• I’m an American mom living in Spain. There are no summer camps in August, and everyone tends to travel.

    Family posing for photo in Spain
    • Jennison Grigsby, an American mom and yoga teacher, moved to Spain nine years ag.
    • She is raising her bicultural son, Luca, with her Spanish husband.
    • Grigsby values Spain's affordable and diverse summer camps and the strong community.

    This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jennison Grigsby, an American mom and yoga teacher who lives in Valencia, Spain. It's been edited for length and clarity.

    I've been living in Spain for nine and a half years. I met my husband about 11 years ago when I was taking a little sabbatical from life. We decided to move to Valencia temporarily, thinking we would return to the US after a couple of years, but we ended up loving it so much that we decided to stay.

    My husband is from Valencia, so we have his family here. We're well-connected in the local and expat communities, making us feel at home.

    We have an almost 9-year-old son named Luca. Although he's half-American, he's very Spanish. He's lived in Spain his entire life and really connects with the culture. All his friends are Spanish, and he spends a lot of time with his Spanish side of the family, who help us out a lot.

    We go back to the US as a family at least once a year, usually during summer break, and every other year, we also go for Christmas. We're heading to California soon for a couple of weeks.

    When we return from the States, Luca will attend two different summer camps. The first is with the Valencia Football Club (soccer), where he trains for a week but comes home every night. Then, once that's done, he'll attend an indoor soccer camp.

    I love that most schools in Spain offer affordable on-site summer camps

    Compared to the US, I found that most schools in Spain offer on-site summer camps at a low cost, focusing on sports and art activities. In the US, summer school is more academic, often used to catch up on subjects or get ahead for the next year. Then there are summer camps, which typically last a week but can be expensive.

    In Spain, summer camp options include on-site school camps with sports and arts, sleepaway camps, or day camps without overnight stays. Kids start going to sleepaway camps in the summer for one to two weeks when they're a bit older, usually around 10 to 12. Some parents find it exciting that their kids can go off on their own for a bit. The challenging part is that there are usually no camps in August, so we have a full month with fewer options. That's when most families choose to travel.

    I find it quite nice that there are many different options for summer camp hours in Spain. Camps usually start at 9 a.m. and you can choose to have your child stay until 1 p.m., 3 p.m., or 5 p.m. The regular school schedule in June and September is also modified due to the heat, offering the same options. As a parent, you can decide the time you want your child to finish, and you pay for the extra hours, which include childcare, lunch, and activities.

    Kids are separated by age at school, and have little overlap

    My husband and I had our eye on a well-known Catholic school even though we're not religious because it's a big traditional Spanish school, and we wanted Luca to be exposed to more people, more sports, and more activities. It might be overwhelming for some children, but I love its strong community feel. The school has around 90 students per grade, divided into three classes of 30, and it accommodates kids from ages 3 to 18.

    I like that different age groups are kept separate to minimize interactions and ensure younger kids aren't negatively influenced by older students. All the students are at school together; they see each other at some of the community events, but they're still able to stay in their age group. For example, the "infantil" students (ages 3 to 5) have their own entrance and exit, and primary school kids are kept together as a group so they don't cross paths with the older children. I find this careful organization creates a safe environment for younger kids, reducing the chances of bullying.

    My son learns the local dialect at school

    The school system we chose is called "concertado," a middle ground between public and private schools that are more like religious charter schools in the US, where families pay something. One reason we were attracted to these was its balanced language instruction. In public schools, around 70 to 80% of subjects have traditionally been taught in Valenciano, while kids speak Spanish on the playground and have English classes. In concertado schools, only about 25% of classes are in Valenciano, such as social studies and religion.

    For families with no background in Valenciano, public schools can be challenging since it's hard to help their children with schoolwork in a language they don't know. Fortunately, my husband could help Luca with Valenciano.

    For us, 95% of Luca's life is in Spanish. He speaks English only with me or when talking to my parents and other family members on FaceTime. At home, my husband and I speak English so that Luca can hear adult conversations in English, and most of his TV is in English. As a baby, his first language was English since I was home with him for the first three years. Once he started school, Spanish became dominant, but I constantly remind him to speak to me in English to help him practice and maintain his bilingual skills, and also so we can connect on a deeper level.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Ed Sheeran branded the whole of London as ‘sketchy.’ The millionaire pop star is said to own more than 20 properties there.

    A close up photo of Ed Sheeran at the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards in 2023.
    Ed Sheeran.

    • Ed Sheeran branded the entirety of London as "sketchy."
    • Sheeran made the comments in an episode of "This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von."
    • Sheeran reportedly owns more than 20 properties in London.

    Ed Sheeran branded the entirety of London as "sketchy" in a recent episode of Theo Von's "This Past Weekend" podcast — despite the pop star reportedly owning more than 20 properties in the UK capital.

    Asked about the most dangerous part of the UK, Sheeran, 33, said: "Here? I'd say every area of London. Literally, every area is sketchy."

    "The nice areas are sketchy, the bad areas are sketchy. But you just have to not do stupid shit," he told Von. "If you wander around with, I dunno, like a Louis Vuitton duffel bag and a 200 grand watch, you are going to get robbed."

    "But just don't do that," he added.

    According to the website crimerate.co.uk, the crime rate in London over a 12 month-period ending April 2024 was 106 crimes per 1,000 people.

    The site says that Hackney in east London is the city's most dangerous borough based on Crime Risk Scores, which it says are calculated by taking the severity of crimes into account, while the safest borough is Richmond upon Thames in the southwest of the capital.

    Sheeran's apparent reserves about London's safety haven't stopped the singer from investing in the city, however.

    The MailOnline reported in 2022 that the Grammy-award-winning artist had built up a portfolio of 22 properties in London, including two spots in Covent Garden in the city's West End.

    Nevertheless, Sheeran spends most of his time residing on a 16-acre estate in Suffolk, in the east of England.

    The lavish estate reportedly has a barn that Sheeran renovated into a private pub, as well as its own chapel — where the singer even added a crypt.

    A representative for Sheeran did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

    While Sheeran is now one of the biggest names in music, he started out as a struggling artist who spent some nights sleeping rough in London as he attempted to make it big.

    Writing about the early days of his career in his 2014 autobiography, "Ed Sheeran: A Visual Journey," Sheeran recalled: "There was an arch outside Buckingham Palace that has a heating duct and I spent a couple of nights there. That's where I wrote the song 'Homeless' and the lines 'It's not a homeless night for me, I'm just home less than I'd like to be.'"

    Per the book, it was while performing at a local homeless shelter that Sheeran met a sex worker and drug addict named Angel, who inspired his debut 2011 single "The A Team."

    The song catapulted Sheeran into the limelight, and he has since gone on to amass a fortune of around £300 million (roughly $384 million), according to the Sunday Times Rich List 2023.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Biden says he’d be okay losing to Trump, ‘as long as I gave it my all’

    side-by-side close-ups of Biden and Trump
    Joe Biden (left) and Donald Trump (right).

    • President Joe Biden indicated he would be fine losing to Trump as long as he put up a good fight.
    • The 81-year-old president made the comments during his first post-debate interview on Friday.
    • Biden continues to present a defiant front even as concerns about his candidacy mount.

    President Joe Biden suggested he would be OK losing to former President Donald Trump in November "as long as I gave it my all" — undercutting the heart of his 2024 presidential platform as concerns about his candidacy continue to grow.

    On Friday, the 81-year-old Biden sat for his first interview since his disastrous debate performance last week, speaking with ABC News's George Stephanopoulos and attempting to assuage doubts about his fitness for office, including increasing anxiety from within his own party.

    Biden has long positioned himself as the best bet to protect American democracy from another four years of Trump. In interviews and stump speeches, Biden paints a picture of chaos and collapse should Trump take the White House again. Biden's campaign has explicitly accused Trump of being in the race only for himself, meanwhile framing Biden as being a candidate for the people.

    But near the end of his Friday interview, Biden gave an answer that seemed to contradict his greater-good narrative.

    "If you stay in and Trump is elected and everything you're warning about comes to pass, how will you feel in January?" Stephanopoulos asked.

    "I'll feel as long as I gave it my all, and I did as good a job as I know I can do, that's what this is about," Biden responded.

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    The response appeared as definitive an insight as any into Biden's stubborn mindset amid mounting calls for him to drop out of the race.

    Four House Democrats and a growing number of liberal donors have publicly called for Biden's replacement. While some reports have suggested Biden is privately weighing whether he can save his reelection bid, he has been firm in his public promise to stay in the race.

    Denial proved a prevailing theme throughout Biden's interview with ABC. He chalked up his debate performance to "a bad night," repeatedly dodged questions about his age and cognitive abilities, and disputed poll numbers that show him points behind Trump.

    When asked what it would take for him to drop out of the race, Biden attempted to duck the question with a joke, telling Stephanopoulos that he would only step down if "the Lord Almighty" himself came down and told him he couldn't win.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Biden refuses to accept just how much trouble his campaign is in

    Joe Biden
    President Joe Biden called his recent debate performance a "bad night," but maintained that he's the best candidate to defeat Donald Trump.

    • President Joe Biden sat down for an interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos.
    • He acknowledged that his debate against Donald Trump was a "bad night."
    • But Biden denied he's facing more calls to step down from his campaign.

    President Joe Biden appears to be in denial with just how seriously his recent debate performance against Donald Trump has hurt his 2024 campaign.

    In an interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos that aired Friday, Biden was confronted with questions about the fallout of his stumbling debate performance: polling that shows Trump with an increasing lead, voters and Democratic colleagues calling for Biden to step aside, and, to top it all off, an already abysmal approval rating of 36%.

    To that, Biden responded: Not in my world.

    On the issue of falling support shown in recent polls, Biden questioned the accuracy of the data and leaned on internal polling that he claimed still put the 2024 election at a "toss-up."

    "You think polling data is accurate as it used to be?" Biden said.

    The president also disagreed when Stephanopoulos pointed out his low approval rating. "Mr. President, I've never seen a president of 36% approval get re-elected," Stephanopoulos said.

    "Well, I don't believe that's my approval rating — that's not what our polls show," Biden responded.

    On the growing calls from Democratic lawmakers for the president to step down, Biden said he's met with many colleagues and none of them have advised him to suspend his campaign.

    "They're not going to do that," Biden told Stephanopoulos when asked if he would consider stepping out of the race if people close to him asked him to do so. So far, four House Democrats have called for Biden to drop out, and one Democratic senator is reportedly trying to organize his colleagues to push for Biden to withdraw from the race.

    Biden repeatedly said in the interview that the only person who could get him to step down is the "Lord almighty."

    All of the warning signs that have appeared since the June 27 debate were merely propped up by the press, Biden said.

    A spokesperson for the Biden campaign told Business Insider that the president's interview with Stephanopoulos was just one of many moments that showcased that Biden is the right candidate to go against Trump.

    Biden did acknowledge that he didn't perform well during his debate against Trump.

    But the president said the evening was simply a "bad night" for him and that he failed to "trust his instincts" when debating a against a "pathological liar."

    "Can I run the 100 in 10 flat? No," Biden said. "But I'm still in good shape."

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Joe Biden said only God could get him to drop out of the presidential race

    joe biden
    President Joe Biden has remained clear that he will not listen to calls to get him to drop out of the race.

    • President Joe Biden said only God might convince him to drop out of the 2024 race.
    • Biden made frequent defiant statements during a hotly anticipated interview with ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos.
    • The president is still trying to calm nerves after his disastrous debate performance.

    President Joe Biden on Friday was unmoved by the growing number of members of Congress and megadonors who have called on him to drop out. He said only a higher power could cause him to change course.

    "If the Lord Almighty comes down and tells me that, I might do that," Biden told ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos when asked if he would step aside if he was no longer the best Democrat to beat former President Donald Trump.

    Biden flashed his trademark stubbornness during his 22-minute interview with Stephanopoulos. The interview was designed to calm jittery Democrats, some of whom have pushed for Biden to step aside after his disastrous debate last week.

    The president is known for invoking the phrase, "Judge me by the alternative, not the almighty," regarding how commentators should view his candidacy. But on Friday, Biden further suggested that only divine intervention could lead to him stepping aside.

    "Look, I'm mean if the Lord Almighty came down and said, 'Joe get out of the race,' I would get out of the race," Biden said at another point. "The Lord Almighty is not coming down."

    At that point, Stephanopoulos was trying to ask Biden how the president would respond if either Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer or House Minority Leader Hakeem called on the president to drop out. Biden was clear that he believed that would never happen and that the hypothetical was unwarranted.

    "I agree that the Lord Almighty is not going to come down," Stephanopoulos said. "But if you are told reliably from your allies, from your friends and allies in the Democratic Party in the House and the Senate that they are concerned that you are going to lose the House and Senate if you stay in, what will you do?"

    Biden faced with a much more earthly consideration, simply declined to consider the possibility.

    "I'm not going to answer that question," he said. "It's not going to happen."

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • 5 takeaways from Biden’s first interview following his disastrous debate performance

    Joe Biden
    President Joe Biden appeared Friday in his first interview since last week's debate, which his supporters saw as key to address his poor performance.

    • President Joe Biden appeared Friday in his first interview since last week's debate with Donald Trump.
    • Donors and supporters saw the interview as key to addressing criticisms of Biden's poor debate.
    • Here's four things you need to know about it went.

    All eyes were on ABC News on Friday when President Joe Biden appeared in his first interview since his catastrophic debate appearance last week.

    Democratic donors and supporters of Biden saw the interview as key to addressing criticisms of his poor debate showing — in which Biden repeatedly fumbled his words and appeared to lose his train of thought.

    Here's what you need to know about how Biden's post-debate interview went:

    1. He's staying in the race

    In response to the debate debacle, some major Democratic donors, including Netflix cofounder Reed Hastings and Disney heiress Abigail Disney, have pledged to withhold funding from the party until Biden drops out of the race.

    Other once-loyal supporters, including four sitting House Democrats, have joined their calls for him to step aside.

    While some reports indicate Biden has privately acknowledged that he might be unable to save his reelection bid, in his ABC News interview, he publicly reiterated his current plan to stay in the race.

    "Are you sure you're being honest with yourself when you say you have the mental and physical capacity to serve another four years?" ABC's George Stephanopoulos pushed Biden.

    "Yes, I am," the president responded. "Because George, last thing I want to do is not be able to meet that."

    2. Biden called debate night a 'bad episode'

    Biden called his poor showing on debate night a "bad episode," but he stressed his fumbled words and mangled answers were "no indication of any serious condition."

    "I was exhausted," Biden told ABC News. "I didn't listen to my instincts in terms of preparing and — and a bad night."

    Biden, currently 81-years-old, has long faced criticism over his age and fitness for office, which grew louder following the debate. His campaign has offered conflicting excuses for the sitting president's lackluster showing, including that he was sick, jetlagged, and poorly prepared for the event.

    When Stephanopoulos pressed Biden, asking why spending nearly a week at Camp David wasn't enough recovery time from his travels to France to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, Biden said he was sick.

    "I was feeling terrible," Biden said. "Matter of fact the docs with me. I asked if they did a COVID test because they're trying to figure out what was wrong. They did a test to see whether or not I had some infection, you know, a virus. I didn't. I just had a really bad cold."

    3. The president seems to be considering his legacy

    While he maintained that he plans to stay in the race for reelection — joking that he'd consider stepping down if "the Lord Almighty" asked him to — Biden, in several responses, appeared reflective about his debate performance and his presidential legacy more broadly.

    "If I stopped now, I would go down in history as a pretty successful president," Biden said.

    And if Trump wins?

    Biden said that "as long as I gave it my all," he will be OK.

    "That's what this is about," Biden said.

    Notably, Biden dodged questions about what he would do if Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jefferies asked him to step down.

    4. Biden glossed over his dipping poll numbers

    When pressed about his persistent slump in the polls, Biden was defiant, saying the data wasn't accurate.

    "I remember them telling me the same thing in 2020 — I can't win. The polls show I can win," Biden said. "Before the vote, I said that's not going to happen: We're going to win."

    When he won in 2020, Biden became the first US presidential candidate to secure more than 80 million votes. Biden referenced his historic victory in the interview, reiterating his intention to win again.

    Stephanopoulos asked if Biden had seen recent reports of discontent in the Democratic party, which Biden similarly brushed off.

    "I've seen it from the press," Biden said.

    5. Viewers don't so far appear to be convinced

    On social media, clips of the 22-minute interview drew immediate skepticism, if not outright condemnation, from many viewers.

    Some lambasted ABC News for airing a pre-recorded version instead of a livestream, while others criticized Biden's responses and appearance during the interview.

    "I feel no better," one Instagram user wrote in a comment. "I think this interview made the situation worse."

    The initial response wasn't all negative, with some reiterating their support for Biden.

    "I can appreciate that he's accepted responsibility," another Instagram user wrote. "He still has my vote. There's no room for any more errors IMO."

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • These 4 House Democrats have called for Biden to drop out of the race

    Rep. Lloyd Doggett at a press conference
    Rep. Lloyd Doggett became the first sitting member of Congress to call on Biden to drop out.

    • Democratic members of Congress are beginning to call on Biden to drop out of the race.
    • As of Friday, July 5, four have done so.
    • Two other lawmakers are flatly predicting that Biden will lose to Trump.

    President Joe Biden is facing calls to drop out of the presidential race following his disastrous debate performance last week.

    The first Democratic member of Congress to do so was Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Texas, who praised Biden's record of accomplishments but said an "authoritarian takeover" would come if former President Donald Trump won.

    "Too much is at stake to risk a Trump victory — too great a risk to assume that what could not be turned around in a year, what was not turned around in the debate, can be turned around now," Doggett said. He later said on NBC that some of his House colleagues privately agreed with him.

    On Wednesday, Doggett was joined by Rep. Raúl Grijalva of Arizona, who told the New York Times that the debate represented an "opportunity to look elsewhere."

    "What he needs to do is shoulder the responsibility for keeping that seat — and part of that responsibility is to get out of this race," said Grijalva.

    Both men are in their mid-to-late 70s and represent solidly Democratic seats.

    Rep. Raúl Grijalva became the second House Democrat to call for Biden to withdraw from the race.
    Rep. Raúl Grijalva became the second House Democrat to call for Biden to withdraw from the race.

    On Thursday, Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts joined them, telling a local radio affiliate that Biden should "step aside to let new leaders rise up and run against Donald Trump."

    And on Friday, shortly before Biden's interview with ABC News was set to air, Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois said on MSBNC that Biden should "let someone else do this."

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    Separately, two members of the moderate Blue Dog Coalition — Reps. Jared Golden of Maine and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington — said that they believe Biden will lose to Trump.

    Golden went as far as to say that he is "OK" with Trump winning, saying he rejects the idea that Trump is a "unique threat to our democracy."

    Democratic politicians who don't hold elected office have also called on Biden to step aside.

    Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro, one of Biden's competitors in 2020, said that Biden needed to "allow a stronger Democratic candidate to prevent a disastrous second Trump term.

    Another 2020 Biden competitor, former Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio, published an op-ed on Tuesday calling for Biden to be replaced with Vice President Kamala Harris.

    Harris is one of several Democratic contenders who could replace Biden if he stepped aside.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Will ASX gold shares again outshine the market in FY 2025?

    a man wearing a gold shirt smiles widely as he is engulfed in a shower of gold confetti falling from the sky. representing a new gold discovery by ASX mining share OzAurum Resources

    With the 2024 financial year fading into the background and FY 2025 stretching ahead, we turn our focus to what investors might expect from ASX gold shares.

    As you may be aware, FY 2024 was a banner year for most gold miners, thanks to the surging gold price.

    The yellow metal is currently fetching US$2,361 per ounce. That’s up almost 23% from the US$1,925 that same ounce was trading for this time last year.

    Bullion’s strong performance has offered some heady tailwinds for ASX gold shares. In fact, Ora Banda Mining Ltd (ASX: OBM) rocketed 162% in 12 months amid strong gold exploration results, leaving the 8.3% gains posted by the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) far behind.

    The rising gold price has also helped boost the performance of the big S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) gold producers like Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST), Newmont Corp (ASX: NEM), Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX: GOR) and Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN).

    But that’s the financial year just past.

    Now, what can investors expect from ASX gold shares in the year ahead?

    Will ASX gold shares outshine again in FY 2025?

    Before we dive in, there are obviously many company-specific factors that will impact each individual ASX gold share. Those include variables like the weather in their mining locations, production levels, cost management, and how they progress with exploration and new project development.

    But the price they receive for the yellow metal they dig from the ground is one factor that will impact every ASX gold share.

    As for what we can expect from the gold price, we defer to the World Gold Council (WGC).

    In their mid-year outlook report, the WGC noted, “Gold has thus far benefitted from continued central bank buying, Asian investment flows, resilient consumer demand, and a steady drumbeat of geopolitical uncertainty.”

    Looking ahead to FY 2025, ASX gold shares may face steady prices.

    “Current market trends indicate a rangebound performance from its current levels during H2… The global economy, as well as gold, seem to be waiting for a catalyst,” the WGC said.

    The report pointed out that more than 40% of global gold demand stems from consumers.

    As such, “The sharp upward trend in the gold price has dampened demand in some markets such as India and China. But positive economic growth can counteract some of this effect.”

    What could drive the gold price higher?

    The World Gold Council indicated a number of catalysts that could send the gold price higher in FY 2025 and support further gains for ASX gold shares.

    According to the report:

    For gold, we believe the catalyst could come from falling rates in developed markets, that attract Western investment flows, as well as continued support from global investors looking to hedge bubbling risks amid a complacent equity market and persistent geopolitical tensions.

    Gold, which pays no yield itself, tends to perform better in low or falling interest rate environments.

    Western retail investors have also largely been missing from the gold rally to date, with gold ETFs witnessing outflows.

    The WGC said this “suggests that, unlike previous periods when gold broke record highs, the market is still not saturated and could see another leg up”.

    Atop setting interest rates, central bank demand also has an important impact on the gold price, and by connection ASX gold shares.

    “We estimate that [central bank demand] contributed at least 10% to gold’s performance in 2023 and potentially around 5% so far this year,” the WGC said. “Questions as to whether demand from the official sector may lose momentum. But we still expect central bank demand to remain above trend this year.”

    And, while we hope global tensions ease in FY 2025, ASX gold shares would likely get a lift if geopolitical risks heat up.

    According to the WGC report:

    Geopolitical risk is particularly difficult to predict and may come from where it’s least expected. What is true, however, is that gold reacts to geopolitics, adding 2.5% for every 100-points the Geopolitical Risk (GPR) Index moves up.

    The post Will ASX gold shares again outshine the market in FY 2025? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Evolution Mining Limited right now?

    Before you buy Evolution Mining Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Evolution Mining Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 24 June 2024

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Buy and hold these ASX ETFs for 10 years+

    A man points at a paper as he holds an alarm clock.

    I believe buy and hold investing is one of the best ways to grow your wealth.

    This is because it allows you to leverage the power of compounding over time.

    But don’t worry if you’re not a fan of stock-picking. That’s because exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are here to make life easier.

    They allow you to buy large numbers of stocks in one fell swoop. This means you can diversify your portfolio almost instantly.

    But which ASX ETFs could be great long term options? Let’s take a look at three that could be buys:

    BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

    When making long term investments, it is never a bad idea to buy the best companies you can get your hands on. The good news is that the BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF is home to many of the biggest and best companies that the world has to offer.

    This hugely popular ASX ETF gives investors easy access to the 100 largest non-financial shares on the famous NASDAQ index. This is heavily, but not exclusively, focused on technology, with many household names among the ETF’s holdings. This includes Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), and Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA).

    Over the last 10 years, the index the fund tracks has generated a return of 22.7% per annum.

    VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (ASX: MOAT)

    Another ASX ETF that could be a great buy and hold option is the VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF.

    Warren Buffett is a great investor to follow if you’re interested in making long term investments. His focus on investing in companies with sustainable competitive advantages (moats) and fair valuations has allowed him to smash the market for many, many decades.

    The VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF allows you to invest in this style by putting together a group of shares that have the exact qualities that Buffett looks for when making investments.

    And just like Buffett, this ETF has delivered great returns. The index the ETF tracks has achieved an average return of 16.7% per annum over the past 10 years.

    Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS)

    Finally, if you want to invest locally, then the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF could be a great option.

    This ETF allows you to buy a slice of the companies included in the ASX 300 index. These are Australia’s leading 300 listed companies and include names from all sides of the market.

    Among its holdings are companies as diverse as BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV), Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG), and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS).

    Over the last 10 years, it has achieved a return of approximately 8% per annum.

    The post Buy and hold these ASX ETFs for 10 years+ appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Vaneck Investments Limited – Vaneck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat Etf right now?

    Before you buy Vaneck Investments Limited – Vaneck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat Etf shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Vaneck Investments Limited – Vaneck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat Etf wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
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  • American Airlines flight had to make emergency landing after man exposed himself and urinated in aisle, authorities say

    American Airlines
    An American Airlines flight was diverted this week after authorities said a 25-year-old man exposed himself and urinated in the airplane's aisle mid-flight.

    • A 25-year-old man exposed himself and peed in the aisle on an American Airlines flight, according to law enforcement.
    • Authorities said the man was arrested and charged with indecent exposure on July 3.
    • The incident is the latest in a long list of unruly passenger incidents on board commercial flights.

    An American Airlines flight was diverted this week after authorities said a 25-year-old man exposed himself and urinated in the airplane's aisle mid-flight.

    The Oregon man was arrested and charged with indecent exposure following the Wednesday incident, according to a press release from the US Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York.

    American Airlines flight 3921, which was operated by Envoy Air, was traveling from Chicago to Manchester, New Hampshire, on July 3, the airline told Business Insider in a statement.

    Crew members on board the aircraft later told authorities that the man exposed himself and urinated in the aisle of the plane, forcing the flight to divert from its original destination and land at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport, according to the attorney's office.

    Local law enforcement was called to the gate and took the man into custody, American Airlines said. The flight re-departed shortly after.

    "We thank our team members for their professionalism and our customers for their understanding," a spokesperson for the airline said.

    The man appeared in court on Wednesday and was released on his own recognizance, according to the attorney's office. The charge he faces carries a maximum penalty of six months in prison and a $5,000 charge.

    The Wednesday incident is just the latest in an ever-growing list of unruly passenger incidents on commercial flights, which have spiked since the pandemic.

    In December, a passenger aboard an Air New Zealand flight was fined after urinating into a cup during a deplaning delay. In 2023, a 21-year-old student was barred from future American Airlines flights after urinating on another passenger.

    Read the original article on Business Insider