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☆ FTC cracks down on DoNot Pay, others for 'deceptive AI claims and schemes'
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-25 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday announced a crackdown on what the regulator called "deceptive AI claims and schemes" by three business opportunity ventures and two companies, including the legal services firm DoNotPay. "Using AI tools to trick, mislead, or defraud people is illegal," FTC Chair Lina Khan said in a statement. "The FTC's enforcement actions make clear that there is no AI exemption from the laws on the book," Khan said. In a complaint, the FTC said that DoNotPay, which touted its AI service as "the world's first robot lawyer," failed to live up to that claim. "Since about 2023, Defendants' deceptive sales pitch has said their business model is powered by artificial intelligence ("AI")," the suit says.

Persons: Lina Khan, Khan, DoNotPay, William Basta, Kenneth Leung Organizations: Financial Services, General Government, Federal Trade Commission, Wednesday, FTC Locations: Rayburn, CapVentures, Los Angeles

☆ How Austin, Texas Cut Home Prices, Built Houses, and Stopped a Crisis
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-25 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

But as other pandemic Zoomtowns continue to see increases in prices and rents, Austin stands alone in its change of fortune. Housing in Austin has been through so many extreme distortions that nobody really knows what "normal" even means anymore. All told, Austin's housing stock has ballooned by more than 76,000 units since 2020, an 8.34% increase that includes single-family homes, condos, and townhomes. Considering the size of the Austin market, moving the stock of homes by nearly 10% is a colossal feat. Related storiesNobody watching the Austin market should be having flashbacks to the Great Recession.

Persons: Austin, homebuyers, homebuilders, Zillow, Elon Musk, Joe Rogan, Homebuyers, Keith Hughes, I'd, That's, Jason Lewris, Lewris, Doreen Sidney, Austin wasn't, Austin's homebuilders, Freddie, Sean Kelly, Rand, Freddie Mac, Jenny Schuetz, homebuilding, Kelly, he's Organizations: Austin, Oracle, Facebook, Google, Elon, Census, Parcl Labs, Federal Reserve, San Antonio —, Austin ., Freddie Mac, Brookings Institution Locations: California, Austin, Real, Texas, Francisco, San Francisco, San Antonio, Boston

☆ Hunting for a Private College Scholarship Can Be a Total Waste of Time
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-23 | by ( James S. Murphy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

So she and Maggie had focused their hopes on getting a private scholarship. She considered paying $700 for an online class, heavily promoted on Facebook, that promised to show parents how to find college scholarships. Every year, hundreds of thousands of students like Maggie devote countless hours to the hunt for private scholarships to pay for college. AdvertisementWith the combination of institutional aid and private scholarship she received, Maggie managed to cut her original college bill from $15,000 to $8,000. The illness is treatable, but it's likely to cost the family $5,000 out of pocket — effectively wiping out the financial value of the private scholarship Maggie received.

Persons: Maggie Beam, Siobhan, Maggie, Siobhan —, —, Mark Kantrowitz, Kantrowitz, it's, Fastweb, Jeff Levy, you'd, Ed McMahon, Peter Thiel, Ron Lieber, Dawn Brady, Chris Reeves, Aisosa, Levy, Charlain Bailey, she'd, Maggie's Organizations: Winthrop University, Rotary, Facebook, Thiel Foundation, Silicon, Niche, Community Foundation, Lehigh University ., Education's, Winthrop, Schug Foundation, Equitable Foundation, Equitable Locations: Charlotte , North Carolina, Winthrop, Carolina, California, San Diego, Aisosa Ede, Osifo, Dallas, North Carolina

☆ Why is everything mini these days?
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-21 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Even iced tea brand Snapple has launched an8-ounce bottle, advertised to fit in a mini bag. With the introduction of the mini skirt came the mini clutch bag and then the mini top handle bag. In one of her most popular videos, she stuffs a mini Coach Tabby bag ($195 online) with a mini Charlotte Tilbury lipstick, mini Chanel mascara, mini Tarte Shape Tape concealer, mini Chanel compact powder and a mini Versace perfume — along with other essentials. Covid made her realize she didn’t have to carry around as much as she thought she did, so she jumped on the mini bag trend. Even people who don’t use mini products are locked into Barker’s content.

Persons: New York CNN — It’s, Joe’s, stoke overconsumption, Shawn Carter, Gen Z, Alpha, Carter, ” Carter, Matt Sloan, ” Sloan, Jo Barker’s, Bean, TikTok, Tilbury, mascara, Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Barker, Covid, I’m, ” Barker, Ulta, ” Anna Keller, Minter, Jeremy Moeller, Keller, “, ” Keller, Melissa Valliant, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, eBay, stoke, of Technologybusiness, Brands, Getty, Plastic Locations: New York, Instagram

☆ Cat lost in Yellowstone National Park reunites with owners in California
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-21 | by ( Ashley R. Williams | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

“We had to leave without him,” Anguiano told KSBW. However, they adopted another cat a month after Rayne Beau went missing to keep his sister company, Anguiano told CNN. Then, 61 days after Rayne Beau went missing, the couple received a notification about a cat with Rayne Beau’s identification number being located, KSBW reported. Rayne Beau was found in Roseville, California, around 190 miles away from his home in Salinas. The couple said they’re not sure how Rayne Beau made it all the way back to California, but they are thankful he’s back home.

Persons: Rayne Beau, Susanne, Benny Anguiano, ”, Anguiano, “, ” Anguiano, KSBW, ” Rayne Beau, Susanne Anguiano, Starr, Rayne, Leilani Fratis, ” Fratis, they’re, ’ Organizations: CNN, KSBW, Placer Society Locations: Yellowstone, Salinas , California, Wyoming, Roseville , California, Salinas, Roseville, California

☆ Britain's ultra-wealthy are threatening to exit en masse ahead of proposed tax changes
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-20 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

They're just a few of the destinations trying to lure away the U.K.'s uber wealthy ahead of proposed changes to the country's divisive non-dom tax regime. They will also be prevented from avoiding inheritance tax on assets held in trust. The majority (83%) cited inheritance tax on their worldwide assets as their key motivator for leaving, while 65% also referenced changes to income and capital gains tax. Where the wealthy are movingIt comes as other countries are shaking up their tax regimes to incentivize wealthy investors. Ultra-wealthy U.K. citizens, who are typically highly active in the super-prime market, are also in "wait and see" mode ahead of possible changes to capital gains and inheritance tax.

Persons: Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves, Macleod, Miller, they'll, Leslie Macleod, Helena Moyas de Forton, Moyas de Forton, Labour's, Alexander Spatari, I'm, Marcus Meijer, Mark, CNBC's, it's, James Myers, Oliver James, Myers, Knight Frank, Stuart Bailey, Knight Frank's, they're, Bailey Organizations: Old Bond, Pawel, Bank, Getty, Labour, Oxford Economics, Conservative, Investors, Britain, CNBC, Treasury, EMEA, Christie's, Estate, Henley & Partners, Monaco, London, Istock Locations: Old, Mayfair, London, United Kingdom, Monaco, Italy, Switzerland, Dubai, They're, Britain, Greece, Malta, Caribbean, Bahamas, Monte Carlo, Gibraltar, South Kensington, England

☆ Cat lost in Yellowstone travels almost 900 miles to reunite with owners 2 months later
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-19 | by ( Gabriella Rudy | Gabriella Rudy Is A News Associate For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Benny and Susanne Anguiano, a couple from Salinas, California, were reunited with their missing cat after he mysteriously traveled that distance. On a trip to Yellowstone National Park in early June, the couple's beloved house cat, Rayne Beau, was spooked and ran off into the dense trees. "We had to leave without him,” Susanne Anguiano said in an interview with NBC affiliate KSBW. "He was really depleted," Susanne Anguiano told KSBW. "Definitely microchip your cat or your pet and register the microchip online," Susanne Anguiano told KSBW.

Persons: —, Benny, Susanne Anguiano, Rayne Beau, Benny Anguiano, ” Susanne Anguiano, KSBW, Rayne Beau's, Rayne Organizations: NBC News, Yellowstone, NBC Locations: Salinas , California, Yellowstone, Roseville , California

☆ A millennial couple who moved from Colorado to Massachusetts explains why it's much more expensive — and why they don't regret it
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-19 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

They were lucky enough to lock in a 2.79% mortgage rate when they bought it — the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate is over 5% today. However, one non-financial factor began to lure the couple away from Colorado: family. Due to Massachussets' "higher cost of living," Nicole said the move has had a significant impact on their finances. For these people, buying a new home could mean taking on a significantly higher mortgage rate and monthly mortgage payment than they previously had. Lastly, while they live closer to family, Nicole said this hasn't saved them money on childcare.

Persons: —, Nicole Stanley, Jacob, Nicole, who's, Jacob don't, Jacob aren't Organizations: Service, Business, . Colorado, Denver, BI Locations: Denver, Aurora , Colorado, Colorado, Mattapoisett , Massachusetts, Massachusetts, New York, California, — Massachusetts, Massachuseets

Read previewNew details about Sean "Diddy" Combs' Miami mansion were uncovered as part of his bond hearing this week. The legal team also noted that Combs satisfied the $18.8 million mortgage on the Star Island home in August, anticipating criminal charges. AdvertisementOther homes on the island go for even more than the $48.5 million Combs' home was appraised at. Comparable sales listed in the appraisal report for Combs' Miami mansion. Besides the Star Island home, he owns a mansion in Los Angeles that he recently put on the market for $61.5 million.

Persons: —, Sean, Diddy, Combs, Marc Agnifilo, Agnifilo, David LEFRANC, Ken Griffin, Griffin, Alex Rodriguez, Gloria, Emilio Estefan, Forbes, Sean John, Andy Warhol, Jean, Michel Basquiat Organizations: Service, feds, Business, Miami, singer's, Research, Miami -, Star, Advanced Research, Bad Boy Records, Cîroc, Diageo, Combs Enterprise, Combs Locations: Miami, Miami - Dade, cabanas, Biscayne Bay, Miami Beach, Los Angeles

☆ National Cheeseburger Day: Here are the deals to relish
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Wednesday is National Cheeseburger Day, with some of the biggest chains offering some much-needed discounts amid consumer complaints about rising prices. It’s part of company’s string of deals to kickstart slumping sales, including recently extending its popular $5 value meal until December. Fast food has been a low-profit margin business with little customer loyalty. McDonald’s pricey burgers have become a flashpoint of criticism and a symbol of elevated fast food prices. So deals are particularly crucial to fast food companies at the moment to lure customers back.

Persons: they’re, Burger King, Jack, Jack ” cheeseburger, ”, Joe Erlinger Organizations: New, New York CNN, Wednesday, McDonald’s Locations: New York, White, McDonald’s USA

☆ Fans of the Bachelor Could Decide the 2024 Presidential Election
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | Andy Kiersz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +17 min

Ben Higgins tried to parlay his Bachelor success into a political career, but the campaign didn't last long. The focus on Bachelor Nation also makes sense given the franchise's viewership is dominated by one of the most crucial swing votes of recent elections: white women. In the past two presidential elections, white women were the most closely split demographic subgroup tracked by major exit polls. In 2016, Donald Trump won over 52% of white women against Hillary Clinton's 43%, exit polls found, while Trump bested Joe Biden in 2020 among white women 55% to 44%. The overlap between the swingiest demographic and the "Bachelor" audience suggests Bachelor Nation has value to those who seek to lead our nation.

Persons: Ben Higgins, Charming, Higgins, He's, that's, Acierto, Young Sheldon, Joey Graziadei's, Graziadei, Doug Emhoff, Kamala Harris, Chad Kultgen, Lizzy Pace, Pace, Harris, Kultgen, Joey Graziadei, John Fleenor, Walz, Big, YouGov, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton's, Trump, Joe Biden, Hulu —, they're, Natasha Scott, Reichel, Rose, Scott, Claire Fallon —, —, Becca Kufrin's, Fallon, Emma Gray, Garrett Yrigoyen, Kufrin, Yrigoyen, — Colton Underwood, — Fallon, Matt James, Rachael Kirkconnell, James ', Chris Harrison, it's, Justine Kay, Charity Lawson —, Joe Biden's, he's, Juliana Kaplan, Andy Kiersz Organizations: Disney, ABC, NFL, Valentine's, White, Daily, Nation, Pew Research, Trump, Hulu, Girls, Bachelor Nation Locations: American, Colorado, America, Atlanta, Quinnipiac, Georgia, North Carolina, Hulu, Washington

Prosecutors in the Southern District of New York accuse Combs of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution in the indictment unsealed Tuesday. “A year ago Sean Combs stood in Times Square and was handed a key to New York City,” he said. The sex trafficking count mentions “Victim-1,” whose interactions with Combs as described in the indictment mirror those described in Ventura’s lawsuit. According to the indictment, Combs attempted to bribe a member of the hotel security staff who had intervened. Since Ventura’s lawsuit, several others have accused Combs in separate lawsuits of sexual assault or sexual misconduct.

Persons: Sean “ Diddy ” Combs, Combs, ”, Prosecutors, Damian Williams, Williams, “, Sean Combs, he’s, Marc Agnifilo, “ He’s, ” Agnifilo, ” Combs, Kelly, Robert Sylvester Kelly, Mary J, Blige, Usher, Casandra Ventura, Cassie, Ventura, ” Williams, Douglas Wigdor, ” “ Combs Organizations: Prosecutors, of New, Homeland Security, Miami, of, CNN Locations: Southern, Manhattan, New York City, of New York, ”, Ventura, Los Angeles, Miami, U.S

☆ Tech M&A has been thwarted by regulators, but dealmakers skeptical that election will change much
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-17 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

Amazon abandoned its $1.7 billion purchase of iRobot in January after the FTC and European regulators raised concerns. Since peaking at $1.5 trillion in 2021, tech transaction volume has plummeted, dropping to $544 billion last year, according to Dealogic. Before the company announced its $27 billion purchase of data analytics software company Splunk last September, he said he viewed the risk as absolutely worth taking. Alphabet's last big deal was its $5.4 billion purchase of cybersecurity company Mandiant in 2022. Microsoft closed its massive $75 billion purchase of Activision in October, but it took 20 months and a protracted fight with U.S. and European regulators.

Persons: Lina Khan, Jonathan Kanter, Khan, Joe Biden, Drew Angerer, Biden, Permira, Thoma, Sen, JD Vance, Donald Trump's, Barry Diller, Reid Hoffman, Kamala Harris, Andrew Luh, Gunderson Dettmer, Figma, Dana Rao, Rao, We've, they've, Juniper, Salesforce, Antonio Neri, Pau Barrena, Neri, Sergio Letelier, hasn't, Letelier, Marc Benioff, It's Benioff's, Slack, Benioff, Derek Idemoto, who's, Idemoto, that's, Splunk, HPE's Letelier, it's, Harris, Trump Organizations: U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Justice, Brookings Institution, U.S, Senate, Getty, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Federal Trade Commission, iRobot, FTC, BlackRock, Thoma Bravo, KKR, Republican, CNBC, Democratic, Trump, Big Tech, Justice Department, DOJ, Apple, Meta, Adobe, European Commission, UK Competition, Markets Authority, Justice Department's Antitrust, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Mobile World Congress, MWC, AFP, Juniper, Markets, DOJ's Antitrust, European Union, EU, Software, Cisco, Activision, Foreign Investment, Regulators, Bloomberg, Tech Locations: Washington, Europe, Barcelona, Pau, Salesforce, United States

☆ How the Research Triangle has helped make North Carolina one of America's fastest-growing economies
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-16 | by ( Natalie Rice | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

North Carolina's Research Triangle is one of the fastest-growing areas in the U.S., with a population that's boomed by 5.6% since 2020 to 2.4 million people, according to Census data. The area, also known simply as "The Triangle," is anchored by Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill and their major universities: North Carolina State University, Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. And in that 50 years, North Carolina has totally restructured its economy," said Michael Walden Reynolds, an economics professor at North Carolina State University. The Triangle region has about 4,000 tech and 600 life science companies, and more than 300 companies are headquartered in RTP alone, according to the Research Triangle Regional Partnership and Work In The Triangle. "Companies are seeing the advantages of doing business here," said Ryan Combs, executive director of the Research Triangle Regional Partnership.

Persons: I've, Michael Walden Reynolds, Apple, it's, Ryan Combs Organizations: Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University, Duke University, University of North, RTP, North, Research Triangle Regional, Meta, Novo Nordisk, Google, Apple, Nordisk, CNBC, Business . Locations: U.S, Raleigh, Durham, University of North Carolina, North Carolina, RTP, States

☆ I Joined New York City's Rat Czar to Fight the City's Rodent Invasion
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-15 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

In reality, the Rat Pack offers regular citizens a crash course in rodent mitigation in hopes of inspiring them to take more active roles in what often feels like an unwinnable battle. AdvertisementThose who join the Rat Pack must complete three activities: a "rat walk" that promises to "uncover the world of urban rats," a two-hour "rat academy" on rodent-prevention methods, and a service project, like a park cleanup. If you seek to understand this rat, Corradi told our group, "you can kind of just hold up a mirror and look at yourself." Related storiesCorradi, recognizable from various press appearances and her navy Rat Pack hat, is supposed to offer New Yorkers additional peace of mind. And yet I secured my precious Rat Pack merch by doing exactly that.

Persons: Andrew Barrett, He's, Barrett, Eric Adams, Kathleen Corradi, Brooklyn's Herbert Von King, wouldn't, Corradi, haven't, Adams, Michael Parsons, we've, doesn't, there's, We've, —, I'd, shrugged, You'll Organizations: NYC, Cub Scouts, Anadolu Agency, Washington DC, Anadolu Locations: Brooklyn, Yorkers, New York, New York City, Chicago, Brooklyn's Chinatown, West Harlem

☆ Americans lost a record $5.6 billion to crypto scams last year, says FBI—this is the No. 1 kind to watch out for
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-13 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Financial losses "involving the use of cryptocurrency, such as bitcoin, ether or tether" last year totaled over $5.6 billion, per the agency's 2023 Cryptocurrency Fraud Report . Americans lost billions to cryptocurrency scams in 2023, according to a recent report from the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation. However, investment scams swindled Americans out of $4 billion, the highest loss by crypto crime type last year, per the FBI's report. They'll sometimes communicate with victims for months in order to gain their trust before offering so-called investment advice about cryptocurrency. And even after paying the fees, many victims aren't able to recover the bulk of what they've already lost, per the FBI's report.

Persons: fraudsters, they're, they've Organizations: FBI, United States Federal Bureau of Investigation

☆ UK leads resurgence in European office investment
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-13 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty ImagesLONDON — The U.K. is leading a recovery in Europe's long subdued office real estate market, with overall investment in the sector expected to pick up further in the second half of the year. Overall, European office investment transactions in the first half of the year fell 21% year-on-year to 14.1 billion euros, Savills data showed — a 60% decrease on the five-year H1 average. Europe's divided recoveryThe U.K. real estate market was the first in Europe to undergo a significant contraction following its peak in 2022. "London is leading the way a bit, partly because it repriced earlier and quicker and more significantly," Kim Politzer, head of research for European real estate at Fidelity International, told CNBC over the phone. Kim Politzer head of research for European real estate at Fidelity International

Persons: Mike Barnes, Savills, Kim Politzer, Marcus Meijer, Mark, CNBC's, James Burke, Tom Leahy, Leahy, Europe's, JLL Organizations: Getty, Britain, CNBC, Bank of, Fidelity International, European Central Bank, Nurphoto, U.S Locations: London, Europe, Paris, Stockholm, Berlin, Hamburg, La Défense, France, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Southern Europe, Germany

McDonald’s will extend its $5 value meal into December in most U.S. markets as it looks to win back lower-income consumers. Franchisees have been voting on extending the value meal, and roughly 80% of local markets have opted to extend the deal into December. The value meal offers a McDouble or McChicken sandwich, small fries, four-piece chicken nuggets and a small soft drink for $5. The restaurant sector focused on value this summer, as companies including McDonald’s, Burger King and even Starbucks attempted to lure consumers in with discounted offerings. After McDonald’s posted declining second-quarter same-store sales in July, executives told restaurant operators and analysts the company would focus on how to recapture consumers with deals, as they pushed for an extension of the $5 value meal.

Persons: we’re, ”, Joe Erlinger, Burger King, McDonald’s, Erlinger Organizations: CNBC Locations: ” McDonald’s, U.S

☆ Chuck Todd: Harris avoids some big questions, but Trump’s lack of control costs him
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-11 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Chuck-Todd-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Chuck Todd | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +9 min

It wasn’t until Trump’s closing statement that he tried to effectively pin Vice President Kamala Harris to President Joe Biden’s administration. Not only did Trump fail to connect Harris more directly with the Biden years, but so did the questions. And Harris certainly took advantage of every opportunity to turn many of the questions directed at her or the Biden-Harris administration back on Trump. And Harris also benefited because the moderators didn’t always follow up with her when she didn’t answer their questions directly. (Again, Trump didn’t acknowledge any failures in his administration other than the people he fired, and Harris didn’t seem to hug the Biden-Harris record very much.)

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Don’t, Kamala Harris, Joe Biden’s, Harris, Biden, It’s, goad Trump, Biden’s flameout, Hillary Clinton, didn’t, “, won’t, Biden —, Harris didn’t Organizations: Biden, Trump, Trump Republicans Locations: Harris

☆ Megabus, Coach USA Bankruptcy: Wall Street Wrecked Discount Bus Option
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-11 | by ( Emily Stewart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

Stagecoach Group, a UK-based travel company, first launched Megabus in the UK in 2003 and then brought it to the US in 2006. Along with Greyhound, Megabus became one of the two mega-carriers in the United States. The intercity bus industry is not in complete disarray, but things are not going great there. Bus industry insiders also note that they're often treated as an afterthought by policymakers even though they carry tens of millions of people each year. He emphasized that bus travel can be environmentally sustainable, too, compared to everyone driving their own cars or flying.

Persons: Megabus, Andrew Savikas, Peter Pan, John Stepovy, FlixBus, Joseph Schwieterman, Schwieterman, hadn't, Scott Michael, it's, Michael, Kai Boysan, BoltBus, Fred Ferguson, who's, Ferguson, It's, They've, They're, I'd, Wanderu, Stepovy, Emily Stewart Organizations: Coach USA, Equity, USA, Stagecoach Group, Greyhound, North America, DePaul University, Stagecoach, Fullington Trailways, US, United Motorcoach Association, FlixMobility, Flix, American Bus Association, Lake Holdings, Alden Global Capital, Atlantic City, Day, Labor, Business Locations: Los Angeles, Chinatown, Busbud, United States, Asia, Flix North America, Wanderu, Philadelphia, Dallas, Chicago, Cleveland, Boston, New York, FlixBus

☆ Visiting China in 2024: A guide to visas, mobile payments and more
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-10 | by ( Maggie Hiufu Wong | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +20 min

We’ve put together a guide to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding China travel. China travel FAQsDo you need a visa to go to China? However, travelers visiting under these visa-free transit programs have more restrictions in terms of places they can visit. Exploring the country via China’s vast high-speed railway network is not an option for those entering under the two transit visa schemes. Beijing, China's capital city, accepts international travelers visiting under the 144-hour visa-free transit program.

Persons: it’s, ”, Denny Tian, Gabriela Correia, Correia, Tian, Greg Baker, Correira, ” Gabriela Correia, David Tucker, We’ve, John Seaton Callahan, China ’, Kevin Frayer, –, ” Correira, you’ve, Didi, Uber, Yan Cong, China’s Organizations: CNN, Immigration Administration, China, Google, Getty, “, Service, Shanghai Hongqiao, Hong Kong, Hong, Hong Kong Immigration, Travelers, Facebook, ”, Publishing, United, US, Baidu, Apple, China Railway, Bloomberg Locations: China, Beijing, Portugal, Shanghai, AFP, “, Hunan, Singapore, Thailand, Austria, Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, New York, Japan, South Korea, United Kingdom, United States, Hong Kong, Macau, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Asia, Tibet, Tibet Autonomous Region, Hainan, China's, Hawaii, ”, Canada

☆ The controversial plan to regreen a desert
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-08 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

The Dutch engineer wants to transform a huge stretch of inhospitable desert into green, fertile land teeming with wildlife. “The only holistic way out of this situation is with large-scale ecological regeneration”So-called desert regreening projects are not new, and this is one of a number around the world seeking to transform arid landscapes. Costfoto/NurPhoto/Getty ImagesFor van der Hoeven, it was further proof his plan could work. “The scale reaches a level that helps prove that restoration can be done on a planetary scale.”It would add to other huge desert regreening projects also underway. The project was scheduled to kick off this December, but conflict has slowed everything down, van der Hoeven said.

Persons: der Hoeven, “, Van, van der Hoeven, Ali Moustafa, ”, Van der, der, it’s, John Liu, Wolfgang Kaehler, Liu, ” Liu, Susan Gardner, Gardner, Alice Hughes, ” Hughes, Raymond Pierrehumbert, Pierrehumbert, — “, Van der Heoven, He’s, Van der Hoeven Organizations: CNN, United Nations, World Bank, UN, Hong Kong University’s School of Biological Sciences, University of Oxford Locations: Dutch, Africa, Asia, Maryland, Dubai, Lake Bardawil, Sinai, Bardawil, Egypt, China, California, Gansu Province, Yongjing, Gansu province, Nairobi, Hong, Gaza

☆ Ordering delivery has gotten wildly expensive
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-07 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

AdvertisementThe premium that diners pay to have their food delivered can be hefty. That might make delivery seem like an obvious place for consumers to cut back their spending these days. DoorDash customers have continued ordering food — and, increasingly, groceries and other products — from the service, Xu said. He and his wife still have Thai food delivered, for instance, when they have friends over in the evenings and don't want to interrupt socializing with a trip to pick up dinner. Do you work for a gig delivery service and have a story idea to share?

Persons: —, Ravi Wadan, Wadan, Uber, Taco Bell, Tony Xu, We're, Xu, hasn't, Dara Khosrowshahi, Khosrowshahi Organizations: Service, TikTok, Business Locations: Seattle, FinanceBuzz, McDonald's

☆ Wasteful consumerism has a new worst enemy: Gen Alpha tweens
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-03 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Some Gen Alpha kids are taking a stand against buying too much stuff — and dragging their parents along for the ride. AdvertisementA 2024 survey of 1,000 Gen Alpha parents found that 63% of their kids care about sustainability. While Zoomers and millennials prefer to shop online, Gen Alpha specifically likes shopping in-store. Som Gen Alpha kids are "minimalists." Overall, Delisle doesn't think it's likely that every Gen Alpha child is above consumerism.

Persons: Yuriy Boykiv, we'll, Gen, McCrindle, Boykiv, Zers, Gen Alpha, Alpha, Wunderman Thompson, Alphas, Julie, she's, aren't, Laura Ascher, Alpha's, Stephen Yalof, David Delisle, Helenor Gilmour, Gilmour, Delisle, spender Organizations: Service, Alpha, Business, — Business, Gen Alpha, Wunderman Thompson Commerce, Gen, tweens, Stanley, Brain Locations: skincare

With a plum position atop many "Best Places to Travel" lists, Japan is on track to welcome a record-breaking number of travelers in 2024. Summer trips are up too, with inbound bookings doubling since last summer, a representative from the travel website Trip.com told CNBC Travel. In 2019, China welcomed some 49.1 million travelers — as of July this year, around 17.25 million foreigners had arrived, according to Chinese state media. "The USD/JPY exchange rate [moved] from approximately 140 in January 2024 to over 160 by July 2024, making Japan more affordable," said Chakraborty. But a Pew Research Center report shows that, among 35 surveyed countries, more than half have unfavorable views of China.

Persons: Trip.com, Joydeep Chakraborty, Chakraborty, Jasmine Leung Organizations: National Immigration Administration, CNBC Travel, Japan, Japan Federation of Service & Tourism Industries Workers ' Unions, East Asia, Pew Research Center, France — Locations: Japan, China, Kiyomizu, dera, Kyoto, United States, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Saharan Africa, Asia, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, South Korea

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