Axios

Here's something to perk up your weekend: National Coffee Day is Sunday and savings are brewing on cups of joe.

The big picture: Coffee is considered the nation's second most popular beverage, only behind bottled water, with 63% of Americans drinking it in the past day, according to data from the National Coffee Association.

Crumbs don't stand a chance in the new Toyota Sienna.

State of play: Multiple versions of the 2025 model-year minivan come with a vacuum cleaner and a refrigerator.

• Both are "integrated into the rear of the front center console," MotorTrend reports. "The so-called FridgeBox fits up to six bottled waters and features two temperature settings to either chill or freeze the contents."
• The fridge stops working when the vehicle is turned off.

The intrigue: Toyota was set to add these features to the 2020 Sienna, but the company's supplier went bankrupt.

💭 Nathan's thought bubble: Sadly, the Sienna doesn't come with an air freshener, which you'll need to offset the smell of spoiled food you accidentally leave in there overnight.

Swan Bitcoin is suing a group of former contractors over an alleged scheme to seize part of its business, in a suit that heavily implicates one of the most profitable and controversial companies in the industry: stablecoin issuer Tether.

Why it matters: The allegations in the suit shine a light on Tether's efforts in the venture investing space, as it attempts to diversify using its unbelievable windfall borne of its market dominance and an era of high interest rates.

Elon Musk's relationship with the Biden administration got even more complicated this week, when the White House proposed a ban on Chinese software and hardware in advanced vehicles.

The big picture: This rule could benefit Tesla Motors in the short-term by keeping Chinese EVs out of the U.S. — but also could boomerang if China responds in kind.

Scripps News is winding down its 24/7 national, over-the-air broadcast news channel, E.W. Scripps CEO Adam Symson told employees in a note Friday. The shift will result in 200 layoffs across Scripps News.

Why it matters: Symson blamed the cuts on financial challenges, noting "the prospects for the necessary revenue growth haven't materialized," since the company launched the channel.

The CEO of WeightWatchers is abruptly out of a job amid growing uncertainty about the company's future following its pivot under her leadership to embracing weight-loss drugs.

Why it matters: Tech executive Sima Sistani sent WeightWatchers in a new direction after she took over in early 2022, acknowledging that weight loss isn't necessarily a matter of willpower and acquiring a telehealth company that markets anti-obesity drugs.

The Federal Reserve's favorite inflation gauge showed mild price increases for yet another month as incomes held steady and consumers pulled back on spending, the government said on Friday.

Why it matters: Inflation kept receding in August, confirming the trend that convinced the central bank to lower interest rates earlier this month. Other details of the report suggest a cooling — though not collapsing — economy.

OpenAI is closing in on raising $6.5 billion, the largest venture capital raise in history. But in order to do so, it looks like it will need to do the Delaware equivalent of selling its soul — it will have to overhaul its governance structure so that it's no longer controlled by a nonprofit organization.

Why it matters: At stake is OpenAI's overarching commitment "to build general-purpose artificial intelligence that benefits humanity, unconstrained by a need to generate financial return." (That's from its most recent nonprofit tax filing.)

It turns out that OpenAI's status as a nonprofit might've been the most artificial thing about it.

Why it matters: A potential plan to move the generative-AI pioneer into the control of a fully independent for-profit outfit would remove any uncertainty over whether financial motivations are at the core of the ChatGPT maker's ambitions.

X on Thursday suspended independent journalist Ken Klippenstein's account after Klippenstein shared Sen. JD Vance's vetting document from the alleged Iranian hack of Donald Trump's campaign.

The big picture: The 271-page document includes research on Vance that the Trump campaign compiled to vet him as a potential running mate.

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy expects the company to remain the world's largest renewable energy-buying company for "several years to come," he said Thursday.

Why it matters: His comments signal that tech's outsized influence on green energy adoption will remain intact as AI reshapes demand for electricity and resources.

Longtime NBC anchor Hoda Kotb announced on-air Thursday that she would be departing the "Today" show in early 2025 after 17 years with the franchise.

Why it matters: Kotb was named co-anchor of "Today" alongside Savannah Guthrie in 2017 after the ouster of Matt Lauer. She brought stability to the show during a turbulent time.

Former President Trump is promoting a new watch collection with watches selling for as much as $100,000 each.

Why it matters: The GOP presidential nominee has promoted the sale of everything from $59.99 Bibles, $299 sneakers and $99 "Victory47" cologne in recent months.

ESG has long been misunderstood and thus weaponized. As one corporate affairs leader said at a Climate Week lunch, "If we're using acronyms, we're losing."

Why it matters: In response, communication teams are finessing how these commitments are messaged and shared.

Throughout my conversations at Axios House and in various meetings with chief communications and corporate affairs officers this week, not once did the words "press release," "media relations" or "social media" come up.

• Instead we discussed public policy decisions, looming regulatory hurdles, amicus briefs, stakeholder management, corporate impact, sustainability and DEI strategies.

Why it matters: These conversations show where most communicators are spending their time, energy and resources.

The idea that big brands are going silent is misleading, communication experts tell Axios.

• Instead, they are communicating about environmental and social issues in a smarter way.

Why it matters: This mirrors what we've been covering here week after week. Communicators are increasingly being asked to help modern CEOs, companies and brands navigate this complex moment in time.

The overall value of announced mergers and acquisitions in the U.S. year-to-date reached just over $1 trillion, up 20% compared to the same 2023 period, according to LSEG data.

Why it matters: The data shows that executive confidence is strengthening, along with financing markets.

San Francisco is among several metro areas expected to slow the pace of apartment construction by 2028, a new report finds.

Why it matters: The projected cool-down comes as a national shortage of homes to buy or rent is keeping housing prices high.

Mindful of increasing risks from extreme weather events such as hurricanes, Zillow will combine climate risk scores, interactive maps and insurance information on its home listings, the company announced this morning.

Why it matters: This step gives prospective buyers their first combined look at climate risk information with home insurance recommendations.

Thieves aren't very interested in electric vehicles.

Why it matters: More than 1 million vehicles were stolen in the U.S. in 2023, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).

About a year ago, advocates warned that the U.S. was about to fall off a "child care cliff," when pandemic-era funding ran out.

Why it matters: So far the situation doesn't look quite as dire as predicted, but it's deteriorating, according to a new report from the Century Foundation, a progressive think tank.

Here's what's new on Hulu, Apple TV+, Paramount+ and Netflix.

What we're watching: An emotional romantic drama, a new action movie starring two Hollywood heavyweights and Ellen DeGeneres' swan song.

A new campaign is betting that people who rent their homes instead of owning them can swing the election toward Vice President Kamala Harris.

Why it matters: More than 45 million Americans rent their house or apartment, yet renters are significantly less likely to vote than homeowners.

A chemical leak from a train car in Whitewater Township, near Cincinnati, prompted Ohio officials to issue evacuation orders on Tuesday due to concerns about a potential explosion.

The latest: Hamilton County officials said Wednesday evening that evacuation and shelter-in-place orders were lifted after the leaking train car was removed from the scene.

The United States Postal Service said it intends to hike the price of stamps five times through 2027 after punting on an increase that would've gone into effect in January.

Why it matters: A record price hike could be in play for July 2025 when stamp prices are next slated to increase.