A record $100 billion was paid out in life insurance benefits last year
US life insurers paid out a record $100 billion in benefits in 2021, according to new data released Monday by the American Council of Life Insurers. http://dlvr.it/SdbXXH
Posts
New high-speed trains make this country Europe's rail capital
What could be better than one wide-ranging high-speed rail network? Three or four competing ones, which look set to not only improve travelers' options but also (hopefully) drive prices down. http://dlvr.it/SdbXH8
Belarus Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei dies at 64, officials say
The Foreign Minister of Belarus Vladimir Makei has died at the age of 64, the country's foreign ministry said Saturday. http://dlvr.it/SdR5wR
How a scoop by a little-known crypto site led to the fall of Sam Bankman-Fried and implosion of FTX
The staggering level of apparent deception staged by former crypto king Sam Bankman-Fried wasn't uncovered by government investigators or a major powerhouse financial news organization, such as The Wall Street Journal. http://dlvr.it/SdP0yB
At least 3 people killed and 11 others injured in Brazil school shootings
At least three people were killed and 11 others injured Friday after a gunman opened fire at two schools in the Brazilian state of Espirito Santo, according to local authorities. http://dlvr.it/SdP0hy
The skincare brand betting on CBD beauty in the Middle East
When mother-son entrepreneurs Yann Moujawaz and Juana Martini launch their skincare brand in the United Arab Emirates this winter, they will be the first to market CBD-based products to a region well-known for its zero-tolerance approach to drugs. http://dlvr.it/SdLKTj
China locks down key transportation hub; markets fear economic fallout
China has locked down a major transportation hub in the south, as the country grapples with its largest nationwide Covid outbreak since April. http://dlvr.it/SdDV2W
Children's deaths 'must stop' in Iran, says UNICEF, as protests continue
The United Nations children's agency, UNICEF, said it remains deeply concerned by reports of children being killed, injured, and detained in Iran, it said in a statement on Friday, adding that the reported deaths of children at anti-government protests "must stop." http://dlvr.it/Sd438h
World leaders met all week to address global issues. Putin appears to no longer have a seat at the table
The three major summits of world leaders that took place across Asia in the past week have made one thing clear: Vladimir Putin is now sidelined on the world stage. http://dlvr.it/Sd435d
Raising her autistic son taught this mom hard lessons that she's used to help thousands of underserved Chicago-area families
In the spring of 1989, Debra Vines found her 18-month-old son, Jason, staring ahead blankly in his crib, as if he was in another world. Alarmed, she and her husband rushed him to the hospital. http://dlvr.it/ScyztG
Warren Buffett's company buys $4 billion stake in Taiwan's TSMC
Shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company surged on Tuesday after Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway disclosed that it had purchased a $4.1 billion stake in one of the world's largest chipmakers. http://dlvr.it/ScrqVt
The best Christmas markets taking place in 2022
There's nothing quite like a festive market to bring out the Christmas spirit in people. http://dlvr.it/ScrqFf
Elon Musk in court over Tesla pay that made him the world's richest man
Tesla and CEO Elon Musk will spend this week in court to defend the massive compensation package that helped make him the world's richest man. http://dlvr.it/ScnjmY
This CNN Hero upcycles old computers to open new worlds for young Kenyans
Growing up in poverty in rural Kenya, Nelly Cheboi watched her single mother, who had only completed fifth grade, work tirelessly so Cheboi and her three sisters could attend school. http://dlvr.it/Sckdt6
How to survive a cobra bite -- or better yet, avoid one entirely
Thailand is full of snakes -- more than 200 species, including cobras. That might be unsettling for some people, but it was ideal for Prangmart Charoenwai as a boy in southern Thailand. http://dlvr.it/ScXGdr
With food prices rising, this urban farmer is on a mission to help thousands of people grow their own
In the state of Georgia, where one in eight people face hunger, one farmer has made it his mission not only to feed the hungry but to help them grow a bounty in their own backyard. http://dlvr.it/ScQ4ND
Artist seeks volunteers for mass nude photo in Australia
Artist Spencer Tunick is once again asking thousands of volunteers to get naked for one of his iconic mass nude photo shoots. http://dlvr.it/ScLtyL
Putin signs law to mobilize Russian citizens convicted of serious crimes
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law to conscript citizens with unexpunged or outstanding convictions for murder, robbery, larceny, drug trafficking and other serious crimes under the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation to be called up for military service to mobilize. http://dlvr.it/ScJXyL
What rising interest rates mean for you
The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate for the sixth time in a row on Wednesday, to a range of 3.75% to 4%. http://dlvr.it/ScCP60
Where are the unicorns? The IPO market has unraveled this year
Wall Street bulls may have come thundering back in October as bears appear to have gone into hibernation. But there's another beast, albeit a mythical one, that has been pretty much absent from the stock market all year: Unicorns. There has been little demand for private companies to make their debuts with initial public offerings. http://dlvr.it/Sc71Gn
Analysis: China is caught in a zero-Covid trap of its own making
It's been little more than a week since Chinese leader Xi Jinping began his norm-breaking third term in power with a ringing endorsement of his relentless zero-Covid policy. http://dlvr.it/Sc5k3Z
Brazil's Bolsonaro signals cooperation with transfer of power, but does not concede election defeat
• Opinion: Brazil bids farewell to its 'Trump of the Tropics.' Now the hard work begins http://dlvr.it/Sc5J5s
Netanyahu on brink of comeback as Israeli exit polls point to narrow majority for ex-PM
Former Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu may scrape a narrow majority, initial election exit polls suggested Tuesday, after he was outmaneuvered following last year's elections by current acting Prime Minister Yair Lapid. http://dlvr.it/Sc5HxC
A spooky forecast for the future of interest rates
When will central banks stop raising interest rates? That's the multi-trillion dollar question that has Wall Street analysts wearing wrist braces from shaking their Magic 8 Balls so hard. http://dlvr.it/Sc3nQR
South Korean authorities say they had no guidelines for Halloween crowds, as families grieve 156 victims
South Korean authorities said Monday they had no guidelines to handle the huge crowds that gathered for Halloween festivities in Seoul, as families in the country and around the world mourn the 156 victims of Saturday night's crowd crush. http://dlvr.it/Sc2LjD
Israel votes in fifth election in four years as Netanyahu eyes comeback
Israelis are heading to the ballot box for an unprecedented fifth time in four years on Tuesday, as Israel holds yet another national election aimed at ending the country's ongoing political deadlock. http://dlvr.it/Sc2LcV
Lee Ji Han, K-pop singer, killed in Seoul crowd crush
Lee Ji Han, a Korean actor and K-pop singer, was among the more than 150 victims who died during a crowd surge at a Halloween celebration in Seoul over the weekend, his management announced. http://dlvr.it/Sc2LVL
Why Switzerland built a 2-kilometer-long train
High in the Swiss Alps, St Moritz made its name as a place for pushing the boundaries of winter sport. By the time it hosted the second Winter Olympics Games in 1928 its reputation as a playground for wealthy adventurers was already well established. http://dlvr.it/Sc2LRs