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BUDGETING CAN BE A CHALLENGE. HERE ARE 5 TIPS TO GET STARTED

Budgeting is key to managing your finances, whether you’re trying to pay off debt, start a rainy day fund or deal with the consequences of inflation.

Social Media Offers Parents More Controls. But Do They Help?

As concerns about social media’s harmful effects on teens continue to rise, platforms from Snapchat to TikTok to Instagram are bolting on new features they say will make their services safer and more age appropriate. But the changes rarely address the elephant in the the room — the algorithms pushing endless content that can drag anyone, not just teens, into harmful rabbit holes.

MISSOURI HALTS SOLAR TAX BREAK AS FEDERAL INCENTIVES EXPAND

As the U.S. government expands incentives for renewable energy, a decision by the Missouri Supreme Court is moving the state in the opposite direction by halting a solar energy tax break that has been on the books for nearly a decade. 

AVERAGE LONG-TERM MORTGAGE RATES RETREAT SLIGHTLY THIS WEEK

Average long-term U.S. mortgage rates came back down slightly this week after the key 30year loan rate jumped nearly a quarter point last week. 

NASA'S MOON ROCKET MOVED TO LAUNCH PAD FOR 1ST TEST FLIGHT

NASA’s new moon rocket arrived at the launch pad ahead of its debut flight in less than two weeks. 

WALMART DEAL WITH PARAMOUNT GIVES MEMBERS STREAMING PERKS

Walmart Inc. said it has signed a deal with Paramount Global to offer the entertainment company’s streaming service as a perk to subscribers of the discounter’s shipping subscription service. 

US TO HOLD TRADE TALKS WITH TAIWAN IN NEW SHOW OF SUPPORT

The U.S. government plans talks with Taiwan on a wide-ranging trade treaty in a sign of support for the self-ruled island democracy claimed by China’s ruling Communist Party as part of its territory. 

RUSSIAN SPACEWALK CUT SHORT BY BAD BATTERY IN COSMONAUT SUIT

A Russian spacewalker had to rush back inside the International Space Station on Wednesday when the battery voltage in his spacesuit suddenly dropped. 

GAS-POWERED MUSCLE CARS DRIVE INTO THE SUNSET, TURN ELECTRIC

Thundering gas-powered muscle cars, for decades a fixture of American culture, will be closing in on their final Saturday-night cruises in the coming years as automakers begin replacing them with super-fast cars that run on batteries. 

AMAZON: FTC PROBE HOUNDING BEZOS, EXECS; SUBPOENAS TOO BROAD

Amazon has complained to federal regulators that they are hounding company founder JeffBezos and senior executives, making “impossible-to satisfy demands” in their investigation of Amazon Prime, the popular streaming and shopping service with free delivery and an estimated 200 million members around the globe.

AMERICAN AIRLINES PLACES DEPOSIT ON 20 SUPERSONIC PLANES

American Airlines has agreed to buy up to 20 supersonic jets and put down a non-refundable deposit on the planes that are still on the drawing board and years away from flying. 

AMAZON TESTING TIKTOK-STYLE FEED ON ITS APP, AI FIRM SAYS

Amazon appears to be getting the TikTok bug, joining other companies seeking to hold consumers’ attention by introducing replicas of the popular social platform. 

‘I Didn't Really Learn Anything': Covid Grads Face College

Angel Hope looked at the math test and felt lost. He had just graduated near the top of his high school class, winning scholarships from prestigious colleges. But on this test — a University of Wisconsin exam that measures what new students learned in high school — all he could do was guess.

HOW IS INFLATION AFFECTING COMMUTING COSTS?

Gas prices have fallen from the record highs they reached earlier this summer, but they’re still much higher than a year ago. And with inflation driving up the cost of pretty much everything else, finding the funds to cover your commute may be increasingly tricky.

ELON MUSK SELLS $7B IN TESLA SHARES AHEAD OF TWITTER FIGHT

Elon Musk has sold nearly $7 billion worth of shares in Tesla as the billionaire gets his finances in order ahead of his court battle with Twitter.

SCIENTISTS USE TINY TRACKERS, PLANE TO FOLLOW MOTHS ON MOVE

Trillions of insects migrate across the globe each year, yet little is known about their journeys. So to look for clues, scientists in Germany took to the skies, placing tiny trackers on the backs of giant moths and following them by plane.

HOW TO MITIGATE OR AVOID DEALER MARKUPS

Throughout 2022, new-car shoppers have been paying an average of about $700 over the manufacturer’s suggested retail price. Those in the market for a new vehicle today may experience sticker shock after seeing a dealership has priced the vehicle they want well over MSRP.

RESEARCHERS ASK CENSUS TO STOP CONTROVERSIAL PRIVACY METHOD

Prominent demographers are asking the U.S. Census Bureau to abandon a controversial method for protecting survey and census participants’ confidentiality, saying it is jeopardizing the usability of numbers that are the foundation of the nation’s data infrastructure. 

SCIENTISTS EXPAND STUDY ON AIR QUALITY IMPACT ON HEALTH

Scientists at the Oregon Institute of Technology were recently awarded a $1 million grant from the federal government that could result in research that improves health outcomes in Southern Oregon due to wildfire smoke. 

JAPAN'S HONDA SEES DECLINING PROFITS ON SEMICONDUCTOR CRUNCH

Honda’s fiscal first quarter profit fell 33% from last year as a global computer chip shortage, a pandemic-related lockdown in China and the rising costs of raw materials hurt the Japanese automaker.

CHINA CRITICIZES US CHIP LAW AS THREAT TO TRADE

China criticized a U.S. law to encourage processor chip production in the United States and reduce reliance on Asian suppliers as a threat to trade and an attack on Chinese business.

Alibaba Revenue Beats Expectations Despite Contraction

Chinese e-commerce firm Alibaba Group Holding on Thursday beat market expectations for revenue in its quarter ended June, even as revenue was nearly flat and the company continues to grapple with the fallout from increased regulatory scrutiny and slowing economy growth.

US Proposes to Increase Refund Protections for Air Travelers

The Transportation Department is proposing to require airlines to offer passengers a refund if their flight schedule is changed significantly or the airline makes major changes to their itinerary.

TOYOTA PROFIT DOWN AS CHIPS SHORTAGE KEEPS CUSTOMERS WAITING

Toyota’s profit fell nearly 18% in the AprilJune quarter from the year before, as a semiconductor shortage that has slammed the auto industry dented production at Japan’s top automaker.

AMAZON WORKERS AT UK WAREHOUSE STOP WORK TO PROTEST PAY

More than 700 Amazon warehouse workers in England staged a protest Thursday in a dispute over pay, in the latest sign of workplace friction stoked by Britain’s cost of living crisis and a growing discontent among employees over wage and working conditions.

APPLICATIONS FOR US JOBLESS CLAIMS UP AGAIN LAST WEEK

More Americans applied for jobless benefits last week as the number of unemployed continues to rise modestly, though the labor market remains one of the strongest parts of the U.S. economy.

BARCELONA AUCTIONS NFT OF ICONIC CRUYFF GOAL FOR $693,000

Barcelona has auctioned off a digital art piece depicting an iconic goal by Johan Cruyfffor $693,000 as it seeks new revenues to battle its way out of massive debt, the Spanish club said.

CELLPHONE, WI-FI SERVICE EXPANDING ACROSS NYC SUBWAY SYSTEM

New York City’s sprawling subway system will be fully wired for cellphone and Wi-Fi service within about 10 years under a plan approved by transit officials this week.

FACEBOOK GIVES USERS NEW WAY TO SEE ALL THEIR FRIENDS’ POSTS

Facebook is rolling out an update that enables its 2 billion daily users to more easily view their friends’ posts in chronological order.

AMAZON TO RAISE PRIME FEES IN EUROPE, CITES RISING COSTS

Amazon is raising its Prime fees in Europe, the company told customers this week, days ahead of its second-quarter earnings report.