Burger King’s owner is buying the chain’s largest franchisee in a deal valued at $1 billion.
Restaurant Brands International plans to invest $500 million remodeling 600 Burger Kings.
The move comes as Burger King has pushed for remodels of top outlets while closing others.
Thanks for signing up!
Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you’re on the go.
Burger King’s owner is going into the flipping business.
Restaurant Brands International, the parent company of Burger King and Popeyes, announced plans Tuesday to buymore than 1,000 fast-food restaurants from its largest Burger King franchisee.
The deal with New York-based Carrols Restaurant Group, which also includes 60 Popeyes restaurants, is valued at $1 billion.
RBI said it plans to invest $500 million in modernizing roughly 600 Burger King restaurants. After rapidly remodeling the stores over the next five years, the company plans to “put them back into the hands of motivated, local franchisees,” Tom Curtis, president of Burger King US and Canada, said in a statement.
RBI said the acquisition and flipping of the Burger King restaurants are an “exciting accelerator” to its overall “Reclaim the Flame” plan. The $400 million turnaround plan, first introduced in September 2022, calls for upgrading 800 of the company’s top fast-food restaurants.
At the time, the company said it would earmark $250 million for remodeling restaurants owned by Burger King franchisees “in good standing.” The operators also agreed to increase their royalty rate in exchange for receiving capital.
With the Carrols acquisition, RBI said it “expects to significantly accelerate” the rate of remodels at Carrols restaurants from 45 planned in 2024 to 120 per year over the next five years.
RBI said in a Tuesday conference call with investors that the strategy is to sell a smaller number of remodeled restaurants to new or existing Burger King franchisees who live close to the communities where the stores operate. New operators would own 50 restaurants or fewer.
The company said the remodeled Carrols restaurants will lead by example” as the goal is to fully modernize all restaurants by around 2028.
As of September 30, 2023, RBI has funded a total of $45 million in high-quality remodels and relocations, restaurant technology, kitchen equipment, and building enhancements, according to a regulatory filing.
Stephens analyst Joshua Long said the acquisition “makes sense” for RBI as the “Carrols organization is viewed as a strong operator.”
“We believe this transaction supports the broader Reclaim the Flame plan by accelerating the brand revitalization efforts already underway while also filling the Burger King remodel pipeline with stores that offer strong and improving operations,” Long wrote in a note.
The acquisition comes as Burger King has struggled with relevancy while rivals such as McDonald’s and Wendy’s have made gains with consumers through nostalgic marketing campaigns and the introduction of breakfast, respectively.
Burger King has been trying to refresh the brand for a few years. In 2021, the chain overhauled logos and branding for the first time in 20 years, returning to a classic look that emphasized the Whopper and natural colors.
The chain spent much of 2022 paring down menus to simplify operations and give customers a better ordering experience. Last year, the chain also introduced chicken wraps.
In May 2023, Kobza said the chain would close up to 300 to 400 restaurants during the fiscal year. He said that would equal the number of closures the chain closed during the pandemic. Last year, Burger King operators closed dozens of restaurants in Florida, New York, Nebraska, Utah, and Minnesota.
Are you a fast-food insider with insight to share? Got a tip? Contact this reporter via email at nluna@insider.com or via Signal encrypted at 714-875-6218.
“Mean Girls” arrived at No. 1 at the North American box office this weekend, earning $28.7 million in its first three days and $33.2 million for the four-day stretch into the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, according to studio estimates.
The film, a musical remake of the 2004 Tina Fey comedy of the same name, was a clear hit among females and 18- to 34-year-old moviegoers who represented the bulk of its opening weekend viewers, the Associated Press reported.
But the studio’s decision to deemphasize that the film was a musical in certain marketing materials may have confused some attendees, according to exit polls the company shared with Variety.
While 75% of respondents said they knew it was a musical before buying a ticket, “16% left the theater ‘disappointed’ by the genre,” Variety reported. The remaining 9% were neutral about it.
The decision to downplay the musical aspects of the film mirrored similar tactics from studios like Warner Bros. Entertainment, which kept musical details to a minimum in its marketing push for the December release of “Wonka.”
For “Mean Girls,” the goal was to emphasize the film’s comedic aspects rather than its songs to draw in a broader audience, according to Marc Weinstock, Paramount’s president of worldwide marketing and distribution.
Weinstock told Variety that “people tend to treat musicals differently” and that “it could be considered a musical but it appeals to a larger audience.”
The company didn’t avoid musical elements in its marketing entirely. The opening of its first trailer, released in theaters ahead of “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” screenings, began with singing, for example.
The company also added a musical note to the “A” on the film’s title.
“There are hints to it without being overbearing,” Weinstock said.
Fewer people are donating blood, and experts say younger generations are at the heart of the problem.
Dr. Eric Gehrie, the executive medical director of the American Red Cross, told NBC News that the organization has seen a 40% drop in people donating blood over the last 20 years.
Over the 2023 holiday season, Gehrie said the Red Cross was 7,000 units short of meeting demand from hospitals.
The most recent National Blood Collection and Utilization Survey, administered by the Department of Health and Human Services, found that blood donations by teens and young adults have steadily declined over the last decade. From 2019 to 2021, the survey says blood donations from people 16 to 18 dropped by a whopping 60%.
“If that trend continues, we’re going to be in a very difficult situation,” Dr. Claudia Cohn, chief medical officer for the Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies, told NBC.
In April 2023, the Red Cross launched a t-shirt campaign with Snoopy standing in front of the large Red Cross logo, hoping that the campaign would attract more young people to give blood, The New York Times reported at the time. The campaign quickly went viral on TikTok. One video about the campaign gained more than four million views in just a few days.
Gehrie told NBC the campaign was overwhelmingly successful with more than 70,000 people under 35 donating in the months after its launch. Still, he estimated that the organization will need an additional 8,000 donations every week this month to meet hospital demands.
Gehrie speculated that minimum height and weight requirements on who can donate blood imposed by the FDA in 2015 might be part of the reason fewer young people are donating blood, according to NBC. Anyone who donates blood must weigh at least 110 pounds, and there are additional height and weight requirements for those under 18.
“We had a lot of high school donors that were deferred,” Gehrie told the outlet. “We don’t want those young donors to get the impression that because they were deferred for that reason, that they can never donate again.”
New and expecting moms in Flint, Michigan can now get hundreds of dollars during their pregnancy and hundreds more every month of their baby’s first year.
The new guaranteed income program called Rx Kids offers “no-strings-attached love,” according to its website. Enrollment opened last week with a celebratory tweet from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, calling it “Michigan’s nation-leading effort to eliminate infant poverty.”
“It will give every child born in Flint a fair shot at a bright future,” Whitmer said on X.
The program provides expectant moms with $1,500 during pregnancy and another $500 each month throughout a baby’s first year, according to the Rx Kids website. The website says the program is the “first-ever citywide cash prescription program for pregnant moms and babies.”
Baltimore has also experimented with a guaranteed income for mothers. In its program, the city offers $1,000 to young mothers every month to spend however they want. Some recipients told Business Insider the deal was so good they initially thought it was a scam.
Flint’s Rx Kids expects to serve 1,200 infants each year and has enough funding to run for at least three years, though it is “aiming to deliver cash to Flint families for as long as possible,” the program’s FAQ page says.
“Raising kids is expensive and society should come alongside to support families,” the website says. “For most people, a child’s birth is a joyous event. For too many families, though, income plunges, and poverty spikes right before a child is born and remains high throughout the first year. These first months of life are critical for a baby’s development; it’s also when their families are struggling the most.”
Inspired by the now-defunct Child Tax Credit — a pandemic-era relief effort championed by the Biden administration — the program’s cofounder H. Luke Shaefer said Rx Kids is “one way to help families in an effective, efficient way,” MLive reported.
Universal basic income programs and their like-minded cousins — guaranteed basic income programs like Rx Kids that target certain groups of people instead of entire populations — have been largely successful (even in Republican-led states that offer staunch opposition) at addressing poverty and homelessness.
“They’re trying to become like the Gap, everything to everybody,” Wilson said. “I think the definition of a brand is that you’re not everything to everybody.”
“You’ve got to be clear that you don’t want certain customers coming in,” he added.
Current and former employees of color at the athletic-wear company are speaking out against Wilson’s remarks, as well as what they say is a culture of racial insensitivity at Lululemon.
“The company has failed all Black employees and employees of color,” Michael Collins, a former Lululemon store manager, told Business Insider. “Nothing has changed since.”
Plagued by diversity issues
Some current and former employees said they’re not too surprised Wilson criticized Lululemon’s diversity efforts given his track record of making controversial statements.
He has also blamed women’s bodies after Lululemon received complaints that its yoga pants were too sheer, and said he believes children in Third World countries should be able to work in factories for wages, calling it “single easiest way to spread wealth around the world.”
After Wilson’s most recent comments about diversity, the company disavowed his viewpoints.
“Chip Wilson does not speak for Lululemon, and his comments do not reflect our company views or beliefs,” a spokesperson told the Business of Fashion in a statement.
“Chip has not been involved with the company since his resignation from the board in 2015 and we are a very different company today,” they added.
But even after Wilson’s departure, Lululemon employees have spoken out against the company’s culture, which they described as exemplifying “privileged white wellness,” as previously reported by Business Insider in 2021.
In November, Business of Fashion reported that Lululemon failed to live up to its mission of diversity and inclusion, and that Black employees were passed over for promotions, reprimanded, and fired.
Lululemon did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
Employees are calling for change
Collins, the former store manager, said the company’s response to Wilson’s remarks was a “low blow” to people who work for Lululemon.
“It’s a slap in the face to everyone of color, because that’s a performative answer,” Collins said. “If you’re going to be proactive and change, you have to have a clean slate. You have to rehire and clean up the mess, which has been going on for so long.”
Miya Dotson, a former manager in Lululemon’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Action team, said the company’s “non-acknowledgment of the harm they’ve caused members of the Black community and other marginalized groups is outrageous.”
One current employee, who asked to remain anonymous because of the company’s strict media policy, told Business Insider he believes Lululemon is making an effort to improve its diversity and inclusion, citing the diverse makeup of the store he works at and the sensitivity training employees must go through.
The employee, who identifies as Black and gay, said Wilson’s statement “totally goes against what I am as a person and what I believe in,” and said the company should distance itself from Wilson altogether. He pointed out that Wilson’s criticism actually implies that Lululemon is trying to move toward increased diversity.
Dotson said Lululemon needs to change its leadership and address its issues head-on.
“The longer they try to put off the public image, the more they’re going to rot from the inside in terms of the fear and the values they’re disintegrating,” Dotson said.
When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more
Alienware’s AW3225QF monitor represents a significant step forward for display technology, immediately securing a place as one of the best gaming monitors you can buy. The AW3225QF offers a 32-inch 4K OLED display with a 240Hz refresh rate. Though there are other 4K monitors out there, this is one of the first to use a QD-OLED panel, and it’s one of the few displays you can buy that combines a 4K resolution with such a high refresh rate.
OLED screens are celebrated for their ability to create deep black levels, high contrast, and stunning color accuracy without sacrificing responsiveness, but until recently, 4K QD-OLED panels were only available in large TV sizes that were inappropriate for monitors.
With the AW3225QF, Alienware has produced a monitor that can finally match and even outshine many of the best OLED TVs when paired with a PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X. It sets a new bar for what premium gaming monitors should offer.
Alienware’s AW3225QF is the first 4K QD-OLED monitor and one of the few 4K displays you can get with a 240Hz refresh rate. It’s expensive but delivers stunning performance while setting a new benchmark for gaming displays.
The display features a cool design with a subtle curve
The rear of the AW3225QF has two customizable lights and a solid cable management system.
Kevin Webb / Business Insider
The AW3225QF’s 32-inch screen has a gentle 1700R curve that’s hardly noticeable when viewing from directly in front, but it does help with seeing the edges of the display if you’re sitting less than two feet away. A thin bezel surrounds the screen and includes the Alienware branding beneath the display.
The monitor’s stand has forked feet and allows the screen’s height to be adjusted up and down by a range of about 4.3 inches. The stand allows left-right swivel and tilting as well, but you can’t rotate the monitor into landscape mode. For cable management, the stand has a slot to guide wires straight toward the back of the monitor and through the base.
A small joystick under the monitor will call up the menu, which includes settings, input control, and viewing presets. The power button is located on the right side of the monitor and denotes the power status with an LED light.
You can customize the color of the power button and two more lights located on the back of the monitor. The rear lights have an Alienware logo and the number 32, denoting the monitor’s size. The monitor’s menu offers 20 color choices in total.
The AW3225QF delivers top-notch image performance
The AW3225QF does a great job making colors pop in games like Street Fighter 6.
Kevin Webb / Business Insider
Simply put, Alienware’s AW3225QF sets a new standard for picture performance in a gaming monitor. Its QD-OLED panel maxes out at 4K resolution with a refresh rate of 240Hz. It’s one of the first wave of QD-OLED monitors to support 4K, and it’s one of the few monitors out there that can deliver 4K with a 240Hz refresh rate. Many gamers have turned to larger OLED TVs thanks to the display type’s fantastic contrast and response times, so it’s great to see purpose-built monitors of this type to fill that demand.
The QD-OLED panel also uses Quantum Dot color technology, which helps improve the OLED screen’s brightness and allows for a deeper range of color versus a standard OLED display. Our pick for the best TV, the Samsung S90C, uses the same tech.
When it comes to picture quality, the AW3225QF is one of the best-looking displays I’ve seen, offering stunning contrast and vibrant colors, especially with HDR (high dynamic range) enabled. Atmospheric games like Resident Evil 2 demonstrate the OLED panel’s impressive pixel-level contrast in dark environments, while adventure games like Assassin’s Creed Mirage are a great showcase for the screen’s rich quantum dot colors that brighten up landscapes.
One of traditional OLED technology’s potential drawbacks is relatively low brightness, but the AW3225QF QD-OLED panel stands out with a peak brightness of 1,000 nits. To be clear, the monitor can only achieve that number in very small highlights when viewing HDR content, but it still bests most typical OLEDs. The solid brightness performance also works well with the monitor’s anti-glare coating, which helps reduce glare from sunlight. However, the screen’s brightness still can’t match what you’d get on a Mini LED monitor, like the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8.
And while the AW3225QF looks fantastic with most games, some HDR titles on PC can look washed out if not calibrated correctly. Windows has its own HDR calibration and auto HDR features, but those can clash with in-game HDR brightness and color settings. Generally, PS5 and Xbox do a much better job implementing HDR mapping without extra calibration, and the monitor has a special console mode for even better tone mapping.
The AW3225QF also supports Dolby Vision, an advanced HDR format that’s mostly used for film and TV but has been adopted by a few dozen games as well. The Xbox Series X fully supports Dolby Vision gaming, while the PlayStation 5 does not. Accessing Dolby Vision content can be difficult on PC, and the Nintendo Switch doesn’t support HDR at all.
The monitor will note when a Dolby Vision-enabled game is being played, but in my experience with games like Halo Infinite and Ori and the Will of the Wisps, the feature doesn’t make a huge difference when compared to standard HDR10. The difference is more pronounced when streaming Dolby Vision movies from apps like Disney Plus.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of about 100 Dolby Vision compatible games on Xbox Series X.
Kevin Webb / Business Insider
The AW3225QF’s variable refresh rate (VRR) and auto low latency mode (ALLM) features, including G-Sync support, work as expected. Both Xbox and PlayStation consoles can enable these features seamlessly, and the OLED display showed no signs of screen tears or ghosting with VRR enabled.
The high 240Hz refresh rate makes the AW3225QF feel extra responsive and cuts down on input delay, a bonus when playing competitive games like Street Fighter or CounterStrike. Xbox and PlayStation are limited to a 120Hz refresh rate via HDMI due to their own hardware, but games like Spider-Man 2 and Call of Duty Modern Warfare III have specific graphics modes to take advantage of VRR and high refresh rates on consoles.
A picture-in-picture mode is also available, allowing you to split the screen between two different video inputs. This can be useful if you’re multitasking between two computers or want to share the screen between a console and your PC.
The monitor includes a pixel refresher to help avoid burn-in, which can occur when OLED panels display the same image for long periods of time. The menu has a panel health indicator to help notify you when you should turn the monitor off and run the refresher. We didn’t notice any image retention issues after about a month of regular use. The AW3225QF also includes features for calibration, like an on-screen refresh rate display and crosshair.
Plenty of video and USB ports but no built-in speaker
Various downward-facing ports are located on the back of the monitor.
Dell
The AW3225QF doesn’t support built-in audio playback; there’s no headphone jack or digital audio output to connect to a speaker and no integrated speakers. That means you’ll need to find a separate audio solution while you game, whether you choose a headset, soundbar, or desktop speakers. However, one of the HDMI ports includes eARC to return HDMI audio to a receiver
The monitor has a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports that make it an excellent companion for the PS5 and Xbox Series X, and it has a DisplayPort 1.4 input for PC gamers. Both connection types support up to 3840 x 2160 (4K) resolution and a 240Hz refresh rate.
The AW3225QF also has four downstream USB ports to connect additional devices when you pair the display with a PC. Two USB type-A ports are located near the HDMI and DisplayPort inputs in the rear of the monitor. Another USB type-A port and a USB type-C port can be found underneath the monitor.
The downward-facing USB ports aren’t ideal for cable management, but they’re handy for connecting controllers, charging phones, and connecting other desktop devices. Each port supports USB 3.2 Gen 1 with a 5 Gbps transfer speed.
What are your alternatives?
Competing OLED monitors are limited to 1440p resolution, but more 4K models are coming later this year.
Kevin Webb / Business Insider
There aren’t many true alternatives to the AW3225QF out right now unless you’re willing to downgrade from 4K resolution or opt for a non-OLED panel. Alongside the AW3225QF, Alienware just released the AW2725DF, a 27-inch 1440p QD-OLED monitor with an even higher refresh rate of 360Hz. Samsung announced a trio of new QD-OLED monitors arriving later in 2024, including two models with similar specs to Alienware’s offerings and an ultrawide display.
When it comes to current QD-OLED options, there are models like the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 and Alienware AW3423DW, which use an ultrawide 21:9 aspect ratio and max out at 3440 x 1440p resolution, which is great for PC gamers but less ideal for players on PS5 or Xbox.
There’s no question that the AW3225QF is one of the top high-end gaming monitors you can buy if you want cutting-edge performance, but that performance comes at a premium price tag of $1,199. It boasts all of the latest features you could want from a gaming display, like 4K resolution, HDR support with Dolby Vision, an impressive 240Hz refresh rate, G-Sync support, and HDMI 2.1 compatibility for consoles.
The AW3225QF is the first OLED monitor on the market to offer all of these capabilities in one display and will likely be one of the few choices for some time. If you can afford it and you don’t mind missing out on smart TV features or built-in audio, this monitor sets a new benchmark for gaming displays.
Hamas’ brutality has drawn Israel into what looks like a no-win situation, a war in which it is trying to destroy the militant group but can’t keep up the same pressure without backlash over the devastation it brings.
After three months of hard fighting in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli military is facing a major dilemma as it moves into a new phase of its bloody war against Hamas: balancing its aim of crushing the militant group and its response to growing calls to reduce combat intensity to avoid endangering innocent Palestinians in the crowded enclave.
To achieve its aims, which might not even be possible, Israel will need to fight with the same intensity in Gaza’s south as it did in the north if it is to have any hope of degrading Hamas’ capabilities, but this aspect of the conflict is exactly what has caused so many problems, a retired general told Business Insider.
“They’re damned if they do, and they’re damned if they don’t, because if they don’t, they’re not going to achieve the objectives that they set out to,” said Maj. Gen. Charlie Herbert, a former officer in the British army. It’s not an ideal situation.
The ongoing war, which was triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre in southern Israel, has featured a devastating Israeli aerial bombing campaign followed by a ground invasion of Gaza. Operations began in the northern half of the coastal enclave but have since transitioned to the south, which has seen the bulk of recent fighting. Now, Israeli officials are signaling the movement toward a third phase that they say will be more targeted and surgical.
This picture taken during a media tour organized by the Israeli military on Jan. 8, 2024, shows troops operating in the area of al-Bureij in the central Gaza Strip.
Photo by MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images
In a document released last week, Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant outlined his vision for the transition. Northern Gaza, he wrote, will see a “new combat approach” that includes raids, unspecified aerial and ground activities, special operations, and destruction of Hamas’ vast tunnel network that permit its hit-and-run tactics.
Gallant said efforts in the south will focus on decapitating Hamas’ leadership, who remain at large in Gaza and beyond, and returning the more than 100 hostages who are still held captive by the militants.
“This is a cross-stage effort. It will continue for as long as is deemed necessary,” he wrote, adding that the fight will continue until Israel achieves its goals: returning all the hostages, eliminating Hamas’ military and governing capabilities, and demilitarizing Gaza.
War analysts say that for Israel to achieve its goals, it will need to continue operating with the same intensity that it has over the past three months. But it is exactly that intensity that has led to a soaring death toll in Gaza, international condemnation, widespread calls for a ceasefire, and even pressure from the US, a key ally, to lower the temperature of the conflict.
“Israeli forces have degraded several Hamas units and rendered others combat ineffective, particularly in the northern Gaza strip, since the beginning of the clearing operations,” analysts at the Institute for the Study of War think tank wrote in an early January assessment after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced they would pull some troops from the northern part of the enclave.
An israeli combat aircraft seen heading north on Jan. 9, 2024 in Kfar Yehoshua, Israel.
Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images
“But Hamas’ military forces are neither defeated nor destroyed at this time. Decreased Israeli pressure would, in fact, allow Hamas to rebuild its military capabilities and infrastructure,” ISW analysts said, adding that any “reconstitution is inconsistent with the stated Israeli war aims, which are to destroy Hamas militarily and politically.”
Israel says it has killed or captured up to 9,000 of the estimated 30,000 Hamas militants, and some experts warn that the death and destruction of Israel’s campaign could create more terrorists by radicalizing survivors. Gaza’s health ministry pegs the death toll at over 22,000 — it doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants, but a majority are believed to be women and children.
More than 180 IDF soldiers have been killed in the ongoing hostilities, adding to the more than 370 who were murdered on Oct. 7 alongside some 700 civilians.
An Israeli military spokesperson said on Monday that Hamas no longer functions as an “organized military framework” in the north and confirmed that the IDF is operating differently there. The main focus is now central and southern Gaza, especially areas around the city of Khan Younis, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said at a briefing, adding that fighting will continue into the new year.
The IDF did not respond to Business Insider’s request for comment on the challenges as it enters a new phase.
A smoke plume erupts over Khan Yunis from Rafah in the southern Gaza strip during Israeli bombardment on Jan. 8, 2024.
Photo by AFP via Getty Images
Herbert, the former officer in the British army who completed several tours in Afghanistan and served as the senior NATO advisor to the country’s interior ministry, said that the IDF’s overwhelming force and firepower are essential to accomplishing it goals, but also are what precisely has triggered the growing pressure to scale down the campaign.
While it is entirely possible that Israel can defeat Hamas’ military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, it is less likely that the IDF can actually eliminate Hamas as a political organization or quash what it stands for, Herbert said.
A more effective approach, he argued, would have involved diplomatic and economic efforts rather than solely the military element. And even if Israel does manage to completely eradicate Hamas, an unlikely outcome, this still opens the door to an alternative group filling the void in the future.
Questions remain over how Israel is planning for a post-war Gaza. Some fear that the IDF is doomed to reoccupy the enclave, something it hasn’t done in nearly two decades and could set the stage for violent resistance.
Others have voiced concerns that the country may repeat US mistakes following its 2003 invasion of Iraq: failing to create a solid post-conflict plan, which led to an array of consequences like the expansion of Iranian power in the region and a prolonged insurgency.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (R) meets with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant (L) in Tel Aviv, Israel on Jan. 9, 2024.
Photo by Elad Malka (IMoD)/Anadolu via Getty Images
In Gallant’s document outlining the future of the war, there is a fourth phase dubbed the “day after.” It’s broken down into visions for security and civil life: Hamas won’t pose a threat to Israel, Gaza will be fully governed by Palestinian civilians without ties to militant groups, and the IDF will have operational freedom of action there.
Among the other details, Gallant also wants a multinational task force charged with “rehabilitation” and “restoration” active in the enclave.
Gallant’s plan was reportedly met with disapproval by some of Israel’s more right-wing lawmakers, some of whom have received international condemnation for plans of their own. But it did touch upon some — though not all — of what the Biden administration hopes to see in the region when the war is over.
Speaking to reporters on Monday amid his latest trip to meet with Middle Eastern leaders, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said there’s “broad agreement” on a few objectives for the future of the region. These include that Israel can live without fear of terror attacks, unity between the West Bank and Gaza under local governance, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
“No one thinks that anything will happen overnight,” Blinken said. “But we agreed to work together and to coordinate our efforts to help Gaza stabilize and recover, to chart a political path forward for the Palestinians, and to work toward long-term peace, security, and stability in the region as a whole.”
When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more
The Super Bowl is about a month away, and we’re starting to see some great TV deals just in time for the event. Displays from top brands like LG and Samsung are on sale, giving shoppers the perfect chance to snag a new big-screen set for the big game.
We anticipate even bigger discounts as we get closer to the Super Bowl on February 11, but some top models are already seeing price drops. The best TV deals right now include a massive 98-inch TCL 4K display for $1,000 off. The 65-inch Hisense U6K, our pick for the best TV you can snag on a budget, is also holding steady at a great deal price of $550.
Below, our experienced deal hunters and tech experts are keeping track of all the best TV deals across a range of sizes and budgets. We expect even more deals to pop up over the coming weeks, so if the TV you’ve been eyeing isn’t on sale yet, check back for all the latest price drops.
This Insignia 1080p TV is as basic as a display gets, but if you’re looking for a small, compact smart TV that you can put in a kitchen or dorm, you’re not likely to find a more inexpensive option out there.
This basic entry-level 720p Fire TV set comes with an Alexa voice remote to navigate Amazon’s smart software effortlessly. This is only $10 more than what we saw on Black Friday.
If you’ve got a smaller space and don’t need a large screen, this deal is tough to beat for a 4K display with superb picture quality. This model is dimmer than LG’s more expensive models and has a slower 60Hz refresh rate, but the A2 is the most affordable OLED you can snag right now.
This 55-inch TCL TV uses a QLED panel, which offers great color performance. It lacks local dimming and native 120Hz support but otherwise has all the trappings needed for modern gaming and home cinemas. This is an excellent deal price for a 55-inch set in this class.
Samsung’s The Frame QLED has a matte display and thin build, making it look more like a piece of art hanging on your wall than a TV. We’ve rarely seen the price dip below $1,200, and it’s usually closer to $1,500, so now is a great time to buy if you’ve been considering this model.
This entry-level TCL 4K TV can’t deliver the color or contrast performance you’d get on a pricier set, but it has basic HDR capabilities and Google TV streaming. Though this Best Buy discount is small, $400 is a good price for a 65-inch set like this.
Hisense’s U6K is one of the best budget TVs you can buy. The 4K display boasts quantum dots, local dimming, and a Mini LED backlight to deliver better contrast and color performance than most competitors in its price range. This isn’t the lowest price we’ve seen, but it’s still an incredible deal for a Mini LED TV.
This 65-inch Samsung TV is one of the best QLEDs you can get, and its super-bright picture is an especially great fit for living rooms that let in a lot of light. It’s on sale now for the same price we saw on Black Friday.
The CU7000 delivers decent performance for budget TV shoppers who favor the Samsung brand. This is a good deal for an entry-level 75-inch set, but you do miss out on picture-quality perks like local dimming and quantum dots at this price point.
The B3 is LG’s current entry-level OLED. It’s not as bright as more expensive models but delivers the same infinite contrast ratio for a more budget-friendly price. Though not the best deal we’ve seen, $2,000 is still an excellent price for a 77-inch OLED.
Samsung’s S95C is one of the best high-end TVs you can get. It’s expensive at large screen sizes like this, but this Amazon deal is just $200 more than the discount we saw on Black Friday.
TCL’s QM8 is its latest flagship 4K QLED TV. It’s one of the brightest TVs you can buy, and it can support a fast 144Hz refresh rate when paired with a gaming PC. It has an average sale price of around $2,190, so this Best Buy discount is a solid deal for such a large and impressive display.
This midrange Neo QLED TV has a Mini LED backlight with local dimming and quantum dots for excellent color and contrast performance. This is a common but still great deal price for a TV this big and with this level of performance.
This huge TCL 4K TV is seeing a massive discount right now. Though not quite as low as the $2,500 price we saw over the holidays, this is still a great deal for anyone who wants a giant 98-inch TV.
Is now a good time to buy a TV?
The weeks in mid-January and early February leading up to the Super Bowl are typically an excellent time to buy a new TV, especially if you’re shopping for a big-screen display. Many TVs are expected to drop back to their Black Friday prices, and we could even see a few models dip down to new all-time lows.
The best TV deals of the season will likely arrive at the end of January, giving buyers just enough time to get their new displays to watch the Super Bowl on February 11. However, some great discounts have already started to pop up, so if you’re aiming to stream the NFL playoffs on a new 75-inch set, you can find some worthwhile deals right now.
Want to browse more TV sales?
The TV deals we highlight above are only a fraction of what’s available across all our recommended retailers. Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon, and more have a vast selection of models to fit your unique needs. Below, we’ve also listed a few other great sources to check if you need more options.
How do I choose the right TV?
Choosing the right TV can be tricky. There are lots of sizes, brands, and display types to pick from, and prices vary considerably depending on the features you want.
On the low end, you can find some small HDTVs for as little as $100 with either a 720p or 1080p screen. Decent 4K TVs tend to start at around $300 to $500 depending on size, and generally, you can expect better quality for each extra hundred you spend. On the high end, the best 4K TVs in bigger screen sizes can cost $1,500 or more.
When choosing a TV, you’ll want to start by establishing how much you want to spend, typically tied to how big you want your display to be. Also, think about whether you’re willing to spend extra to get the best picture quality.
If you prioritize high-end image performance, you’ll want to opt for a 4K TV with an OLED panel or a QLED screen that includes features like local dimming and quantum dots. These technologies enable the richest colors and highest contrast for a gorgeous HDR image.
Are you a gamer? Make sure to get something with a 120Hz screen and variable refresh rate to fully support the latest features on the Xbox Series X and PS5. And movie and TV buffs will want Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos for the best cinematic flare.
On the other hand, buyers who just want a simple smart TV for casual viewing will be satisfied with any reliable entry-level model. These options use standard, budget-friendly LED screens. Though picture quality won’t be as impressive as pricier models, there are plenty of cheap 4K TVs with solid performance, including budget picks that still manage to offer 4K, HDR, and plenty of apps.
OLED vs. QLED: What’s the difference?
If you’re in the market for a midrange or high-end TV, you’ll likely find yourself deciding between two display types: OLED vs. QLED. They each have pros and cons, but we think the best OLED TVs deliver the top image performance for home theater fans.
OLED TVs use self-illuminating screens that precisely dim and brighten each pixel to create an infinite contrast ratio. This makes an OLED display the top choice for buyers who want the absolute best picture quality for watching movies or playing games in a dark home theater room.
One major downside to OLED TVs is that they can suffer from image retention or burn-in. However, current models are equipped with hardware and software tools to combat this, and you can mitigate the chances of producing burn-in by ensuring certain static elements (like heads-up displays in games or news tickers) don’t remain on the screen for excessive hours.
On the other hand, QLED TVs rely on older LCD panel technology that uses a backlight to illuminate their screens. These backlights can have multiple zones to dim specific areas, but even the best QLED displays can’t match the pixel-level contrast of an OLED. This can cause an uneven look in dark scenes with halos around bright objects or washed-out black levels that look gray.
Where QLED TVs have an edge, though, is with peak brightness. Midrange and high-end QLED TVs can get brighter than most OLEDs. This makes a QLED TV a better fit for rooms that let in a lot of light, and they give an extra bit of HDR pop when very bright highlights are on-screen. QLED models also tend to be less expensive than OLED TVs and present no risk of burn-in.
Steven is a Tech Editor for the Insider Reviews team, where he oversees streaming and home entertainment product coverage. He previously served as High-Def Digest’s Gear Editor from 2013 to 2019, and his work has appeared on Ben’s Bargains, Steve’s Digicams, Big Picture Big Sound, and Consequence of Sound. Over his nine years of experience covering the audiovisual industry, Steven has reviewed numerous TVs, headphones, speakers, monitors, streaming players, and more. He was one of a select number of journalists invited to get a hands-on first look at LG’s first 8K OLED TV in 2019, and is always excited to check out the newest and biggest displays on the market. Based on his extensive experience in the home theater industry, Steven served as one of the expert judges for the 2018 TV Shootout, the premier annual display competition that crowns the best TVs of the year. Steven also has a background in film criticism, having reviewed over 400 movies and TV shows. He uses his movie industry knowledge to help inform his coverage of the streaming and home entertainment markets. Steven’s own home theater setup makes his passion for entertainment clear, complete with a 65-inch HDR display and the biggest Dolby Atmos speaker system he can fit in his apartment. And though he often spends his free time binging new series on every streaming service under the sun, he remains proud of his huge collection of Blu-ray discs. See below for some of his work.
Tesla is facing yet another controversy regarding its CEO’s personal life, but investors are unfazed, analysts say.
Over the weekend, The Wall Street Journal published a story analyzing Elon Musk’s alleged drug use over the years, including the use of LSD, cocaine, and ketamine. The publication detailed some instances where Tesla board members were concerned drug use had influenced some of Musk’s more controversial decisions, including when he tweeted about taking Tesla private in 2018.
For his part, Musk has refuted the report, saying that “not even trace quantities” of drugs or alcohol were identified during three years of testing after Musk smoked weed during an interview with Joe Rogan in 2018. In the past, the billionaire has said he has a prescription for ketamine after the Journal reported Musk was microdosing ketamine.
Gene Munster, a managing partner at Deepwater Asset Management, told Bloomberg most Tesla investors are unlikely to bat an eye at the Journal’s report.
“A small percentage of investors will sell their stock over the next week and put some pressure on shares,” Munster said. “Most investors won’t care, because it falls into the category that if you want to profit from Elon, you have to put up with his controversies.”
Wedbush tech analyst Dan Ives told Business Insider that it’s far from good news for investors but unlikely to make a material impact.
“Tesla investors are immune at this point to the negative Musk headlines,” he said.
A spokesperson for Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Musk’s personal attorney Alex Spiro told the Journal Musk is “regularly” drug tested and has “never failed a test.”
Shares of Tesla’s stock were up slightly on Monday afternoon from when the markets closed on Friday before the Journal released its report. Shares closed at $237.49 on Friday.
Musk has been known to bounce back in the past. Tesla investors have weathered their fair share of controversies, including the CEO, over the years — from when Musk told X advertisers to “Go fuck yourself” and appeared to boost an antisemitic post on social media last year to when the billionaire called a diver who was attempting to rescue boys trapped in a cave a “pedo” in 2018.
All the while, the carmaker’s stock has continued to climb. Shares of Tesla have soared nearly 1,000% since 2018.
Do you work for Tesla or own an EV? Reach out to the reporter from a non-work email and device at gkay@insider.com
At a news conference on Saturday, NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy said things could have gone much worse during the flight if people were seated next to the door that dislodged from the plane.
“We are very, very fortunate here that this didn’t end up in something more tragic,” the NTSB chair said. “No one was seated in 26A and 26B, where that door plug is.”
Alaska Airlines flight 1282 from Portland to Ontario, California Jennifer Homendy returned to the airport in Portland after a “mid-cabin door plug” broke away from the plane, resulting in “rapid decompression,” according to Homendy.
Homendy added that this was a “pretty terrifying event” for those on board, noting that “we don’t often talk about psychological injury, but I’m sure that occurred here.”
Emma Vu, who was on board the flight, sent terrified texts to her family after the door dislodged, according to a now-removed TikTok seen by the Daily Mail.
“The masks r down; I am so scared right now; Please pray for me; Please I don’t want to die,” she messaged them, according to the now-deleted TikTok.
Homendy said the passengers were fortunate that the plane was at only around 16,000 feet in the air and only 10 minutes from the airport when the door blew, so most people were still seated.
“Think about what’s happening when you’re up in cruise,” Homendy said. “Everybody’s up and walking, folks don’t have seatbelts on, they’re going to restrooms, the flight attendants are providing service to passengers. We could have ended up with something so much more tragic.”
The NTSB is investigating what went wrong that caused the chunk of the plane to break away, headed by lead investigator John Lovell.
“Our goal, always, is to save lives so at the end of our investigation we issue safety recommendations that are aimed at preventing tragedies from reoccurring,” Homendy said.
