LONDON – A year of tests run by central banks in Italy, Malaysia and Singapore have spurred hopes for a global instant payments network accessible at the tap of a mobile phone. The ability to send money quickly and cheaply around the world has long been seen as something of a holy grail for policymakers due to the advantages it would bring for both people and companies. Current transfers are slowed by the patchwork of more than 60 different instant payment networks, so central banks involved in the new tests have been working on ways to improve the process. The Bank for International Settlements (BIS), the central bank umbrella body, which helped oversee the “Nexus” trials, said the three countries involved had successfully sent payments between themselves using only mobile phone numbers. Looking ahead, the BIS said further trials would be run by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand with the hope that “Nexus could eventually be implemented globally.” … [Read more...] about Central bank tests spur global instant payment hopes
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How Long Should You Keep Old Tax Returns?
Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin As we enter tax season 2023, you may wonder how long you should keep your old tax returns and other paperwork associated with filing your taxes. For those with hard copies of your taxes, you might wonder if you can scan them. Or do you need to keep hard copies? Keep reading as we share how long you should keep your old taxes and how to get them out of your way, hopefully. How long do you need to keep old tax records, receipts, and total tax returns (state and federal)? Another common question is how to safely store these tax docs without feeling like you are living like a hoarder. While providing tax-planning guidance over the years, I've met several people with countless boxes full of old receipts, documents, and tax returns. While some tax documents needed to be kept, most could have been shredded and thrown away long ago. What Does The IRS Say About Keeping Old Tax Returns? According to the Internal Revenue … [Read more...] about How Long Should You Keep Old Tax Returns?
How To Use The Google Site Search Operator To Perform SEO Tasks
Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Founder at M16 Marketing and a Forbes Agency Council member, Don is a leading marketing technologist on a mission to create success stories. What tools do you use for SEO? While you've probably heard of commercial SEO tools like Semrush, you may not be familiar with the Google site search operator, a versatile SEO tool that you can use to perform a variety of SEO tasks. What Is The Site Search Operator? Google supports over a dozen search operators . A search operator is simply a feature of Google's search engine that changes the way in which it returns organic listings. The site search operator—the main search operator we'll be focusing on for this article—is designed to return organic listings from a particular website or URL. To perform a search using the site search operator, enter "site:" into the Google search bar and then a website or URL (for example, "site:example.com" or … [Read more...] about How To Use The Google Site Search Operator To Perform SEO Tasks
GOP Leans Into George Soros Conspiracies In Targeting Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg
Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Topline Republicans decrying Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s investigation into former President Donald Trump as a politically motivated stunt have sought to exploit the Democratic prosecutor’s links to billionaire George Soros, who for years has been the subject of conspiracies that tie his philanthropic ventures to issues demonized by the right. Key Facts GOP lawmakers, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) and Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), are among the Republicans who have claimed that Bragg took millions of dollars from Soros, while criticizing Bragg’s investigation into hush-money payments made on Trump’s behalf during the 2016 presidential election. Trump has also mentioned Soros in criticizing Bragg’s investigation, calling him “a highly controversial, George Soros backed District Attorney” and claiming he “received in EXCESS OF ONE MILLION DOLLARS” from Soros in a series … [Read more...] about GOP Leans Into George Soros Conspiracies In Targeting Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg
Banning TikTok Would Boost Alphabet, Meta And Snap—Here’s How Much Their Stocks Could Jump
Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Topline A trio of American technology giants could tack on some $431 billion in market value if the U.S. bans TikTok, according to Bernstein analysis published Thursday, as the issues posed by the wildly popular Chinese-owned social media app take center stage in Washington. Key Facts Alphabet, Meta, and Snap, each of which operate short-form video platforms rivaling TikTok, would all be in line for major stock jumps if the U.S. moves forward with a TikTok shutdown, according to a note to clients Thursday from Bernstein analysts led by Mark Shmulik. Shares of YouTube Shorts parent Alphabet could jump as much as 20% should TikTok users need to flock to a replacement for their social media fix, shares of Instagram Reels parent Meta could be in line for as much as a 30% gain and shares of Snapchat Spotlight parent Snap could surge as much as 50%, according to Bernstein forecasts, using price-to-earnings multiple … [Read more...] about Banning TikTok Would Boost Alphabet, Meta And Snap—Here’s How Much Their Stocks Could Jump
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew’s Prepared Comments Before Congress
Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Topline Amid growing global concern over the social media platform, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew will testify before the House Energy and Commerce Committee Thursday, where U.S. lawmakers are expected to question Chew over safety concerns for minors and preventing U.S. user data from foreign access. Key Facts In Chew’s first appearance before Congress, he’s expected to discuss the company’s privacy and data security practices, as well as the company’s relationship with the Chinese government, which has come under increased scrutiny in recent months. Prepared Remarks Chair Rodgers, Ranking Member Pallone, and Members of the Committee: Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today to talk about TikTok and our mission to inspire creativity and bring joy to more than 1 billion people worldwide. I look forward to discussing what makes TikTok so special to the diverse audiences it serves, as well as our … [Read more...] about TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew’s Prepared Comments Before Congress
U.K. Bans TikTok From Parliament Devices—Here Are The Other Governments Banning The App
Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Topline The U.K. parliament will block all devices on its network from accessing TikTok, according to an announcement Thursday, complementing efforts by European governments and the U.S. in restricting the China-owned app over national security and data privacy concerns. Key Facts A spokesperson for the U.K. parliament—citing cybersecurity concerns—said Thursday that TikTok will be blocked from all parliament devices and any device accessing its network. Deputy First Minister John Swinney said Thursday the Scottish government will ban the app from all devices accessing its network effective immediately, following discussions with the British government. Cabinet Office minister Oliver Dowden said all devices used by British government employees would be unable to access TikTok—and the devices will only be able to access pre-approved third-party apps. TikTok will be deleted from all devices … [Read more...] about U.K. Bans TikTok From Parliament Devices—Here Are The Other Governments Banning The App
TikTok’s Potential Ban Faces Opposition From Some Democrats Amid Concerns It Could Cost Them Gen Z’s Support
Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Topline A group of progressive Democrats led by Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) are among the first lawmakers in Congress to express their support for TikTok, despite growing bipartisan efforts to ban the popular social media app, amid concerns that an outright ban could lead to a backlash from the app’s most prominent users—Gen Z. Key Facts Bowman was the first major lawmaker in Congress to speak out in support of TikTok earlier this week, criticizing efforts to ban the app as “fear mongering” and suggesting it was fueled by “xenophobia around China.” In a recent video posted to his nearly 160,000 followers on TikTok, Bowman argued that banning the platform won’t solve any problem and said “comprehensive legislation” was instead needed to ensure social media user data is kept safe. The New York Democrat, who is a member of the progressive coalition known as the “Squad,” has since been joined by two other … [Read more...] about TikTok’s Potential Ban Faces Opposition From Some Democrats Amid Concerns It Could Cost Them Gen Z’s Support
Alzheimer’s Blood Test That Could Help Diagnose Disease Earlier Is Being Developed By Eli Lilly And Roche
Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Topline Swiss pharma giant Roche on Wednesday announced plans to jointly develop a blood test for Alzheimer’s disease with American heavyweight Eli Lilly, eying swift U.S. approval as companies race to create and sell the very first drugs aimed at slowing the progressive cognitive decline brought on by the incurable illness. Key Facts Eli Lilly will work with Roche to develop a blood test to detect the early stages of Alzheimer’s, the Swiss firm said in a statement on Wednesday. The test, called the Elecsys Amyloid Plasma Panel, measures the levels of a particular protein in the blood that has been linked to the onset of Alzheimer’s. While not intended as a standalone test—further confirmatory tests for Alzheimer’s would be needed—Roche said it speeds up the diagnostic process and helps direct people to the most appropriate resources. As Alzheimer’s has a similar set of symptoms to other causes of … [Read more...] about Alzheimer’s Blood Test That Could Help Diagnose Disease Earlier Is Being Developed By Eli Lilly And Roche
N.Y. Grand Jury Weighing Trump Charges Reportedly Calls Off Wednesday Meeting—Delaying Possible Indictment
Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Topline The Manhattan grand jury that will decide whether to indict former President Donald Trump called off a planned meeting for Wednesday, according to multiple reports , delaying any potential charges against Trump for his ties to an alleged hush money scheme at least one more day. Key Facts It’s unclear why the grand jury—which holds secret proceedings—will not meet as planned Wednesday afternoon, the New York Times reported , citing anonymous sources who said the jury could hear from at least one more witness before voting whether to indict Trump. The 23-member jury, which previously met on Monday, could vote in its next scheduled meeting Thursday, though the Times notes that scheduling conflicts are not unusual in grand jury proceedings. The delay comes after Trump claimed without evidence on Saturday that he would be arrested on Tuesday. Law enforcement in New York City and … [Read more...] about N.Y. Grand Jury Weighing Trump Charges Reportedly Calls Off Wednesday Meeting—Delaying Possible Indictment