Author: usaeverydaylife

People hold signs as they attend a press conference at City Hall Park on April 10, 2023 in New York City.Michael M. Santiago | Getty ImagesAs we enter an election year, Americans’ perceptions of economic health matter more than ever. Small business owners are often seen as a bellwether given how acutely they feel changes in policy, and understanding their concerns around inflation and the cost of doing business can shine a light on how voters will respond in November. Many states and cities have recently raised or are in the process of raising their minimum wage, with some setting higher…

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A salaryman takes a nap in the public grounds of the Imperial Palace.Stuart Freedman | Corbis Historical | Getty ImagesJapan, a nation so hardworking its language has a term for literally working oneself to death, is trying to address a worrisome labor shortage by coaxing more people and companies to adopt four-day workweeks.The Japanese government first expressed support for a shorter working week in 2021, after lawmakers endorsed the idea. The concept has been slow to catch on, however; about 8% of companies in Japan allow employees to take three or more days off per week, while 7% give their workers the legally mandated one…

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Former President Donald Trump has added his onetime campaign rival Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to his presidential transition team, a spokesman confirmed Tuesday.Both Kennedy and Gabbard endorsed Trump in the past week in his race against Vice President Kamala  Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee.”As President Trump’s broad coalition of supporters and endorsers expands across partisan lines, we are proud that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard have been added to the Trump/Vance Transition team,” Trump campaign senior advisor Brian Hughes said in a statement to CNBC.”We look forward to having their powerful voices on the team as…

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As Vladislav Klyushin’s cybersecurity scam grew, collecting more than $93 million in less than three years, the FBI’s investigation was closing in on unraveling his scheme.Klyushin had become incredibly rich through his ownership of Moscow-based cybersecurity firm M-13, which was a front for his real business: stealing corporate earnings reports before they were released and trading based on that information. The cybersecurity scam targeted well-known American companies like Skechers, Snapchat and Roku.The FBI and U.S. prosecutors had enough evidence to put him away – but they also had one significant roadblock: as a Russian citizen living in Russia, there was…

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North Korea will resume international tourism this winter, ending a COVID-era ban on travelers, according to operators that organize tours to the country.The North Korea-focused travel companies KTG and Koryo Tours said on Wednesday that their local partners in the country had informed them about government plans to allow trips to some locations. The companies added that foreign tourists will be permitted to the North Korean city of Samjiyon by December, while other areas of the country could potentially become accessible.”Having waited for over 4 years to make this announcement, Koryo Tours is very excited for the opening of North Korean…

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Elon Musk announced his new company xAI which he says has the goal to understand the true nature of the universe. Jaap Arriens | Nurphoto | Getty ImagesElon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup, xAI, is being accused by environmental and health advocates of adding to the pollution problem in Memphis, Tennessee, by using natural gas burning turbines at its new data center, and doing so without a permit.The company said it was opening the data center in June in a former Electrolux factory, shortly after announcing it had raised $6 billion at a $24 billion valuation. In a post on X last…

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A general view is showing a shopping mall in Hong Kong, on Aug. 1, 2024.Vernon Yuen | NurPhoto | Getty ImagesHong Kong’s July retail sales fell 11.8% from a year earlier, government data showed on Friday, reflecting the continued impact of the change in consumption patterns.Sales decreased to 29.1 billion Hong Kong dollars ($3.73 billion), the fifth consecutive monthly decline, following a 9.7% drop in June, a 11.5% slump in May, a 14.7% drop in April and a 7% fall in March.A government spokesman said the decline in the value of total retail sales was due to the continued impact of…

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A Dollar General store in Germantown, New York, on Nov. 30, 2023.Angus Mordant/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesThree of the nation’s largest retailers — Dollar General, Dollar Tree and Kroger — charge fees to customers who ask for “cash back” at check-out, amounting to more than $90 million a year, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.Many retailers offer a cash-back option to consumers who pay for purchases with a debit or pre-paid card.But levying a fee for the service may be “exploiting” certain customers, especially those who live in so-called banking deserts without easy access to a bank branch or free…

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Customers at a Lego store in Shanghai, China, on Feb. 3, 2024.Costfoto | Nurphoto | Getty ImagesAn inflation-fueled sales slump hit the toy industry in the first half of 2024, but one company is gaining market share brick by brick.On Wednesday, Lego said revenue during the first six months of the year jumped 13%, reaching 31 billion Danish kroner, or about $4.65 billion.Niels Christiansen, CEO of the privately held Danish toymaker, told CNBC that the company is seeing strength across its portfolio, especially with Lego Icons and Lego Creator, and through its partnership with Epic Games’ Fortnite.Last year, Lego saw…

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