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☆ Beyond Kyoto: Japan recommends 11 lesser-known spots to visit
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Rob Goss | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Japan wants travelers to go beyond the country's iconic tourist sites — and consider spending their yen in lesser-known locations. CNBC Travel takes a look at what each of the 11 spots has to offer travelers — whether or not they're wealthy. Koichi Kamoshida | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesIse-shima is arguably the "model destination" most ready to welcome the JTA's wealthy targets. Kagoshima, Aso and UnzenThe island of Kyushu in western Japan feature everything from active volcanoes to glimpses of samurai culture. Okinawa and AmamiIn 2021, Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, the northern part of Okinawa's main island, and Iriomote Island were given joint UNESCO Natural World Heritage status for their biodiversity and endemic wildlife.

☆ Republican state officials in Louisiana ask lawmakers to ban the study of racism at universities, citing divisive 'inglorious aspects' of US history
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Louisiana GOP wants to prohibit the study of racism at state colleges and universities. A GOP resolution, seen by NOLA.com, claimed the "inglorious aspects" of American history were too divisive. It comes amid a nationwide GOP effort to scrub race issues from public schools and public life. GOP Party officials in the state want Louisiana lawmakers to prohibit the study of racism at colleges and universities, claiming the "inglorious aspects" of American history are too divisive, according to NOLA.com, which cites a GOP resolution on the matter. According to NOLA.com, the GOP resolution argued that "DEI bureaucracies" act as "divisive ideological commissariats," criticizing programs at LSU and the University of Louisiana System.

☆ Inside the Online Market for Overseas Abortion Pills
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Allison Mccann | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +17 min

A selection of abortion pill kits available online from overseas sellers. A chart of the estimated number of abortion pills provided outside the U.S. health care system from July through December 2022. For most patients, the cost of the service remains the most important factor in deciding where to get pills online. A chart showing the minimum, average and maximum cost of abortion pills from overseas providers: Aid Access, Las Libres and for-profit online sellers. A chart showing the minimum, average and maximum delivery speeds of abortion pills from overseas providers: Aid Access, Las Libres and for-profit online sellers.

☆ The U.S. Built a European-Style Welfare State. It’s Largely Over.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Claire Cain Miller | Alicia Parlapiano | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +14 min

expansion Child care provider grants Food assistance ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’24 Emergency food benefits Free school meals Through Sept. 2026 Remote WIC services Paused work requirement No expiration Meals outside of school No expiration Food benefit increase WIC increase Health care ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’24 Medicaid continuity Through Dec. 2025 A.C.A. subsidies Subsidized COBRA Housing ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’24 Foreclosure ban Eviction ban Through Sept. 2025 Rental aid Through Sept. 2030 Housing vouchers Unemployment ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’24 Self-employed qualify Relaxed rules Extended duration Extra $600/week Extra $300-$400/week Extra for self-employed Extra $300/week Note: The selection of programs is not comprehensive, but it represents those with the highest costs or those affecting the most people. PROGRAM DURATION ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’24 Emergency food benefits Gave all households maximum Free school meals For all children Remote WIC services Waived need to appear in person Through Sept. 2026 Paused work requirement For adults without kids Meals outside of school Summer meals made permanent No expiration Increase in max. PROGRAM DURATION ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’24 Foreclosure moratorium For federally backed mortgages Eviction moratorium Rental assistance New emergency program Through Sept. 2025 Housing vouchers Additional funding Through Sept. 2030 Note: While funding for emergency housing vouchers is available through September 2030, vouchers cannot be issued to new households after September of this year. PROGRAM DURATION ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’20 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’21 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’22 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’23 ’24 Benefits for self-employed Including gig workers Relaxed rules Work searching not required Extra weeks of benefits Up to 53 additional Extra $600 per week Extra $300-$400 per week Depending on the state Extra for self-employed $100 more per week Extra $300 per weekAnother is support for families with young children.

Citi issues several credit cards for American Airlines, including the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®. Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select Review: Is It the Best Airline Credit Card for You? How to earn miles with the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select cardThe Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® is a good choice for American Airlines purchases, as well as other everyday spending in popular categories. What credit score do you need for the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select card? Methodology: How we reviewed the Citi AAdvantage Platinum SelectInsider's experts compared the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® to other American Airlines and competitor airline credit cards.

American Express issues several co-branded Delta credit cards, including the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card. Unlike the Delta Gold Card, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card can help you earn Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) toward Delta elite status through its Status Boost benefit. Another benefit of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card is the ability to access Delta Sky Clubs when you're flying Delta, at a discounted rate of $50 per visit. Delta Gold Business Card vs Delta Platinum Business CardThere are also business versions of these two cards:Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card: 50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membershipDelta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card: 60,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membershipThe Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card offer very similar overall benefits to the personal versions. If you're a casual Delta flyer, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is likely going to be a better fit for you.

Earn 2x Miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 2x Miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta. Other United℠ Explorer Card benefits include two single-visit passes to the United Club lounge per anniversary year, 25% back on United inflight purchases, and priority boarding. When looking for the card that best fits you, consider whether you'd prefer to earn on restaurant and US supermarket purchases (Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card), or dining and hotel bookings (United℠ Explorer Card). Here's our Platinum Delta Amex card review for all the details, and a comparison of the Delta Gold vs Delta Platinum cards to help you decide.

☆ Fact Check-‘15-minute city’ is an urban planning concept that promotes easy access to essential amenities
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

A “15-minute city” is an urban planning model that envisions an environment where people can access amenities within a 15-minute walk, bike ride, or public transport journey from their homes. However, multiple experts who spoke to Reuters said the urban planning idea has been widely misinterpreted online. WHAT IS A 15-MINUTE CITY? Versions of a 15-minute city have been implemented in Paris and Melbourne, while other areas like Ottawa (here) and Scotland (bit.ly/3Hil13x) (page 61) have proposals in place. The 15-minute city is an urban planning concept that envisions a living environment with easily accessible essentials.

☆ Fact Check-Satire site behind online claims Elon Musk files Whoopi Goldberg lawsuit
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A satirical story about Twitter CEO Elon Musk filing a lawsuit against Whoopi Goldberg, host of ABC’s “The View,” appears to have been taken seriously by some users online. A tweet shared a headline that reads, “Elon Musk Files $60 Million Suit Against Whoopi and The View” (here). The website has previously published satirical content that was misconstrued online, as reported by Reuters Fact Check (here). Representatives for Musk and Goldberg’s daytime show The View on ABC did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A story about Elon Musk filing a lawsuit against Whoopi Goldberg stems from a satirical website.

☆ Reactions: Canada 2023/24 budget deficit to jump, Ottawa to boost spending
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

JULES BOUDREAU, SENIOR ECONOMIST, MACKENZIE INVESTMENTS"The surprise was more on the revenue side more than the spending side. Prior to this budget we were not eligible for the carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) investment tax credit, but they have now broadened the eligibility parameters." "The big open question, heading into this budget was how was Canada going to react to the Inflation Reduction Act ... MARK ZACHARIAS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CLEAN ENERGY CANADA"We thought today's budget was generally excellent and it sets Canada on a path for prosperity. "The investment tax credits for clean tech manufacturing positions Canada as a leader, particularly in zero-emissions vehicles."

Getty ImagesSix Delta credit cards are running elevated welcome bonuses through March 29, so it's your last chance to apply. Delta Amex credit card increased offersAmex Delta credit cards give you the ability to use Delta miles in a way that non-cardholders can't. However, Insider estimates that Delta miles are worth 1.1 cents each, on average, when booking award flights. And if you know the best ways to use Delta miles, you can get significantly more value. That's double the miles of the previous card bonus, which was 50,000 bonus miles and 10,000 MQMs after meeting minimum spending requirements.

☆ Factbox: Global firms with exposure to collapsed SVB
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

March 13 (Reuters) - Startup-focused lender SVB Financial Group (SIVB.O) became the largest bank to fail since the 2008 financial crisis last week, sending shockwaves across global markets as billions of dollars belonging to companies and investors were left stranded. The collapse raised concerns that the end of decades-long era of cheap money would reveal cracks in the global financial system as climbing interest rates expose vulnerabilities in the economy. HSBC (HSBA.L) said on Monday it is acquiring the UK subsidiary of SVB for 1 pound, rescuing a key lender for technology start-ups in Britain. Below is a list of companies across the globe that have revealed their exposure to SVB:EUROPEAround 16 tech and life sciences companies in Europe have disclosed about $190 million in exposure to SVB in the UK and the United States. Moonpig adds that SVB UK is one of ten lenders that provide senior debt facilities to the group as part of a strong banking syndicateASIA-PACIFICNITRO SOFTWARE (NTO.AX)Australia's productivity software maker Nitro Software Ltd (NTO.AX) said it had about $12.18 million of its global cash reserves held on deposit at SVB.

☆ Factbox: Which companies are affected by SVB collapse?
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

ROKU (ROKU.O)Streaming devices maker says it has about $487 million, or 26% of its cash and cash equivalents, held in deposits with SVB. CIRCLEUS cryptocurrency firm Circle says $3.3 billion of its $40 billion of USD Coin reserves are at SVB. BLOCKFIBankrupt crypto lender BlockFi Inc has roughly $227 million in unprotected funds at SVB, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. VIR BIOTECHNOLOGY (VIR.O)Biotech firm says it maintains operating accounts at SVB with about $220 million as of Friday. EUROPEAround 16 tech and life sciences companies in Europe have disclosed about $190 million in exposure to SVB in the UK and the United States.

How 31 Presidential Budgets Compared With RealityYear of budget 1994 Deficits Budgets Reality Spending Taxes and other revenueYou have probably heard of the main reason for this: The president’s budget has no force of law. But the president’s budget is often not predictive for another reason: Unexpected, cataclysmic events end up changing the trajectory of federal spending far more than shifts in any line item in a budget table. Bill ClintonDeficits Budgets Reality Spending Taxes and other revenueMr. Clinton’s budgets matched actual spending and revenue far more than those of the presidents who followed him. Another was the Budget Control Act, a bipartisan bill that reduced federal spending across the government that Mr. Obama had not proposed. And as we’re often reminded during budget season, budgets are also important because they tell you about a president’s goals and values.

The local unit of Canada's Xebra Brands (XBRA.CD) is the first company to obtain permits to cultivate, process, produce and market cannabis in Mexico, according to a statement from the firm. In its statement, Xebra Brands said it faces no restrictions where it can grow cannabis in Mexico, the size of cultivation facilities or processing volumes. "This represents an important moment for cannabis globally," Xebra Brands CEO Jay Garnett said in the statement. In an interview with Reuters in late 2021, the firm's former president said regulatory authorizations would position Mexico as the industry's most important North American player. Xebra Brands added it is actively looking for farm land and a site to build an extraction facility to produce CBD-rich hemp derivatives.

☆ Oklahoma State Question 820 Election Results: Marijuana Legalization
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Oklahomans are voting on whether to allow for recreational use of marijuana during a special election in the state, where medical marijuana has been legal and widely available to residents for years. The measure is supported by criminal justice reform advocates and the A.C.L.U. and opposed by Gov. Kevin Stitt and several law enforcement associations. Backers have raised far more campaign money than opponents.

☆ More than 2 million Cosori air fryers recalled after reports of the kitchen appliances 'catching fire, burning, melting'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A California company is recalling 2 million Cosori air fryers, US product safety officials announced Thursday. The recalled air fryers were reported as "catching fire, burning, melting." "Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled air fryers and contact Cosori to receive their choice of a free replacement air fryer or another Cosori product," the commission said. The agency said a "wire connection in the air fryers can overheat, posing fire and burn hazards." About 2 million of the air fryers have been sold in the US, while about 250,000 were sold in Canada and 21,000 in Mexico.

☆ Fact Check-Suramin is not a proven cure for autism
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Examples of users sharing the claim that suramin is a “relatively cheap” autism “cure” can be seen (here) and (here)Some posts refer to the treatment having caused “non-verbal” children with autism to start speaking within hours, but without citing the source of that alleged result. NO CURE FOR ASDThe U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) websites say that there is no cure for ASD, and caution against using any non-approved medication to treat ASD (here), (here). Other drugs may improve ASD symptoms, according to the NIH (here). The study found small, temporary improvements in scores on a diagnostic assessment for autism known as the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, 2nd edition (ADOS-2) examination (here). Suramin is not a proven cure or treatment for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but preliminary research suggests it might have promise to improve symptoms associated with ASD.

☆ As Heat Pumps Go Mainstream, a Big Question: Can They Handle Real Cold?
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Elena Shao | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

Line chart that shows annual units of heat pumps and gas furnaces shipped, which is an approximation of sales, from 2002 through 2022. Heat pumps surpassed gas furnaces in annual sales in 2022 by a wider margin than ever before. 4 million units 3 million Gas furnaces 2 million Heat pumps 1 million 2002 2022 Heat pumps outsold gas furnaces in the U.S. last year. But even in cold weather, electric heat pumps are more energy efficient than the gas or oil furnaces that heat many homes. Even in cold weather, electric heat pumps are more energy efficient than the gas or oil furnaces that heat many homes.

☆ Three Years Into Covid, We Still Don’t Know How to Talk About It
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Jon Mooallem | Photographs Ashley Gilbertson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +53 min

It will play out and reverberate for years or decades, Hagen told me. “The pathological normal,” Hagen calls it: a patchwork of homespun, bespoke realities, each one invested in a different story about what exactly happened when Covid ruptured the story of our lives. garb.”More than once, life seemed to be attaining “an uncanny resemblance to normal life,” as one man put it. But because we don’t totally understand where that experience has delivered us, we don’t know the right gloss to give it. “The days are strange,” one public-school teacher told Milstein toward the end of his first interview, in May 2020.

☆ Three spots up for grabs in Women's World Cup playoffs
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 16 (Reuters) - Portugal and Chile start with a slight advantage as 10 teams battle it out for the remaining three berths at this year's Women's World Cup in the final qualifying playoffs over the next week in New Zealand. "We know that Cameroon and Thailand have both been to the last two Women's World Cups and that it won't be easy," she told FIFA.com. Portugal simply have to be at the World Cup." The winners will meet in Hamilton next Thursday in a game that will decide the final qualifier for the ninth Women's World Cup. New Zealand are using the tournament as a test event for their co-hosting of the first World Cup in the southern hemisphere, which starts on July 20.

☆ Bavarian Nordic to buy travel vaccine portfolio for up to $380 mln
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 15 (Reuters) - Danish pharmaceuticals company Bavarian Nordic (BAVA.CO) has agreed to buy a portfolio of travel vaccines from Emergent BioSolutions Inc (EBS.N) for up to $380 million, it said on Wednesday after delivering an upbeat outlook for 2023. The company said it would acquire a typhoid fever vaccine, one against cholera and a Chikungunya virus treatment that is in Phase III trials. Bavarian Nordics makes the only approved mpox vaccine and started receiving massive orders last year as the virus became a global issue. The company expects 2023 revenue of about 6 billion Danish crowns ($863 million) against the 3.15 billion crowns in preliminary 2022 results, with 4.4 billion crowns coming from mpox and smallpox vaccined contracts alone. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) are expected to reach 2.2 billion crowns this year, up from 329 million crowns in the preliminary results for 2022.

Burry was featured in the 2010 nonfiction book "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis which was made into a popular movie five years later. Farallon, meanwhile, added 2,197,000 shares of Alibaba, while Coatue added 4,796,186 shares of Alibaba and 1,221,551 shares of JD.com. China began taking steps to end its zero-COVID policy, which was among the world's strictest anti-coronavirus regimes, in December. Hedge fund managers' positions were revealed in 13F filings that show what fund managers owned at the end of the quarter. While they are backward-looking, these filings are one of the few public disclosures of hedge fund portfolios.

☆ Alibaba sells remaining stake at India's Paytm as it continues to exit market
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

In January, Alibaba sold about 3% of Paytm for $125 million, cutting its holdings from 6.26%, based on NSE data. ‘India’s Alipay’Founded in 2010, Paytm is India’s largest payment platform, with more than 300 million registered customers and over 20 million merchants. Paytm and Ant Group had been working on “synergies” since Ant made the initial investment, the company said. In early 2021, Alibaba sold a major stake in BigBasket, an online grocery retailer, to Indian conglomerate Tata Group. In May 2022, Alibaba and Ant Group offloaded their entire stake in Paytm Mall, the e-commerce platform of Paytm.

Get 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases. Limited benefits beyond earning Hilton points Highlights Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. Details Rewards Earn 12x Hilton Honors Points at Hilton per dollar for purchases made directly with hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio. Keep in mind that transferable credit card points — like Chase Ultimate Rewards®, Amex Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Capital One miles — are generally more valuable than hotel points or airline miles. That's worth around $500 in stays, according to Insider's valuation of Hilton points.

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