traps. Financial advisors recommend zero-APR credit cards as a safer alternative, offering interest-free periods without retroactive penalties.

A new WalletHub study reveals that many Americans misunderstand how deferred interest financing works, putting them at risk of hefty retroactive charges during peak holiday spending. Though promotions often advertise “no interest for 12 months,” interest quietly accrues in the background and becomes fully due if the balance isn’t paid off in time — even by a penny. Experts warn that retailers like Best Buy, Home Depot, and Lowe’s heavily rely on these offers, while stores such as Costco and Target avoid them entirely. With interest rates often exceeding 25%, analysts say these programs disproportionately affect shoppers with lower credit scores and can turn routine purchases into costly debt traps. Financial advisors recommend zero-APR credit cards as a safer alternative, offering interest-free periods without retroactive penalties.

A thief disguised as a delivery driver stole eleven million dollars' worth of cryptocurrency in San Francisco
A thief disguised as a delivery driver stole eleven million dollars' worth of cryptocurrency in San Francisco

By TOI GLOBAL DESK

In San Francisco, a thief disguised as a delivery driver entered a home, stole digital assets exceeding eleven million dollars, shot, and duct-taped the victim before making his escape. The event is a warning about the rising trend of crimes against crypto holders.

In San Francisco, a thief disguised as a delivery driver entered a home, stole digital assets exceeding eleven million dollars, shot, and duct-taped the victim before making his escape. The event is a warning about the rising trend of crimes against crypto holders.

What first-time Thanksgiving cooks should know about turkey safety, according to Penn State
What first-time Thanksgiving cooks should know about turkey safety, according to Penn State

By TOI GLOBAL DESK

First time Thanksgiving hosts often struggle with thawing, handling and cooking turkey safely. Penn State food safety expert Martin Bucknavage says to thaw a turkey in the refrigerator, never on the counter, and to expect raw juices to spread. He advises cleaning surfaces well, using a thermometer to reach 165 degrees, cooking stuffing separately and refrigerating leftovers within two hours to prevent illness.

First time Thanksgiving hosts often struggle with thawing, handling and cooking turkey safely. Penn State food safety expert Martin Bucknavage says to thaw a turkey in the refrigerator, never on the counter, and to expect raw juices to spread. He advises cleaning surfaces well, using a thermometer to reach 165 degrees, cooking stuffing separately and refrigerating leftovers within two hours to prevent illness.

Global review of studies links ultra-processed food to depression
Global review of studies links ultra-processed food to depression

By TOI GLOBAL DESK

An international studies review strongly associates a diet high in ultra-processed food with a risk of depression that inter alia is significantly increased. The experts conceive the connection is due to nutrient deficiencies, blood sugar changes, and gut bacteria alterations.

An international studies review strongly associates a diet high in ultra-processed food with a risk of depression that inter alia is significantly increased. The experts conceive the connection is due to nutrient deficiencies, blood sugar changes, and gut bacteria alterations.

New York City starts annual holiday season, Gridlock Alerts as city officials urge use of public transit
New York City starts annual holiday season, Gridlock Alerts as city officials urge use of public transit

By TOI GLOBAL DESK

The Big Apple of New York City set off its yearly Gridlock Alert Days starting the 2025 holiday season, targeting both the locals and tourists with the major traffic jams that might happen in Manhattan. Transport officials dispatching in the NYC subways, buses, and rail services are signalling that the riding of mass transit should be prioritised as the city is gearing up for a series of the most popular events of the season, including the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Rockefeller Centre Christmas tree lighting.

The Big Apple of New York City set off its yearly Gridlock Alert Days starting the 2025 holiday season, targeting both the locals and tourists with the major traffic jams that might happen in Manhattan. Transport officials dispatching in the NYC subways, buses, and rail services are signalling that the riding of mass transit should be prioritised as the city is gearing up for a series of the most popular events of the season, including the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Rockefeller Centre Christmas tree lighting.

Survey: 50% of young adults in Atlanta are thinking of leaving the city
Survey: 50% of young adults in Atlanta are thinking of leaving the city

By TOI GLOBAL DESK

The results of a survey conducted across the United States among young adults without children reveal that Atlanta is the city that ranks fifth out of the top 10 cities with the highest rate of 18-34 residents who are willing to leave the city. This fact puts in question the cost of living, the availability of jobs, and the feeling of connection to the community in the local area.

The results of a survey conducted across the United States among young adults without children reveal that Atlanta is the city that ranks fifth out of the top 10 cities with the highest rate of 18-34 residents who are willing to leave the city. This fact puts in question the cost of living, the availability of jobs, and the feeling of connection to the community in the local area.

The Louvre Heist: How a jewel robbery turned into a viral internet obsession
The Louvre Heist: How a jewel robbery turned into a viral internet obsession

By TOI GLOBAL DESK

A high-profile jewel heist at the Louvre in Paris triggered a major security investigation and unexpected global fascination after images from the scene went viral, inspiring widespread speculation and online narratives unrelated to the case.

A high-profile jewel heist at the Louvre in Paris triggered a major security investigation and unexpected global fascination after images from the scene went viral, inspiring widespread speculation and online narratives unrelated to the case.

Interstellar comet 31/ATLAS may be oldest cosmic traveler ever observed
Interstellar comet 31/ATLAS may be oldest cosmic traveler ever observed

By TOI GLOBAL DESK

Astronomers have identified 31/ATLAS, a rare interstellar comet believed to have originated beyond our solar system. Detected in July 2025 by the ATLAS telescope in Hawaii, the object displays unusual chemical properties, including an exceptionally high carbon-dioxide-to-water ratio. Observations from the James Webb Space Telescope and Hubble suggest it may be one of the oldest active comets ever recorded, potentially formed in a distant and extremely cold stellar environment. As it travels through our solar system, 31/ATLAS continues to emit gas and dust, offering valuable insights into ancient cosmic material and the early stages of planetary formation in other star systems.

Astronomers have identified 31/ATLAS, a rare interstellar comet believed to have originated beyond our solar system. Detected in July 2025 by the ATLAS telescope in Hawaii, the object displays unusual chemical properties, including an exceptionally high carbon-dioxide-to-water ratio. Observations from the James Webb Space Telescope and Hubble suggest it may be one of the oldest active comets ever recorded, potentially formed in a distant and extremely cold stellar environment. As it travels through our solar system, 31/ATLAS continues to emit gas and dust, offering valuable insights into ancient cosmic material and the early stages of planetary formation in other star systems.

Inside America’s bookish fall: reading trends shaping autumn 2025
Inside America’s bookish fall: reading trends shaping autumn 2025

By TOI GLOBAL DESK

As autumn arrives, America’s book culture is transforming into a nostalgic and aesthetic movement. From cozy cafés to online platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Pinterest, readers are curating fall reading lists and embracing the “dark academia” vibe. Classics by Dostoevsky and Woolf are resurging in popularity, while BookTok continues to fuel sales of gothic, romantic, and cozy fantasy novels. This season, reading has become more than a pastime; it’s a lifestyle. The 2025 “bookish aesthetic” celebrates comfort, creativity, and connection through every page and post.

As autumn arrives, America’s book culture is transforming into a nostalgic and aesthetic movement. From cozy cafés to online platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Pinterest, readers are curating fall reading lists and embracing the “dark academia” vibe. Classics by Dostoevsky and Woolf are resurging in popularity, while BookTok continues to fuel sales of gothic, romantic, and cozy fantasy novels. This season, reading has become more than a pastime; it’s a lifestyle. The 2025 “bookish aesthetic” celebrates comfort, creativity, and connection through every page and post.

Sanae Takaichi becomes Japan’s first female prime minister: a historic first that redefines what progress means
Sanae Takaichi becomes Japan’s first female prime minister: a historic first that redefines what progress means

By TOI GLOBAL DESK

On October 21, 2025, Japan made history as Sanae Takaichi became its first female prime minister, a milestone hailed as groundbreaking yet paradoxical in a country still wrestling with gender inequality. A 64-year-old conservative and admirer of Margaret Thatcher, Takaichi’s rise highlights a broader global question: Does representation automatically equal progress? The article traces the evolution of women’s leadership across continents — from Sri Lanka’s Sirimavo Bandaranaike and India’s Indira Gandhi to New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern and Finland’s Sanna Marin — mapping both triumphs and limits of symbolic firsts. It explores how dynastic inheritance, social change, and political upheaval have shaped women’s paths to power, and why many breakthroughs remain fragile or incomplete. Drawing on UN Women data and global case studies, the piece contrasts feminist reformers with conservative trailblazers like Takaichi, Giorgia Meloni, and Margaret Thatcher, arguing that female leadership is no longer bound to ideology but to the normalization of equality. Ultimately, it concludes that real empowerment lies not in gendered firsts but in reshaping systems so that women leading nations becomes unremarkable, a sign that equality has finally matured into reality.

On October 21, 2025, Japan made history as Sanae Takaichi became its first female prime minister, a milestone hailed as groundbreaking yet paradoxical in a country still wrestling with gender inequality. A 64-year-old conservative and admirer of Margaret Thatcher, Takaichi’s rise highlights a broader global question: Does representation automatically equal progress? The article traces the evolution of women’s leadership across continents — from Sri Lanka’s Sirimavo Bandaranaike and India’s Indira Gandhi to New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern and Finland’s Sanna Marin — mapping both triumphs and limits of symbolic firsts. It explores how dynastic inheritance, social change, and political upheaval have shaped women’s paths to power, and why many breakthroughs remain fragile or incomplete. Drawing on UN Women data and global case studies, the piece contrasts feminist reformers with conservative trailblazers like Takaichi, Giorgia Meloni, and Margaret Thatcher, arguing that female leadership is no longer bound to ideology but to the normalization of equality. Ultimately, it concludes that real empowerment lies not in gendered firsts but in reshaping systems so that women leading nations becomes unremarkable, a sign that equality has finally matured into reality.

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