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You can use a Hilton free night certificate at just about any Hilton hotel, including the stunning Waldorf Astoria Grand Wailea Resort in Maui. Hilton HotelsYou can earn Hilton free night certificates with select Amex Hilton credit cards. Hilton free night reward certificates are valid at almost any Hilton hotel, including luxury Conrad and Waldorf Astoria properties. Best Hilton hotels for using a free night certificateYou'll usually get the most value from your Hilton free night certificate by redeeming it at expensive properties or luxury beach resorts. How to use Hilton free night certificatesWhen you've earned a Hilton free night certificate, you'll receive an email from Hilton Honors letting you know your award is in your Hilton account.

☆ 3 Hilton credit cards are offering whopper welcome bonuses of up to 150,000 points plus a free night at nearly any Hilton hotel (even the fanciest resorts)
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Joseph Hostetler | Jasmin Baron | Sarah Silbert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +31 min

The Hilton Honors American Express Card, Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card , and The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card are offering a higher number of points than usual, plus a Hilton free night award certificate valid at just about any Hilton hotel (worth as much as 150,000 points). Earn 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio. Those bonus points worth $650 in travel, based on Insider's valuation of Hilton points as worth 0.5 cents each. Details Rewards Earn 12x Hilton Honors Points at Hilton per dollar for purchases made directly with hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio. The best Hilton card for you depends on your spending habits and how often you stay with Hilton.

WASHINGTON, May 8 (Reuters) - The Republican chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee threatened Secretary of State Antony Blinken with contempt of Congress if he does not comply with a subpoena seeking a classified cable related to the August 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. The "dissent channel" allows State Department officials to communicate directly with senior officials. A Wall Street Journal article in August 2021 said the cable warned top officials of the potential collapse of Kabul soon after the withdrawal of U.S. troops. The State Department has said some information can only be shared with senior officials to protect the identity of those expressing dissent. Asked for comment about McCaul's letter, a spokesperson said the department would provide Congress information needed to do its job while protecting the ability of State Department employees to do theirs.

☆ Dogs (and Cats) on a Plane
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Christine Chung | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Last Friday evening, as drizzle fell on the tarmac, 10 passengers boarded a Gulfstream G4 headed from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey to Farnborough Airport, just southwest of London. They didn’t seem to notice the plush leather seats or the treats nestled in champagne flutes in the armrests. The passenger manifest included nine dogs, mostly on the larger side, and one sphinx cat, as well as 10 humans. All had one thing in common: an aversion to putting their pets in the cargo hold. Pet owners seeking to transport their pets on commercial flights must navigate a patchwork of rules that vary by airline.

MarriottThe Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card has increased its welcome bonus to 125,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy Points after spending $5,000 in purchases within the first three months of card membership (offer ends 5/3/23). With an annual fee of $125, the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card is a little pricier than similar hotel credit cards. 6x Marriott Bonvoy Points on each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. But even without the elevated welcome bonus offer, the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex is well worth the annual fee.

☆ Taliban Said to Kill Islamic State Militant Behind Attack That Killed 13 Americans
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Gordon Lubold | William Mauldin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

An image from a video shows U.S. Marines near Abbey Gate at Kabul’s airport following a suicide attack in 2021. Photo: Department of Defense/Associated PressWASHINGTON—Taliban fighters in Afghanistan recently killed an Islamic State militant who U.S. officials believe was responsible for the August 2021 suicide attack at the Kabul airport that killed 13 U.S. service members. The attack at the airport’s Abbey Gate, during the chaotic withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan that summer, also killed at least 170 Afghans and injured 40 other U.S. troops, according to U.S. officials.

☆ FBI working with U.S. companies to collect war crime evidence in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Zeba Siddiqui | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SAN FRANCISCO, April 25 (Reuters) - Ukraine is working with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and American companies to collect evidence of war crimes by Russians, such as geolocation and cellphone information, senior officials said on Tuesday. "Collection of that data, analysis of that data, working through that data is something the FBI has experience working through," Kobzanets said at the RSA cybersecurity conference in San Francisco. "The next step is working with national U.S. service providers, and transferring that information...obtaining subscriber information, obtaining geolocation information, where possible," Kobzanets added. "It’s very important for us to get as much information about Russian cybercriminals...because we collect all this information and put it into our criminal cases." “We do believe that this case about cyber war crimes is something new,” he added.

☆ Apple's new financial product reinforces its ecosystem
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Kevin Stankiewicz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Apple 's (AAPL) latest banking offering — a savings account with a 4.15% annual percentage yield — bolsters the Club's own-it, don't-trade-it mantra. Apple's high-yield savings account is available Monday for users of its Goldman Sachs (GS)-backed credit card. The savings account is unlikely to have a material impact on Apple's profit-and-loss statement — but that's not its fundamental purpose. Like Apple's other financial services — including Apple Pay — the savings account is largely about boosting the long-term attractiveness of owning an iPhone, the crown jewel of its hardware lineup. As a result, investors are willing to pay up for services revenue, which in practice translates into a higher price-to-earnings multiple (P/E) on Apple's stock.

The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® Credit Card is still available as an upgrade from the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card or Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card . You can find Priority Pass lounges and restaurants by searching for your airport on the Priority Pass website or through the Priority Pass app. Priority Pass LoungesTypically, airport lounges in the Priority Pass network are off-limits to the general public unless you have access through a membership, airline ticket, elite status, or via a paid day pass. Priority Pass Restaurants, Cafés, Spas, and MoreIn addition to airport lounges, the Priority Pass network includes restaurants and cafés at airports like Houston (IAH) and San Francisco (SFO). Credit Cards With Priority Pass Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)Is Priority Pass membership automatic when you open an eligible credit card?

A different report containing classified material will be shared with members of Congress, which comes in response to requests from congressional committees, the White House said. "President Biden's choices for how to execute a withdrawal from Afghanistan were severely constrained by conditions created by his predecessor," the report said. But the Trump administration "provided no plans for how to conduct the final withdrawal or to evacuate Americans and Afghan allies," the White House said. "No agency predicted a Taliban takeover in nine days," Kirby told reporters at the White House press briefing. Many critics of the withdrawal — including lawmakers from both parties — faulted the Biden administration for how it handled the pullout.

S&P 500's busiest tradesThe S&P 500 declined 0.25% to end the session at 4,090.38 points. Reuters Graphics Reuters GraphicsOf the 11 S&P 500 sector indexes, seven declined, led lower by consumer discretionary (.SPLRCD), down 2.04%, followed by a 1.3% loss in industrials (.SPLRCI). Analysts on average expect aggregate S&P 500 company earnings for the first quarter to have fallen 5% year-over-year, according to Refinitiv I/B/E/S. Declining stocks outnumbered rising ones within the S&P 500 (.AD.SPX) by a 1.2-to-one ratio. The S&P 500 posted 11 new highs and two new lows; the Nasdaq recorded 39 new highs and 269 new lows.

Driving the recession fears, the ADP National Employment report showed U.S. private employers hired far fewer workers than expected in March. S&P 500's busiest tradesThe S&P 500 was down 0.52% at 4,079.37 points. Of the 11 S&P 500 sector indexes, six declined, led lower by consumer discretionary (.SPLRCD), down 1.93%, followed by a 1.65% loss in information technology (.SPLRCT). Declining stocks outnumbered rising ones within the S&P 500 (.AD.SPX) by a 1.5-to-one ratio. The S&P 500 posted eight new highs and two new lows; the Nasdaq recorded 25 new highs and 218 new lows.

Earlier this week data showed falling factory orders and soft manufacturing activity. Traders' bets of a pause by the Fed in May stood at 60.5%, while odds of a 25-basis point interest rate hike was at 39.5%, according to CME Group's Fedwatch tool. Defensive stocks such as consumer staples (.SPLRCS) were in the green among major S&P 500 sectors, with healthcare (.SPXHC) and utilities (.SPLRCU) hitting their highest in close to two months. The benchmark S&P 500 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq are now on track for their first weekly declines in four in the holiday-shortened week. The S&P index recorded eight new 52-week highs and two new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 23 new highs and 185 new lows.

☆ U.S. service sector slows in March; inflation cooling - ISM survey
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

It was the first time since 2009 that all subcomponents of the manufacturing PMI fell below the 50 threshold. The services sector is being supported by consumers switching spending from goods, which are typically bought on credit. With demand cooling, services sector inflation continued to subside, though it remains elevated. The services sector is now at the heart of the fight against inflation as services prices tend to be stickier and less responsive to interest rate increases. Some economists view the ISM services prices paid gauge as a good predictor of personal consumption expenditures (PCE) inflation.

But manufacturers across the eurozone have reported business activity has been falling for nine months since June 2022 according to purchasing managers’ surveys. U.S. manufacturers have reported business activity has been falling for five months since November 2022 according to the Institute for Supply Management (ISM)’s purchasing survey. But the deficit had narrowed from 63 million barrels (-15% or -2.05 standard deviations) at the end of June 2022, according to data from Euroilstock. U.S. distillate fuel oil inventories were 18 million barrels (-14% or -1.08 standard deviations) below the prior 10-year seasonal average on March 31. In Singapore, distillate inventories have risen in 12 of the 15 most recent weeks by a total of 3 million barrels, according to data from Enterprise Singapore.

The Hilton Honors American Express Card, Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card , and The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card are offering a higher number of points than usual, but these offers are about to disappear. Earn 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio. Details Rewards Earn 12x Hilton Honors Points at Hilton per dollar for purchases made directly with hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio. Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors Gold Status with your Hilton Honors Business Card. The best Hilton card for you depends on your spending habits and how often you stay with Hilton.

☆ US House committee chair signs subpoena for State Dept Afghanistan documents
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Anna VoitenkoMarch 27 (Reuters) - The Republican chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee on Monday said he signed a subpoena to be delivered to Secretary of State Antony Blinken for documents related to the August 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Michael McCaul has launched an investigation into the messy withdrawal from Afghanistan under Democratic President Joe Biden and events in the country since. McCaul has given the State Department until Monday to produce the documents. "Unfortunately, Secretary Blinken has refused to provide the Dissent Cable and his response to the cable, forcing me to issue my first subpoena as chairman of this committee," McCaul said in a statement. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters on Monday evening.

☆ U.S. House committee chair signs subpoena for State Department Afghanistan documents
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

People queue up to board a military aircraft of the United States and leave Kabul at Kabul airport, Afghanistan, Aug. 22, 2021. The Republican chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee said on Monday he signed a subpoena to be delivered to Secretary of State Antony Blinken for documents related to the August 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Michael McCaul has launched an investigation into the messy withdrawal from Afghanistan under Democratic President Joe Biden and events in the country since. Republicans — and some Democrats — say there has never been a full accounting of the chaotic operation, in which 13 U.S. service members were killed at Kabul's airport. McCaul had given the State Department until Monday to produce the documents.

☆ Death toll in US strikes on pro-Iran targets in Syria rises to 19 -war monitor
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIRUT, March 25 (Reuters) - The death toll in U.S. air strikes on pro-Iran installations in eastern Syria has risen to 19 fighters, a Syrian war monitor said on Saturday, in one of the deadliest exchanges between the U.S. and Iran-aligned forces in years. The U.S. carried out strikes in eastern Syria in response to a drone attack on Thursday that left one American contractor dead, and another one wounded along with five U.S. troops. The war monitor said air raids killed three Syrian troops, 11 Syrian fighters in pro-government militias and five non-Syrian fighters who were aligned with the government. Another U.S. service member was wounded, according to officials, and local sources said suspected U.S. rocket fire hit more locations in eastern Syria. Tehran's growing entrenchment in Syria has drawn regular Israeli air strikes but American aerial raids are more rare.

☆ U.S. contractor killed, five service members and contractor wounded in suicide drone strike in Syria
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Courtney Kube | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

US forces patrol near the countryside of Rumaylan (Rmeilan) in Syria's northeastern Hasakeh province near the Turkish border, on December 2, 2022. A U.S. contractor was killed and five U.S. service members and one U.S. contractor were wounded Thursday when a suicide drone hit a coalition base near Hasakah in northeast Syria just before 2 p.m. local time, the Defense Department said in a statement. "Our thoughts are with the family and colleagues of the contractor who was killed and with those who were wounded in the attack earlier today," he said. Two wounded service members were treated on-site, while three others and the wounded U.S. contractor were evacuated to medical facilities in Iraq. The attacks, mainly by drones and rockets, are believed to have carried out by Iran or Iranian-backed proxies.

And I'm prepared to serve this," Representative Michael McCaul told Secretary of State Antony Blinken as he testified to the committee about the department's budget request. McCaul has launched an investigation into the messy withdrawal from Afghanistan and events in the country since. McCaul sent a letter to Blinken this week requesting the information before Thursday. Blinken responded at Thursday's hearing that the department is working to provide as much information as possible. Blinken told the committee that several Americans were being held in Afghanistan, but they were not being identified at their families' request.

☆ Want to start a side hustle and earn extra money? Here's how to launch a lucrative business and bring in six figures.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Alexandra York | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Like many people during the pandemic, Davis reallocated the time she'd typically spent commuting home to building her side hustle. Davis' handbag company netted $14,000 in sales in its first four months in business, which Insider verified with documentation. Another entrepreneur, Lisa Andrea, regularly books $8,000 in revenue a month from her side hustle, The Financial Cookbook, which Insider also verified with documentation. Andrea started The Financial Cookbook, an online financial-coaching company, to earn extra income and try entrepreneurship part time before taking the plunge. Leveraging expertise, as Andrea did with financial coaching, is one way entrepreneurs can start a side hustle and balance risk versus reward.

March 22 (Reuters) - A federal judge in New York ordered Iran's central bank and a European intermediary on Wednesday to pay out $1.68 billion to family members of troops killed in the 1983 car bombing of the U.S. Marine Corps barracks in Lebanon. Victims and their families won a $2.65 billion judgment against Iran in federal court in 2007 over the attack. Six years later, they sought to seize bond proceeds allegedly owned by Bank Markazi and processed by Clearstream to partially satisfy the court judgment. Bank Markazi has argued that the lawsuit was not allowed under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA), which generally shields foreign governments from liability in U.S. courts. A Luxembourg court in 2021 ordered Clearstream not to move the funds until a court in that country recognizes the U.S. ruling.

WASHINGTON, March 21 (Reuters) - The Republican chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee threatened to issue a subpoena if the State Department does not produce documents it has requested related to the August 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, the committee said on Tuesday. Representative Michael McCaul sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken requesting the information before Blinken's testimony to the committee on Thursday. Blinken is due to testify to congressional committees in both the Senate and House this week. Republicans have launched a series of investigations of Democratic President Joe Biden's administration since they took control of the House in January. Reporting by Patricia Zengerle, additional reporting by Simon Lewis; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

I had very limited access to financial support for college, so I dropped out after a semester. I dropped out of college after a semester, and it has worked out great for me. And that's when I realized that college wasn't a necessity. College is worth it for many, but it wasn't for meSo, is college worth it? Based on my experience, I don't want my son to think he doesn't need to go to college.

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