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From credit cards to NFC readers and AI banking solutions, financial technology has rapidly transformed banking in the last few decades. Big data analytics has been the major innovation affecting us today, allowing providers to gather more customer insights and optimize their operations like never before. New and existing technologies based on big data will continue to redefine the way we manage and trade our money in 2025—let’s break down some of the key trends to watch. [7 trends]

The survey, which was conducted before Hegseth’s confirmation hearings began, finds that roughly one-third of U.S. adults disapprove of Trump’s choice, and about 1 in 10 say they neither approve nor disapprove. About one-third of Americans say they don’t know enough about Hegseth to have an opinion. Hegseth’s experience in the Army National Guard is seen by the incoming administration and supporters in Congress as an asset for the job, but he also brings a jarring record of past statements and actions, including allegations of sexual assault, excessive drinking and derisive views about women in military combat roles, minorities and “woke” generals. He has vowed not to drink alcohol if he is confirmed to lead the Pentagon. Hegseth acknowledged during his hearing that he does not have t...

When you spend a ton of time sitting—especially if you’re hunched over a screen—your head, neck, and shoulders tend to pull forward, leading to that rounded improper posture that can cause uncomfortable tightness. The muscles associated with good posture are the ones that retract the shoulder blades, depress the shoulder blades, and put the shoulder blades in a good position in order to help keep you upright. Working these muscles, as well as other muscles in the back of your body, like your latissimus dorsi (the large, triangular muscles that span the width of your lower back), help counteract that forward slouch and work to build muscles. This workout will give you a complete back-of-the-body burn in just over 20 minutes. [See the workout]

The judgment that lets him return to the White House unencumbered by the threat of a jail term or a fine. The New York case became the only one of Trump’s four criminal indictments that has gone to trial and possibly the only one that ever will. Trump called the case “a weaponization of government” and “an embarrassment to New York.” He maintained that he did not commit any crime and reiterated that he would appeal his conviction. Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan could have sentenced the 78-year-old to up to four years in prison. Instead, Merchan chose a sentence that sidestepped thorny constitutional issues by effectively ending the case but assured that Trump will become the first president to take office with a felony conviction on his record..

The forecast is not too bad. The climate pattern — which typically has an outsized influence on winter weather in the US — is rather weak and may not stick around for long. But that won’t totally eliminate its effect. And, despite its late arrival, it’s already played a clear role in this winter’s weather. California is the most obvious example. Northern California has had plenty of rain while Southern California is so tinder-dry that thousands of acres ignited this week. La Niña also typically delivers more precipitation to the Midwest, having one of the wettest starts to winter to date. Periods of brutally cold Arctic air have dominated the eastern two-thirds of the country since December and winter storms have delivered disruptive weather on a weekly basis since the year began. ...

On many of the trio’s recordings they split the vocal parts equally, braiding Mr. Yarrow’s precise tenor around Noel Paul Stookey’s gentle baritone and Mary Travers’s warm contralto. But Mr. Yarrow also had some prominent lead vocals as well, fronting such well-known group recordings as “Puff the Magic Dragon,” “Day Is Done” and “The Great Mandala,” all of which he either wrote or co-wrote. “Puff” became a No. 2 Billboard hit, while “Day Is Done” grazed the Top 20. In their peak years, Peter, Paul and Mary reached the Billboard Top 40 12 times; six of those songs made it onto the Top 10, including one, their cover of John Denver’s “Leavin’ on a Jet Plane,” that reached No. 1. They racked up five Billboard Top 10 albums and twice topped the magazine’s album chart. ...

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has called for updating the existing surgeon general’s health warning label on alcohol-containing beverages to include the risk of cancer. Drinking raises the risk of several types of cancer, including colon, liver, breast and mouth and throat. Alcohol breaks down in the body into a substance called acetaldehyde, which can damage your cells and stop them from repairing themselves. That creates the conditions for cancer to grow. Thousands of U.S. deaths per year could be prevented if people followed the government’s dietary guidelines. Those guidelines advise men to limit themselves to two drinks or fewer per day and women to one drink or fewer per day. One drink is the equivalent of about one 12-ounce can of beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine or a shot...

Taxes for 2024 are due for most of us by April 15, which falls on a Tuesday this year. If you don't expect to file by then, you can request a six-month extension. When do I get my refund? If you filed electronically and chose to receive your refund by direct deposit, your refund will probably be issued within 21 days, the IRS says. If you mailed a paper return, the wait could be four weeks or longer. What happens if I miss the tax deadline? If you fail to file your federal tax return on time, the standard penalty is a whopping 5% of any tax due for every month the return is late, up to 25% of the unpaid balance. If you file a return but fail to pay any taxes you owe, or if you get an extension, you typically face a much smaller monthly penalty of 0.5% of any unpaid amount.

In the acting races, unexpected wins for the likes of Demi Moore, Fernanda Torres and Sebastian Stan produced some of the most heartfelt speeches of the night. Both poignant and relatable, Moore spoke movingly about her career struggles over more than 30 years, The award for “cinematic and box office achievement” debuted in 2024, and it was, unsurprisingly, given to “Wicked.” The official criteria is that it is the “most acclaimed, highest-earning and/or most viewed” feature. For an ostensibly glamorous ceremony, the show itself looked terrible onscreen. Presenters were filmed awfully close up, giving everything a harsh and casual vibe.

Big Tech stocks led this year’s rally, pushing the Nasdaq to a yearly gain of 28.6%. The Dow, which is far less weighted with tech, rose 12.9% for the year. The stock market’s record-breaking turn in 2024 was certainly much better that what most people on Wall Street predicted. U.S. markets’ stellar run was driven by a growing economy, solid consumer spending and a strong jobs market. Skyrocketing prices for companies in the artificial-intelligence business, such as Nvidia and Super Micro Computer, helped lift the market to new heights. Solid corporate earnings growth also helped. Wall Street expects companies in the S&P 500 to report broad earnings growth of more than 9% for the year.