Technologies

Find Out an Airbnb’s Price Before You Book, Even the Sneaky Fees

Say goodbye to surprise cleaning charges as Airbnb complies with an FTC rule requiring full price disclosure.

You’ll now be able to see the full cost of your Airbnb as you browse, including any sneaky cleaning and service fees. The short-term rental company announced it now automatically shows the total cost of a rental before taxes.

The change comes ahead of a US Federal Trade Commission rule banning hidden fees, which is set to go into effect on May 12. Hotels and booking sites like Expedia will also be subject to the new rule, which called out «bait-and-switch pricing» for mandatory charges like resort fees.

Airbnb users in the US could turn on the «total price display» option manually for the past two years, but now you’ll see the full price by default.

«With the global rollout of total price display, we’re making it easier for guests to better understand the price they’ll pay, and for hosts to succeed in a more transparent marketplace,» Airbnb said in the press release. The company declined the opportunity to comment further.

Airbnb has faced criticism over the years for advertising one price, then tacking on extra fees for cleaning and more during the checkout process. Transparent pricing allows you to compare prices more easily, so you don’t get the unpleasant surprise that your $150 deal suddenly increased to $225 because of «host fees.»

The company also announced it’s adding tools to uncover more discounts, like adding extra nights to reduce the total cost of a stay.

If you’re planning now for summer travel, we have tips to help you save on the rest of your trip, too, including the best time to book flights and how to use AI to save for a vacation.

«One of our main tips is travel on Tuesdays/Wednesdays. Those days tend to be cheaper for flights and hotels versus weekends,» Aixa Diaz, a media relations spokesperson for AAA, said in an email.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Dec. 4, #437

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Dec. 4, No. 437.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is a tough one. Movie buffs, you might do well. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Fire it in there.

Green group hint: Signal callers.

Blue group hint: Ohio teams.

Purple group hint: Enjoy the show.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Members of a pitching staff.

Green group: Descriptors often applied to QBs.

Blue group: Members of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Purple group: Last words in football movies.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is members of a pitching staff. The four answers are ace, closer, long reliever and setup man.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is descriptors often applied to QBs. The four answers are dual-threat, game manager, mobile and pocket passer.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is members of the Cleveland Cavaliers. The four answers are Garland, Hunter, Mitchell and Mobley.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is last words in football movies. The four answers are Giants, Lights, Replacements and Sunday.

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Technologies

SpaceX Gets OK to Build 2 Starship Launch Pads at NASA’s Cape Canaveral

The two Super Heavy launch pads will join one that SpaceX already has at Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39-A.

SpaceX has been granted approval to build two launch pads at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 37 in Florida, the company said Monday. These pads are built for launches from heavier rockets like SpaceX’s megarocket, Starship. SpaceX’s Starship can produce more than 16 million pounds of thrust from its Super Heavy reusable first stage rockets. By contrast, NASA’s Space Launch System is capable of approximately 8.8 million pounds of thrust.

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The two launch pads join SpaceX’s existing launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39-A, which was designed to support the iconic Apollo program.

«With three launch pads in Florida, Starship will be ready to support America’s national security and Artemis goals as the world’s premiere spaceport continues to evolve to enable airport-like operations,» SpaceX said Monday in a post on X. The company also announced that construction has already begun on the two new launch pads.

A decision two years in the making

SpaceX has been waiting almost two years for regulatory approval to build its launch pads at Space Launch Complex 37. During that time, SpaceX had to field several public hearings and investigations to ensure that the Starship launches wouldn’t pose a threat to the local fauna or flora.

Once completed, the two new launch pads will be able to host approximately 76 Starship missions and 152 landings per year, with 44 additional launches and 88 additional landings from SpaceX’s Kennedy Space Center launch pad.

One of the major questions for these launch pads is how they could impact local travel, namely in terms of commercial airline flights.

According to regulatory filings, 120 launches and 240 landings could cause delays for thousands of commercial airline flights annually. The Air Force plans to reassess airspace concerns before giving final approval for Starship launches.

Technologies

Thousands of Cases of Shredded Cheese Recalled Due to Possible Metal Fragments

The cheeses were recalled from Aldi, Target, Walmart and more by Great Lakes Cheese.

The US Food and Drug Administration has announced an extensive recall of shredded cheese due to the possibility that it contains metal fragments. According to the report, the cheeses were distributed in 31 states and Puerto Rico, with many of them being sold at popular retailers such as Aldi, Target, Walmart and others.

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The reason listed for the recall is «potential metal fragments from supplier raw material,» and Great Lakes Cheese from Hiram, Ohio, is the company behind the recall. The bulk of the recalled cheeses — which includes 235,789 cases — are low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella shredded cheese packaged in individually plastic bags. Those recalled cheeses are:

Always Save — Shredded, 5 lb., UPC 7003865782, 4/case
Borden — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 5300007162 6 or 12/case
Borden — Thick Cut, 8 oz., UPC 5300007170, 6/case 3
Brookshire’s — Finely Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 9282510119, 12/case
Brookshire’s — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 9282510120, 12/case
Brookshire’s — Shredded, 32 oz., UPC 9282510130, 6/case
Brookshire’s — Thick Cut, 8 oz., UPC 9282592197, 12/case 4
Cache Valley Creamery — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 7495802553, 6 or 12/case
Chestnut Hill — Fancy Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 3225116742, 6/case
Coburn Farms — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 5193331657, 12/case
Coburn Farms — Shredded, 12 oz., UPC 5193321820, 18/case
Coburn Farms — Shredded, 32 oz., UPC 5193334257, 6/case
Econo — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 893800294, 12/case
Food Club — Finely Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 3680045573, 12/case
Food Club — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 3680005117, 12/case
Food Club — Shredded, 16 oz., UPC 3680005144, 12/case
Food Club — Shredded, 32 oz., tube-style bag, UPC 3680012914, 6/case, case UPC 3680041215
Food Club — Shredded, 32 oz., square-style bag, UPC 3680038305, 6/case
Food Lion — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 3582609008, 12/case
Gold Rush Creamery — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 1401401014, 12/case
Gold Rush Creamery — Shredded, 32 oz., UPC 1401401030, 6/case
Good & Gather — Fine Cut, 8 oz., UPC 8523903860, 12/case
Good & Gather — Classic, 8 oz., UPC 8523903849, 12/case
Good & Gather — Classic, 32 oz., UPC 8523903852, 6/case
Great Lakes Cheese — Shredded, 5 lb., UPC 3651415034, 4/case
Great Value — Finely Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 7874237425, 6/case
Great Value — Finely Shredded, 16 oz., UPC 7874204492, 5/case
Great Value — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 7874235317, 6/case
Great Value — Shredded, 16 oz., UPC 7874235321, 5/case
Great Value — Shredded, 32 oz., UPC 7874237475, 6/case
Great Value — Shredded, 5 lb., UPC 7874204980, 4/case
Happy Farms by Aldi — Shredded, 16 oz., UPC 4061463330864, 12/case
Happy Farms by Aldi — Shredded, 32 oz., UPC 4061463369413, 8/case
H-E-B — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 4122022272, 12/case
H-E-B — Thick, 8 oz., UPC 4122061295, 12/case
H-E-B — Shredded/Fancy Finamente Rallado, 8 oz., UPC 4122006759, 12/case (distributed for sale in Mexico only)
Hill Country Fare — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 4122018977
Hill Country Fare — Shredded, 16 oz., UPC 4122016234
Hill Country Fare — Shredded, 32 oz., UPC 4122042334
Hill Country Fare — Shredded, 5 lb., UPC 4122082998
Hill Country Fare — Shredded/Rallado, 8 oz., UPC 4122024512 (distributed for sale in Mexico only)
Know & Love — Fine Cut, 8 oz., UPC 788030650
Know & Love — Fine Cut, 16 oz., UPC 788030657
Know & Love — Classic Cut, 8 oz., UPC 788030659
Know & Love — Classic Cut, 32 oz., UPC 788030658
Know & Love — Thick Cut, 8 oz., UPC 788030678
Laura Lynn — Finely Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 8685401031
Laura Lynn — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 8685400824
Laura Lynn — Shredded, 12 oz., UPC 8685400815
Laura Lynn — Shredded, 16 oz., UPC 8685406528
Laura Lynn — Thick Cut Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 8685407109
Lucerne Dairy Farms — Finely Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 2113004867
Lucerne Dairy Farms — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 2113004259
Lucerne Dairy Farms — Shredded Family Size, 32 oz., UPC 2113004741
Lucerne Dairy Farms — Rustic Cut, 8 oz., UPC 2113004944, 12/case
Lucerne Dairy Farms — Rustic Cut Family Size, 32 oz., UPC 2113004949
Nu Farm — Fancy Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 3104100151
Publix — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 4141511665
Publix — Shredded, 16 oz., UPC 4141523365
Schnuck’s — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 4131858010
Simply Go — Classic Cut Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 1015983021
Simply Go — Classic Cut Shredded, 32 oz., UPC 1015983020
Simply Go — Rustic Cut Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 1015983040
Sprouts Farmers Market — Finely Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 4667052284
Sprouts Farmers Market — Shredded Value Pack, 32 oz., UPC 4667052279
Stater Bros. Markets — Finely Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 7417546413
Stater Bros. Markets — Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 7417546402
Stater Bros. Markets — Shredded, 32 oz., UPC 7417546435
Sunnyside Farms — Shredded, 16 oz., UPC 1754450204
Sunnyside Farms — Shredded, 32 oz., UPC 1754450057

Other recalled cheeses, which include Italian-style shredded cheese blends, pizza-style shredded cheese, mozzarella and provolone blends and a mozzarella and parmesan blend, can be found in the FDA announcement.

Where was the cheese sold?

The states where the recalled cheeses were distributed include Alabama, Arkansa, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Puerto Rico.

What to do if you have cheese that has been recalled?

You can return recalled cheeses to the retailer you bought them from to receive a refund. CNET has reached out to Great Lakes Cheese for comment but has not heard back.