TL;DR: As of Sept. 27, get The Rosetta Stone + Microsoft Office Lifetime Bundle for

As tech workers resist return-to-office mandates, face layoffs that cut into hard-won diversity and equity

Are you checking the calendar (aka your Labor Day weekend countdown) like crazy recently? Well, if you are doing just that — and also perusing this page — then it’s probably because you can’t wait for another round of Labor Day sales. From bestselling clothing and mattresses to sex toys and beauty products, there are already lots of deals to shop. Rather than fumbling through the virtual aisles of countless retailers in search of the last lingering sales, we’ve done the hard work for you. Scroll on into the only comprehensive list you need for the very best Labor Day deals that you can already shop (alphabetized quick links for the more impatient scrollers, included). But act fast — the early sales are bountiful, but some inventories are not.

When you want a laptop with more power than an ultraportable, but not the bulk

Musician-turned-designer Pharrell Williams took over the oldest bridge in Paris, packed it with celebrities and turned it into a pumping gospel nightclub as he made his historic...

Connections is the latest New York Times word game that's captured the public's attention. The

Lewis Hamilton insists he is “not focusing on what happened 15 years ago” when questioned on Thursday about Felipe Massa’s legal action over the 2008 Formula 1 title. Massa is seeking substantial damages following the 2008 Crashgate scandal and a subsequent alleged “conspiracy” after comments earlier this year by former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone. Hamilton, now a seven-time world champion, won his first F1 title in 2008 on the final lap of a dramatic final race in Brazil, with Massa missing out by a single point. A formal eight-page ‘Letter Before Claim’ was sent to F1 boss Stefano Domenicali and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem last Tuesday from London-based Enyo Law with the firm, acting on Massa’s behalf, alleging that the 42-year-old has been “the victim of a conspiracy committed by individuals at the highest level of F1 together with the FIA and Formula One management”. Yet Hamilton, when asked about the case ahead of this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, remained tight-lipped. “I’ve got a really bad memory,” Hamilton said. “I’m really just focused on the here and now and helping the team get back to the championship. I’m not focused on what happened 15 years ago.” Massa’s lawyers stated in their letter that the ex-Ferrari driver has lost out on tens of millions of euros in lost earnings and bonuses as a result of missing out on the 2008 title. What was the ‘Crashgate’ scandal? Crashgate rocked Formula 1 when the inaugural Singapore Grand Prix saw Renault’s Fernando Alonso win the race before it emerged that his teammate Nelson Piquet Jr had deliberately crashed to bring out a safety car that played into Alonso’s hands. That safety car prompted a Massa pit stop that Ferrari mishandled, with Massa eventually finishing the race 13th while Hamilton came home third – a difference of six points, a swing which ultimately impacted the title result. While Renault and team boss Flavio Briatore were punished in 2009 for Crashgate, the result of the race stood despite Massa’s protestations, with the FIA’s statutes making clear that overturning the classification from each season is impossible once the FIA Awards Ceremony for that year is complete, a rule set in the FIA International Sporting Code. Ecclestone revealed in March that both he and then-FIA president Max Mosley knew of the Crashgate scandal in 2008, but refused to publicise the chain of events to avoid the sport a “huge scandal”. The 38-year-old also gave a simple “no” response when asked about any contract updates, with his current Mercedes deal set to expire at the end of the season. Hamilton has not won a race since Saudi Arabia in 2021, but he came close this time last year at Zandvoort before Max Verstappen came through to win his home race for the second year running. Verstappen, who has won 10 of the 12 races so far this season and is looking to equal Sebastian Vettel’s record of nine consecutive victories this weekend, has a “high chance” according to Hamilton of winning every race until the end of the 2023 campaign. The Mercedes star himself, however, is targeting second place in the world championship. He is currently in fourth place, 41 points behind Red Bull’s Sergio Perez in second. “I think P2 [in the constructors’] is a huge achievement and something that has been overlooked if I’m completely honest,” he said, with the Silver Arrows the next-best behind Red Bull. “Ultimately we want to win, but I’m really proud of the team and the steps we’ve made with the car. “My goal is to make sure the team keep second in the championship and try to hunt down second in the drivers’ championship. That’s my goal – that’ll be fun.” Verstappen has a 125-point lead in the championship heading into his home race this weekend, with 10 races remaining this season. Read More Felipe Massa starts legal action over 2008 F1 title loss to Lewis Hamilton Lewis Hamilton would be taking gamble by leaving Mercedes, says former rival F1 Dutch Grand Prix: When is practice on Friday in Zandvoort? F1 takes steps to prevent use of flares at Dutch Grand Prix F1 Dutch Grand Prix: When is practice on Friday in Zandvoort? F1 2023 race schedule: When is the Dutch Grand Prix?

An amused Starbucks customer has exposed the uniquely cut sandwich they got at the coffee chain. Thinking she could split the lunch item with her husband, one Redditor asked to have her turkey pesto cut in half – but didn’t expect the outcome she received. On 6 November, Vivian Hargis (u/natasbby) took to the online network to reveal the unforeseen lengthy, half-cut Starbucks sandwich. In the image shared on the platform, Vivian’s sandwich was settled on top of the Starbucks branded bag. The turkey, provolone, and pesto offering was served on a long ciabatta roll. However, rather than being split in two horizontally, the Starbucks attendant had cut the bread vertically, resulting in two ultra thin halves. “Hubby and I wanted to split a sandwich. I asked if it was possible if they could cut it in half. The barista said ‘of course no problem!’... guess I should’ve been more specific,” Vivian’s caption read. Flocks of humoured Reddit users headed straight to Vivian’s comment section, admitting they’d been guilty of cutting sandwiches the uncommon way too. One user said: “One time someone asked for a spinach feta wrap cut in half and my coworker cut it like this and then forgot to give her the other half.” “I love this because it was so much harder for them to cut it like this,” another Redditor wrote. “It’s giving malicious compliance lmfaooooo,” someone else quipped. A curious viewer questioned whether Vivian had asked for her food to be “cut in half” or “cut in two,” noticing the direction printed on the Starbucks ticket which read: “Cut in two.” “We actually got two sandwiches, both cut in half. (He couldn’t decide which he wanted so we split both) and I asked for them to be cut in half. The other one was cut in half like I expected,” Vivian said. “I expect whoever was on food was irritated the barista on (drive thru) told me they would cut them.” “Not going to lie I’ve done this before,” a fellow service worker admitted to which Vivian replied: “We got a good chuckle out of it. Watching him shove half of it down it one bite was quite the picture.” Speaking to Today, Vivian further expressed her amusement, noting how her parents convinced her to post the picture on Reddit. “It was hilarious, we both had a good laugh about it, and my parents thought it was hilarious, too,” Vivian told the outlet. “They were like: ‘Put that on Reddit!’ That’s when I put it on,” she added, referring to her parents’ pleas. The Independent has contacted Vivian and Starbucks for comment. The popular coffee chain recently launched their lauded holiday drinks, reviving fan favourites from years past and re-introducing one drink that hasn’t been around for a while. The Peppermint Mocha, Caramel Brulée Latte, Chestnut Praline Latte, and Iced Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte all returned to the Starbucks seasonal menu on 2 November, as well as an Iced Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai – adding a bit of spice to their 2000 original Gingerbread Latte. Read More Fans shocked as resurfaced photo shows Ben Affleck ditching Dunkin’ for Starbucks Starbucks adds new menu item to Holiday drink lineup Martha Stewart reveals how she truly feels about pumpkin spice flavouring Martha Stewart reveals how she truly feels about pumpkin spice flavouring The best foods to forage in November and how to cook them Rachael Ray shares expert cooking advice for Thanksgiving dinner

The World Health Organization will declare one of the world’s most widely used artificial sweeteners, found in thousands

A US woman who wrote a book on dealing with grief after the death of her husband has been...

Gaming isn’t inactive. While manoeuvring your mouse or controller, watching out for enemies, and focusing

Max Verstappen’s crushing dominance of Formula One continued at the Austrian Grand Prix after he put his Red Bull on pole position. The world champion, a winner at six of the first eight races, saw off his rivals at the Red Bull Ring to seal his fourth pole on the spin for Sunday’s 71-lap grand prix. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc provided Verstappen with a late scare, but the Monegasque had to settle for second place, crossing the line 0.048 seconds shy of the Dutchman. F1 grid: Starting positions for Austrian Grand Prix Carlos Sainz took third in the other scarlet car, while Lando Norris impressed in his revamped McLaren to take fourth spot. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton finished fifth, 0.428 sec adrift. Sergio Perez’s torrid time continued after all three of his laps in Q2 were deleted for track limits. He lines up a lowly 15th on Sunday. On Friday, Verstappen clinched pole for Sunday’s grand prix with Charles Leclerc alongside him on the front row, while Sergio Perez and George Russell both struggled. Follow live updates from the Austrian GP with The Independent - the sprint shootout starts at 11am (BST). Read More F1 grid: Starting positions for Austrian Grand Prix Max Verstappen claims another pole but Sergio Perez struggles again at Austrian Grand Prix