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☆ Chinese farmers across 14 towns are spraying industrial sulfur on wolfberries so they'll be 'red and beautiful': state media
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-03 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In a report aired on Sunday, the broadcaster spoke to wolfberry farmers and merchants in a region spanning 14 towns in Jingyuan County, Gansu Province. Sodium metabisulfite is sometimes used in food preservation but is prohibited in the local wolfberry industry, state media reported. The practice had become so common that workers spoke of it as an industry standard, the outlet reported. Since his early days as China's top leader, Xi Jinping has promised to crack down on food safety breaches, saying they're central to how people perceive the government. Allegations of excessive sulfur fumigation in the Chinese traditional-medicine industry have surfaced before, leading retailers to often sell wolfberries and other products as "sulfite-free."

Persons: —, wolfberries, That's, Xi Jinping Organizations: Service, Business, CCTV, Food, Committee, Beijing Locations: Jingyuan County, Gansu Province, Golmud, Qinghai Province, West, China, Jingyuan, —

☆ The US Air Force's potential shift to adaptable 'light fighters' to solve budget woes is more complicated than it seems
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-03 | by ( Alex Hollings | Sandboxx News | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +32 min

US Air Force photo illustration by Staff Sgt. The Air Force needs new missiles, new bombers, and new fighters — but is struggling to pay for them allThe B-21 Raider in flight at Edwards Air Force Base, California. Cultural inertia in the fighter businessUS Air Force fighter aircraft fly in formation. A rendering of a future crewed next-generation air dominance aircraft by the US Air Force Research Laboratory. Nonetheless, for a cash-strapped Air Force, this would be a significant challenge.

Persons: David Allvin, Parth Satam, Allvin, Madeline Herzog, that's, it's, Will Roper, I'm, Charles, CQ, Brown, Preston Cherry, America's, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Marine Corps Lockheed Martin, Peter Nicholls, —, Danielle Purnell, Frank Kendall, Tom Williams, Will Roper's, Kendall —, I've, Kendall, there's, Northrop Grumman's, Roper, Giancarlo Casem, today's, they've, wouldn't, John Raven, James M, Holmes, we've Organizations: Service, senior Air Force, Air Force, Global Air, Space Chiefs, Conference, UK's, Space Power Association, Business, Fighter, US Air Force, Force, American, Next, Sabre, Convair, Delta Dart, Rand Corporation, National Museum of, Staff, Joint Chiefs, Raptors, Royal Norwegian Air Force, Senior, Boeing, Lockheed, US, Marine Corps Lockheed, Royal International Air, Reuters, Getty, Capitol, Raider, Air, Edwards Air Force Base, DARPA, USAF, III, America, Minuteman, Sentinel missile, Pentagon, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, Sentinel, Defense, Tech, Combat Command, US Air Force Research Laboratory, Sandboxx Locations: London, American, Fairford, Britain, Fort Worth, California, United States, Soviet Union, Marietta , Georgia, America, Europe

☆ Hotel employees share the 7 red flags to look for when checking into a hotel
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-02 | by ( Alyssa Towns Swantkoski | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Business Insider asked hotel employees about the red flags to look for when checking into a hotel. Advertisement"The driveway or parking lot will tell you if the hotel is busy," Jones said. "If you don't see the parking lot full or see many other people checking in, this may not be the right place to stay." A lack of response to pre-arrival inquiries is a major red flagLeon said every hotel experience begins well before check-in. "The public areas are used by everyone entering and leaving the hotel, so these areas should remain spotless," he said.

Persons: —, JJ Jones, Jones, it'd, Santiago Leon, Robey, Leon, you've, Ivan, Getty, it's Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Uptown

☆ A look at the behind-the-scenes business of Hollywood studio lot tours
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-31 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

Hosted by Universal , Warner Bros. , Sony and Paramount , studio lot tours showcase the movie-making process from set design and sound recording to costumes and props. Building facades at the Warner Bros. studio lot. Floor to ceiling shelves filled with marble and faux marble busts at Warner Bros.' studio tour prop house. Studio Tour Hollywood Grand Re-Opening at Warner Bros. Studios on June 24, 2021 in Burbank, California. For the first six months of their employment with the studio, these pages serve as studio tour guides.

Persons: Tama, Robert Thompson, Adam Burke, Burke, Thompson, Mayer, Sarah Whitten, Tony Tasset, Oz, bauer, Foley, Gilmore, Harry Potter, Matt Winkelmeyer, Paul Dergarabedian, Alfred Hitchcock's, Truman, Benjamin Button, Steven Spielberg, Gabriel Bouys, King Kong, Allen J Organizations: Getty, Hollywood, Syracuse University, Universal, Warner Bros, Sony, Paramount, Los Angeles Tourism Board, Los Angeles Department of Public Works, Sony Pictures, Metro, Goldwyn, CNBC, Social, Sony Pictures Entertainment, CNBC Warner Bros, Warner Bros ., Fantastic, Studios, Turner, Paramount Studios, Bloomberg, Universal Studios, Afp, Universal Studios Hollywood, York, Los Angeles Times Locations: New York City, Los Angeles, Culver City, Central, Burbank , California, Los Angeles , California, York, Hollywood, New York

☆ Turkmenistan’s flaming ‘Gates of Hell’
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-30 | by ( Joe Yogerst | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Darvaza, Turkmenistan CNN —Rarely does an industrial accident develop into a major tourist attraction. Mysterious originsNo one is quite sure when the gas crater opened, apparently because the Soviet-era reports are missing, incomplete or still confidential. Reaching DarvazaThe gas crater lies a four-hour drive north of Ashgabat, the national capital. Located around a five-minute walk from the crater rim, the camp features yurts with beds and chairs, a shaded dining area and porta-potty/outhouse-style toilets. Garagum lies about a 10-minute walk from the crater rim and even closer to a small rocky mount where visitors can snatch a bird’s-eye-view of the Gates of Hell.

Persons: Hell, Joe Yogerst “, ”, Ged Gillmore, Dylan, wasn’t, George Kourounis, who’s, Kourounis, I’ve, Garagum, “, there’s Organizations: Turkmenistan CNN, Central, Geographic, NASA, futon, CNN Travel Locations: Darvaza, Turkmenistan, Soviet, Central Asian, “, Central Asia, Canadian, Ashgabat, Iwanami_Photos, Bokurdak, Darwaza, porta, Hell

☆ Why Malbon Golf welcomed the ‘sweatergate’ social media firestorm
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-30 | by ( Jack Bantock | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

The couple’s lifestyle brand, Malbon Golf, had been swept into a social media storm by an eye-catching Masters outfit donned by ambassador and former world No. Nicolas Malinauskas/Malbon GolfStarsThe duo launched Malbon Golf in 2017, with Stephen’s anthropomorphic ball character “Buckets” taking center stage as the brand’s logo. Ross Kinnaird / Getty Images Tom Holland: Part-time web-slinger, full-time golf swinger -- the "Spider-Man" lead is a self-confessed golf addict. Warren Little / Getty Images Stephen Curry: The three-point king of the NBA is also a highly-proficient par-three shooter. Jamie Squire/Getty ImagesFor Malbon Golf, it is simply the latest step in its aim to “condition” the golf world into accepting new styles in the game.

Persons: Stephen, Erica Malbon, Jason Day, Erica, Frank151, —, ’ ”, “, ’ ” Stephen, Nicolas Malinauskas, it’s, ” Erica, “ We’re, — there’s, ” Stephen, ”, Jimmy Choo, Dre, Vince Sirico, Justin Timberlake, Travis Scott, Q, Justin Bieber, Bieber, …, ’, That’s, ” Adam Sandler, Sandler, Gilmore, Shooter McGavin, Christopher McDonald, Al Messerschmidt, Michael Jordan, Davis, Jordan, Isaac Brekken, JT strutting, Matt Sullivan, Catherine Zeta, Jones, Michael Douglas, Douglas, Ross Kinnaird, Tom Brady, Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Carmen Mandato, Orlando Ramirez, Jessica Alba, tross, Xaume Olleros, Niall Horan, There's, Tom Holland, Warren Little, Stephen Curry, Isaiah Vazquez, Celine Dion, René Angélil, Dion, Sam Levi, Miles Teller, Alice Cooper, Cooper, Kathryn Newton, Newton, Ezra Shaw, Sandy Young, Little, Tiger Woods, Oscar Wilde’s, Woods, Jamie Squire, Allen Iverson Organizations: CNN, “ City of Angels, ”, Nike, Prince, NBA, University of North Carolina, PGA, Chicago, NFL, Mission, Getty, Management, BMW PGA, Golden State Warriors, Clarkson Creative, Club, American, Tahoe, LPGA, Ryder, Celtic, Team, April’s, Augusta National Locations: Augusta , Georgia, Los Angeles, New York, “ City, Florida, British, Alba, Hainan, AFP, Irish, Terrebonne , Quebec, American, Celtic Manor, Wales, Augusta

☆ Where are low-cost airlines cutting back now? New planes
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-30 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

In this article SAVEULCCJBLU Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTJetBlue Airways, Spirit Airlines and United Airlines airplanes proceed to gates after landing at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey on May 30, 2024. Airlines flooded the U.S. with flights this year, driving down fares particularly in the domestic market, where low-cost carriers concentrate, and weighing on carriers' revenue while costs have gone up. Spirit Airlines , JetBlue Airways and Frontier Airlines last posted annual profits in 2019, while larger carriers have returned to profitability. Now, some of those same airlines are dialing back their growth plans and deferring deliveries of new aircraft. Some airlines, like Frontier, have been active in sale-leasebacks, in which they sell planes to generate cash and lease them back.

Persons: Gary Hershorn, Cash, Barry Biffle, Biffle, Joanna Geraghty, —, AerCap, Gus Kelly, Eddy Pieniazek, Pieniazek, Alwyn Scott Organizations: JetBlue Airways, Spirit Airlines, United Airlines, Newark Liberty International Airport, Corbis, Getty Images Airlines, Frontier Airlines, roundtrip U.S, Airbus, New York, Pratt & Whitney, JetBlue, Airlines, Aircraft, Boeing, Max, Air Lease Locations: Newark , New Jersey, U.S, Mobile , Alabama

☆ MrBeast is in a tough spot. But PR experts say an aggressive 'superlawyer' isn't the fix he needs.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-29 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

DailyMail.com reported that he hired Alex Spiro, a $2,000-an-hour attorney who has represented Alec Baldwin and Elon Musk. He also claimed Donaldson hired a registered sex offender to be part of his crew. Related storiesHiring a 'superlawyer'In that context, he hired Spiro, who has represented Elon Musk, Megan Thee Stallion, and Alec Baldwin. AdvertisementHowever, experts told BI that if Donaldson had enlisted Spiro, it may just add fuel to the fire. Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for MrBeast BurgerTrust is vitalTrust is hugely important between influencers and their fans, Perkes said.

Persons: —, Jimmy Donaldson —, Donaldson, DailyMail.com, Alex Spiro, Alec Baldwin, Elon Musk, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart, Sullivan, he's, Ava Tyson, Ava, MrBeast, Dawson French, Spiro, Megan Thee, Haddy, Jemal Countess, Laura Perkes, Perkes, Kellie Whitehead, Whitehead, Folivi, it's, Dave Kotinsky, they've, they're, didn't Organizations: Service, Business, YouTube, The New York Times, Daily, Elon, MrBeast Burger Locations: French, New Jersey

☆ Free TV Streaming Is Surging, and It's a Problem for Hollywood
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-29 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

The basic problem: It's unclear how these free services could support new, Hollywood-style programming even if they wanted to. Now, with YouTube making the jump to TV screens and "free, ad-supported TV" (FAST) services having a moment, where does that leave Hollywood? Tech and legacy media will battle over free TV in the coming monthsLooking ahead, the major players already ahead in free TV will likely continue to gain share. Free streaming may seem like a way for Hollywood to claw back viewers. If not, it's hard to say what winning in the battle for free TV will actually get them.

Persons: Prognosticators, YouTuber Jamie Clement, Tubi's, Sarah Lee, Evan Shapiro, There's, Jenn Vaux, it's, Max, Peacock, Roku, It's, Tubi, Adam Lewinson, WBD, Laura Florence, Horowitz Organizations: Netflix, Business, YouTube, Hollywood, Disney, Hulu, Warner, Comcast, FX Networks, Parks Associates, Nielsen, Media, Fox, ABC News, NFL, FAST, Horowitz Research, Hub Entertainment Research, Tech, Fire TV, Paramount, Pluto, SVP, Global, Fremantle, JPMorgan, CNBC Locations: Hollywood, Fremantle

☆ Brands are so scared of culture wars and controversy that it's ripping apart the media business
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-27 | by ( Lara O'Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Related storiesBut it wasn't until Trump's 2016 election that brand safety really entered the mainstream marketing vernacular — and the culture wars. In 2023, more than 21,400 jobs were cut in the US media industry, according to the employment agency Challenger, Gray & Christmas. But some industry experts think it's too late to put the "content adjacency" genie back in the bottle. AdvertisementThe result, Tobaccowala fears, is a further winnowing of the media industry where only the biggest platforms and individual content creators survive.

Persons: —, Elon Musk's, Donald Trump, Alex Marlow, Breitbart, Mark Penn, Tobaccowala, Tucker Carlson, Ingraham, Jessica Sibley, Taylor, Taylor Swift, Vittorio Zunino Celotto, Penn, it's, Richard Raddon, Ben Shapiro, Shapiro, Gregory Woodman, John Deere, Davidson, Kid, Bud, Bud Light, influencer Dylan Mulvaney, Gene J, Rob Kim Organizations: Service, Global Alliance, Responsible Media, Business, Breitbart News, News Corp, Groupe, Association for National, Companies, Giants, YouTube, Fox, Fox News, Facebook, Poets Department, Challenger, Getty, Penn, Publishers, The Daily, State of, US Department of State, Supply, Harley, Associated Press Locations: Ukraine, State of Texas, America

☆ I've been a student in the UK for 6 years. But my family in the US is getting older, and I'm torn about moving back to be with them.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-26 | by ( Erin Liam | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Scarlett Kiaras-AttariI wanted to pursue a master's in medieval history. Although there are so many great departments in the US for religious studies and medieval history, my mentors at school had all studied at Oxbridge — colleges across Oxford and Cambridge. So, in 2022, I followed their advice and pursued a master's in Medieval History at the University of Oxford. That's the difficulty of expat life — there's the US in the UK version of myself, and I'm always teetering between two places. Although I used to think that I'd stay in the UK, I've recently started to think about how my family members are getting old.

Persons: —, Scarlett Kiaras, Attari, I'm, William Shakespeare's, Richard III, I've Organizations: Service, Business, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, University of Chicago, University of Oxford, Oxbridge, Oxford, King's College London Locations: London, Iranian, British, American, Louisville , Kentucky, New England, Scotland, Cambridge

☆ Hosts have ruined Airbnb with excessive fees, high demands, and bad customer service, travel experts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-26 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

One host previously told BI he was charging $400. Travel experts say hosts have a lot to answer for in Airbnb's downfall. "Airbnb essentially allows anyone to sign up to be a host, which will always prove to be problematic," she told BI. Duncan Greenfield-Turk, the chief travel designer at Global Travel Moments, told BI that hosts had "without a doubt" played a big part in Airbnb's unpopularity. Hotels are making the most of the backlash by offering more personalized services and often matching or undercutting Airbnb prices.

Persons: —, Michael Rozenblit, Maggie, Rozenblit, Airbnb, overtourism, it's, Grace Moser, Moser, Jessica Dante, Dante, Orleans Airbnb, Taylor, Duncan Greenfield, Greenfield, Turk Organizations: Service, Business, Travelers, Love, Turk Locations: Barcelona, Athens, London, Orleans, Greenfield, Airbnb

Since West Nile was first detected in the U.S. in 1999, it’s become the most common mosquito-borne illness in the country. Culex mosquitoes that can carry West Nile are studied at a CDC lab in Fort Collins, Colo. Lauren Dunn / NBC NewsWhat are the symptoms of West Nile? Thousands of people are infected with West Nile each year, though the majority never know it because they don’t develop symptoms. How to protect yourself against West NileThere is no specific treatment or vaccine for West Nile. The CDC’s Roxanne Connelly studies mosquitoes that can carry West Nile virus.

Persons: Anthony Fauci, Biden, “, Nile, it’s, Lauren Dunn, Roxanne Connelly Organizations: National Institute of Allergy, Centers for Disease Control, CDC, NBC Locations: West Nile, U.S, Fort Collins, Colo, Nile

A somber atmosphere pervades Ukraine’s 33rd Independence Day Saturday, as the nation’s war against Russia’s aggression reaches a 30-month milestone. No fireworks, parades or concerts are planned and instead Ukrainians will mark the day with commemorations for civilians and soldiers killed in the war. “Independence is the silence we experience when we lose our people,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said to the nation. “913 days ago, Russia launched its war against us, partly through Sumy region,” Zelenskyy said. Ukraine quickly seized considerable Russian territory, including scores of small towns, and captured hundreds of Russian soldiers, moves that may influence the war’s trajectory.

Persons: there’s, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, ” Zelenskyy, “, ”, Narendra Modi, Zelenskyy, Modi Organizations: Indian Locations: “, Russia, Russia’s Kursk, Sumy, Russian, Ukraine’s Donetsk, Ukraine, Kursk, Pokrovsk, Kyiv

On a chilly, windy morning in March, Nagisa Landfield’s and Leila Noelliste’s skateboard wheels boomed in unison with the clanking of construction work and semi trucks echoing nearby at a skatepark under the Kosciuszko Bridge in Brooklyn. When an attempt at a trick turned into a fall, they laughed it off alongside their instructor, Liv Collins, and a group of women they were skating with. It was common practice to cheer for one another when they fell just as strongly as when they stuck the landing.

Persons: Nagisa Landfield’s, Leila Noelliste’s, Liv Collins Locations: Brooklyn

☆ 5 signs you need a sleep divorce—and more tips for a good night's rest
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-24 | by ( Renée Onque | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Here are some of their top tips for getting a good night's rest. Consider these 5 signs you might need a sleep divorceA sleep divorce is not as drastic as it sounds. Try a sleep expert's bedtime routineDr. Richard Schwab, chief of the division of sleep medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, shared his sleep routine with Make It in 2022. To get optimal sleep, Schwab recommended setting the ambience in your room by making sure it's your preferred temperature and light exposure. "Before taking magnesium or melatonin for sleep, it's important to establish proper sleep hygiene and habits."

Persons: Shelby Harris, Harris, Snore, Richard Schwab ,, Schwab, Rebecca Robbins, Robbins Organizations: CNBC, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Harvard Medical School's Division, Sleep

☆ A necessary step or government overreach? Economists are divided over Kamala Harris' plan to clamp down on food inflation
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-24 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewVice President Kamala Harris' proposal to combat grocery inflation hasn't elicited a range of opinions from economists, and many have turned to history to dispute her idea. Last week, the Democratic presidential nominee unveiled early details of her economic platform, which included a pledge to ban grocery price gouging. In a study from May, price gouging was the second leading perceived cause of inflation among surveyed consumers. AdvertisementWhether gouging deserves the blame for inflation, some have also criticized Harris' plan as an ineffective government overreach. Pundits have alluded to the price controls under President Richard Nixon.

Persons: —, Kamala Harris, Kenneth Rogoff, Harris, Ed Yardeni, Price, Richard Nixon, Stephen Moore, Lindsay Owens, Donald Trump Organizations: Service, Democratic, Business, CNN, Republican, Cato Institute, Heritage Foundation, CNBC, Federal Trade Commission, New York Times Locations: Cal, Maine

☆ I'm a 101-year-old who just published my 9th book—here are my 8 best lessons for a long, happy life
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-24 | by ( Babette Hughes | As Told To Stav Ziv | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

There's an idea in our culture that's so wrong: that life is over when you get to be a certain age. Take our new online course Today, as a 101-year-old in Austin, I'm living the kind of life I feel fortunate to have. Here are eight lessons I've learned that have helped me live a long, happy life:1. Do things you loveWhen I'm writing, I feel different. Sometimes I'll come back and I'll see something I wrote and think, "That's good."

Persons: I've, It's, That's Locations: Cleveland , Ohio, Austin

☆ The Hottest Commodity at the U.S. Open? Shade.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-24 | by ( Hilary Howard | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

As New York City contends with rising heat and unpredictable storms because of climate change, so does its marquee tennis tournament, the U.S. Open. Weather has long been a wild card for outdoor sporting events. But global warming is forcing tennis officials to make lasting changes to the tournament to protect spectators and athletes. “I’m checking in with the weather more than I care to admit,” said Jake Garner, the tournament referee, who oversees all officiating matters, including the daily schedule of play. In 2021, remnants from Hurricane Ida delayed matches and caused flooding, but extreme heat has been the more common threat.

Persons: “, ”, Jake Garner, Hurricane Ida, Daniil Medvedev, they’re Organizations: New, U.S . Locations: New York City, Hurricane

☆ Chappell Roan called out invasive fans. How fan behavior can cause some stars to retreat
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-24 | by ( Scottie Andrew | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

But there’s a fundamental misunderstanding on the part of the fans who believe Roan’s online persona is the real her. “I think that’s really what she’s trying to say: ‘I’m doing this as an act. What fans expect from celebrities is changingMost of what fans know about Chappell Roan comes through a screen. Chappell Roan’s videos show that we don’t know celebrities as well as we think we doThe behavior Roan describes in her videos — ”stalking” her family and following her out in public — is “very atypical” of fans, Theran said. “We think we know celebrities, but we don’t really know them,” Theran said.

Persons: CNN — Chappell, ”, Roan, Babe ! ”, “, she’s, Chappell Roan —, Sally Theran, ” Theran, Chappell Roan, Cheney Orr, Reuters Roan, ” Roan, isn’t, Lucy Bennett, ” Bennett, Doja, Doja Cat, Arturo Holmes, I’m, ” Doja, John Mulaney, Theran, —, Bennett, Megan Thee, Nicki Minaj, Chappell, That’s, they’re, It’s, Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Gareth Cattermole, it’s, Tom Power Organizations: CNN, YouTube, Pony, Wellesley College, Reuters, Cardiff University, “ Locations: Chicago, Roan, Massachusetts, Wales

In addition to locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn, Cohabs has properties scattered across European cities including Madrid, Paris, London and Milan. Ishan Abeysekera decided that choosing a communal living space would increase his chances of making friends in a new city. Valentina Duarte | CNBC Make ItAbeysekera actually didn't set out to have so many roommates — or any roommates at all. On a whim, he looked up communal living in Brooklyn and came across Cohabs. Each person has their own locker in the communal living area, and the six refrigerators have enough space for each tenant to have their own shelf for their groceries.

Persons: Ishan Abeysekera, Valentina Duarte, —, Abeysekera, Ishan's Organizations: CNBC, Cohabs, Financial Locations: New York, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Cohabs, Madrid, Paris, London, Milan, New York City, Crown Heights , Brooklyn

☆ Restaurants fight back against the FTC crackdown on 'junk fees' as diners balk at new charges
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-24 | by ( Amelia Lucas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Leopatrizi | E+ | Getty ImagesLawmakers want to crack down on "junk fees," but restaurants are trying to stay out of the fight. The Biden administration has broadly targeted so-called junk fees, like an undisclosed service charge for concert tickets or unexpected resort fees when checking out of a hotel. The Biden Administration is attempting to crack down on so-called "junk fees" in retirement accounts with a rule prosed by the U.S. Labor Department. Lobbyists vs. legislatorsOn the state level, restaurants have already had some success in getting excluded from the fight over junk fees. California's SB 478 law would ban so-called "junk fees".

Persons: Birkin, Biden, Joe Biden, Chip Somodevilla, Biden administration's crosshairs, Sean Kennedy, Kennedy, Andres Clavero, Clavero, Galit, Peter Demetri, Tai Huh, Huh, CSHG Organizations: Getty, National Restaurant Association, Federal Trade Commission, White, Biden Administration, U.S . Labor Department, National Women's Law, Cambridge Street Hospitality Group, Health, Restaurant Association, California's Locations: Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington ,, New York, Denver, Asian, Massachusetts, California, –, Oakland , California

☆ Meet the 'silver squatters': Adults in their mid-50s who are woefully unprepared for retirement
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-24 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Thomas is among what retirement experts are calling "silver squatters" — adults in their mid-50s who are even more woefully unprepared than some boomers, despite being about a decade away from retirement. This group of Gen Xers — the generation of Americans aged 43 to 59 — largely expects to postpone or work past their retirement. AdvertisementA majority also don't expect to receive any inheritance, despite their boomer predecessors holding onto trillions in wealth. The gap in retirement readiness could be due to the "unique" challenges of Gen Xers, according to Dylan Tyson, the head of retirement strategies at Prudential. Around half of Gen Xers are saving without a general plan for retirement, Prudential found.

Persons: Jim Thomas, he's, Thomas, He's, Pete Welch, Gen Xers, they'll, René, We're, Xers, Dylan Tyson, Inspira's Welch, there's, Welch, Tyson, expectancies, undersaved — Organizations: Service, Business, Social Security, Prudential Financial, Inspira, Prudential Locations: Austin , Texas

Mortgage rates dropped substantially earlier this month and they remain low today. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates would impact your monthly payments. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesLast week, average 15-year mortgage rates were 5.62%, a four-basis-point decrease from the previous week, according to Freddie Mac data. Mortgage rates have been elevated for most of 2024, but they've been trending down in recent months. Once the Fed cuts rates, mortgage rates should fall even further.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Powell, you'll, Freddie Mac, it's Organizations: Federal Reserve, Traders, Zillow Locations: Jackson Hole, Chevron

☆ Judge blocks 24-hour waiting period for abortions in Ohio, citing 2023 reproductive rights amendment
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-23 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

A county judge in Ohio temporarily blocked several state laws on Friday that combined to create a 24-hour waiting period for obtaining an abortion in the state, in the first court decision on the merits of a 2023 constitutional amendment that guarantees access to the procedure. The Dobbs decision that replaced Roe sent the decision-making power back to the states, Young wrote. Yost’s office said 24-hour waiting periods and informed consent laws were consistently upheld under Roe, which was the law of the the land protecting legal abortions for nearly 50 years. “We have heard the voices of the people and recognize that reproductive rights are now protected in our Constitution,” Yost spokesperson Bethany McCorkle said in a statement. These are essential safety features designed to ensure that women receive proper care and make voluntary decisions.”

Persons: Dave Yost, David C, Young, ”, Jessie Hill, ” Hill, Roe, Wade, Dobbs, “, ” Yost, Bethany McCorkle Organizations: Republican, Ohio, U.S, Supreme Locations: Ohio, Franklin, Cleveland

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