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☆ Barry Humphries, creator of Dame Edna, dies at 89
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Byron Kaye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

April 22 (Reuters) - Barry Humphries, the comedian best known for his character Dame Edna Everage who blossomed from an Australian suburban housewife into a self-described gigastar, died on Saturday. The Sydney Morning Herald said Humphries died at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney, where he had been treated for various health issues. It was the character of Dame Edna who made Humphries famous. "Edna has this way of doing things, it seems to take the curse off it," Humphries told Reuters in 1998. That changed in 2000, when he was 66, and his "Dame Edna: The Royal Tour" on Broadway earned him a Tony award and role in the sitcom "Ally McBeal".

☆ Barry Humphries, Australian comedian best known for alter-ego Dame Edna Everage, dies
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The Australian comedian Barry Humphries, best known for his drag character Dame Edna Everage, has died aged 89. Born in Melbourne, Australia in 1934, Humphries created the character of housewife Edna Everage in 1955 as a social satire. Before Edna made it big, Humphries appeared in numerous West End productions including “Oliver” and “Maggie Way” in the 1960s. Throughout the 1970s, 80s and 90s, Humphries landed a series of TV talk shows, specials and films, as Dame Edna and his other alter-egos Les Patterson and Sandy Stone, among them The Dame Edna Experience in 1987. As well as performing on television, Humphries was a prolific author Marianna Massey/WireImage/Getty ImagesIn 2000, Humphries won a Special Tony Award for his Broadway show “Dame Edna, The Royal Tour”, officially breaking into the US market.

☆ Clarence Thomas' billionaire benefactor Harlan Crow has also spent thousands boosting Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and an anti-Trump super PAC
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

They include Marco Rubio's 2016 presidential campaign, major Senate campaigns, and an anti-Trump PAC. The Texas billionaire also gave $50,000 in 2015 to "Right to Rise," a super PAC associated with Jeb Bush. Senate super PAC spendingIn addition to being a major super PAC spender at the presidential level, Crow has given thousands to outside spending groups supporting the party's Senate candidates over the years. He also gave $50,000 to "Show Me Values PAC," a super PAC set up to prevent the scandal-plagued former Gov. And in 2016, he gave $55,000 to "Let America Work," a super PAC boosting Sen. Ron Johnson against former Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold.

☆ Cash-strapped Chinese cities are cutting medical benefits for seniors
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Censors removed hashtags for “Wuhan health insurance” from Weibo’s hot topics section after the demonstrations began in January. State media reported at the time that some other regions had already spent public money on mass testing. CFOTO/Future Publishing/Getty ImagesCovering the shortfallChina’s health insurance scheme is a key part of its limited social safety net. To protesters, however, it looked like local governments were dipping into their individual accounts to cover the shortfalls of the collective pool. “There has to be some resolution of the financial capacity of local governments to meet current, and prospective, age-related costs,” Magnus said.

☆ March Madness shows how NIL money and the transfer portal are starting to reshape the balance of power in college sports
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Ashley Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Nearly two years into NIL, its impact on college sports is starting to show during March Madness. Most of the teams the Final Four — in both men's and women's basketball — have strong NIL backings. Changes to NIL and the transfer portal have created a "perfect storm that's allowed some schools to bank talent," one expert said. LSU's Angel Reese has the most NIL deals of any college baller, Just Women's Sports reported based on data from SponsorUnited, which tracks NIL deals. "The transfer portal and NIL happening at same time, to me, that's the perfect storm that's allowed some schools to bank talent," Dosh said.

☆ Rolling EU debt would boost investment and markets
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Rebecca Christie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

From 2009 to 2019, the EU sold just 78 billion euros’ worth of debt into global capital markets. As of January 2023, outstanding issuance stood at 344 billion euros, including more than 275 billion euros sold since 2020. EU debt is in the hands of more than 1,000 investors from more than 70 different countries, according to the bloc’s investor relations team. Contrary to what proponents of Teutonic austerity claim, more EU debt would be safer EU debt. EU debt is rated AAA by Moody’s, Fitch, Scope and DBRS.

☆ Don't think you have enough money to invest in real estate? Here's how 4 investors got started with less than $10,000 upfront.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( Kathleen Elkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

They used strategies like buying with an FHA loan and partnering with someone to split the costs. Wanot isn't the only successful property investor Insider has spoken with who got started without much cash. Dominic Kosteris bought a modest starter home even though he could have afforded moreReal estate investor Dominic Kosteris and his family. Sean Allen bought out-of-state in a more affordable market and invested with a friendLos Angeles-based real estate investor Sean Allen and his fiancé. Becoming a property investor all started with a conversation with his friend back in 2013.

☆ Streaming services are spending bank on big-budget movies. That's not buying Oscar nods.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Streaming services came up short at this year's Oscar nominations, announced on Tuesday. This year, it only has 15 — nine of which were for its one best-picture contender, "All Quiet on the Western Front." But the nominations also reflect the shifting streaming priorities for media and tech companies coming out of the pandemic. Only one of those four movies got an Oscar nomination — an adapted screenplay nod for "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery." Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone in "Killers of the Flower Moon," an Oscar contender for next year.

My $40,000 salary was barely enough to get by, but when I got a $5,000 bonus, I suddenly felt rich. Even living in Birmingham, Alabama, I quickly realized how little my $40,000 a year paycheck actually was. When bonus time rolled around, usually toward the end of summer and right before the winter holidays, it felt like I'd won the lottery. All of which is to say, it was a big expense — one that a $5,000 bonus could have knocked out with money to spare. My bonus wasn't really a bonus, but a necessityI realized the company was using bonuses to pay us a living wage, when that's not what a bonus is supposed to be.

☆ Millennials are living with their parents at higher rates than past generations, and they're not ashamed
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Zoe Rosenberg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Since 2020 adults aged 25 to 34 are living at home at higher rates than past generations, said the Census Bureau. According to the US Census Bureau, about 18% of men and 12% of women ages 25 to 34 were living with their parents in 2022. Barwig estimates she's saving about $30,000 a year. "I don't really spend a lot of money," she said. She's been able to maintain the job as a mostly remote employee at the Jersey Shore, where her parents live.

Now that I do, I've found I think differently about spending money, today and in the future. I'm determined not to spend over $100 because it would mean dipping into the money I've set aside for emergencies, vacations, my husband's birthday dinner, and so on. You're making our financial decisions without understanding how much money we need, and I'm making our spending decisions without understanding how much money we have." Upper-middle-class people don't need to be thrifty with their kids' back-to-school shopping." I don't need a $40 basket tote for the beach if we can't afford to take a vacation to the beach this year.

☆ India's 5G smartphone shipments to cross 4G shipments in 2023 - Counterpoint
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BENGALURU, Dec 29 (Reuters) - India's 5G smartphone shipments will exceed that of 4G shipments by the end of next year, driven by the mass adoption of the high-speed network and the rise in sale of handsets in the lower-price bands, market research firm Counterpoint said on Thursday. Although India's overall smartphone shipments are estimated to see a yearly decline this year due to component supply issues and macroeconomic factors, 5G will continue to push smartphone demand in 2023 as well, Counterpoint added. 5G handset share in the lower-price band (less than 20,000 rupees or $241.55) is expected to surge to 30% in 2023 from 4% last year, Counterpoint said. India's telecom leader Reliance (RELI.NS) is working with Alphabet Inc's (GOOGL.O) Google to launch a budget 5G smartphone after it emerged as the biggest spender in India's $19 billion 5G spectrum auction in August. Cumulative 5G smartphone shipments will cross the 100-million mark in the second quarter of 2023 and surpass 4G smartphone shipments by the end of next year, according to Counterpoint.

In Mississippi, Republican Gov. Andy Beshear flipped the governor’s mansion in 2019, leaving Republicans eyeing his seat as one to flip back into their column. Bel Edwards spent just under $13 million, while two outside super PACs, one Democratic and one Republican, spent a combined $18 million. In 2019, Beshear beat then-Gov. Mississippi governor’s raceIn Mississippi’s governor’s race, GOP Gov.

☆ Japan to hike annual defence budget by a quarter to buy Tomahawks and other weapons
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Tim Kelly | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Issei Kato/Pool/File PhotoTOKYO, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Japan on Friday said it will hike defence spending by more than a quarter next year including $1.6 billion to buy U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missiles that will be part of its biggest military build-up since World War Two. The budget, which lawmakers will approve before April, allocates 897 billion yen for weapons development, more than in the previous four years combined. Tokyo plans to begin deploying those new weapons in around three years, a Ministry of Defence official said at a briefing. Japan, which relinquished its right to wage war after its defeat in World War Two, plans to double defence outlays to 2% of gross domestic product within five years. To reinforce its air fighting capability, it also plans to buy 16 Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) F-35 stealth fighters for 250 billion yen.

☆ Russia condemns "militarization" of Japan under Kishida defence plan
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 22 (Reuters) - Russia accused Japan on Thursday of abandoning decades of pacifist policy and embracing "unbridled militarization", responding to a $320-billion defence plan announced by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida last week. Kishida's plan will double defence outlays to about 2% of gross domestic product over five years and make Japan the world's third-biggest military spender after the United States and China. It reflects Japan's concern that Russia's invasion of Ukraine sets a precedent that will encourage China to attack Taiwan. Russia said such a move will "inevitably provoke new security challenges and will lead to increased tension in the Asia-Pacific region". They have plummeted further since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, prompting Japan to join its Group of Seven (G7) partners in imposing sanctions on Moscow.

☆ North Korea slams Japan's new security strategy, warns of military measures
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, Dec 20 (Reuters) - North Korea on Tuesday denounced Japan's new security strategy as fundamentally changing the regional security environment and warned it will show how "wrong" and "dangerous" Japan's choice is with unspecified actions, official news agency KCNA reported. "Japan is bringing a serious security crisis on the Korean Peninsula and in the East Asia region by adopting a new security strategy that effectively acknowledges its pre-emptive strike capabilities against other countries," the official said in the statement. The security environment in the region has "fundamentally changed" due to Japan's new policy, the official said, denouncing the move as a violation of the U.N. Charter and a "serious challenge" to international peace. "We make it clear once again that we have the right to take bold and decisive military measures to protect our fundamental rights ... in response to the complicated regional security environment," the official said. Reporting by Soo-hyang Choi; Editing by Tom Hogue and Kenneth MaxwellOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Majority of Japanese oppose raising taxes to fund military expansion -Kyodo
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

David Mareuil/Pool via REUTERSTOKYO, Dec 18 (Reuters) - The majority of Japanese people do not support raising taxes to fund military expansion, Kyodo reported on Sunday, citing a survey the news agency conducted after the government announced Japan's biggest military build-up since World War Two. He said Japan was at a "turning point in history" and that military expansion through cost-cutting and tax hikes was "my answer to the various security challenges that we face". Almost 65% of respondents in Kyodo's survey opposed raising taxes for military spending, while 87% said Kishida's explanation of the need to raise tax was insufficient. The survey also showed support for Kishida's administration was unchanged from a month earlier at 33.1%, the worst since it was launched in October last year. The government's five-year tax plan, once unthinkable in pacifist Japan, would make the country the world's third-biggest military spender after the United States and China, based on current budgets.

Meeting Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Chairman Mitsuo Ohashi in Taipei on Friday, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said she expected greater defence cooperation with Japan. "Japan is making a late start, it is like we are 200 metres behind in a 400-metre sprint," he added. China defence spending overtook Japan's at the turn of the century, and now has a military budget more than four times larger. Japan says it wants ship-launched U.S. Tomahawk cruise missiles made by Raytheon Technologies (RTX.N) to be part of its new deterrent force. To pay for the military build-up, Kishida's ruling bloc earlier on Friday said it will raise tobacco, corporate and disaster-reconstruction income taxes.

Big-spending American Airlines credit card holders could do very well with upcoming changes to the AAdvantage frequent flyer program. American Airlines credit card holders will be able to earn Choice Rewards without flying. Let's take a look at the most notable changes and see why the biggest beneficiaries are those who do a lot of spending on American Airlines credit cards. American Airlines credit cards earn Loyalty Points at varying rates, with some even offering large bonuses after meeting annual spending thresholds. Importantly, you can now reap all the benefits of every tier of elite status simply by swiping your American Airlines credit card — if you've got the ability to spend a lot.

☆ Here's our November rapid-fire update on all 33 stocks in Cramer's Charitable trust portfolio
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Kevin Stankiewicz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Here's a rapid-fire update on every stock in the CNBC Investing Club portfolio. Estee Lauder (EL) — New Club members who want to start a position in the cosmetics giant could do so at these levels. We'd advise Club members do so the same, even if we still like the company's defensive nature. (See here for a full list of the stocks in Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust.) Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio.

☆ A 33-year-old who house-hacked his way into free rent and 3 cash-flowing units within 3 years explains how he started investing in real estate
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Laila Maidan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

He purchased a duplex so he can live in one unit and rent out the other one. After an appraisal, Lacy told Insider he closed on the property in June 2019 at $230,000 with the $5,000 closing cost paid by the seller. He could live in the smaller unit and rent out the bigger one for higher rent. So in September of 2019, he started studying for his real estate license and received it in January 2020. Lacy told Insider that after about $25,000 worth of renovations to upgrade the flooring, kitchen, and some appliances, he was able to increase the rent to $1,750.

☆ I quit my tech job in Seattle because I was miserable — here's how I moved to Los Angeles and started over as a freelancer and content creator
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Dayana Sabatin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Dayana Sabatin was working in tech in Seattle and feeling miserable with her career. She decided to make a major life change — so she moved to Los Angeles without a clear plan. So I made a plan and left my life in Seattle behind to move there. Since then, I've made a life for myself in LA — I'm a writer, blogger and YouTuber — but getting here was a journey. My family felt blindsided by the news that I was moving.

☆ HBO is No. 1 as 14 TV insiders rank the streamers where they want to sell shows: Apple's a big spender and 'there's a sheen when you're a Hulu show,' but there's 'fear in the air' at Netflix
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Elaine Low | Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +19 min

"It's definitely been not the most exciting and robust year," said one TV agent at a major agency. Around 70 people at HBO and HBO Max have been let go this year, and their comedy development teams have merged. While WBD doesn't break out streamer-specific figures, it said on Thursday's earnings call that HBO Max, HBO, and Discovery+ have a combined 94.9 million subscribers, ensuring that any show on HBO Max has the chance to get a lot of eyeballs. They'll also take smaller swings in the genre department, do things at a lower budget," said the second TV agent. Echoed the first TV agent: "You pitch and sell to them if no one else wants it."

☆ Mehmet Oz and 15 other candidates together spent over $223 million of their own money — and lost their 2022 midterm races anyway
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Mehmet Oz spent nearly $27 million on his failed US Senate run. According to an Insider review of federal and state campaign spending, 16 out of the 22 top-spending candidates in the midterm elections lost their races. Combined, the 16 also-rans spent over $223 million of their own money — just over half of the nearly $443 the top self-funding candidates spent this cycle. They are Rep. David Trone of Maryland (roughly $12.6 million); Gov. Read Insider's entire list of the 22 largest self-funders in the 2022 midterm elections.

When you purchase a Delta flight with your Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card, you will receive complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge or Escape Lounge - The Centurion® Studio Partner. American Express issues seven co-branded Delta credit cards, and the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card is the most premium small-business version. Delta Reserve Business benefits and featuresAs a premium card, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card offers a wide range of benefits that can help offset its substantial annual fee. Delta Sky Club airport lounge accessThe Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card's most compelling benefit is Delta Sky Club airport lounge access. So if you have or had other Delta cards, like the personal Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card or another Delta business card like the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card, you're still eligible to apply and earn the bonus from the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card.

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