• Top high-yield ASX shares to buy in July 2024

    Beautiful young couple enjoying in shopping, symbolising passive income.

    With inflation still running hot, many investors are understandably attracted to ASX shares offering high dividend yields.

    After all, if you can earn 5%, 6%, 7% or even more on your money, this can go a long way in helping offset today’s surging cost of living.

    But just because a stock is trading on a lofty dividend yield doesn’t necessarily make it a good investment.

    A high yield can reflect low investor confidence and, thus, a falling share price. It can also be the result of a one-off special dividend payment that won’t be repeated any time soon.

    So, we asked our Foolish writers to sort the treasure from the trash and tell us which high-yielding ASX dividend shares they think are worth buying right now.

    Here is what they told us:

    6 best high-yielding ASX shares for July 2024 (smallest to largest)

    • Shaver Shop Group Ltd (ASX: SSG), $154.59 million
    • Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF), $811.43 million
    • Nick Scali Limited (ASX: NCK), $1.21 billion
    • IPH Ltd (ASX: IPH), $1.55 billion
    • Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: VHY), $3.84 billion
    • Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN), $6.65 billion

    (Market capitalisations as of market close 12 July 2024).

    Why our Foolish writers love these ASX dividend stocks

    Shaver Shop Group Ltd

    What it does: Shaver Shop sells personal grooming products for men and women. It currently has 123 Shaver Shop stores across Australia and New Zealand and retails through its own websites, as well as eBay, Amazon, TradeMe, and MyDeal online marketplaces.

    By Tristan Harrison: When it comes to investing for a high dividend yield, I look for ASX dividend shares that have fairly good track records of consistently paying dividends. I’m not interested in just one good year of big payments.

    Shaver Shop has grown its annual dividend payout every year since it first started paying dividends in 2017, which is an impressive record considering it’s an ASX retail stock.

    While that dividend record isn’t guaranteed to continue amid this high cost of living era, I’d suggest personal grooming products may have fairly consistent demand. After all, hair keeps growing in all economic conditions!

    The latest two dividends declared by Shaver Shop amount to 10.2 cents, which translates into a fully franked dividend yield of 8.6%, or 12.2% grossed-up with the franking credits. Of course, it’s possible the next two declared dividends may not be quite as large. But, even a 10% dividend reduction would still translate into a double-digit grossed-up dividend yield. 

    Furthermore, I believe Shaver Shop can increase its profit over the long term by growing its store network, increasing its online sales, improving efficiencies/margins, and expanding its product range. The business retails various products across oral care, hair care, massage, air treatment, and beauty categories. 

    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison does not own shares of Shaver Shop Group Ltd.

    Rural Funds Group

    What it does: Rural Funds Australia is a real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on agricultural assets across Australia.

    By Kate Lee: In addition to dividend yields, two other important considerations for dividend investing are the sustainability of future dividends and the potential for invested capital appreciation. 

    In this regard, Rural Funds Group stands out as a strong ASX dividend share worth considering buying today. 

    Rural Funds Group provides exposure to the agricultural sector, an essential and growing component of the economy. The REIT’s business model focuses on long-term leasing arrangements with agricultural tenants, providing stable rental income. 

    Over the last 12 months, Rural Funds paid a total distribution of 11.6 cents per unit, implying a 5.6% yield from its closing price of $2.09.

    Trading at a price-to-book (P/B) ratio of just 0.7x, Rural Funds Group appears undervalued compared to its asset base, offering potential upside. The company estimates its net asset value (NAV) to be $3.07 per unit as of 31 December 2023, including the market value of its water entitlements. This means its adjusted P/B ratio, based on the company’s NAV estimate, is at just 0.66x.

    Motley Fool contributor Kate Lee does not own shares of Rural Funds Group. 

    Nick Scali Limited

    What it does: Nick Scali is a high-end furniture retailer. As of February, the company had 108 store locations across Australia and New Zealand. The sofa-seller also operates 21 stores in the United Kingdom following its recent acquisition of Fabb Furniture.

    By Mitchell Lawler: Retail is a tough industry. You only need to look to the financial struggles of Booktopia for an example of this. 

    It’s incredibly hard to differentiate yourself in this often cutthroat industry. However, I believe Nick Scali is one company that has successfully separated itself from the pack. This is evidenced by the abnormally high return on capital it has generated — 27.4% in the past year. 

    Moving into a market two-and-a-half times the size of Australia may come with challenges. However, I’m confident Nick Scali will leverage economies of scale to give local UK competitors a run for their money. 

    Nick Scali currently yields 4.9% of passive income.  

    Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler does not own shares of Nick Scali Limited.

    IPH Ltd

    What it does: IPH is an intellectual property solutions company with operations across the world.

    By James Mickleboro: In the current uncertain economic environment, I think income investors ought to focus on companies with defensive qualities. 

    IPH has these qualities and more, thanks to the ever-growing patent market. In addition, the company is no stranger to making acquisitions to bolster its growth in a fragmented market. This ultimately led to IPH reporting a 21% increase in revenue and a 13% lift in underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) during the first half of FY 2024.

    Analysts at Goldman Sachs have highlighted these defensive earnings as a reason to buy. They recently stated their belief that IPH was “well-placed to deliver consistent and defensive earnings with modest overall organic growth.”

    The broker expects this ASX share to pay fully franked dividends per share of 34 cents in FY 2024, 37 cents in FY 2025, and then 39 cents in FY 2026. Based on the recent IPH share price of $6.16, this represents yields of 5.5%, 6%, and 6.3%, respectively. Goldman Sachs has a buy rating and $8.70 price target on IPH’s shares.

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro does not own shares of IPH Ltd.

    Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF

    What it does: This exchange-traded fund (ETF) holds a select portfolio of blue chip ASX dividend shares, selected on their current yields and future income potential. 

    By Sebastian Bowen: With many ASX dividend shares surging in value in recent months, I think this ETF from provider Vanguard is a prudent choice for a high-income investment this July and beyond. 

    VHY holds a portfolio of around 70 mature ASX businesses, automatically providing a bucketload of diversification benefits. These stocks range from many different corners of the market, too, and include everything from Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) and BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) to Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) and Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS). 

    Given the kinds of companies this ETF holds, it goes without saying that there is a lot of dividend income potential here.

    The Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF also pays quarterly dividend distributions, which will be a welcome change for many investors who are used to the typical biannual ASX schedule. 

    This ETF’s most recent four payments add up to an annual total of $4.24 per unit. That gives VHY units a hefty dividend yield of 5.88%. You could certainly do worse if you’re looking for an income heavy-hitter right now. 

    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen owns shares of Telstra Group Ltd.

    Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd

    What it does: Bendigo and Adelaide Bank operates in the personal, small business, and rural banking sectors. The company is one of Australia’s leading regional banks and commands a market cap of around $6.6 billion.

    By Bernd Struben: I think there’s a lot to like about Bendigo and Adelaide Bank.

    First, there’s its lengthy track record as a reliable passive income payer and the relatively high yield the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) bank stock is currently trading at.

    Over the past 12 months, it has paid out two fully franked dividends, totalling 62 cents a share. At the recent share price of $11.65, that equates to a trailing yield of 5.3%, with potential tax benefits from those franking credits.

    And this high trailing dividend yield comes after the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank share price has soared 37% over the full year. That strong share price performance, and the ongoing uptrend, is the second reason I like this stock.

    The third reason is its attractive valuation. Despite the 37% share price surge, the bank has a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 13.8 times. That’s near the lowest P/E ratio you’ll find among any of the ASX 200 bank stocks.

    Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben does not own shares in Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd.

    The post Top high-yield ASX shares to buy in July 2024 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Bendigo And Adelaide Bank Limited right now?

    Before you buy Bendigo And Adelaide Bank 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 Bendigo And Adelaide Bank 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 10 July 2024

    More reading

    John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Motley Fool contributor Tamara Stein has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Amazon and Goldman Sachs Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Booktopia Group and eBay and has recommended the following options: short July 2024 $52.50 calls on eBay. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Bendigo And Adelaide Bank, Rural Funds Group, and Telstra Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Amazon, IPH, Nick Scali, Shaver Shop Group, and Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Rudy Giuliani scores rare legal win as judge dismisses bankruptcy case — but a countdown timer is ticking

    Rudy Giuliani smiling in a car
    The vast majority of Rudy Giuliani's debt comes from a $148 million jury judgment against him for defaming two Georgia election workers.

    • A judge dismissed Rudy Giuliani's bankruptcy case, freeing him to appeal a $148 million judgment.
    • It comes with a big asterisk: Giuliani can't seek bankruptcy protection again for 12 months.
    • Now, all the civil lawsuits against Giuliani can continue to play out in courts.

    The judge overseeing Rudy Giuliani's bankruptcy granted him a rare legal win.

    In a court order Friday, the judge dismissed the Chapter 11 case and allowed him to appeal the $148 million defamation judgment he owes.

    But there's a catch: Giuliani isn't allowed to file for bankruptcy again over the next 12 months. And his creditors are ready to pounce.

    The former New York City mayor filed for bankruptcy in December, claiming he couldn't pay his $152 million in debt.

    The bankruptcy froze all the other civil litigation against Giuliani, including defamation cases from election technology companies and a lawsuit from Noelle Dunphy, who accused him of sexual abuse.

    Nearly all of Giuliani's debt was the $148 million judgment a Washington, DC, jury awarded to Ruby Freeman and Wandrea Moss, two election workers he defamed by falsely claiming they manipulated votes in Georgia.

    Giuliani's assets were worth about $10 million — depending on what he could get if he sold his Manhattan and Florida apartments — not nearly enough to satisfy all the debt.

    Friday's order, approved by bankruptcy judge Sean H. Lane, also puts Giuliani on the hook for $350,000 in fees already incurred in the case by a legal discovery vendor. Lane also placed control of Giuliani's Upper East Side condo, which is up for sale, in the hands of a lawyer representing his creditors. A chunk of the potential proceeds from the sale would go toward legal fees, and the rest would be held in escrow.

    Over the past few months, Giuliani has filed inconsistent financial statements and appeared to squirrel away streams of income, his creditors have complained. Giuliani said he had trouble finding an accountant — a claim his creditors found hard to believe. Lane expressed frustration with "the difficulties we've had in terms of transparency in this case" in a hearing earlier this week.

    At the same time that Giuliani was filing odd financial statements, he also made it clear in court filings that he wanted breathing room to appeal his $148 million judgment.

    After months of wrangling — including a last-ditch effort to convert the bankruptcy to a Chapter 7, which would have further slowed the process — Giuliani and lawyers representing Freeman and Moss struck a deal.

    On Wednesday, they both told the judge that dismissing the bankruptcy altogether was the best move.

    The draft order provided by Giuliani's legal team included a line that would forbid the 80-year-old from filing for bankruptcy again for one year.

    In the Southern District of New York, where the case is playing out, bankruptcy judges customarily forbid debtors from re-filing for some period of time if they believe the debtor sought the protection in bad faith, according to Eric J. Snyder, the chair of the bankruptcy practice at Wilk Auslander LLP.

    "Twelve months is a long time. Normally it's six months," Snyder said. "But in this type of case, because of Giuliani's behavior, I think 12 months is probably consistent."

    Dunphy will continue her fight in court

    Dismissing the bankruptcy would unfreeze all of Giuliani's other civil cases, allowing him time to appeal the massive defamation judgment against him.

    It also means all the other litigants suing Giuliani can continue to pursue their cases against him in other courts, which are mostly taking place in New York, where he was once the mayor and top federal prosecutor.

    But the legal team representing the so-called "unsecured creditors" — including Dominion Voting Systems and Dunphy — objected to dismissing the bankruptcy case.

    Rudy Giuliani looking at his phone at a Trump rally
    Rudy Giuliani has continued to support former President Donald Trump, who is running in the 2024 election.

    In a rowdy hearing Wednesday, they asked Lane to allow the cases to play out in the bankruptcy process.

    Lane said at the hearing that he was inclined to dismiss the case. He said appointing a Chapter 11 trustee to take over Giuliani's assets would eat up administrative fees, and that Giuliani's lack of financial transparency posed a persistent problem.

    "That's not going to magically change if you continue the case in 11 with the trustee," he said.

    "Our client Noelle Dunphy remains as strong and steadfast as ever in her commitment to pursuing justice," Dunphy's lawyer Justin Kelton told Business Insider in an email earlier this week. "If Mr. Giuliani's bankruptcy is dismissed, she will continue pursuing her claims in court, and we look forward to the day when we can present this case to a jury."

    Giuliani also has plenty of other legal woes stemming from his false claims that the 2020 election was rigged against Donald Trump.

    The ex-president's former attorney was disbarred in New York and may soon lose his law license in Washington, DC.

    He is also the subject of two criminal cases, in Arizona and Georgia, over his efforts to overturn the election results.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Sam Altman is seen driving a car that can cost $5 million. Everyone is thanking him for helping them pass their tests.

    Sam altman in a car
    Sam Altman was spotted driving a Koenigsegg Regera.

    • A car enthusiast posted a video of Sam Altman in a super rare Koenigsegg Regera.
    • The Swedish supercars are some of the fastest street-legal cars. They cost as much as $4.6 million.
    • Vroom vroom.

    Joseph Velyan was eating lunch at a restaurant with his family when he spotted something extraordinary rolling down the street: a Koenigsegg Regera.

    Only 80 of these Swedish sports cars were made — and they can cost as much as $4.65 million.

    "I've been into cars almost my whole life, and seeing a Koenigsegg was definitely a dream of mine — especially in public," Velyan, who runs the car fan pages @norcal.garage on TikTok and Instagram told Business Insider. "I go to car events and see some pretty rare cars often, but this is for sure the rarest one I've seen, and it caught my eye right away."

    He took a quick video of the car and posted it online in late April. But it wasn't until more than a month later, when he looked back at the footage, that he noticed something else interesting: The driver appeared to be Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI. (Representatives for Sam Altman didn't respond to a request for comment from BI.)

    Like Velyan, Altman is a Car Guy. According to a Wall Street Journal story about his vast fortune, he owns a McLaren in addition to the Koenigsegg and drove F1 cars on a racetrack for fun on vacation with his husband in Dubai.

    He also has mentioned owning a Telsa. (This might be amusing to Elon Musk, the former friend and current frenemy of Altman, who had an amused reaction to the video after Musk's henchman friend Jason Calacanis pointed out the irony of the head of a nonprofit driving such a fancy car. (Musk's beef with Altman is largely over how OpenAI has shifted from its nonprofit roots. And, of course, Altman has been an investor in companies including Reddit and Stripe, accounting for a fortune that's been estimated at around $3 billion.)

    In the video of Altman in the Koenigsegg, there's something totally uncanny about seeing such an unusual car — which looks unlike anything else and is capable of going zero to 250 miles per hour in under 30 seconds — at a stop light in a busy pedestrian area. Velyan is right — you'd expect to see something like this at a car show or a track, not a city street in Napa, CA.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaEpYc3YLz4?feature=oembed&w=560&h=315]

    There's something else sort of weird — tech moguls, for as rich as they are, don't typically drive incredibly noticeably ostentatious cars.

    Sure, they might own a fancy car in their collection (Mark Zuckerberg reportedly has a $1.4 million Pagani Huayra), but you don't typically see them driving them past a CVS in a supercar on a Tuesday.

    Koenigseggs are so rare that there's a fan community that keeps track of each model on a blog called Egg Registry. Based on the distinctive all-white paint job of the car in the video, it seems likely to be No. 7232, which the fans on the blog have traced to an owner in San Francisco. (BI couldn't independently verify this.) They say it's been seen driving around the streets and showing up to a local car show.

    The hoi polloi can often be a little harsh on seeing displays of tech mogul wealth (just check the comments anytime Zuckerberg posts himself surfing). But on TikTok, a lot of ChatGPT users seem pretty happy for Altman and his car.

    "This man helped me pass chem 🙏 enjoy that Regera" wrote one person."

    "Bro carried me through half of my classes last year I hope he enjoys that beauty," said another.

    "Countless assignments, countless tests passed enjoy it bro."

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Russia is already fighting NATO, just not with tanks and fighter jets, argues a former top US general

    Russian President Vladimir Putin looking through the scope on a rifle.
    Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has long been focused on the Russian military, looks through the scope as he shoots a Chukavin sniper rifle.

    • Russia has been engaging in hybrid attacks against NATO for a long time.
    • In recent months, aggression has included attempted assassinations, arson, GPS jamming, and other sabotage.
    • A former top US general said this week that in some ways, Russia is already at war with the alliance.

    Russia has been carrying out hybrid attacks, aggression in the blurry grey area between war and peace, against NATO, unnerving the military alliance and raising concerns that what has long been a low-intensity campaign could escalate into something much bigger.

    Recent covert acts of sabotage are far from the level of aggression and brutality that Russia has put on display in Ukraine. But make no mistake, a former top US general argued this week, Moscow is already fighting NATO.

    "We need to acknowledge that they are at war with us," said Ben Hodges, a retired lieutenant general and former commander of US Army Europe, on Wednesday at the NATO Public Forum in Washington, DC.

    "It may not be T-72s or Sukhois that are striking NATO countries, but they are absolutely at war," he said, referring to types of Russian tanks and aircraft, respectively. He listed off GPS jamming, sabotage, election interference, and the illicit movement of oil as a few examples of malign activity.

    NATO allies have seen a string of aggressive acts linked to Moscow over the past few months, ranging from signal jamming and incidents of arson to cyber hacks and attempted assassinations. Moscow does not necessarily claim responsibility for these, but leaders have suggested that it is Russian President Vladimir Putin's way of trying to interfere with Western support for Ukraine.

    Russia's leadership has regularly framed the conflict as not merely a fight with Ukraine but as a confrontation with NATO. Moscow routinely portrays itself as the victim while targeting other countries with direct and indirect aggression.

    The recent campaign prompted NATO in May to raise public concern over Russia's activities. In a pointed statement, the alliance expressed great concern over what it described as "hostile state activity" in a number of European countries.

    Russian President Vladimir Putin holding paperwork while sitting in a chair in front of the Russian flag.
    Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting with members of the Security Council via a video link at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow.

    "These incidents are part of an intensifying campaign of activities which Russia continues to carry out across the Euro-Atlantic area, including on alliance territory and through proxies," the NATO statement said, adding that "this includes sabotage, acts of violence, cyber and electronic interference, disinformation campaigns, and other hybrid operations."

    NATO called the situation a "a threat to allied security" and said that allies "will act individually and collectively to address these actions."

    A lasting headache for NATO

    Although the war in Ukraine has exacerbated tensions, the problem of Russian hybrid attacks is not a new hassle for the alliance, which has been dealing with this trend for quite some time.

    "The Russian threat isn't just directed at Ukraine. In fact, we all, in our own countries, have had warnings of this — we've all had knowledge of this and experience of this for a number of years," UK Defense Secretary John Healey said at the Public Forum.

    "We face wider Russian aggression directed at our own democracies, from hybrid attacks to threats in the high north," he added.

    Some allies know this better than others. The Baltic nations, which are on the alliance on its eastern flank, point to a long history of hybrid attacks by Russia to validate their concerns over neighboring Russia's aggression.

    "We've been advocating taking a strict position on Russia for years," Latvian Defense Minister Andris Sprūds said alongside Healey and Hodges at the forum this week. "We, ourselves, have been experiencing hybrid attacks from Russia for decades, so that's why the threat has been quite clear, what we're facing."

    "We are facing Russia, the country, which can change in every five years — in every 10 years — dramatically," the defense minister added. "But nothing changes in 100 years. So we pretty much see the same Russia. It's expansionist, it's imperialist, regardless what type [of] regime we are dealing with."

    The Russian hybrid attacks were a notable discussion point on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington this week. At one panel, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said every ally is "acutely" aware of the threat and is focused on the recent upticks in sabotage.

    "These are not one-offs," Blinken added. "This is part of a deliberate strategy by Russia to try to undermine our security and undermine the cohesion of the Alliance. It's not going to work because we see it and we're acting on it."

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • A James Webb Telescope scientist explains what it’s like to create the most beautiful space images of our time

    An illustration of the James Webb Space Telescope in space.
    The James Webb is often called the worlds most powerful space telescope.

    • JWST snaps thousands of photos of our universe, from sparkling stellar nurseries to clusters of distant galaxies.
    • But it takes human image processors, like Joe DePasquale, to turn these photos into works of art.
    • DePasquale gave BI a behind-the-scenes look at how he creates images like the Deep Field and the Tarantula Nebula.

    Two years ago today, NASA unveiled the first full-color space images captured by the James Webb Space Telescope.

    We often hear about the scientists who study JWST's space images and what they discover, but behind these beautiful works of art are image processors like Joe DePasquale who can spend days, or even weeks, transforming a single image.

    Webb's raw telescope images can look like empty black boxes when they first beam back to Earth. It takes science, intuition, and sometimes a bit of Photoshop to tease out the most important moments, DePasquale said.

    Cosmic cliffs
    "Cosmic Cliffs" was one of the first images captured by JWST. It showcases Webb's ability to peer through thick clouds of gas and dust to reveal young stars.

    DePasquale is a principal science visuals developer at the Space Telescope Science Institute. He processed some of the very first Webb images that the public got to see.

    While working on an image, DePasquale gradually unveils details that sometimes amaze him. For the Deep Field image, one of Webb's first images, he was astonished to see tiny dots around some galaxies at the center. These dots are globular clusters of stars that surround very distant galaxies.

    "To be able to pull out that much detail in just this tiny part of the sky — seeing that in such clarity was amazing," DePasquale said.

    Unprecedented detail

    James Webb Space Telescope
    Webb's enormous mirror is made up of 18 hexagonal, gold-coated segments. The mirror's size allows Webb to detect light from very distant galaxies.

    After Webb launched in 2021, the next few months were "nail-biting," DePasquale said. Before the telescope could begin photographing the farthest reaches of the cosmos, it had to unfold and fully deploy in space.

    "We watched every step along the way — the mirrors unfolding, the sunshield deploying, all of these things happening. There were 300 different single points of failure where if anything didn't work, the whole observatory would just be scrapped," he said.

    Webb deployed perfectly, and got to work photographing our vast universe. A single Webb photo, like the Deep Field image, can capture thousands of galaxies.

    Webb's first Deep Field image
    Webb's first Deep Field image contains thousands of galaxies.

    Pulling all that detail out of the raw Webb image was no easy task. The final photo is actually four different images stitched together. When DePasquale first lined them up, he noticed that the brightness was different in each panel. To get them to match, he had to use Photoshop to adjust the lighting of the panels by hand.

    It took about two weeks to process the Deep Field image from start to finish, he said. The end result is a sparkling portrait of the galaxy cluster SMACS 0723.

    Peering across the universe

    Tarantula nebula
    At the center of the Tarantula Nebula, young, hot stars burn bright blue.

    Webb is the most powerful telescope ever launched into space. It can see what the universe looked like around a quarter of a billion years after the Big Bang, when the first stars and galaxies started to form.

    In its last two years of observations, Webb has fundamentally changed our understanding of the universe with groundbreaking discoveries like capturing the first images of stars forming inside the Pillars of Creation and the four most distant galaxies ever observed.

    pillars of creation towering clouds of dust two pictures side by side left is hubble's version faint dusty colors right is webb's version with way more stars and darker blue backdrop
    Hubble's 2014 image of the Pillars of Creation (left), versus Webb's 2022 snapshot of the same formation (right). Webb peered through the surrounding gas and dust to reveal stars forming inside.

    "Both Hubble and Webb are extremely high-angular-resolution telescopes. They're able to resolve very small details in these really distant objects," like the Tarantula Nebula, DePasquale told Business Insider.

    The Tarantula Nebula is a star-forming cloud of gas and dust located in the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy, 170,000 light-years away from Earth. That's really far away, but the extremely high precision of Webb's huge mirror allows the telescope to collect a lot of light from any object it observes, so it can photograph distant objects in striking detail, DePasquale said.

    A collage of images that shows the process of processing JWST's Tarantula Nebula image.
    These images show DePasquale's process of adding color to Webb's Tarantula Nebula image.

    Processing raw space images is both a science and an art.

    When processing the Tarantula Nebula image, DePasquale wanted to emphasize the cluster of hot, young stars in the center. To do that, he enhanced the contrast between the light and dark parts of the image, and made the billowing clouds of the nebula glow in whites and made the young stars burn bright blue. He does a lot of this work by hand, manipulating the images using Photoshop.

    "Our work transitions from being analytical and scientific into a more subjective realm, where it's more like a photographer. We make scientifically-informed aesthetic judgments about how to process the data to highlight key scientific features within it," he said.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • My first visit to Japan left me in culture shock, but I wish the US would adopt some of its norms

    line to get on a subway in Tokyo
    I saw many people waiting in line to board the subway in Japan.

    • In Japan, I saw how the local culture and etiquette are different from what I'm used to in the US. 
    • With self-cleaning toilets and an absence of trash, Japan models an impressive level of cleanliness.
    • The public toilets and hotel freebies in Japan were also far superior to what I've seen in the US. 

    As soon as I arrived in Tokyo to a near-silent Narita Airport, I knew I was in for a bit of culture shock.

    Already, the Japanese culture felt far different from what I'm used to in the United States: Most US airports are incredibly noisy.

    As I left, I was surprised again when I got into a taxi on the right side of the car. I quickly learned from the driver's panicked reaction that I was apparently supposed to enter from the left.

    The next few days were a crash course in learning the local etiquette.

    Although I'm considered pretty soft-spoken back home, in Japan, I felt too assertive and found myself quieting my voice and being more gentle in my body language to adapt to my surroundings.

    I found myself appreciating Japan's politeness, extreme cleanliness, and order, whether I was lining up to board the subway or using the immaculate public bathrooms.

    The harsh return to loud and chaotic New York City made me miss many of the norms I witnessed on my trip. Here are some I wish the US would adopt.

    The public bathrooms are impressively clean, with fancy toilets

    Compared to the public bathrooms in the US, Japanese public bathrooms feel like they belong in a five-star hotel.

    Each one I encountered in Japan looked spotlessly clean, and the toilets were more technologically advanced than anything I've seen back home.

    They don't just flush automatically when you're finished — they can also sense when you're approaching and lift the lid accordingly.

    Almost all have multi-functional, electronic bidets. Some have heated seats, and many are self-cleaning.

    Many hotels provide complimentary pajamas, slippers, and toiletries

    Baskets of toiletries in Japan hotel
    At some hotels in Japan I had access to as many toiletries as I needed.

    I returned home from Japan with a full tube of toothpaste because I barely touched my toiletry bag during my trip.

    Every hotel in Japan I stayed at had an impressive toiletry kit that included a toothbrush, toothpaste, hair brush, and single-use size packets of facial cleanser and moisturizer — often from a luxury skincare brand.

    I've never gotten freebies on this scale at nice hotels in the US, where the standard is just one tiny bottle each of shampoo, conditioner, and lotion.

    Boxes of toiletries in Japan hotel
    Some toiletries in Japan also came nicely packaged.

    In Japan, I'd usually also find a set of pajamas and slippers in the closet for guests to use. At some of the finer hotels I stayed in, they were from designer names. The Derek Rose set I wore at The Ritz-Carlton, Fukuoka was so silky I considered buying them.

    The complimentary items made traveling more efficient since I barely had to unpack at each new hotel I stayed in.

    The airports often have separate slippers for walking through security

    Slippers in bins at airport in Japan
    Airport slippers were a nice touch.

    As someone who awkwardly tip-toes through security because I'm grossed out by walking on the airport floor, I was thrilled to find slippers available to borrow at several airports throughout the country.

    In Japan, it's customary to remove your shoes before entering many indoor spaces. I loved that this extended beyond the airport to hotels, spas, and sometimes restaurants, where I'd often have to leave my outdoor shoes at the door.

    It helped indoor spaces feel even cleaner, especially on rainy days when shoes can get wet or muddy.

    There are hardly any public trash bins, yet the streets are spotless

    Every time I had a receipt I wanted to toss, I faced the impossible task of finding somewhere to throw it out. Even in big cities like Tokyo, garbage bins are almost completely absent from public spaces.

    I thought this would incentivize people to litter, but it actually seemed to have the opposite effect. A local told me Japanese residents often just hold onto their trash until they can dispose of it at home.

    Public spaces are incredibly quiet, creating a calm atmosphere

    Mall in Fukuoka Japan
    Even shopping malls in Japan felt pretty quiet.

    In Japan, it's the norm for people to keep to themselves in public.

    I first noticed it at the airport, where I saw seats separated by small walls instead of armrests, creating semi-closed pods for travelers. It was a dream for introverts like me.

    Whether I was at the airport, on the train, or even a busy shopping mall, my surroundings were quiet — so quiet, I often thought I had my headphones in when I didn't.

    In New York City, I'm used to hearing strangers' full conversations or music blasting from their headphones. In Japan, I rarely even heard someone on their phone — and if people were traveling together, they were silent or speaking quietly.

    As a result, public spaces in Japan maintain an air of tranquility that feels like a novelty compared to many public spaces in the United States.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Another nail in the coffin for ‘Summer Fridays’

    PwC logo on the facade of one of it's office buildings in front of a blue sky.
    PwC has gradually decreased its Summer Fridays perk in recent years.

    • PwC has gradually curtailed Summer Fridays in recent years. 
    • Some partners expected the perk to be eliminated altogether, The Financial Times reports.
    • Top firms are tightening their belts as demand slows.

    PwC staff in the UK are bracing for a popular perk cutback.

    The Big Four accounting firm is slashing its "Summer Fridays" to a span of six weeks this year, The Financial Times reported.

    PwC first introduced Summer Fridays in 2021, and gave Friday afternoons off for a three-month span in 2022.

    It reduced that period to two months in 2023, according to FT, before cutting it further this year.

    Some partners thought Summer Fridays would be eliminated entirely this year, FT reports.

    In a memo, PwC chief people officer Ian Elliott cited "market conditions" for the shift, saying employees should balance summer hours "with the needs of our clients, teams and work commitments, which should continue to take priority," according to FT.

    In addition to cutting Summer Fridays, PwC is handing out smaller bonuses and salary increases to some of its UK staff, which numbers 26,000 workers, FT reports.

    PwC offered UK buyout packages earlier this year as advisory work has slowed at top consulting firms.

    PwC told Business Insider in a statement that the "vast majority" of its employees "received a bonus and a 3% pay rise," adding, "our summer working hours are continuing once again, albeit for a shorter period."

    A perk on the decline

    A recent study shows that Summer Fridays are getting phased out across the industry.

    Eleven percent of North American workers reported having the perk, CNBC reported last month, citing a 2023 Gartner survey of 1,100 people. By comparison, 55% of companies offered the benefit in 2019, according to a Gartner survey of 94 HR leaders.

    CNBC reported the shift could be attributed to the rise of hybrid work and work-from-home Fridays — as well as companies cracking down on flexible work paradigms that emerged during the pandemic.

    Other companies are keeping Summer Fridays but adding a catch. Kellogg's global snacks unit this year lets its workers take off for half the day on Fridays — but makes them make up the time at other points in the week.

    Despite the decline in Summer Fridays, some business titans think the 4-day workweek is an inevitability.

    "You know, between the advent of AI, generally, we hear from people that Fridays are just not — people are not as productive on Fridays, and so I just think it's an eventuality," billionaire hedge fund manager and New York Mets owner Steve Cohen said in April.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Costco unexpectedly sold out of chickens this week — 22-inch garden statue roosters, that is

    A steel chicken garden statue from Costco.
    Costco's chicken garden statues appear to be a hit.

    • It's often said that you can buy anything at Costco, and that includes 22-inch chicken statues.
    • A comically proportioned steel garden chicken has apparently struck a chord with Costco shoppers.
    • The $38 product unexpectedly sold out online, leaving some Costco fans feeling left out.

    If there are two things Costco is well known for, it's finding items you didn't know you wanted, and selling a lot of chickens.

    This week, those two things converged — in a way — when the company unexpectedly sold out of a 22-inch tall garden statue of a rooster.

    So, while the comically proportioned steel bird wasn't $5 (and obviously isn't edible), the $38 price tag was arguably a bargain, compared with comparable offerings from other online sellers.

    Several Reddit users said they ordered the chicken only to be informed that the item had been oversold and the order canceled.

    The product listing page for a steel chicken statue from Costco.

    "We regret to inform you that the item you had ordered, 1793860 STEEL CHICKEN, has been accidentally oversold and we are unable to fulfill your order," Costco said to one shopper, in an email that was shared with Business Insider.

    In a follow-up note, the company said she would receive a $10 Costco Shop card "as compensation for your inconvenience."

    "I'm super bummed! Honestly, I'd rather have the chicken than an extra $10," she said in a Reddit post about the experience.

    Soon other users began posting (and boasting) about the chickens they were able to buy, with many making comparisons to the feathered sidekick Hei-Hei from the Disney film Moana.

    As of Friday, the steel chicken has not yet made its way to eBay and Facebook Marketplace, but we wouldn't be surprised if the early enthusiasm leads to some resales while shoppers wait for a restock.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Gen Z’s latest fashion hack is using iPhone Notes to plan outfits. Here’s how to do it yourself.

    Composite image of Jordan Hart posing and an open Notes app page
    Keep track of your outfits and plan ahead with your Notes app.

    • iPhone owners are uploading photos of their outfits to the Notes app on their phones.
    • The Gen Z viral style hack is helping people to remember and plan their looks.
    • Here's which iPhone features to use if you want to try it.

    Gen Z fashionistas are taking closet organization into their own hands — and using a simple iPhone feature to do it.

    While Pinterest boards offer style inspiration, some young people are using the Notes app instead. There, they can upload photos of their own wardrobe and outfits and plan looks based on clothes they already have.

    One big benefit: There aren't any special apps or tools to download. This closet-organizing hack is doable with an up-to-date iOS device.

    iPhone Notes App with outfit pictures
    As the trend grows, people are using it to plan their vacation outfits.

    It's unclear who was the first to figure it out, but it was popularized by influencer Morgan Riddle in 2023. It's particularly helpful when planning outfits for a vacation, and many people break them down by location or occasion.

    TikTokers praise the hack for helping them remember their favorite outfits and plan for trips. Some compared it to dress-up toys like Polly Pocket or the changeable avatar skins in the video game Fortnite.

    Here's how to make your own version of Cher Horowitz's closet from the "Clueless" movie.

    Start in your Photos app

    Jordan Hart posing with the "copy" button above her
    Pressing and holding a picture of yourself should prompt some options to pop up.

    You can either try on potential outfits or use photos you've already taken, but you'll want to use full-body pictures of yourself.

    Pro tip: For the best results, choose images in which you're the main focus and the only one in the photo.

    Once you've chosen your first picture, press down on your body until it's highlighted with a glowing outline and a list of options at the top. Then, press "copy."

    Now head to the Notes app

    Composite image of the notes app
    You can copy and paste your pictures into the notes app.

    Once you've copied the outfit, open the Notes app and select a note to paste your image onto. You can use a generic title like "Outfits" or name your note based on a trip or occasion.

    Press anywhere on the empty note to paste your outfit. It'll probably take up most of the note at first, but don't worry.

    To shrink it down and make room for more pictures, press the three dots in the top right corner of the note. When the options come up, press "attachment view," then select "set all to small." That should make your images smaller. You can do this after adding all of your attachments, but doing it after the first one made it easier for me to organize them.

    Repeat and customize it based on your needs

    Screenshot of Notes App with outfit photos characterized by season
    You can customize your note to fit your fashion needs.

    Once you've uploaded all of your ensembles, it's time to organize them how you see fit. Since I'm not going on a trip soon, I sorted some past outfits based on which season they're best suited for.

    You could also sort them by a particular aesthetic or the type of event to which they'd be worn.

    As someone who tends to plan her outfits about an hour before walking out of the door in them, I was skeptical of this hack.

    However, being able to keep a record of my favorite looks from over the years has made this a useful tool.

    I might not want to repeat my 'fits, but having them side by side is giving me new inspo on how to mix and match my clothes.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Heavy rain could put a dampener on the lavish Ambani wedding, with flight delays and flooded roads in Mumbai

    Red flowers and yellow lights decorate an archway to the Antilia tower as security guards stand outisde
    The entrance to the Ambani family's Mumbai home, a 27-story tower called Antilia, was decorated ahead of the wedding of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant.

    • An orange alert for heavy rainfall has been issued in Mumbai for the coming days.
    • The weather warning coincides with the Ambani wedding, featuring a star-studded guest list.
    • Over half the flights arriving in Mumbai on Friday are delayed, and Air India is warning travelers to leave extra time.

    Heavy rain could put a dampener on the celebrations of Anant Ambani and his wife-to-be, Radhika Merchant at their lavish wedding in Mumbai this weekend.

    The India Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for the Maharashtra region, where Mumbai is situated, due to the possibility of heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next five days.

    Anant Ambani, the son of India's richest person, Mukesh Ambani, is celebrating his ceremony across an opulent three days of festivities, with a star-studded guest list including Kim Kardashian and John Kerry, the former US secretary of state, according to CNBC TV-18, which obtained the guest list from event organizers.

    After a string of extravagant celebrations beginning in March, billionaire Ambani's youngest child will marry Radhika Merchant, the daughter of Viren and Shaila Merchant, both pharmaceutical tycoons, in Mumbai.

    The weather warning is attributed to a monsoon trough and cyclonic circulation over the state of Maharashtra. Heavy rain is common during India's monsoon season, which runs from June to September.

    Mumbai recorded almost 30 centimeters of rain in a single day earlier in the week, Bloomberg reported.

    Children play near a rickshaw in a flooded street in Mumbai, India on July 8, 2024
    Children playing in a flooded Mumbai Street this week.

    An orange warning is an "alert" under the IMD's system, and according to the Times of India, it can include weather that disrupts transport and travel, lowered visibility, and, in some areas, can cause landslips.

    Heavy rain on Friday caused some roads in the city to flood, the Times of India reported.

    Due to the heavy rains, Air India issued an important update in a post on X on Friday, encouraging passengers to depart early to the airport to avoid delays.

    "Flights to and from Mumbai are getting affected due to heavy rains," the post said.

    "Guests are advised to start early for the airport, as slow traffic and waterlogging may delay movement."

    The Press Trust of India uploaded a video to X showing waterlogging following heavy rainfall at terminal two of Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, the airport's terminal for international flights.

    According to data from FlightRadar24, as of 12 p.m. ET Friday, around 57% of flights arriving in Mumbai had been delayed, while around 79% of departures were late.

    Read the original article on Business Insider