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☆ Soaring rent, food costs keep U.S. inflation on front burner; labor market tight
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Lucia Mutikani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Food prices increased 0.8%, with the cost of food at home advancing 0.7% amid rises in all six major grocery store food groups. The war in Ukraine also poses an upside risk to food prices. In the 12 months through September, the CPI increased 8.2% after rising 8.3% in August, decelerating for a third straight month. The so-called core CPI is being largely driven by the higher costs for rental accommodation. The core CPI jumped 6.6% in the 12 months through September, the most since August 1982, after rising 6.3% in August.

☆ Jamaica bans broadcasts deemed to glorify drugs or crime
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Jamaica’s broadcasting regulator has banned music and TV broadcasts deemed to glorify or promote criminal activity, violence, drug use, scamming and weapons. “Art imitates life, and the music is coming from what is happening in Jamaica for real,” said Stephen McGregor, a Jamaican Grammy Award-winning music producer and singer. The broadcasting commission declined to respond to AP’s request for comment on criticisms, and did not immediately detail the consequences of a violation. Other Jamaican artists such as Rvssian, NotNice, and Romeich have all come out on social media slamming the directive. Rather, McGregor said, it’s a way to scapegoat artists for larger state failures to address endemic problems and discontent.

Sept 28 (Reuters) - A federal judge in New York has frozen the assets of dozens of people and entities accused of operating a massive nationwide scheme to distribute counterfeit bottles of Gilead Sciences Inc (GILD.O) HIV drugs, including two alleged "kingpins." HIV drugs accounted for $7.6 billion of Gilead's $12.6 billion revenue in the first half of the year. read moreThe newly added defendants include alleged "kingpins" Lazaro Roberto Hernandez, who was arrested on drug counterfeiting and money laundering charges in June as part of a related federal investigation and remains under house arrest, and Armando Herrera, who lives in Florida. The Foster City, California-based company first announced it was pursuing counterfeiters in August 2021, shortly after filing its lawsuit. read moreIn addition to the alleged kingpins, the case now includes alleged mid-level leaders and a complex web of shell companies, distributors and pharmacies.

☆ Netflix, HBO Max, and more streamers are scrapping original kids series and battling for more IP-based hits like 'CoComelon' in a 'bummer year for animation'
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Elaine Low | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

HBO Max's abrupt removal of dozens of series, mostly kids shows, took creators by surprise. You can't stream it on HBO Max or any subscription service; it's available only for purchase on iTunes. The move was a cost-saving one for HBO Max parent Warner Bros. HBO Max will continue to release new kids and animated programming but is expected to be more selective. "It's a small community" of animation creators, the animation exec told Insider, and those HBO Max cancellations hurt.

☆ EXCLUSIVE Mexican regulator has no record of Pemex reporting methane leak, documents show
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Stefanie Eschenbacher | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A fuel burner is seen at Mexico's state-run oil monopoly Pemex platform "Ku Maloob Zaap" in the Northeast Marine Region of Pemex Exploration and Production in the Bay of Campeche April 19, 2013. REUTERS/Victor Ruiz Garcia/File PhotoMEXICO CITY, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Mexico's environmental regulator has no records of state oil company Pemex reporting a methane leak last December at the country's top oil field, according to the regulator's response to a freedom of information request filed by Reuters. The methane leak at the Zaap-C platform, which first appeared on Dec. 8, was uncovered by researchers led by Itziar Irakulis Loitxate from the Polytechnic University of Valencia. The methane leak from the Zaap-C platform was not among the 5,235 incidents ASEA disclosed to Reuters in its response. Pemex, the world's most indebted oil company, has acknowledged in public statements the challenges it faces in maintaining and repairing ailing infrastructure.

☆ What’s that bag of white stuff? Some Uber drivers worry they’re drug mules
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( David Ingram | David Ingram Covers Tech For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +15 min

And a sheriff’s office in Tampa sent a crystalized substance to a Florida state lab for testing after an Uber Connect driver turned it over in April. Uber said that using its services for illegal activity is expressly prohibited, and that it takes reports of drug deliveries via Uber Connect very seriously. Some Uber Connect drivers have gone to the police with suspicions about packages they are assigned to deliver. “You’re almost certainly getting arrested in that situation.”Richman said it’s difficult to generalize about how much trouble an Uber Connect driver could get in. Uber said it was always looking for ways to improve Uber Connect, and drivers said they have several suggestions for changes.

☆ If You Ever Thought You Were a Pizza-Oven Person, This Is the One to Buy
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Sunshine Flint | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +3 min

Soon he was sliding margherita pies into a massive white-domed, brick-lined, Italian-made, wood-burning outdoor pizza oven that blistered the dough in mere seconds. My husband is someone whose usual pizzas are mangled rhomboids wrestled from Trader Joe’s pizza dough. Naturally he began doing heavy research into pizza ovens, a deep dive that took him into the world of multi-thousand-dollar Italian ovens that require the type of outdoor space usually called “grounds” and deep, deep pockets. The allure of the Ooni Karu is that it’s wood-fired, so you’re getting the same culinary experience as a built-in pizza oven, albeit in miniature. “The Elements of Pizza” by Ken Forkish became his bible, and he learned to make 48- and 24-hour dough and different types of pizza sauce.

Persons: Sunshine Flint, Nick, margherita, Ken Forkish, he’s, Nick wows, We’ve Organizations: Garmin, Scottish Locations: Hudson

☆ If You Ever Thought You Were a Pizza-Oven Person, This is the One to Buy
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +3 min

☆ Reactions: Putin mobilises more troops for Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +20 min

Russian President Vladimir Putin makes an address on the conflict with Ukraine, in Moscow, Russia, in this still image taken from video released September 21, 2022. I think even with this Russia stuff it’s hard to see the market really rally a lot more from here ahead of the FOMC. From a geopolitical standpoint, Putin is frustrated that the war isn’t going his way and he’s threatening the west. "If it gets really, really bad, I'd expect the dollar to rise." This announcement by Putin to intensify the escalation in Ukraine definitely doesn’t help.

Market players typically borrow to build short positions in the futures market, with 85-90% coming from banks. Any such drop in the number of players reduces market liquidity, which can in turn lead to even more volatility and sharper spikes in prices that can hurt even major players. read moreNorwegian state-owned firm Equinor, Europe's top gas trader, said this month that European energy companies, excluding in Britain, need at least 1.5 trillion euros ($1.5 trillion) to cover the cost of exposure to soaring gas prices. Doing this, sources familiar with talks said, would help bring participants back into the market and increase liquidity. The banks have hit or are close to hitting their liquidity risk and counterparty risk levels," a senior banking source involved in commodities finance said.

☆ Rationing is coming: Europe could introduce mandatory limits on electricity use as its standoff with Russia intensifies
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-13 | by ( Ben Winck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The EU is set to unveil mandatory energy use cuts as its standoff with Russia pushes supply lower. The plan also includes an "exceptional and temporary" tax on companies in the oil, gas, coal, and refining sectors based on the firms' extra profits. Yet with energy prices still elevated and Russia slashing exports to Europe even further in recent weeks, the plan's authors argue urgency is paramount. Energy prices have skyrocketed in the UK and the EU as Russia retaliates against sanctions and cuts its exports of oil and natural gas to western Europe. The shift has forced them to quickly adopt measures boosting domestic energy supply and easing demand to avoid rolling blackouts and even more intense inflation.

☆ Former Disney CEO says the pandemic left a 'permanent scar' on movie theaters, and that business will never return to pre-pandemic levels
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-08 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Bob Iger, the former CEO of Disney, said that the pandemic left a "permanent scar" on the movie business. Bob Iger, who retired from Disney at the end of 2021, said that the pandemic left a "permanent scar" on movie theaters. "I don't think movies ever return, in terms of moviegoing, to the level that they were at pre-pandemic," Iger said during Vox's annual Code Conference on Wednesday. Before he stepped aside as CEO and into an executive chairman role in early 2020, Iger led the launch of the Disney+ streaming service in November 2019. The head of the National Association of Theatre Owners, John Fithian, doesn't think movie supply will be back to pre-pandemic levels for another 12 to 18 months.

☆ The biggest blockbusters aren't in movie theaters right now — they're on TV: from 'The Rings of Power' to 'House of the Dragon'
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-07 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The blockbusterization of TV has reached a peak with "The Rings of Power" and "House of the Dragon." Meanwhile, movie theaters are experiencing a dire lack of new releases. In fact, the future of "Star Wars" is largely streaming TV — a big loss for movie theaters. "The Rings of Power" is the most expensive TV series ever made, with a production budget of $465 million for the first season. Some examples: Apple is making a TV series set in the same universe as "Godzilla vs. Kong," and Disney is readying its own King Kong series.

☆ It's a 'bummer year for animation' as HBO Max, Netflix, and more streamers scrap original kids series and hunt for the next 'CoComelon'
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-07 | by ( Elaine Low | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

☆ Pakistan Sees Climate-Fueled Floods, Barely Contributes to Emissions
▼ + stars: | 2022-08-31 | by ( Paola Rosa-Aquino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Rising temperatures due to climate change lead to heavy rainfall and floods in many parts of the world. Wealthy industrialized countries have pumped far more greenhouse gas emissions — a key driver of climate change — into the air than Pakistan, a low-emitting nation. Children swim in flood waters along with buffalo on the outskirts of Sukkur, Sindh province, on August 30, 2022. Brick kiln workers carry their belongings and move following flash flood in Hyderabad southern Sindh province Pakistan, on August 30, 2022. "Let's stop sleepwalking towards the destruction of our planet by climate change," he said, adding, "Today, it's Pakistan.

☆ The full timeline of Trump's known phone calls on the day of the January 6 insurrection
▼ + stars: | 2022-07-21 | by ( Grace Panetta | Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Here's the full timeline of Trump's known phone calls as recorded in official White House records. Trump speaks to lawyer Kurt Olsen, who played a key role in legal efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Hawley said he never returned Trump's calls on January 6, when he objected to election results at the joint session of Congress. Hawley said he never returned Trump's calls on January 6, when he objected to election results at the joint session of Congress. AP Photo/John MinchilloTrump spoke at the "Save America" rally at the Ellipse at noon and returned to the White House at 1:19 pm, according to White House records.

☆ Thousands of Russian tech workers pulled off a perilous escape from their crumbling homeland. Now they face an anti-Russian backlash, reluctant banks, and sky-high rents.
▼ + stars: | 2022-04-14 | by ( Belle Lin | Masha Borak | Kylie Robison | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

While Kristina is leaving Russia soon, she said she has received threatening messages including, "You are the Putin enemy," and "The police are already after you." To staunch the outflow of talent, the Russian government has offered some tech workers favorable loans, mortgage rates, and even income-tax exemptions. Even after securing a precious visa or a flight out, Russian immigration officers closely monitor departing workers' every move. According to Alexandra, Russian workers are also transferring their funds into cryptocurrencies in order to access funds outside the country. As Russian workers establish their new lives in exile, some say they're worried about the costs they've paid.

☆ How a former Goldman Sachs whiz kid living in Puerto Rico exploited a generational shift in investing to become one of Millennium's most profitable traders
▼ + stars: | 2022-01-24 | by ( Alex Morrell | Bradley Saacks | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Millennium has dominated the index-rebalance trade thanks to Glen Scheinberg, 35, and his SRBL team. One of the hottest trading strategies in recent years has required an intense fixation on some of Wall Street's supposedly dullest financial products: index funds and exchange-traded funds. The SRBL team was born from a Goldman Sachs trading deskIn 2014, Millennium poached 27-year-old Scheinberg from Goldman Sachs' program-trading desk — the team at Wall Street banks that trades baskets of stocks using algorithms. For Scheinberg's team, 2020 wasn't a one-off. Millennium's prodigy decamps to paradise for tax savings and bird-watchingDespite its success, much about the SRBL team remains shrouded in mystery.

Select asked Brian Stivers, a Financial Advisor and Founder of Stivers Financial Services, to help us calculate exactly how much money 25-year-olds should invest each month to become a millionaire. Here's what we found:A 25-year-old making investments that yield a 3% yearly return would have to invest $1100 per month for 40 years to reach $1 million. If they instead make investments that give a 6% yearly return, they would have to invest $530 per month for 40 years to reach $1 million. But if they choose more aggressive investments that yield a 9% yearly return, they would only need to invest $240 per month for 40 years to reach $1 million. As we can see, a higher return can allow you to invest less money each month and still achieve the same goal.

☆ The pros and cons of going to graduate school right now, according to academic and business experts
▼ + stars: | 2020-07-09 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Due to the current job market, many recent college graduates are considering going back to school. Could now be a smart time to put your job search on ice and shift gears to graduate school? The prosYou avoid entering a limited job market and possibly stunting your compensationPatrick Mullane, executive director of Harvard Business School Online, explained one benefit of going to graduate school while the economy isn't robust. J. Celeste Walley-Jean, dean at Clayton State University's School of Graduate Studies & Inclusive Engagement, noted that another indicator that the timing may be right to attend graduate school is cost. "If you just graduated and can't find a job, grad school might seem like a great way to ride out the recession.

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