Innholdsfortegnelse for 5/21-5/28/2021 i Newsweek International

THE PANDEMIC HAS DRAMATICALLY RESHAPED AMERIcans’ relationship with credit cards—surprisingly, for the better. Instead of the increased delinquencies, ballooning balances and falling credit scores that might have been expected as the economy struggled and unemployment spiked, the opposite has happened: Balances are down, credit scores are up and credit card issuers are rolling out a red carpet of enhanced rewards to keep consumers spending. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, balances dropped an average of 10 percent from March to June of last year, and the trend continued through 2020, proving true even for people who had been struggling financially before the pandemic. New delinquencies on loans and credit card accounts also fell, after being flat or increasing gradually in 2019. Experts attribute the improvement to a combination of…

BEST FOR STUDENTS Students typically need low interest rates, in case their budget goes sideways at school; low fees and an extended no-interest introductory period so they don’t have to stress about repaying the cost of that new laptop or dorm furnishings in a single month. The winning card offers all this plus generous cash rewards and bonuses. Discover it Student Cash Back INTRO OFFER: 0% interest on purchases for six months BONUSES: Unlimited dollar-for-dollar match of the cash back you earn the first year, plus a $20 annual credit if your GPA is 3.0 or higher REWARDS: 5% cash back on up to $1,500 a quarter on rotating categories that can include restaurants, grocery stores or Amazon; 1% on all other purchases BEST FOR NEW HOMEOWNERS Renovations, new furniture…

BEST OVERALL REWARDS, WITH NO ANNUAL FEE To earn the top rewards that issuers dole out, you typically need to pay an annual fee and spend big bucks ($3,000 to $4,000 or more) within the first few months of opening an account. But moderate spenders don’t have to miss out on stellar returns with these two no-fee winners, which both offer generous rewards for common purchases and a decent sign-up bonus, while only requiring charges of $1,000 or less during the introductory period. Which card is better for you depends on where you spend the most—Capital One may have the edge on everyday spending and online shopping; Chase, for consumers who travel often. Capital One SavorOne Rewards INTRO OFFER: 0% financing on purchases for 15 months SIGN-UP BONUS: $200 if…

01 Eastern State Penitentiary Philadelphia This prison operated from 1829 to 1971, and when it was first built, it was the largest building in the country. Notoriously, inmates were often tortured there. Now the deserted penitentiary is considered one of the most haunted places in the world; reported sightings of figures and the sounds of footsteps, crying and screaming abound. 02 City Hall Station New York This beautiful subway station was in use until 1945, but it closed down because the curve of the platform was too sharp for newer, longer trains. Decorated with stained glass skylights, colorful tile and brickwork and chandeliers, this work of art is sadly no longer accessible to commuters and passersby, but the New York Transit Museum does offer tours to this underground…

AS INDIA DESCENDED INTO A COVID-19 tragedy that dwarfed anything the country had experienced in the pandemic so far, with hospitals inundated, oxygen supplies short and vaccines reportedly being stolen from warehouses, American politicians seven thousand miles away were clamoring to end pandemic restrictions. Representative Jim Jordan railed at Dr. Anthony Fauci in the House chambers, “You don’t think Americans’ liberties have been threatened the last year, Dr. Fauci? They’ve been assaulted!” Alabama Governor Kay Ivey told Fox News, “We have been at this for more than a year now, and we have simply got to move forward. Endless government mandates are not the answer.” Many Americans are looking forward to a summer of quasi-normal human interactions, where it’s okay to invite your friends for a barbeque, belly up to…

BEST BIG BANK CARD Cards from banks with at least $10 billion in assets dominate the market, and their greater financial clout typically allows them to offer the most generous payouts. Our winner makes it especially easy to accrue and redeem rewards, plus offers a longer-than-usual period when you won’t be charged interest on balance transfers. Citi Double Cash INTEREST RATE: 13.99%-23.99% BALANCE TRANSFERS: 0% interest for 18 months REWARDS: 1% cash back when you buy, 1% when you pay BEST SMALL BANK CARD Smaller banks with less than $10 billion in assets typically can’t compete with the big boys on rewards but make up for it with better rates and introductory features. Our winner excels on both those fronts, and also gives more generous rewards than commonly found in…

BEST NO-INTEREST PERIOD When you’ve got a sudden emergency or big purchase you need help financing, opening a card with a stellar introductory offer gives you a grace period to save for the repayment without incurring additional fees or penalties. The winner doesn’t offer fancy rewards or sign-up bonuses but it makes up for it with the longest intro period in our universe. U.S. Bank Visa Platinum INTEREST RATE: 14.49%–24.49% INTRO OFFER: 0% financing on purchases for 20 months BALANCE TRANSFER: 0% financing on transfers for 20 months, 3% fee BEST SIGN-UP BONUS (SMALL BANK) Cards from credit unions and financial institutions with less than $10 billion in assets can’t compete outright with bigger issuers on the size of their bonus. But they can deliver a winning combo of features…

MOVIES LIKE PARASITE AND MINARI HAVE been critical and commercial international hits and K-pop artists like BTS have broken records around the world. Now its K-drama’s turn. According to Netflix, South Korean-made shows like Kingdom and It’s Okay to Not Be Okay are being watched on the streaming service in more than 30 languages, including English, German, French, Swedish, Hindi, Portuguese and Bahasa Indonesia. K-dramas have been one of the driving forces of South Korea’s entertainment industry for decades. In recent years, their quality has improved tremendously with bigger budgets and more varied characters and story lines than ever before. The international success of Korean TV actually predates the K-pop explosion. The word hallyu (“Korean wave”) was coined in the late 1990s. The trend picked up steam in 2003, when…