«Too much is unclear», the Federal Council said on Sunday. About its role last year.

A significant 40% of Stanford undergraduates are now receiving disability accommodations, reflecting a broader trend among Gen Z students seeking support to succeed in the current academic climate.

In an age of streaming platforms and plush multiplexes, students at VIT Chennai briefly travelled back to a time when cinema meant dusty grounds, wooden benches and giant tents fluttering under the open sky.

A Gen Z employee's use of a festival photo as her professional email profile picture led to a workplace dispute after a colleague requested she change it, escalating to her boss.

The emerging scam that is increasingly getting sophisticated and multi-layered as it targets people in their 20s is a job offer scam.

A new trend called 'bedtime stacking' is gaining popularity among Generation Z, encouraging them to gather books, snacks, and gadgets in bed for conscious relaxation.

Yik Wai Chee doesn’t think of himself as a believer. The 33-year-old senior executive at a Malaysia-based AI company is the kind of person who deals in data and decision-making frameworks, not destiny. Yet for years, he has consulted bazi, the ancient Chinese system of elemental forecasting, as a kind of strategic gut check on his life. “For me, it is just a long-term ‘luck check’ to see if there are general strategies I can adapt to get through some life challenges,” he said. “If it doesn’t...

Younger generations, specifically Gen Z and Millennials, are grappling with how to budget for healthcare expenses following the 'ACA Cliff,' which impacts their access to affordable care.

She's as gifted as ever at Nashville songcraft — and underneath the pastel-pink hues and prom-queen problems, there’s newfound emotional complexity

Youth unemployment has hit a more than 10-year high, sparking discussions about a potential jobs crisis for Gen Z.

A quarter of Gen Z want tape and CD players to return to new cars  The Times

Data indicates a significant increase in Gen Z hiring for trade jobs, driven by the desire for steady pay and immunity to AI displacement.

Young people in the UK are struggling with a challenging job market as youth unemployment increases, with a government review chair warning of a potential 'generation on the scrap heap'.

Young Chinese women are embracing "painless parenthood" by raising life-sized cotton dolls, offering nurturing joy without the financial and career burdens of real motherhood. This trend, fueled by fandom and a desire for emotional fulfillment, allows them to experience motherhood's warmth and express creativity in a judgment-free environment, redefining adulthood on their own terms.

Facing barriers to homeownership, Generation Z is increasingly investing its money in the stock market.

An analysis explores the phenomenon of Gen Z reportedly having less sex than previous generations, examining the significant implications of this trend.

Young Bangladeshis express cautious optimism and demand that the government prioritize their voices and deliver on poll promises, as BNP's Rahman ascends to power.

A new, enlightened generation, dubbed 'Gen Z,' has entered the political scene in Bulgaria, challenging existing power structures and prompting a strong reaction from established political forces.

Lena Dunham's HBO series Girls is one of the best comedy-drama shows ever made. It still holds up, and it's being rediscovered by Gen Z viewers.

Der gewaltsame Tod eines 23-jährigen nationalistischen Aktivisten sorgt für Spannungen zwischen Paris und Washington. Frankreich protestiert gegen eine Stellungnahme der US-Regierung zu dem Fall.

A fierce debate is taking place regarding whether there has been a genuine revival in Christianity among Gen Z, with the truth appearing more complicated than initially thought.

MWAMISI: Hollow Gen Z rhetoric no substitute for tangible efforts to create jobs  the-star.co.ke

Following the arrest of Prince Andrew, questions are being raised about the potential damage to the royal family's reputation, with police investigating Jeffrey Epstein's private jet movements.

A fierce debate is taking place about whether there really has been a revival in Christianity.

Phone addiction and national service, in readers’ eyes.

They are young, intensely competitive, and unapologetic about 80-hour work weeks. Welcome to the United States’ new generation of tech founders. Gen Z’s start-up class is reframing “millennial hustle culture” by shifting from side gigs and personal branding to a more rigid office grind, while looking to China for inspiration. It’s for this reason that US artificial intelligence start-ups are openly embracing 996, the controversial 9am to 9pm, six-day-a-week schedule popularised by Chinese tech...

Youth unemployment has hit its highest level in over ten years, raising questions about a potential jobs crisis for Generation Z.

Chinese tech companies, including Tencent Holdings and AgiBot, are appointing millennials and Gen Z individuals as chief scientists to spearhead advanced research in AI and robotics.

Household debt has seen a significant increase, with a notable surge attributed to borrowing by Generation Z.

New research predicts a major comeback for working from home as Boomer and Gen X bosses retire, with work-life balance-loving Gen Z bosses taking over.

Ivan Leong, like many other millennials and Gen Z in Singapore, has ditched the corporate grind and opened small F&B businesses. Aditi Bharade "We're the same age," I told Ernest Ang, a 24-year-old who opened an eatery two years ago with his grandmother's recipes. And yet, it feels like we live in different worlds. Every day, he whips up large batches of fried chicken and beef rendang in Singapore's 90-degree tropical heat. On the other side of the island, in the glitzy financial district, I write about the Trump administration and the general chaos of the world. I started my first job in a newsroom after graduating from college in 2024, diving headfirst into the corporate grind. I sign off at 5:30 p.m. and value the work-life balance my writing job offers. Last year, I started collecting stories of Singaporean Gen Zers and millennials shunning the comfort and stability of the 9-5 in favor of starting their own food businesses — ventures that come with backbreaking long hours. I was humbled. Au Hui Her, a millennial bakery owner, starts prepping loaves of sourdough bread at 4 a.m. Aditi Bharade Hawker centers, like where Ang set up shop, are the go-to for budget meals in Singapore. They're cheap, hearty, and convenient, and I've eaten from them as long as I can remember. There are 123 hawker centers in the country, managed by the National Environment Agency. On average, each center has about seven to 10 individual stalls. Traditionally, they sell dishes like Hainanese chicken rice, bak kut teh, a peppery and flavorful pork soup, or nasi lemak, aromatic rice served with dishes. The stalls are typically run by middle-aged to senior hawkers. Hawker centers in Singapore are typically run by older business owners who sell traditional fare. Aditi Bharade But as younger hawkers join the business, there's been an increase in specialty stalls selling matcha, craft beer, baked goods, and fusion dishes. Success is an uphill battle, with a massive failure rate due to rising store rents and a frugal consumer base. In 2025, 3,074 food and beverage businesses in Singapore closed their doors, per statistics from the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority of Singapore. This has not deterred hopeful entrepreneurs — 4,103 new food businesses opened last year. Ernest Ang, 24, opened a restaurant featuring his grandmother's recipes, and said he prefers the life to working in an office. Aditi Bharade Most of the young chefs I interviewed work six to seven days a week, getting up well before the sun rises to prep ingredients for the day and retiring late into the night after feeding hungry dinner crowds. I spoke with eight Gen Z and millennial F&B owners across the country about what makes them tick, what fears give them chills at night, and if they regret choosing a risky career path. Spoiler: They don't. Credits Reporter: Aditi Bharade Editors: Cheryl Teh, Meghan Morris Read the original article on Business Insider

Gen Z, Locked Out of Home Buying, Puts Its Money in the Market  The Wall Street Journal

Lisa Werner/Getty Images Gen Z now leads restaurant loyalty signups, reshaping rewards programs. Survey data shows that diners will switch brands for better, faster loyalty perks. QSR giants are doubling down on digital rewards to win Gen Z — and it's paying off. Gen Z isn't just signing up for restaurant loyalty programs. They're raising the bar for how those programs have to work. By 2024, nearly half of all new loyalty program signups came from Gen Z as the cohort overtook millennials as the most active generation in restaurant rewards programs for the first time, according to data from PAR Punchh, a loyalty program software from the foodservice tech company PAR Technology. That number has only increased as more and more of the generation, aged 14-29, start flexing their spending power. "Gen Z isn't just participating," Savneet Singh, PAR's CEO, told Business Insider. "They're redefining loyalty." National data backs up just how central these programs have become for this generation. Gen Z consumers make up a higher-than-average share of restaurant customers who say being a member of a loyalty or rewards program is important when choosing where to eat, the National Restaurant Association's 2026 State of the Restaurant Industry report showed. That holds true across dining behaviors — whether they're eating in, ordering delivery, or grabbing takeout — and across segments, from drive-thru and limited-service chains to full-service restaurants. Singh argues that the generational takeover is structural, not cyclical. Gen Z grew up with smartphones and came of age during a pandemic that turbocharged mobile ordering and digital payments. For them, digital ordering, real-time rewards, and seamless app experiences aren't just perks — they're table stakes. "When loyalty is frictionless, Gen Z shows up," Singh said. "When it's clunky, they move on immediately." Rewards programs are no longer optional New survey data from PAR underscores the significance of loyalty programs for consumers. In a December report based on a survey of 1,000 US diners, nearly 70% said loyalty programs help them manage costs in today's inflationary environment. One-third said they're using restaurant loyalty programs more often because of economic pressure, and another third said their usage has held steady. A good deal from a rewards program can make all the difference. One in four respondents said they'd switch to a less-preferred restaurant for better loyalty perks, and half said they compare offers before deciding where to eat. How restaurants respond to that demand defines which formats resonate most with younger diners. PAR's platform data shows Gen Z over-indexing at quick-service restaurants like McDonald's and Taco Bell. In 2024, they accounted for more than a third of check-ins at QSR brands, compared with 20.8% at fast-casual restaurants like Chipotle and Panera Bread. Singh said the appeal is execution: speed, price, convenience, and integrated loyalty perks in one place. Fast casual establishments, by contrast, can sit in "an awkward middle ground" — not as convenient as QSRs and not as experiential as full-service dining. In a crowded landscape where PAR found that over half of consumers prefer managing no more than five loyalty accounts, clear value and seamless execution can determine which brands make the cut. And the chains that embrace the generational trend are already seeing the payoff. Taco Bell delivered 7% same-store sales growth in the fourth quarter, driven in part by transaction gains, especially among younger customers. The Mexican chain's active loyalty members climbed 31% in 2025, and digital channels saw double-digit growth, as app-exclusive drops and rewards nudged its core customers to visit more often. CEO Sean Tresvant told Business Insider earlier this month that "loyalty is going to continue to be a big story for us," adding that Taco Bell will be "really leaning into" its rewards strategy going forward. McDonald's is also leaning heavily into digital engagement. On its fourth-quarter earnings call on Wednesday, CFO Ian Borden described active loyalty membership as the company's "single most important digital metric." McDonald's has about 210 million 90-day active loyalty users across 70 markets, and 46 million active users in the US, he added. Borden said that, in the US, customers visited 10 and a half times in the year before joining the loyalty program — and 26 times in the year after. "When we get consumers into our loyalty program, they visit more often, they spend more over time, and they interact with us more frequently, so they get more value in their interaction with us, and we get more value by them interacting with us," Borden said. Starbucks also recently revamped its rewards program, bringing back its tiered system, extending the window for members to redeem their free birthday reward, and introducing a quicker-to-earn tier that lets customers redeem 60 Stars for $2 off any purchase — a move that lowers the barrier to instant gratification, which Singh said is particularly appealing to Gen Z. That kind of immediacy matters. PAR's survey found that discounts and free items or upgrades remain the most influential rewards, while more than half of respondents said better reward value, such as a surprise free item after a large order, would prompt them to switch programs. For Singh, the takeaway is clear: loyalty is less about points and more about performance. The brands that make participation effortless, deliver instant value, and respect privacy boundaries won't just win Gen Z — they'll define the next era of dining. Read the original article on Business Insider

BBC South Asia correspondent Azadeh Moshiri visited Sheikh Hasina's former residence which is now a memorial for the student protesters killed in the 2024 uprising.

Philippine Senator Robin Padilla faced public backlash and criticism from fellow politicians after he described Generation Z as mentally 'weak' and downplayed their emotional resilience.

A new report indicates that the well-being of Generation Z has decreased, attributed to a less favorable job market for graduates, contrasting with their higher well-being index just three years prior.

With Cyprus remaining for the time being outside of Europe’s border-free Schengen zone, the European Union’s new electronic entry/exit system (EES) will not be applied on the island when it comes into force in most of the rest of Europe in April.  British media in particular has been full of stories of tourists from the United Kingdom and […]

Under immense pressure from the US government, Venezuela has reportedly begun severing close security ties with Cuba and withdrawing advisors from the Caribbean island, as announced on Saturday.

Vom 4. bis zum 22. Februar finden in Italien die Olympischen Winterspiele statt. Die neuesten Meldungen zum Grossanlass.

New talks regarding Iran's nuclear program are scheduled for early March, with significant skepticism remaining after previous negotiations between the US and Iran. Iran has reportedly offered to dilute its uranium stockpile as part of a proposal to the US.

Gen Z employees are increasingly using 'WorkTok' videos to share their daily office routines, offering a glimpse into corporate life for a younger audience.

A Staples employee has gone viral on the internet, earning the nickname 'Staples Baddie,' prompting the retailer to address her newfound fame.

German Doner Kebab aims to open at 25 new sites this year with self-service screens and healthy options aimed at gen Z They are already packing our groceries and delivering shopping. Now robots are coming to the kebab shop, alongside self-service screens and loyalty apps, as takeaways look for ways to tackle rising costs. German Doner Kebab (GDK), a perhaps surprisingly British-owned chain that has been springing up across the country, has turned to technology to keep its fast food business buzzing in the face of rising costs and tough times on the high street. Continue reading...

Production is underway for the second season of 'The Gen Zone,' a U.S. docuseries offering youth-driven news commentary, titled 'The United States Of Amnesia.'

A new report indicates a surprising revival in religious adherence, particularly among Gen Z men and highly educated individuals.

22-year-old Gen Zer Eileen Gu is being applauded online for her confident and no-nonsense response to a journalist's question. Wang Peng/Xinhua via Getty Images Olympic skier Eileen Gu shut down a question on whether winning two silver medals was "two golds lost." Gu, representing China, responded confidently, emphasizing her historic achievements. Gu's response aligns with Gen Z's candid narratives at this Winter Olympics. Five-time Olympic medalist Eileen Gu just shut down a reporter's question asking if she'd "lost" two gold medals by finishing second in her events. The 22-year-old Olympic freeskier, who was born in the US and is representing China in the 2026 Winter Olympics, was responding to a reporter who asked whether Gu felt disappointed not to win gold in Milan. "Do you see these as two silvers gained or two golds lost?" the journalist asked a press conference following her second silver at these games. During her Winter Olympic debut in Beijing in 2022, Gu won two golds. Gu immediately laughed off his question and, without hesitation, said: "I am the most decorated female freeskier in history. I think that is an answer in and of itself." "How do I say this? Winning a medal at the Olympics is a life-changing experience for every athlete." "Doing it five times is exponentially harder, because every medal is equally hard for me, but everybody else's expectations rise, right? And so the two medals lost situation, to be quite frank with you, I think it's kind of a ridiculous perspective to take," she added. Zing! The clip quickly garnered significant attention online. You got to give lots of credit to Eileen Gu for responding brilliantly back to the reporter with great confidence. She looked him in the eye said that was a "ridiculous perspective" without any hesitation or fear. 😁 pic.twitter.com/fPz5uQIosT — Alvin Foo (@alvinfoo) February 18, 2026 Alvin Foo, venture partner at Chain Valley Capital, reposted the clip on his X feed, writing, "You got to give lots of credit to Eileen Gu for responding brilliantly back to the reporter with great confidence." "She looked him in the eye said that was a "ridiculous perspective" without any hesitation or fear," he added. Foo's post has received over 700,000 views. Other posts praising Gu for being confident and poised gained thousands of views. Gu's messaging and self-advocacy follow the trend of what Business Insider's Amanda Yen recently dubbed "The most Gen Z Olympics yet." It's been an Olympics full of public statements and oversharing, Yen wrote. This has included a Norwegian biathlete who confessed to cheating on his ex in a slopeside interview, and American figure skater Amber Glenn addressing discrimination against the queer community under President Donald Trump. Read the original article on Business Insider

The average person does not need to be adding electrolytes to their water Read more in the Antiviral series Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Attitudes towards hydration have become another fault line in the generational divide: while the giant “emotional support” water bottle is ubiquitous among gen Z, those of writer Ian McEwan’s vintage find the modern obsession with hydration “deranged”. McEwan and his ilk will be even more perplexed then that even those guzzling from their Stanley Cups throughout the day are being told they are still not sufficiently hydrating themselves. Influencers are telling their followers they “don’t understand what hydration is” if they’re not adding electrolytes such as sodium and chloride (salt) as well as magnesium and potassium to their water to help their cells “hold on to and use” it. Often spruiking the sachets wellness companies are selling, they claim these fancy salt formulations are essential to avoid migraines and muscle cramps, anxiety and mood swings. Some TikTokers are adding these sachets alongside other ingredients such as coloured ice cubes, edible glitter and fruit into the aforementioned massive cup in a trend known as “loaded water”. Continue reading...

Brands like Toteme are becoming more popular as investment dressing resurges. Edward Berthelot/Getty Images Workwear is recalibrating to styles that balance comfort with a more polished look. The tightening job market and return-to-office mandates have chipped away at pandemic casualness. Employees may also be using more polished workwear to create a boundary between work and home. Dress for the job you want to… keep? In a job market where power has shifted toward employers, at least one thing remains within an employee's control: how they choose to show up to work. With layoffs and slow hiring shaping the labor market and RTO mandates pulling employees back into offices, experts say workers are dressing more carefully to project competence. In periods of uncertainty, clothing is less about comfort and self-expression, and more about job security, Lizzy Bowring, a creative strategist and trend forecaster, told Business Insider. "Dressing smarter serves as career risk management," she said. The business casual era gave way to full-on casual Business casual had an era — a long one. Over the past 30 years, suits and ties have given way to blazers and sweaters in many white-collar industries. By the early 2000s, the casual look was ubiquitous in tech. Think Mark Zuckerberg's signature gray T-shirt, hoodie, and jeans. Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg delivers the opening keynote address at the f8 Developer Conference April 21, 2010 Justin Sullivan/Getty Images When the pandemic hit, casual dressing went from trend to default. There was no need to dress up for your living room. But times are different now. Workers are being called back into the office, and the franzied "Great Resignation" period post-pandemic, when employers were scrambling to retain staff and thrust into bidding wars to scoop up talent, is well behind us. The balance of power has shifted from employee to employer. US businesses are hiring at one of the slowest rates since 2013, and the early impact of AI is beginning to show up. Last month saw more layoffs than any January since 2009, as big companies like Amazon and Citi announced plans to cut thousands of jobs. Because of this, "employees are becoming more conscious of how they present themselves, not because they're being told to, but because uncertainty changes behaviour," Frances Li, founder and director of Biscuit Recruitment, a boutique recruitment agency based in London and New York, told Business Insider. Recalibration, not return An example of a more tailored silhouette is the oversized blazer, pictured here on content creator and writer Alba Garavito Torre. Edward Berthelot/Getty Images Still, experts say we aren't seeing a full return to suits and straight-cut dresses. Trend forecaster Lizzy Bowring describes this as an "'intentional recalibration' — blending comfort with sharper silhouettes, structured tailoring and more deliberate styling." The jacket you once wore over a T-shirt to look smarter for a Zoom meeting is now shifting to a more tailored look, said Bowring. Think oversized blazers and fitted dresses. Fashion's messaging is reflecting this. There's a focus on tailoring and silhouette-forming pieces across luxury brands like Prada, Saint Laurent, and Bottega Veneta, she said. A model walks the runway at Bottega Veneta's Spring/Summer 2026 fashion show at Milan Fashion Week in September. Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images Economic uncertainty has also revived interest in investment dressing: wardrobe staples that work in the office and beyond, cut with precision and built to last. Brands like The Row and Toteme have gained cultural relevance by positioning their pieces as investments, reinforcing the appeal of clothing "that communicates stability, longevity and professional credibility," Bowring added. TikTok content about what to wear to the office and why it matters has also grown in popularity. Younger members of Gen Z, entering office settings for the first time, are questioning how to balance their personal style with work-appropriate attire. Grace McCarrick, a content creator who delivers soft skills training to companies such as Uber and Spotify, said her TikTok videos on being intentional with your appearance at work have been some of her most viral — garnering hundreds of thousands of views. @graceforpersonalityhires The cheat no one is telling you about- you don’t have to look super polished if you look rich. In the north east, the look tends to be a bit dull lol but do what feels right for you ♬ original sound - grace mccarrick "It is so complicated to move up and get noticed in the workforce today," she said. The idea of 'dressing for success' is one of the only levers you can control to help you progress at work, she added. "People who put in the effort stand out like neon signs. They've upped their charisma factor by simply not being as schlubby as everyone else. They could be the most awkward person, but because they look good in a sea of wrinkled khakis with black sneaker 'dress shoes,' they're magnetic," she said. Setting boundaries Formal dress is also a way for employees to clearly distinguish between work and home life. "Work wear cues a performance state, whereas home wear signals a relaxation state," Hajo Adam, an organizational psychologist and professor at the University of Bath, told Business Insider. This separation might help people to actually switch off when work finishes. So, once the clock strikes 5 p.m. — go ahead, loosen up, and hang up your blazer, whether your desk is in the office or in your living room. Read the original article on Business Insider

Logan Paul sold his record-breaking Pokémon card, seen here on a diamond chain in his WWE promo material, for a new record on Monday. WWE Logan Paul's record-setting Pikachu card just set another one. He sold the Pokémon card at auction on Monday for over $16 million, beating a record he set in 2021. The rare card was bought by AJ Scaramucci, a venture capital founder and son of Anthony Scaramucci. Logan Paul just made millions off a Pokémon card. The influencer turned wrestler sold his one-of-one Pikachu Illustrator card — one of 41 ever distributed and the only one graded the highest quality by collectibles company PSA — at auction Monday for a jaw-dropping $16.492 million. The winner? AJ Scaramucci, the founder of venture capital firm Solari Capital and the son of former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci. Scaramucci appeared on Logan Paul's livestream early Monday after auction house Goldin announced him the winning bidder in the auction, which closed at 1:14 am ET. "My ambition for the card is just a small story," Scaramucci said at the event. "The real story is that I'm on a planetary treasure hunt. I'm planning to buy a T. rex dinosaur fossil, the Declaration of Independence, and I'm not stopping there. This is only the beginning." "You're just starting?" Paul replied. "Bro. Bro, that is so epic." Paul also used the livestream to open packs of Pokémon cards and announce RipIt, a new collectibles business he's launching. This Pikachu illustrator Pokémon card set a new record for the most expensive Pokémon card sold privately. Goldin In a statement, Goldin described the Pokémon card, which was originally given to winners of an illustration competition in Japan, as "one of the Holy Grails of the collectibles industry." Paul previously set the world record back in July 2021 when he purchased the same card for $5.275 million, meaning he will make millions in profit. The card also came with a diamond-encrusted chain appraised at $75,000, Goldin said. Paul wore the card during his WWE debut at WrestleMania 38 in 2022. In an Instagram post on Saturday, Paul bid farewell to the card. "Goodbye my friend 😢 What a privilege it's been to be the owner of the greatest collectible in the world," he wrote. The markets for Pokémon cards, along with other collectible card sets like Magic: The Gathering and Yu-Gi-Oh!, have become huge in recent years among collectors — especially Gen Z — with the rarest cards selling for tens of thousands of dollars, if not more. Some people are even forgoing stocks and investing in Pokémon cards instead. Read the original article on Business Insider

Younger generations, particularly Gen Z, are increasingly investing their money in the stock market as traditional homeownership becomes less accessible. This trend highlights a shift in investment strategies for those priced out of the housing market.

A Gen Z individual shares her experience of depleting savings on a startup, recovering with a high-paying job at Meta, and ultimately choosing to leave that position.

Unable to afford homeownership, Gen Z investors are increasingly directing their funds into the stock market, shifting their long-term financial strategies.