Some of the most popular applications are free. Whether it is YouTube, Facebook or Google Maps, this model has made these companies billions of dollars. But a new study from McGuffin asks an interesting question. How much value do consumers assign to these apps, and how much would they be willing to pay for them?

This question also comes at a time when these companies are under scrutiny from regulators. And if things keep going in this direction, there is a chance they will be asking for a fee to use their services. In fact, Small Business Trends asked this very question back in 2012.

Read more at Small Biz Trends.

As your company grows, you may find different departments start to silo themselves off from one other. However, a strong company culture is one that includes all departments and brings them together. That’s why we asked members of Young Entrepreneur Council the following question:

What is a good way to connect team members in different departments to build company culture?

Read more at Small Biz Trends.

The pleasure of owning a brand new vehicle, regardless of its make and model, can’t be compared to anything. We know all you enthusiasts out there know exactly what we are talking about. Unfortunately, with every year this pleasure is getting more and more expensive, despite the fact that more and more people can afford it. According to the AAA research agency, the average new car price is close to $40,000 these days.

But more importantly, the agency’s latest research shows the average American owner is spending approximately $9,282 per year on their vehicle, which equals to $773.50 a month. That’s significantly higher than last year’s $8,849, which only comes to show new car expenses are going up year after year.

Read more at Motor 1.

Big cities may come with big salaries, but your paycheck can shrink when you factor in cost of living.

In a new study from the Indeed Hiring Lab, chief economist Jed Kolko analyzed 185 metros across America to find out where workers' paychecks go the furthest.

Read more at Business Insider.

The Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday finalized a repeal of Obama-era water protections in a battle of regulatory ping pong that experts say will take new strategies to solve.

At issue is the 2015 Waters of the United States rule, which expanded the types of waterways that can receive federal protections under the Clean Water Act. Republicans sharply criticized the rule, characterizing it as a federal overreach that would regulate bodies of water as small as puddles, which it did not. Twenty-two states the District of Columbia and U.S. territories follow the 2015 rule, while the rest follow guidance dating back to the Reagan administration.

Read more at US News.

With the crowded Democratic field beginning to shrink and candidates and voters alike waiting for a leader to emerge, it was predictable that the 10 contenders onstage at Thursday's primary debate would turn on each other, hoping to cull the herd or injure the one in the front of the pack.

Instead, Democrats were largely courteous, even complimentary, to each other, saving their animus for the one person they wanted gone: President Donald Trump.

Read more at US News.

The Trump administration is taking steps to ban flavored e-cigarettes in the U.S. amid a surge of mysterious lung illnesses tied to vaping.

The Food and Drug Administration is finalizing rules to bar the sale of non-tobacco-flavored e-cigarette products as part of its efforts to curb what officials have called an "epidemic" of youth vaping, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told reporters Wednesday after a meeting with President Donald Trump and acting Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Ned Sharpless.

Read more at US News.

The world's first malaria vaccine is being rolled out in parts of Kenya from Friday, after previously being released in Ghana and Malawi.

It will be added to the routine vaccination schedule, and more than 300,000 children are expected to receive the vaccine over the next three years.

Read more at BBC News.

Actress Felicity Huffman is due to be sentenced on Friday for her role in the college admissions scandal. The actress has pleaded guilty to paying $15,000 to help improve her daughter's SAT scores.

Hollywood star, Lori Loughlin and her husband also face charges but have pleaded not guilty.

Read more at BBC News.

In Nevada's remote southern county of Lincoln lie two unassuming towns, their combined population, 173. Surrounded by arid landscapes and dusty roads as far as the eye can see, the towns of Rachel and Hiko appear unremarkable.

What makes them special, however, is their proximity to a top-secret US Air Force base, commonly known as Area 51. The mysterious military test area, long associated with UFO conspiracy theories, has cemented their place in alien folklore.

Read more at BBC News.