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With Indians rushing to file their ITRs ahead of the July 31st deadline that's coming up tomorrow, did you know that residents of just one Indian state are exempt from filing <keyword id="19901478" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="income-tax" source="keywords">income tax</keyword> returns, or paying taxes at all? Yes, <keyword id="19903425" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sikkim" source="keywords">Sikkim</keyword> is the only state in the country where the residents do not have to pay income tax. But why is that the case? Let's delve into it. An erstwhile princely kingdom for almost 333 years prior to its amalgamation, Sikkim merged into independent India in 1975, thereby becoming the country's 22nd state. But this happened on one condition- that it will be allowed to continue with its old <keyword id="21152786" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tax-laws" source="keywords">tax laws</keyword> post the merger. Sikkim has its own income tax manual, which stipulated that no resident of Sikkim was to pay taxes to the center. Hence, honoring the merger agreement, the Indian government granted a special tax exemption to Sikkimese residents from Indian income tax regulations. This changed in 2008, when the <keyword id="19908389" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Budget" source="keywords">Union budget</keyword> repealed the state's tax laws. However, to maintain the exemption status enjoyed by the state's residents, it inserted section 10 (26AAA). Under this section, any income generated by a Sikkimese, be it from a source within the state, or by way of dividend or interest on securities, would be tax-exempt. At present, any individual who has been domiciled (noted as having fixed, principal and permanent residence) in Sikkim as of April 26, 1975 would be considered a Sikkimese, and hence, exempt from paying income tax. As per data from PRS Legislative Research, the state's estimated own tax revenue for 2023-24 stood at Rs 1,727 crore. However, if a Sikkimese has rental income from properties situated outside of the state, or has an income from source that is not located in Sikkim, it will be subject to relevant taxes. Nevertheless, the provisions of tax exemptions would not apply to any Sikkimese woman, who marries a non-Sikkimese or an outsider, on or after April 1, 2008. Market regulator SEBI has also exempted residents of Sikkim from mandatorily having a PAN card for investing in Indian stock markets, equities, cash market and even mutual funds. <h2>Decoding Section 10 (26) of the IT Act</h2>All these income-tax exemptions also extend to a few other regions in the country, but only if you are a member of the scheduled tribes. Section 10(26) of the Income Tax Act applies to Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and <keyword id="19919396" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tripura" source="keywords">Tripura</keyword>, along with the North Cashar hills district, Karbi Anglang district, Chakma district, Mara district, and Lai District. Simply put, it stipulates that if you belong to the scheduled tribes and generate any income, the source of which lies in the above mentioned regions, or by way of dividend or interest on securities, your income would be tax-exempt. But any income generated outside of these regions would be taxable.

Did you know about the only Indian state exempt from paying any income tax? Know all about it here

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Business Insider estimated the cost to care for one child in the US in 2024 will be at least $25,714.</li><li>That's a 41.5% increase since 2016 and costs will likely continue to go up this year.</li></ul>If you're wondering how much of your salary will go toward <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-the-average-american-family-spends-on-childcare-2019-6">raising your kid this year</a> — or how much you'll save by not having one — we did the math for you.Accounting for expenses like rent, food, apparel, transportation, childcare, and health insurance premiums, Business Insider estimated it will cost about $25,714 to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/affordable-childcare-problem-is-going-to-get-worse-2022-12">care for a small child</a> this year.To calculate this number, Business Insider started with a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.lendingtree.com/debt-consolidation/raising-a-child-study/#18yearcosts">LendingTree analysis</a> of the average annual essential costs for childrearing, which used data from 2021 — the latest year for which complete data was available.Then to get a rough estimate for where those costs are going, we adjusted them to account for the last two years of <a target="_blank" href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPIAUCSL">consumer price inflation</a> to get a figure for 2023. <a target="_blank" href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPIAUCSL#0">Inflation has moderated a lot </a>from a high of 8.9% year-over-year in June 2022 and is back down to 3.1% as of November 2023, but we did not presume to predict what will happen in 2024.The $25,714 figure estimated for 2023 is a 19% increase from LendingTree's estimates for 2021 and a 42% jump from 2016. And depending on what inflation looks like over the next year, it could be even more.The estimate also factors in federal tax credits parents receive for having dependents. In 2021, LendingTree estimates parents were saving $3,600 annually on their taxes, an increase of $2,600 from 2016. To determine this national average, LendingTree assumes parents' tax returns were filed jointly with a total income of $85,028, the national median income among families in 2021. Notably, 2021 featured the more generous Child Tax Credit passed as part of the American Rescue Plan. We instead factored in the current <a target="_blank" href="https://taxfoundation.org/blog/child-tax-credit-reform-debate/">$2,000 per child CTC</a> for 2023.If you carry this cost forward until a baby born this year is the age of 18, that's a total of $462,852 in today's dollars.<h2>It's not just childcare that's making costs balloon</h2>The main expenses for raising a kid are childcare, transportation, and food, according to LendingTree's calculation.Since the pandemic, we've seen the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gas-prices-will-go-up-before-costs-go-down-outlook-2023-9">prices of gas</a> and food rise dramatically due to supply chain disruptions, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-gaza-war-oil-prices-inflation-recession-outlook-2023-10">wars</a>, and climate crises. Parents could expect to spend $3,567 on food last year, a 45% increase from 2016.Transportation can also leave a dent in parents' wallets, totaling $6,588 last year, a 312% increase from 2016's estimate of $1,598. A gallon of <a target="_blank" href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/year-end-gas-prices-edge-higher/">gas was $2.58</a> in December 2019 and <a target="_blank" href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/bah-humbug-it-may-be-a-wrap-for-falling-gas-prices/">$3.12 in December 2023</a>, according to AAA."The economy is still finding its footing after the chaos wreaked by COVID-19 — and impacting parents' wallets along the way (especially single parents)," wrote Jamie Cattanach, the author of the LendingTree analysis.In addition, family health insurance premiums have gone up 10% since 2016 compared to a single person to an annual average of $3,166, according to our calculations based on LendingTree and KFF numbers.But the largest cost of raising a kid, by far, is childcare, which we estimated to be an average annual cost of $12,883 — 17% higher than in 2016.The childcare crisis came to a tipping point in September 2023, when nearly $24 billion in federal funds that helped keep childcare services afloat expired. Much of the funding was used to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/affordable-childcare-problem-is-going-to-get-worse-2022-12">increase pay for employees at childcare centers</a> and without it, childcare providers will either have to raise prices and hope their customers don't bail or cut their employees' pay and hope they don't quit.The rising costs of raising a child could be one of the factors deterring US adults from creating families. About 44% of non-parents between the ages of 18 and 49 said they weren't likely to have kids in the future, up 7% from 2018, according to a Pew Research Center study that was <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/11/19/growing-share-of-childless-adults-in-u-s-dont-expect-to-ever-have-children/">published</a> in November.Are you a parent balancing the costs of raising a child and willing to provide details about your expenses? If so, reach out to this editor at <a target="_blank" href="mailto:ecanal@insider.com">ecanal@insider.com</a>.

Parents could spend $26,000 to care for one kid this year

10 smoking guns in the Trump hush-money trial  — and why jurors don't have to believe Cohen or Stormy to convict

<ul class="summary-list"><li>At least 10 people have gone overboard off major cruise line ships so far in 2023.</li><li>Two of those people were rescued and survived.</li></ul>The chances of you <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/how-do-you-fall-off-a-cruise-ship-experts-data-2022-12">falling overboard off a cruise ship are extremely low</a>.But at least 10 people fell off major cruise line ships so far this year, turning fun-in-the-sun vacations into disaster situations — and only two survived the fall into the ocean.Here's what happened to the passengers who went overboard:<h2>Warwick Tollemache fell off a Royal Caribbean ship and wasn't found during a search</h2><div type="image" title="Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas cruise ship" height="1227" width="1841" msid="104968598" hostid="261"></div>The family of 35-year-old Australian cruise passenger Warwick Tollemache told Nine News he was a "kind, beautiful, and gentle soul who was adored by everyone who knew him."<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coast-guard-searches-australian-man-who-went-overboard-cruise-ship-2023-4">Tollemache fell into the Pacific Ocean</a> after going overboard off Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas on April 26 at about 11 p.m. while the cruise ship was hundreds of miles off the coast of Hawaii.The ship's crew immediately launched a search for Tollemache and the United States Coast Guard was ultimately called in to help. The Coast Guard called off its search after crew scoured the waters for two days.Authorities didn't say how he fell in.<h2>Ronnie Lee Peale Jr. was in his 'happy place' before he fell off a Carnival ship and was never seen again</h2><div type="image" title="A close-up of the Carnival Magic cruise ship docked in Marseille. Carnival Cruise Lines ships in Marseille." height="3333" width="5000" msid="104968599" hostid="261"></div>Virginia resident <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/carnival-cruise-passenger-overboard-missing-in-happy-place-fiancee-says-2023-5">Ronnie Lee Peale Jr., 35, was on a Carnival Magic cruise</a> to celebrate his partner's birthday when he fell into the water on May 29 after officials say he leaned over a balcony railing on the vessel.Peale Jr. went overboard as the ship was about 186 miles east of Jacksonville, Florida, and returning from the Bahamas. Carnival Cruise Line said security footage showed he "leaned over the railing of his stateroom balcony and dropped into the water" at about 4:10 am.The Coast Guard searched over 5,171 square miles and more than 60 hours, but crews could not find Peale Jr."He loved the cruise life," Peale Jr.'s fiancée Jennilyn Michelle Blosser <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wtkr.com/news/in-the-community/norfolk/wife-says-husband-went-overboard-carnival-magic-ship-returning-to-norfolk">told WTKR</a>. "Being able to drink, gamble, and socialize put him in his happy place."<h2>A Royal Caribbean passenger beat the odds when she plunged off the 10th deck of the ship and was miraculously saved</h2><div type="image" title="Passengers onboard Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Sea watch as crew successfully rescued a woman who went overboard on Sunday." height="1212" width="2098" msid="104968600" hostid="261"></div>Some who fall in are lucky to be alive.A 42-year-old US citizen — whose name wasn't publicly revealed — <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/woman-overboard-royal-caribbean-cruise-ship-saved-2023-6">fell overboard</a> from the 10th deck of Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas vessel on June 25 at around 5:45 p.m. as the Curaçao-bound liner was more than 30 miles off the coast of the Dominican Republic.The woman miraculously survived the fall. One witness told Business Insider that passengers lined up on their balconies and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/passengers-guided-crew-woman-fell-overboard-royal-caribbean-cruise-ship-2023-6">quickly banded together to try and guide the rescue boat as it scanned the water</a> for signs of the woman.Witnesses said cruise crew members managed to find her and brought her safely back on board in a roughly 45-minute ordeal.The overboard woman was found to be in "good health" after the fall, the Coast Guard said. A rescue expert told Business Insider <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/miraculous-overboard-royal-caribbean-passenger-saved-rescue-experts-2023-6">her survival was "nothing short of miraculous."</a><h2>Jaylen Hill jumped off a Carnival cruise ship and was not found during a search, the company said</h2><div type="image" title="Two ladies take pictures in front of the Carnival cruise ship Elation in Nassau, Bahamas on April 29, 2019." height="2765" width="3844" msid="104968601" hostid="261"></div>Carnival Elation passenger <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/cruise-passenger-jumped-overboard-carnival-says-6th-incident-this-year-2023-7">Jaylen Hill, 30, went overboard on the vessel on July 23</a> as the ship was on a four-day Bahamas sailing and on its way back to Jacksonville, Florida.Hill's travel companion reported him missing after he wasn't seen all day. A Carnival spokesperson said that the cruise line determined Hill "jumped" from the ship "after an exhaustive on-board search and a review of security camera video."The Coast Guard called off its search for Hill when he wasn't found after covering more than 1,347 square miles.<h2>Reeta Sahani who 'could not swim' went overboard on a Royal Caribbean ship while traveling with her husband</h2><div type="image" title="The Spectrum of the Seas operated by Royal Caribbean International is seen at the Marina Bay Cruise Centre on May 23, 2022, in Singapore." height="1000" width="1500" msid="104968603" hostid="261"></div>Reeta Sahani was on Royal Caribbean's Spectrum of the Seas with her husband on July 31 in the Singapore Strait, the last day of their four-day cruise to Malaysia.Sahani couldn't swim, her son would tell <a target="_blank" href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/my-mother-could-not-swim-son-of-passenger-who-fell-overboard-cruise-ship-spectrum-of-the-seas">The Straits Times</a>.The 64-year-old mother <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/passenger-fell-overboard-royal-caribbean-cruise-singapore-2023-7">went overboard</a> while the cruise was on its way to Singapore.Sahani's husband, Jakesh Sahani, woke up in the middle of the night and discovered his wife was not in their cruise cabin, the Straits Times reported. He notified the ship's officials, who, according to the news outlet, told him that his wife was seen on CCTV footage sitting on the ship's railing at about 4 a.m.The couple's son, Apoorv Sahani, told the Straits Times that the "ship's crew thinks she jumped."Apoorv Sahani later <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/SahaniApps/status/1686014827708268545">said in a post on X</a> that his family was given footage from the cruise ship. "With the footage, we have unfortunately learnt that my mother has passed away," he wrote.<h2>Kenneth Schwalbe fell off a Princess cruise ship and couldn't be found</h2><div type="image" title="The cruise ship Emerald Princess is seen docked at Portland Port on July 09, 2022 in Portland, England." height="4338" width="6507" msid="104968604" hostid="261"></div><a target="_blank" href="https://www.hawaiipolice.com/8-11-2023-man-overboard-missing-person-investigation">California resident Kenneth Schwalbe</a>, 59, was traveling on the Emerald Princess ship when he went overboard on August 11 about eight miles off the coast of Hilo, Hawaii.According to Hawaii authorities, police received a report on the morning of August 11 that Schwalbe was last seen on board the ship at around 8:30 p.m. the day before. Authorities searched the ship but couldn't find him.Hawaii police said that surveillance footage from a camera on the exterior of the ninth deck of the vessel showed Schwalbe "falling from the ship" at about 4:18 a.m.The Coast Guard couldn't find Schwalbe.<h2>Sigmund Ropich was vacationing with pals before the teenager went overboard from a Royal Caribbean ship</h2><div type="image" title="The Wonder of the Seas cruise ship at a port." height="1533" width="2300" msid="104968605" hostid="261"></div>College student Sigmund Ropich of Texas was vacationing with his friends on Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world in August, his sister Savannah Ropich told Business Insider.On August 29 as the ship was off the coast of Cuba, the 19-year-old Sigmund <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/man-overboard-wonder-of-the-seas-cruise-teen-vacation-2023-9">went overboard</a>.The ship's crew immediately launched a search and rescue operation but found no sign of Sigmund. Cuban officials called off their search for Ropich after they couldn't find the teen.Savannah Ropich said in a Facebook post last month: "Although we are continuing to celebrate my brother's life, it does not equate to compliancy with @wonderoftheseas. I am still enraged by the fact that we are celebrating my brother's life without his body.""The mishandling of the search and constant miscommunication throughout prompts the question.. was my brother's life valued by his ticket and age?" she wrote. "If so and if not, to what extent does this company value a human life to respond with appropriate actions of urgency?"Royal Caribbean didn't respond to Business Insider's request for a response to Savannah Ropich's criticisms.<h2>A crew member went overboard off an AIDA Cruises ship but couldn't be found during a search</h2><div type="image" title="The cruise liner AIDAperla in the port of Hamburg." height="3072" width="5184" msid="104968801" hostid="261"></div>The <a target="_blank" href=" https://www.insider.com/aidperla-cruise-ship-english-channel-searching-overboard-crew-member-2023-10">crew member went overboard off the German cruise ship, called the AIDAperla, on October 22</a> as the vessel was traveling from Hamburg to Spain.The cruise ship company said in a statement to <a target="_blank" href="https://news.sky.com/story/major-search-under-way-after-man-falls-overboard-from-passenger-ship-off-kent-coast-12990037">Sky News</a> that the captain "immediately initiated all necessary rescue measures in close coordination with the local authorities."However, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-kent-67191594">search for the crew member wasn't successful</a>.<h2>Another lucky Royal Caribbean passenger was rescued after going overboard</h2><div type="image" title="Symphony of the Seas" height="696" width="1414" msid="104968804" hostid="261"></div>A <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/royal-caribbean-cruise-passenger-rescued-after-fall-overboard-2023-10">passenger traveling on Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas vessel went overboard</a> on October 29 after the ship departed Barcelona and was saved."The ship and crew immediately reported the incident to local authorities and began searching for the guest. Thankfully, the guest was successfully recovered and was brought on board," the cruise line told Business Insider.A person who said they were aboard the vessel at the time posted on social media that they could see spotlights and rescue boats from their balcony during the nighttime search.<h2>A Carnival cruise passenger was seen on surveillance footage jumping off the ship</h2><div type="image" title="The Carnival Glory cruise ship at sea." height="2395" width="3891" msid="105240987" hostid="261" sizebytes="304652"></div><a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/mom-missing-cruise-passenger-carnival-wont-share-footage-incident-2023-11">Tyler Barnett, a 28-year-old father of two</a> from Houma, Louisiana was on a week-long cruise with his younger sister and their uncle when he went missing in the middle of the night.Barnett was last seen aboard the Carnival Glory — which was heading to the Cayman Islands and Cozumel, Mexico — around 11:40 p.m. on November 12, the day of the ship's departure from New Orleans, his mother, Elisha Reid, told Business Insider.For over 24 hours, Carnival crews searched the ship and the Coast Guard scoured a 200-mile section of the Gulf of Mexico looking for signs of Barnett.But, on November 14, Carnival said it had finally found footage of Barnett that showed him climbing up onto a lifeboat and jumping off the ship around 1:40 a.m. on November 13, the company told Business Insider in an email.The cruise line at first told Barnett's sister, who was also on the ship, that there was no surveillance footage of her brother that night, Reid said.Reid said she found out her son was missing from a cousin, not the cruise company."I have my moments where I break, but I'm keeping the faith," she told Business Insider as the search continued. "I'm keeping the faith. I just want him home."<h2>Despite these cases, overboard incidents are very rare, according to a cruise line trade association</h2>According to a <a target="_blank" href="https://cruising.org/-/media/research-updates/report_operational_incidents_2019-v-1">report</a> from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), there were 212 overboard incidents from 2009 to 2019, and only 48 — or 28.2% — of those who fell overboard were successfully rescued."Even one incident is one too many," CLIA told Business Insider, explaining, "The vast majority of cases are either reckless behavior or some form of intentional act. People don't just inadvertently fall over the side of a ship."According to CLIA, cruise lines have maintained an exceptional safety record and cruising is one of the safest forms of travel.From 2009 to 2019, the number of "operational incidents" declined by 41% and the rate of "man overboard incidents" declined by nearly 35%, while the industry's total capacity grew by 68%, CLIA said.

At least 10 people on cruise ships went overboard this year, and 2 miraculously survived

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Julz Maleno is a 30-something acupuncture student living in Chino, California.</li><li>In 2020, she listed a vacant lot on her property as storage space on <keyword id="13958176" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="neighbor" source="Orion">Neighbor</keyword>, a storage rental app.</li><li>Since then, she's made over $26,700 renting out spaces for RVs, trailer, and more.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Julz Maleno, an acupuncture student in California, about her storage rental side hustle. It has been edited for length and clarity.I'm in my last year of classes for my doctorate in acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine. Throughout school, I've worked a variety of odd jobs to help pay the bills while juggling coursework. I worked as an Uber driver at night and on the weekends, but after being sideswiped by another car, I decided being a driver was no longer an option for me as a single mom. I also worked as an acupuncture assistant at my school clinic and other clinics, but as my class schedule changed every quarter, I needed more flexibility. I started looking into different ways to earn money that didn't require much time and heard about <a href="https://www.neighbor.com">Neighbor</a> on the radio. It's a website and app that connects people who have extra room in their home, garage, shed, or yard with locals seeking space to store their belongings. After doing more research, I learned I could make money by listing the gated, vacant acre lot on my property as a storage and parking space. Since listing my space was free, I figured I had nothing to lose. [Editor's note: While listing is free, Neighbor charges the property owner <a href="https://help.neighbor.com/do-i-have-to-pay-to-rent-out-my-storage-space-BkPtDALAd">a payment processing</a> fee of 4.9% of the total reservation cost plus $0.30 per payout.] So I signed up, took pictures of the yard, and then listed each spot with the general length and width dimensions. I divided my yard into three general sections to store cars, RVs, and trailers. I then divided those sections into a total of 20 "parking spot" spaces, each of which rents for between $40 and $200 a month. I <a href="https://www.neighbor.com/user/18902?inquiry_lid=151495">listed</a> my first space right before the pandemic began in early 2020 and within days got a renter who wanted to store their RV. Since then, my extra acre of yard space has brought in more than $26,700.<h2>The passive aspect of renting has been great for my busy schedule</h2>I was initially skeptical about listing my space because I didn't know much about storage or what was considered a fair price, but the passive aspect of renting really sold me in the end.Since I'm not renting out a garage or spare bedroom, I don't spend time cleaning or reorganizing the rental spaces. In fact, I didn't have to do anything to my yard before listing it.I'm busy with school and don't have time to keep up with a gig job or maintain my yard, so it's great to be able to make extra cash without a big lift. I do remember that my first listing was well underpriced, but with more experience I've priced more competitively with other Neighbor listings in the area. I was modest with my pricing at first and priced the spaces less than other local hosts because I wasn't sure if they would actually rent. After seeing how easy it was and how steady the inquiries were, I decided to message Neighbor's customer service to discuss increasing my rates. The support team helped me determine the best price for my area and space size.<h2>There's not much on a day-to-day basis that I have to do for Neighbor</h2><div type="image" title="Julz Maleno rental space Neighbor App" height="683" width="910" msid="91619615" hostid="261"></div>I spend five to 10 hours a month on the Neighbor app messaging renters, mostly just coordinating if they need to drop off or pick up something from their outdoor space. All of our communication happens on the platform, which is convenient so that messages don't get lost. I require renters to reach out to me in advance when they'd like to visit their vehicle or trailers. I'm usually pretty flexible, but I need to keep the space secure and monitor who's visiting and when. Luckily, my renters are all pretty low-maintenance and very accommodating, so it's been easy to plan drop-off and pick-up times around my school schedule. Many of the renters are very friendly and we'll chat from time to time. One renter had 20 Volkswagens stored with me for about a year with plans to restore them, and another renter had a school bus that was converted into a recording studio.<h2>Using the app has been a perfect low-lift side hustle</h2>It's been a rewarding experience to have nice renters who care about me and in turn, I keep a close eye on their property and monitor all other renters visiting the lot. Since the listings are month to month, I like that I can adjust my prices and rotate renters in and out as needed, although I do have some long-term renters, including one who's been storing a Chevy Workhorse since 2020.Renting out my empty yard has been great as a fairly <keyword id="13147044" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="passive-income" source="Orion">passive income</keyword> source. I don't have to do anything or spend anything to earn money, like I did with Uber, and the month-to-month commitment means I could stop renting at any time if I needed to. If you have extra space that you're not using right now, I'd definitely recommend trying out renting it as storage.

I've made $26,000 renting out my extra yard space. It's been a great low-lift side hustle and only takes 5 to 10 hours a month.

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="6374849" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="bank-of-america">Bank of America</keyword> maintained its price target for <keyword id="6354576" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="facebook">Facebook</keyword> at $345 on Monday, implying a potential 26% climb for the social media giant.</li><li>Analyst Justin Post expects the company's e-commerce strength to drive strong year-over-year quarterly revenue growth.</li><li>New features like Facebook Shops and Instagram Checkout are expected to bolster results going forward.</li></ul><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/fb-stock">Facebook's</a> e-commerce push and increased advertising revenue will bolster the social media giant's upcoming quarterly earnings report, Bank of America analysts say.BofA maintained its "buy" rating and its $345 price target for Facebook on Monday despite concerns about antitrust lawsuits and increased regulation from a new presidential administration.The $345 per share figure represents a potential 26% increase over current share prices of around $273 per share.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stock-picks-to-buy-small-companies-value-names-recovery-bofa-2021-1?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingestgest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BANK OF AMERICA: Buy these 31 unheralded stocks as the recovery's hottest trades of recent months continue to gain strength in 2021</a>Facebook underperformed in 2020-rising just 33% on the year versus 44% for the NASDAQ-as regulatory concerns outweighed the company's accelerating advertising revenues.Still, BofA Analyst Justin Post sees the company outperforming going forward. Post lauded Facebook's new eCommerce push as the solution to revenue woes in the near term in a Monday note to clients.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-dives-into-social-commerce-with-new-features-2020-8">Facebook Shops and Instagram Checkout</a> continue to outperform in their first year of operation.Post cited Facebook Watch, the company's new streaming platform, and VR sales as drivers of forward momentum in the medium term.In the long term, Facebook's under-monetized assets like Messenger and Watch will buoy the social media giant, which means the company deserves a strong valuation, according to BofA analysts."We think a premium P/E to the market is warranted given that several potentially under-monetized FB assets (Messenger, Watch, Marketplaces, WhatsApp) that can drive above-market revenue growth over the next 3-5 years," said Post in a note to clients.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/investing-advice-for-2021-sectors-why-tech-stocks-rise-bubble-2021-1">Raymond James' investment chief breaks down his prediction for the market's trajectory in 2021, including the 5 sectors he's most bullish on - and shares why he thinks tech stocks are just getting started</a>With close to 4 billion combined users for messaging apps WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, the company still has considerable assets to monetize in the messaging space alone.However, Bank of America also warned antitrust complaints and section 230 related changes might slow growth in the second half of 2021.Additionally, President Biden has proposed raising the corporate tax rate to 28% from the current 21%, which could affect profitable enterprises like Facebook.Facebook traded at $273.25 per share on Monday at 10:58 am EST, down about 0.5% on the day.

Facebook to soar 26% on e-commerce, advertising strength, says BofA

<ul><li>In an interview with Business Insider India, <keyword id="7420771" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Naaz-Joshi">Naaz Joshi</keyword>, revealed her journey of becoming three-time Miss Diversity 2018 in India. </li><li>She was abandoned at the age of 7 and gang raped at the age of 11. </li><li>Despite all these odds, Naaz sponsored her own education and studied fashion design at the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) however found it difficult to land a job at design houses. </li><li>She went under sex reassignment surgeries in 2013 and started her career in modelling. </li><li>Her next endeavour is to push for legal marriages for the LGBTQIA+ community. </li></ul>Aizya Naaz Joshi created history when won the Miss Diversity 2019 pageant for this third time, at Port Louis in Mauritius. She is also the first Indian trans-woman to appear on the cover of a national magazine. Even after many successes, Joshi is yet to win the hearts of her own family. 
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
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 "My father still is not accepting me. He strongly believes that I have brought shame to the society and the family. He asked me not to use his last name," Naaz told Business Insider India. ‘I had no idea what rape even meant.’ Naaz was born a transgender to a multicultural family. Her mother is a Muslim while her father is a Hindu. In spite of having a twin brother and another younger brother, and she was always the odd one out. "When I grew up a little,all the relative told my parents to send me to the trans (hijra) community. But they declined it and wanted me to study,” she says. Yet, they did not want Naaz to stay with them either, so they sent her away to an uncle in Mumbai. The hardworking youngster took up a job at a restaurant where she washed utensils and cleaned tables. All was well until a male cousin raped her when she was 11 years old. "The sad part was that I had no idea what rape even meant. I got to know much later. All I remember is that I was brutally injured.” By the time she realised, it was too late to find a legal battle as evidence was lost with time. The government is fighting an uphill battle to reduce abuse against women, but sexual violence against transgenders is all but ignored. One of the grave indiscrepancies is with punishment. While those who abuse women could be jailed for seven years or more, in the case of transgenders it is <a href="https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/society/article/2154077/india-no-country-transgender-women">defined as physical abuse and punishments range from 6 months</a> to two years. Education failed to become the passport to future Naaz had hoped that education will sort her life. At the age of 12, she started working at a dance bar in Mumbai to support her education, when they were still legal. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 She had encountered other trans women who danced at the bar. Despite all these odds, Naaz sponsored her own education and studied fashion designing at the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT). She later completed her MBA in marketing from IMT Ghaziabad. "Despite working for big labels like Ritu Kumar and Ritu Beri, I found it hard to get a job," she says. She even pursued a diploma to become an air hostess. Even with a stellar resume and being a NIFT topper, she was forced to take up a job at a massage parlour in South Delhi. “As soon as they get to know about my gender, they used to ignore me,” she laments. As many as 89% of <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/left-alone-just-2-of-trans-people-stay-with-parents/articleshow/65380226.cms">qualified transgenders in India do not find employment</a> in India. The gender pay gap is worse with transgender women . Naaz underwent a gender reassignment surgery in 2013, and started modeling. 
 
	
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Naaz Joshi at Roshni Nilaya in Mangaluru My life changed when I appeared on the cover of Tehelka Magazine, the title of which read: "How people like Naaz Joshi are turning the way we see men and women”. In 2017, she was floating on cloud nine when she became won Miss Diversity. 
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
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 Even when they are hired, transgenders face the problem that most women do, a blaring pay gap. And for transgenders, the pay difference is as deep as 191%. In her chosen field however, women make more money. "If companies pay ₹35,000 to a female model for a ramp walk or shoot, then it is likely that a trans woman with experience will get only ₹12,000," she informs. A fresher usually earns ₹5,000 for a shoot and if you are a woman with experience in the fashion industry it can go up to ₹35,000 but a trans women with years of experience still earns merely ₹12000. While, the pay hike is 600% for a women, the pay is generally only 140% more for a trans women. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 The treatment that she receives isn’t great either. "The companies pay us little, they behave like they are doing us a favour by featuring us," she says. Naaz wishes that people would treat her like any other women. The Miss Diversity also doubles as a social activist to raise awareness about HIV among women and children. She plans to visit villages near Delhi on September 6 to create awareness on <keyword id="6362797" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="section-377">Section 377</keyword> and the importance of a socially inclusive society. Her next endeavour is to push for legal marriages for the LGBTQIA+ community. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/the-story-of-nitasha-biswas-indias-first-trans-beauty-pageant-winner/articleshow/70825424.cms">India's first trans beauty pageant winner's journey from hunger and abandonment to a symbol of empowerment</a>

Abandoned at 7, raped at 11, India's three-time Miss Diversity, Naaz Joshi, shares the gut wrenching plight of the country's trans community

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="1865287" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="cortana">Cortana</keyword> is Microsoft's <keyword id="419817" type="POSITION" weightage="60" keywordseo="virtual-assistant">virtual assistant</keyword> available for use across various devices and <keyword id="693285" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Microsoft-365">Microsoft 365</keyword>'s suite of services and products.</li><li>To use Cortana, you must have the AI-powered assistant enabled through your Microsoft account and on relevant devices and services before saying the wake phrase "Hey Cortana," followed by a prompt. </li><li>Cortana's current iteration is geared towards productivity, focusing predominantly on saving you time and increasing your focus with tools like Briefing emails and Play My Emails. </li></ul>Microsoft's Cortana is a cloud-based personal assistant that operates outside the realm of standard voice-enabled AI.Cortana doesn't just understand voice commands and carry out tasks but is integrated for use across Microsoft's 365 suite of products and all <keyword id="6423476" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="windows-10">Windows 10</keyword> operating systems, version 2004 and later. If you or your team rely on Microsoft 365, here's everything you need to know about how to harness Cortana to improve your productivity. <h2>What is Cortana?</h2>First launched in 2014, this virtual voice assistant's name and concept were inspired by a 26th-century artificial intelligence character of the same name from the popular "Halo" video game series. Designed to integrate with the Windows Phone - and by 2015, Windows 10 PCs - Cortana's capabilities included organizing and managing your daily meetings, reminders, and more alongside traditional web searches - all through typed text or voice prompts. Everything you turned to Cortana for was then stored in a virtual "Notebook," an approach to the virtual assistant that was based on the work of actual human assistants who spoke to Microsoft during Cortana's development process, according to a <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2014/4/2/5570866/cortana-windows-phone-8-1-digital-assistant">2014 Verge report</a>. <div type="image" title="Cortana 7" height="720" width="500" msid="82314752" hostid="261"></div>From there, Cortana's presence grew as Microsoft integrated it everywhere from Xbox and smart speakers to Apple and Android apps and third-party skills for Fitbit, Spotify, and more. But in the years since its launch, Microsoft users' needs have changed, and the company's vision for its digital assistant has evolved along with it. <h2>What can Cortana do?</h2>Nowadays, Cortana's focus puts it in a different space than other voice-enabled AI assistants. Cortana primarily connects Microsoft 365 users to every element of their product suites and helps you track, organize, and manage your daily work. Still available on Windows 10 and client applications like Outlook for iOS and Android, users can now go hands- and worry-free when it comes to managing their personal and professional work. Included with any Microsoft 365 price plan, you can use Cortana with Windows 10 computers, the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-microsoft-edge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Edge browser</a>, and Bing search engine; apps like <keyword id="6378504" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="word">Word</keyword>, PowerPoint, and OneNote; email and calendar services <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/outlook-web-app" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Outlook</a> and Exchange; as well as file services like <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-onedrive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">OneDrive</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-forms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Forms</a>; and finally, social and meeting products like <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-microsoft-teams" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Teams</a> and Yammer. With Cortana enabled, using the assistant's waking phrase followed by a command prompt can open apps, fetch the news and weather, add to your lists in Microsoft To-Do, schedule calendar event reminders, locate a file in OneDrive, join meetings, or navigate through presentations in Teams. <div type="image" title="Voice assistant on phone" height="1512" width="2016" msid="82314754" hostid="261"></div>But Cortana can go one step further with personalized and interactive tools like Briefings and Play My Emails, both designed to ensure you're at your most productive each day.<ul><li>Briefing emails: Set up through Outlook, these briefs are sent within two hours of your workday to help you stay on top of the day ahead of you. Expect notes about outstanding commitments, requests, and follow-ups that you may have forgotten, documents relevant to the day's meetings so you can review before you attend, and suggested focus times to help you get the most out of your unscheduled hours. </li><li>Play My Emails: If you need to go hands-free, this Outlook Cortana feature reads out your emails, so you don't have to slow down to keep up. Best used with Bluetooth-enabled wireless or wired audio devices like headphones or your car audio, you can use simple voice commands for a touch-free inbox search and response experience. </li></ul><h2>How does Cortana work? </h2>Regardless of the device, service, or program you're using Cortana in, the Microsoft voice assistant helps users quickly get information using typed or spoken queries that connect you with other people, your work, and your plans. And with a stricter focus on assisting you with Microsoft products, Cortana can work more like an actual assistant than ever before. While signed in to your Microsoft account and with the app or service you're using open, just say "Cortana" or "Hey Cortana." Cortana then responds to your requests and queries before completing relevant tasks. Simultaneously, it's collecting certain data about you, such as your searches, calendar, contacts, and location, to help make future experiences with Cortana more personalized. Important: To help give you relevant suggestions and personalize your voice assistant experience, Cortana learns from the data it collects on you. To know more about your digital privacy and data security when using Cortana, <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/cortana-and-privacy-47e5856e-3680-d930-22e1-71ec6cdde231" target="_blank" rel="noopener">visit the Microsoft website</a>. There are several ways you can prompt Cortana once enabled. These include clicking or tapping the microphone icon in Cortana-integrated products and services, executing the keyboard command "Shift + Windows Key + C," or by saying "Hey Cortana," followed by a vocal command. If you haven't enabled Cortana on your PC, you'll need to do so.<h3>How to enable Cortana on your PC</h3>If you want to start benefiting from Cortana's AI power on a PC, you may need to enable the feature. <ol><li>Tap the circle icon next to the search bar at the bottom of your computer screen and sign in to your Microsoft account. <div type="image" title="Cortana 1" height="548" width="500" msid="82314759" hostid="261"></div></li><li>Once signed in, select the circle again to bring up Cortana's menu if it doesn't automatically appear. <div type="image" title="Cortana 6" height="40" width="1136" msid="82314760" hostid="261"></div></li><li>Click the three-dot icon in the top left and select Settings from the drop-down. <div type="image" title="Cortana 2" height="720" width="500" msid="82314762" hostid="261"></div></li><li>Choose "Voice Activation" from the list of options. </li><li>Click the "Voice activation privacy settings" link. <div type="image" title="Cortana 3" height="339" width="500" msid="82314765" hostid="261"></div></li><li>Under the "Choose which apps can use voice activation" section, toggle on "Let Cortana respond to "Cortana" keyboard. Once enabled, you can also choose to let Cortana work on voice command when your device is locked. <div type="image" title="Cortana 4" height="633" width="800" msid="82314766" hostid="261"></div></li><li>Go back to the Cortana window, say "Hey Cortana" and wait for the virtual assistant to activate. You can also type your command into the dialogue box next to the microphone icon. </li></ol>Quick tip: Once you enable "Hey Cortana" on your PC, select "Try to respond only to me" and then click on "Learn how to say, 'Hey Cortana.'" You'll be prompted to repeat six phrases out loud, which will train Cortana to recognize your voice and speech patterns. <h2>Cortana command prompts</h2>Once Cortana is activated, you can use it for just about anything. Commands span basic requests about the weather, making calls and sending emails or messages, scheduling meetings, reminders, and alarms, as well as updating your device settings. <div type="image" title="Cortana 8" height="720" width="500" msid="82314768" hostid="261"></div>But you can also use it for more complex things like math, translations, and definitions; food and travel recommendations; music and entertainment app control; personal health and fitness updates; technical support for connected devices; and fun or factual conversation. Here are a few common prompts you can try:<ul><li>"What's the weather like?"</li><li>"Go to / Open [app name / website]."</li><li>"What's [percentage] of [dollar amount]?"</li><li>"Where is my package?"</li><li>"Find photos from [date / time]."</li><li>"Find restaurants near me."</li><li>"What is this song?"</li><li>"What was my step count yesterday?"</li><li>"Turn on/off Bluetooth."</li><li>"Set an alarm for [date and time]."</li><li>"When is my [event name]?"</li><li>"Send email to (contact): (message)."</li><li>"Show me public transportation directions to [location / address]." </li><li>"Track flight [flight number]." </li><li>"Call (contact) at home/work."</li><li>"Who's my next meeting with?"</li><li>"How do I change default apps?"</li></ul><a data-type="606ddf2b69de4a09286b8ec2">How to use Microsoft Family Safety to manage your family members' app usage, screen time, and more</a><a data-type="6086efcd9831317e1372c39d">How to use Microsoft 365's remote collaboration tools to work effectively from home</a><a data-type="601acabddaf40c07b95c7b8c">How to create and organize notes with Microsoft OneNote and seamlessly manage all your projects from one app</a><a data-type="604aab84e6938368f5457e47">What is Microsoft Sway? How to use the powerful presentation program, and how it differs from PowerPoint</a>

What is Cortana? A guide to Microsoft's virtual assistant, and how you can use it to improve your productivity

<ul><li>The Pride Circle launched India’s first job fair for the <keyword id="729067" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="LGBTQ">LGBTQ</keyword> community, to be held on 12 July in Bangalore.</li><li>The fair is expecting 50 participant companies offering IT, admin, communications and blue-collar jobs. </li><li>Mumbai will also witness a ‘diversity job fair’ on 28 July — Vividh — welcoming people from all sexualities and groups including acid attack survivors. </li><li>India has 5%-10% <keyword id="7803709" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="queer-employees">queer employees</keyword> in the workforce.</li></ul>The Supreme Court decriminalised <keyword id="34262" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="homosexuality">homosexuality</keyword> in India in 2018 by scrapping <keyword id="6362797" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="section-377">Section 377</keyword>. Yet, Indian companies are still a long way from hiring from the LGBTQI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer) community. Addressing the discrimination faced by the coummunity in India, Pride Circle, a platform connecting job seekers with MNCs has announced a first-of-its-kind <a href="https://www.google.co.in/amp/s/www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/a-job-fair-for-the-lgbtq-community/article27062211.ece/amp/">career job fair</a> — RISE — Re-imagining Inclusion for Social Equality. The LGBTQI job fair, which will be held on 12 July, will have nearly 50 participant companies offering IT, admin, communications and blue-collar jobs. Its aim is to create over 1,000 jobs by next year. According to The Hindu report, the organisation received nearly 80 resumes so far, and is expecting around 400 LGBTQ participants. The career fair will be conducted from 1 pm to 5:30 pm at the Lalit Ashok Hotel in Bangalore. Mumbai will hold a smiliar job fair on 28 July — <a href="https://www.firstpost.com/living/vividh-2019-an-employment-fair-for-diverse-candidates-aims-to-enhance-inclusiveness-in-workplaces-6842991.html">Vividh</a> — bringing together talent from various groups including acid attack survivors, people with disabilities and queer community. “Not a job fair, but a diversity fair,” Praful Baweja, Co-Founder of 6 Degrees <a href="https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/mumbai-to-see-first-job-fair-to-hire-queer-and-diverse-employees-will-india-inc-bite-2195265.html">told</a> Network18. The fair will have on-the-spot interviews, CV submissions for all candidates, regardless of their age and sexuality, aiming to create inclusivity at workplace. Diversity at workplace India has nearly<a href="https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/mumbai-to-see-first-job-fair-to-hire-queer-and-diverse-employees-will-india-inc-bite-2195265.html"> 5%-10% queer employees</a> in the workforce. Of this, over half of them reported discrimination at work. The 2016 World Bank report suggests that India recorded a loss of $32 billion because of homophobia. Corporates in India are adapting to inclusivity in their hiring policies, though slowly. The first step has been taken by multinational and large organizations. IBM, Accenture, Cognizant and Tech Mahindra are among those who extended <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/company/corporate-trends/indian-mncs-openly-allying-with-the-lgbt-cause/articleshow/69951140.cms">medical insurance to same-sex partners</a> among the <keyword id="6885224" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="LGBTQ-employees">LGBTQ employees</keyword>. Several IBM employees have ‘come out’ with their sexuality at work, ET reported citing Prachi Rastogi, IBM India’s Diversity and Inclusion Leader. The Royal Bank of Scotland is reportedly considering internship programs for transgenders. Foodtech unicorn Zomato announced an <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/zomato-paid-parental-leave-policy-for-men-and-women-and-same-sex-partners/articleshow/69635956.cms">‘inclusive parental leave policy</a>’ allowing 26-week paid leave to new parents — including same sex partners in case of adoption. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tinder-india-survey-online-dating-apps-help-lgbtq-community-fight-social-stigma/articleshow/69338148.cms">For the LGBTQ community in India, online dating platforms are helping break down stigmas</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sexual-harassment-at-educational-institutions-a-challenge-for-indias-lgbtq-community-finds-unesco-report/articleshow/69723003.cms">Sexual harassment at educational institutions a challenge for India's LGBTQ community, finds UNESCO report</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/the-13-top-fortune-ranked-companies-for-lgbtq-employees/articleshow/69681401.cms">The 13 top Fortune-ranked companies for LGBTQ employees</a>

Welcoming LGBTQs and acid attack survivors, these job fairs aim to step up corporate India’s inclusivity

I tried 40 of Trader Joe's holiday foods, and would buy at least 26 of them again

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="13684553" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="bangkok" source="Orion">Bangkok</keyword>, <keyword id="11906678" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="thailand" source="Orion">Thailand</keyword>, is a shopper's paradise with everything from cosmetics to vintage cars.</li><li>Whether you want to learn Thai cooking or have a spa day, here are a local's must-do activities. </li></ul>After living in Bangkok on and off since 2010 and working as a <keyword id="11896628" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="travel" source="Orion">travel</keyword> guidebook writer covering my adopted home city, all too often, I see tourists focused only on temples and tourist areas like Khao San Road.And while those are worthy sights for first-timers, what these visitors don't realize is that the city also offers an unparalleled assortment of things to do, and plenty of relaxation, too.Yes, the city is busy and fast-paced, but it can also offer good downtime and quality of life — and that's what makes it an attractive place to live for so many locals such as myself. If you want to get a taste of what we locals really love about Bangkok, try out some of these activities.<div type="image" title="Chatuchak Market Bangkok Thailand Pietro Lo Casto for Insider" height="1666" width="2222" msid="92064269" hostid="261"></div>Shop 'til you dropBangkok is a buyer's paradise with no shortages of mega-malls and market stalls. Clothing, decorative items, and electronics are probably most associated with the shopping circuit, but there are a lot of other curiosities, like vintage wear, antiques, vinyl, cosmetics, and skincare, too.<div type="image" title="Chatuchak Market Bangkok Thailand Pietro Lo Casto for Insider" height="1499" width="2000" msid="92064270" hostid="261"></div><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tripadvisor.com%2FAttraction_Review-g293916-d450971-Reviews-Chatuchak_Weekend_Market-Bangkok.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Chatuchak Weekend Market</a> is the best place for rare finds. My rule of thumb here is, "If you like it, buy it" because you may not find that same stall again with more than 10,000 vendors spread across 26 sections in total. Sections 1 and 2 are located right at the entrance from Kamphaeng Phet road (accessed via the MRT and BTS stations). Section numbers run mainly counter-clockwise around the market's exterior from here but are ordered illogically in some areas, so paying attention to the signs and arrows should be a big help.Some of my favorite personal treasures from Chatuchak have been found in Sections 1, 10, and 25, which are dominated by dusty antiques like decorations, jewelry and records, and regional artisan wares. Sections 8 to 24 are all packed with clothes, but I usually hang around Sections 2 and 3 to discover independent designers and secondhand items. <div type="image" title="Talad Rot Fai Market Bangkok Thailand Pietro Lo Casto for Insider" height="1666" width="2222" msid="92064271" hostid="261"></div>What Chatuchak lacks in atmosphere (it's hot, sweaty, and chaotic), <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tripadvisor.com%2FAttraction_Review-g293916-d4322781-Reviews-Train_Night_Market-Bangkok.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Talad Rot Fai Market </a>(the "Train Market" in English) makes up for. The weekend night bazaar, located not far from Chatuchak, is known for a casual party vibe with young Thai crowds drinking cocktails from VW vans while shopping for antiques. Most of the items here will be things you maybe can't bring home with you easily, like retro sofas and barber chairs, or spare parts for vintage cars and motorbikes, but it's a lot of fun to browse.<div type="image" title="A woman sitting cross legged being treated by a masseuse" height="5304" width="7072" msid="92064272" hostid="261"></div>Treat yourself to a spa dayWell-priced massages, available around almost every corner, are what I consider one of the best perks of living in Bangkok. For as little as 300 baht ($10), you can have your whole body cracked, stretched, and pounded out in a traditional Thai massage. A lot of locals like myself find the addition of hot oil or compresses helps ease what can be an otherwise rough experience.Often, I'll make it a spa day with friends and we'll meet up at a location of <a href="https://www.healthlandspa.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Healthland</a>, a popular Bangkok spa chain, and get professional mani-pedis, scrubs, and a facial at a fraction of what they may cost abroad.I also like <a href="https://letsrelaxspa.com/branch/thonglor/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Let's Relax Onsen and Spa</a> for a Japanese-inspired spa day. It sources water from the Gero hot springs in Japan for use in milk, soda, and whirlpool baths. There's also a sauna, a hot-stone bed, and a tatami room for relaxing, so it's a great place to buy an all-day package and lose track of time.<a href="https://www.yunomorionsen.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Yunomori Onsen</a> is another good choice with two locations, one in Sukhumvit and in Silom, taking its hot-spring water from Ranong, Thailand for hot, cold, and carbonated soaks. As per Japanese tradition, both onsens have separate sections for men and women.<div type="image" title="The Paragon Cineplex Bangkok Thailand Pietro Lo Casto for Insider" height="1666" width="2222" msid="92064273" hostid="261"></div>Go to a VIP movie theaterDuring rainy days in Bangkok, many locals like me pass the time by catching a movie at one of the city's luxury cinemas. For about the same price as a ticket and a bucket of popcorn at a US theater, you can treat yourself to a state-of-the-art experience that could include recliners or sofa seats with cozy blankets, alcohol, snacks, and even butler service. Films are predominantly shown in original English with Thai subtitles. Before each show, a short tribute film to the king plays and the audience stands in commemoration (make sure you do too, as not doing so is considered highly disrespectful and also illegal).The <a href="https://www.majorcineplex.com/home" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Enigma at the Paragon Cineplex</a> is probably the most expensive (about $100 for a two-person experience) but includes the price of dinner and usually, a drink like a cocktail or wine served by the theater's private butler. You can choose from a range of seats with silk pillows and blankets against candlelight. I usually go for a massage chair when alone, or the sofa with a friend.<div type="image" title="The Chao Phraya Riverside Bangkok Thailand Pietro Lo Casto for Insider" height="1665" width="2220" msid="92064274" hostid="261"></div>Explore the Chao Phraya riversideBangkok's riverside area is having a revival period, with lovely hipster cafés and restaurants popping up in restored shophouses along the water. There are great historical attractions beyond your typical crowded temples, such as the fascinating Kudichin neighborhood, a former Portuguese quarter with multireligious, multicultural architecture.Between padding the pavement of tiny soi alleys weaved against the Chao Phraya, you can also check out the new River City shopping center focused on art and antiques. The nearby ICONSIAM is one of Asia's newest, largest shopping malls and is a place you can amble around for hours.<div type="image" title="Trader Vic's Bangkok Thailand Pietro Lo Casto for Insider" height="1666" width="2222" msid="92064277" hostid="261"></div>Go for a boozy Sunday brunch buffetSunday brunch is a Bangkok institution with several hotels offering bottomless buffets and free-flow booze. For a reasonable price, you can sip bubbles of choice and graze from live cooking setups and tables of savory items and desserts. Usually, it's all included at a single reasonable price and can be even cheaper if you book with a group.To be clear, these are not your everyday hotel brunches with omelet and cereal stations. The food is over-the-top: Sunday roasts and oysters shucked before your eyes, seafood on ice, chocolate fountains, and more made-to-order delights. VIU, SEEN, <a href="http://tradervicsbangkok.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored nofollow sponsored">Trader Vic's</a>, and The Dining Room are among my favorite places to go.<div type="image" title="Bangkok Thailand Lumphini Park Pietro Lo Casto for Insider" height="1666" width="2222" msid="92064279" hostid="261"></div>Relax in Bangkok's green lungDespite being mostly known as a concrete jungle, Bangkok also has beautiful, laidback greenery. The capital's parks offer lovely shady spots under foliage, the most famous being <a href="https://www.tourismthailand.org/Attraction/lumpini-park" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Lumpini Park</a>. Dubbed Bangkok's Central Park, it's a sprawling green space with character: a lake with rental paddle boats, classes of aerobics and tai chi, and feedings of the park's resident cats and birds.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tripadvisor.com%2FAttraction_Review-g293916-d3350387-Reviews-Benjakitti_Park-Bangkok.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Benjakitti Park</a>, in the heart of downtown Sukhumvit, is also known for running tracks and a lake where turtles laze all day. Not far away, Benjasiri Park makes for a nice garden walk around fountains and sculptures, plus sports courts where locals play volleyball, football, and takraw.<div type="image" title="The Octave rooftop at the Bangkok Marriott Sukhumvit in Thong-Lor Pietro Lo Casto for Insider" height="1665" width="2220" msid="92064281" hostid="261"></div>Hang out on a rooftopThe tops of Bangkok's skyscrapers offer a quiet, breezy reprieve from the humid buzz down below. A short elevator ride takes you up to some of the city's most popular bars and restaurants. No matter how long you live in Bangkok, it's hard to get enough of their sunset skyline panoramas.Bangkok's rooftops are often pricey (at Sirocco, a filming location for "The Hangover 2," drinks cost as much as $30 a pop) so be prepared to shell out depending on where you go. <a href="https://marriottbonvoyasia.com/restaurants-bars/Bangkok-Marriott-Hotel-Sukhumvit-Octave-Rooftop-Lounge-Bar" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Octave</a> at the Bangkok Marriott Sukhumvit in Thong-Lor is one of my favorites because the views and location are great, and the cocktail prices are still reasonable. <div type="image" title="deep-dive into Thai cuisine with a modern twist, I recommend Bo.lan" height="4425" width="5900" msid="92064283" hostid="261"></div>Learn the art of Thai cookingOne of the best ways to appreciate Thai cuisine is to learn how to make it. Join a cooking class where the standard experiences offers a market visit, step-by-step cooking, a shared meal, and usually a take-home recipe book.In Bangkok, cooking schools like the <a href="https://www.blueelephant.com/cooking-school-bangkok/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Blue Elephant</a> and the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tripadvisor.com%2FAttraction_Review-g293916-d1069834-Reviews-Silom_Thai_Cooking_School-Bangkok.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Silom Thai Cooking School</a> offer a range of courses with different dishes. For a deep dive into Thai cuisine with a modern twist, I recommend <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bo.lan_essentially_thai/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Bo.lan</a>, formerly one of Bangkok's most influential Michelin-starred restaurants now serving immersive cooking workshops and master classes. The chef-owners (you may recognize Bo Songvisava from Netflix's "Chef's Table") are passionate about sustainability, sourcing, and artisanship, and offer the chance to work with Thai ingredients like stocks from scratch.<div type="image" title="BACC Bangkok Arts and Culture Centre Bangkok Thailand Pietro Lo Casto for Insider" height="1666" width="2222" msid="92064285" hostid="261"></div>Marvel at contemporary artBangkok has a spectacular contemporary art scene. The longstanding <a href="https://en.bacc.or.th/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Bangkok Arts and Culture Centre</a> and much newer Museum of Contemporary Art are both institutions. Lately, a lot of smaller galleries have opened in former Chinatown shophouses, like Speedy Grandma and WTF, which host pop-up exhibitions combined with fun opening parties and live music — <a href="https://bk.asia-city.com/topics/arts" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored nofollow sponsored">BK Magazine's Arts page</a> is where you can see what's happening.<div type="image" title="VIVID by Verita Health at Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel Bangkok Thailand spa" height="4533" width="6045" msid="92064286" hostid="261"></div>Visit a vitamin therapy barIn a party city such as Bangkok, vitamin IV drip bars offer a creative way of tackling hangovers. Once only offered at private hospitals, these IV drip clinics are becoming all the rage, and not just for a debilitating morning after, by the way. There are "vitamin cocktails" for jet lag, anti-aging, sports injuries, or if you're simply feeling under the weather. I suggest <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.anantara.com%2Fen%2Fpress-releases%2Fvivid-by-verita-health-bangkok-vibrant-iv-drip-bar" target="_blank" rel="nofollow nofollow noopener sponsored sponsored">VIVID</a> at the luxury hotel Anantara Siam.<a href="https://www.insider.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-traveling-to-bangkok-thailand" target="_blank" rel="noopener">View Insider's comprehensive guide to visiting Bangkok, Thailand.</a>

10 activities that locals love in Bangkok that go beyond the main tourist spots, including the best markets, museums, and spas

<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"></div>Christopher Furlong/Getty Images</div>Fitch just downgraded the United Kingdom's sovereign <keyword id="142429" type="EVENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Credit-Rating">credit rating</keyword> to AA+ from AAA.
Below is the full text <a href="http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/press_releases/detail.cfm?pr_id=789068&amp;origin=home">from the release</a>:
Fitch Ratings-London-19 April 2013: Fitch Ratings has downgraded the United Kingdom's Long-term foreign and local currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDR) to 'AA+' from 'AAA'. The Outlook is Stable. At the same time, the agency has affirmed the UK's Short-term foreign currency rating at 'F1+' and the Country Ceiling at 'AAA'.
The rating actions follow the conclusion of the review of the UK's sovereign ratings initiated on 22 March and resolve the Rating Watch Negative. The previous Negative Outlook on the UK's sovereign ratings had been in place since 14 March 2012.
KEY RATING DRIVERS The downgrade of the UK's sovereign ratings primarily reflects a weaker economic and fiscal outlook and hence the upward revision to Fitch's medium-term projections for UK budget deficits and government debt. Despite the loss of its 'AAA' status, the UK's extremely strong credit profile is reflected in its 'AA+' rating and the Stable Outlook.
- Fitch now forecasts that general government gross debt (GGGD) will peak at 101% of GDP in 2015-16 (equivalent to 86% of GDP for public sector net debt, PSND) and will only gradually decline from 2017-18. This compares with Fitch's previous projection for GGGD peaking at 97% and declining from 2016-17 and the 'AAA' median of around 50%.
- Fitch previously commented that failure to stabilise debt below 100% of GDP and place it on a firm downward path towards 90% of GDP over the medium term would likely trigger a rating downgrade. Despite the UK's strong fiscal financing flexibility underpinned by its own currency with reserve currency status and the long average maturity of public debt, the fiscal space to absorb further adverse economic and financial shocks is no longer consistent with a 'AAA' rating.
- Higher than previously projected budget deficits and debt primarily reflects the weak growth performance of the UK economy in recent years, partly due to headwinds of private and public sector deleveraging and the eurozone crisis. Fitch has revised down its forecast economic growth in 2013 and 2014 to 0.8% and 1.8%, respectively, from 1.5% and 2.0% at the time of the last review of the UK's sovereign ratings in September 2012. The UK economy is not expected to reach its 2007 level of real GDP until 2014, underscoring the weakness of the economic recovery.
- Despite significant progress in reducing public sector net borrowing (PSNB from a peak of 11.2% of GDP (GBP159bn) in 2009-10, the budget deficit remains 7.4% of GDP (excluding the effect of the transfer of Royal Mail pensions) and is not expected to fall below 6% of GDP and GBP100bn until the end of the current parliament term. The slower pace of deficit reduction means that the next government will be required to implement substantial spending reductions (and/or tax increases) if public debt is to be stabilised and reduced over the medium term.
The Stable Outlook on the UK's sovereign ratings reflects the following factors.
- Under Fitch's baseline economic and fiscal scenario, which assumes a continued policy commitment to reducing the underlying budget deficit and medium-term annual growth potential of 2%-2.25%, government debt gradually falls as a share of national income in the latter half of the decade.
- The long average maturity of public debt (15 years) - the longest of any high-grade sovereign -exclusively denominated in local currency and low interest service burden implies a higher level of debt tolerance than many high-grade peers.
- The international reserve currency status of sterling and the ability and willingness of the Bank of England to intervene in the UK government debt market largely eliminates the risk of a self-fulfilling fiscal financing crisis.
- The gradual improvement in the UK banking sector's capital and liquidity position has further reduced contingent liabilities arising from this sector.
The UK's 'AA+' rating is underpinned by its high-income, diversified and flexible economy as well as a high degree of political and social stability. The monetary policy framework as well as sterling's international reserve currency status afford the UK a high degree of financial and economic policy flexibility. Strong civil and policy institutions and a high degree of transparency enhance the predictability of the business and economic policy environment that compares favourably with peers in the 'AA' category.
Weak economic performance and growth prospects, relatively high levels of private and foreign as well as public debt, along with sizeable twin fiscal and current account deficits, are weaknesses relative to rating peers.
RATING SENSITIVITIES The Stable Outlook indicates a less than 50% chance of a change in the UK sovereign ratings over the next two years.
The main factors that could lead to a negative rating action, individually or collectively, are: - Failure to stabilise the government debt to GDP ratio over the medium term. - Increased threat to macro-financial stability, for example arising from an intensification of the eurozone crisis or an erosion of confidence in the UK's policy commitment to price stability.
The main factors that could lead to a positive rating action, individually or collectively, are: - Stronger economic recovery and rebalancing of the UK economy than currently forecast. - Government budget deficits and debt declining at a faster pace than currently projected so that GGGD is on a sustainable path towards 90% of GDP and below.
KEY ASSUMPTIONS A key assumption underpinning Fitch's medium-term fiscal projections reflected in the 'AA+' rating and Stable Outlook is that the growth potential of the UK economy is around 2%-2.25% pa. This assumption is based on the UK's labour market and demographic outlook and expectation that labour productivity will revert to its long-run trend of around 2% pa. In the event that productivity and hence economic growth is permanently lower than its long-run historical average prior to the financial crisis, the fiscal outlook would be materially worse than currently assessed with adverse implications for the UK's sovereign credit profile and ratings.
For the purposes of its economic and fiscal forecasts, Fitch assumes a current 'output gap' of 2.7% of potential GDP that gradually declines over the forecast horizon. However, there is considerable uncertainty over the extent and future evolution of productive spare capacity in the UK economy. According to Fitch's simulations, in a 'no output gap' scenario GGGD would remain above 100% of GDP until 2018 in the absence of further structural deficit-reduction measures.
The strong institutional framework for control of public expenditure and effective tax administration alongside the broad-based political and public commitment to deficit reduction underpins Fitch's assumption that fiscal consolidation will be sustained beyond the term of the current parliament through a combination of spending and tax measures. 3.5pp of the 6.9pp total reduction in expenditure as a percentage of GDP for the 2009-10 to-2017-18 period fall outside the term of the current parliament.
Fitch assumes that no contingent liabilities arising from the financial sector and other government interventions to ease constraints on the availability of bank credit to the private sector will have a material impact on the path of UK government debt over the projection horizon.
Fitch's current global economic forecasts (published in the March 2013 edition of the Global Economic Outlook) are incorporated into its near-term economic forecast for the UK including the assumption that severe tail-risks to the global economy, including a break-up of the eurozone, do not materialise and oil prices remain broadly at current levels.
Fitch will publish early next week an update of its medium-term economic and fiscal projections for the UK that will supplant those published by Fitch in September 2012 ('UK Public Finances Update', 28 September 2012).
The ratings of related entities and transactions will be reviewed in light of today's sovereign rating action and any changes announced shortly.
Contact: Primary Analyst Gergely Kiss Director +44 20 3530 1425 Fitch Ratings Limited 30 North Colonnade London E14 5GN
Secondary Analyst David Riley Managing Director +44 20 3530 1175
Committee Chairperson Ed Parker Managing Director +44 20 3530 1176
Media Relations: Peter Fitzpatrick, London, Tel: +44 20 3530 1103, Email: peter.fitzpatrick@fitchratings.com; Hannah Huntly, London, Tel: +44 20 3530 1153, Email: hannah.huntly@fitchratings.com.
Additional information is available at www.fitchratings.com.
Applicable criteria, 'Sovereign Rating Methodology' dated August 2012, are available at www.fitchratings.com. Applicable Criteria and Related Research <a href="http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=685737">Sovereign Rating Methodology</a> <a href="http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=703800">Global Economic Outlook - Amended</a> Additional Disclosure <a href="http://www.fitchratings.com/gws/en/disclosure/solicitation?pr_id=789068">Solicitation Status</a> ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: <a href="http://fitchratings.com/understandingcreditratings">HTTP://FITCHRATINGS.COM/UNDERSTANDINGCREDITRATINGS</a>. IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE AGENCY'S PUBLIC WEBSITE 'WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM'. PUBLISHED RATINGS, CRITERIA AND METHODOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS SITE AT ALL TIMES. FITCH'S CODE OF CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, AFFILIATE FIREWALL, COMPLIANCE AND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE 'CODE OF CONDUCT' SECTION OF THIS SITE. FITCH MAY HAVE PROVIDED ANOTHER PERMISSIBLE SERVICE TO THE RATED ENTITY OR ITS RELATED THIRD PARTIES. DETAILS OF THIS SERVICE FOR RATINGS FOR WHICH THE LEAD ANALYST IS BASED IN AN EU-REGISTERED ENTITY CAN BE FOUND ON THE ENTITY SUMMARY PAGE FOR THIS ISSUER ON THE FITCH WEBSITE.

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