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With the West Bengal Assembly bypolls around the corner, a recent analysis by the West Bengal Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has shed light on the profiles of candidates in the fray. The study reveals that among the 41 candidates contesting in the upcoming bypolls, seven have serious criminal cases pending, while another seven are crorepatis. <h2>Criminal cases: BJP tops the list</h2>The ADR analysis shows that out of the seven candidates with serious criminal cases, four are from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), two from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), and one from Congress. These cases range from non-bailable offences to electoral violations and financial fraud, with maximum punishments extending to five years or more. Offences in this category include serious crimes such as murder, kidnapping, and violations of the Prevention of Corruption Act or crimes against women. The bypolls will take place on November 13 in the constituencies of Coochbehar Sitai (SC), Haroa, Naihati, Medinipur, Taldangra, and Madarihat (ST). However, the affidavit for one candidate, independent contestant Pankaj Lohra from Madarihat (ST), could not be reviewed due to missing documents. <h2>Wealthiest candidates</h2>In addition to those with criminal cases, seven candidates declared assets exceeding Rs 1 crore. Congress leads in this regard, with three crorepati candidates, followed by the BJP with two, and the TMC and CPIM(L) with one each. According to the affidavits, the wealthiest candidate is TMC's <keyword id="23849799" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sanat-dey" source="keywords">Sanat Dey</keyword> from Naihati, who has assets worth Rs 4.9 crore, including Rs 1.8 crore in immovable property. Following him is BJP's Ananya Roy Chakraborty, who is contesting from Taldangra, with assets totalling nearly Rs 3 crore. TMC’s Shyamal Kumar Ghosh, running for the Medinipur seat, declared assets of approximately Rs 1.69 crore. On average, the candidates’ assets are valued at around Rs 58.14 lakh. In contrast to the wealthiest candidates, Kashikanta Barman from the Kamatapur Peoples Party (United), contesting from Coochbehar Sitai (SC), has declared the lowest assets, amounting to just Rs 5,000. This wide range of wealth highlights the diverse financial backgrounds of candidates in the bypolls. (With inputs from agencies)

West Bengal bypolls to feature seven candidates with serious criminal cases including murder and kidnapping

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Chinese submarine officers — except for engineers — tend to have the lowest entry exam scores.</li><li>The lack of selectivity is remarkable. Submarines are likely to be critical in a conflict. </li></ul>The job of commanding a nuclear submarine should go to smart and well-qualified officers. Or at least that's the case in Western navies.Not so in the Chinese navy. Chinese submarine officers — except for engineers — tend to come from candidates with the lowest college entrance test scores, according to a US analyst. This suggests that People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) sub commanders are not the best and the brightest officers most poised to cope with the stresses and challenges endemic to submarine warfare."Based on Gaokao national college entrance exam scoring information for PLA [People's Liberation Army] academic institutions, the PLAN Engineering University on average ranks number two on test scores across PLA academic institutions," according to a <a target="_blank" href="https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1026&amp;context=cmsi-maritime-reports">paper</a> written by Roderick Lee, an expert on the Chinese military, for the China Maritime Studies Institute at the US Naval War College. "Meanwhile, the Submarine Academy consistently ranks among the bottom three of all PLA institutions.""Assuming a student's Gaokao score is generally indicative of overall performance potential, this suggests that PLAN submarine officer cadets tracking towards non-engineering department positions are inferior to their engineering brethren," Lee said.Rivalry between the engineers on the lower decks who keep the ship's engines running, versus bridge officers such as captains, navigators and weapons officers, isn't unusual in any navy; in the US, by contrast, all submarine officers and commanders are trained in nuclear engineering. By the time a Chinese officer reaches submarine command, they've had more than a decade of training and fleet experience since taking their college entry tests.Still, the selectivity disparity inside the Chinese navy is remarkable, given that submarines would be one of China's most important weapons in a conflict with the US, Japan or Taiwan. The PLAN currently operates around 60 submarines, including 6 armed with nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles, plus 6 nuclear- and 46 diesel-powered attack subs armed with a variety of anti-ship missiles and torpedoes.Whether academic prowess equates to military competence has always been up for debate. History is full of commanders — such as George McClellan in the American Civil War — who proved more impressive in the classroom than on the battlefield. On the other hand, the legendary George Patton nearly flunked out of West Point.Regardless, the Chinese navy seems to have had doubts about those commanding its surface ships and submarines: higher-level officers would often sail with them to supervise. "Historically, a PLAN submarine captain's authority could be eroded by the presence of more senior officers onboard," Lee noted. "The issue of flotilla-level leadership deploying to single-ship formations and 'babysitting' ship captains was such an issue for the PLAN surface fleet that the PLAN explicitly prohibited the practice in 2019."It is not clear to what degree senior officers continue to babysit submarine skippers, who already have to share authority with a political commissar aboard each vessel. There is evidence that having a senior officer effectively take command of a submarine <a target="_blank" href="https://jamestown.org/program/trust-deficit-in-pla-navy-submarine-command-origins-and-consequences/">breeds resentment</a> among a sub's crew. Perhaps not coincidentally, Lee notes that flotilla commanders and staff were aboard when the Ming-class diesel sub <a target="_blank" href="http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/east/05/02/china.submarine/">SS-361</a> sank in 2003, as well the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1584450/pla-reveals-how-captain-stopped-submarine-falling-3000-metre-trench">near-loss</a> of the Kilo-class SS-372 in 2014.<div type="image" title="chinese submarine" height="2250" width="3500" msid="109356988" hostid="261" sizebytes="757384"></div>Submarine duty is already arduous and isolating, and command conflicts only exacerbate what appears to be a mental health crisis among Chinese commanders and crews. When researchers from China's Second Military Medical University conducted a <a target="_blank" href="https://academic.oup.com/milmed/article/187/5-6/e696/6067548?login=false">survey</a> in 2021 of submarine crews in the PLAN's South China Sea fleet crews, 21 percent reported experiencing mental health issues. Sailors and officers "in the submarine force in the South China Sea are facing mental health risks and suffering from serious psychological problems," concluded the study, which listed education — along with age and experience — as the best predictors of mental health for sub crews."Life in the PLAN submarine service is difficult," Christopher Sharman, director of the China Maritime Studies Institute, told Business Insider. "Conditions are challenging and China has suffered submarine accidents in the past. These variables contribute to making a life in the submarine force less attractive."The thought of a submarine — especially one powered by a nuclear reactor or even armed with nuclear missiles — being commanded by an officer with a low SAT score is less than reassuring. Nonetheless, Lee believes that China's submarine fleet is still a capable force. There are "no clear and glaring flaws in how the PLAN leads its submarine force. Although its educational system underwent some turmoil in the beginning of the 21st century and continues to encounter challenges today, these challenges do not appear to be substantial enough to dramatically affect operational performance."Yet the poor educational qualifications of Chinese sub skippers may be a vulnerability that US anti-submarines can exploit, Lee suggests. China's submarine force is more likely to make mistakes since it "draws its leaders from some of the worst-performing officer cadets," Lee said. "Even if the Gaokao score is not indicative of overall human performance, it does reflect some level of intelligence and individual dedication. The PLAN submarine force must therefore rely on its least talented officers to lead forces that may be cut off for days if not weeks at a time."By stressing Chinese submarine commanders, such as confronting them with multiple or unexpected challenges, they could be goaded into making a mistake. "This may make PLAN submarine officers more likely to suffer from the error precursors of poor proficiency, poor problem-solving skills, inappropriate attitudes towards tasks, imprecise communication habits, and inability to handle stress."On the other hand, a Chinese submarine captain will have had years of experience and additional training before assuming command. It remains to be seen if his college test scores impact his combat performance.Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and other publications. He holds an MA in political science from Rutgers Univ. Follow him on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.twitter.com/@mipeck1">Twitter</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mipeck/">LinkedIn</a>.

China picks its lowest-scoring officers to command nuclear submarines 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The US Department of Justice and 17 state attorneys general seek to break up Google's adtech business.</li><li>Arete Research analysts suggest spinning off Google's adtech as a B Corp instead.</li></ul>The US Department of Justice and 17 state attorneys general are seeking to break up Google in a landmark <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-google-adtech-antitrust-trial-could-transform-advertising-2024-9">adtech antitrust trial</a>.Closing arguments are set to be delivered in November, with a ruling expected next year. The government is hoping the judge will force <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google">Google</a> to divest some or all of its adtech business.But shutting or splitting up <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/leaked-deck-doubleclick-acquisition-pitch-google-adtech-antitrust-trial-2024-9">Google's adtech business</a> "might cripple publishers," according to analysts at Arete Research, who wrote in a note last week that Google's adtech should instead be spun out into a public-benefit B Corp.Companies receive B Corp certification from the nonprofit organization <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.bcorporation.net/">B Lab</a> if they meet standards regarding their social and environmental performance, as well as other areas of transparency and accountability.The complaint against Google alleges that the tech giant used acquisitions and anticompetitive ad auction tactics, and tied its various adtech pieces together to build an illegal monopoly of the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-ads-adwords">digital ad market</a>. The case hones in on the "open web display" digital ad market and the tools that power the ad auctions that take place in the milliseconds it takes for a webpage to load. Google owns the tools publishers use to sell ads, the software advertisers use to buy ads, and the ad exchange that connects them.Should the judge rule in the government's favor, many experts believe a likely outcome of the case would be to order Google to spin off or otherwise <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-trade-desk-ceo-jeff-green-google-breakup-antitrust-trial-2024-9">exit the so-called "sell side"</a> of the adtech business. Here, Google operates an ad server that helps publishers manage their ads as well as the Google Display Network, where it allows advertisers to buy ads across millions of third-party websites that it doesn't own.A brute-force breakup or shutdown of parts of Google's sell-side business could have <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-google-adtech-antitrust-trial-could-transform-advertising-2024-9">unintended consequences for publishers</a>, Arete's analysts wrote. They argue that almost every publisher relies on Google's adtech tools and that separating its ad server from its ad exchange would be highly disruptive at a time when publishers are already struggling due to other platform changes and shifts in advertiser spending.A publisher tech executive shared with Business Insider their own <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-google-adtech-antitrust-trial-could-transform-advertising-2024-9">concerns about a potential breakup</a> of Google's adtech business earlier this month. And execs who had worked at publishers including News Corp. and The Daily Mail took to the stand in the antitrust trial this month to testify that switching from Google's adtech to a rival would have cost them millions of dollars in lost revenue a year.A Google spokesperson declined to comment for this story but pointed Business Insider toward a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/public-policy/ad-tech-trial-key-takeaways/">blog post</a> published Friday. In it, the company argues that its changes over the years have benefited competitors and brought down prices for publishers and advertisers. It contends that the adtech market remains fiercely competitive.<h2 id="5bf85c0b-b21d-4a88-9c61-81ec3350f826">NetworkB — the public-benefit adtech company</h2>Enter "NetworkB," Arete's hypothetically named Google adtech B Corp.Arete suggests Google's parent company, Alphabet, should spin out its entire Network business, which generated $31.4 billion in 2023 (slightly down from the prior year). Some analysts have predicted the unit was <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/analysis-google-ad-tech-trial-114952541.html">likely to shrink further</a> over the coming years anyway, regardless of any antitrust enforcement, as Google prioritizes its own properties versus third-party sites.Arete proposes Google Network become a B Corp with a capped profit margin that it could extract from its clients, known in the industry as a take rate. Right now, adtech industry players retain anywhere between 8% and 42% of the ad dollars that flow through their pipes, according to Arete's estimates.The spinoff would free Google of accusations of self-preferencing and unfair tying within its adtech stack, while also charging lower fees than rival adtech companies, Arete said. That would ultimately mean publishers end up getting paid more, Arete's analysts wrote. And, as a stand-alone business not attached to YouTube, Network B could press further into other areas like connected-TV advertising, they said.Arete calculated that while such a move would mean Google forgoing an estimated $29 billion in Google Network revenues this year, it's only expected to generate around $3.5 billion of EBITDA, or earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization.The B-Corp solution would be attractive to Alphabet shareholders, who would end up owning the largest adtech intermediary with a potential market capitalization of between $120 billion and $150 billion — a conservative estimate, according to Arete's analysts. Meanwhile, Alphabet itself would become a smaller but higher-margin business with fewer antitrust risks."Google could shed its lowest-margin unit, end its regulatory overhang and raise the value of its O&amp;O inventory, while helping publishers globally," the analysts wrote. O&amp;O refers to owned and operated inventory, such as Google Maps and Gmail, where its proprietary data on its logged-in users are valuable to advertisers.Arete founder Richard Kramer told Business Insider that the antitrust case unearthed some "surely unwelcome disclosure" for Google, but also other adtech players, such as actual financials on adtech operations and how they charged advertisers and publishers."As analysts we were delighted with the trial because it just opened a window onto cost structures that had always been opaque and hidden," Kramer said.

Breaking up Google's ad business could 'cripple' publishers. Analysts make the case for turning it into a public-benefit corporation instead.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The number of home sales per agent has fallen to its lowest level in over a decade, Apollo's Torsten Slok said.</li><li>High mortgage rates and home prices have pushed buyers off the market.</li></ul>Not as many people are buying homes in an expensive housing market. And it's slowing things down for real estate agents.The number of home sales per agent has fallen to its lowest level in over a decade, a note from Apollo Management's Torsten Slok stated."With many homeowners locked into sub-4% mortgage rates, existing home sales are at the lowest level since 2010," Sløk noted.Mortgage rates have fallen from their recent peaks of 8% back in October last year, but they're still historically high. They're even <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/30-year-mortgage-rates-rate-cuts-housing-january-inflation-data-2024-2">ticking back up</a> as the outlook on the Fed's rate cuts gets pushed farther out. Interest rates on the 30-year home loan are at 6.77%, up from 6.64% last week.Home prices are also too high for many homebuyers. The S&amp;P CoreLogic <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CSUSHPINSA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Case-Shiller Index</a> shows prices in many markets around the country are still sitting at all-time highs.There's also a geographic nuance to this trend, with fewer real estate agents per 1,000 jobs in states like California and New York as people flock to southern states. The agent-to-jobs ratio is higher in places like Florida, Texas, Arizona, and Colorado.<div type="image" title="Real estate agents per 1,000 jobs" height="1084" width="2016" msid="107761212" hostid="261" sizebytes="42570"></div>The cost of living and even the climate have helped warp the market. A Redfin report found that high air-quality risks have exacerbated out-migration from the West, especially from cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Jose. Still, the report noted that the high cost of living is a primary driver of that exodus. Homes in high-risk areas cost <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/housing-market-higher-home-prices-climate-change-air-quality-impact-2024-2">65% more.</a>The expensive living costs are also seen pushing residents out of New York. While San Francisco saw an outflow of 110,518 residents in 2021-2022, New York City saw an outflow of 619,175, Redfin <a href="https://www.redfin.com/news/wildfire-risk-migration-air-factor/">data</a> shows.

The number of home sales per real estate agent is at its lowest level in over a decade

<ul><li>Housing affordability has plunged to the lowest level in nearly 40 years, according to LPL Financial.</li><li>The drop in affordability exceeds the 2007 bubble levels as mortgage rates approach 8%.</li><li>"Home prices have not moderated much despite high borrowing costs because housing inventory is so low," LPL said.</li></ul>Our <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/chart-of-the-day">Chart of the Day</a> is a gauge of housing market affordability that has plunged to the lowest level since 1985 in the US.LPL Financial highlighted the National Association of Realtors' <a href="https://www.nar.realtor/research-and-statistics/housing-statistics/housing-affordability-index#:~:text=The%20Housing%20Affordability%20Index%20measures,for%20use%20as%20a%20reference." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Housing Affordability Index</a>, which takes into account median home prices, household income, and current mortgage rates. In August, it hit 91.7.The affordability decline exceeds the drop seen during the 2007 housing bubble, when mortgage rates were elevated and home prices surged due to a prolonged wave of Americans taking on too much leverage to buy properties. The latest <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/housing-market-affordable-income-expensive-black-knight-mortgage-rates-fed-2023-10">sharp drop in housing affordability</a> comes as the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/housing-market-crash-1980s-style-recession-mortgage-rates-wells-fargo-2023-10">hovers around 8%</a>, the highest in 23 years. Elevated borrowing costs were one of the main drivers of low housing market affordability in 1985, when the 30-year fixed rate was well above 10%. "So in this case, affordability captures the uniqueness of each period," a team of strategists at LPL said on Monday.Affordability <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/housing-affordability">has been tough for prospective home buyers</a> not only because of high mortgage rates, but also because of a supply crunch."Home prices have not moderated much despite high borrowing costs because housing inventory is so low," LPL said.That's because so many homeowners locked in 30-year mortgage rates at 3%-4%, making them reluctant to give that up by putting their homes up for sale and buying a new property."Those who refinanced in recent years to amazingly low fixed rates have what we would call 'golden handcuffs,' keeping them content in their current homes and providing a strong disincentive to move," LPL said.

CHART OF THE DAY: Housing market affordability plunges to lowest level since 1985

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Bearish sentiment in the market has dropped to 19.6%, according to a recent AAII survey. </li><li>Market pessimism is "unusually low." That's often followed by below average six-month returns in the S&amp;P 500.</li></ul>Wagering that the Federal Reserve is done hiking interest rates, market bulls have staged a <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/stock-market-outlook-sp-500-november-rally-federal-reserve-inflation-2023-12">strong November rally</a>. At the same time, the number of bears in the market has dwindled to potentially alarming levels. The latest American Association of Individual Investors survey this week shows that market pessimism has dropped to its lowest level in nearly six years. Bearish sentiment dropped to 19.6%, compared to the 48.8% of market bears, a wide gap that's relatively unusual. "Pessimism is unusually low, at its lowest level since January 3, 2018 (15.6%), and is below its historical average of 31.0% for the fourth time in 11 weeks," the AII said on Thursday.A low level of bearish sentiment and a higher number of bulls in the market might sound like good news for stocks, but that's not necessarily the case. Sentiment readings are contrarian indicators and a high level of bullishness could mean that the <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/stock-market-outlook-santa-claus-rally-christmas-inflation-economy-chatgpt-2023-11">market rally</a> may <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/stock-market-outlook-bullish-inflation-rate-hikes-overbought-wall-sp500-2023-11">run out of steam soon</a>.Periods of unusually high optimism and low pessimism have historically been followed by below-average six-month returns in the S&amp;P 500, the AII release noted.In November, the benchmark index gained 8.9%, placing it in the top 20 months of the S&amp;P 500's performance since 1950, data from LPL Financial showed.<div type="image" title="AAII sentiment survey results" height="916" width="2164" msid="105663193" hostid="261" sizebytes="46680"></div>According to Fundstrat analyst Mark Newton, the number of bears in the market right now is "alarmingly low.""While the 4th Quarter normally results in heightened levels of bullish sentiment, I view this escalation to be concerning given that Technology and Financials sector ETF's are right near resistance while the VIX recently plunged under 12.50," Newton said in a note on Thursday.Other sentiment gauges are also showing low levels of pessimism among investors. The Investors Intelligence sentiment index recorded 55.7% bullish versus 21.4% on Tuesday, and the CNN's Fear and Greed Index is pointing towards "Greed," after tilting towards "Fear" for months."Overall, sentiment is certainly just one piece of the market puzzle," Newton said. "Yet when extremes in bearish sentiment are reached, it's normally wise to be patient on initiating new positions for those with shorter-term timeframes, particularly following a 10% rally in the last five weeks."

Market pessimism is the lowest in nearly 6 years. Here's why that might be a bad sign for stocks.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Existing home sales slid 15% year-over-year in September, according to NAR data. </li><li>Sales are the lowest in 13 years as high mortgage rates take a toll on the US housing market. </li></ul>Home sales plummeted to the lowest level in 13 years last month, according to the National Association of Realtors. Existing home sales slid 15% over the past year, slumping to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.96 million in September, the NAR reported on Thursday. That's lowest number of existing home sales recorded since 2010, pointing to the tightness of the current housing market."As has been the case throughout this year, limited inventory and low housing affordability continue to hamper home sales," NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun said in a statement. "For the third straight month, home prices are up from a year ago, confirming the pressing need for more housing supply," he later added.Total housing inventory fell 8.1% year-over-year in August, while the median existing home price jumped 3% year-over-year in September, according to NAR data.Rising mortgage rates have dragged transaction volume lower. The <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/housing-market-fixed-mortgage-outlook-home-prices-rates-interest-fed-2023-10#:~:text=Rates%20on%20the%2030%2Dyear,that%20mark%20since%20mid%2D2000.">rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage notched 8% this week</a>, its highest level since 2000. The highest borrowing costs in over two decades have sidelined both buyers and sellers. Mortgage rates are likely to stay elevated over the near-term, as the Federal Reserve points to a higher-for-longer interest rate outlook that will buoy borrowing costs for a range of consumer loan products. The Fed's policy rate is now 5.25%-5.5%, the highest interest rate target range since 2001. Markets are pricing in a 37% chance of at least one more rate hike by the end of the year, per the CME FedWatch tool.

Home sales have plummeted to their lowest in 13 years as 8% mortgage rates batter the housing market

New Delhi, March 14 (IANS) In a significant development, India reported only 2,503 new cases in the last 24 hours, the lowest single-day spike in 680 days, the Union Health Ministry announced on Monday. In the same period, 27 people also succumbed to the virus, taking the overall death toll to 5,15,877. The number of active cases also further reduced to 36,168, the lowest in 675 days. These cases now account for 0.08 per cent of the country's total positive cases, the Ministry said. The recovery of 4,377 patients in the last 24 hours has increased the cumulative tally to 4,24,41,449. Consequently, India's recovery rate stands at 98.72 per cent. Also in the same period, a total of 5,32,232 tests were conducted across the country, which increased the total to 77.90 crore. There has been a sustained fall in the weekly and daily positivity rates as well, the Ministry said. Weekly Positivity Rate in the country currently stands at 0.47 per cent and the Daily Positivity rate is reported to be 0.47 per cent. India's Covid-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 180.19 crore as of Monday morning. This has been achieved through 2,10,99,040 sessions. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/interview-you-will-be-able-to-own-bajaj-made-yulu-bikes-by-next-year/articleshow/90172838.cms">You will be able to own Bajaj-made Yulu bikes by next year</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/paytms-shares-hit-an-all-time-low-plunging-below-the-700-mark-after-rbi-pulls-up-its-payments-bank/articleshow/90193957.cms">Paytm’s shares hit an all-time low plunging below the ₹700-mark after RBI pulls up its payments bank</a>

India records the lowest single-day COVID-19 tally in 680 days

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Netflix's "Queen Cleopatra" is a docudrama released on May 10.</li><li>It has received a 2% audience score with more than 5,000 ratings, possibly the lowest in TV history.</li></ul>Netflix's four-episode docudrama "Queen Cleopatra" was released May 10, and it has since received a 2% audience score with over 5,000 ratings on <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/queen_cleopatra/s01" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rotten Tomatoes</a> as of Tuesday.The show was rated 1% before it was bumped up, but its new score is still an "unprecedented low" in TV history, per <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2023/05/15/netflixs-queen-cleopatra-appears-to-have-the-worst-audience-score-in-tv-history/?sh=83b8dda53915" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Forbes</a>."Queen Cleopatra" follows Egypt's last pharaoh through reenactments and interviews.Before its release, the show had been criticized for the casting of Adele James as Cleopatra, with many saying that it was a misrepresentation and falsification of history.The Egyptian government <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cleopatra-wasnt-a-black-woman-egypt-tells-netflix-in-row-over-drama-doc-2023-4">had accused Netflix</a> of misrepresenting Cleopatra, per Insider. An Egyptian lawyer had also filed a case to shut down the streaming service in Egypt, per <a href="https://www.nme.com/news/film/egyptian-lawyer-sues-netflix-for-depicting-cleopatra-as-black-in-new-documentary-3432799" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NME</a>.Last Thursday, James commented about the negative backlash regarding her casting when she appeared on the British podcast "<a href="https://www.channel4.com/programmes/stephs-packed-lunch/on-demand/74264-149" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Steph's Packed Lunch</a>."Along with her costar, John Partridge, James told the host Steph McGovern that people had been focused on the wrong things. "Yes, we don't know where her mother was from or her paternal grandmother, but also, the show is about so much more than the question mark over her race."James went on to explain what she felt the show was really about. "If you watch, it is a very small part of the conversation, really, this is about the fullness of who this woman was, and she was a human being, and she shouldn't be reduced to her race any more than I should or anybody should," as per <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/queen-cleopatra-netflix-adele-james-b2338497.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Independent</a>.Following the docudrama's release, the criticism and poor reviews seem to be related to more than just casting."It is patchy sub-Game of Thrones cosplay interwoven with academics you've never heard of," wrote Camilla Long, a top critic on <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/queen_cleopatra/s01/reviews?sort=rotten" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rotten Tomatoes</a>.While <a href="https://www.insider.com/marvel-the-eternals-what-is-review-bombing-lgbt-2021-10">review bombing</a> — an internet phenomenon where a large group posts negative reviews to harm the sales or popularity of a product or business — could have contributed to the poor rating, many viewers have also pointed to it being just a bad show."Characters had no depth, subpar acting, historians giving really low-value comments, too much info crammed together without developing any meaningful scenes," a review on <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/queen_cleopatra/s01/reviews?type=user&amp;intcmp=rt-scorecard_audience-score-reviews" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rotten Tomatoes</a> read."The show is not a documentary but a fantasy series. Terrible acting and storytelling," another user wrote."The information, often inaccurate it seems, is also just very dull, and the entire thing feels like a dry soap opera," Paul Tassi wrote for <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2023/05/15/netflixs-queen-cleopatra-appears-to-have-the-worst-audience-score-in-tv-history/?sh=83b8dda53915" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Forbes</a>.Nevertheless, some users said that they enjoyed the docuseries."I am learning a lot from this series. Very well told and explained. And the visuals are fascinating," a <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/queen_cleopatra/s01/reviews?type=user&amp;intcmp=rt-scorecard_audience-score-reviews" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rotten Tomatoes</a> review read."Queen Cleopatra" is the <a href="https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/african-queens-release-date-cast-news" target="_blank" rel="noopener">second season</a> of the "African Queens" series by the executive producer Jada Pinkett Smith and is available to be streamed on Netflix.This story has been updated to include quotes from Adele James during her appearance on the podcast "Steph's Packed Lunch."

And the lowest Rotten Tomatoes rating in TV history goes to… Netflix's 'Queen Cleopatra'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin slammed Chief Justice John Roberts for failing to impose stronger ethical requirements.</li><li>Durbin, who chairs the powerful Judiciary Committee, vowed his panel will move forward on proposals.</li></ul>Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin vowed on Thursday that the fight over imposing higher ethical standards on the Supreme Court isn't over, as scandal continues to swirl around the high court.Durbin also swung at Chief Justice John Roberts who he faulted for failing to do more after multiple reports raised questions about whether Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito accepted improper gifts from people with ties to business before the court."I'm sorry to see Chief Justice Roberts end the term without taking action on the ethical issues plaguing the Court—all while the Court handed down decisions that dismantled longstanding precedents and the progress our country has made over generations," Durbin said in a statement.The Judiciary Committee, Durbin added, will continue with its previously announced plans to consider legislation that would impose greater ethical requirements on the high court after lawmakers return to Washington following their July 4th holiday recess. "The highest court in the land should not have the lowest ethical standards."Roberts previously declined to appear before Durbin's panel, citing separation of powers concerns.The Supreme Court ended its term with a series of controversial rulings that also exposed major differences among the justices themselves. Conservatives on the court, led by Roberts, effectively ended affirmative action in college admissions and axed President Joe Biden's nearly $400 billion student debt forgiveness plan. Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote a separate opinion that opened the door to greater discrimination against LGBTQ+ Americans in the name of free speech claims. Critics of the court seized on the reporting about ethical concerns also a way to further question its legitimacy.ProPublica reported that Justice Thomas failed to report multiple lavish gifts and trips from GOP megadonor Harlan Crow, even when a company with ties to Crow had business before the court. Alito accepted a lavish trip from billionaire Paul Singer even though Singer was a major donor to a conservative think-tank <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-alito-luxury-fishing-trip-singer-block-student-loan-forgiveness-2023-6">that frequently took positions on pending cases</a>. Alito issued an extraordinary rebuke of the reporting, <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/behind-scenes-alito-wall-street-journal-prebuttal-editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arguing he too had done nothing wrong.</a>Republicans thus far have rejected Democrats' push for stiffer ethical requirements, making its future uncertain in a chamber where any proposal would need 60 votes to pass. The GOP-led House would also have to pass any legislation too, a potentially even stepper climb.

Dick Durbin slams Roberts for failing to make sure SCOTUS doesn't have the 'lowest ethical standards'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Amid a historically unaffordable housing environment, it's tough to navigate the market.</li><li>Below, we've compiled stories with tips for prospective homeowners, investors, and renters.</li></ul>It's a bizarre time in the <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/housing-market-outlook-affordable-buyers-homes-house-prices-mortgage-redfin-2023-8?_gl=1*tnmqmu*_ga*MTYzMDk0NjczMy4xNjg2NTE5NDIx*_ga_E21CV80ZCZ*MTY5MzMzNjE2NS44My4xLjE2OTMzNDIyMDcuMTIuMC4w">US real-estate market</a>. The hurdle for achieving homeownership is a tough one to jump, with homes being just about the least affordable they've been since the 1980s. Yet, waiting until prices or <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/housing-market-outlook-recession-home-prices-mortgage-rates-fannie-mae-2023-8?_gl=1*2lxg93*_ga*MTYzMDk0NjczMy4xNjg2NTE5NDIx*_ga_E21CV80ZCZ*MTY5MzMzNjE2NS44My4xLjE2OTMzNDIyNzguMTYuMC4w">mortgage rates</a> come down hasn't paid off, as both have <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/housing-market-unaffordability-case-shiller-prices-record-outlook-inventory-homes-2023-8?_gl=1*g61lpz*_ga*MTYzMDk0NjczMy4xNjg2NTE5NDIx*_ga_E21CV80ZCZ*MTY5MzMzNjE2NS44My4xLjE2OTMzNDIzMDkuNjAuMC4w">shot back upward this year</a>.Below, we've compiled a list of our stories from the last two months to help you navigate this difficult market.For new prospective homeowners, some stories include tips on relatively cheap markets to move to. For investors, some include tips on where experts see the best chance for outsized appreciation in the coming years in what many economists say will be a time of muted gains. And for those opting to continue renting since this path is increasingly cheaper than taking on a new mortgage payment, one piece shows where rents are falling the fastest.So, let's start with the most affordable places in the country to move to right now. <h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cheapest-cities-to-buy-a-house-home-price-appreciation-scholaroo-2023-8?r=housing-markets-lp">The 15 cheapest cities in the US to buy a home in right now — including 3 where prices are expected to appreciate at least 22% by 2026 — according to Scholaroo</a></h2><div type="image" title="louisville kentucky" height="1333" width="1777" msid="103205282" hostid="261" sizebytes="207680"></div>This list from Scholaroo shows where prospective homeowners can find the cheapest combo of prices and property taxes relative to local incomes. Some of the markets even offer high appreciation potential.<h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cheapest-cities-to-buy-a-home-lowest-down-payment-taxes-2023-8?r=housing-markets-lp">These 16 cities offer the cheapest first year of homeownership in the US when considering down payments, taxes, and closing costs, according to Point2</a></h2><div type="image" title="Skyline of El Paso, Texas" height="1414" width="1885" msid="103205285" hostid="261" sizebytes="255748"></div>This list from Point2 looks at the same theme, but focuses more just on the first year of homeownership. The analysis factors in down payments, monthly mortgage payments, closing costs, taxes, and insurance.<h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/real-estate-best-affordable-cities-for-homebuyers-housing-market-shortage-2023-7?r=housing-markets-lp">First-time homebuyers squeezed by the housing shortage should look in these 17 affordable markets that are ideal for young people</a></h2><div type="image" title="home for sale Hialeah Florida" height="817" width="1089" msid="103205286" hostid="261" sizebytes="219430"></div>This list from This Old House is targeted specifically at young people. It looks at cities where the average cost of "starter homes" is relatively low, especially compared to incomes, and where there is also a substantial young population.<h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-cities-to-buy-a-home-biggest-price-growth-population-2023-8?r=housing-markets-lp">The top researcher at a real-estate intelligence firm shares 5 up-and-coming cities he thinks have the greatest home-price growth potential as new residents and jobs flood in — and the 2 riskiest markets</a></h2><div type="image" title="columbus ohio" height="1333" width="1777" msid="103205291" hostid="261" sizebytes="405222"></div>For investors seeking out markets that could see big home-value growth in the coming years, we interviewed the top researcher at Yardi Matrix, Doug Ressler. He told us about five cities he thinks will see the biggest appreciation as they attract people and jobs.<h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-cities-home-price-growth-appreciation-next-3-years-scholaroo-2023-8?r=housing-markets-lp">These 14 cities will see at least 20% home-price growth over the next 3 years, according to Scholaroo — and 5 of them have current median prices under $200,000</a></h2><div type="image" title="Kansas City, Missouri." height="3460" width="4613" msid="103205296" hostid="261" sizebytes="1379128"></div>This one from Scholaroo is another for investors. They conducted an analysis of 152 US cities where they looked at their yearly home price growth over the last five years and averaged them. They then applied that annualized average to the next three years to come up with a projection for 2026. <h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-areas-real-estate-investors-buying-for-rental-demand-2023-8?r=housing-markets-lp">The top 20 areas real-estate investors are piling into for high population growth, increasing rental demand, or price appreciation, according to a property-data firm</a></h2><div type="image" title="house sitting on a pile of money" height="3406" width="4542" msid="103205298" hostid="261" sizebytes="1010852"></div>This piece on an analysis by CoreLogic shows where investors are betting on most right now. <h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/real-estate-cities-highest-lowest-home-price-growth-goldman-sachs-2023-8?r=housing-markets-lp">Goldman Sachs lists the 10 major cities where home-price growth is heating up most and 10 where it's falling — plus where mortgage rates could be by year end and in 2024</a></h2><div type="image" title="Chicago" height="1080" width="1440" msid="103205301" hostid="261" sizebytes="281252"></div>Earlier in August, Goldman Sachs said they expect home prices on a national basis to grow another 1.8% this year. In this piece, they highlight which cities are driving that growth using the S&amp;P CoreLogic Case-Shiller 20-city index.<h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-markets-for-home-price-appreciation-real-estate-investing-greene-2023-7?r=housing-markets-lp">These are the 3 best markets for long-distance real-estate investors to capitalize on both strong cash flows and property value appreciation, according to an expert who's written multiple books on investing strategy</a></h2><div type="image" title="Mobile Alabama" height="1000" width="1333" msid="103205303" hostid="261" sizebytes="239140"></div>Another one for investors, especially long-distance ones: BiggerPockets Podcast host David Greene shares the markets — all of them in the south — that he thinks look most attractive right now as their populations grow. <h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/real-estate-best-cities-for-renters-apartments-affordability-inflation-outlook-2023-7?r=housing-markets-lp">Rent growth has plummeted to a two-year low as inflation continues to cool — and apartments in these 38 cities are getting more affordable fastest</a></h2><div type="image" title="Fort Lauderdale" height="2847" width="3797" msid="103205308" hostid="261" sizebytes="1314114"></div>For those looking to stay in the rental market for the time being, the above list from Zumper shows 38 markets where rent is actually down on a year-over-year basis when rents nationally are up over that time.

The ultimate real-estate guide: Where homes are most affordable, prices have the most upside, taxes and closing costs are lowest, and rents are falling the fastest

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Crude-oil prices tumbled on Monday over COVID-19 protests in China.</li><li>The fear of unrest in the world's second-largest economy hit market sentiment, sending shares in Hong Kong and China tumbling.</li></ul>Protests against COVID-19 curbs in China spooked the markets early in Asia on Monday, sending US crude-oil prices down to a low not seen this year and Chinese markets tumbling.The rare public display of dissent spreading in China over the country's draconian Covid-zero policies erupted after ten people in the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-covid-lockdown-protests-erupt-after-10-die-apartment-fire-2022-11">Xinjiang region</a> died in an apartment fire. Some online users blamed Covid restrictions for hindering rescue efforts and blocking escape routes.Authorities have denied the accusations, but the incident triggered anger to spill over in other parts of China as frustrations build after three years of stringent pandemic restrictions.The fear of unrest in China — and its potential impact on the world's second-largest economy — hit market sentiment, sending <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/commodities/oil-price?type=wti">oil prices</a> tumbling. China is also one of the world's top oil importers.Benchmark US West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures were 2.9% lower at $74.09 a barrel at 12.02 a.m. Monday EST — their lowest level this year, while international benchmark Brent crude oil futures tumbled to an 11-month low, trading 2.8% lower at $81.35 a barrel.Meanwhile, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was down about 2% at midday, while the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index was down 2.2%. The Shanghai Composite was down 1 and the Chinese yuan fell about 0.5% against the dollar."Rising unrest in China in the form of protests in several cities has translated to greater reopening pressure for authorities but any indications of reopening seems unlikely to be guided in light of current record high cases," wrote Yeap Jun Rong, a market strategist at online trading platform IG on Monday. The Chinese markets could remain volatile in the week ahead, "with any inaction from the authorities to budge from its Covid-19 policy potentially a catalyst for more downbeat mood," he added.China reported 40,052 new local COVID-19 cases on Monday — a daily record high for the fifth straight day, according to the country's <a href="http://www.nhc.gov.cn/xcs/yqfkdt/202211/a6ad14ad49c74489b86b5a19ecff2a15.shtml">National Health Commission.</a> This number includes asymptomatic cases.

You Searched For "lowest cases" and got 12 results

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You Searched For "lowest cases" and got 12 results

West Bengal bypolls to feature seven candidates with serious criminal cases including murder and kidnapping

BI India Bureau

China picks its lowest-scoring officers to command nuclear submarines

Michael Peck

Breaking up Google's ad business could 'cripple' publishers. Analysts make the case for turning it into a public-benefit corporation instead.

Lara O&apos;Reilly

The number of home sales per real estate agent is at its lowest level in over a decade

Aruni Soni

CHART OF THE DAY: Housing market affordability plunges to lowest level since 1985

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Market pessimism is the lowest in nearly 6 years. Here's why that might be a bad sign for stocks.

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Home sales have plummeted to their lowest in 13 years as 8% mortgage rates batter the housing market

Jennifer Sor

India records the lowest single-day COVID-19 tally in 680 days

IANS

And the lowest Rotten Tomatoes rating in TV history goes to… Netflix's 'Queen Cleopatra'

Reena Koh

Dick Durbin slams Roberts for failing to make sure SCOTUS doesn't have the 'lowest ethical standards'

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The ultimate real-estate guide: Where homes are most affordable, prices have the most upside, taxes and closing costs are lowest, and rents are falling the fastest

Business Insider

Oil prices dip to their lowest level in 2022 as Covid protests in China intensify

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