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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Many Gen Z Americans are prioritizing financial savviness, aiming for early retirement.</li><li>Young Americans invest more than previous generations; two-thirds save for retirement early.</li></ul>Gen Z is becoming more <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-most-financially-savvy-generation-retirement-saving-investing-2023-11">financially savvy</a> — and many are doing whatever they can to retire early.Many more young Americans are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cfainstitute.org/about/press-releases/2023/finra-cfa-institute-gen-z-research">investing</a> compared to their parents in their early- and mid-20s, and two-thirds of Gen Z has already started <a target="_blank" href="https://www.transamericainstitute.org/docs/default-source/research/post-pandemic-retirement-realities-multigenerational-workforce-report-july-2023.pdf">saving for retirement</a>, according to the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies.Four Gen Z Americans told Business Insider they've followed the principles of the FIRE — <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-retiring-early-fire-movement-financial-independence-millionaire-savings-work-2024-5">financial independence, retire early</a> — movement to achieve a high net worth before their 30th birthdays. These include <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-xers-financial-independence-retire-early-fire-started-saving-late-2024-6">cutting back on spending</a>, investing in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/financial-planners-suggest-index-funds-start-investing-2024-5">index funds</a> and real estate, having passive income from <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/side-hustle-recommendations-jobs-to-try-this-year-concerts-surveys-2024-3">side hustles</a>, and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/how-much-do-i-need-to-retire#:~:text=You%20can%20maximize%20your%20retirement,out%20your%20retirement%20accounts%20first.">maxing out retirement accounts</a> early.Some said they don't intend on following the "<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/early-retirement-overrated-financial-independence-fire-return-to-office-balance-2024-6">retire early</a>" part of the acronym and instead want to pursue their passions while making money doing so.Their stories vary widely, from a serial entrepreneur, to a Boeing engineer, to an enlisted sailor in the Navy. But all four emphasized that their sacrifices and risks earlier in life may be the key to their financial stability down the road.<h2 id="259eb44a-82f4-4e95-8a7c-7a266ae95f9b">Cody Berman, entrepreneur and "passive income expert"</h2><div type="image" title="cody berman headshot blue background" height="3123" width="4164" msid="111730410" hostid="261"></div>Cody Berman, 28, hit <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-worst-national-parks-states-financial-independence-retire-early-fire-2024-7">financial freedom</a> at 25 but has no plans to retire early. He started a handful of businesses in college, some of which failed. He achieved success with his disc golf manufacturing company."I had always thought of 'rich' people being people who made a really high dollars per hour — doctors, lawyers who make $200, $300 an hour," Berman said. "Then I realized that you didn't actually have to trade your time for money on a linear basis. You could trade your time, your energy, your money, for things were going to pay you perpetually, whether or not you're working on them."He got a corporate job as a commercial real estate lender but worked on <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-change-careers-freelancing-side-hustle-earn-six-figures-2024-3">side hustles</a> each morning and night, sometimes working 15-hour days. He left his job after seven months and went all in on freelancing, digital products, blogging, and podcasting.At 25, he made about $400,000 in a year from side hustles, which is when he considered himself financially independent. He saved about 90% of his income, investing most of his money into index funds and his portfolio of 11 rental properties."I'm not in the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/financial-independence-not-retiring-early-millennial-fire-seattle-modest-living-2024-7">FIRE movement</a> for the RE part," Berman said. "I love building businesses."His net worth is about $2.8 million, but he drives a 2015 Nissan truck approaching 100,000 miles. He and his wife live in a one-bedroom property and rent out a four-bedroom property next door. Cutting back on housing costs allowed him to spend almost $10,000 a month in travel, dining, and concerts.Berman co-founded <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://goldcityventures.com/">Gold City Ventures</a>, which helps others launch Etsy businesses selling printables through workshops and courses. Berman said they've seen people quit their corporate jobs and make much more through online selling.<h2 id="4b47ae11-acf6-4bf0-9809-810562964fea">Jubilee Bosch, engineer taking a sabbatical</h2><div type="image" title="Jubilee Bosch at a museum." height="1110" width="1480" msid="111730412" hostid="261"></div>Jubilee Bosch, 26, has worked as an engineer in St. Louis since graduating from college, though with over $190,000 in net worth, she's taking a sabbatical.Bosch was raised in a lower-middle-class family in California by a stay-at-home mom and military father who worked three jobs until starting a house-cleaning business. Though raised to be frugal, she never learned how to invest.After attending community college and a four-year college, she got a mechanical engineering degree and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/earned-thousands-in-scholarships-graduated-college-debt-free-2023-4">graduated debt-free</a> due to merit scholarships, college jobs, and some assistance from her parents.After an internship, she was hired full-time by Boeing, making $64,000. She struggled to transition to the corporate world and burned out quickly, but she kept rising up the ranks, negotiating a promotion and a salary increase to $95,000 a year. Around this time, she read about strategies for reaching <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/financial-independence-retire-early-fire-millennial-income-wealthy-business-owners-2024-4">financial independence</a>, and increased her investments while helping her friends open Roth IRAs.She kept expenses to about $22,000 a year and put most of her savings into the market. She moved into a smaller space with her partner, strategically meal-prepped, and got travel credit cards to lower out-of-pocket flight expenses."I was starting to realize I probably didn't want a traditional career, and I'm sure I'll probably have gaps in my life where I don't have a regular job, so I can roll those over and be tax efficient," Bosch said.She had enough investments and savings to take a year off from work, so she eased up on investing to build a cash cushion. She realized she didn't need to be "hyper-frugal" anymore and could spend on things that mattered to her. She now anticipates retiring between 45 and 55, as she wants to try different career paths."I started to spend more in areas that brought me a lot of joy and realized that some lifestyle creep is worth it and changes the bottom line very little," Bosch said.<h2 id="d1eaf570-5105-4828-808c-817293adc94c">Amber Smith, tech worker-turned-online reseller and content creator</h2><div type="image" title="Amber Smith on a boat" height="2268" width="3024" msid="111730406" hostid="261"></div>Amber Smith, 27, has a net worth of about $250,000 and quit her tech job earlier this year to pursue her side hustles full-time.Smith, who lives in West Des Moines, said her parents sold things on eBay for extra money and stressed the importance of side hustles. She got a full scholarship at college and stumbled into a financial planning internship. She read finance blogs and received training from her manager on how to help others — and herself — best prepare for the future."Here I was in my first real office job, and I thought I could do this for another 40 years of my life, or I could save aggressively now and cut that timeline much shorter," Smith said.After graduating, she did contract work with her local government and a bank. She landed at a startup making $78,000 two years out of college, then transitioned to a financial tech company making about $100,000. However, she was laid off from two jobs back to back, and when she landed in an insurance role, she felt stressed and directionless.She quit her insurance job to grow her side hustles, as she had a large enough nest egg to avoid the office for a few years. She turned down recruiter interviews and focused on monetized <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-ways-to-make-money-as-content-creator">content creation</a> and reselling secondhand clothing.She made $30,000 to $50,000 a year reselling part-time while at her previous companies. She brought in more from brand deals and influencing in the first five months of 2024 than in all of 2023. Content creation hasn't been as consistent, though she made $2,800 once for a brand deal and accepted others paying over $1,000.Though her savings are down this year because of the drop in income after leaving her corporate job, she said she's been smart about her investments and isn't too worried since her net worth continues to grow."I want a way to pay my bills and afford my life, and I want to do that in a way where I'm not stressed out," Smith said. "The peace of it is such a big part, even if I am making less than I was in my insurance job."<h2 id="1e1475eb-db83-4014-8a04-395e1251ab06">Cory Sarkisian, enlisted sailor in the Navy pursuing a financial planning role</h2>Cory Sarkisian, 27, has been an enlisted sailor in the Navy for eight years, saving and investing $375,000 in the process. He and his wife, who have two kids, have been a single-income household for the last six years, moving between San Diego, Hawaii, and Connecticut.Sarkisian had $10,000 saved by the time he joined the Navy, and for his first three years, he didn't have to worry about food or housing, allowing him to save most of his earnings. In 2016, he bought a four-year-old Honda Civic in cash and still drives it.In 2018, he moved out of government quarters and got married. He was given a housing stipend of $2,700 a month, the set amount for someone of his rank, and he and his wife found an apartment for $1,700 a month and kept the rest. He has also never had to pay for healthcare, which is free through the military.In 2020, he began investing in index funds through his Roth IRA and Thrift Savings plan, and he and his wife put 10% down on a condo with a 15-year loan and 1.75% interest rate. He was forced to move to Connecticut two years later, though they sold the condo for $70,000 more than they paid, which they used to start funding their kids' 529 plans, purchase a used car, and put more into brokerage accounts.They've put $180,000 into their Roth accounts, $125,000 in after-tax brokerage accounts, $45,000 in savings, and $21,000 in 529s. With their savings, they traveled to four Hawaiian islands and New Zealand. Sarkisian said he's looking to pursue financial planning after his time in the Navy."We don't feel like we are depriving ourselves," Sarkisian said. "Maybe early on, we endured some deprivation, but we think we have found a pretty good balance."Are you part of the FIRE movement or living by some of its principles? Reach out to this reporter at <a target="_blank" href="mailto:nsheidlower@businessinsider.com">nsheidlower@businessinsider.com</a>.

How 4 Gen Zers are reaching financial independence

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Russ Perry was taken aback when his daughter, then 7, asked to do the grocery shopping alone.</li><li>But he weighed up the safety risks and allowed her to complete the chore at Trader Joe's every week.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with dad-of-three <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://russperry.substack.com/">Russ Perry</a>, 41, CEO of a creative design company and writer. It has been edited for length and clarity.Every Friday after school, I give my 8-year-old daughter, Paige, a handwritten shopping list and drop her off outside <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trader-joes-vs-walmart-grocery-shopping-which-is-better-review-2024-8">our local Trader Joe's</a>.She rolls up 20 minutes later with a full cart of groceries, a receipt, and my credit card in her hand — and a beaming smile on her face.It's our weekly ritual, and she absolutely loves it. Although it's a mundane task, the sense of responsibility boosts her self-esteem and independence.It's amazing to see as a parent because those are the characteristics you want instilled in your children.Some friends are shocked when I tell them about it. One said he never lets his kids out of his sight. "Aren't you afraid she'll get kidnapped?" he asked.<h2 id="c1671856-2632-4bc6-bd01-ec3f5ae273bb">My first reaction was to say 'no' when Paige asked to do the shopping</h2>I'm not living my life day-to-day <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elizabeth-smart-kidnapped-14-now-very-protective-of-her-kids-2022-11">worried about kidnappings</a>. I've researched and figured out how misinformed we are regarding the risk.Social media has amplified the danger, making it sound big and scary. But statistically speaking, we exist in a safer, more supportive environment than ever.Paige's shopping expeditions were triggered by the little kids' carts in the front of the store. She enjoyed wheeling them around the place.Then, at the beginning of 2023, when she was 7, she said, "Hey, can I do it myself now?" My first reaction was to say "no." But I rapidly questioned my thinking.A couple of years ago, I read "<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.thecoddling.com/">The Coddling of the American Mind</a>." The authors discuss the need to give kids more freedom and independence. They advise parents to unwire their brains to think the world is dangerous.<h2 id="7f9f49db-222d-4b61-8590-92b718cc27e0">I accompanied my kids to the park out of habit</h2>The book was an eye-opener — research-based, factual, and data-driven. It showed how people's fear is overblown about stranger danger and child abduction.I recognized that the everyday parenting habits had crept up on me in escorting my kids to parks and playgrounds. We live in a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/walmart-spark-delivery-driver-gated-communities-smaller-tips-than-apartments-2024-1">family-friendly, gated community</a> in Arizona, but I still watched Paige and her sister, Rees, now 12, when they went outside.The park was minutes from the house, and I accompanied them whenever they wanted to go. I wasn't really harboring these fears that I needed to protect them. It was something I was doing unconsciously.<div type="image" title="A father and daughter sitting on a balcony in front of a sunset." height="3024" width="4032" msid="113502184" hostid="261" sizebytes="396510"></div>So, one day, I let them go unsupervised, and it was their most exciting adventure. It opened up a new level of freedom for them, where their exploration and activities were no longer dependent on my schedule, my energy levels, or my willingness to do it.The rule was that you couldn't leave the house without letting us know where you were. If you go to the park, be at the park. Use other people's phones if you need us. Or we'll find you if we need you.After Paige said she wanted to do the grocery shopping, I thought, "I just need to think about the steps here." I looked at it as something for her to learn. We do the shopping almost mindlessly as adults, but for a child, it's new territory.Grocery shopping has three parts: what you need, where it is, and checking out. We broke it down. For several weeks on consecutive Fridays, I gave her the list and shadowed her to say, "OK, here's what we need." She learned the layout of the grocery store and how to use the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-credit-cards-save-me-thousands-on-travel-2024-8">chip on the credit card</a>.<h2 id="4d14d3ca-122e-4379-bc9f-e8aec93e5c6e">My daughter knows what to say if she is questioned about being alone</h2>Before long, she felt so confident that she did not want me to follow her anymore. I started standing in the front by the flowers. She'd ask employees for help to grab things like yogurts that were out of her reach on the refrigerator shelf. It was adorable.Soon, I began hanging out outside the store. Now, I'll catch up on my email, or when she's been with Rees, I'll run off to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-walmart-and-target-let-customers-keep-some-returns-2021-1">do a return at the store </a>next door. It's created a bit of efficiency.Meanwhile, I've prepared Paige for if or when she gets questioned by staff or other shoppers. She knows to say, "No, my dad's here. I'm practicing grocery shopping by myself." So far, nobody has bothered her. She projects a high level of certainty.<h2 id="1d25c3c2-6a25-48fc-9b7a-2ba87c6a6b01">Paige embraces responsibility and independence</h2>I admire her problem-solving skills and willingness to assert herself if she needs help. Grocery shopping is super fun for her. She wants to do it because it makes her feel responsible.As parents, we can learn to use seemingly mundane tasks in creative ways to teach our kids life and social skills and confidence. It doesn't have to be some huge, complicated project. You can find the simplest ways to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-netflix-tv-show-old-enough-causes-among-parents">say yes to independence</a>.Paige's shopping list includes chicken, pasta, pasta sauce, cereal, milk, and fruit.Still, she usually comes out the door with a few extra desserts we did not plan on. She's rational about it. "Well, Dad," she'll say. "I wanted to make sure that we had some chocolate-covered strawberries — just in case."Do you have an interesting story about your parenting style to share with Business Insider? Please send details to <a target="_blank" href="mailto:jridley@insider.com">jridley@businessinsider.com</a>

I've let my daughter do the family grocery shopping alone since she was 7. It fosters her independence.

<keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword> is set to mark a historic occasion on August 23 with the celebration of its first-ever <keyword id="22301946" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="National-Space-Day" source="keywords">National Space Day</keyword>. This day was declared by the Indian government to commemorate the anniversary of <keyword id="19915128" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chandrayaan-3" source="keywords">Chandrayaan-3</keyword>’s successful soft landing on the <keyword id="19899207" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Moon" source="keywords">Moon</keyword>'s south pole in 2023 — a momentous achievement that placed India among the elite group of nations capable of such a feat. With events and activities planned across the country, National Space Day is designed to foster public engagement in <keyword id="19929542" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="space-exploration" source="keywords">space exploration</keyword>. Whether you're a seasoned astronomer or a complete novice, this is the perfect time to delve into the fascinating world of <keyword id="21072131" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="astrophotography" source="keywords">astrophotography</keyword> and <keyword id="21808035" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sky-watching" source="keywords">sky watching</keyword>. This guide will help you get started, offering tips and insights to make the night sky more accessible and awe-inspiring than ever before. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112625183" title="India set to celebrate first National Space Day on August 23" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><h2>Getting started with astrophotography</h2>Astrophotography might sound intimidating, but with the right tools and knowledge, it can be a deeply rewarding experience. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you begin: <h3>Basic Equipment</h3>Astrophotography might sound like an expensive hobby, but beginners can start with surprisingly simple equipment. The essential tools include a DSLR or mirrorless camera, a sturdy tripod, and a wide-angle lens. The camera allows you to control key settings like ISO, shutter speed, and aperture, which are critical for capturing faint celestial objects. If you're just starting out, even a smartphone with a good camera can be used, provided you download specialised apps such as StarTracker or SkyView, which help in aligning and tracking celestial objects. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="109921023" title="Here’s what falling inside a black hole would look like, according to a NASA supercomputer simulation" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>For those ready to invest a bit more, a wide-angle lens (14mm to 24mm) is ideal because it captures more of the sky in each shot. A sturdy tripod is non-negotiable; it keeps the camera steady during long exposure shots, preventing blurriness. As you advance, consider purchasing a star tracker, which compensates for the Earth's rotation, allowing for even longer exposures without star trails. This can be particularly helpful in locations with minimal light pollution, which are abundant in rural India <h3>Choosing the Right Location</h3>In astrophotography, location is everything. The clearer and darker the sky, the better your shots will be. Light pollution from cities is the biggest enemy, as it washes out the stars and makes it difficult to capture the <keyword id="20080902" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Milky-Way" source="keywords">Milky Way</keyword> or faint celestial objects. India, however, offers some excellent locations that are relatively free from light pollution. Ladakh, Spiti Valley, and the deserts of Rajasthan are renowned for their crystal-clear skies. These places, far from urban centres, provide ideal conditions for both sky watching and astrophotography. However, if travelling to these remote areas isn’t feasible, consider venturing to the outskirts of your city or visiting a local hill station. Even areas just a couple of hours outside major cities like Bengaluru or Pune can offer much darker skies. Additionally, checking weather forecasts and moon phases is crucial before heading out. A clear night with no moon (New Moon phase) is perfect for capturing stars and other deep-sky objects <h3>Perfect Timing</h3>Timing is crucial when it comes to astrophotography. The best time to photograph the night sky is during the new moon phase, when the absence of moonlight allows fainter stars and celestial objects to be visible. In India, the Milky Way is most visible between April and September, making this period ideal for astrophotography. The core of the Milky Way, which is the most photogenic part, is visible just after sunset during these months. Moreover, consider the time of night as well. The hours immediately after sunset and before sunrise are known as the "golden hours" in <keyword id="22383" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="photography" source="Orion">photography</keyword>. However, for capturing the night sky, "astronomical twilight" (the period when the sky is dark enough for all astronomical observations) is the best. You can use apps like Stellarium or SkySafari to find the exact times and positions of celestial objects based on your location <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112647806" title="Investments made in space program have benefited society, says ISRO Chairman Dr S Somnath" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><h3><keyword id="20890294" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="camera-settings" source="keywords">Camera Settings</keyword></h3>Getting the camera settings right is essential for capturing stunning astrophotographs. Start by setting your camera to manual mode, which allows you to control exposure settings independently. Use a wide aperture (f/2.8 or lower) to allow as much light as possible to hit the sensor. Set the ISO between 1600 and 3200; while higher ISOs make the sensor more sensitive to light, they can also introduce noise, so it's important to find a balance. Shutter speed is another critical setting. A good starting point is 15-30 seconds; longer exposures capture more light, but if you go beyond 30 seconds, the Earth's rotation will cause stars to appear as trails rather than points. To avoid blur from camera shake, use a remote shutter release or set a short timer on the camera. Finally, focus manually on a bright star, zoom in using the live view mode, and fine-tune the focus until the star appears as a sharp point of light <h3>Post-Processing</h3>Post-processing is where your astrophotography truly comes to life. Even with perfect settings and conditions, raw images might look underwhelming straight out of the camera. This is where software like Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop comes in. Start by adjusting the exposure and contrast to bring out the details in the Milky Way or other celestial objects. Noise reduction is also crucial, especially if you use a high ISO setting. This helps to clean up the grainy appearance that can detract from the image’s clarity. You can also enhance the colours in your image by adjusting the white balance and saturation. Tweaking these settings can make the Milky Way pop against the dark sky. For those serious about astrophotography, stacking multiple images is a technique used to reduce noise and increase detail. There are free software options like DeepSkyStacker that allow you to combine several exposures into one high-quality image <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112569406" title="ISRO targets first Gaganyaan mission launch by December: Chairman" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><h2>Sky Watching: The Beginner’s Guide</h2>But if you’re more of an observer than a capturer, why not just sky watch? Sky watching is the more laid-back cousin of astrophotography and requires minimal equipment. Here’s how you can start: <ol><li>Know Your Sky: Begin by familiarising yourself with constellations and prominent stars. Mobile apps like SkySafari and Star Walk can help you identify celestial objects and track events like meteor showers.</li><li>Best Viewing Spots in India: Urban areas are often too bright for proper sky watching. Instead, head to rural areas or designated dark-sky parks. Popular spots include Coorg in Karnataka, Lonar Crater in Maharashtra, and Nubra Valley in Ladakh.</li><li>What to Look For: Start with easy targets like the Moon, planets (especially Jupiter and Saturn), and bright constellations. As you grow more confident, you can look for fainter objects like nebulae and galaxies using binoculars or a small telescope.</li><li>Join a Community: Connect with local astronomy clubs or online communities. This not only enhances your knowledge but also offers opportunities to participate in group sky-watching events and astrophotography workshops.</li></ol>Whether you’re a seasoned astronomer or a curious beginner, National Space Day is the perfect time to look up and appreciate the vastness of our universe. With India's growing interest in space, there has never been a better time to start your journey into the night sky. So grab your camera or simply your eyes, and begin exploring the cosmos from your own backyard.

National Space Day: Here’s the beginner’s guide to astrophotography and sky watching in India

<ul><li>US stocks were mixed in a shortened day of trading on Monday ahead of Independence Day.</li><li>The S&amp;P 500 surged 16% in the first half of the year, and investors are hoping to extend those gains into the second half.</li><li>Tesla stock surged more than 6% after the company announced second-quarter deliveries that beat analyst estimates.</li></ul>US stocks were mixed on Monday, which is a shortened day of trading ahead of Tuesday's Independence day. The stock market closes early at 1 p.m. on Monday, and is closed all day on Tuesday.The <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/index/s&amp;p_500">S&amp;P 500</a> surged 16% in the first half of the year, while the <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/index/nasdaq_100">Nasdaq 100</a> was up almost 39%. Investors are hoping to extend those gains into the second half of the year, looking to avoid too much turbulence in the face of recession forecasts and the prospect of more tightening by the Federal Reserve. For the gains to continue, The Fed will have to see more progress on the inflation front, and the hype around artificial intelligence will need to materialize into something significant, according to Fundstrat's Tom Lee, who raised his year-end S&amp;P 500 price target to 4,825 on Monday. Here's where US indexes stood shortly after the 9:30 a.m. ET opening bell on Monday:<ul><li><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/index/s&amp;p_500?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingest%3Futm_source%3Dmarkets&amp;utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets" rel="">S&amp;P 500</a>: 4,446.86, down 0.08%</li><li><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/index/dow_jones?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingest%3Futm_source%3Dmarkets&amp;utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets" rel="">Dow Jones Industrial Average</a>: 34,335.74, down 0.21% (71.86 points)</li><li><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/index/nasdaq_composite?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingest%3Futm_source%3Dmarkets&amp;utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets" rel="">Nasdaq Composite</a>: 13,821.96, up 0.25% </li></ul>Here's what else is happening this morning:<ul><li>Not all investors are feeling bullish. <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/pimco-harder-landing-recession-global-economy-inflation-interest-rates-2023-7">PIMCO CIO Dan Ivascyn is warning about a "harder landing"</a> for the global economy and arguing that investors are too bullish about central banks' inflation fight.</li><li><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/tesla-stock-elon-musk-price-cuts-model-y-investing-analysis-2023-7">Tesla stock surged nearly 6%</a> after the company announced second-quarter deliveries that beat analyst's most bullish expectations. The company delivered 466,000 vehicles in the quarter.</li><li>Wedbush analyst <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/elon-musk-tesla-price-cuts-smart-poker-move-record-deliveries-2023-7">Dan Ives said Tesla's recent price cuts were a "smart poker move"</a> that helped the company make record deliveries in the quarter.</li></ul>In commodities, bonds and crypto:<ul><li><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/commodities/oil-price?type=wti&amp;utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets" rel="">West Texas Intermediate crude</a> oil rose 0.52% to $71.01 per barrel. <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/commodities/oil-price?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingest%3Futm_source%3Dmarkets&amp;utm_medium=ingest%3Futm_source%3Dmarkets&amp;utm_medium=ingest%3Futm_source%3Dmarkets&amp;utm_medium=ingest%3Futm_source%3Dmarkets&amp;utm_medium=ingest%3Futm_source%3Dmarkets&amp;utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets" rel="">Brent crude</a>, oil's international benchmark, jumped 0.50% to $75.79.</li><li><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/commodities/gold-price?utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets" rel="">Gold</a> jumped 0.20% to $1,933.30 per ounce.</li><li>The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell 3 basis points to 3.80%.</li><li>Bitcoin rose 0.06% to $30,637, while ether jumped 1.44% to $$1,965. </li></ul>

US stocks trade mixed ahead of Independence Day as investors hope to extend gains into 2nd half of 2023

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="21281743" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="yaron-goldstein" source="Orion">Yaron Goldstein</keyword> achieved <keyword id="20257332" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="financial-independence" source="keywords">financial independence</keyword> at the age of 36.</li><li>Goldstein's strategy included mindful spending and investing a big portion of his income.</li></ul><a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/goldsteiny/">Yaron Goldstein</a> was 25 when he decided to start working toward financial independence. Goldstein was working toward a Ph.D. in computational and advanced mathematics in Berlin, his hometown. While on a research internship in New York City in 2010, he connected with a Wall Street investment advisor who would become his unofficial mentor. His mentor gave him a list of what he considered "required reading." The list included Tim Ferriss' "4-Hour Workweek" and Malcolm Gladwell's "Outliers.'" From his readings, Goldstein started to think about how happiness and money are related. "This guy is making quite a good case for: Maybe 40 years from now, I don't want to be the guy who focuses his whole life on doing a career," he said about his reaction to reading Ferriss' book. <h2>Investing early</h2>Over the next 10 years, Goldstein went on to work at Boston Consulting Group, Google, and Meta. His career took him from Tel Aviv and Zurich to Mountain View, California. And while his career spanned continents and big-name companies, his ultimate goal was to not have to worry about money forever. Investment-wise, he started off small. When he got his first job as a post-doctoral student at a university in Berlin, he started putting away a few hundred euros every month. Goldstein's first job out of academia was working for BCG in Berlin. He increased his contributions to between 1,000 and 1,500 euros a month. In the summer of 2017, four years after he set off on his financial-independence journey, Goldstein devised a rough goal for his retirement years: He wanted to have a stable, risk-free income of 5,000 euros a month to live off of during his retirement. He lived on about two-thirds of his income at the beginning of his career and later cut his expenses to about 50% of his income. He saved all his annual bonuses and stocks that were part of his salary. Goldstein kept about 10,000 euros in a bank account and invested everything else in stocks. <h2>Mindful purchasing</h2>Within seven years of starting his career as a data scientist, Goldstein more than doubled his salary. By 2020, he was making about 330,000 euros.As his salary rose, he put more money toward retirement. He said the mindset that helped him came down to evaluating what gave him happiness and avoiding lifestyle inflation. Before any purchases, he would ask himself: "Is there something else that would satisfy me in a similar way for a third of the price?" He cited his passion for green tea as one example. "Even if I buy luxury tea, which is $50 per 50 grams, at the end of the month, it's still cheaper than going to Starbucks every single day and getting coffee," Goldstein said. "But I have this much more exclusive thing in my life that gives me a lot of joy." He said he never bought a car because Berlin and Zurich, where he spent a big part of his career, both had strong public-transportation systems. "I did not have this large or potentially huge expense, and I could put that money instead in the stock market," he said of his decision to remain car-free. Goldstein said luck also played a role in jumpstarting his investments. He was an early investor in Tesla and put a "huge amount" of his net worth into Tesla stock in 2016, which rallied after the launch of Model X. He said he also spent many years of his career in Switzerland, where taxes are very low. <h2>Retirement approach</h2>Goldstein retired in May 2023, about 10 years after he first began earning money. He follows the 4% rule, which is common in the FIRE — financial independence, retire early — community and which suggests it's safe to withdraw about 4% of your total portfolio in each year of retirement. It aims to help retirees find a safe withdrawal rate but should be customized depending on the number of years expected in retirement, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://investor.vanguard.com/investor-resources-education/article/fueling-the-fire-movement-updating-the-4-rule-for-early-retirees">Vanguard</a>. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/investing-strategy-to-achieve-financial-independence-fire-movement-index-funds-2023-12">Jamila Souffrant</a>, who set herself a seven-year retirement goal when she turned 33, approached <keyword id="21281746" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="early-retirement" source="keywords">early retirement</keyword> in a similar way. A key component of her plan was putting her money to work. "I realized that, while saving is good and important, it's not going to get me to wealth or financial independence," Souffrant previously told BI. "I was losing out by not investing." Souffrant and her husband, who have three children, set up automatic contributions from their paychecks to their investment and retirement accounts, which forced them to manage with the remaining. Others who have reached FIRE reject the 4% rule, saying it amounts to an unnecessarily large number. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/early-retirees-say-4-percent-rule-overrated-for-fire-retirement-2024-2">Lauren and Steven Keys</a> quit full-time work in their 20s but continue to work on side gigs. "So this idea of needing 25 times your annual expenses to feel like you can quit your full-time job became kind of laughable to us," Steven previously told BI about the 4% rule. Adjusted for taxes, Goldstein says he aims to live on 3% of his portfolio a year, which he believes can last him the rest of his life, especially if he's "more frugal" in his early retirement years. "No one can ever force you to say success means joining a big company and staying there for 40 years and going up the career ladder," he said.

At 25, he decided he didn't want to be stuck in a job forever. Here's how he was able to retire by 36.

Around dawn on any given Saturday morning in 2022, the sidewalk in front of the squat building that housed Bronx Abortion transformed into a tense ecosystem of people with signs, masks, rosaries, and colorful vests.Anti-abortion protestors gathered outside the small, independent clinic in Morris Park to disrupt the women who sought its services. Chelsea, the clinic escort coordinator, would wake up at 4:15 to get to the clinic before it opened. By the time she arrived, the protestors usually had, too.Sometimes it was just a few. Sometimes, it was more than 40. Some would kneel and pray the rosary or hold signs with "pray to end abortion" printed in capital letters. Others would block car doors or shout through megaphones. Designated "sidewalk counselors" wove in front of patients, trying to convince them not to enter the clinic. In a neighborhood with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.prri.org/spotlight/religion-new-york-citys-five-boroughs/">a high Catholic population</a>, patients might see a priest or members of their congregation telling them they were committing a sin.But the clinic escorts always came back, guiding patients to the door. In the freezing darkness of winter, the pouring rain of spring, and the sweltering heat of summer, they waited until the last protestor left."We are out there to ensure that somebody who is facing judgment as they enter an abortion clinic also receives support and kindness," said Chelsea, who began volunteering as a clinic escort at Bronx Abortion in 2017. (She asked to be identified only by her first name, citing safety concerns.)Bronx Abortion was established in 1969, around the time New York State legalized the procedure. The red stucco corner building on Eastchester Road became a place people could go for safe abortions even before the Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling.Managed by a small staff, the independent clinic provided between one and two thousand abortions per year to mostly Black and Latinx patients. Clinic escorts said it was deeply loved by those who saw it as a pillar of reproductive justice.Over the decades, employees came and went. Laws changed. But the clinic never stopped providing abortions to the patients who arrived at its doors — until last year, when one woman's sudden death brought Bronx Abortion to its knees.<div type="image" title="Abortion Clinic in the Bronx" height="3303" width="4404" msid="108181717" hostid="261" sizebytes="2258650"></div>On Saturdays, while protestors and clinic escorts took their positions outside, a petite blond woman in her 80s named Irene Sylvor delivered steaming coffee to the staff inside.Sylvor's official title was clinic director. In reality, she was "the heart, soul, everything of Bronx Abortion," Chelsea said. Born and raised in the Bronx, with a thick New York accent, Sylvor was sharp, funny, and generous.The clinic's owner, Moshe Hachamovitch, founded Bronx Abortion while he was a trainee at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. "Whenever I went to the emergency room," he recalled, "it was cluttered with patients who had illegal abortions and were actually dying."In its first few years, the clinic saw hundreds of patients. Eventually it grew, and Hachamovitch expanded and established abortion clinics across the country, from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/1995/03/02/nyregion/abortion-clinic-faces-eviction-with-eight-years-left-on-lease.html">Long Island</a> to Arizona to Texas.While Bronx Abortion was expanding, Sylvor was a single mother juggling two kids and occasional stints selling art supplies. She cared about her neighborhood and its people. Her daughter, Aimee Anderson, remembered her tipping the doorman and superintendent of their building in the Bronx's Riverdale neighborhood generously every year.But Sylvor also knew how to get her way. Once, Anderson said, after a rude driver cut her off, she parked right behind his car and blocked his exit. "She did that kind of stuff," Anderson said.When Sylvor saw a job opening at Bronx Abortion, she applied without hesitation. A firm believer in a woman's right to choose, she had her work cut out for her. When Sylvor began working at the clinic about four decades ago, she became the "organizer, the leader, the mother of the clinic," said Destiney Kirby, a clinic escort. Hachamovitch described her as a "force." According to Sarah McNeilly, another clinic escort, Sylvor took on a workload proportional to multiple employees "to keep the lights on."<div type="image" title="Destiney in from of the closed abortion clinic." height="3840" width="5760" msid="108181719" hostid="261" sizebytes="1036782"></div>Clinic escorts said she managed to knit together a precarious system of staffing and resources to continue serving the community."She was like this little bird of a thing who would stand up to the biggest protester," Chelsea said. "When she spoke, you listened to her."Unlike other clinics that offered a range of sexual health services, Bronx Abortion only provided medical and surgical abortions. The clinic advertised both scheduled appointments and walk-ins. A patient could arrive unannounced at 7:30 am on a Saturday and be out before noon.Anderson remembered a small space that was often packed with patients. Tiffany Quiles, a resident of the nearby Westchester Square neighborhood, said she accompanied her friend to an appointment at Bronx Abortion in 2018. Quiles said that while the protestors outside were aggressive, it was a different story inside. The space was clean and the staff was pleasant, she said. It was like any doctor's office, a space "where people needed some medical care."While there is also a Planned Parenthood and multiple hospitals in the Bronx, they come with certain obstacles to access.<div type="image" title="Jacobi Medical Center facade." height="3393" width="4524" msid="108181720" hostid="261" sizebytes="1169268"></div>Kirby, who is also a medical student in the Montefiore Hospital system, said that many people seeking abortions are not yet registered patients in the hospital system. "If you call and try to make an appointment for a new provider, you have to wait around six months," she said. "And when you're thinking about abortion care, you can't wait six months.""Cost continues to be a prohibitive factor to access abortion care," said Elizabeth Estrada, the New York Field and Advocacy Manager at the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice. In a borough where <a target="_blank" href="https://furmancenter.org/neighborhoods/view/the-bronx">the poverty rate is around 25% and the median annual household income is around $45,000</a>, a procedure that could cost up to $<a target="_blank" href="https://pregnancyhelpnyc.org/how-much-does-an-abortion-cost/">2,800</a> can be out of reach. While insurance sometimes covers abortions, a relatively high percentage of residents are <a target="_blank" href="https://comptroller.nyc.gov/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Poverty-and-Uninsured-Rate-by-Community-District-ACS-2014.pdf">uninsured</a> or underinsured.The process is all the more difficult for non-English speakers, those without internet access, those who are unfamiliar with public transportation routes punctuated by multiple transfers and at risk of long delays, those without childcare, and those whose jobs make it difficult to take time off.Bronx Abortion was easy, fast, and affordable.The clinic was grounded in the community and understood its people, said Chelsea. It also took Saturday walk-ins, unlike Planned Parenthood and hospitals. According to Hachamovitch, patients who could not afford an abortion did not have to pay. And patients could always reach out with questions and concerns to Sylvor. Anderson said her mother always had her phone and notepad beside her, even during Christmas and Thanksgiving. She took calls from patients at any hour of the night, scribbling down notes in messy handwriting."It felt like this deeply rooted communal space that people trusted and respected," said Chelsea. Staff members were usually born and raised in the same neighborhoods that patients were coming from. They chatted with patients to make them feel comfortable. Irene tried to keep the atmosphere bubbly and uplifting.Chelsea believes that patients felt more comfortable going to a place they had driven or walked past. They knew what to expect, even if there were protestors outside. If patients had to travel to a new clinic far away, the unknown territory presented yet another layer of anxiety.Advocates say that independent clinics — in 2022, Bronx Abortion was one of two in a borough of about 1.4 million people — are essential to providing abortion care. They offer an outsize share of abortion services across the country. Even though they represent only a quarter of facilities providing abortion care, <a target="_blank" href="https://abortioncarenetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/CommunitiesNeedClinics-2020.pdf">they provide nearly two thirds of procedures nationwide</a>.But even in New York, a state that has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ny.gov/abortion-new-york-state-know-your-rights/protecting-strengthening-abortion-rights">committed to protecting and supporting abortion rights</a>, independent clinics are at risk. Since 2015, <a target="_blank" href="https://keepourclinics.org/">a third of the independent clinics in the country have closed their doors</a>. According to the Abortion Care Network, <a target="_blank" href="https://abortioncarenetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/CommunitiesNeedClinics-2020.pdf">"threats to these clinics are a threat to abortion access overall."</a>Part of the risk is financial. Clinics that exclusively provide abortion care often struggle to stay afloat. Although <a target="_blank" href="https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/issues/health-care-equity/title-x">Title X federal funding</a> is designated to provide affordable reproductive healthcare, the <a target="_blank" href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF12167#:~:text=The%20Hyde%20Amendment%2C%20according%20to,are%20not%20obligated%20to%20cover.">Hyde Amendment</a> bars the use of federal funds for abortion care. Desiree Caro, a Title X Coordinator at the non-profit organization Public Health Solutions, said she tried to find additional financial support for Bronx Abortion over the years. Federal laws, she said, made it practically impossible.<div type="image" title="Cation tape around clinic facade." height="3492" width="5238" msid="108181721" hostid="261" sizebytes="316708"></div>On January 7, 2023, clinic escorts showed up in front of Bronx Abortion for their usual Saturday morning shifts, only to find the doors locked. This had never happened before. The volunteers had a close relationship with Sylvor, and she always told them in advance about schedule changes.Confused, they waited in the cold in their bright rainbow vests. Patients walked up. Volunteers reluctantly told them that they needed to find somewhere else to go.Two days later, Chelsea learned that Sylvor had died suddenly.Anderson, Sylvor's daughter, said her mother was taking patient calls until two days before she died of pulmonary disease on January 8. "No matter what was going on in her personal life, she didn't let that stop her," Anderson said.The Bronx Abortion community was devastated. Anderson called the two women who worked in administration in the clinic with her mother to share the news. "They were both screaming hysterically in the office," she recalled. "It was horrible."Bronx Abortion immediately paused all operations. Clinic escorts kept coming back for the next several Saturdays, waking up early and braving the cold to make sure people showing up for care were not left alone without explanation. "We were turning away a lot of people," said Kirby. Some patients were angry. Others were scared. "It was so emotionally taxing to see these patients come in to get an abortion and we had to tell them 'we can't provide that for you today,'" she said.<div type="image" title="Irene Sylvor" height="1178" width="923" msid="108181722" hostid="261" sizebytes="30740"></div>But the loss of its director would prove fatal to the clinic itself.After Sylvor's death, no one knew what would happen. In his 80s, Hachamovitch was ready to retire and expressed interest in selling to another clinic. But after one clinic conducted an appraisal, its owners said it would cost too much. They backed out."There was this feeling of betrayal, but also I wasn't shocked," said Kirby, pointing to the repeated divestment of healthcare providers from low-income communities in boroughs like the Bronx. "We are a very marginalized, oppressed community that is unfortunately not going to bring [healthcare providers] a lot of money. There's really no buy-in from them."Eventually, Hachamovitch sold the property to commercial developers. Its new owners said they plan to turn the building into a restaurant or a storefront.Anderson could imagine her mother's reaction to the news. "I know that she would be heartbroken," she said.With its closure — its website calls it temporary, but Hachamovitch and clinic escorts confirmed it was permanent — the Bronx is left with only one independent abortion clinic: Dr. Emily Women's Health Center, located in the South Bronx. The protestors who targeted Bronx Abortion have migrated to the sidewalk in front of Dr. Emily, joining others who already showed up there every week. Theresa Chong, Dr. Emily's director, said the group has "more than doubled" in number and become "more aggressive." (The clinic escorts have followed as well to help patients avoid them.)<div type="image" title="Bronx abortion clinic" height="3614" width="4819" msid="108181723" hostid="261" sizebytes="3059698"></div>The borough's only Planned Parenthood can have long wait times. It takes about an hour to travel there or to Dr. Emily on public transportation from where Bronx Abortion once was. From neighborhoods further north, the time increases to upwards of an hour and a half.Longer travel times and wait times can delay the termination of an unwanted pregnancy, making it more expensive after a certain number of weeks and causing emotional distress to the pregnant person.In other parts of the country, particularly states that ban abortion altogether, pregnant people must travel hundreds of miles for access. New York's landscape can seem comparatively rosy. But difficulties of any kind can mean the difference between receiving abortion care and carrying an unwanted pregnancy to term."People see New York City as a safe haven for abortion care," said Kirby. "That's not the truth because it doesn't go into the details of what access really looks like." As access to abortion diminishes across the rest of the country, abortion providers in New York City are even more overburdened trying to serve every patient, whether they're coming from one or several hundred miles away.Elizabeth Estrada said she has recently seen the cost of abortion rise and the wait times grow. People have to leave the borough or even the city to get timely care, and some people are unable to do so. And with a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/13/us/supreme-court-abortion-pill.html">looming Supreme Court decision about access to mifepristone</a>, a pill commonly used for medication abortions, that care may become still further out of reach."The long term impacts are innumerable," said Caro, of the closing of Bronx Abortion. "We see folks going into deeper levels of poverty than they already are in. And the cycle continues from there."<div type="image" title="Bronx abortion clinic" height="778" width="2100" msid="108181724" hostid="261" sizebytes="197180"></div>Today, the building that once housed Bronx Abortion stands empty. A forest green awning hangs off the side of the building. Dark water stains decorate the walls. Discolored balloon ribbons blow in the wind. The sidewalk in front has no rosaries, no rainbow vests, no patients — only the occasional passerby who barely gives the building a second glance.The clinic escorts and anti-abortion activists don't agree on much regarding abortion. But they agree on one thing: At any given moment, a small independent clinic like Bronx Abortion might be forced to shut down."We're one of the lowest income counties in the country," said Tiffany Quiles. "The last thing women who cannot afford to feed themselves need is another child.""We need to be asking, how many independent clinics are one core person away from closing?" Chelsea said. "Even in places that we think are safe havens for abortion, we can't take for granted that providers are secure."

How the death of one woman brought an independent abortion clinic to its knees

<keyword id="6368261" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="raymond" source="Orion">Raymond</keyword> <keyword id="6373267" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="independent-directors" source="Orion">independent directors</keyword> say no law requires them to investigate <keyword id="112907" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="matrimonial" source="Orion">matrimonial</keyword> <keyword id="6371437" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="disputes" source="Orion">disputes</keyword>. "The IDs are alert to ensure that the matrimonial disputes between the two promoter directors do not in any manner affect the capacity of the Chairman &amp; Managing Director to manage the affairs and business of the <keyword id="24975" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="company" source="Orion">Company</keyword>," they said. "The IDs, over the last few weeks, have been meeting and monitoring the situation so far as it affects the Company and the minority shareholders; and reiterate their commitment to protect, at all times, the interests of non-promoter minority shareholders, employees and other <keyword id="6396326" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="stakeholders" source="Orion">stakeholders</keyword>," they said. "The IDs shall continue to exercise utmost vigilance in watching the evolving situation and shall not hesitate to proactively initiate measures, the moment required, to protect the interests of all stakeholders. The IDs have decided to retain Berjis Desai, senior independent legal counsel, who has no links with the promoters or the Company, for advising the IDs," they said. "The IDs would like to assure the stakeholders that they shall act dispassionately. The paramount consideration shall always be the interests of the Company as a whole and its non-promoter shareholders. Any material development or remedial measures which impacts the Company shall be forthwith communicated in a spirit of complete transparency," they said. "Your actions must protect the company from what proposes to be a long-drawn acrimonious battle between Nawaz Modi and Gautam Singhania," corporate governance advisory firm, Institutional Investor Advisory Services India Limited (IiAS) had written in a letter to independent directors of Raymond Limited. The letter has been addressed to independent directors, Mukeeta Jhaveri, Ashish Kapadia, Dinesh Lal, K Narsimha Murthy and Shiv Surinder Kumar As per media reports, Nawaz Modi Singhania (Nawaz Modi), a board member, alleged that she and her daughter were physically assaulted by Gautam Singhania, the company's Chairman and Managing Director, at JK House (company property) in September 2023. She also alleged that company funds were being used for Gautam Singhania's personal benefit (CEO excesses) - and that she was acting as a whistle-blower of sorts. "Despite such serious and heinous accusations by one board member against another, you have been silent. Investors are worried, which is reflected in the significant erosion in stock price over the past few days. Your silence can be misconstrued - surely you don't want stakeholders thinking that these accusations are to be tolerated," IiAS said.

Raymond independent directors say no law requires them to investigate matrimonial disputes

With millions of people across five continents experiencing scorching heat last month, the European Union's (EU) climate agency, Copernicus <keyword id="19907392" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="climate-change" source="keywords">Climate Change</keyword> Service (C3S), confirmed on Monday that June was the warmest on record. It also marked the 12th consecutive month of <keyword id="20524196" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="global-temperatures" source="keywords">global temperatures</keyword> reaching <keyword id="22325521" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="1-5-degrees-Celsius" source="keywords">1.5 degrees Celsius</keyword> above the pre-industrial average. According to scientists at C3S, every month since June last year has been the warmest such month on record. In January, the world completed an entire year with the mean surface air temperature exceeding the 1.5-degree Celsius threshold. June was the 12th consecutive month with monthly average temperatures above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial average. At the 2015 UN climate talks in Paris, world leaders committed to limiting the global average temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial period to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. However, a permanent breach of the 1.5-degree Celsius limit specified in the <keyword id="20104670" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Paris-Agreement" source="keywords">Paris Agreement</keyword> refers to long-term warming over a 20 or 30-year period. Earth's global surface temperature has already increased by around 1.2 degrees Celsius compared to the average in 1850-1900 due to the rapidly-increasing concentration of <keyword id="20649149" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="greenhouse-gases" source="keywords">greenhouse gases</keyword> -- primarily carbon dioxide and methane -- in the atmosphere. This warming is considered to be the reason behind record droughts, wildfires and floods worldwide. According to new data, June 2024 was the warmest on record, with an average surface air temperature of 16.66 degrees Celsius, 0.67 degrees Celsius above the 1991-2020 average for the month and 0.14 degrees Celsius above the previous high set in June 2023. "The month was 1.5 degrees Celsius above the estimated June average for 1850-1900, the designated pre-industrial reference period, making it the 12th consecutive month to reach or break the 1.5-degree threshold," C3S said in a statement. It was also the 13th consecutive month of <keyword id="21477127" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="record-high-temperatures" source="keywords">record-high temperatures</keyword>, a result of the combined effect of the 2023-24 El Nino event and human-caused climate change. While unusual, a similar streak of monthly global temperature records happened previously in 2015-16. "This is more than a statistical oddity and highlights a large and continuing shift in our climate. Even if this specific streak of extremes ends at some point, we are bound to see new records being broken as the climate continues to warm. This is inevitable, unless we stop adding greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and the oceans," said Carlo Buontempo, the director of C3S. The European climate agency said the global average temperature for the last 12 months (July 2023-June 2024) is the highest on record, at 0.76 degrees Celsius above the 1991-2020 average and 1.64 degrees Celsius above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial average. The world's sea surface in June was also the highest ever recorded for the month. Several countries experienced record-breaking heat and devastating floods and storms in June. According to an analysis by Climate Central, an independent group of scientists and communicators based in the United States, more than 60 per cent of the world population faced extreme heat that was made at least three times more likely by climate change during June 16-24. Climate Central said the blistering heat in June impacted 619 million (61.9 crore) people in India, 579 million (57.9 crore) in China, 231 million (23.1 crore) in Indonesia, 206 million (20.6 crore) in Nigeria, 176 million (17.6 crore) in Brazil, 171 million (17.1 crore) in Bangladesh, 165 million (16.5 crore) in the US, 152 million (15.2 crore) in Europe, 123 million (12.3 crore) in Mexico, 121 million (12.1 crore) in Ethiopia and 103 million (10.3 crore) in Egypt. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), northwest India recorded its warmest June since 1901. India, which experienced one of its hottest and longest heatwaves, recorded more than 40,000 suspected heatstroke cases and over 100 heat-related deaths. The intense heat overwhelmed the water supply system and power grids, with Delhi grappling with a severe water crisis. According to the IMD, 11 states recorded 20 to 38 heatwave days -- up to four times the usual number of such days -- during the April-to-June period. The mercury breached 50 degrees Celsius in parts of Rajasthan, with night temperatures hovering around 35 degrees Celsius in many places. Temperatures were most above average over eastern Canada, the western United States and Mexico, Brazil, northern Siberia, the Middle East, northern Africa, and western Antarctica. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/reliance-jio-ipo-mukesh-ambani-led-telco-might-be-gearing-up-for-indias-biggest-ipo/articleshow/111519009.cms">Reliance Jio IPO – Mukesh Ambani-led telco might be gearing up for India’s biggest IPO</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/jio-vs-airtel-vs-vi-prepaid-plans-comparison-plan-benefits-and-price-comparison-after-tariff-hike/articleshow/111512587.cms">Jio vs Airtel vs Vi recharge plans comparison – plan benefits and price comparison after tariff hike</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/hp-envy-x360-14-review/articleshow/111407165.cms">HP Envy x360 14 review – feature-packed laptop with a sleek design</a>

June warmest on record; every month since July 2023 breached 1.5 deg C threshold

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Amazon's Prime Day runs July 16 and 17 this year.</li><li>But some <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-flex-driver">Amazon Flex</a> workers are already busy with deliveries.</li></ul>Amazon's massive <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/what-is-amazon-prime">Prime Day</a> sale doesn't start until July 16.But for one Amazon Flex delivery worker in Alabama, work started picking up this past week.The worker said she picked up six "blocks" — shifts between three and six hours long. That's more than the worker has usually been able to claim in the past."I was basically booked up for an entire week, which really doesn't happen," the worker said."It seems they are making sure to get all of the regular stuff out in anticipation" of Prime Day, she added.The Flex worker, who made deliveries for Amazon during Prime Day in 2023, asked not to be identified by name, but Business Insider has verified her identity and work for Amazon.For many Amazon delivery workers, Prime Day has become one of the busiest times of the year. The 2024 version of the event, which will take place on July 16 and 17, promises to be no different: <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/deals/early-amazon-prime-day-deals">Amazon has already spent weeks promoting some discounts</a> and deals. It's promising new deals for shoppers every five minutes during the event itself.This year, Prime Day will also occur the same week as Alabama's tax-free weekend, a three-day period when shoppers can stock up on supplies for the new school year without paying sales tax.Amazon employs a few different kinds of delivery workers. Those who work through the company's Flex program are independent contractors using their own cars and are paid by the block. Making certain types of deliveries, such as grocery orders from Whole Foods, comes with the potential to earn tips.The Flex worker BI spoke with says she's seen more new faces at the Amazon facilities she frequents — a sign, she said, that Amazon is staffing up in advance of the banner shopping week."Prime Day, and then right around October, those are the two biggest times when they hire people because that's when everybody's shopping," the worker told BI, referencing the fall increase in hiring ahead of the holiday shopping season.One challenge for Flex workers is delivering all those packages within the time allotted for the block, the worker said.The worker recalled delivering about 30 packages per three-and-a-half-hour block earlier this year. Lately, though, the worker has noticed that number reaching closer to 40, especially during evening delivery shifts.And if you don't do it, "they'll just say you're unreliable, and you're gone," the worker said.Getting shifts with the best pay also requires a strategy, she said.During a normal week in her area, a three-and-a-half hour block of delivering packages pays $63, the driver told Business Insider. That rate can go above $80 if drivers wait until hours — or even minutes — before a shift, she said.But in the run-up to Prime Day, those higher offers come up sooner — even a full day before the shift, she said.Workers are also competing with the influx of new drivers around the event. Speaking to BI on the Thursday before Prime Day, the Flex driver said she still hadn't seen any blocks for next week, but she's ready to grab whatever shifts she can."Everything just hits bigger and quicker" around the shopping extravaganza, the driver told BI."The Amazon Flex program gives individuals the opportunity to set their own schedule and be their own boss, while earning competitive pay," Amazon spokesperson Branden Baribeau told BI."Amazon Flex delivery partners are able to work when they want – including on and around Prime Day – with the vast majority finishing their delivery blocks early," Baribeau said."When something like a delivery partner repeatedly not showing up for a scheduled block or not following our Terms of Service occurs, our team manually reviews each case to determine if eligibility to deliver with the Amazon Flex program should continue," Baribeau said in response to a question about when Amazon considers deactivating Flex workers.Baribeau said that Flex workers earn $26 per hour on average.Do you work for Amazon Flex, Whole Foods, Amazon Fresh, or another part of Amazon's retail operations and have a story idea to share? Reach out to this reporter at abitter@businessinsider.com

An Amazon Flex worker explains the biggest challenges of Prime Day deliveries

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Rockstar Games is mandating a return to the office for its employees from April, Bloomberg reported.</li><li>It comes ahead of the release of "Grand Theft Auto VI" next year.</li></ul>Rockstar Games just issued a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/return-to-office-mandates-employees-managers-fight-messy-remote-work-2023-11">return-to-office ultimatum</a>, a move it hopes will drive productivity and curb leaks ahead of one of the biggest gaming launches in over a decade.The developer behind the "Grand Theft Auto" games has asked employees to return to the office five days a week starting in April, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-28/-grand-theft-auto-maker-tells-staff-to-return-to-office-five-days-a-week?leadSource=uverify%20wall">Bloomberg reported</a>, as it enters the final stages of development for the franchise's next installment, "Grand Theft Auto VI."Like many companies issuing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/forcing-workers-back-office-risks-talent-exodus-dell-amazon-2024-2">RTO mandates</a>, Bloomberg said, Rockstar's head of publishing, Jenn Kolbe, cited "productivity" in an email to staff as one reason for the move to bring workers back ahead of the release of one of the most anticipated games ever.She didn't stop there, though: Employees were told "security" was a factor, too. <h2>IP and sales worth billions on the line</h2>Security has always been a huge priority at Rockstar.The company — which sold more than 195 million units of "Grand Theft Auto V" and has raked in about $8 billion since its release in 2013 — is secretive and asks employees to sign some of the strictest nondisclosure agreements in the industry to protect its intellectual property.For instance, Ned Luke, a voice actor for one of the main characters in the previous game, once said <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/GTA6/comments/155dqs2/rockstar_nda_strictness/?rdt=56400">he thought</a> he'd get fired from GTA V after his involvement was outed by a friend ahead of schedule. His work on the game had been kept secret up to that point.But in the run-up to the release of "Grand Theft Auto VI," <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/grand-theft-auto-6-netflix-games-streaming-2024-2">Rockstar</a>, which adopted remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic, has had several security issues to contend with.A major issue came in September 2022 after <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gta-6-leaker-rockstar-games-with-tv-phone-amazon-firestick-2023-12">a hacker published early footage of the game</a>. The company blamed a "network intrusion in which an unauthorized third party illegally accessed and downloaded confidential information.""We are extremely disappointed to have any details of our next game shared with you all in this way," Rockstar said on X, then Twitter, at the time.The company faced another breach after its first official trailer for the game was leaked in December. That leak was suspected to come <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ign.com/articles/grand-theft-auto-6-leaks-may-have-just-come-from-a-rockstar-employees-son">from a Rockstar developer's son</a>, GTA Base said, adding that it appeared this person dumped on TikTok what he'd got hold of.Clearly, Rockstar has reason to feel angsty about employees being out of sight ahead of a release that will be 12 years in the making next year, when it's set to launch.It makes any mitigation tougher.RTO mandates have been met with fierce opposition from employees who feel they have been pushed back into the office over vague concepts such as productivity, collaboration, and boosting performance.Research published last month, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/return-to-office-mandates-remote-work-stock-returns-productivity-2024-1">based on analysis of RTO data from 137 S&amp;P 500 firms</a>, gave weight to the arguments of workers critical of RTO mandates after finding the policies made little to no difference to their stated goals.The gaming industry has proved remote work is productive and practical, with games like "Spider-Man 2" being made from home, Bloomberg's Jason Schreier previously said.Rockstar staffers will likely point to this as a reason not to drag them back into the office.The Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain said Rockstar's decision came a year after 170 Rockstar workers signed a petition "opposing mandatory 3-day office work."Rockstar workers represented by the union accused the developer of "broken promises" and said they had concerns around a "heightened risk of overwork," <a target="_blank" href="https://kotaku.com/inside-rockstar-games-culture-of-crunch-1829936466">which the company has been accused of in the past</a>.One anonymous worker quoted in a statement from the union said that working from home had "been a lifeline" that allowed staff to balance care responsibilities, manage disabilities, and relocate as they needed.Whether Rockstar decides to soften its stance remains to be seen.

'Grand Theft Auto VI' means every day is an office day for Rockstar workers

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Leika and Brandon Hansen bought a vacant home in a small town in Japan for $30,000.</li><li>The Hansens are leaving the Seattle area for more land, safer streets, and public transportation.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Leika and Brandon Hansen, two educators living in a suburb of Seattle with their newborn baby who plan to move to Okayama, Japan, in the summer of 2024. The conversation was edited for length and clarity.Leika: We have stable jobs and we're trying to do our best in the US, but the area that we want to live — in Seattle — we could easily get priced out pretty fast.Thinking about places where we want to be with our family, it would be tough to keep living here and be able to afford things comfortably.My mom is from Japan, but she immigrated to the US when she was in her 20s. I had chances to be in Japan for good stretches of time growing up, but I don't think I ever really expected to move there. It was a really fast-paced lifestyle — I didn't love it.If you told me five years ago I would be planning on moving to Japan, I'd be like, "What? Why?" I never really thought I would want to go back.Brandon lived in the countryside when he was there, so he had a different experience and then shared that with me. I was like, "OK, maybe it's not all that bad."Brandon: I was in Japan from 2014 to 2016. It was really just small towns around the Okayama and Osaka area — the outskirts.The places where I lived were in the countryside. They were really chill towns or were quiet, cute towns and not busy and bustling. That was my perspective of Japan, and I was like, "I would live here."<div type="image" title="A view of the yard of a Japanese home." height="533" width="800" msid="108595407" hostid="261"></div>Leika: I was there for a little over a year, more toward Tokyo. That was 2017 and 2018.They were both missions for our church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was a little bit of evangelical stuff, but mostly we taught English and did community service while we were there.<h2>Japan is more family-friendly, plus we feel safer there</h2>Brandon: Japan seemed like a slower pace of life. I know that's not the image you may have of Japan, but it just seems really nice.Also the public services that Japan provides — like schools are really regimented. They have safety, they have public transportation. It's easy to live here. I heard that when I was there and thought it was true.Leika: Japan is probably more family-centered, and it's very safe. There's a lot of community support and community engagement.As a woman — and now having a kid — I don't always feel safe in every situation in Washington. For example, my car got broken into a couple years ago.Brandon: When her car was broken into, she confronted the people while it was happening. The risk here in the States is, "Are they carrying?" Who knows, right?That's a little less of a concern in Japan. Our kid will be able to run errands and do a little more.Leika: And walk to school on their own, and go grocery shopping. You don't have to have your <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-parents-using-airtags-track-kids-2023-5">tracker</a> on them, always monitoring and making sure they're okay.<h2>We are getting more for our money in Japan</h2>Leika: We had started looking for a house in January of 2023, and we purchased in June.Real estate in Japan is a different vibe. It has a first-come-first-served system, which we weren't used to. We are used to bidding and negotiating.<div type="image" title="A woman holding a green folder and keys." height="1000" width="750" msid="108595504" hostid="261"></div>Brandon: In the hot Seattle market, we had to go through so many different condos and bidding wars. The first house we looked at in Japan, they were like, "We can give you a house tour, but we have other buyers who are interested, so we're waiting for them." So it wouldn't be polite or customary for us to just walk in and be like, "We'll give you more."Leika: The houses in general are a little different. We had to learn a little bit about construction and some things to avoid.The house we bought is a traditionally built home and is about 100 years old.Brandon: It's a <a target="_blank" href="https://japankuru.medium.com/what-is-a-kominka-how-to-enjoy-japans-beautiful-traditional-houses-4a02167d3af1">Kominka-style</a> little farmhouse.Leika: That was part of our search. We were looking for a little bit of land, too, because I wanted to do some hobby farm work. The house itself is smaller, about 900 square feet, which is not a big change from what we have in Washington.Brandon: But it comes with lots of land — like rice fields, a couple of sheds, and other actual storage space. Land was our big motivation.In Washington, for what we could afford, we were pretty lucky to get the condo where we're at. We did some property searches in Washington, but everything was so expensive for the smallest plot of land.Monthly, we pay about $1,550 between HOA and mortgage for a two-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bath condo in Washington.<div type="image" title="The interior of a Japanese home." height="533" width="800" msid="108595508" hostid="261"></div>Leika: We ended up paying $30,000 for the house in Japan. The house itself is only worth about $2,500 or $3,000, but the property altogether was $30,000. It was unoccupied by the previous owner for 11 years.Brandon: It was eventually sold to a real-estate group. They buy houses and maintain them, so it was in pretty good condition.<h2>We chose a quiet and convenient neighborhood</h2>Brandon: Our house is about 30 to 40 minutes outside the city of Okayama. They call them "<a target="_blank" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commuter_town#:~:text=In%20Japan%2C%20a%20commuter%20town,which%20the%20exurbs'%20residents%20commute.">bed towns</a>" or commuter towns — just a town where people mostly commute to the big cities.Leika: It's not out in the mountains with nothing around.Brandon: We wanted to take advantage of Japan's public transportation and walkable lifestyle.Leika: We're pretty car-centric in the US. When we were living in Japan, we liked being able to bike or take the train to places. When we were looking for a house, we didn't want it to be super far away, especially since we're planning on having a family there. We wanted it to be close to schools. Even though I would consider it more rural, we still have amenities close by.Brandon: The place we found is about a mile from the nearest train station, and there's a bus stop a five-minute walk away. That was really important. Trying to find a place where we could take advantage of the walkable lifestyle — or at least a less car-dependent lifestyle.Leika: We're excited to have our own space — indoor and outdoor. We're not bunched up with other people nearby sharing walls and worrying if the baby is crying too loudly. I'm excited to have a lot of little projects to work on, for the farm or otherwise.<div type="image" title="Two sheds and open land on a Japanese property." height="533" width="800" msid="108595510" hostid="261"></div>Brandon: I really want honeybees. I'm super passionate about pizza and having an outdoor pizza oven. These are things that we think of as retirement dreams.It's like, "Why can't I have these sooner? Why wait when we can try this out, and see how it goes?"We could probably make it work in the Seattle area, but the timeline would be a lot longer. We value having a hobby farm and raising our kids with that.We're starting to have a family now. If we stayed here, it'd probably be another seven to 10 years before we had a home where we could have a hobby farm on it. And by that point, the kids would be halfway through their time with family.It was really about getting a headstart on that timeline.

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