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☆ Beyond the obvious, here are the business benefits of investing in employee wellbeing
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-17 | by ( Sponsor Post | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Employers know that prioritizing employee wellbeing is the right thing to do, but there are also business benefits. Investing in work wellbeing does more than improve employee morale — it can also drive tangible business benefits. Oxford recently analyzed Indeed's work wellbeing dataset and highlighted a strong correlation between company wellbeing and business performance. Moreover, the Indeed-Oxford research reveals the long-term business benefits of prioritizing employee wellbeing. Indeed further strengthened the business case for work wellbeing with the launch of the Work Wellbeing 100, an index ranking the top 100 publicly traded companies by their Indeed Work Wellbeing Score.

Persons: Russell, — LaFawn Davis, Davis Organizations: Oxford, University of Oxford, Nasdaq, Forrester Research, Companies, Insider Studios Locations: Oxford, millennials

☆ Companies that 'prioritize work flexibility' have the happiest workers, new ranking shows
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-17 | by ( Alex Koller | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

1 for employee wellbeing, according to the 2024 Work Wellbeing 100 from Indeed and the University of Oxford's Wellbeing Research Centre. Indeed's ranking found that companies with higher work wellbeing scores also have higher valuations, returns on assets and profits. "A lot of these companies tend to prioritize work flexibility," says Kyle M.K., a talent strategy advisor at Indeed. "Companies that provide choice are the ones that tend to have a much better reputation among their employees," M.K. "By prioritizing work wellbeing, companies cultivate a more resilient, effective and happier workforce which ultimately drives business growth."

Persons: Kyle M.K, LaFawn Davis, Indeed's Organizations: University of Oxford's, Research, Nasdaq, Companies, Block, Human, Delta Air Lines, Accenture Nike, International Disney Parks, Flex, Walt Disney Company Wipro, Vans, Technology Solutions, Bros Coffee Microsoft FedEx Freight, CNBC

☆ Inside $178 billion Man Group's Oxford gathering: Academic hotshots, internal rising stars, and $25 trillion in institutional capital
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-17 | by ( Bradley Saacks | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Go to newsletter preferencesSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewEven when compared to the impressive and lengthy history of the University of Oxford, this week's gathering at Trinity College is noteworthy. Academics, nerds, and rising starsThe speakers over the two-plus days are roughly half Man employees and half external invitees. The firm balances the external speakers — from finance and other disciplines — with a line-up of Man executives and internal rising stars who are working on something that ties into the overall theme. Oxford offers plenty of advantages for the firm's leadership to get to know the decision makers at these firms.

Persons: —, Tom Holland, Steven Desmyter, Milken, Desmyter, there's, Holland, Morgan Stanley, Clare Woodman, John Curtice, Jamie Dimon, Goldman Sachs, Lloyd Blankfein, Mike Lynch, Sumant Wahi, Vinayak Kumar, It's Organizations: Service, University of Oxford, Trinity College, Business, Ashmolean Museum, BBC, Morgan Stanley EMEA, Oxford, Oxford Man Institute, Union House Locations: British, Davos, Hawaii, Sydney, Sicilian, it's, Rhodes House, Trinity, New York, London, Dubai

☆ China raising its retirement age may be unpopular but it's much needed, analysts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-13 | by ( Anniek Bao | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Economists have long called for an overhaul of the nation's retirement age laws, currently among the world's lowest, which was set in an era of lower life expectancies. Raising the retirement age would help ease local governments' pension pool cash crunch, Sheana Yue, an economist from Oxford Economics said. Still, "more needs to be done to improve retirement adequacy," Maybank's Tay said, while stating that China needs a stronger pension plan and diversified investment avenues to ensure sustainable retirement savings. China's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security has added a few tools for citizens to check their indicated retirement age on its website and mobile app. China may roll out "another round of delay in the late 2030s, especially if China's pension fund balance is tight," Xu cautioned.

Persons: Erica Tay, Tay, Bruce Pang, Tianchen Xu, Xu, Yue, Maybank's Tay Organizations: Getty, Maybank Investment Banking Group, CNBC, Economist Intelligence Unit, Oxford Economics, Academy of Social Sciences, China's Ministry of Human Resources, Social Security Locations: Fuyang, China, JLL, Beijing

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: Moderna, Alaska Air, Oxford Industries and more
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-12 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Check out the companies making headlines before the bell: Alaska Air Group — Shares gained 5% after Alaska Air Group raised its third-quarter outlook, citing strong summer demand. The airline guided for per-share earnings in the range of $2.15 and $2.25, greater than prior guidance of $1.40 to $1.60 earnings per share. Moderna — Shares shed more than 6% after the drugmaker announced plans to slash expenses by $1.1 billion by 2027. Oxford Industries — Shares dropped 10% after the clothing company behind Tommy Bahama posted second-quarter figures that missed expectations. Oxford Industries posted adjusted earnings of $2.77 per share, lower than the FactSet consensus estimate of $3 earnings per share.

Persons: Moderna, Tommy Bahama, Kroger —, —, Alex Harring, Hakyung Kim, Jesse Pound, Samantha Subin Organizations: Alaska Air Group —, Alaska Air Group, Oxford Industries, Interpublic, Companies, UBS, U.S, Bancorp, U.S . Bancorp, Kroger, Diageo, Bank of America Locations: U.S

☆ I teach wealthy kids with special needs. Money can't solve everything, but it can give them the education they need.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-10 | by ( Lian Kit Wee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

At the end of my time at Oxford in 2004, I faced two very different job offers: a private equity position and a teaching job in Washington, D.C. My experience has been incredibly diverse, but almost all my clients involve students with special educational needs. I never expected to teach students with special educational needs, nor do I have the formal training or credentials for it. Almost every job I've had involved travel, whether on a boat or moving from country to country. AdvertisementWealth is an enablerMany clients I've worked with have resources on par with countries' governments.

Persons: Nathaniel Hannan, I've, Weaving, didn't, It's Organizations: Service, International, Oxford, Business, Ivy League Locations: Washington ,, United States, Lucite, Atlanta

☆ Cautious Chinese travelers are taking more last-minute trips as economy struggles
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-10 | by ( Anniek Bao | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

HAIKOU, CHINA - SEPTEMBER 08: Passengers wait in line to check in at Haikou Meilan International Airport on September 8, 2024 in Haikou, Hainan Province of China. (Photo by Luo Yunfei/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images)Chinese travelers are taking more last-minute trips as they become more cautious with spending amid a lackluster economic recovery. Travelers are planning trips closer to departure as they try to "take advantage of last-minute deals," economists at Oxford Economics told CNBC, noting a shift in consumer preferences where "modern travelers prefer spontaneity in their travel plans." Chinese consumers have become more frugal on everything, from groceries to travel, as the world's second-largest economy grapples with a protracted property crisis and high unemployment. "While people still want to go on holiday, sentiment regarding incomes and consumption remains low," according to economists at Oxford Economics.

Persons: Luo Yunfei, Anthony Caputano, Patrick Body Organizations: China News Service, Getty Images, Marriott International, Bank of America, Lodging Conference, Oxford Economics, CNBC, Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business Locations: HAIKOU, CHINA, Haikou, Hainan Province, China

☆ Starbucks' new CEO swears by this 'cliché' career advice
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-09 | by ( Morgan Smith | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

It’s the first day on the job for new Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol, and expectations are high. Niccol explained that he carries a “beat-up notebook” with him to outline and track his progress toward his career goals. Trusting his gut and believing in his ability to succeed, Niccol said, has made the biggest difference in his career up to this point. “There will be times in your career when your gut will be tingling,” he said, noting that he had that feeling when he left Taco Bell to become Chipotle’s CEO in 2018. Niccol used a 5-word phrase in a phone screening with former Starbucks chair Mellody Hobson to illustrate his confidence and preparedness for the job.

Persons: Brian Niccol, Anjali Sundaram, Taco Bell, ”, ” Niccol, Niccol, Mellody Hobson, “, ‘, ’ ” Hobson, ” Hobson, Brian, “ We’re Organizations: CNBC, Wall, Taco, Miami University in, Taco Bell, Starbucks Locations: U.S, China, Miami University in Oxford , Ohio, Newport Beach , California, ’ Seattle

☆ 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

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

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

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

☆ The one question on everyone’s mind about interest rates
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-23 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

That’s precisely why the Fed is poised to cut interest rates in September for the first time since 2020. Therein lies the one question on everyone’s mind: How aggressively will the Fed ultimately cut rates? A high threshold for jumbo rate cutsThe Fed makes its decisions on interest rates consistent with what’s happening in the economy. Fed officials have mostly signaled that they’re finally ready to cut rates, but some have still expressed some hesitance. But, for now, there’s no emergency demanding the Fed cut rates aggressively next month, or any time later in the year.

Persons: Jerome Powell, pare, Price, Powell, “ They’re, ” Tani Fukui, they’re, Raphael Bostic, ” Powell, Ryan Sweet, Sweet, That’s Organizations: Washington CNN, Labor Department, Kansas City Fed, Fed, Traders, MetLife Investment Management, CNN, Atlanta Fed, Citi, Oxford Economics Locations: Unemployment, Jackson Hole , Wyoming

☆ Chinese companies are already investing in the U.S., ahead of any Trump tariffs
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-18 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Rising U.S.-China tensions have sent Chinese companies the signal that regardless of who wins the White House, overseas investment is the way to go. Chinese companies' interest in expanding overseas has accelerated since the pandemic as growth slowed domestically. "Top sectors that received Chinese investment have shifted from tertiary to manufacturing industries," the report said. "Interestingly, while Chinese companies have become more active in expanding business in ASEAN countries, they tend to maintain their presence in the West, suggesting the 'ASEAN+1' strategy may have increased." Even in the U.S, where new investment from China has fallen sharply, the report said that "Chinese companies have not materially withdrawn from the US market either."

Persons: Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, Trump, Marko Papic, Yotrio, Hanbell, Harris, it's, Tim Walz, —, Michael Bloom Organizations: House, Republican, BCA Research, NBC, BCA, U.S ., U.S, Vital, Shandong Yuma Sunshade, ., Xinquan America Holdings, Industrial, Trump, Democratic National Convention, NBC News . Studies of, Chamber of Commerce, Electric, European Union, China Council, Promotion of International Trade, Oxford Economics, ASEAN Locations: U.S, China, Beijing, America, Japan, U.S . Shenzhen, Austin , Texas, Shandong Yuma, Yuma Texas, Shanghai, Singapore, Texas, Chino , California, Georgia, Taiwan, Shenzhen, Hong, Europe, Southeast Asia, ASEAN

☆ UK, U.S. inflation prints in focus as European markets head for higher open
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-14 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

LONDON — European stocks are expected to open higher Wednesday as investors in the region await key inflation prints from the U.S. and U.K. U.K. inflation data out on Wednesday will be the first print since the Bank of England cut interest rates by 25 basis points last month. After two months at 2%, economists polled by Reuters expect the headline inflation rate to tick higher, to 2.3%. Money markets are currently pricing in a high probability of more interest rate cuts by the BoE, amounting to 50 basis points this year. The central bank's key rate currently sits at 5%.

Persons: Germany's DAX, BoE Organizations: New Oxford, LONDON, CAC, IG, Bank of England, Reuters Locations: London, U.S

☆ FDA rejection of MDMA-assisted therapy rattles advocates but doesn’t spell end of psychedelics in medicine, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( Deidre Mcphillips | Carma Hassan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

The initial application from Lykos presented positive data from two late-stage clinical trials that used MDMA in combination with talk therapy to treat PTSD. The advisers said it was also difficult to parse how much the accompanying talk therapy — an area that the FDA does not regulate — contributed to outcomes. Advocates for the treatment, including some veterans groups, said they were “incredibly disappointed” by the FDA decision. Dozens of clinical trials involving psychedelics are in various stages, and additional scrutiny can help strengthen the findings and build confidence. Psychopharmacology did not allow the study authors to publish a correction with data that excluded findings from one study site, said Allison Feduccia, an author in all three retracted studies.

Persons: Lykos, —, ” Martin Steele, Brett Waters, ”, Rachel Yehuda, “, ‘, Michael Bogenschutz, Yehuda, It’s, Lori Bruce, Psychopharmacology, caressed, “ it’s, Amy Emerson, ” Lykos, Allison Feduccia, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, Brian Barnett, ” Bruce, Nadia Kounang Organizations: CNN, Food and Drug Administration, Lykos Therapeutics, FDA, Veteran Mental Health Leadership Coalition, Hope, Center, Psychedelic Psychotherapy, Mount, Icahn, of Medicine, NYU Langone Center, Psychedelic Medicine, Oxford, NUS, Neuroethics, Interdisciplinary Center, Bioethics, Yale University, ”, Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, Health Canada, Institutional, Board, CNN Health, Cleveland Clinic Locations: Canada, “

☆ Australia's second-quarter wages rise at slowest pace in a year
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Australian wages rose at their slowest pace in a year in the June quarter, falling short of expectations, while softer gains in the private sector suggest the labor market was easing. "The RBA will be somewhat relieved to see wage pressures subsiding," said Sean Langcake, head of macroeconomic forecasting for Oxford Economics Australia. "However, absent an improvement in productivity growth, the current pace of wage growth is still a little too strong for inflation to return to target quickly." The overall increase in annual wages was still just enough to take it above inflation of 3.6%, a welcome return to real pay growth after years of negative outcomes. Incomes will get an added boost from a major round of tax cuts that started in July.

Persons: Sean Langcake Organizations: Australian Bureau, Statistics, Oxford Economics Australia, Reserve Bank of Australia

☆ Opinion | Nate Silver on How Kamala Harris Changed the Odds
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( Ezra Klein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +81 min

You know, Hillary Clinton, who was, I think, kind of a terrible candidate, won the popular vote by two points. So I don’t think they gave her a very good hand to play. It doesn’t matter who you are, it matters that you’re right and you’re able to prove it or bet on it in some way. What wasn’t in the Harris model that should have been?” “Yeah, maybe you really can meme your way to victory. And there’s something in it that I don’t think she can explain how she does it, but it makes her a fascinating leader.

Persons: Nate Silver, ”, ESPN’s Nate Silver, Silver, He’s, “ Savage, ” “, he’s, Ezra, Harris, we’ve, Kamala Harris, Donald Trump’s, There’s, Hillary Clinton, she’s, She’s, Gavin Newsom, It’s, Biden, I’m, you’re, Joe Biden, Democratic Party Harris, Liz, —, “, Donald Trump, that’s, George W, Bush, Donald Trump wasn’t, it’s, Michael Jackson, Woody Allen, ’, Chick, don’t, George Floyd, ‘ COVID, COVID, Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, Michael Moritz, Elon, Mark Cuban, Thiel, Max Chafkin, Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Marc Andreessen, Ted Cruz, Sam Bankman, Tom Brady, SBF, Carrick Flynn, Oregon’s, I’m Carrick Flynn, Tara MacAulay, vouched, Bill Clinton, Tyler Cowen, they’ve, Jane, JD Vance, Peter Thiel’s, Vance, Trump, Steve Bannon, Don Trump, Jr, Tucker Carlson, Tim Walz, Josh Shapiro, Tell, you’ve, Shapiro, Walz, I’ve, Iglesias, Obama, Susan Collins, Joe Manchin —, Jon Tester, ” “ Sherrod Brown, I’d, Dana White, Hulk Hogan, Joe Biden’s, — let’s, Mike Donilon, Kennedy, ” “ Tim Alberta, Georgia —, Brian Kemp, Blake Masters, Rick Scott, ” “ Trump, Doug Burgum, Black, didn’t, — Woodrow Wilson, Harry Truman, Michael Jordan, everyone’s, Nancy Pelosi’s, Nancy Pelosi, Joe ’, we’re, I’ll, John Coates, Richard Rhodes, Natasha Schüll, Natasha Organizations: Oracle, Trump, Democratic Party, Facebook, Twitter, The New York Times, ’ Harvard University, Democratic White House, Republican White House, Democratic, Silver, George, Vegas, Poker, extroversion, Elon, Sequoia Capital, McLaren, Paypal, Republican, New, PAC, Alameda, Las, Ohio Senate, underperform, White, UFC, RNC, Biden, Biden ., National Association of Black Journalists, Deutsche Bank, Manhattan Project, Design Locations: Nate, Russian, Russia, ’, Elon, Florida, predestiny, Bahamas, Sam, Africa, New York, Oregon, Las Vegas, Petersburg, United States, Ohio, Trump, Minnesota, ” “ Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Gaza, Chicago, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, Georgia, Nevada , Arizona, Biden . Georgia, Carolina, Arizona, Ukraine, LA, It’s, Vegas

☆ Forget free cash, there's an even more American way to help people get ahead
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-10 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Read previewGuaranteed basic income is all the rage right now. Countries including India, Argentina, and Austria have tested out small-scale guaranteed job programs. Cleveland's jobs guaranteeFor Cotten, ensuring jobs for any American who needs one is a no-brainer. While many cities are testing out basic income programs, they haven't been universal and instead targeted specific groups in need like artists, new parents, low-income families, or people experiencing homelessness. Republican lawmakers have introduced bills to ban basic income programs in their states, with some arguing that handing out checks with no strings attached would disincentivize work and raise taxes.

Persons: —, that's, what's, Tcherneva, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Ayanna Pressley, Devin Cotten, Cotten, Franklin Delano Roosevelt's, Sanders, Pressley, Andrew Yang —, Gerald Connolly, UBE, Lukas Lehner, Lehner, Maximilian Kasy, they're, Kasy Organizations: Service, Business, Bard College, American, Democrats, Republicans, Washington Post, Social Security, Universal, University of Oxford, European Commission, European Union Locations: Denver, Baltimore, India, Argentina, Austria, Cleveland, Virginia, Austrian, Marienthal, South Africa, United States, France

☆ Razor-thin solar panels could be ‘ink-jetted’ onto your backpack or phone for cheap clean energy
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-09 | by ( Kara Fox | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Today’s solar panels that use silicon cells, by comparison, typically covert up to 22% of sunlight into power. Another important factor fueling solar’s rise is its growing efficiency in converting the sun’s energy. But Wang noted that the research group is not advocating for the end of solar farms. “I wouldn’t say we want to eliminate solar farms because obviously we need lots of areas or surfaces to generate sufficient amount of solar energy,” he told CNN. Some coatings in lab settings have dissolved or broken down over short periods of time, so are regarded as less durable than today’s solar panels.

Persons: aren’t, Junke Wang, Martin Small, Wood Mackenzie, Wang, ”, Henry Snaith, Snaith Organizations: CNN, Oxford, Oxford University's Physics, Oxford University Physics Locations: Germany

☆ The AI world's most valuable resource is running out, and it's scrambling to find an alternative: 'fake' data
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-09 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | Hugh Langley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has argued that AI models should eventually produce synthetic data good enough to train themselves effectively. As the well of usable human-generated data dries up, more companies look into using synthetic data. Rather than being pulled from the real world, synthetic data is generated by AI systems that have been trained on real-world data. Synthetic data may help offer some effective "countertuning" to the biases produced by real-world data, too. 'Habsburg AI'While the AI industry found some advantages in synthetic data, it faces serious issues it can't afford to ignore, such as fears synthetic data can wreck AI models.

Persons: —, that's, Sam Altman, Gary Marcus, It's, Nathan Lambert, Gretel, SynthLabs, Meta, Timnit Gebru, Margaret Mitchell, LLMs, Sadowski, Alexandr Wang, AlphaGeometry, Marcus Organizations: Service, Google, Business, Oxford, Gartner, New York University, Allen Institute, AI, Nvidia, Meta's, Anadolu, Getty, Rush, Microsoft, Monash University Locations: Cambridge, Habsburg

☆ When my family moved from the US to the UK, I enrolled my kids in an IB program. They're now better prepared for college.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-08 | by ( Fabriene Prudencio | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

However, when we relocated to the UK, as an educator myself, I knew that I wanted an International Baccalaureate (IB) education for all of my children moving forward. Our twins, both now 18, have just completed their final year of the IB program and will attend university. In those middle years at school, children are supposed to be focussing on learning and developing key skills. The IB has prepared my children better for universityWhile my older twins have found the IB challenging, the program has also nurtured their passion for learning, encouraging their intellectual curiosity. This is because an IB school gets students involved in group projects, independent research, and advanced writing assignments throughout their education.

Persons: —, Egham Organizations: Service, Business, IB, Egham, Oxford Locations: Miami, Cambridge

☆ Perfumes, Candles, Toothpaste — Vanilla Is in Everything. And It’s Under Threat. - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-04 | by ( Aimee Nezhukumatathil | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Once you notice vanilla, you’ll smell it everywhere. From custard to candles, we live in a world suffused with vanilla. Extracted from the bean pod of a delicate orchid, vanilla must be grown under exceptionally precise conditions along a very narrow band of the earth, between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. In 2017, a Category 4-equivalent cyclone decimated an estimated 30 percent of the vanilla vines in Madagascar, which produces 80 percent of the vanilla used around the globe. As a result, the price of vanilla bean pods surged to nearly $300 a pound.

Organizations: University of Oxford, Karolinska Institute, Cancer Locations: Sweden, Madagascar, Mexico, Tahiti

☆ There are cracks forming in the US jobs market
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —The pandemic threw the US job market into chaos, but four years later, things finally seem to be back to normal. Most indicators support the idea that the labor market is no longer overheated and could easily maintain a new normal of steady, but slower growth. The unemployment rate is expected to hold steady at 4.1%, according to FactSet consensus estimates. “This is a labor market that’s otherwise moderated,” Nick Bunker, director of North American economic research at Indeed, told CNN. The same goes for the prime-age labor force participation rate, which at 83.7% also is the highest in 23 years.

Persons: hasn’t, Jerome Powell, Nick Bunker, Powell, Nancy Vanden Houten, ’, “, ”, —, Madhavi Bokil, Indeed’s Bunker, Bunker, ” Elise Gould, ” Bunker, “ It’s, Julia Pollak, ” Pollak, can’t Organizations: CNN, Federal, of Labor, Challenger, Economic Policy Institute, ” Locations: Oxford

☆ How antidepressants can make people more vulnerable to heat
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —When Adelaide Saywell posted on TikTok last month that SSRIs, a commonly prescribed antidepressant medication, could make people more vulnerable to heat, it went viral and sparked a deluge of comments. Adelaide Saywell received a flood of surprised comments when she posted about the link between SSRIs and heat intolerance. Dehydration puts people at risk of heat exhaustion and, in particularly severe cases, heat stroke, which is dangerous and potentially deadly. Sondeep Shankar/Bloomberg/Getty ImagesScientists and doctors are still trying to unpick the complex relationship between SSRIs and heat. It is partly the reason why medical professionals don’t always talk about heat when they prescribe these anti-depressants.

Persons: Adelaide Saywell, “, ”, ” Saywell, Laurence Wainwright, Pope Moseley, Moseley, Sondeep Shankar, Wainwright, don’t, ” Wainwright, Reddit, won’t, Saywell, Judith Joseph, Joseph, ” Joseph, “ It’s Organizations: CNN, University of Oxford, Arizona State University, Bloomberg, Getty

☆ Fed Chair Powell just said the labor market is getting vulnerable. Friday’s jobs report could prove why
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-01 | by ( Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —The pandemic threw the US job market into chaos, but four years later, things finally seem to be back to normal. Most indicators support the idea that the labor market is no longer overheated and could easily maintain a new normal of steady, but slower growth. “This is a labor market that’s otherwise moderated,” Nick Bunker, director of North American economic research at Indeed, told CNN. Labor force participation/employment to population ratio: These metrics are key reasons why Bunker and others believe the labor market remains in good shape. The same goes for the prime-age labor force participation rate, which at 83.7% also is the highest in 23 years.

Persons: hasn’t, Jerome Powell, Nick Bunker, Powell, Nancy Vanden Houten, ’, “, ”, —, Madhavi Bokil, Indeed’s Bunker, Bunker, ” Elise Gould, ” Bunker, “ It’s, Julia Pollak, ” Pollak, can’t Organizations: CNN, Federal, of Labor, Challenger, Labor, Economic Policy Institute, ” Locations: Oxford

☆ Tackle these 14 factors to lower dementia risk, report suggests
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-31 | by ( Kristen Rogers | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

But addressing 14 risk factors over the course of one’s life — starting in childhood — could prevent or delay nearly half of cases, according to a large report by 27 dementia experts. “The progress in preventing and treating dementia is accelerating.”The initial 12 risk factors were linked with 40% of cases, but the new report suggests addressing the 14 risk factors could help eliminate or delay 45% of dementia cases, said Livingston, a professor of psychiatry of older people at University College London. This “critical” update calls attention to two risk factors that preventive neurologist Dr. Richard Issacson says his clinical practice has been evaluating for over a decade. Influencing brain functionThe report doesn’t establish with certainly that these risk factors directly cause dementia, experts said. But other research has provided theories on the link between these vulnerabilities and dementia risk.

Persons: CNN —, ”, Dr, Gill Livingston, Livingston, Richard Issacson, Isaacson, wasn’t, It’s, Klaus Ebmeier, Ebmeier wasn’t, ” Livingston, Glen R, Finney, Alzheimer’s, Susan Kohlhaas, Kohlhaas, …, ” Finney Organizations: CNN, Lancet, University College London, University of Oxford, American Academy of Neurology, Alzheimer’s Research Locations: midlife, Florida, Wilkes Barre , Pennsylvania, €

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