The co-founder of trendy Manhattan cocktail lounge Employees Only is branching out with a new family-friendly restaurant in Brooklyn.
Igor Hadzismajlovic, who opened the late-night industry fave in 2004, has chosen his wife, Helen Zhang, and Edo Ademovic to be his partners in the new venture.
Ziggy’s Roman Cafe, at 15 Main Street in Dumbo, is slated to open next month, Zhang told Side Dish.
The co-founder of trendy Manhattan cocktail lounge Employees Only is branching out with a new family-friendly restaurant in Dumbo, Brooklyn.
“We were searching for normal places where families can eat in Dumbo and there was nothing accessible for people who live in the neighborhood, just exorbitantly priced restaurants since it is a huge tourist magnet — but not a dining destination,” said Zhang, a former publicist and brand marketer.
The restaurant, named for their youngest child, will have around 65 seats inside and a mezzanine “for kids to play while parents eat and have a good time,” Zhang said.
“We looked at the space and loved it. It’s right in the middle of Dumbo. It’s a special space,” she added.
The couple have two kids: Rio, 7, and Ziggy, 5.
The menu — from Chef John Poiarkoff, the former executive chef of Marta — will include “easy, no fuss Italian Roman style food” such as artichokes alla Romana, fried gnocchi and hasselback eggplant parmagiana.
Pizzamaker Federico Crociani, known for his thin, Roman-style pizzas, will consult on the pizza program.
“Eating out was such a big part of our lives and it can be painful with kids — we wanted to create something to mitigate the pain that parents feel,” Zhang said.
“We are paranoid about not alienating non-parents and will have a super-fun vibe like Employees Only.”
Ademovic, formerly the bar manager at Sunset Beach on Shelter Island, who will be Ziggy’s general manager.
Ziggy’s Roman, named for their youngest child, will have around 65 seats inside and a mezzanine “for kids to play while parents eat and have a good time,” Zhang said. Courtesy of Ziggy’s Roman Cafe
Cocktails will be a key part of the plan. They are being developed by Employees Only co-founder Jason Kosmas.
The cocktails will range from an Employees Only classic, West Side (Charbay Meyer Lemon Vodka and fresh lemon juice shaken with fresh mint and topped with soda) as well as Ziggy’s originals, including a Vesuvian Margarita, which is “Italian-imagined” with reposado tequila, Italicus, orange agave, lemon and black lava salt, as well as a Capuccino Assassino, a new take on the classic espresso martini with CarpanoAntica (vermouth) “to add depth.”
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We hear… that Miriam, a popular Park Slope, Brooklyn, spot that opened 20 years ago, and now has an Upper West Side outpost near the Beacon Theater, is in expansion mode.
It’s opening Miriam West Village, at 140 Seventh Ave. South, and Miriam Upper East side at 973 Lexington Ave – where popular neighborhood hotspot Rafael, once stood.
The Mediterranean and Middle Eastern-inspired fare is from chef/restaurateur Rafael “Rafi” Hasid, who named the eatery after his mom.
Miriam’s Lamb shawarma terracotta dish. Miriam
It boasts tableside lamb shawarma terracotta, chicken schnitzel and steak levant for dinner, as well as sharable dishes like Jerusalem sesame bread, lavash shatta-feta and spanakopita.
The menu also features popular brunch items, like a burekas breakfast (a flaky pastry with hard boiled eggs, crushed tomato, shug, Syrian olives, pickles and tahini), Turkish eggs (poached over yogurt with harissa oil, roasted eggplant, tahini and pita), and malawach, (a flaky, savory Yemenite flatbread with melted fontina and cheddar cheese, hard boiled eggs, tahini, crushed tomatoes, shug, pickles and Syrian olives.).
Desserts feature burnt cheesecake with blueberry coulis, kadaif cannoli with whipped labneh, date molasses and pisachio creme and a rose babka werved warm with vanilla ice cream.
The restaurants are part of Hasid’s 6R Hospitality Group, which includes the New Orleans-inspired 1803 NYC in Tribeca and its Bon Courage speakeasy.
With the leaders of Russia, Iran, and North Korea watching, Beijing conducted a massive parade on Wednesday, demonstrating the results of a years-long effort by the Chinese Communist Party to build a military it hopes can defeat the United States in the Pacific.
Beijing’s growing prowess has eroded American security and increased the likelihood of war in the Taiwan Strait, but it is not too late for Americans to respond.
The top U.S. military officer in the Pacific testified more than two years ago that the People’s Liberation Army “continues the largest, fastest, most comprehensive military buildup since World War II in both the conventional and strategic nuclear domains.”
Unfortunately, the PLA’s capabilities have only improved since then, as the parade and recent assessments by the Pentagon and U.S. intelligence community demonstrate.
Many of the weapons on display in the parade are tailor made for targeting U.S. military forces and possibly deterring a decision by Washington to help Taiwan in a crisis.
That includes several hypersonic YJ-series anti-ship missiles, whose speed and maneuverability pose serious threats to U.S. naval vessels by making interception more challenging.
The PLA also displayed several intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of targeting the U.S. homeland. This included the DF-61’s apparent public debut at the parade, which underscored China’s progress in expanding its nuclear arsenal.
To make matters worse, “China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea are pursuing unprecedented levels of cooperation,” as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine testified in June. That includes broad and deep cooperation among these authoritarian adversaries in the cyber, economic, information warfare, and military domains that is making each adversary more capable in their ongoing or prospective sphere of aggression.
So how should Americans respond?
As a first step, Americans should recognize that our adversaries are waging an information war against us. China and Russia, in particular, seek to divide and distract Americans as much as possible, hoping that we are so dysfunctional at home that we are either unable or unwilling to defend our vital interests abroad.
Americans should recognize this fact, unite as much as possible, and begin to go on the offensive in the information domain.
Devoting sufficient resources to defense will help procure the maximum quantities of key weapons systems and munitions that industry can produce; build additional defense production capacity as quickly as possible; and prioritize the delivery of decisive combat capabilities to American forces as quickly as possible.
Finally, at a time when our adversaries appreciate the value of partners, Americans should not take our unmatched network of allies and partners for granted. The United States is powerful, but given the threats we confront, we need friends more than ever.
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That includes our NATO allies, our allies in the Pacific, and partners such as Taiwan, Ukraine and Israel.
But we should also manage relations carefully with countries such as India.
India is a major power and important partner for the United States. A prosperous and powerful India can advance American interests and help prevent Chinese hegemony in the Indo-Pacific. India can create additional dilemmas for Beijing which can help make it think twice about aggression.
To this end, the U.S. and India have significantly increased security cooperation in recent years. That includes a significant increase in India’s purchases of American weapons, as well as regular combined military exercises in both countries. India also is a member of the Quad diplomatic and security partnership, which includes the United States, Japan, and Australia.
Unfortunately, New Delhi’s behavior since Vladimir Putin’s February 2022 large-scale re-invasion of Ukraine has been very disappointing. India’s purchases of discounted Russian oil have surged since then. While India imported less than 1% of its oil from Russia before the invasion, that number reportedly skyrocketed to 45% by May of 2023. Now India is one of the leading customers of Russian oil, providing Putin valuable revenue to support his brutal war of aggression.
President Donald Trump is right to try to end India’s purchase of Russian oil, but his administration should pursue this policy in a way that does not destroy important progress in Washington’s relationship with New Delhi and deprive the United States of a necessary partner in the effort to counter Beijing.
Americans are right to be concerned about what they saw in the parade in Beijing. But if we take the necessary steps, we can continue to deter aggression in the Pacific and protect America’s vital interests.
Bradley Bowman serves as senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
McDonald’s is banking on burgers and fries to tell a bigger story about the American economy. Chief Executive Chris Kempczinski is slimming down the cost of the fast-food giant’s value meals as he grapples with what he calls a “two-tier economy”—a widening divide between consumers who are still spending freely and those who are pulling back.
For years, dating back to the 2022 inflation wave, McDonald’s and its fast-food rivals have contended with shopper frustration over rising menu prices, with combo meals increasingly breaking into double digits. Customers at the higher end of the income spectrum continue to order premium products and use delivery apps at healthy rates. Lower-income diners, however, are cutting back, Kempczinski argued in an interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” treating fast food less as a daily convenience and more as an occasional splurge. He told the anchors that McDonald’s has been on a “value journey” over the last year or so.
“Particularly with middle and lower-income consumers, they’re feeling under a lot of pressure right now,” Kempczinski told the CNBC anchors. ”There’s a lot of commentary around, ‘What’s the state of the economy, how’s it doing right now?’ And what we see is, it’s really kind of a two-tier economy. If you’re upper-income, earning over $100,000, things are good … what we see with middle and lower-income consumers, it’s actually a different story.” He cited traffic for these demographics being down double digits and they’re skipping breakfast or eating at home.
Kempczinski was pressed on some political issues by the CNBC anchors, including whether McDonald’s fits with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy’s MAHA, or “Make America Healthy Again,” and the policy around no taxes on tips. Kempczinski said he personally supported the no taxes on tips issue but clarified that it didn’t help McDonald’s much, as it doesn’t allow tips. A tips restaurant requires a minimum wage of just $2.13 per hour, he added, which hasn’t been changed since 1991, calling this an “uneven playing field” as “you’re essentially getting the customer to pay for your labor,” plus the tax-free benefit. He called for one federal minimum wage for all kinds of restaurants and then said McDonald’s was “open” to raising the federal minimum wage beyond that, adding that the company was “in dialogue” with the White House about several issues including this one.
The current federal minimum wage in the United States is $7.25 per hour, a rate that has been unchanged since July 24, 2009. This long-standing rate marks over 16 years without a federal increase, making it the longest period in U.S. history without an update to the minimum wage. However, many states and localities have adopted higher minimum wage rates, some reaching as high as $18 per hour in the District of Columbia.
In 2025, significant new legislation called the Raise the Wage Act of 2025 was introduced in Congress. This proposed law would incrementally increase the federal minimum wage to $17 per hour by the year 2030, phasing out subminimum wage rates for tipped workers, workers with disabilities, and youth workers. Additionally, a Senate bill was proposed to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour starting January 1 of the first year after its passage. These legislative efforts indicate active momentum at the federal level to increase the minimum wage after more than a decade of stagnation.
Different from the Great Recession
Kempczinski added that this isn’t like what McDonald’s saw during the Great Recession, “when everyone traded down.” And so McDonald’s has to be creative to play both sides of the issue. Increased accessibility for lower-income consumers now comes in the form of a revamped $5 meal bundle, along with more aggressive price promotions in flagship markets. Advertising campaigns are leaning heavily on the theme of value, a message designed to resonate with cost-conscious families forced to make sharper trade-offs in their daily spending.
The strategy underscores a balancing act for McDonald’s. As one of the few global chains with the size and procurement power to cut prices without immediately crippling profitability, the company can play offense where smaller rivals cannot. Still, franchisees—who operate most U.S. locations—are wary that thinner price points could turn into margin squeezes just as wages, rent, and insurance remain high. Still, Kempczinski told the CNBC anchors that the move toward more value was “almost unanimous” among franchisees, to a surprised reaction.
The broader retail picture
McDonald’s dual-track strategy echoes a broader split visible across much of the U.S. economy. Big-box retailers like Walmart and Target report a similar trend that Dollar General CEO Todd Vasos put his finger on in March: “Many of our customers report that only have enough money for basic essentials.” Delta Air Lines, a proxy for demand among the affluent consumer cohort, has largely gone from strength to strength as America’s most profitable airline, although it has lowered guidance during 2025, owing to uncertainty from the Trump tariff regime.
The trends recall an economic pattern established during the pandemic: the “K-shaped” economy. As Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY-Parthenon, explained to Fortune in 2023, this means that middle and lower-income consumers are one leg of the “K,” pointing down and to the right, while the upper-income cohort is doing better and better.
McDonald’s, though, has to master the “K” to get the most out of its consumers. That means fighting to maintain its decades-old position as the go-to spot for an affordable meal, even as it courts higher-margin opportunities to keep shareholders satisfied. Whether that balancing act proves sustainable may depend on just how long America’s two-track consumer economy sticks around.
For this story, Fortune used generative AI to help with an initial draft. An editor verified the accuracy of the information before publishing.
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At least 15 people have been killed and 18 are injured after the iconic Gloria funicular in Lisbon derailed and crashed, emergency services have said.
Five of the injured are in a serious condition, the National Institute for Medical Emergencies said in a statement.
Footage from the site showed the tram-like funicular, which is popular with tourists, practically destroyed and emergency workers pulling people out of the wreckage.
Authorities would not identify the victims or disclose their nationalities, but said some foreign nationals were among the dead.
The UK Foreign Office has said it is in touch with authorities in Lisbon and is ready to “provide consular assistance if there are any affected British nationals”.
Lisbon’s mayor Carlos Moedas has said there will be three days of mourning for the victims of the “tragic accident”.
He added: “I extend my heartfelt condolences to all the families and friends of the victims. Lisbon is in mourning.”
It is not immediately clear what caused the crash which happened at around 6pm – the start of evening rush hour.
Eyewitnesses told local media that the funicular careered down the hill, apparently out of control.
Images show how the yellow and white carriage fell apart as a result of the crash.
Image: Pic: AP
The Gloria, which can carry more than 40 people, is one of three funiculars in the Portuguese capital and is classified as a national monument.
It connects downtown Lisbon with the neighbourhood of Bairro Alto and is commonly used by both residents and tourists.
Two carriages attached to the same haulage cable run parallel to each other as they shuttle up and down the hill for a few hundred metres.
The second carriage was apparently undamaged, but footage aired by CNN Portugal showed it jolting violently, with several passengers jumping out of its windows, when the other one derailed.
Image: Emergency services at the scene. Pic: AP
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Mr Moedas told the Portuguese news site Diario de Noticia: “It is a tragedy that has never happened in our city. The moment is for action and help. I thank you all for the response in a few minutes. The only thing I can say is that it is a very tragic day.”
It comes as Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has offered his condolences to families affected by the tragedy.
Meanwhile EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has written on X: “It is with sadness that I learned of the derailment of the famous ‘Elevador da Glória’. My condolences to the families of the victims.”
Portugal’s defence minister Nuno Melo said: “The accident in Lisbon with the Gloria elevator was a tragedy that caused strong commotion and consternation in Portugal and in the world… I express all my solidarity and offer heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, wishing a speedy recovery to the injured.”
An investigation into the cause will begin once the rescue operation is over, the Portuguese government said in a statement.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
Fossils of the creature Spicomellus revealed elaborate body armor used to attract mates and deter rivals.
Matt Dempsey/The Natural History Museum, London
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Matt Dempsey/The Natural History Museum, London
A dinosaur that roamed modern-day Morocco more than 165 million years ago had a neck covered in three-foot long spikes, a weapon on its tail and bony body armor, according to researchers who unearthed the curious beast’s remains.
The discovery of the animal Spicomellus in the Moroccan town of Boulemane painted a clearer picture of the bizarre, spiked ankylosaur, which was first described in 2021 based on the discovery of a single rib bone.
Researchers now understand that the four-legged herbivore, which was about the size of a small car,was much more elaborately armored than originally believed, according to research published last month in the journal Nature.
“Spicomellus had a diversity of plates and spikes extending from all over its body, including metre-long neck spikes, huge upwards-projecting spikes over the hips, and a whole range of long, blade-like spikes, pieces of armour made up of two long spikes, and plates down the shoulder,” research co-lead Susannah Maidment said in a statement to London’s Natural History Museum.
“We’ve never seen anything like this in any animal before.”
The Spicomellus‘ ribs were lined with fused spikes projecting outward — a feature never witnessed before in any other vertebrate, living or extinct.
Co-lead of the project Richard Butler, a paleobiology professor at the University of Birmingham,described seeing the fossil for the first time as “spine-tingling.”
“We just couldn’t believe how weird it was and how unlike any other dinosaur, or indeed any other animal we know of, alive or extinct,” Butler told the Natural History Museum.
“It turns much of what we thought we knew about ankylosaurs and their evolution on its head and demonstrates just how much there still is to learn about dinosaurs,” he added.
Researchers suggest that the Spicomellus‘ complex bone structure was used both to attract mates and deter rivals.
Discovering that the dinosaur had such elaborate armor that possibly prioritized form as much as function set the animal apart from its predecessors, which had less, more defensive covering on their bodies.
In addition to showy barbs along Spicomellus‘ exterior, remains of the animal’s tail also provided a stunning new detail for scientists.
Fused vertebrae going down into its tail formed a “handle,” likely leading to a club-like weapon at the end — a detail ankylosaur scientists had previously believed not to have evolved until the Cretaceous period, millions of years later.
“To find such elaborate armour in an early ankylosaur changes our understanding of how these dinosaurs evolved,” Maidment said.
“It shows just how significant Africa’s dinosaurs are, and how important it is to improve our understanding of them,” she said.
When investing in a Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP), the government gives us a helping hand by topping up our contributions with generous tax relief. For a basic rate taxpayer, each £100 that goes in only costs £80.
For someone who pays tax at 40%, the £100 costs them just £60. Better still, capital gains and dividends roll up free of tax, while we can take 25% of our pot free of income tax. Further withdrawals will be added to a person’s income for that year, and potentially be subject to income tax.
Please note that tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in future. The content in this article is provided for information purposes only. It is not intended to be, neither does it constitute, any form of tax advice. Readers are responsible for carrying out their own due diligence and for obtaining professional advice before making any investment decisions.
FTSE 100 dividends build wealth
Let’s say someone’s aiming for a monthly income of £1,750 from their SIPP in retirement. How much do they need to invest?
This is where the classic 4% withdrawal rule can help. It suggests that if an investor takes 4% of their pot each year, the underlying capital will never run out. If the goal is £1,750 a month, or £21,000 a year, their pension pot will need to be worth around £525,000.
This is a pretty hefty chunk of money. But thanks to tax relief, and the long-term compounding advantages of FTSE 100 shares, it could be more achievable than people think.
Let’s say somebody invested £650 a month, and their portfolio generates an average return of 7% a year. In that scenario, it would take them 25 years to hit that £525k target. Of course, £650 is a lot of money to find every month, but 40% tax relief would reduce that to £390. Still a lot, but slightly less daunting.
I have a SIPP myself, and it contains around 15 to 20 different FTSE 100 stocks, combining share price growth potential with high levels of dividend income.
Persimmon shares look good value
So how do we reach our ultimate goal? There are some incredible yields on the FTSE 100 today. Housebuilder Taylor Wimpey, for example, has a trailing yield of just over 10%.
Another housebuilder, Persimmon (LSE: PSN), pays dividend income of 5.64%. A key reason for these high yields is that shares in the sector have taken a beating. High house prices and mortgage rates are stretching affordability, hitting buyer demand. The cost-of-living crisis has driven up materials and labour costs, squeezing margins.
The Persimmon share price has fallen 37% over the last 12 months as a result. Yet the sell-off may also be an opportunity for braver investors to think about getting in ahead of a potential recovery.
Persimmon looks good value, trading at a price-to-earnings ratio of just over 11 (a figure of 15 is typically seen as fair value). It’s picking up the pace of house completions, with plans to build 11,000 to 11,500 homes this year, rising to 12,000 in 2026.
What it really needs now is a few more interest rate cuts, plus some much-needed economic optimism. When that comes, sentiment could jump quite quickly. That could mean capital growth to add to the dividends paid.
We’re not there yet but I think the stock is worth considering for patient investors who understand the risks. This is just one of a number of FTSE 100 stocks worth looking at today. If this one doesn’t appeal there are plenty more out there.
It turns out KikiBarth isn’t the only Real Housewives of Miami cast member who blocked Guerdy Abraira on Instagram. Marysol Patton just admitted that she blocked her, too. According to her, Guerdy earned a block from at least four cast members, and it all happened before they ever sat down for the Season 7 reunion.
Marysol Patton blocked Guerdy Abraira “a few days before” the RHOM reunion
Marysol recently sat down on Two Ts in A Pod with Tamra Judge and Teddi Mellencamp, and she dished on all of the drama of RHOM Season 7. From her bestie Alexia Nepola’s questionable breakup to the private plane debacle, Marysol dove into all of the mess.
At one point, the Two Ts asked Marsyol about her fractured friendship with Adriana de Moura. Marysol made it clear that they still weren’t on good terms, and she has her blocked on Instagram. Then, she admitted that she actually blocked two cast members, with the other being Guerdy.
“I did it a few days before the reunion,” Marysol confessed.
“I think it’s not that it gets worse on the show, I think just the problem is she takes things that have been resolved from months ago, and then when the show airs and she sees the reaction from the audience, then she’ll jump on it and then put something on her Instagram and start dragging you,” she continued.
Marysol’s reasoning for blocking Guerdy sounds almost exactly the same as what Kiki shared in an interview a few weeks ago, and apparently, at least two other cast members also blocked Guerdy for similar reasons. Marysol teased that a fifth person might be blocking her, too.
“There’s actually four cast members that have her blocked,” Marysol continued. “And somebody today told me, ‘I don’t want to see those posts anymore, should I block her?’”
Marysol didn’t drop any names about who all blocked Guerdy, but it doesn’t take too much guessing to figure it out. Clearly, Marysol and her pals don’t want Guerdy on the show, or in their lives.
The Real Housewives of Miami airs on Thursdays at 9/8c on Bravo. Stream it the next day on Peacock or Hayu in the UK and Ireland.
TELL US – ARE YOU SURPRISED THAT MOST OF THE CAST BLOCKED GUERDY ON INSTAGRAM? WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON MARYSOL’S REASON FOR BLOCKING HER?
“It’s worth remembering that both Safe Harbour and Privacy Shield fell under legal challenge on similar grounds, and campaigners have already signaled that further appeals are likely. That means the framework may not be the last word in EU-US data transfers,” he said.
Does an agreement with the US make that much difference?
Without this agreement, EU companies would have to draft complex contracts with US suppliers imposing restrictions on data processing and handling. Requiring agreements for each transfer, this would be expensive and time consuming, assuming it even met watertight legal standards under real-world conditions.
Companies would love to move on from this confusing situation, yet it might still be too soon to celebrate the ruling. Max Schrems, the lawyer who lodged the initial complaint, still campaigns on the issue through an NGO he founded, None of Your Business (NOYB). He believed the Court’s ruling was still open to appeal.
We’re getting closer. The Apple iPhone 17 event is on Tuesday, September 9, which is less than a week away. (Here’s how you can watch the iPhone 17 launch on YouTube.) We’ll finally get to see the new iPhone 17 lineup, and — assuming Apple sticks to tradition — we should be able to install iOS 26 around a week or so after the event. (Apple is also expected to release iOS 18.7 at the same time, per MacRumors, to address security issues.) But you don’t have to wait to test out the new features because you can download and install the newly released public beta 6 (or iOS 26 developer beta 9 for developers). You can see a more complete view of the new features in our preview of the iOS 26 public beta release, which shows off the fresh home and lock screen redesign. Called Liquid Glass, the translucent look will extend across all of Apple’s upcoming operating systems. The overhaul is one of several big changes coming to iOS, macOS, iPadOS and the rest of Apple’s software suite, all of which were showcased during the company’s WWDC keynote on June 9.
After overpromising on AI plans last year, Apple kept its iOS roadmap focused more on basic quality of life improvements this year. There are multiple useful additions coming to the Phone and Messages apps on your iPhone, for instance: Apple execs outlined the ability to weed out spam texts or other unknown senders and an option to hold your spot on a phone call when you’ve been waiting for a representative to pick up. Plus, a treasured feature that we took for granted is coming back (hint: it’s in the Photos app).
With each beta, it seems like additional new improvements are popping up, like this new AirPods gesture we’re all curious about, and a new bouncy animation on the passcode screen and in the Control Center. Some of those changes have already migrated into the separate public beta (see below). Most newer iPhone models are eligible to download iOS 26 (both the betas and final version). Want to see the full list of new features coming this fall? Read on.
What is iOS 26?
The current iPhone operating system is iOS 18, and Apple is still actively updating it — version 18.6.1 was released to restore Apple Watch blood oxygen monitoring functionality for certain users in the US. More recently, Apple released 18.6.2 to address a vulnerability related to image processing. Apple has officially stopped signing iOS 18.6, MacRumors reports, which means it can no longer be installed on your iPhone due to a “server-side software verification check.” That’s pretty normal when newer versions are available to download.
But don’t expect to see iOS 19 soon — or ever. Instead, Apple is skipping the numbering ahead to iOS 26 next month. The company has decided to line up its iOS version numbers with a year-based system, similar to car model years. So while iOS and its sibling operating systems will be released in late 2025, they’re all designated “26” to reflect the year ahead.
It’s official, we’re moving to iOS 26. (Apple)
What is Liquid Glass design?
Let’s be honest. Out of everything announced at WWDC this year, the new Liquid Glass design was the star of the show. The iPhone’s home and lock screens have looked pretty much the same year after year — the last exciting thing (in my opinion) was the option to add your own aesthetic to your home screen by customizing your apps and widgets. So seeing the home and lock screens’ new facelift is refreshing.
So what exactly is Liquid Glass? Apple calls it a “new translucent material” since, well, the apps and widgets are clear. However, the screen can still adapt to dark and light modes, depending on surroundings. You’ll also notice buttons with a new floating design in several apps, like Phone and Maps. They’re designed to be less distracting than the current buttons, but are still easy to see. While the design overhaul has proven to be controversial since its announcement, some — including Engadget’s own Devindra Hardawar — like the new direction, even if it’s somewhat reminiscent of Microsoft’s translucent Windows Vista Aero designs from nearly twenty years ago.
That said, as of the release of the iOS 26 beta 2, Apple has already incorporated some user feedback into the design, dialing back the transparency in at least some places. And while it will continue to evolve, Apple users won’t be able to escape it: Liquid Glass was designed to make all of Apple’s OSes more cohesive. Here’s a look at how the translucent aesthetic will look with the new macOS Tahoe 26 on your desktop.
What are the new and notable features of iOS 26?
iOS 26 has a laundry list of new features. Among the most worthwhile:
Phone app redesign: You’ll finally be able to scroll through contacts, recent calls and voicemail messages all on one screen. It also comes with a new feature called Hold Assist that’ll notify you when an agent comes to the phone so you can avoid the elevator music and continue on with other tasks.
Live Translation in Phone, FaceTime and Messages: iOS 26 is bringing the ability to have a conversation via phone call or text message with someone who speaks another language. Live Translation will translate your conversation in real time, which results in some stop-and-go interactions in the examples Apple shared during its presentation.
Polls in group chats: Tired of sorting through what seems like hundreds of messages in your group chat? You and your friends will soon be able to create polls in group messages for deciding things like which brunch spot you’re eating at or whose car you’re taking on a road trip.
Filtering unknown senders in Messages: If you haven’t received spam texts about unpaid tolls or other citations, you’re lucky. For those of us who have, those annoying messages will soon be filtered away in a separate folder.
Visual Intelligence: Similar to a reverse Google image search, this new feature will allow you to search for anything that’s on your iPhone screen. For instance, if you spot a pair of shoes someone is wearing in an Instagram photo, you can screenshot it and use Visual Intelligence to find those shoes (or similar ones) online.
Photos tabs are back: For anyone who’s still frustrated with the Photos changes made last year, you’ll be happy to know that your tabs are coming back. Library and Collections will have their own separate spaces so you don’t have to scroll to infinity to find what you’re looking for.
Camera app updates: Navigating the Camera app is simpler in iOS 26, as all the buttons and menus are in convenient spots — less swiping, more photo taking. Plus, there’s a new feature that tells you if your lens needs to be cleaned.
FaceTime “Communication Safety” feature: A newer addition to iOS 26 appears to be the FaceTime “Communication Safety” feature that pauses communications if and when nudity is detected. The feature appears to be a child safety feature that uses on-device detection, thus obviating any cloud-based privacy issues.
New lock screen options: The iPhone lock screen gets more customizable in iOS 26, with a cooler clock, 3D wallpaper effects, more widgets and better focus mode options.
New alarm setting: You’ll no longer be stuck with the 9-minute snooze setting in your alarms. Instead, you’ll have the option to change your snooze time from one to 15 minutes.
Apple’s Hold Assist will be nifty for those pesky services that put you on hold for 10 or more minutes. (Apple)
New changes coming to iPadOS 26
Your iPad isn’t getting left behind when it comes to big updates. Here’s what’s coming this fall.
Multitasking and real windowing: When you download the newest update, you’ll be able to have multiple apps running on your screen at the same time. Once you open an app, it’ll appear on your screen as normal but you’ll be able to resize and move it across your screen to make room for other apps. This feature is optional so you can turn it off if you don’t like it.
Visual update: Along with the other new OSes, iPadOS 26 is coming with the Liquid Glass aesthetic. This new look will appear on the lock and home screens, as well as the drop-down menus.
New menu bar: When you swipe down on your screen, the new menu bar will appear with options like File, Edit, Windows and more. There’s also a search option if you’re looking for something specific.
Enhanced audio recording: Apple calls this “studio-quality” audio recording, and with it, you’ll notice more clarity while in noisy environments.
Camera remote control: Using this, you can take a photo or start and stop video recording with just one press on your AirPods. When taking photos, you’ll get a three-second countdown before your iPhone or iPad snaps the picture.
Live translation feature: While not officially announced or confirmed, it appears that the long-rumored live translation for AirPods could be coming with iOS 26. The evidence comes from a system asset spotted in the in iOS 26 beta showing a gesture that’s triggered by pressing both earbud stems at the same time. The photo also shows words in several different languages.
Heart rate monitoring (rumored for now):Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman believes Apple will introduce new AirPods Pro earbuds this year, which could have heart rate monitoring. It would work with Apple’s Health app and other fitness apps that track heart rates.
Will Siri get an update?
Siri is in a holding pattern. Apple has previously specified that its smarter voice assistant — first promised at WWDC 2024 — is delayed until some point “in the coming year,” so you shouldn’t expect any major changes in the current betas. But there are reports that Apple is aiming to give Siri a bigger brain transplant by basing it on third-party artificial intelligence models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Anthropic’s Claude, which could make 2026 a pivotal year. The company is also reportedly working on a “stripped-down” AI chatbot to rival ChatGPT.
Which iPhones will be able to upgrade to iOS 26?
A few iPhone models that run the current version of iOS — iPhone XR, XS and XS Max — won’t be compatible with the latest upgrade. But any iPhones released in 2019 or later will be eligible for the iOS 26 update.
iPhone SE (second generation or later)
Not listed here are the presumed new iPhone 17 models (or maybe iPhone 26?) that are all but certain to be announced and released in September.
How to install iOS 26 beta
The iOS 26 public beta is now available to download via the Apple Beta Software Program. If you’re not already a member, you’ll need to sign up to try out all the latest features. Just visit beta.apple.com and sign up with your phone number or email address. It’s free.
Once you’re in, you can install it by going to Settings > General > Software Update and selecting iOS 26 public beta.
A word of caution: Don’t sign up with your main iPhone unless you’re OK with any risks that occur with using an OS that isn’t finalized.
When will the final version of iOS 26 be released?
iOS 26 will be released to the public this fall. It usually comes in September, within a week of the Apple iPhone event. Last year, it rolled out to iPhone users on September 16 — exactly one week after the iPhone 16 lineup was announced. Since the iPhone 17 event falls on September 9 this year, it’s possible the downloads will hit our phones on September 16.
MTV hyped her return on Instagram, writing, “There will be magic in the air at the 2025 #VMAs because @LADYGAGA IS PERFORMING! 🪄”
If you’re planning to tune in, here’s everything you need to know about what channel the VMAs are on this year and how you can stream the show live below.
VMAs 2025 Date: When Is the Show?
The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards will air live on Sunday, September 7, 2025, at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. PT. The ceremony will be held at the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York.
Before the main show begins, the red carpet action kicks off with a star-studded pre-show at 7 p.m. ET. Hosted by Nessa and Kevan Kenney, the pre-show will feature a live performance from musical duo KATSEYE, who are set to perform “Gnarly” and “Gabriela” from their Beautiful Chaos EP.
What Channel Are the 2025 VMAs On?
This year, the VMAs will be broadcast on CBS for the first time ever, in addition to a simulcast on MTV.
Can You Live Stream the 2025 VMAs?
You can stream the VMAs live on Paramount+, and many streaming services that offer MTV also include the live show—like Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, DIRECTV STREAM, and Philo.
2025 VMAs Nominees
Video of the Year
Ariana Grande – “brighter days ahead” – Republic Records
Billie Eilish – “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” – Darkroom/Interscope Records
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us” – pgLang/Interscope Records
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – “Die With A Smile” – Interscope Records
ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.” – Atlantic Records
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild” – Island
The Weeknd, Playboi Carti – “Timeless” – XO/Republic Records
Artist of the Year
Bad Bunny – Rimas Entertainment
Beyoncé – Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records
Kendrick Lamar – pgLang/Interscope Records
Lady Gaga – Interscope Records
Morgan Wallen – Big Loud Records/Mercury Records
Taylor Swift – Republic Records
The Weeknd – XO/Republic Records
Song of the Year
Alex Warren – “Ordinary” – Atlantic Records
Billie Eilish – “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” – Darkroom/Interscope Records
Doechii – “Anxiety” – Top Dawg Entertainment/Capitol Records
Ed Sheeran – “Sapphire” – Gingerbread Man Records/Atlantic Records
Gracie Abrams – “I Love You, I’m Sorry” – Interscope Records
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – “Die With A Smile” – Interscope Records
Lorde – “What Was That” – Republic Records
ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.” – Atlantic Records
Tate McRae – “Sports Car” – RCA Records
The Weeknd, Playboi Carti – “Timeless” – XO/Republic Records
Best New Artist
Alex Warren – Atlantic Records
Ella Langley – SAWGOD/Columbia Records
Gigi Perez – Island
Lola Young – Island
sombr – SMB Music/Warner Records
The Marías – Nice Life/Atlantic Records
Best Pop Artist
Ariana Grande – Republic Records
Charli xcx – Atlantic Records
Justin Bieber – Def Jam Recordings
Lorde – Republic Records
Miley Cyrus – Columbia Records
Sabrina Carpenter – Island
Tate McRae – RCA Records
MTV Push Performance of the Year
Aug 2024 – Shaboozey – “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – American Dogwood/EMPIRE
