LONDON — Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, carried out their first joint public engagement since the summer break earlier this month, an appearance royal commentator Duncan Larcombe has characterized as a deliberate, strategic signal aimed at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle amid the ongoing tension between the two branches of the royal family.

The confirmed event itself was straightforward: William and Kate visited Everton Football Club’s home in Liverpool to mark World Suicide Prevention Day, an engagement that had reportedly been expected to be a solo outing for William before Kate ultimately joined her husband at the event.

Writing in a feature that first appeared in Woman magazine, Larcombe argued that Kate’s decision to accompany William, rather than allowing the visit to proceed as a solo appearance, carried significance well beyond the engagement’s official purpose. “While to many casual onlookers this may have been interpreted as just another official engagement carried out by the two most popular members of the Royal Family, in reality this was the regal equivalent of flexing their combined muscles in a show of solidarity that sent a message to the Sussexes,” Larcombe wrote.

Larcombe framed the couple’s decision to appear together as part of a broader strategy tied to Harry and Meghan’s return to the United Kingdom in late August. “William and Kate clearly want to ensure they take centre stage as they brace for Harry and Meghan to make their next move,” Larcombe wrote, characterizing Kate’s decision to join the event as, in his words, “throwing down the gauntlet to her brother- and sister-in-law, now that they have returned to the UK.”

It is important to note that this characterization reflects Larcombe’s own interpretation and analysis of the couple’s public behavior, rather than any statement or confirmation from William, Kate, or Kensington Palace regarding their specific intentions behind the joint appearance. Larcombe himself acknowledged this distinction in his piece, noting that “it is often the subtle signs that count for so much when observing the actions and behaviour of members of the Royal Family,” a framing that positions his analysis as informed speculation about symbolic meaning rather than reporting on any confirmed royal strategy.

Larcombe pointed to a further planned engagement as additional evidence for his broader thesis. Kate is rumored to be accompanying William to Mumbai in November for the Earthshot Prize ceremony, a trip that, if confirmed, would mark the couple’s first significant joint overseas official engagement in four years. Larcombe described the rumored trip as “another sign of a strategy that appears to signal the next stage in the war of the Windsors,” continuing his broader framing of the couple’s recent public schedule as a coordinated response to developments involving Harry and Meghan.

Larcombe acknowledged that William and Kate have not made any public statements addressing the yearslong rift with the Sussexes directly. “So far William and Kate have avoided saying anything publicly about the years-long feud with the Sussexes,” he wrote, while maintaining that the couple remained “clearly keen to meet the challenge posed by Harry and Meghan head-on” through their actions rather than their words.

This commentary arrives amid a broader stretch of heightened media attention on the dynamic between the two couples, following Harry and Meghan’s return to Britain in late August after several years based in the United States. That return has prompted extensive speculation across British media about the state of relations between the brothers and their families, much of it, as with Larcombe’s piece, drawing on interpretation of public appearances and scheduling decisions rather than confirmed statements from the family members themselves.

Neither Kensington Palace nor representatives for William and Kate have issued any public comment addressing Larcombe’s specific characterization of the Everton visit or the broader strategic framing he has applied to the couple’s recent and upcoming engagements. As with much of the commentary surrounding the relationship between the Wales and Sussex households, the interpretation offered here reflects one royal commentator’s reading of the situation rather than an account confirmed directly by the family.

With the rumored Mumbai trip for the Earthshot Prize ceremony still to be officially confirmed, and William and Kate continuing to maintain their public silence on the substance of their relationship with Harry and Meghan, further commentary and speculation along these lines is likely to continue circulating in British media in the weeks ahead, even as the underlying facts available to the public remain limited to the couples’ confirmed public schedules rather than any stated intentions behind them.

NEW YORK — Overall drinking among U.S. adults edged down after 2022, but people ages 50 to 64 kept drinking more — and more of them drank heavily — according to a study in Annals of Internal Medicine.

That band roughly matches Generation X. It was the only age group in the analysis in which drinking continued to rise after the first pandemic years. Adults under 40 were the only group whose rate of heavy drinking fell between 2018 and 2024.

Dr. Brian P. Lee, a hepatologist and liver-transplant specialist at Keck Medicine of USC and the study’s principal investigator, said people in their 50s and early 60s are those who “we were already most worried about health-related risks for alcohol” and where “we are seeing the highest increases in heavy drinking.” “That combination is particularly concerning,” he said.

The share of U.S. adults who drank any alcohol was 66 percent in 2018, rose to 69 percent in 2020 and held there in 2022. By 2024 it was 68 percent — still above the pre-pandemic mark but the first decline since 2018. Heavy drinking, defined as more than 15 drinks a week for men and more than eight for women, went from 5.1 percent of adults in 2018 to 6.1 percent in 2020. It later eased for the country as a whole. In the 50-to-64 group it rose from 5.6 percent in 2018 to 7.7 percent in 2024.

Lee said the leading theory for the pandemic bump was stress. “We saw that with 9/11; we saw that with Hurricane Katrina,” he said.

David Jernigan, a Boston University professor who has studied alcohol policy for decades, said the older cohort “drank a lot in high school, and they have continued to drink a lot. Drinking patterns get set fairly early in life, and the sea change just hasn’t reached that cohort.”

Lee flagged the timing. Alcoholic cirrhosis often appears around age 52, and most alcohol-associated cancers occur at 50 or older, research he cited shows. “Alcohol is a poison for the body,” he said.

Public-health agencies have moved away from the idea that a daily glass of red wine is protective. Jernigan said: “The health halo around alcohol has been largely discredited, and the younger generation, particularly the gen Zers, they seem to be getting that health message that alcohol is actually not good for you.”

Bars feel the split. IWSR, a drinks-industry data firm, said U.S. alcohol consumption fell 5 percent in 2025 from the year before. Venues that once counted on people in their 20s and 30s after midnight are programming earlier nights and 1980s playlists.

Laura Baginski, 51, started Earlybirds Club in 2024 as a dance party for women who have obligations in the morning. Events run 6 to 10 p.m. She said upcoming dates in Boston, Berkeley, California, and Chicago sold out, as did two nights at Washington’s 9:30 Club. “Going out and having a good time is really important for your mental health,” she said. “Alcohol is a part of the experience for a lot of people, especially when they arrive at 6 p.m. and are feeling a little like, ‘I haven’t gone out dancing in so long. I think I need a little liquid courage here.’”

Andrew Bochenek, owner of The Magic Bag in suburban Detroit, said Generation X has shaped his bookings for 30 years. “You would expect that to become less and less and we would try to cycle through the new generations that are coming up,” he said. “But in light of what is happening with gen Z and later millennials not drinking alcohol as much, it’s made us really lean into the gen X crowds.” Alcohol sales at his room are down about 25 percent since 2019. “I don’t think it’s a bad thing that younger adults are not drinking. I just think that for our business model and for others like us, it’s really difficult to maintain that same level of operation when you don’t have the income to support it.”

He is adding nonalcoholic drinks to reach younger customers. Jernigan said mocktails can still margin well if priced like cocktails, and he compared bar-closure fears to smoking-ban predictions that did not empty rooms. “There are lots of ways around this,” he said. “And frankly, the industries are going to have to get used to it because the trend is downward.”

The medical point is narrower than the nightlife story. A national dip in any drinking is not a dip in harm if the heaviest drinkers are older and accumulating years of exposure. Lee’s concern is that combination: rising heavy use in the age band already closest to cirrhosis and alcohol-linked cancer.

The paper does not assign every extra drink in that group to pandemic stress, nor does it prove bars will fail without Generation Z cocktails. It documents a fork: younger adults drinking less, midlife adults drinking more, and a hospitality trade chasing the cohort that still orders.

This article was written by

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This shift helps explain why pension ULIP sales reportedly rose nearly tenfold in FY26.

A unit linked pension plan brings together disciplined investing, life cover and a retirement-focused structure. However, strong sales alone should not decide whether you buy one. You need to understand where your money goes, how the plan pays out at retirement and whether it fits your wider financial plan.

What Is a Pension ULIP?

A pension ULIP is a retirement-oriented version of a unit linked insurance plan. A portion of the premium you pay is used towards life insurance cover and applicable charges. The remaining amount is invested in market-linked funds, such as equity, debt or balanced funds.

Unlike a regular investment that you may redeem whenever you choose, a unit linked pension plan is designed to create a corpus by your chosen vesting age, usually close to retirement. At vesting, you may be permitted to withdraw a part of the accumulated value as a lump sum, while the balance may need to be used to purchase an annuity, subject to prevailing tax and policy rules.

This gives your investment a clear destination. You are not only saving for “someday”; you are building a pool of money intended to support your post-work years.

Why Did Pension ULIP Sales Rise Sharply in FY26?

The nearly 10x rise in pension ULIP sales reflects a change in how people view retirement, especially among professionals in their 30s and 40s. Several factors may have contributed.

First, many households have realised that traditional retirement income sources may not be enough. EPF, gratuity and savings can form a base, but they may not fully cover decades of expenses after retirement. Medical bills, housing costs and lifestyle expenses can rise faster than expected.

Second, market-linked retirement products have become more familiar. Investors who have seen the long-term potential of equities may prefer growth-oriented options over keeping their entire retirement corpus in low-return instruments. A unit linked insurance plan can offer exposure to equity while allowing you to shift towards debt funds as retirement approaches.

Third, pension ULIPs provide structure. It is easy to postpone investing when retirement is 20 or 25 years away. A regular premium commitment can turn retirement saving into a monthly or annual habit rather than an occasional decision.

Finally, flexible fund-switching features can appeal to investors who want to gradually reduce risk. You may start with greater equity exposure when you are young and move towards balanced or debt-oriented funds as your vesting date gets closer.

How Does a Unit Linked Pension Plan Work?

When you buy a unit linked pension plan, you select the premium, policy term, vesting age and preferred fund options. Your premium is allocated after the deduction of applicable charges, and units are purchased at the fund’s prevailing Net Asset Value.

The value of your retirement corpus rises or falls based on fund performance. Equity funds may offer stronger long-term growth potential but can be volatile. Debt funds may be relatively stable, though they may generate lower returns over time. Balanced funds aim to combine both approaches.

A ULIP calculator can help you estimate how your premiums may grow under different assumed rates of return. It is useful for comparing scenarios, such as investing ₹10,000 a month for 20 years versus ₹15,000 a month for 25 years. However, the illustration is not a promise of returns. Actual fund values depend on market performance and charges.

What Should You Check Before Buying?

Do not choose a pension ULIP merely because retirement products are currently popular. Start by estimating how much income you may need after retirement. Consider inflation, medical costs, your existing investments, expected pension income and whether you have dependants.

Then use a ULIP calculator to see whether your planned premium can reasonably support your target corpus. If the projected amount looks insufficient, increasing the premium early may be easier than trying to catch up in your late 40s or 50s.

You should also compare the plan’s fund choices, switching rules, premium payment term, vesting options and all applicable charges. Review the policy document carefully to understand the death benefit, discontinuance rules and the treatment of your corpus at vesting.

A unit linked insurance plan has a mandatory five-year lock-in period. More importantly, a retirement product should generally be held for much longer. This makes it unsuitable for money you may need for emergencies, a home down payment or near-term goals.

Who May Find It Suitable?

A unit linked pension plan may suit you if you want a disciplined, long-term retirement vehicle and are comfortable with market-linked returns. It can be particularly relevant if you are in your 30s or early 40s, have a long investment horizon and want the option to adjust your fund allocation over time.

It may be less suitable if you need high liquidity, prefer guaranteed returns or already have sufficient retirement investments and only need pure life cover. In that case, separating insurance and investments may be worth considering.

Before committing, use a ULIP calculator alongside your other retirement estimates. This helps you see the product as one part of your portfolio rather than your entire retirement strategy.

Should You Buy a Pension ULIP?

The sales surge in FY26 shows that retirement planning is finally receiving greater attention. That is encouraging, but a product should be chosen for your needs, not for its popularity.

A unit linked pension plan can help you build a retirement corpus through disciplined, market-linked investing while offering life cover. Its real value lies in starting early, staying invested and reducing risk thoughtfully as retirement approaches. If its structure, charges and vesting rules align with your goals, it can be a useful addition to your retirement plan.

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Trump and tech leaders could meet as AI safety fears mount. (0:17) OpenAI pauses model training ahead of awkwardly timed DevDay. (1:01) Friday’s jobs report could send Treasury yields even higher. (2:21)

The following is an abridged transcript:

Along with major economic data and earnings ramping up, Wall Street will be watching AI developments this week.

As early as Tuesday, President Donald Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson and technology executives are expected to meet to discuss artificial intelligence. That’s according to multiple reports citing sources, but the White House has yet to confirm the meeting for the record.

The meeting comes amid more reports of misaligned agents getting access to places they weren’t supposed to. And AI safety fears crossed a pop culture Rubicon over the weekend after “Saturday Night Live” lampooned Anthropic (ANTHRO) CEO Dario Amodei on Weekend Update.

On “Meet the Press,” Bill Gates said AI needs “law enforcement and the politicians to get into the discussion about what safeguards and monitoring look like.”

“And that has to be a required thing,” he said. “No one thinks self-regulation is enough.”

OpenAI (OPENAI) said Saturday it is pausing training of its latest AI models, just hours after disclosing that it was reviewing several incidents from the summer in which OpenAI agents searching federal government websites acted in unexpected ways beyond what was asked of them while gathering and distributing information.

Which brings us to the now-odd timing of OpenAI’s DevDay, which is Tuesday. CEO Sam Altman is delivering the keynote.

OpenAI is reportedly preparing to unveil GPT-6 Cyber, its latest cybersecurity model. But will Altman be asked what GPT-6 Cyber does to shield systems from its own agents?

On the earnings front, the AI trade also looms large.

Micron (MU) reports earnings postmarket Wednesday, with analysts looking for a whopping $31.59 in EPS on revenue of about $51B.

SA analyst Agar Capital notes that with a P/E falling below 7x, earnings estimates are rising faster than the share price, which could nearly double to $2,000.

But SA analyst Sagar Agarwal says it’s time to exit the stock, with 81.2% operating margins, $45B in FY2027 CapEx and potentially declining memory prices leaving limited upside.

Looking to the rest of the earnings calendar:

Vail Resorts (MTN) reports Monday.

Carnival (CCL) and CarMax (KMX) are due Tuesday.

Joining Micron (MU) on Wednesday are Conagra (CAG), Jabil (JBL) and Cal-Maine (CALM).

Nike (NKE) and McCormick (MKC) report numbers Thursday.

On the economic front it’s all about Friday’s jobs report.

The forecast is for a 100K rise in September nonfarm payrolls, with the unemployment rate staying steady at 4.1%.

Wells Fargo economists say recent labor market data continue to point to a labor market that is resilient enough to support decent job growth.

SA analyst Damir Tokic says a strong report could push 10-year Treasury yields (US10Y) higher, and if wage growth accelerates, 2-year yields (US2Y) could spike and invert the curve.

That inversion “could signal a peak of the business cycle and a recession in 2027, which means a recessionary bear market” for stocks.

And for income investors, Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) goes ex-dividend on Monday, paying out on Oct. 9.

Mondelez (MDLZ) and Nucor (NUE) go ex-dividend on Wednesday. Mondelez pays out on Oct. 14 and Nucor pays out on Nov. 10.

Philip Morris (PM) goes ex-dividend on Friday, with an Oct. 26 payout date.

Rainfall and flooding may disrupt Bangkok travel. Airports and rail services are operational. Travelers should check updates, allow extra time, and consider alternative routes for their journeys.

Travel Advisory: Weather Impacts in Bangkok

✈️ Airport Conditions

Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK)

• Airport remains open and operational .
• Road access may be affected by flooding and congestion .
• Avoid Lat Krabang due to heavy waterlogging; use Motorway No. 7 or Burapha Withi Expressway instead .
• Recommended arrival times: 3 hours for international, 2 hours for domestic flights .
• Airport Rail Link is operating; passengers should check latest service updates .

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) cautions travelers about potential disruptions in Bangkok due to rainfall and localized flooding. These weather conditions could affect road travel in the city and its surrounding areas, making it important for visitors to plan accordingly. While both Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports are reported to remain fully operational, road transport may require extra consideration. Rail services also continue to operate, providing additional travel options for those navigating the city.

🚆 Rail & Public Transport

• Red Line services have resumed normal operations, including the route serving Don Mueang Airport .
• BTS Skytrain and MRT continue to operate and offer alternatives to road travel in affected areas .

Preparation Tips for Smooth Travel

To ensure a smoother travel experience, visitors are encouraged to allocate extra time for their journeys. This involves checking the latest updates on flights, weather forecasts, and traffic conditions. Staying informed of the current situation allows travelers to plan effectively and avoid any potential disruptions. Where possible, considering alternative travel routes can be beneficial, especially if road conditions become challenging.

Stay Informed with TAT Newsroom

For further information, travelers can refer to the TAT newsroom’s detailed post on weather and travel conditions in Bangkok and its surrounding areas. The post provides essential visitor information and can be accessed through the TAT Newsroom website. Keeping up to date with reliable sources ensures that travelers are well-prepared for any weather-related challenges during their visit.

🆘 Assistance & Key Contacts

The page provides a list of emergency and travel‑related hotlines, including:

• TAT Contact Centre: 1672
• Tourist Police: 1155
• Bangkok Metropolitan Administration: 1555
• DDPM Hotline: 1784
• Emergency Medical Services: 1669
• Thai Meteorological Department: 1182
• Airports of Thailand: 1722
• SRT / Red Line Call Centre: 1690

Source : Weather and travel conditions in Bangkok and surrounding areas – Visitor information