Secondly, the mention of the need to promote innovation as a "strategic support" for the economy underscored the growing importance of technological advancement in driving sustainable development. By emphasizing the role of innovation in enhancing productivity, fostering competitiveness, and fostering high-quality growth, the government is signaling its intention to prioritize investment in research and development, as well as the creation of a conducive environment for technological breakthroughs. This recognition of innovation as a key driver of economic progress sets the stage for a more dynamic and adaptive economic landscape in the coming years.
As players delve into the new content of the "Black Myth: Wukong" New Year set, one of the standout features is the interactive fireworks display that triggers a hidden Easter egg when activated. The dazzling fireworks illuminate the virtual sky, casting a colorful glow over the picturesque in-game landscapes. Players are encouraged to explore different locations and trigger the fireworks to uncover the hidden surprise—a special festive greeting from the game developers to usher in the Lunar New Year.Money Research Collective’s editorial team solely created this content. Opinions are their own, but compensation and in-depth research determine where and how companies may appear. Many featured companies advertise with us. How we make money . By Marc Guberti MONEY RESEARCH COLLECTIVE December 5, 2024 Investing in assets can put you in a better position by the time you’re ready to retire. While stocks and real estate have received plenty of attention over the years, gold remains a reliable investment that has been around for thousands of years. It’s an essential resource for many industries, is a medium of exchange and serves as a safe-haven asset during geopolitical unrest or periods of market volatility. Gold is a hedge against inflation and can thrive during economic uncertainty. That last advantage is a key distinction that separates it from stocks and real estate. However, physical gold doesn’t produce yield like dividend stocks or cash flow like investment properties. Fortunately, it’s still possible to use precious metals to generate retirement income. This guide will explain several ways to use gold for retirement income. Open a gold IRA A gold individual retirement account — or gold IRA — allows you to accumulate physical precious metals in a tax-advantaged account. You won’t have to worry about gold storage, as the IRA’s custodian will handle it. You can then cash out on your gold holdings when you need to cover living expenses. The IRS sets limits for how much you can contribute to an IRA, whether it’s a conventional or gold IRA. If you make the maximum contribution to a gold IRA, you can’t contribute to another IRA. The maximum contribution for traditional and Roth IRAs is currently capped at $7,000 per year for those age 49 and younger. The IRS raises this limit periodically, but you can make catch-up contributions if you are 50 years or older. Catch-up contributions allow you to invest an additional $1,000 into your IRA each year. Anyone can open a Roth IRA, but your modified adjusted gross income must be below $146,000 to contribute the full amount. Investors who earn too much for a Roth IRA can use the backdoor method to fund it. This involves moving funds from a traditional IRA — which doesn’t have income restrictions — to a Roth IRA. Some gold IRA providers give you the flexibility to set up traditional and Roth IRAs. Learn more by reading our guide to the best gold IRA companies . Invest in gold stocks and gold ETFs Gold stocks are easier to buy and manage than physical gold. You also wouldn’t need a separate IRA just for gold investments. However, gold stocks can underperform the precious metal due to several factors. For instance, Newmont Corp. — the world’s largest gold mining company — has only seen its stock gain 13% over the past five years, failing to keep pace with gold prices , which have gained more than 70% during the same period. Varying financial performances and opportunities result in gold stocks having different results than physical gold. Investors have to trust that a company will make good business decisions instead of leaning exclusively on the long-term reliability of gold. However, gold stocks have an edge with liquidity, especially if you want to receive dividends. For example, Newmont has a dividend yield above 2%, and it’s not the only gold stock that offers a good dividend. Some people prefer to avoid the complexities of converting physical gold into cash and opt for dividends and stocks instead. Some gold exchange-traded funds also produce yield, which help generate income in retirement. These gold ETFs hold baskets of gold mining companies, whereas some gold ETFs are backed by physical gold and do not pay dividends. Similar to gold stocks, gold ETFs have also lagged the gains of physical gold. For example, while the VanEck Gold Miners ETF has a dividend that yields around 1.34%, it gained 41.55% over the past five years compared to the 70% return for physical gold. Buy physical gold and exchange it when necessary It takes more time to buy physical gold than buying a stock, including finding a reputable and trustworthy gold dealer . Physical gold isn’t as liquid, and you are responsible for storage (and optional gold insurance , as well). However, a key advantage of physical gold is that you claim full ownership of the asset. While gold ETFs and IRAs give you exposure to gold and better liquidity, buying the physical asset gives you the most control. Some people value having control over the asset instead of trusting a custodian, gold miner or fund manager. Luckily, physical gold commands a lot of value without taking up much space. A kilogram of gold is smaller than most iPhones, and an ounce of gold is about half the size of an iPhone. It’s easy to hide and move gold around if needed, but it’s still good to find professional storage and get it insured in case something happens. Physical gold should continue to gain value due to inflation. Then, you can sell your gold bars and coins when you need extra retirement funds. Should gold be a part of your retirement strategy? Putting all of your eggs in one basket is very risky, and that’s why many experts recommend diversifying your portfolio. Gold can be a valuable part of the mix, as its returns aren’t correlated to the stock market. The prices of precious metals can hold steady or gain value when stocks and real estate enter corrections. And while expert opinions on gold vary, many agree that investors shouldn’t allocate more than 5-10% of their portfolio to the precious metal. This amount of exposure provides a good buffer against inflation while allowing you to allocate funds to other asset classes. IRAs are attractive options for gold investors who want to capitalize on tax benefits while growing their portfolios. Conventional IRAs reduce your present taxable income, while Roth IRAs shield you from taxes on your distributions and capital gains. While those types of accounts can hold gold-backed equities like stocks and ETFs, only gold IRAs can hold precious metals. Investors should assess their long-term goals and financial situations before accumulating gold.
Three Americans Released From China in Fresh Prisoner Swap
Before the temperatures drop too low, take some time to prepare your home for the cold season. Check for drafts around windows and doors, insulate your attic, and consider investing in a programmable thermostat to regulate the temperature efficiently. Stock up on blankets, candles, and cozy throws to create a warm and inviting atmosphere in your living spaces.
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The first hint of trouble came to light when a number of players and coaches from various teams in the league began to speak out about what they perceived as biased or inconsistent officiating during matches involving the now-disgraced referee. Complaints ranged from missed calls and questionable decisions to instances of alleged favoritism toward certain teams or players. While rumors of impropriety had circulated in the past, it was not until an internal investigation was launched that the full extent of the referee's misconduct came to light.HARARE, Zimbabwe — In Southern Africa, where democracy remains relatively stable, elections held in 2024 saw long-governing liberation parties struggling to survive. Across Africa, power struggles involving military governments, coup attempts and armed conflict are common, but the southern region has largely been more stable and elections in some countries brought joy and hopes of a better future. Not so much though for some long-governing parties. The decades-old goodwill of liberating their countries from colonial rule appears to be giving way to frustration over economic problems and limited opportunities for young people in the region. As voters become younger, and without personal memories of colonialism, which ended before they were born, liberation struggle-era parties in Southern Africa lost power or were given a wake-up call in 2024. For many young voters, performance of the government matters more than historic liberation struggle era credentials that these parties have relied on to stay in power for decades, resulting in “the shifting political tectonic plates we are seeing,” said Nic Cheeseman, a political scientist and professor at the University of Birmingham in England. Get the latest breaking news as it happens. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy . “Generational change is an important factor in the shifting political tectonic plates we are seeing. People want jobs and dignity — you can’t eat memories,” said Cheeseman, who researches African politics. Botswana, a tiny nation of about 2.5 million people with a history of democratic stability, provided the biggest shock as the economy suffered from a global downturn in demand for mined diamonds, and levels of youth unemployment rose. Opposition supporters dressed in blue and white took to the streets to celebrate, while then President Mokgweetsi Masisi conceded defeat even before the vote count was over following an election held in late October. The opposition landslide marked the end of the 58 years in power of the Botswana Democratic Party, which had governed the country since independence from the United Kingdom in 1966. Months earlier, South African voters turned against the African National Congress, the party led by anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela in the 1990s. In May, the ANC lost its majority, forcing it to share power with the opposition. The result put South Africa on an uncharted political path for the first time since the end of apartheid three decades ago. The ANC has been gradually losing support since the 2009 national election, also ceding political control of major cities because of widespread discontent over corruption, service delivery failures and economic struggles. However, its drop from 57.5% of support to 40% in May was its biggest loss yet. In Namibia, the candidate of the long-governing South West Africa People’s Organization, or SWAPO — 72-year-old Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah — made history by becoming the country’s first female president. However, SWAPO won 51 seats in the parliamentary vote, only just passing the 49 it needed to keep its majority and narrowly avoiding becoming another liberation struggle party to be rejected in Southern Africa this year. This marked SWAPO’s worst parliamentary result since Namibia gained independence from South Africa’s apartheid government in 1990, signaling a potential shift in the country’s political landscape. Many liberation governments have reason to be worried even though the consistency of democratic processes could be lauded, said Nicole Beardsworth, politics researcher and lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. “What we see in Southern Africa is a relative stability in terms of democratic standards, where citizens seem to believe that their votes matter and that they count. So this does present a concern for ruling parties,” Beardsworth said. In Mozambique, results that extended the governing Frelimo party's nearly half-century in power following an election in October ignited protests that resulted in the death of at least 100 people, according to Amnesty International. Exiled opposition leader Venancio Mondlane, capitalizing on growing youth discontent in the country of 34 million people, has challenged the election outcome in court. Also, he has continued calling for protests that range from street marches to road and border blockades and the banging of pots. A similar situation occurred in January in the Indian Ocean island nation of Comoros, where news of incumbent President Azali Assoumani winning a fourth term triggered violent unrest that left one person dead and scores others injured. Cheeseman, the political researcher, said that protests, including in countries where democracy is thwarted, reflect “growing signs — from protests to online dissent — that public opinion is already turning.” “Even citizens who have lost faith in democracy want responsive and accountable government, and to have their voices heard,” he said. Elections swept away ruling parties in several countries elsewhere in the region and across the economically troubled continent of more than 1.4 billion people and home to the world’s youngest population. The Indian Ocean island of Mauritius, one of Africa’s most stable democracies, saw an opposition coalition grab all contested parliamentary seats, driving out the government led by Pravind Jugnauth, who was replaced by former Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam. In West Africa, Senegal in March elected previously little-known 44-year-old Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who became the continent’s youngest leader. Faye defeated rivals who included a former prime minister who was backed by then incumbent Macky Sall, just a few weeks after being released from prison to run in the polls. And hopes for change continue running high in a country where more than 60% of the population is under age 25 and 90% work in informal jobs, after Faye’s PASTEF party won 130 of 165 seats. Former President John Dramani Mahama returned to power in Ghana, as voters vented their anger over the policies of outgoing President Nana Akufo-Addo in early December. The 65-year-old Mahama’s National Democratic Congress also won the majority in parliament.