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☆ There’s a Program to Cancel Private Student Debt. Most Don’t Know About It.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-30 | by ( Stacy Cowley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

More than a million borrowers who were defrauded by for-profit schools have had billions of dollars in federal student loans eliminated through a government aid program. But people with private loans have generally been excluded from any relief — until recently. Navient, a large owner of private student loan debt, has created, but not publicized, a program that allows borrowers to apply to have their loans forgiven. Navient, based in Wilmington, Del., has not publicized the discharge program that helped Ms. Maynard. When asked about the program and the criticisms, a company spokesman said, “Borrowers may contact us at any time, and our advocates can assist.”

Persons: jubilantly, “, ”, Danielle Maynard, Maynard Organizations: New England Institute of Art Locations: Brookline , Mass, Wilmington, Del

☆ 5 cities that will give you a house or land for free
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Some towns and cities want people to move there so badly that they give things away for free. Some places are offering property to free homes or land. Here's a list of cities across the country that give free property to movers. According to the latest data from the Realtors' Land Institute, sales of American land increased 1.2% from 2022 to 2023, while its cost jumped 1.9%. Perks range from $10,000 cash, like in Tulsa, to free childcare and access to coworking spaces.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Realtors, Land Institute, Business Locations: Tulsa

☆ 5 US cities that will give you a free house or land
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-06 | by ( Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Some cities in the US try to lure people to move there by giving away property for free. In some spots, land is given for free, but the recipient is responsible for building a home. Here's a list of cities across the country that give free property to movers. Some towns, meanwhile, are offering movers land or entire homes at low or no cost. Here are a few places across the country that are offering land or property to movers.

Persons: —, they're Organizations: Service, Realtors, Land Institute Locations: Tulsa, In Kansas, Iowa

☆ Trump turns to his 'old cast' to raise millions for 2024 and the PAC paying his legal bills
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The hedge fund founder is hosting a splashy fundraising dinner for Trump April 6 at his house in Palm Beach, Florida. But Paulson is not the only GOP kingmaker who is privately gearing up to help Trump. "It's the old cast coming back together to take it across the finish line," said an advisor to one of Trump's bundlers. Many of these "old cast" members are business leaders who have been close to Trump for years. As for the money going to pay Trump's legal bills, at least some of the people attending the Paulson event don't seem to care.

Persons: Donald Trump, John Paulson, Mike Segar, Trump, Paulson, Republican megadonor Rebekah Mercer, Robert Mercer, Rebekah, Oliver Contreras, Rebekah Mercer, Todd Ricketts, Wilbur Ross, Small Business Administration Linda McMahon, Woody Johnson, Meredith O'Rourke, Susan Necheles, Brendan Mcdermid Organizations: Economic, of New, Reuters Veteran, CNBC, Trump, GOP, Republican, New York, The Heartland Institute, Washington Post, Chicago Cubs, Trump Commerce, Small Business Administration, Trump's, New York Jets, NBC News, Save America PAC, Republican National Committee, America, Former U.S, Reuters Trump Locations: of New York, Manhattan , New York, U.S, Palm Beach , Florida, Palm Beach, Trump, Washington ,, Trump's U.S, United Kingdom, Former, New York City

☆ How the fortune of one of America’s biggest pharmaceutical families has quietly funded conservative causes
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-03 | by ( Casey Tolan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +21 min

From The Searle Freedom TrustThis year, the Searle trust is poised to play an even bigger role as it empties out its coffers. Researchers who study political nonprofits say that the Searle trust has had a major impact, even as the Searle family has stayed under the radar compared to more well-known conservative benefactors. The Searle trust is one of the most prolific funders of conservative groups among all private foundations, according to a CNN analysis of nonprofit tax data. The Searle trust has given millions to the Foundation for Government Accountability, which has worked behind the scenes to push conservative policies such as stricter voting laws. Dennis, the CEO of the Searle trust, is also the chair of DonorsTrust.

Persons: Searle, Daniel C, Trump, Donald Trump, ”, Galen Hall, who’s, Kimberly Dennis, ” Searle, “, Sarah Scaife, doesn’t, Michael B, Thomas, SPN, They’ve, ” Brendan Fischer, Brendan Fischer, “ They’ve, ” Hall, Caleb Rossiter, ” Galen Hall, movement’s MAGA, It’s, Mike Pence, that’s, Dennis, Henry Ford, John D, Rockefeller, ” Fischer, Gideon, Michael Searle, ” Dennis, “ We’re, Dan, Gideon Daniel Searle, Daniel Searle, Jonathan Eig, Jack Searle, Daniel Searle’s, Gregory Pincus, John Rock, Pincus, weren’t, –, Sue, Eig, Margaret Marsh, Enovid, misoprostol, Searle –, Pfizer –, ” Daniel Searle, Donald Rumsfeld, Searles, Biden, Wade, Dobbs, Kristen Batstone Organizations: CNN, Searle Freedom Trust, University of Michigan, Sarah Scaife Foundation, Searle, American Enterprise Institute, Reason Foundation, Tax Foundation, Manhattan Institute, Cato Institute, Foundation, Government, State Policy Network, American Legislative Exchange Council, Fair, Pacific Legal Foundation, Federalist Society, Competitive Enterprise Institute, Environment Research Center, CO2 Coalition, Heartland Institute, ”, CO2, Heartland, Republican Party, movement’s, America, Policy Institute, Trump, American Freedom Foundation, Everett, FDA, Rutgers University, Pfizer, Monsanto, Heritage Foundation, Reason, Affordable, New Civil Liberties Alliance, Public Policy Center, Claremont, National Women’s Health Network, Trust, IRS Locations: Missouri, St, Louis , Missouri, California, judgeships, ”, Omaha, Metamucil, Dramamine, Puerto, Brazil, Diet Coke, America

☆ How to tell when a migraine attack is coming
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Madeline Holcombe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The study team found that sleep quality and energy were important indicators of a migraine attack on the following day. Migraine preventionKnowing when a migraine is coming can make all the difference — especially with growing interest in treating one before it starts, Tepper said. A migraine attack isn’t just a headache. It makes sense that people might be conservative about using medication for migraine pain, Tepper said. “There’s no downside because rimegepant has almost no side effects and is not associated with transformation into chronic migraine,” Tepper said.

Persons: ”, Kathleen Merikangas, “, Stewart Tepper, Tepper, wakefulness, ” Merikangas, ” Tepper, —, rimegepant, Kylie Petrarca, Merikangas Organizations: CNN, Intramural, National Institute of Mental Health, New England Institute for Neurology Locations: Stamford , Connecticut

“My friends, my family, I don’t think they understood why I couldn’t hold it together,” he said in an interview. On a spring morning, a pair of rock-climbing shoes hung by the door of the light-filled cabin where he lives in the Appalachian Mountains. He is trying to move on from Iraq, but a lurking darkness keeps pulling him off course. He made some of the photographs accompanying this article while he was in the Marine Corps, from 2009 to 2018. He is now studying film at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, Md.

Persons: “, ”, “ I’m, Daniel Johnson, Matthew Callahan Organizations: Lifeline, Marine Corps, Maryland Institute College of Art Locations: Iraq, United States, North Carolina, Washington ,, Baltimore, Md

☆ Climate change is driving insurance rates up, forcing developers to add weather-proofing
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Along East Boston's waterfront sits The Eddy, a two-building property with over 250 luxury apartments. When developers imagined The Eddy in 2014, they kept that weather exposure in mind. According to the Urban Land Institute, or ULI, the developers built The Eddy nine inches higher than the original property that was previously located on the site. The developers also constructed The Eddy with walls that can withstand up to 100 miles per hour of wind. It found that implementing mitigation measures according to modern building codes could save 600 lives and prevent 1 million nonfatal injuries.

Persons: Eddy, ULI, Lindsay Brugger Organizations: Urban Land Institute, Global, National Institute of Building Sciences Locations: Lahaina, Maui, Lahaina , Hawaii, Boston

That has allowed forests to become four to seven times more densely wooded than they once were, Safford said. Fire scientists advocate more deliberate burning at low-to-moderate severity to clear vegetation that makes forests susceptible to big fires. Susan Britting, executive director of one of the groups, Sierra Forest Legacy, acknowledged any cutting triggers skepticism because loggers historically took the largest, most marketable trees. But she said thinning trees up to a certain diameter is acceptable, though she prefers prescribed burning. Homeowners are anxious prescribed fires will jump perimeters and destroy houses.

Persons: ” Hugh Safford, Davis, John Muir, What’s, Safford, “ We're, ”, Brandon Collins, Chad Hanson, there's, Hanson, Christy Brigham, ” John Muir, Jeffrey, “ John Muir, ” Safford, gesturing, “, it's, Weeks, Susan Britting, ” Britting, John Muir Project's Hanson, Safford —, that's, what’s Organizations: University of California, Eldorado National, Sierra, U.S ., American Geophysical Union, John Muir Project, Earth Island Institute, Sequoia, National Parks, National Park Service, U.S . Forest Service, Service, Forest Service, Infrastructure Law, Sierra Forest Locations: Calif, Lake, Eldorado, Sierra Nevada, U.S, California, . California, Yosemite, Sequoia, Canyon, —, Berkeley, Lake Tahoe, Safford, New, Sierra

☆ A stranded luxury cruise ship was stuck in Greenland for 3 days. It's finally been pulled free.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The 206 passengers on a luxury cruise ship will be heading home soon. The MV Ocean Explorer ran aground in a isolated part of Greenland on Monday. The name of the Greenland ship was Tarajoq and it belongs to the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, a government agency. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Bahamas-flagged cruise ship has passengers from Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States. The others on the MV Ocean Explorer were "safe and healthy," it added.

Persons: Steven Fraser, Fraser Organizations: Ocean Explorer, Greenland, Service, Arctic Command, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Aurora Expeditions, Expeditions, Sydney Morning Herald, DR, Danish Maritime Authority, Ships, Command Locations: Greenland, Monday, Wall, Silicon, Copenhagen, Alpefjord, France, Spain, Ittoqqortoormiit, Nuuk, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, United Kingdom, United States, Greenland's, Kirkenes, Arctic Norway, Bergen, Norway

☆ Step inside the Beverly Hills of the Philippines, where homes rarely change hands, access is nearly impossible if you don't know a resident, and inequality is on full display
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Marielle Descalsota | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Ervina Balaga, a realtor who sells homes in Beverly Hills, met us inside the neighborhood. A mansion perched on top of the hill in Beverly Hills in Cebu, Philippines. Balaga told me the cheapest home on the market right now in the neighborhood costs 52 million pesos, or around $915,000. Balaga told me homes in Beverly Hills are rarely sold to outsiders, as many who live there are regarded as the "Old Money" of Cebu. For comparison, the median price of homes in Cebu City is listed at $141,270, per data by the Urban Land Institute.

Persons: Ervina, Marielle, Balaga Organizations: Urban Land Institute Locations: Beverly Hills, Cebu, Philippines, Cebu's, Seoul, Pasil, Cebu City

☆ New Zealand PM says 'tough conversations' with China better than no talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, July 7 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said on Friday New Zealand will require continued engagement with China, its largest trading partner, but would disagree with Beijing in areas where it challenges New Zealand's national interests. "A strong, mature and complex relationship (with China) means we will have those tough conversations ... but I think it's better to be talking than not," Hipkins said in a speech at the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. New Zealand will continue to disagree with China on several issues, including human rights, but the path of engagement will be "open and honest", he said. The speech comes about a week after Hipkins' six-day visit to China, which included meetings with Xi Jinping, where the Chinese President said Beijing had always treated New Zealand as a "friend and partner". Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney; Editing by Alasdair Pal and Raju GopalakrishnanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Chris Hipkins, Hipkins, Xi, Renju Jose, Alasdair Pal, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: SYDNEY, New Zealand, New, New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Washington, Thomson Locations: China, Beijing, New Zealand, United States, Washington, Zealand, U.S, Sydney

☆ How ‘Nimona’ Helped Its Creator Explore His Emerging Identity
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Robert Ito | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The film had its beginnings in 2015, the same year the book was published, and is that rarest of Hollywood literary makeovers. For Stevenson, much of the book spoke to his own upbringing and experiences. Stevenson, 31, was born and raised in Columbia, S.C., the middle child of five siblings. After years of home-schooling and two more at the local high school, he went to the Maryland Institute College of Art, where he began posting Nimona comics online in 2012, a project that became his senior thesis. “When I first started making the comic, I didn’t consider myself a writer,” he said.

Persons: Nimona, Stevenson, ”, “, Nimona ”, Eisner, ” Stevenson, Ra Organizations: Hollywood, Netflix, Maryland Institute College of Art, ”, Fox Animation, Blue Sky Studios, DreamWorks, Media Locations: Hollywood, Burbank, Sur Monterey County, Columbia

☆ New Zealand highlights importance of partners in tense region
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WELLINGTON, June 8 (Reuters) - New Zealand, long known for its staunch independence in foreign policy, sees like-minded partners as key to helping it navigate a more strategically challenging environment in the Asia Pacific region, its foreign minister said on Thursday. The comments came as tensions mount between the United States and China and the two powers step up efforts to influence countries in the Pacific region where New Zealand sits. Mahuta said New Zealand must have a clear-eyed assessment of the nation's interests and values and determine which tools are right for different circumstances. "An independent foreign policy does not mean isolation, neutrality, or a fixed predetermined view of how we will act on a particular issue," she said. "As the world evolves, so must our foreign policy," Mahuta said, adding the country would invest in a range of partnerships - bilateral, regional and multilateral.

Persons: Nanaia Mahuta, Mahuta, Lucy Craymer, Sonali Paul Organizations: New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Thomson Locations: New Zealand, Asia, United States, China, Pacific, Auckland . New Zealand, Australia, Britain, Canada

☆ New York overtakes Hong Kong as the most expensive city in the world for expats, new survey shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Goh Chiew Tong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Hong Kong has ended its four-year reign as the most expensive city globally for expatriates, according to a survey — as New York surpasses it to first place. Hong Kong has ended its four-year reign as the most expensive city globally for expatriates — surpassed by New York which took first place, according to a new survey. Hong Kong fell in our rankings as the increase in prices of day-to-day goods and services was tempered by falls in accommodation costs in the city. Lee Quane ECA InternationalStill, Hong Kong retained its position as the most expensive location in Asia. Reports suggest residents of Hong Kong left the city in droves last year — due to Covid-19 restrictions and what they see as an erosion of democratic norms.

Persons: —, Lee Quane Organizations: New, ECA, assignees, Lee, Asia, U.S . Federal, Urban Land Institute, ULI, Asia Pacific Centre for Housing, U.S ., San Locations: Hong Kong, New York, Asia, Singapore, Asia Pacific, Asia Hong Kong Singapore Seoul Tokyo Shanghai Guangzhou Shenzhen Beijing Taipei Yokohama, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Tokyo, Japan, York, U.S, San Francisco

☆ Singapore overtakes Hong Kong as the most expensive Asia-Pacific city for private homes
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Goh Chiew Tong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Tobiasjo | E+ | Getty ImagesSingapore's private homes are now the most expensive in Asia-Pacific, having overtaken Hong Kong, according to a new report. Private rental homes in Singapore also had the highest monthly rent in the region at $2,600 — "far exceeding" other cities such as Sydney, Melbourne and Hong Kong, according to the report. Hong Kong vs. SingaporeHome prices in Hong Kong "dropped substantially" in 2022, ULI said, citing the significant increase in mortgage interest rates as Hong Kong keeps pace with the U.S. Federal Reserve. Rental pricesSingapore's private rental homes have the highest monthly rent in the region, having increased by nearly 30% in 2022. Home attainabilityDespite Singapore's private homes being the most expensive in the region, the city state also has the highest homeownership rate at 89.3%.

Persons: ULI, Hong, Kong's, David Faulkner, homeownership, Ho Organizations: Yacht, Urban Land Institute, ULI, Asia Pacific Centre for Housing, Singapore, U.S . Federal, Hong Kong, Sydney, Melbourne, Urban Land Institute Asia Pacific Centre, Housing, Hong, Housing Private, CNBC, Housing Development Board, Board Locations: Singapore, Keppel, Asia, Pacific, Hong Kong, Sydney, Melbourne, U.S, Shenzhen, Beijing, Brisbane, Covid, Australia, China, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, Da Nang

☆ A new migraine medication is coming this summer — and it promises relief in just 15 minutes
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-11 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved a new nasal spray to treat migraines. The spray will be available in July and is designed to treat migraines in 15 minutes. The drug, which Pfizer acquired when it bought out Biohaven Pharmaceuticals last year for $11.6 billion, will provide an alternative to oral migraine medication, NBC News reported. The drug is not the first nasal medication of its kind, but it's anticipated to work more rapidly — the medication is intended to offer relief within 15 minutes, according to Pfizer. "Among my migraine patients, one of the most important attributes of an acute treatment option is how quickly it works."

☆ Black real estate developers get rare access to big capital through Philadelphia program
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Black Americans represent less than 5% of residential real estate developers, largely because they can't get equal access to capital, according to a recent report by the Urban Land Institute. Institutional capital – real estate investment trusts and private equity in particular – are the dominant players. Philly Rise is designed to recruit, train, support and open up access to capital. That's why he's been working in real estate for 20 years, developing affordable housing first in Delaware and Maryland, and soon in Philadelphia. "Our goal with our participants is not to teach them how to rehab or build brand new houses, but how to build successful real estate businesses," said Webster.

☆ I'm a Black woman who left her job at an architecture firm to go out on her own and I've never been happier
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Marguerite Ward | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Xena Stryker left corporate America several years ago after feeling discriminated against. The company, Xena Design + Marketing Firm, has offices in Atlanta and Beverly Hills, California. At a previous job, I was the only Black woman at an architectural firm with hundreds of designers. I started my own company, Xena Design + Marketing Firm, and life is phenomenal right now. If you're in a similar position as I was previously in corporate America, my advice is: dream big, determine your unique selling point, find a supportive dream team, and get out.

☆ A tiny-home village that can house over 30 homeless people is the latest project from a California prefab company that quickly builds homes in factories and trucks them to their destinations
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Long Beach, California, made a $2.5 million deal to build tiny homes for people in need. The bathroom in a Connect Homes shelter. From luxury homes to sheltersFor its private customers, Connect Homes builds 15 single-family-home models, ranging from a 460-square-foot home for $220,000 to a 1,960-square-foot four-bedroom home that costs about $700,000. Connect Homes' Shelter 3, a type of tiny home that's set to be built in Long Beach, California. It's now getting inquiries in other states about its tiny homes, Leung said.

☆ Canada's energy jobs transition bill sparks discord in oil heartland
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Nia Williams | Steve Scherer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

FILE PHOTO: Pipelines run at the McKay River Suncor oil sands in-situ operations near Fort McMurray, Alberta, September 17, 2014. REUTERS/Todd KorolPrime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government is expected to table its long-awaited workforce transition bill this spring, ahead of economic changes expected as they pursue ambitious goals to slash climate-warming emissions. The government of Alberta, Canada’s main crude-producing province, says the legislation will dismantle the oil and gas industry that makes up 5% of Canada’s GDP. The oil and gas sector employs around 185,000 workers, making the bill a hot topic in Alberta ahead a provincial election in May. Think tank Clean Energy Canada estimates there could be 200,000 clean energy jobs created by 2030.

☆ New Zealand business confidence at lowest since 1974
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WELLINGTON, Jan 17 (Reuters) - New Zealand's business confidence in the fourth quarter of last year hit its lowest level since 1974 as companies grapple with higher interest rates, cost pressures and soft demand, a private think tank said on Tuesday. A net 70% of firms surveyed expected general business conditions to deteriorate compared with 42% pessimism in the previous quarter, the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research's (NZIER) quarterly survey of business opinion (QSBO) showed. It added that business confidence is now at its lowest level since 1974, while on a seasonally adjusted basis it is the weakest since the survey started in 1970. On a seasonally adjusted basis, 73% expected business conditions to worsen, versus 43% pessimism recorded in the previous period. NZIER said the survey was undertaken following the more hawkish than expected central bank meeting in November and this was weighing on sentiment.

☆ Strep A is surging in the UK and has already killed at least 19 children. Here's why it's taken so long to make a vaccine against this deadly pathogen.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Sarah Braner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Strep A is surging in the UK and has killed at least 19 kids, the UK Health Security Agency said. A vaccine would be better, but research groups have hit roadblocks during its development. Researchers have been trying to make a strep-A vaccine for decadesIf it's caught in time, strep A can be treated with antibiotics. There is no vaccine commercially available, but several research groups are working on developing one. A GSK spokesperson confirmed to Insider that it's also in the early stages of developing a strep-A vaccine but that it had not started human testing.

☆ Factbox: The newest fronts in climate-change-related legal battles
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Clark Mindock | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

At the COP27 climate talks in Egypt, U.N. experts last week warned that many corporate environmental claims amounted to “empty slogans and hype.” This could embolden campaigners to launch more legal cases against climate-action laggards. The companies have denied the allegations in the lawsuits but have made public promises to work to avoid plastic pollution. The group claims the fossil fuel investments violate the French duty of vigilance law requiring corporations to identify and reduce environmental harms. The group, led by Oxfam France and Friends of the Earth France, called the move an "unprecedented legal action." The lawsuit claims DWS told investors that it invests 0% in controversial sectors such as coal, but elsewhere indicated revenue from the coal industry accounts for as much as 15% of the fund's revenue.

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