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Discussions around <keyword id="19956983" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mental-health" source="keywords">mental health</keyword> at the workplace reignited in the last few days when the death of two corporate employees made headlines. And it is no secret that without having a healthy mind, you cannot be productive. Ample studies in the last few months have pointed out the importance of mental health and it is important to talk about these issues. Today (October 10) marks <keyword id="23481940" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Mental-Health-Day" source="keywords">World Mental Health day</keyword>. It is an occasion for raising awareness about mental health issues and combating social stigma. Celebrated globally since 1992, this day encourages education and advocacy for mental well-being, reminding us that mental health is a crucial aspect of overall health, especially in the workplace. <h2>Ex-Google employee experienced stress, anxiety </h2> <keyword id="23300967" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nicholas-Whitaker" source="keywords">Nicholas Whitaker</keyword>, who worked with <keyword id="19902762" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Google" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Google" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Google">Google</keyword> for 13 years, told Business Insider India in an interview that he also experienced the pressures of a high-stress work environment. “During my time at Google, I faced significant stress and anxiety. It became clear that no matter how successful you are on paper, if your mental health is compromised, it diminishes your quality of life and ability to fully engage at work,” he said. He added that <keyword id="19925554" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mindfulness" source="keywords">mindfulness</keyword> played a crucial role in his recovery, saying that mental health is not just a personal issue but a workplace concern that should be treated with equal importance as productivity and performance. <h2>How to protect your mental health? </h2> To help others protect their mental health, Whitaker shared several key practices that can be game-changers. 1. Set Boundaries: Understand your limits and communicate them clearly. This includes managing your workload, taking time away from work, and setting boundaries around communication. Protecting your time and energy is essential. 2. Practice Mindfulness or Meditation: Mindfulness was a lifesaver for him in managing corporate stress. Even dedicating a few minutes each day to meditation can help you stay grounded and aware of your feelings, allowing you to make necessary adjustments before burnout sets in. 3. Take Breaks: In high-pressure environments, it’s easy to feel that there’s no time for a break. However, regular breaks—even just a short walk or stepping outside—can significantly enhance your mental state and boost productivity. 4. Find a Support System: Having people to talk to, whether colleagues, friends, or coaches, can make a considerable difference. Building a supportive community can combat feelings of isolation, which often exacerbate mental health issues. 5. Align Work with Values: Stress and dissatisfaction often arise from a misalignment between personal values and work. Reflecting on what truly matters to you and making small shifts toward work that aligns with those values can lead to greater fulfillment. To conclude, Whitaker said, “Mental health is not a luxury—it’s essential for personal well-being and professional success. When organisations invest in their employees’ mental health, they cultivate a culture where people feel supported, valued, and empowered to excel in their work.” As we observe <keyword id="23486492" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-mental-health" source="keywords">World Mental Health</keyword> Day, it’s crucial to remember that prioritising mental well-being can lead to a more productive, innovative, and fulfilled workforce.

World Mental Health Day: Ex-Google employee shares tips on protecting mental health at workplace, says he experienced stress and anxiety

Big banks promised to protect the planet. Now they're doing an about-face.

With Gen Alpha already leading the latest wave of memes (skibidi toilet, anyone? No one?), it can start to feel like toddlers are learning to scroll before they can walk. With social media turning out to become a massive part of growing up nowadays, Australia has become the first nation to step up with plans to ban it for minors. This has sparked a question that desperately needs to be answered: just how much is too much when it comes to kids on social media? The risks aren’t just rumours. Researchers have been raising red flags for years, suggesting that too much screen time at a young age can have lasting effects. So, let’s take a look at what science has to say about how early exposure to social media affects kids’ minds, moods, and everything in between. <h2>The sleep struggle</h2>It’s not just adult sleep that gets disrupted by blue light — it’s kids’ sleep too, only they’re even more vulnerable. Screens, especially before bedtime, can delay the release of melatonin, the hormone that tells our bodies it’s time to sleep. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children who use screens near bedtime often get less sleep and end up feeling groggy the next day. That leads to more than just fatigue; lack of sleep can also affect kids' learning, memory, and even mood stability. <h2>Scrolling through emotions</h2>The social media effect on mental health is a bit like playing with fire. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, while moderate use can boost self-esteem and help kids feel more connected, too much can tip the scales the other way. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="115056492" title="I&amp;#39;m a mom of 6 and don&amp;#39;t throw birthday parties after age 1. Kids don&amp;#39;t remember them and they are a waste of money." mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Excessive social media can lead to anxiety, depression, and lower self-worth. Kids may also suffer from FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), as they constantly compare themselves to the perfect-looking snapshots of others. Imagine dealing with that pressure before you even hit high school — it’s no wonder it’s causing stress for young minds. <h2>Attention span on shuffle mode</h2>Social media doesn’t just grab kids’ attention; it keeps it on a fast-paced rollercoaster. Research from multiple regions, including India, shows that children who spend a lot of time on social media might find it harder to stay focused on tasks without instant rewards. The endless cycle of quick likes and notifications can make schoolwork and even daily routines feel sluggish by comparison. Think of it as training kids’ brains to expect rewards on a constant, rapid-fire basis — something that real life just doesn’t offer. <h2>Virtual friends vs. real connections</h2>Kids might feel like they have tons of friends online, but are those connections as meaningful as the ones they’d make in person? UCLA researchers found that kids who spend a lot of time online may struggle to develop strong social skills in real life, like reading body language and empathy. This doesn’t mean that social media is all bad; for marginalised kids or those who have niche interests, it can provide a sense of belonging and community. But the danger is when those virtual friendships start replacing real ones, making it harder for kids to connect offline. <h2>Cyberbullying and online harassment</h2>The internet has its darker sides too, and cyberbullying tops the list. According to the Cyberbullying Research Center, more than half of adolescents have experienced cyberbullying in some form. Unlike traditional bullying, which might stop once the school bell rings, online bullying can follow kids home, affecting their mental health long-term. Kids who face bullying online are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and even thoughts of self-harm, making the need for boundaries even clearer. <h2>Body image battles</h2>Apps like Instagram and TikTok are fun — but they can also be a trap for body image issues, especially for girls. A study published in the Body Image Journal found that young girls who frequently use social media are more likely to experience body dissatisfaction. When kids see a constant feed of “perfect” lives and appearances, they can start to feel that they don’t measure up, even if they’re barely old enough to understand the concept of self-esteem.<h2>To post or not to post?</h2>Despite the risks, social media isn't all bad. When used responsibly, it can be a powerful tool for learning and creativity. These platforms can enhance creative expression and provide educational content that supports academic growth. For children with special interests or those who feel isolated, online communities can offer a sense of belonging and support. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="115028734" title="I was a teen dad on food stamps. Now that I&amp;#39;m a multimillionaire, teaching my kids to appreciate money is really difficult." mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>As we continue to integrate technology into every aspect of our lives, understanding and mitigating its impacts on our youngest members becomes ever more crucial. F or parents and caregivers, the key lies in setting boundaries, fostering open communication, and guiding children to navigate the digital world thoughtfully. Australia’s stance might just be the catalyst needed to inspire similar protective measures worldwide, ensuring that children can enjoy the benefits of technology without falling prey to its pitfalls.

Scrolling to doom? Here's what happens to kids when they are exposed to social media early in their lives

Global <keyword id="19978688" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="gold-demand" source="keywords">gold demand</keyword> in Q2 2024, excluding over-the-counter (OTC) transactions declined by 6% year-on-year to 929 tonnes, primarily due to a sharp fall in jewelry consumption, according to the latest report of the <keyword id="20195223" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Gold-Council" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="World Gold Council" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="World Gold Council">World Gold Council</keyword>. However, when including <keyword id="22654356" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="OTC-investment" source="keywords">OTC investment</keyword>, total gold demand increased by 4% YoY to 1,258 tonnes, marking the highest Q2 figure since data collection began in 2000. The record-high <keyword id="19910265" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gold-prices" source="keywords">gold prices</keyword> took a significant toll on jewelry consumption. Volumes fell 19% YoY to 391 tonnes, the lowest in four years. The report reveals a mixed picture for the Indian market in the second quarter of 2024. While overall gold demand showed a modest increase due to investment in OTC markets and central bank purchases, India witnessed trends that reflect broader market shifts. This decline reflects the impact of elevated gold prices on consumer purchasing behaviour, particularly in markets sensitive to price fluctuations, including India. <keyword id="19946830" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="central-banks" source="keywords">Central banks</keyword> continued to be significant players in the gold market, with net gold buying increasing by 6% YoY to 184 tonnes. This rise is attributed to the need for portfolio protection and diversification in a volatile economic environment. In June alone, central banks reported net purchases of 12 tonnes, with key contributors including the Central Bank of Uzbekistan and the Reserve Bank of India, both adding 9 tonnes to their reserves. The Monetary Authority of Singapore was noted as the largest seller, offloading 12 tonnes in the same month. The LBMA (PM) gold price averaged a record $ 2,338 per ounce in Q2 2024, up 18% YoY and 13% QoQ. Gold prices peaked at a new high of $2,427 per ounce in May. This environment drove significant investment and production trends, with total gold supply growing by 4% YoY to 1,258 tonnes. Mine production reached a record 929 tonnes for a second quarter, while recycling supply was the highest since 2012, reflecting the response to rising prices. OTC investment was a major component of the Q2 total gold demand, amounting to 329 tonnes. This, along with continued central bank buying, contributed to pushing gold prices to record highs during the quarter. Despite a minor 7-tonne decline in global gold <keyword id="19930506" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="etf" source="keywords">ETF</keyword> holdings in Q2, this was an improvement compared to the 21-tonne drop in Q2 2023. The decline in ETF holdings was followed by early outflows and nascent inflows later in the quarter. Retail bar and coin investment experienced a 5% decline to 261 tonnes, mainly due to weakened demand from Western markets. Conversely, gold used in technology saw an 11% YoY increase, driven by the continued growth in <keyword id="19904566" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="artificial-intelligence" source="keywords">artificial intelligence</keyword> (AI) applications. <keyword id="21088407" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="investment-trends" source="keywords">Investment trends</keyword> continued to diverge regionally. Eastern markets exhibited robust demand for bars, coins, and ETFs, while Western markets saw marked declines. However, Western ETF investment flows have shown signs of recovery in early Q3 2024. Looking ahead to the full year of 2024, it is expected that revived Western investment flows will help balance out weaker consumer demand, and potentially slower central bank buying, compared to 2023.

Global gold demand drops 6% in Q2 2024 due to slump in jewelry consumption, OTC investment pushes the total to record high

On Monday, July 22, Finance Minister <keyword id="22504403" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nirmal-sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmal Sitharaman</keyword> tabled the <keyword id="20613906" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="economic-survey" source="keywords">Economic Survey</keyword> 2023-24 in the parliament ahead of the much-awaited budget 2024 tomorrow. In addition to a socio-economic stock take, the comprehensive report also outlines the strides India has made on the environment and climate fronts last year. India is in a weird grey area when the climate blame-game is concerned. We continue to average some of the lowest per capita CO2 emissions in the world. But, being the most-populous country in the world, these small bits add up to make India the third-largest emitter of CO2 in the world, after China and the United States. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111923746" title="Economic Survey 2023-2024 highlights emerging job trends in AI, Cybersecurity, 3D Printing and Web Development" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>However, this is not to say that the country has been sitting the green transition out either. As highlighted in the Economic Survey, India has been making notable strides in tackling climate change and promoting <keyword id="19895783" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sustainability" source="keywords">sustainability</keyword> — efforts that will be crucial to protect billions in the coming years and decades. Let's take a look at these efforts and compare them with findings from other recent environmental reports to see the full picture. <h2><keyword id="21818512" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="emission-intensity" source="keywords">Emission intensity</keyword> reduction</h2>The economic survey proudly states that India has reduced the emission intensity of its GDP by 33% from 2005 levels by 2019. This means the country is producing less greenhouse gas for every unit of economic activity. This is a commendable achievement because India’s original climate change target — or Nationally Determined Contribution — was set to precisely 33% reduction of emission intensity by 2030, before being revised to 45% in 2022. While the jump from 33% to 45% is still a significant one with barely half a decade to go, this progress is a clear sign that India’s climate policies are having a real impact. <h2><keyword id="19895602" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="renewable-energy" source="keywords">Renewable energy</keyword> capacity</h2>According to the economic survey, 45.4% of India’s installed electricity generation capacity — which includes solar, wind, and hydropower — now comes from non-fossil sources, as of May 31, 2024. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111774972" title="Economic Survey shows India&amp;#39;s energy needs to grow 2.5x, healthy growth in formal employment" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>As per reports by the Ministry of New &amp; Renewable Energy, India added a record renewable energy capacity of 18.48 GW in 2023-2024, with solar installations amounting to 12.78 GW, followed by 2.27 GW of wind energy. However, industry experts have also noted that India Inc. cannot afford to run out of steam now, and must continue to add at least 50 GW for the next six years to meet the target of 500 GW of renewables by 2030. <h2>Indian energy needs</h2>India's energy needs are expected to grow 2 to 2.5 times by 2047, as per the latest economic survey. This necessitates a balanced approach to <keyword id="19951336" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="energy-transition" source="keywords">energy transition</keyword> that considers resource limitations and the need for resilience to climate change. India has suffered from an overdependence on coal and fossil fuels in the past, accounting for around 75% of total energy generation in 2021, as per the Energy Information Administration. However, this number has been quickly falling, even dropping below a historic 50% in Q1 2024. <h2>Sovereign <keyword id="20177085" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="green-bonds" source="keywords">green bonds</keyword></h2>To fund green projects, India issued Rs 16,000 Crore in sovereign green bonds — financial instruments that support green projects at lower capital costs — in early 2023 and another Rs 20,000 Crore later in the year, the economic survey reports. As per the government, these proceeds were utilised in many eco-friendly projects, such as New and Renewable Energy, Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Housing and Urban Affairs, Railways. To widen the investor base, the <keyword id="19899810" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="reserve-bank-of-india" source="keywords">Reserve Bank of India</keyword> (RBI) also recently permitted eligible foreign investors to invest in such bonds. <h2>Mission LiFE and Green Credit Programme</h2>The survey also talks extensively about Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), which promotes sustainable living, and the Green Credit Programme (GCP), which incentivises eco-friendly actions by offering “green credits”. In the past few months, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and a few other states have reportedly approved thousands of hectares of degraded forest land for greening exercises as part of the GCP. <h2>International initiatives</h2>India has spearheaded several international initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance (ISA), One World, One Sun, One Grid (OSOWOG), the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), the Infrastructure for Resilient Island States’ (IRIS) and the Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT). Hundreds of nations are signed up for these climate coalitions and our participation will help reflect India's commitment to advancing global <keyword id="20000756" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="climate-action" source="keywords">climate action</keyword> and fostering international cooperation in sustainable development. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111923191" title="Economic Survey 2024 – industries grow by 9.5%, fueling economic growth to 8.2%" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>The report even notes that India is currently the only G20 nation who is set not to cross the 2°C warming threshold. All in all, India’s economic survey and environmental reports together show a nation making impressive progress in combating climate change and advancing sustainability. These achievements will hopefully set a strong example for other countries to follow.

On the right track — Economic Survey 2023-24 outlines India’s commendable climate action

New Delhi, Advocating DPI's potential in helping nations leapfrog digital transformation, a <keyword id="42981" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="G20" source="Orion">G20</keyword> document prepared by <keyword id="6354424" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-bank" source="Orion">World Bank</keyword> has praised India's approach in unlocking the power of digital public infrastructure, including Aadhaar and UPI, for financial inclusion. The impact of DPI goes beyond inclusive finance, to supporting health, education, and sustainability, says the foreward of the document 'G20 policy recommendations for advancing financial inclusion and productivity gains through DPI'. "The India stack exemplifies this approach, combining digital ID, interoperable payments, a digital credentials ledger, and account aggregation. In just six years, it has achieved a remarkable 80 per cent financial inclusion rate-a feat that would have taken nearly five decades without a DPI approach," it said. India's digital ID system Aadhaar, digital payment system UPI, data-exchange platform Digilocker and its other showcase platforms have found a special mention among the examples of DPIs "all of which play a leading role in the advancement of financial inclusion in many countries". Other systems mentioned were Singapore's Singpass, the Philippines' PhilSys, and the UAE's UAE-Pass among the digital ID systems; Brazil's Pix, India's UPI, Turkiye's FAST, the European Union's TIPS, and Thailand's PromptPay under fast payment systems; as well as Estonia's X-Road, Singapore's MyInfo, Australia's Customer Data Right, and the UK's Open Banking. Put simply, Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) refers to blocks or platforms such as digital identification, payment infrastructure and data exchange solutions that help countries deliver essential services to their people, empowering citizens and improving lives by enabling digital inclusion. DPIs are interoperable, open, and inclusive systems supported by technology and provide essential, society-wide, public and private services that play a critical role in accelerating this digital transformation in an inclusive manner. The document also cites India's Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture (DEPA) and India's Account Aggregator (AA) Framework. On Fast Payment Systems, it noted that in some countries, such as India and Brazil the adoption has been "particularly quick and transformative". UPI, it said, has been widely adopted, benefitting from a user-friendly interface, open banking features, and private sector participation. "The UPI platform has gained significant popularity in India; more than 9.41 billion transactions valuing about Rs 14.89 trillion were transacted in May 2023 alone. For the fiscal year 2022-23, the total value of UPI transaction was nearly 50 per cent of India's nominal GDP," the report said. The document goes on to say that an aspect that makes DPIs unique, and that can further reduce existing constraints, is their ability to complement each other or be integrated in end-to-end workflows. One such service enabled by the interaction of open APIs and digital ID systems is the e-KYC or remote authentication services. A case in point is India's Aadhaar biometric identification system, which covers over one billion people and supports APIs, enables remote identification and authentication, it observes. Financial service providers can thus authenticate an individual's identity remotely, even by using selfie-based mechanisms to substitute for in-person customer due diligence verification requirements, it said. India has also figured prominently in the section on 'DPIs' Potential Added Value for the Private Sector', that cites how FSPs and MSMEs could benefit from these digital networks. "For some nonbank financial companies (NBFCs) in India, the AA ecosystem enabled an 8 per cent higher conversion rate in SME lending, a 65 per cent savings in depreciation costs, and a 66 per cent reduction in costs related to fraud detection. According to industry estimates, banks' costs of onboarding customers in India decreased from USD 23 to USD 0.1 with the use of DPI," it said. Through open application programming interface (APIs), India's Open Credit Enablement Network (OCEN) enables MSMEs participating in digital markets to secure credit by using information about their business history, rather than pledging physical assets as collateral. According to the document, in India, the implementation of various DPIs is considered to have played a critical role in the increase in account ownership from just one-fourth of adults in 2008 to almost 80 per cent a decade later "a journey that it is estimated would have taken up to 47 years without DPIs".

World Bank praises India's digital infrastructure for its transformative potential

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The US is sending a sophisticated missile defense system to Israel.</li><li>The THAAD system was described by a former US general as the "best in the world."</li></ul>Amid <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/iran-attack-israel-ballistic-missiles-overhyped-2024-10">escalating conflict in the Middle East</a>, the US is stepping up support for Israel with the deployment of its THAAD battery system.THAAD (<a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" href="http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/products/thaad.html">Terminal High Altitude Area Defense</a>), a missile-defense system created by Lockheed Martin, was recently described by retired <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://edition.cnn.com">US General Mark Hertling</a> as the "best in the world."In an interview with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2024/10/13/world/video/israel-ballistic-missile-system-israel-nr-hertling-digvid">CNN</a> on Sunday, Hertling said that the US only has six of the systems in its arsenal. "Loaning one and deploying a group of soldiers to Israel is a pretty big deal," he said.The move comes amid the rising threat of missile and drone attacks on Israel from Iran and its allies.In recent weeks, Israel has launched an incursion into southern Lebanon to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-troops-israel-advanced-anti-missile-systems-lebanon-gaza-iran-2024-10">damage Iran-backed militia Hezbollah</a>, which has responded by dramatically increasing its missile and drone attacks over the border.At the same time, Israel<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-military-superiority-lacks-strategic-vision-iran-lebanon-gaza-war-2024-10"> is weighing up how to respond to a missile barrage by Iran, </a>after Tehran fired nearly 200 missiles at Israel on October 1.The Pentagon said Sunday it would deploy a THAAD battery and the 100 soldiers that operate it to the country to counter the threats. According to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/DanWilliams/status/1845783933255860601">Bloomberg</a>, the system could arrive as early as Tuesday. It's the first deployment of US forces to Israel since the October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks by Hamas that sparked the conflict.The THAAD, or Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, is considered to be among the best in the world. It is believed to cost somewhere between $1.96 and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://static.rusi.org/201508_op_ballistic_missile_defence.pdf">$3.25 billion.</a>Lockheed Martin, its makers, says it can defend against short-, medium-, and intermediate-range ballistic missile threats. It's the only missile defense system designed to intercept targets either inside or outside the Earth's atmosphere. In his CNN interview, Hertling explained that the system enhances Israel's air defense capabilities.While Israel's famed "Iron Dome" is designed to deal with rockets and low-altitude missiles, and its "Arrow" system can take out high-altitude missiles, the THAAD system operates in a different way to both. Hertling said that instead of firing a missile that explodes near another missile or rocket the crew is seeking to intercept, it hits it directly. It has six launchers, capable of firing around eight missiles at a time, dramatically increasing the chances of intercepting incoming Iranian missiles. Its missiles are reported to have a range of up to 124 miles (200km)."If there is a reaction to any kind of Israeli strike against Iran in the coming days. This is the best system in the world," Hertling said. The Pentagon has also dramatically increased <a target="_blank" rel="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-warships-aircraft-ready-fight-more-violence-grips-middle-east-2024-9">its military presence</a> in and around the Middle East since the war in Gaza began last October.A recent<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-spent-over-22-billion-arming-israel-battling-houthis-2024-10"> report by The Costs of War Project,</a> a Brown University research initiative, found the US has spent $22 billion on military operations in the Middle East over the past year.The US provides Israel with around $3.8 billion a year in military aid, and since the October 7 terrorist attacks has provided a total of $17.9 billion in security assistance to the country, the report found. In the early months of the war between Israel and Hamas, the US deployed two aircraft carriers to Israel to deter Iran from joining the conflict and deployed a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF12645/2">THAAD battery to the region</a>.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/iran-attack-israel-ballistic-missiles-overhyped-2024-10#:~:text=In%202015%2C%20Iranian%2Dbacked%20Houthi,out%20attack%20on%20the%20kingdom.">It has also deployed </a>US Navy vessels to protect commercial ships from attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, and helped Israel defend itself from an Iranian missile attack in April. And back in 2019, when Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacked Saudi oil facilities, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF12645/2">the US deployed a THAAD system </a>to protect the Kingdom. There are fears that the conflict could spark a much wider war in the region.Ahmet Kaya, a principal economist at the UK's National Institute of Economic and Social Research, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="c-link" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-military-superiority-lacks-strategic-vision-iran-lebanon-gaza-war-2024-10">previously told BI</a> that the growing conflict could "exacerbate the instabilities in the global economy, further increase the uncertainties, harm disinflationary efforts, and eventually reduce the global GDP growth."The Bank of Israel said in May that the war would cost around $66 billion by the end of next year, which is equivalent to roughly 12% of Israel's GDP, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" class="c-link" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2024/10/04/economy/israel-economy-war-impact/index.html">per CNN</a>.Israel's finance minister previously <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" class="c-link" href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/smotrich-presents-2025-budget-plan-saying-war-is-costing-economy-as-much-as-nis-250b/">described</a> the war as the "longest" and "most expensive" conflict in the country's history.

A US missile-defense system, hailed as the world's best, is headed to Israel to counter Iran

At 24, David Nuñez still <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-living-with-parents-save-money-housing-crisis-cost-2024-2">lives at home with his parents</a> in Tampa, Florida. He chips in his share of the phone bill, the Netflix subscription, and the groceries, but thanks to his parents' generosity, he doesn't pay any rent. Contrary to what some might think, Nuñez isn't an unemployed freeloader — he has a full-time job in marketing. But his $33,000 annual salary barely makes a dent in local rent prices; downtown, a one-bedroom costs more than $2,000 a month. He simply can't afford it."I'm fortunate enough to have a family that understands that it's kind of a rough time right now," he told me.Despite a strong job market, many <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/adult-moved-back-home-with-parents-who-pay-bills-rent-2024-7">Gen Zers are still relying on the bank of Mom and Dad</a> to make ends meet. In a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center last fall, only 16% of 18- to 24-year-olds said they were completely financially independent, whereas in 1980, 32% of 22-year-olds could say the same. In the past decade, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/most-parents-give-gen-z-millennial-kids-financial-assistance-pew-2024-1">the share of parents who say they have supported an adult child</a> has doubled, to about 60% in 2023 from about 30% in 2013, according to Pew. Some parents have reported spending <a target="_blank" href="https://www.savings.com/insights/financial-support-for-adult-children-study">an average of $1,400 a month</a> helping their adult kids with groceries, tuition, and more."You're told throughout your life that you move out at 18 or 19 years old and you're kind of expected to have your own life already," Nuñez said. "But I only know one person in my friendship group who is not living with their parents anymore."This new norm is leaving parents frazzled. Paying for college tuition is one thing, but many aren't sure how to handle their <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/adult-kids-live-at-home-hard-expensive-but-worth-it-2024-5">children remaining comfortably in the nest</a> and relying on them for food, rent, and other expenses well beyond college. Nuñez's mother lived with her aunt before moving to America, so she's happy to let her son live with her. "I would rather you be here and know that you are OK," she told him. But for others, the aid comes with a question: At what point should parents cut the financial umbilical cord?Despite being better educated than older generations and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/11/22/gen-z-boomers-work-census-data">increasingly likely to be employed full time</a>, Gen Zers have faced significant financial hurdles.For one, modest wage increases have been overshadowed by substantial student-loan debt. Over the past 20 years, the average student debt has more than doubled, to just over $37,000 per borrower. "More and more young people are seeking higher education," Monica Kirkpatrick Johnson, a professor of sociology at Washington State University, said. "They're staying in school longer, and while they're doing that, they are delaying their earning capacity."The rising cost of housing is another barrier. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/housing-market-affordability-homebuyer-earnings-income-price-trends-covid-comparison-2024-2">Zillow estimated this year that people needed 80% more income </a>to comfortably afford to buy a home than they did four years ago. And rent is taking up more and more of the budget: Zillow found that the average rent in America had gone up by 60% since 2015.Wages, meanwhile, haven't kept up with inflation, meaning people are more strapped for cash. All told, Kirkpatrick Johnson said, many young adults are "entering jobs that do not allow them to be self-sufficient." In this perfect storm, many are opting to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/adult-daughter-lives-at-home-pros-cons-2024-7">take shelter in their childhood homes</a>. The share of 25- to 34-year-olds <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-living-with-parents-save-money-housing-crisis-cost-2024-2">living with their parents</a> in the US has climbed by 87% over the past two decades. Other milestones, like getting married and starting a family, are happening later and later.In his book "The Oxford Handbook of Emerging Adulthood," Jeffrey Jensen Arnett, a psychology professor at Clark University, defined adulthood as taking responsibility, making independent decisions, and becoming financially independent. But increasingly, people aren't meeting that definition until they're closer to 30. He decided that, in the modern economy and culture, the time between 18 and 29 when young adults are still getting their footing needed its own name, calling it "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pandemic-gen-z-effects-emerging-adulthood-psychology-2020-5">emerging adulthood</a>."Not everyone is on board with that. In a 2019 Pew Research survey, 64% of Americans said they believed <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/adults-financially-independent-boomers-gen-z-parents-support-adult-kids-2023-4">young adults should be financially independent by 22</a>. "Our institutions haven't totally caught up yet," Kirkpatrick Johnson said, adding that, without the kinds of social safety nets that other countries have, like subsidized student loans and publicly funded healthcare, American parents are often left to provide cover.Some <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inflation-high-rent-gen-z-living-at-home-permanently-2022-7">parents are happy to provide a backstop</a>. Jo Clark, 50, always knew she'd keep providing for her two daughters after college. "My mindset was always to support my daughters wherever possible," she told me. Clark's older daughter, 26, lived at home briefly, and now her youngest daughter, who's 24, lives in the extension Clark built on her Surrey, England, home for this very purpose. She didn't expect her daughter to contribute anything to the household costs, but her daughter insisted and now contributes £150 a month. "I wanted them to have the opportunity to be able to save for their future," Clark said. "My aim is that they could save for a deposit for their own house."Clark says that even if her daughter moves out in the future, the door will always be open for her to come back. "I'm not terribly financially affluent myself," she said, "so this is my way that I can give my children the stepping stone to be able to buy their own place."Teresa Bailey, a senior wealth strategist at Waddell &amp; Associates, argued that Gen X parents were among the earliest to demonstrate an openness to providing so much financial support. "This generation of parents went through 2008, 2009, 2010 as relatively young adults, and they really experienced financial hardship," she told me. "They are in many ways the product of that mindset and want things to be different for their children." Ali Lupo, a millennial with a 10-month-old daughter in upstate New York, agreed that part of the trend toward extra support comes down to a shift in parenting styles. "Every generation tries to improve and do better than the last," she said. "My grandparents' generation, you threw the kids out of the house in the summer and passed them a sandwich through the door. My parents' generation were more protective and wanted to do more to help. I think now we are even more like that, sometimes to a fault."She and her husband plan to contribute to the costs of their daughter's education, health insurance, and wedding — and they don't foresee ever charging her rent. "When you sign up as a parent," Lupo said, "you're a parent for life."Some parents might be more willing to provide financial support because they want to feel like a good parent. In the Pew survey last fall, 71% of parents of young adults said their children's successes and failures reflected on the job they'd done as parents — a sentiment that was particularly strong among upper-income parents. But the support doesn't always come easy; some parents are sacrificing their own financial security by dipping into their retirement or emergency savings to help their adult children. In a Bankrate survey last year, 31% of parents with adult children said they had made what they considered significant financial sacrifices to help their kids."Parents have the least amount of time to financially recover. The young adult has their entire life ahead of them," Bailey said. "There's not always consideration given to that."Some are concerned that parents are enabling their children to delay milestones by providing so much support. A 2019 report from the Urban Institute found that in a sample of young adults who were 25 to 34 between 1999 and 2005, only about 68% of those who lived with their parents at those ages had achieved independent living a decade later, compared with nearly all those who rented or owned a home.On the flip side, JP Krahel, the chair of the accounting department at Loyola University Maryland, told me it's better for young people to save up and limit their expenses if possible: "Technically, if you're living out of your car on the side of the street, are you financially independent? Maybe, but you don't have a great trajectory."It can be a tough act to balance. The Lupos plan to leave some expenses, such as college tuition, to their daughter when she reaches an appropriate age. "For us," Lupo said, "it's about setting her up for success, giving her love and support, and empowering her to make the best choices possible — but not enabling her."Cody and Erika Archie took a different approach. The Texas couple began charging their daughter $200 a month in rent the month after she graduated from high school in 2022. "It's not so much rent that she couldn't afford it, but it also was enough that it kind of stung when she had to pay it," Cody Archie said. "If you're going to live under our roof as an adult, you can pay for the long showers you take, the food you eat, and help contribute to the household." Archie said that if their daughter had attended college while living at home, they wouldn't have charged rent and would have helped with her tuition. But she decided to skip college and now works as an insurance sales representative. "When you're working a 40-hour-a-week job, you're an adult," Archie said. "That's when you need to be off your mom and dad's bank account."He said he and Erika, both of whom are in their mid-40s, believe that coddling adult children does them a disservice and fails to teach them important lessons in financial responsibility. "If you don't kick them out of the nest and force them to get into the world and start fending for themselves, there's really no need for them to," Archie said. "They've got to go on their own, or you have to force them out to help them."When India Anderson turned 20 and decided to move in with her boyfriend, her mother cut off most financial support. As a full-time student in Orlando, Anderson needed to find a way to pay her bills, so she <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-business-startups-entrepreneurship-digital-era-branding-social-media-2024-3">started a hair-braiding business</a> on campus. Now, at 22, she has graduated and grown her business. She still lives with her boyfriend in Orlando, splitting rent and bills. The only bill her mother still covers is her phone."I wasn't raised with the proper financial literacy to be thrust into the real world," she said. "That transition, at least for me, wasn't that smooth." Anderson struggled to save money and dealt with some unexpected expenses she had to put on her credit card. She's also worried about getting kicked off her family's health-insurance plan when she turns 26. At the same time, she valued <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennial-retired-early-financial-independence-fire-strategies-six-figure-income-2024-5">financial independence</a>. "It's an expensive sacrifice," she said.Anderson's 20-year-old brother still lives at home with their mother and 9-year-old sister, something Anderson sees as putting a strain on their mother. "He has a job, but he spends his money on computer games and Uber Eats every day," she said. Still, she doesn't wish him the abrupt exit she experienced. "Some independence would do him good," she said, "but at what cost?"Most parents seem to want what's best for their kids, but navigating what that actually looks like in a shifting economy isn't easy. When Nuñez told his parents he wanted to move in with his girlfriend later this year, they were nervous. "They're less like, 'Get out of my house,'" he said, "and more like, 'We don't want you leaving if you're just going to have to come back.'"<a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/eve-upton-clark">Eve Upton-Clark</a> is a features writer covering culture and society.

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