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I should've known better than to travel during the holidays, and I paid the cost for doing it anyway. I let my travel partner plan the trip, and a delayed flight meant that all his plans went awry. The trip cost me thousands of dollars and put me off international travel. My ill-fated trip to Morocco in 2019 put the final nail in the coffin of my romantic relationship and a nasty dent in my finances. The impossibly brisk pace of the trip and the time difference meant that our cancelled flight resulted in thousands of dollars lost on cancelled hotels, tours, and transportation.

Persons: —, I'd, Mercedes, we'd Organizations: Service Locations: Morocco, Montreal, Old, Toronto

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☆ Telco tycoons’ UK bets look stuck underwater
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-25 | by ( Pamela Barbaglia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Set those complications aside, however, and his stake-building may have cost about 4.2 billion pounds overall since 2021. That’s according to Breakingviews calculations which use the share price from the day before each stake increase became public. The holding is now worth 3.6 billion pounds, implying a nearly 560 million pound or 13% loss. That’s mild compared with some of Vodafone’s investors. But UK consolidation would hardly move the needle as Vodafone is haggling to retain control of the merged entity.

Ships in the Autonomous Port of Cotonou in Benin, West Africa. Prosper Dagnitche/AFP/Getty ImagesThe stream of used cars heading to West African ports is only expected to increase with the West’s shift to electric vehicles. “It’s not like people want to drive used cars; it’s an affordability issue.”Experts say demand for used cars could explode further as the take up of electric cars in the West increases the supply of used cars to African countries. Those states also have robust port operations, making them an ideal place to ship used cars to Africa. “In terms of where Africa goes, the transition shouldn’t necessarily be from used cars to brand new combustion engines, it should be from used cars to EVs,” Ipke said.

☆ Biden's budget vs. House debt limit bill on spending, deficits, taxes
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy and his fellow Republicans' "Limit Save and Grow Act" is a spending reduction bill that would cut 2024 federal discretionary spending to fiscal 2022 levels and rescind signature Biden programs already approved by Congress. Republicans: The House bill would cut 2024 U.S. discretionary spending back to the 2022 level of $1.664 trillion and limit subsequent annual increases to 1% for a decade. The discretionary spending proposals would add $2.23 trillion to deficits over 10 years, offset by tax increases. Biden: Full enactment of the fiscal 2024 budget request would reduce deficits by $2.857 trillion, according to the White House. Estimates for Biden's budget request are from the White House, as CBO has not yet issued a score.

☆ Gold ticks higher as economic risks persist
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Gold prices edged higher on Monday as the U.S. debt ceiling stalemate and concerns of an economic slowdown steered some traders towards the safe-haven metal. Spot gold was up 0.2% at $2,014.44 per ounce by 0432 GMT, after falling for three sessions. Bullion tends to gain during times of economic or financial uncertainty, but higher interest rates dim non-yielding gold's appeal. Markets are pricing in an 83.4% chance of the U.S. central bank holding rates at the current level in June, according to the CME FedWatch tool. But taking some shine off gold, rival safe-haven dollar rose to a five-week high against major peers and made bullion less affordable for buyers holding other currencies.

☆ Newmont’s $19 bln gold deal lacks investor sparkle
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HONG KONG, May 15 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Newmont (NEM.N) boss Tom Palmer has finally dug out a deal with rival Newcrest Mining (NCM.AX). After months of discussions the two sides on Sunday agreed to an all-share transaction that values the Australian target’s enterprise at A$28.8 billion ($19.3 bln). The logic is that absorbing Newcrest will boost the Canadian buyer’s output of gold and copper. In return, the U.S. group is paying a punchy 27% premium to its prey’s stock price before their merger haggling went public. That implies an after-tax return on Newmont’s investment of around 7%, roughly in line with its cost of capital.

☆ Rupee records worst week since mid March as dollar regains strength
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Sethuraman N R | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MUMBAI, May 12 (Reuters) - The Indian rupee fell to a three-week low on Friday and registered its worst week in eight, dragged down by a broader strength in the dollar index. The rupee closed at 82.1625 per U.S. dollar compared with 82.09 in the previous session. "We are seeing a lot of variations in the economic data, notably in the U.S. and across the Eurozone ... So based on the scenario globally, dollar is looking bit more positive," said Arnob Biswas, head FX research at SMC Global Securities. The U.S. dollar edged higher on Friday and was heading for its biggest weekly gain since February, while the dollar index gained nearly 0.8% so far this week.

☆ New York’s Perfect Progressive Priorities
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Wonder Land: A beside-the-point president is the best thing that has ever happened to the progressive centralization project. Images: Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock/AP/Zuma Press Composite: Mark KellyThe Democratic left is running New York state these days, and Kathy Hochul appears to be largely Governor in name only. That’s the message from the $229 billion state budget that passed this week after months of haggling behind closed doors. Ms. Hochul went into the talks with priorities she knew would be a hard lift in a Legislature controlled by progressives. They included modest bail reform, which passed, and her signature plan to expand housing by allowing the state to override local zoning laws, which was rejected.

☆ Moribund euro zone, Amazon outlook dent stocks ahead of rate meetings
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Oil was firmer but still heading for another monthly decline after disappointing U.S. economic data and uncertainty over interest rates. The yen fell to a nine-year low against the euro after the Bank of Japan left its ultra-easy monetary policy unchanged. The euro zone grew only marginally in the first three months of 2023, and at a rate lower than market expectations, sending the euro lower. "Futures are saying interest rates will be lower than Fed Funds by year end, indicating a decline. Markets are pricing in an 85% chance of the Fed raising rates by 25 basis points, the CME FedWatch tool showed.

☆ How to haggle with your college over financial aid
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Dayun Park | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

In some cases, filing an official financial aid appeal may even delay the deadline for putting down a deposit. Here, according to college financial aid and admissions officers, consultants and students, are the steps to take:Email, don’t call, and handle it yourself. “If there has been a significant reduction in income compared to your application, inform the school’s financial aid office; in some cases, financial aid can increase,” said Phil Asbury, Director of Financial Aid of Northwestern University in Illinois. The opportunity to increase need-based aid depends on the accuracy of your documented financial change and the financial ability of the school to make a change,” John Leach, Associate Vice Provost for Enrollment and University Financial Aid at Emory University, told CNN. Northwestern has a “priority deadline” so that the financial office can notify students early, but students can still apply for financial aid all year round.

☆ The Four Things to Haggle Over When Buying a Home
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Veronica Dagher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Home buyers might have better luck saving thousands of dollars by focusing their haggling skills on items other than the home’s purchase price. The price of the home is a major detail, especially as mortgage rates move up. But given that the housing market remains competitive in several parts of the country, home buyers hoping to negotiate down a seller’s asking price might risk losing their bid.

☆ House Republicans, Grasping for Votes, Alter Debt Limit Plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Catie Edmondson | Carl Hulse | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON — House Republican leaders on Wednesday were scrounging for the votes to pass legislation to raise the debt ceiling while cutting spending and unraveling major elements of President Biden’s domestic agenda, after a late-night haggling session in which they revised their fiscal plan in an effort to win over holdouts in their ranks. The measure, which would cut federal spending by nearly 14 percent over a decade, would undo some of Mr. Biden’s clean energy tax credits and his student loan cancellation plan and impose stricter work requirements for federal nutrition and health programs. It would be dead on arrival in the Democratic-led Senate and at the White House, where Mr. Biden’s advisers have warned that it would draw his veto. But Speaker Kevin McCarthy, whose reputation and influence were on the line in the steepest test he has faced since winning his post, has described the plan as a way to strengthen his hand as he seeks to force a debt confrontation with the president. In a closed-door meeting with Republicans in the basement of the Capitol on Wednesday morning, Mr. McCarthy pleaded with his conference to back the measure so he could open negotiations with Mr. Biden, according to a person who attended the session and described his remarks on the condition of anonymity.

He had told Oxford Gold that he wanted to "get the lay of the land" ahead of picking up a $9 million order for 151 gold kilo bars. But most unusual was that Mancuso wanted to pick up the order from the Oxford Gold office, the source said. The next day, Mancuso contacted Oxford Gold about buying $9 million worth of gold, and the company agreed to sell him 151 gold kilo bars. But Oxford Gold was alerted on December 2 that this was a fraudulent transaction, said a source with direct knowledge. Unsure what to do, Oxford Gold contacted the Beverly Hills Police Department, and eventually got in touch with the FBI, this source said.

Fox News, however, did suggest it wants to put Scott, Wallace, Hannity, Carlson, Bartiromo, and Baier on the stand as witnesses. But in past court filings, Fox News has highlighted the fact that Baier said on-air shortly after the 2020 election that there weren’t indications of widespread fraud. Both Fox News and Dominion asked Davis in court this week to declare them the outright winner without a trial. Fox News has argued that it can’t be held liable for airing inherently newsworthy allegations from public figures that Dominion rigged the 2020 election, even if those claims were false. Fox Corporation has argued that Dominion overstated its role in Fox News’ editorial coverage of the 2020 election and asked to be dropped from the lawsuit – but the judge let the case move forward.

Iraq's Oil Minister Hayan Abdel-Ghani, who took office in October, plans to update Iraq's oil production strategies to meet local needs while complying with the OPEC+ agreement, oil ministry spokesman Asim Jihad told Reuters. It is too early for the new government to talk about any significant increases in Iraq's oil production outside the OPEC+ agreement, Jihad said. 'HARD, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE'For the oil sector, the country has repeatedly delayed a target to reach 7-8 million bpd capacity, from the current 5 million bpd. The beneficiaries were not the international oil companies, but UAE firm Crescent Petroleum and two Chinese companies. Iraq's oil minister this month revived seven investment opportunities in Iraq's refining sector.

☆ Secondhand resale is getting cutthroat as platforms like Depop and Poshmark boom
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Demand for secondhand resale has been booming since the early days of the pandemic, generating a culture shift within the indie marketplaces where it all began. Users on platforms like Depop and Poshmark set up online shops to list vintage, secondhand or unique items for sale and generate notable followings of loyal shoppers. Robertson is now 17 and says the growth of resale has allowed him to turn his Depop shop, which now has over 19,000 followers, into a part-time gig. Blake Robertson, 17, poses with his closet, some of which is up for resale on his Depop shop. Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards Beaux Abington, 49, models some of her own Depop items.

☆ EU approves 10th package of Russia sanctions on anniversary of invasion
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Gabriela Baczynska | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, Feb 24 (Reuters) - The European Union, after hectic last-minute haggling, has approved a tenth package of Russia sanctions on the anniversary of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, the Swedish EU presidency said late on Friday. "Together, the EU member states have imposed the most forceful and far-reaching sanctions ever to help Ukraine win the war," the presidency announced on Twitter. With two hours to go until midnight, EU member states made it across the finish line with little time to spare after Poland earlier threw a spanner into the works. All member states need to approve sanctions for them to be enacted, making negotiations among the 27 often tedious and lengthy. The EU has said the 10th round of sanctions against Russia since the war started was designed to make financing the war more difficult and starve Russia of tech equipment and spare parts for arms used against Ukraine.

☆ In EU car data tussle, insurers and others brace for delays, disappointment
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Nick Carey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Companies in Europe and beyond are vying for control of the crown jewels of the connected car era, namely car manufacturers' data covering everything from driving habits, to fuel consumption and tyre wear which can be used to target cash-generating services. Although the EU is currently haggling over the Data Act, a draft law governing the use of consumer and corporate data, insurers and others are pushing for auto sector-specific regulation. A proposal is expected soon after the European Commission launched a consultation last year. Ten industry groups also wrote to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in January urging an end to "repeated delays". A spokesperson for the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) said the Data Act would guarantee fair access to car data, so "additional legislation on access to in-vehicle data is unlikely to achieve more".

☆ Laid-Off Tech Workers Seek Leverage on the Way Out
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Katherine Bindley | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

For some tech workers, everything is negotiable, including the severance package that comes with a layoff. As tech companies shed tens of thousands of jobs, staffers at different levels are pushing back on the terms of their departures. Some employees are hiring lawyers or other advisers to press for more money or an extension of their health benefits before agreeing to deals–-adopting the type of tactics traditionally used by senior executives haggling over their severance terms.

☆ Factbox: U.S. debt ceiling: A straightforward vote is not the usual path
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

CREATION OF THE DEBT CEILINGCongress has always placed restrictions on federal debt as part of its U.S. Congress paired a debt-ceiling hike with broader bipartisan spending packages in 2018 and 2019, for example. The recession-fighting stimulus package of 2009 also included a debt-ceiling hike. Republicans unsuccessfully tried to pair a debt-ceiling hike with spending cuts in 1995 and 1996, leading to two partial government shutdowns. That deal also reversed the usual calculus by allowing the president to raise the debt ceiling unless a majority of Congress voted against it, which they conveniently failed to do.

☆ How China planted an FBI mole who was discovered only after gutting the CIA's vast spy network
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( James Bamford | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +25 min

At the time, four years after the handover from Britain to China, much of Hong Kong remained a world of neon and noise. "Five years ago, everyone looked down on you if you spoke Mandarin," said a Beijing executive living in Hong Kong. As soon as the Hong Kong Arts Festival ended, the Hong Kong International Film Festival began. In February 2006, Alex Ma, China's mole in the FBI, sent David photos he received from his handlers of five suspected human sources. Born in Hong Kong like Alex, Lee grew up in Hawaii and became a naturalized U.S. citizen.

☆ 3 tips on negotiating from Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer: 'I always get a raise'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Eboni Boykin-Patterson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer recently discussed her pay negotiation tactics in an interview. Spencer has been a vocal advocate of equal pay for women of color in Hollywood. Her perspective has remained straightforward on the topic: "Women and women of color have always lagged. While acknowledging that some negotiating is always necessary because, "Nobody's going to offer you what you're worth," she said, "I'm also not that negotiator who's going to go back and forth. If you can't come up to my price, there are so many other people that you can go to who probably will accept what you're offering.

The wealth gap remains a harsh reality for women of color, which makes it harder to build wealth. "Decide on what you're going to save and invest on a monthly basis," she says. You might not have been exposed to building wealth, the tenets of investing and paying taxes, and basic financial planning. Don't worry about getting it perfectFor first-generation women of color, it starts with learning more and doing more. You're going to make mistakes and you're going to trip along the way.

☆ Electric cars are killing the car dealership as we know it
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Nora Naughton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The dealership model, in which retailers buy from automakers and sell vehicles to consumers, has been protected for nearly a century by robust franchise laws. Thanks to the disruption caused by EVs, car shoppers of all kinds can expect to spend less time wandering dealership lots, talking with salespeople, and haggling over pricing. Companies like GM and Ford are trying to strike a balance between direct sales and the dealership model. Still, two-thirds of Ford dealers have signed on for the program, according to CEO Jim Farley. With the launch of the Cadillac Lyric, GM used a digital retail network that allows car shoppers to complete transactions entirely online, in the dealership, or a hybrid of both.

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