FDA cracks down on e-cigarette sales, Apple cuts deal with movie maker, and more top news

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The Food and Drug Administration is clamping down on sales of flavored e-cigarettes in a bid to curb teen tobacco use, allowing only outlets with age-restricted access to sell the popular flavors. The FDA also plans to ban flavored cigars and menthol cigarettes. The move follows a 78% surge in vaping among high school students in the past year. Health experts say the nicotine-laden products can affect developing brains and lead to regular cigarette smoking. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Apple is partnering with movie studio A24 to make original, feature-length films. The entertainment company — which last year picked up three Academy Awards — will produce movies for the tech giant as part of a multiyear agreement. Apple follows the lead of Netflix and Amazon as it pushes beyond TV programming, announcing last month that it plans to offer free movies and TV shows to device owners. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Retailers are predicting a great holiday season with sales expected to climb up 5% from a year ago — thanks to increasing wages, consumer confidence and market gains. Some, such as Sam’s Club, are turning to technology to increase their competitiveness in the crowded retail space. Walmart, meanwhile, has hiked its sales and profit goals after posting a 43% rise in online sales from a year ago, as well as upping its online offerings in a bid to compete with the likes of Amazon. ? Here’s what people are saying.

In a sign of how tight the U.S. labor market has become, some employers are hiring staff after just one phone interview, without meeting them in person. The practice is common in seasonal work areas such as retail, where companies need more staff over the holiday periods, but is now spreading to white collar professions too, including with engineers and IT workers, says The Wall Street Journal. ? Here’s what people are saying.

The record price for a work sold by a living artist at auction has been broken with the $90.3 million sale of a David Hockney painting. Bidding for the Los Angeles-based British artist’s “Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)” started at $18 million, before being snapped up for the record sum in just nine minutes at Christie’s in New York. The previous record was held by American artist Jeff Koons for his “Balloon Dog (Orange),” which sold for $58.4 million in 2013. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Idea of the Day: In order to remain competitive, aim for boardroom diversity, says Heidrick and Struggles vice chairman and co-managing partner, Bonnie Gwin.

“It is hard work to build a board. Recruiting the right person takes time. Insist on being presented a diverse slate that includes women.”

What's your take on today’s stories? Share your thoughts in the comments. 

— Carmel Melouney and Jessica Hartogs