Author: MNK News
Is your wearable a cause for concern? If so, here’s what to doA new study published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters reveals that nine out of 22 fitness tracker and smartwatch bands tested contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often referred to as “forever chemicals.”The research, conducted by the University of Notre Dame, analyzed both new and used watchbands purchased in the U.S. across various brands and price points, categorizing them as “inexpensive” (priced at $15 or less), “midrange” ($15 to $30) and “expensive” (over $30).The findings showed that many of the smartwatch bands were made with fluoroelastomers, a…
Metaplanet Inc. has declared that it issued its 5th Series of Ordinary Bonds via private placement with EVO FUND for ¥5 billion to buy more Bitcoin. In a notice released on Dec. 20, today, the company has announced the issuance of its 5th Series of Ordinary Bonds for raising approximately $31.91 million through EVO FUND. This news closely follows the company’s previously disclosed intent to issue up to ¥5 billion in ordinary bonds. The proceeds from this issuance will be allocated towards purchasing Bitcoin (BTC), as detailed in the company’s Nov. 28, 2024, announcement concerning the issuance of the 12th…
Google removed PragerU’s app from the Google Play Store for Android devices, claiming it violated the big tech platform’s “misleading claims” policy. As the educational organization publicized Google’s latest in a long string of censorship moves against it, the internet giant reversed its blacklisting without explanation. On Friday, the Google Play Store emailed PragerU, stating that its app was not compliant with “Google Play Policies.” “After a recent review, we found that your app PragerU is not compliant with one or more of our Developer Program policies. See below for more information about your app’s status and how to correct…
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., talks briefly to reporters just before a vote on an … [+] amended interim spending bill to prevent a government shutdown, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved A government shutdown could begin early on December 21, though discussions continue on a potential resolution. Forecasting site Kalshi currently estimates the chance of a shutdown at 40%, with the precise measure used being that the government is shutdown at 10am ET on any given day. Government shutdown risk last surfaced in…
Another day, another Tesla recall. This time, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) informed the owners of almost 700,000 Tesla vehicles warning them of a problem with a warning light for the tire pressure monitoring system as reported by the Associated Press.The recall affects the 2024 Cybertruck, 2017-2025 Model 3 and 2020-2025 Model Y Vehicles. The NHTSA says the warning light for the tire pressure monitoring system may not stay illuminated between drives.Tesla says it will send out an over-the-road (OTR) update to vehicles affected by the warning light issue. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on…
American companies must step up and provide direct childcare solutions.getty If you’re a parent and/or own a company, you don’t need me to tell you how the childcare crisis affects families and businesses. Almost 14.5 million children under five have both parents in the workforce. Without affordable and available childcare, everything we value—from family life to finances—suffers. In the 2023 Child Care Affordability report, ChildCare Aware of America (CCAoA) found that the national average price of childcare was $11,582—at least 10 percent of a dual-parent household income and at least 32 percent of a single parent’s household income. As the…
The United States government could be headed for a shutdown this weekend after two failed attempts by House Republicans in recent days to avert a stoppage. First, Speaker Mike Johnson and his colleagues saw one bipartisan deal fall apart amid opposition from Elon Musk and President-elect Donald Trump. Then a second GOP-negotiated deal collapsed due to 38 House Republicans joining nearly all Democrats to vote no and tank that effort. Johnson and his colleagues worked feverishly throughout Friday to avert a stoppage and announced plans to vote on a third effort in the coming hours with Johnson promising Friday afternoon…
Polar has introduced a screenless band equipped with advanced sensor technology, allowing employers to develop custom algorithms for monitoring employee burnout and other wellness metricsThere’s been a lot of buzz over corporate wellness this year, but could employee-sponsored wearables soon become as commonplace as on-site yoga classes and access to meditation and nutrition apps? It’s possible, according to wearable sports and fitness tech company Polar. The Finnish brand has just launched an enterprise wearable, providing companies with a new way to advance their workplace wellness efforts.The Polar 360 is a screenless, low-profile band equipped with sensor technology and algorithms. While primarily…
Instagram is still thought of as a feed of algorithmically-suggested photos first and foremost, but the app is also pretty popular for messaging, too. If you want to take some of the stress out of remembering to send a birthday message to a friend, as part of a recent update, you can now schedule Instagram messages in advance. Scheduled messages can’t contain media like GIFs, photos or videos, but you can schedule them up to 29 days in advance on both the Android and iOS versions of the app.What are Instagram DMs?If you’ve stuck to using Instagram as a repository…
El Salvador has ramped up its Bitcoin buying a day after agreeing to an International Monetary Fund deal that required scaling back its government-led crypto activities. On Dec. 19, the first nation to adopt Bitcoin as a legal tender and host a Bitcoin strategic reserve added 11 BTC worth over $1 million to its holdings. With the recent purchase, the country’s total holdings now stand at over 5,980 Bitcoin, currently valued at over $577 million according to the National Bitcoin Office’s tracker. Up until now, El Salvador’s Bitcoin accumulation followed the steady pace of its “1 Bitcoin a day” program,…