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Our experts choose the best products and services to help make smart decisions with your money (here's how). As a child, my grandmother used to give my sister and me a quarter when she came to visit. That rebuke unconsciously taught me I shouldn't ask for money, and it held me back for years. My mother, utterly mortified, sent me to my room with the stern admonishment that asking for money was not polite. I found it was as difficult to accept money as it was to ask for it, especially if it happened to be a gift.

☆ Bank of England hikes rates by 25 basis points, no longer sees recession
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

A passageway near the Bank of England (BOE) in the City of London, U.K., on Thursday, March 18, 2021. LONDON — The Bank of England on Thursday hiked interest rates by 25 basis points and revised its economic projections to now exclude the possibility of a U.K. recession this year. The Monetary Policy Committee voted 7-2 in favor of the quarter-point increase to take the main bank rate from 4.25% to 4.5%, as the bank reiterated its commitment to taming stubbornly high inflation. "In the context of resilient economic activity, we think there is a good chance of the Bank Rate peaking at 5% by the August meeting. "As rates moves deeper into restrictive territory and credit conditions tighten, a policy-induced recession becomes almost inevitable."

☆ US airlines thrown a curveball as consumer habits change post-pandemic
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Rajesh Kumar Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Even as the thirst for travel remains strong, the changing trends are driving up airlines' operating costs and hurting revenue. Travel demand has also softened on days in the middle of the week, but has strengthened on peak days. Frontier Airlines (ULCC.O) decided to slash flights on Tuesdays and Wednesdays by about 20%, citing weak demand. Delta Airlines (DAL.N) reported that bookings for trips inside 30 days were declining, while those outside 30 days were stronger. Last year, it denied boarding to more customers than American Airlines (AAL.O) and United, U.S. Transportation Department data shows.

☆ Fact Check- Image does not show ‘last Neanderthal giant’
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A fabricated image of a giant man towering above a crowd of people is being shared alongside false claims that it shows the “last Neanderthal giant”, but the image was likely generated using artificial intelligence, experts said. A Facebook post sharing the image states: “This is the last know human Giant Neanderthal!” and adds that Neanderthals “died out” thousands of years ago, so “no Neanderthal's DNA is found in modern times” (here). Contrary to the online claims, Neanderthal DNA has been extracted from these skeletal remains and analysed extensively. The earliest version of the image of a purported “Neanderthal giant” that Reuters could find appears on the official subreddit for Midjourney, an AI-based system that generates images based on text prompts entered by users (bit.ly/423OozQ). The image does not show the last Neanderthal giant, it is likely AI-generated.

☆ How the US Air Force's 2 newest fighter jets stack up
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Kris Osborn | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The F-35 and F-15EX are different in many respects, including their tech and likely missions. F-15EX vs. F-35A US Air Force F-35A over the Pacific in June 2022. The most advanced and rapidly emerging Russian- and Chinese-built air defenses are now much more likely to operate with an ability to detect even stealth aircraft to some degree. US Air Force/Ethan WagnerConsidering these factors, some are likely to wonder if the F-15EX is an aircraft without a clearly defined mission. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel.

☆ ‘The federal government is not doing their job,’ NTSB chair says about automated driving tech
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —National Transportation Safety Board chair Jennifer Homendy sharply criticized federal regulators Thursday for not doing enough to monitor and test automatic driving technologies. “The NTSB has called on regulators to set performance minimums for these features, to test vehicles rigorously against those standards and provide the results to consumers. That’s because the IIHS and Consumer Reports worked directly with automakers to get them to add it. “Consumer Reports and IIHS tried to get ahead of this because there was no movement from regulators,” she said. Consumer Reports test drivers will still use an actual interstate highway to test features that only function when the car recognizes that it’s on a divided highway.

☆ A recession could hit single women especially hard, says financial advisor. Here's how they can prepare
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Fotostorm | E+ | Getty ImagesFears of an upcoming recession and high inflation may be weighing most heavily on single women, according to a financial advisor who works with that demographic. "Rising inflation hits women harder with their smaller incomes," she said. If there is a recession later this year, as some economists predict there will be, many single women would enter it in a more financially vulnerable situation, Curtis said. For women who live alone, losing a paycheck can mean a pause in all income for the household, and lower wages relative to men may mean single women also have less savings to turn to. Look for ways to cut back on expensesWomen worried about an economic downturn may want to cut back on their discretionary spending as much as possible, Curtis said.

☆ This $6 million Las Vegas bunker is still looking for a buyer. It's 26 feet underground, decorated like the 1970s, and owned by a foundation that wants to freeze humans for science.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Dan Latu | Mary Meisenzahl | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

A Las Vegas house with a 15,000-square-foot underground bunker is for sale for $5.9 million. Built in 1978, the bunker is outfitted in furniture and decor to match the original time period. A Las Vegas property that fits the bill, initially listed in 2019 for $18 million, is still looking for a buyer — now for just $5.9 million. To build a comparative property, LaForge estimates it could take up to eight times the current asking price. The property is currently owned by the Stasis Foundation, which bought the site in 2015 for $1.15 million as part of a bank auction.

☆ I'm a millennial who left my startup career for a corporate job and my mental health has never been better
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Alexandra York | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Nichole Maffey worked in startups for nearly a decade but got her first corporate job this month. Despite the negative connotation of corporate work, she said it's saving her mental health. Startups drove me to embrace the hustleI began my startup career right out of college and have ranged from the ninth hire to the 30th. My roles gave me opportunities to learn at a much faster rate than a siloed, corporate job would have because I was part of so many projects at once. This is just one example: In eight years of working, I'd never been onboarded before this corporate job.

☆ Here are the 4 issues that will determine the future of the global economy, according to Mohamed El-Erian
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Morgan Chittum | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Mohamed El-Erian says there are four issues that will shape the future of the global economy. El-Erian say the Fed's efforts to reduce inflation and the US debt ceiling are key factors looking ahead. Sign up for our newsletter to get the inside scoop on what traders are talking about — delivered daily to your inbox. download the app Email address By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy PolicyIt is an uncertain time for the global economy. As narratives continue to shift, Wall Street's views range from predictions of a full on stock market crash to a soft landing of the economy.

So how did India’s population get so big, and how long will it last? The rise in population despite a drop in the fertility rate can be explained by “demographic momentum.”“When the fertility rate drops, the population continues to grow for several decades. So, even with a replacement or sub-replacement fertility rate, India’s population will continue to grow slowly because of the considerable number of women entering their reproductive years. India’s population growth is slowing downIndia may have overtaken China in total population, but UN data also shows that its growth rate has slowed. Uttar Pradesh, for instance, is home to 17% of India’s population but has only 9% of its industrial jobs.

☆ Ambitious genome project shows how humans fit with other mammals
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The findings in the ambitious Zoonomia Project identified parts of the genome functionally important in people and other mammals and showed how certain mutations can cause disease. The project revealed the genetics of uncommon mammalian traits like hibernation and showed how the sense of smell varies widely. The researchers said the findings on hibernation genetics could inform human therapeutics, critical care and long-distance space flight. The most primitive species was the venomous burrowing insect-eater Hispaniola solenodon, closely related to mammals alive during the dinosaur age. In terms of human differences from other mammals, the study pointed to regions associated with developmental and neurological genes.

☆ Russia's VTB reports profitable Q1, on track for sharp recovery
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Elena Fabrichnaya | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SummarySummary Companies This content was produced in Russia where the law restricts coverage of Russian military operations in UkraineMOSCOW, April 27 (Reuters) - Russia's No. 2 lender VTB (VTBR.MM) on Thursday posted first quarter net profit of 146.7 billion roubles ($1.8 billion) and kept its forecast for record profits this year as the bank recovers from a $7.7 billion sanctions-induced loss in 2022. Pyanov said the final price of VTB's second additional share issue will be determined in May. He said the 2022 loss excluded the bank from participating under the current version of the draft law. ($1 = 81.8500 roubles)Reporting by Elena Fabrichnaya; Writing by Alexander Marrow; Editing by Lincoln FeastOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Balto: A good dog with great genes
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Cleveland Museum of Natural History/Handout via REUTERS. Balto was feted as a hero, the subject of books and movies, and the dog's taxidermy mount still stands on display at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Balto, belonging to a population of working sled dogs in Alaska, also was found to have possessed greater genetic diversity and genetic health than modern canine breeds. Balto was found to share ancestry with modern Siberian huskies and Alaskan sled dogs as well as Greenland sled dogs, Vietnamese village dogs and Tibetan mastiffs, with no discernible wolf ancestry. Balto had a body built for strength and not speed, disappointing the breeder, who had the dog neutered.

☆ A good dog with great genes - 1920s Alaska sled-relay hero Balto
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Cleveland Museum of Natural History/Handout via REUTERS. Balto was feted as a hero, the subject of books and movies, and the dog's taxidermy mount still stands on display at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Balto, belonging to a population of working sled dogs in Alaska, also was found to have possessed greater genetic diversity and genetic health than modern canine breeds. Sled dogs were the only viable option. Balto was found to share ancestry with modern Siberian huskies and Alaskan sled dogs as well as Greenland sled dogs, Vietnamese village dogs and Tibetan mastiffs, with no discernible wolf ancestry.

☆ Analysis: China's small steps on offshore use of yuan are starting to add up
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Tom Westbrook | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

SINGAPORE, April 27 (Reuters) - China's yuan currency is slowly but surely being adopted for more international payments, which analysts say could lay foundations for a trade system running parallel to the dominant U.S. dollar. True global yuan adoption is unlikely, given expectations that Beijing will want to keep a tight grip on the currency. "Their cooperation could draw other countries to renminbi payments over time and cumulatively, this group could lift the renminbi at the expense of the dollar," he said. "This kind of renminbi internationalisation may achieve Beijing's goals, including reducing China’s exposure to exchange rate fluctuations and mitigating China’s vulnerabilities to U.S. financial sanctions." "Therefore, if exporters want to use yuan to settle trades, they must persuade foreign importers to pay in yuan, which often takes a long time."

☆ How Ukraine's artillery is doing more damage than Russia's, even with fewer rounds
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( David Hambling | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

While Ukraine has fewer guns firing fewer shells, it appear to be doing more damage than Russia. But while Ukraine has fewer guns firing fewer shells, they appear to be doing more damage even though, with some notable exceptions, they are using the same weapons as their Russian opponents. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated in February that Russia was firing around four times as many shells as Ukraine. This suggests an improvement of a factor of 7-10, which is roughly what we see in the ratios of artillery shells: casualties above. A vast number of Ukrainian drone videos show this process in operation.

☆ How Russia could spot Ukrainian F-16s before they even got off the ground, according to an air-warfare expert
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Those calls center on the US-made F-16, which proponents say will boost Ukraine's air force. But Russia would notice if Ukraine began modifying its airbases to support F-16s, one expert says. Despite being numerically and technologically outmatched by Russian aircraft and air-to-air missiles, Ukraine's air force has proven remarkably resilient and resourceful. But so far, Russia has chosen to not to use its limited stockpile of long-range missiles against Ukrainian airbases because Ukrainian airpower "doesn't pose a massive threat," Bronk said. US Air National Guard crews replace a part on an F-16 at Ukraine's Mirgorod Air Base in July 2011.

☆ A fund manager who beat 95% of competitors in the last 2 years explains how he finds 'tremendous opportunities' for value creation and returns amid today's volatile stock market
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Lisa Kailai Han | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Companies with healthy balance sheets and access to low or no-cost funding are likely to outperform. Ferguson is a fund manager for the BNY Mellon Dynamic Value Fund at Newton Investment Management. Across all sectors, Ferguson believes that companies with strong balance sheets and good liquidity will widely outperform their peers, especially in the face of a looming economic slowdown. Strong balance sheets in particular can help businesses endure turbulent times, since companies aren't forced to issue — and eventually pay back — a lot of high-cost debt. Likewise, Ferguson is currently bullish on the energy sector due to its incredibly strong balance sheets and focus on return of capital versus growth.

☆ You think you need more sleep? Tell that to an elephant seal
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

But some animals get a lot less slumber - with certain species like the northern elephant seal taking sleeplessness to an extreme. During dives lasting about 30 minutes, the seals went into a deep sleep stage called slow-wave sleep while maintaining a controlled downward trajectory. The species is the world's second-largest seal, topped only by the southern elephant seal. Male northern elephant seals may reach 13 feet long (4 meters) and weigh up to 4,500 pounds (2,000 kg). "It is very peaceful to spend time on the beach watching elephant seals sleep.

☆ 'This is madness': Libya's bitter divisions split Eid holiday
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] People attend an Eid al-Fitr prayer, marking the end of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan at a public square, in Benghazi, Libya April 21, 2023. Religious authorities in east Libya, aligned with the parliament which is based there, said they had sighted the crescent moon on Thursday, making it the last day of fasting and setting Friday as Eid. "This is madness and I pray it ends here," said Ahmed Mesbah, 50, in Tripoli, who has chosen to celebrate Eid on Friday. The country split in 2014 between warring factions in east and west, a rift that remains despite comparative peace since 2020. "The split between east and west on such a happy occasion is hurtful and makes me sad.

☆ Elephant seals enter 'sleep spiral' during ocean dives
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The researchers refer to this as a “sleep spiral.”The research marked the first time scientists recorded brain activity in free-ranging wild marine mammals, capturing data from 104 sleep dives. Then she attached them to 13 juvenile female elephant seals that are part of a colony at Año Nuevo State Park in Pescadero, California. In shallow waters, the elephant seals even reached the seafloor, where they would rest. During REM sleep, elephant seals enter a "sleep spiral." Elephant seals sleep the most along the coast and near their foraging grounds, and that data could be used to see how shipping traffic could affect the seals.

☆ Type 2 diabetes: Coffee, tea lower risk of heart disease and early death
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —If you have type 2 diabetes, drinking more coffee, tea or plain water may lower your risk of dying prematurely from any cause by about 25%, a new study found. However, drinking more sugar-sweetened beverages raised the risk of heart disease by 25% and the risk of dying from a heart attack or another cardiovascular event by 29%, the study said. Adults with type 2 diabetes who drink more coffee or tea lower their risk of heart disease, a new study said. There was a 26% lower risk of early death associated with drinking coffee, 21% for tea, 23% for plain water and 12% for low-fat milk. When both sugar-sweetened and artificial no-calorie drinks were replaced with coffee, tea, plain water and low-fat milk, there was an even lower risk of heart disease and death from any cause.

☆ How US and allies can find common ground on China
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Hugo Dixon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

That said, the U.S. and its allies have many common values and interests with regards to China. Reuters GraphicsJapan, Australia and other Asian countries also need American support to counter the challenge from a more assertive China. The G7 finance ministers last week took a step to address this concern. But it is unclear how much headway the G7 will make as China has already invested heavily in many poorer countries. It is not just the group’s finance ministers who are seeking to coordinate their approach.

☆ Britain eyes development roles in Japan offshore wind -official
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( Katya Golubkova | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The UK is one of the world's largest offshore wind markets, with more than 10 GW of installed capacity. Japan has launched a second major round of public auctions to select operators for four new areas capable of generating 1.8 GW of offshore wind power. It wants to install up to 10 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030 and up to 45 GW by 2040. Shapps did not specifically mention the offshore wind power auctions but said there were "very broad areas of cooperation between UK and Japan" in offshore wind development. He also noted the targets set by G7 on solar and offshore wind generation were "overall" for the group.

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