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How seriously are you taking your 2026 rebrand? Do you have your 365 buttons ready? If this means nothing to you, you likely spent the holiday period at the lord intended – offline. But if spending less time on your phone isnt one of your 2026 resolutions, let me catch you up. It started with a TikTok posted in December, all about rebranding for 2026. In the comments people shared their own strategies and self-improvement tips for the upcoming year. One comment, however, stood out from the rest. Im getting 365 buttons, one for each day because I want to do more stuff and Im scared of time so I want to be more conscious of it, a user called Tamara wrote. To which another user innocently asked: What is 365 buttons? Tamara went on to explain: One for every day, to which another replied: Yes queen, but wdym buttons? Like to wear? Tamara then clarified: Just to have to see how quick days pass and to remind myself that time passes and I just have fun and to do a lot of stuff. Still confused? Youre not alone. What are you doing with the buttons everyday is what theyre asking, one user commented. Are you putting them in a jar, are you wearing them?? To this, Tamara responded: Hey so it actually only has to make sense to me for me to do it and I dont feel like explaining it to anyone else What mightve remained an off-the-cuff interaction, instead blew up overnight with hundreds of videos since posted in reference to the comment exchange. Some have made their best attempts to explain Tamaras logic (to my understanding a sort of sand timer, but in button-form). Others have taken Tamaras advice and started their own 365 button craft projects, from making their own brass buttons to upcycling clothing. Kinda upset its already the third button but I don’t have to explain that to anyone, one creator posted on January 3rd. Only just now found out about 365 buttons so now i gotta wait til next year, another lamented this week. Mostly, people have taken Tamaras words as a mantra or inspirational quote – complete with brat-esque graphics – to live by in 2026. In much the same way Kylie Jenner prophetically proclaimed 2016 as the year of realizing stuff,” a decade on, in 2026 we can add to that axiom, it actually only has to make sense to me for me to do it and I dont feel like explaining it to anyone else.”
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E-Commerce
As today is the first Monday of 2026, Americans across the country are settling back into their everyday routines after the busy holiday season. But many are also recovering from the fluor still suffering from it. Flu illnesses are surging across the country. According to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), positive influenza test results reached the highest levels of the season for the week ending December 27, 2025. The CDC publishes a weekly influenza surveillance report that details positive case counts, illness activity levels by state, and breakdowns of flu types. Due to the winter holidays, the CDCs latest weekly report was delayed. But the agency published its findings today, January 5, 2026. The report shows that 32.9% of samples tested positive for influenza. Positive influenza test results have continued to trend upwards in recent weeks. Influenza A H3N2 Super Flu cases are surging nationwide Fast Company previously wrote about the worsening spread of the so-called super flu. The most common influenza strain this season is the subclade K, which is a mutated version of H3N2, a subtype of the influenza A virus. According to CDC data, for the week ending December 27, a total of 994 influenza viruses were reported by public health laboratories. Of those, 971 were influenza A and 23 were influenza B. Of the 600 influenza A viruses that were subtyped, 91.2% were influenza A H3N2. For the same week, 33,301 patients were admitted to hospitals with influenza. Meanwhile, two influenza-related pediatric deaths were reported. One death occurred the week ending December 20 and one death occurred the week ending December 27. A total of nine influenza-related pediatric deaths have been reported this season. For the week ending December 27, activity levels were considered very high in more than half of the U.S. states. Activity levels were also very high in Puerto Rico. Screenshot via CDC. The states with the highest flu activity include: Alabama Alaska Arkansas Colorado Connecticut Florida Georgia Idaho Indiana Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Ohio Nebraska New Hampshire New Jersey New York North Carolina North Dakota Rhode Island Tennessee Texas Vermont Virginia The CDC expects activity to continue for several weeks. What are the symptoms of the flu? Flu symptoms can vary from mild to severe. According to the CDC, these are the most common symptoms to be aware of: Fever Feeling feverish/having chills Cough Sore throat Runny or stuffy nose Muscle or body aches Headaches Fatigue (tiredness) Possible vomiting or diarrhea Its worth noting that not everyone with the flu gets a fever. If youre experiencing flu-like symptoms, the CDC recommends limiting contact with others. Total flu cases reach 11 million nationwide The CDC estimates that at least 11 million flu illnesses have occurred so far this season. The agency estimates that there have been 120,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths from the flu. The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older who has not yet been vaccinated this season get an annual influenza vaccine.
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E-Commerce
The Trump administration has added seven countries, including five in Africa, to the list of nations whose passport holders are required to post bonds of up to $15,000 to apply to enter the United States. Thirteen countries, all but two of them in Africa, are now on the list, which makes the process of obtaining a U.S. visa unaffordable for many. The State Department last week quietly added Bhutan, Botswana, the Central African Republic, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Namibia, and Turkmenistan to the list. Those designations took effect on Jan. 1, according to a notice posted on the travel.state.gov website. It’s the latest effort by the Trump administration to tighten requirements for entry to the U.S., including requiring citizens from all countries that require visas to sit for in-person interviews and disclose years of social media histories as well as detailed accounts of their and their families’ previous travel and living arrangements. U.S. officials have defended the bonds, which can range from $5,000 up to $15,000, maintaining they are effective in ensuring that citizens of targeted countries do not overstay their visas. Payment of the bond does not guarantee a visa will be granted, but the amount will be refunded if the visa is denied or when a visa holder demonstrates they have complied with the terms of visa. The new countries covered by the requirement join Mauritania, Sao Tome and Principe, Tanzania, Gambia, Malawi, and Zambia, which were all placed on the list in August and October of last year. Matthew Lee, AP diplomatic writer
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E-Commerce
For years, pharmaceutical companies have been racing to develop a market-ready GLP-1 weight-loss pill to join the ranks of popular injectables. Today, Novo Nordisks oral version of Wegovy is officially available for purchase. The Wegovy pillwhich has been in clinical trials for over two years and was approved by the FDA on December 22is the first and only oral GLP-1 medication for weight loss in adults available in the U.S. According to a press release from Novo Nordisk, the pill hit the market on January 5 at more than 70,000 U.S. pharmacies and several popular telehealth providers. Per a KFF health tracking poll released in November, 1 in 8 Americans were already taking a GLP-1 medication for weight-loss. The new Wegovy pill likely represents an incoming era of even more widespread access to GLP-1 weight-loss drugs. We know there are people who are interested in addressing their weight but have been waiting on the sidelines for a medicine that was right for them, Ed Cinca, Novo Nordisks senior vice president of marketing and patient solutions, said in the press release. For many of them, he added, the wait is over. As of this writing, Novo Nordisks stock is up about 4% since the announcement. Heres what to know about the companys new pill. How much does the Wegovy pill cost? Like the injectable version of Wegovy, its pill form will require a prescription from a doctor. Its available in multiple doses, including 1.5 milligrams (which is considered a starter dose, to help the body build up a tolerance), 4 mg, 9 mg, and 25 mg. Novo Nordisk says prices for self-pay patients will start at $149 per month for the 1.5 mg dose. The 4 mg dose will also be available for $149 per month through April 15, 2026, then $199 per month after. The highest dose of 25 mg will be available for $299 per month. Where is the Wegovy pill available? Starting today, the Wegovy pill is available at more than 70,000 pharmacies, including CVS and Costco, as well as telehealth providers like Ro, LifeMD, Weight Watchers, NovoCare Pharmacy (Novo Nordisks direct-to-patient service), GoodRx, and more. For its part, GoodRx (which is a healthcare company that provides coupons and savings to be applied in pharmacies) announced in its own press release that it will help consumers access the Wegovy pill at a variety of pharmacies for its lowest price of $149 per month at the 1.5 mg and 4 mg dosages. The news comes after GoodRx first joined forces with Novo Nordisk in September to offer the lowest-ever out-of-pocket prices for injectable Ozempic and Wegovy.
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E-Commerce
Stocks rose in morning trading on Wall Street Monday to kick off the first full week of the new year, led by energy and technology companies. The S&P 500 rose 0.7%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 639 points, or 1.3%, as of 10:55 a.m. Eastern. The Nasdaq composite rose 0.8%. Markets in Asia and Europe were mostly higher. Energy companies and the oil market were a key focus after U.S. forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolįs Maduro in a weekend raid. The price of U.S. crude jumped 1.4% to $58.13 per barrel. The price of Brent crude, the international standard, rose 1.2% to $61.50 per barrel. President Donald Trump has floated a plan for U.S. oil companies to help rebuild Venezuelas oil industry. Chevron surged 5% and Exxon Mobil rose 2% for some of the strongest gains in the market. After years of neglect and international sanctions, Venezuelas oil industry is in disrepair. It could take years and major investments before production can increase dramatically. But some analysts expect its current output of about 1.1 million barrels a day could double or triple fairly quickly. Big banks also made solid gains. JPMorgan Chase rose 3.4% and Bank of America jumped 2.6%. Wall Street is also watching the technology sector as the industry kicks off its annual CES trade show in Las Vegas. Nvidia rose 0.3% and Intel jumped 2%. Investors are particularly focused on advancements in artificial intelligence, or AI. The sector led the broader market to a series of records in 2025 on expectations that AI will continue to drive advancements and profits for a wide range of technology companies. The latest updates on AI from influential technology companies could help shed more light on whether the big investments are worth the potential financial risks. Companies like Nvidia have been heavily investing in the technology, while investors on Wall Street have made those companies among the most valuable in the world. Their outsized valuations now drive much of the movement for major indexes. Gold gained 2.8% and the price of silver soared 8%. Such assets are often considered safe havens in times of geopolitical turmoil. The metals have notched record prices over the last year amid lingering economic concerns brought on by conflicts and trade wars. Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.18% from 4.19% late Friday. The yield on the two-year Treasury, which moves more closely with expectations for what the Federal Reserve will do, fell to 3.46% from 3.48% late Friday. Wall Street will get several economic updates this week that will also be watched by the Fed as it determines interest rate policy. On Monday, the Institute for Supply Management released its manufacturing index for December showing the sector continued shrinking. More importantly, the business group will release its December report on the services sector on Wednesday. The services sector makes up the bulk of the U.S. economy and it grew, even if only slightly, throughout most of 2025. Reports on the job market later this week, which include updates for job openings and overall employment, will be a bigger focus for the Fed. The central bank has been weighing a slowing job market against risks for rising inflation as it decides whether to cut interest rates. It cut its benchmark rate three times late in 2025, but inflation has remained above its 2% target and that has made the Fed more cautious. Wall Street still expects the Fed to hold rates steady at its upcoming meeting later in January. Damian J. Troise, AP business writer AP business writer Elaine Kurtenbach and AP video journalist Mayuko Ono contributed to this report.
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E-Commerce
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