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Tag: discover

  • [Targeted] Discover: Extra 6% Back On Amazon Purchases – Doctor Of Credit

    [Targeted] Discover: Extra 6% Back On Amazon Purchases – Doctor Of Credit

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    The Offer

    No direct link to offer, sent out via e-mail. Subject line is ‘Earn an extra 6% cash back at Amazon.com’

    • Discover is offering some cardholders an additional 6% back on Amazon purchases, up to $1,000 in spend. Valid until June 30, 2024

    Our Verdict

    This is in addition to the rewards you’d normally earn.

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    William Charles

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  • Capital One waiting for regulatory approval of Discover acquisition | Bank Automation News

    Capital One waiting for regulatory approval of Discover acquisition | Bank Automation News

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    As it waits for regulators to approve its $35 billion acquisition of payments network Discover, Capital One is “fully mobilized to plan and deliver a successful integration.” 

    Adding Discover will make the $475 billion bank a more “diversified, vertically-integrated global payments platform,” and Discover’s payment volume generated from its 100 million customers will scale Capital One operations and reach, Chief Executive Richard Fairbank said during Capital One’s first-quarter earnings call on April 25.

    Courtesy/Bloomberg

    All applications for regulatory approval have been filed, Fairbank added. 

    In the first quarter, Discover reported payment volume of $51.8 billion, flat year over year, on its Discover Network.  

    “The Capital One team is leading the integration planning process,” Michael Shepherd, chief executive of Discover, said during the company’s earnings call on April 18. “The process has achieved the first important milestone, the submission of the merger applications to the Federal Reserve and the [Office of the Comptroller of the Currency].” 

    Capital One will “leverage and scale the benefits of our 11-year technology transformation across every business and the network, which will serve as a catalyst for innovation and enhanced capabilities in risk management and compliance, underwriting, marketing and customer service,” Fairbank said on the April 25 call. 

    The merger’s tech cost is expected to be $2.8 billion, according to Bank Automation News’ prior reporting. 

    THE BIG PICTURE: Many financial institutions are preparing for a wave of mergers and acquisitions in 2024.  

    Morgan Stanley is deploying technological tools to aid M&A activities while Goldman Sachs is eyeing increased revenue from a potential increase in M&A activities. 

    BY THE NUMBERS: In Q1, Capital One reported; 

    • Net revenues of $9.4 billion, down 1% YoY; 
    • Employees of 51,300, down 9% YoY; 
    • Net interest income of $7.4 billion, up 4% YoY; and 
    • Net income of $1.2 billion, up 33% YoY. 

    OF NOTE: The Federal Reserve has extended the public comment period on the acquisition of Discover until May 31. The initial deadline was today.  

    Of six public comments posted on the Fed’s website, five are opposed to the merger to avoid consolidation of financial services in the industry. 

    NOTEWORTHY: Its technology and digital-first banking capabilities are driving Capital One deposits, Fairbank said.  

    In Q1, Capital One reported total deposits of $2.8 billion, up 52% YoY, according to the bank’s earnings report. 

    .

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    Vaidik Trivedi

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  • Austin Pets Alive! | A Celebration of Giving: The Enduring Power of…

    Austin Pets Alive! | A Celebration of Giving: The Enduring Power of…

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    In a world brimming with busy lives and personal goals, we take a moment
    to celebrate the incredible impact of volunteers. Their dedication
    embodies the very best of humanity: our interconnectedness, compassion, and unwavering commitment to building a better world together.

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  • Redeem Discover Cashback for Gift Cards: 20% Off Nike, 15% Off Lowe’s

    Redeem Discover Cashback for Gift Cards: 20% Off Nike, 15% Off Lowe’s

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    Redeem Discover Cashback for Gift Cards

    Redeem Discover Cashback for Gift Cards

    If you have a Discover card that earns cashback such as Discover it, and you have a cashback balance, you can get up to a 20% discount when redeeming for gift cards.

    You can get 20% discount on Nike gift cards, and 15% on Lowe’s gift cards. Here’s a list of some of the deals that are currently available.

    • 20% Discount
    • 15% Discount
      • Lowe’s
      • Macy’s
      • Staples
    • 10% Discount
      • Buffalo Wild Wings
      • Chili’s
      • Chipotle
      • Home Depot
    • 5% Discount

    You can find the Discover gift card page here.

    HT: GC Galore


    Discover it® Cash Back Card

    Get a $100 Statement Credit after you apply and make your first purchase within 3 months of being approved.
    Earn 5% cash back on rotating quarterly categories.
    (Apply for Discover it Miles instead)


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    DDG

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  • [Targeted] Discover: Spend $25+ Via Digital Wallet 5 Times & Earn $25 – Doctor Of Credit

    [Targeted] Discover: Spend $25+ Via Digital Wallet 5 Times & Earn $25 – Doctor Of Credit

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    The Offer

    No direct link to offer, sent out via e-mail. Subject line unknown

    • Discover is offering $25 when you spend $25 via digital wallet 5 times

    The Fine Print

    • Offer valid now through 4/30/2024.
    • Earn $25 Cashback Bonus for making five separate purchases of $25 or more on each purchase using your Discover Card with your Digital Wallet. That’s a minimum of $125 in purchases consisting of at least 5 separate purchases.
    • Digital Wallet purchases include those made with Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Garmin Pay, and in-store with Google Pay. Apple Pay transactions included in this offer are transactions made in-store or online when using the Apple Pay button.
    • No activation required.
    • Offer is non-transferable and limited to one offer per Discover account, whether the offer is received from Discover, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, or Garmin Pay.
    • Purchases must be made with merchants in the U.S.
    • To qualify for $25, the purchase transaction date must be before or on the last day of the offer or promotion.

    Our Verdict

    Great deal if targeted.

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    William Charles

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  • Discover Points: Redeem For Uber eGiftcards With 15% Discount – Doctor Of Credit

    Discover Points: Redeem For Uber eGiftcards With 15% Discount – Doctor Of Credit

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    The Offer

    • Discover cashback is offering a 15% discount when redeeming for Uber e-gift cards. For example, $100 gift card will cost $85 in points.

    The Fine Print

    • Valid through 3/31/24

    Our Verdict

    This is a decent savings. Standard discount is 5% off Uber.

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    Chuck

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  • Ancient tin badge — depicting a dragon — found in Poland. It had a special purpose

    Ancient tin badge — depicting a dragon — found in Poland. It had a special purpose

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    An ancient badge found in Poland was likely worn by a Middle Ages traveler for protection, according to experts from the Lublin Provincial Conservator of Monuments.

    An ancient badge found in Poland was likely worn by a Middle Ages traveler for protection, according to experts from the Lublin Provincial Conservator of Monuments.

    Screengrab from the Lublin Provincial Conservator of Monuments on Facebook

    After discovering a small, lead and tin object in Poland, an archaeologist shared his find with local officials.

    It turned out to be an ancient “odznaka pielgrzyma” — which translates to “pilgrim’s badge” — a rare find for the area, according to a Feb. 23 Facebook post from the Lublin Provincial Conservator of Monuments.

    The circular badge is made of a mix of lead and tin, and it measures about 1 inch in diameter, experts said. It was unearthed in the village of Wólka Nieliska.

    Experts said the badge depicts a basilisk dragon, which in ancient times was a mythological monster-like serpent known to kill its prey with just a look or a breath.

    Photos shared by the conservator show the ancient artifact.

    Pilgrim’s badges originated in the Middle Ages, and they were common between the 11th and 16th centuries, officials said. They were worn by travelers, or pilgrims, as protection against dangers such as assault, theft and disease. They were also meant to manifest the purpose of a trip.

    Researchers said the badges came in various shapes and forms. They could be circular, cross-shaped or shield-shaped. Some depicted saints, knights or other human figures, while others showed animal figures, like the dragon.

    A handful of other pilgrim’s badges have been found in Poland, but there are more throughout western Europe, according to the conservator.

    Wólka Nieliska is in eastern Poland, about 160 miles southeast of Warsaw.

    Google Translate and Facebook were used to translate a Facebook post from the Lublin Provincial Conservator of Monuments.

    Moira Ritter covers real-time news for McClatchy. She is a graduate of Georgetown University where she studied government, journalism and German. Previously, she reported for CNN Business.

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  • Discover Q2 2024 5% Categories: Gas & EV, Home Improvement, Public Transit – Doctor Of Credit

    Discover Q2 2024 5% Categories: Gas & EV, Home Improvement, Public Transit – Doctor Of Credit

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    Discover has released their rotating 5% categories for the second quarter of 2024, up to $1,500 in purchases:

    • Gas and EV charging
    • Home Improvement stores
    • Public Transit

    These are typical spring/summer categories and can be useful. Login, then click this link to see you how far along the $1,500 you are.

    Activate to earn 5% Cashback Bonus at Gas Stations & Electric Vehicle Charging Stations, Home Improvement Stores, and Public Transit from 4/1/24 (or the date on which you activate 5%, whichever is later) through 6/30/24, on up to $1,500 in purchases. Gas Station & EV Charging Station purchases include those made at merchants classified as places that sell automotive gasoline that can be bought at the pump or inside the station, and public electric vehicle charging stations. Gas Stations and EV Charging Stations affiliated with supermarkets, supercenters, and wholesale clubs may not be eligible. Certain parking garages where public electric vehicle charging is offered or included may not be eligible. Home Improvement Store purchases include online and in store purchases at home improvement retail stores, building supply stores (e.g. lumber, paint, and hardware stores), lawn, nursery, and garden supply stores. Purchases made through third parties such as contractors may not qualify. Purchases from home furnishing, home appliance, plumbing, heating supply, and floor covering stores are not included. Public Transit purchases include local commuter passenger bus, rail, and ferry services. Taxi, rideshare services, long-range passenger land, rail, and water transportation services are not included.

    Hat tip to reelbgpunk

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    Chuck

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  • Jamie Dimon is unfazed by the $36 billion Capital One-Discover merger that could leapfrog JPMorgan: ‘Let them compete’

    Jamie Dimon is unfazed by the $36 billion Capital One-Discover merger that could leapfrog JPMorgan: ‘Let them compete’

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    The finance behemoth created by Capital One’s pending merger with Discover would immediately surpass credit card leader JP Morgan Chase, but CEO Jamie Dimon isn’t worried about the competition—he relishes it.

    “Let them compete, let them try,” he said in a Monday interview with CNBC. 

    Regulators should allow the merger to go through and let the market hash out the rest, he said. Despite the deal’s threat to his own company, the long-time finance industry veteran said he was “not worried about it really.” 

    Yet, Capital One’s $35 billion acquisition of Discover would allow it to supplant JP Morgan Chase as the largest credit card issuer in the country, and give it access to the lucrative fees Discover’s network charges to facilitate transactions with merchants. It would also allow Capital One to cut costs by shifting some debit and credit transactions to Discover’s payments network.

    When asked about the implications of JP Morgan being replaced as the top credit card issuer, Dimon said that would only be the case, “for now.” 

    Still, he added that if the deal went through it would give Capital One an unfair advantage when it comes to debit cards.

    Thanks to an exception in the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act created for companies like Discover and American Express that issue credit cards and deal directly with merchants, post-merger, Capital One would be allowed to jack up the fees charged to merchants to use Discover debit cards while banks like JP Morgan are more limited due to the law.

    “Of course I have a problem with that,” Dimon said. “Why should they be allowed to price debit different than we price debit just because of a law that was passed?”

    Showing no fear of competition, Dimon added that regulators shouldn’t stand in the way of more mergers in the financial sector.

    “I think they should allow some of these smaller banks to merge,” he said. “If that’s how they think they can best compete with JP Morgan, you should let them.”

    But while JP Morgan’s top boss seems fine with the tie-up of Capital One and Discover, lawmakers are fiercely opposed to the proposal. On Sunday, 13 Democrats led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) signed an open letter urging President Biden to block the deal because it would be bad for consumers. On the other side of the aisle, last week Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) also came out against the deal in a letter to Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter, who leads the antitrust division. 

    Jamie Dimon’s career

    The 67-year-old’s long track record of success at the helm of JP Morgan shows why he’s not worried about the threat of Capital One’s tie-up with Discover. 

    Dimon is well versed in financial industry acquisitions. His tenure at JP Morgan itself came about as a result of the bank’s merger with Bank One Corporation, where he was chairman and CEO. And before that he helped guide several acquisitions as chief financial officer and later president of Commercial Credit, including its acquisition of Traveler’s Group in 1993. He served as president of Citigroup after the $70 billion merger between Travelers Group and Citicorp. in 1998.

    After becoming CEO of JP Morgan in 2006, Dimon helped navigate the bank through the 2008 financial crisis, offloading billions of dollars of subprime mortgages that allowed the company to weather the turmoil better than other competitors.

    More recently, Dimon led JP Morgan to its seventh consecutive quarter of record net interest income and clinched the title for the most profitable year on record for a U.S. bank in 2023.

    Subscribe to the CFO Daily newsletter to keep up with the trends, issues, and executives shaping corporate finance. Sign up for free.

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    Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez

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  • Cap One could dodge law requiring added processing capacity | Bank Automation News

    Cap One could dodge law requiring added processing capacity | Bank Automation News

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    Capital One could be excluded from the proposed Credit Card Competition Act of 2023 if its acquisition of Discover Financial Services goes through and the bank creates an in-house processor.  Read more on the Capital One, Discover deal The proposed act, introduced in June 2023 by U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill, would require credit card […]

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    Whitney McDonald

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  • Capital One, Discover integration could cost $2.8B | Bank Automation News

    Capital One, Discover integration could cost $2.8B | Bank Automation News

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    Capital One announced its plans to acquire Riverwoods, Ill.-based Discover Financial Services and expects to spend $2.8 billion on integration costs, including tech conversion.  “Capital One certainly has some good experience in the space. … They have done a number of tuck-ins and so I imagine they have [an acquisition] playbook,” Matthew Goldman, founder and […]

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    Whitney McDonald

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  • Capital One says it’s buying Discover for $35 billion, creating credit card and payments giant

    Capital One says it’s buying Discover for $35 billion, creating credit card and payments giant

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    Capital One to purchase Discover Financial


    Capital One to purchase Discover Financial

    00:16

    New York — Capital One Financial said it will buy Discover Financial Services for $35 billion, a deal that would bring together two of the nation’s major credit card companies as well as potentially shake up the payments industry, which is largely dominated by Visa and Mastercard.

    Under the terms of the all-stock transaction, Discover Financial shareholders will receive Capital One shares valued at nearly $140. That’s a significant premium on the $110.49 that Discover shares closed at Friday. Capital One said the deal is expected to close late this year or early next.

    Capital One shareholders would  own 60% of the new company and Discover shareholders would own the rest, analysts say.

    The deal marries two of the largest credit card companies that aren’t banks first, like JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup, with the notable exception of American Express. It also brings together two companies whose customers are largely similar — often Americans who are looking for cash back or modest travel rewards, compared to the premium credit cards dominated by AmEx, Citi and Chase.

    “This marketplace that’s dominated by the big players is going to shrink a little bit more now,” said Matt Schulz, chief credit card analyst at LendingTree.

    Nearly every bank issues a credit card to customers but few companies are credit card companies first, and banks second. Both Discover – which was long ago the Sears Card – and Capital One started off as credit card companies that expanded into other financial offerings like checking and savings accounts.   

    The deal will give Discover’s payment network a major credit card partner in a way that could make the payment network a major competitor once again. The U.S. credit card industry is dominated by the Visa-Mastercard duopoly with AmEx being a distance third and Discover an even more distant fourth. It’s unclear whether Capitol One will adopt the Discover payment system or set up a payment network that allows parallel use of Discover and a second payment network like Visa.

    “Our acquisition of Discover is a singular opportunity to bring together two very successful companies with complementary capabilities and franchises, and to build a payments network that can compete with the largest payments networks and payments companies,” said Richard Fairbank, the chairman and CEO of Capital One, in a statement.

    Can the deal get past regulators?

    It’s unclear whether the deal will pass regulatory scrutiny. 

    “I predict that this deal …will provoke a significant push-back and receive heightened regulatory scrutiny,” Jeremy Kress, a University of Michigan professor of business law who used to work on bank merger oversight at the Federal Reserve, wrote in an email, according to the Reuters news agency. “It will be the first big test of bank merger regulation since the Biden administration’s executive order on promoting (banking industry) competition in 2021.”

    Consumer groups are expected to put heavy pressure on the Biden Administration to make sure the deal is good for consumers as well as shareholders.

    “The deal also poses massive anti-trust concerns, given the vertical integration of Capital One’s credit card lending with Discover’s credit card network,” said Jesse Van Tol, president and CEO of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition.

    Consumer trends in focus

    With its purchase of Discover, Capital One is betting that Americans’ will continue to increasingly use their credit cards and keep balances on those accounts to collect interest. In the fourth quarter of 2023, Americans held $1.13 trillion on their credit cards, and aggregate household debt balances increased by $212 billion, up 1.2%, according to the latest data from the New York Federal Reserve.

    As they run up their card balances, consumers are also paying higher interest rates. The average interest rate on a bank credit card is roughly 21.5%, the highest it’s been since the Federal Reserve started tracking the data in 1994.

    Capital One has long has a business model looking for customers who will keep a balance on their cards, aiming for customers with lower credit scores than American Express or even Discover.

    At the same time, the two lenders have had to boost their reserves against the possibility of rising borrower defaults. After battling inflation for more than two years, many lower- and middle-income Americans have run through their savings and are increasingly running up their credit card balances and taking on personal loans.

    The additional reserves have weighed on both banks’ profits. Last year, Capital One’s net income available to common shareholders slumped 35% versus 2022, as its provisions for loan losses soared 78% to $10.4 billion. Discover’s full-year profit sank 33.6% versus its 2022 results as its provisions for credit losses more than doubled to $6.02 billion.

    Discover’s customers are carrying $102 billion in balances on their credit cards, up 13% from a year earlier. Meanwhile, the charge-off rates and 30-day delinquency rates have climbed.

    Beyond boosting bank deposits and loan accounts, the acquisition would give Capital One access to the Discover payment processing network. While smaller than industry giants Visa and Mastercard, the Discover network will enable Capital One to get revenue from fees charged for every merchant transaction that runs on the network.

    Discover’s behavior a factor  

    Discover has been operating under heightened scrutiny from regulators. Last summer, the company disclosed that beginning around mid-2007, it incorrectly classified certain card accounts into its highest merchant pricing tiers. The company also received an unrelated consent order from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation over its customer compliance management.

    Analysts at Citigroup say the regulatory issues may have prompted the sale.

    “We are surprised that DFS would sell, but suppose that its regulatory challenges such as its recent October FDIC consent order and the card product misclassification issue may have opened the door for the board to consider strategic alternatives that it may not have in the past,” wrote analysts Arren Cyganovich and Kaili Wang in a note to clients.

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  • Capital One to Acquire Discover for $35 Billion

    Capital One to Acquire Discover for $35 Billion

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    Capital One to Acquire Discover for $35 Billion

    🔃 Update: Capital One Financial Corporation and Discover Financial Services today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Capital One will acquire Discover in an all-stock transaction valued at $35.3 billion.

    Under the terms of the agreement, Discover shareholders will receive 1.0192 Capital One shares for each Discover share, representing a premium of 26.6% based on Discover’s closing price of $110.49 on February 16, 2024. At close, Capital One shareholders will own approximately 60% and Discover shareholders will own approximately 40% of the combined company.


    Here’s some unexpected news in the world of credit cards. Capital One is looking to acquire Discover Financial Services in a deal that would merge two of the largest credit-card companies in the U.S.

    Capital One ranked fourth in the list of U.S. credit card issuers in 2022, after Chase, American Express and Citi. It rang up $534.5 billion in credit card transactions that year. Discover is sixth in the rankings, after Bank of America, with $210.7 billion in credit card transactions.

    Capital One has been improving its credit card offerings in recent year with popular business cards which now include the Venture X Business card, and the consumer Venture X card. Discover on the other hand offers several credit card options, with the Discover it card being the most popular as it has no annual fee and earns up to 5% back.

    The all-stock deal could be announced Tuesday, according to people familiar with the matter, as reported by WSJ. Discover has a market value of $28 billion, and the takeover would be expected to value it at a premium to that.

    In January, Discover and Capital One reported declines in fourth-quarter profits of 62% and 43%, respectively, as banks increased provisions for losses from bad loans as rising interest rates raised the risk of consumer defaults on credit card debt and mortgages. Discover Financial has a market capitalization of $27.6 billion, while Capital One is valued at $52.2 billion.

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    DDG

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  • Capital One to buy Discover Financial in $35B stock deal | Bank Automation News

    Capital One to buy Discover Financial in $35B stock deal | Bank Automation News

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    Capital One Financial Corp. agreed to buy credit-card lender Discover Financial Services in a $35 billion all-stock deal to create the largest US credit card company by loan volume. McLean, Virginia-based Capital One will pay 1.0192 of its own shares for each Discover share, a 26.6% premium to the closing price on Feb. 16, the […]

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    Bloomberg News

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  • Capital One Will Acquire Discover Financial – Doctor Of Credit

    Capital One Will Acquire Discover Financial – Doctor Of Credit

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    Capital One will buy Discover Financial Services, WSJ reports. The bank will keep the Discover brand. The massive merger will combine two of the largest credit card issuers in the US.

    Capital One uses Visa and Mastercard for most of its cards. They plans to switch some of their cards to the Discover network, and continue using Visa and Mastercard for others.

    Now, what’s on my mind: will Discover start doing 3-pulls for credit card applications? 🙂  In all likelihood, it will be many years until there are any changes to how either bank operates. It remains to be seen if this will affect credit card or bank signup bonuses in the longer term.

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    Chuck

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  • ‘Rare’ winged creature — with ‘magical red’ body — discovered as new species in China

    ‘Rare’ winged creature — with ‘magical red’ body — discovered as new species in China

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    Scientists found a winged animal with a “metallic” body in a forest of Yunnan and discovered a new species, a study said.

    Scientists found a winged animal with a “metallic” body in a forest of Yunnan and discovered a new species, a study said.

    Photo from Qi, Su, Liao, Ai, Ding and Song (2024), shared by Hai-Tian Song

    Concealed among the leaves of a forest in China was a winged creature with a “magical red” body. The shiny, “metallic” animal was much harder to find than it might seem.

    When scientists finally encountered the “rare” animal, they discovered it was a new species.

    Researchers ventured into the mountains of Yunnan province in May 2022, according to a study published Feb. 14 in the peer-reviewed journal Zootaxa.

    While there, researchers found a red insect perched on a twig and captured it. They took a closer look at the animal and realized they’d discovered a new species: Buprestis (Akiyamaia) gengmini, or Geng-Min’s jewel beetle.

    A Buprestis (Akiyamaia) gengmini, or Geng-Min’s jewel beetle, as seen from the top, side and bottom.
    A Buprestis (Akiyamaia) gengmini, or Geng-Min’s jewel beetle, as seen from the top, side and bottom. Photos from Qi, Su, Liao, Ai, Ding and Song (2024), shared by Hai-Tian Song

    The Geng-Min’s jewel beetle can reach about 1 inch in length, the study said. From above, it appears primarily red with two navy blue stripes running down its back. Its head has a mixture of iridescent purple, orange and green. From below, it has a purple stomach with a few blue patches.

    Photos show the shiny new species. Researchers described its coloring as “metallic” and “magical red.”

    A Buprestis (Akiyamaia) gengmini, or Geng-Min’s jewel beetle, with outstretched wings.
    A Buprestis (Akiyamaia) gengmini, or Geng-Min’s jewel beetle, with outstretched wings. Photo from Qi, Su, Liao, Ai, Ding and Song (2024), shared by Hai-Tian Song

    Another photo shows a Geng-Min’s jewel beetle with its wings outstretched.

    Researchers said they named the new species after Geng-Min Song, the “father of (the lead co-author Hai-Tian Song), who recognized (Song’s) interest in insects and accompanied him in collecting and learning.”

    Jewel beetles in the Akiyamaia subgenus are generally “rare” and “difficult to collect,” researchers said.

    A Buprestis (Akiyamaia) gengmini, or Geng-Min’s jewel beetle, on a twig.
    A Buprestis (Akiyamaia) gengmini, or Geng-Min’s jewel beetle, on a twig. Photo from Qi, Su, Liao, Ai, Ding and Song (2024), shared by Hai-Tian Song

    So far, Geng-Min’s jewel beetle is known from only one specimen found in Yunnan, the study said. This province is in southwestern China, bordering Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

    The new species was identified by its body shape, coloring and other subtle physical features, the study said. Researchers did not provide a DNA analysis of the new species.

    The research team included Zhi-Hao Qi, Rong-Xiang Su, Zhi-Yu Liao, Hong-Mu Ai, Bi Ding and Hai-Tian Song. The team also discovered a second new species of jewel beetle.

    Aspen Pflughoeft covers real-time news for McClatchy. She is a graduate of Minerva University where she studied communications, history, and international politics. Previously, she reported for Deseret News.

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    Aspen Pflughoeft

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  • ‘Alien-faced’ creature — with ‘about 200 legs’ — discovered as new species in Tanzania

    ‘Alien-faced’ creature — with ‘about 200 legs’ — discovered as new species in Tanzania

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    Scientists found an “alien-faced” animal on a mountain in Tanzania and discovered a new species, a study said. Photo shows a representative mountain.

    Scientists found an “alien-faced” animal on a mountain in Tanzania and discovered a new species, a study said. Photo shows a representative mountain.

    Photo from samson tarimo via Unsplash

    On a mountain in Tanzania, an “alien-faced” creature walked along on its countless legs. Suddenly, the ground underneath the animal seemed to give out, and it fell into a trap.

    Scientists picked up their catch — and discovered a new species.

    Researchers ventured into the mountains of the eastern African country as part of the Forest Restoration and Climate Experiment, according to a study published Jan. 22 in the European Journal of Taxonomy. The project evaluates the health of a forest through the study of captured insects and millipedes.

    While surveying the Udzungwa Mountains, researchers checked their pitfall traps and found dozens of millipedes that didn’t match any known records, the study said.

    They took a closer look at the animals and realized they’d discovered a new species: Udzungwastreptus marianae, or Marian’s millipede.

    Marian’s millipedes can have up to 44 body segments and reach about 1.7 inches in length, researchers said. They have “small” eyes and “short” antennae on their heads.

    A photo shows the yellow-bodied Marian’s millipede curled in a spiral.

    A Udzungwastreptus marianae, or Marian’s millipede, curled into a spiral.
    A Udzungwastreptus marianae, or Marian’s millipede, curled into a spiral. Photo from S.G. Selvantharan via Enghoff, Ngute, Kwezaura, Laizzer, Lyatuu, Mhagawale, Mnendendo and Marshall (2024)

    Study co-author Andrew Marshall described the new species as “alien-faced” with “about 200 legs,” according to a Feb. 1 news release from the University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia.

    A close-up photo shows the head of a Marian’s millipede. Overall, it looks a bit like a helmet with a wrinkled texture.

    The head of a Udzungwastreptus marianae, or Marian’s millipede, as seen under a microscope.
    The head of a Udzungwastreptus marianae, or Marian’s millipede, as seen under a microscope. Photo from Enghoff, Ngute, Kwezaura, Laizzer, Lyatuu, Mhagawale, Mnendendo and Marshall (2024)

    Researchers said they named the new species after María Ángeles (Marian) Ramos, a “Spanish zoologist, close project partner and friend of (lead co-author Henrick Enghoff) through decades” who died in 2023.

    Marian’s millipedes were found in the forest soil in three areas of the Udzungwa Mountains, the study said. These mountains are about 180 miles southwest of Tanzania’s largest city of Dar es Salaam.

    Tanzania is along the eastern coast of Africa. It borders eight countries including: Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia.

    The new species was identified by its legs, body segments, genitalia and other subtle physical features, the study said. Researchers classified it as a new genus, Udzungwastreptus, named after the mountain area where it was discovered.

    The research team included Henrik Enghoff, Alain Ngute, Revocatus Kwezaura, Richard Laizzer, Herman Lyatuu, Waziri Mhagawale, Hamidu Mnendendo and Andrew Marshall.

    The team also discovered four more new species of millipede.

    Aspen Pflughoeft covers real-time news for McClatchy. She is a graduate of Minerva University where she studied communications, history, and international politics. Previously, she reported for Deseret News.

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  • [Targeted] Discover: Add An Authorized User & Get $50 When You Make A Purchase – Doctor Of Credit

    [Targeted] Discover: Add An Authorized User & Get $50 When You Make A Purchase – Doctor Of Credit

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    Update 1/31/24: Another round has gone out, this time for $50. Subject line is ‘“get $50 Cashback Bonus® when you add an Authorized User’

    Update 1/30/23: Deal is being sent out again today via email (discover@card-e.em.discover.com)

    The Offer

    Targeted offer sent out via e-mail, subject line is ‘This $25 cash back could be yours’

    • Discover is offering some cardholders a bonus of $25 when you add an authorized user and make a purchase (no minimum) by November 30, 2020

    The Fine Print

    • Valid until November 30, 2020

    Our Verdict

    Better than previous Discover authorized user bonuses that required $3,000 in spend. Worth doing if targeted.

    Hat tip to reader Hiep T

    Update History:

    • Update 11/2/22: Deal is being sent out again today via email (discover@card-e.em.discover.com)
    • Update 7/28/22: Deal is back for a lot of people today via email. Only $25 this time. (ht Kyle)
    • Update 5/12/22: Deal is back and valid until 6/16/22. Subject line is Don’t miss out on $50 Cashback Bonus and bonus is $50 instead of $25. Some people also see a $25 bonus.
    • Update 1/26/22: Deal is back and valid until 3/21/22.
    • Update 10/28/21: Deal is back and valid until 12/20/21.
    • Update 7/31/21: Deal is back and valid until 9/22/21. Hat tip to FM
    • Update 3/18/21: Deal is back and valid again until 4/10/2021. Hat tip to reader Celia

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    William Charles

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  • [Targeted] Discover Card: Get 4% Extra Cashback On Up To $2,000 In Spend – Doctor Of Credit

    [Targeted] Discover Card: Get 4% Extra Cashback On Up To $2,000 In Spend – Doctor Of Credit

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    The Offer

    Check your email for the following targeted offer on Discover card:

    • Activate to earn an extra 3%/4% cashback on up to $2,000 spend.

    Our Verdict

    A few readers sent this one in. Two were for 4%, one was for 3%. There might be other versions as well. The deal is even better if you can meet the spend at drugstores and restaurants: if you have the 5% categories activated, you should end up getting 9% cashback total on those purchases.

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    Chuck

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  • Q1 2024 5% Quarterly Categories: Activate, Offers & Suggestions (Freedom/Flex, Discover, Dividend, Cash+ & More) – Doctor Of Credit

    Q1 2024 5% Quarterly Categories: Activate, Offers & Suggestions (Freedom/Flex, Discover, Dividend, Cash+ & More) – Doctor Of Credit

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    It’s now possible to activate all 5% category credit cards for the first quarter of 2024, including the Chase Freedom, Chase Freedom Flex, Discover IT, Citi Dividend, US Bank Cash+ and some smaller cards. In this post we’ll provide the activation link for each card and links to track your spend, along with strategies to help increase spend in these categories.

    Dates: January 1st – March 31, 2024. Store purchases can usually be done until the last minute while online purchases should be given a buffer zone of a day or two.

    Chase Freedom – Grocery, Fitness, Gym, Spa

    Activation Link / FAQ / Sample Stores & Exclusions / Our original post

    With the Freedom and Freedom Flex cards, activate to earn 5% back this quarter on up to $1,500 in spend at Grocery Stores, Fitness Club & Gym Memberships, Self-Care & Spa Services.

    • Grocery Stores – This is always a favorite since we all shop for groceries. Plus, you can max this out by purchasing gift cards to other retailers.
      • The terms exclude Walmart and Target, though I believe in the past readers have said that these sometimes do get classified as a grocery store.
      • Merchants in this category include supermarkets, merchants that offer a full-service grocery line of merchandise including a deli and bakery, as well as smaller grocery stores.
      • Some merchants that sell grocery items are not included in this category; for example, larger stores that sell a wide variety of goods and groceries, such as warehouse clubs, discount stores and some smaller merchants such as drugstores, and merchants that specialize in only a few grocery items.
      • Purchases made at gas stations from merchants who also operate grocery stores are not included in this category.
      • Delivery service merchants will be included if they classify as a grocery store merchant.
    • Fitness Club & Gym Memberships
      • Merchants in this category include health clubs, exercise, or athletic facilities requiring membership and offering access to services related to physical fitness, such as fitness clubs, fitness centers, fitness studios, gyms, aerobics, cardio fitness and other services such as yoga and cross fit training.
      • Merchants that specialize in offering personalized or therapeutic services such as massage therapy, dietary and weight management counseling and personal training are not included in this category.
      • In addition, some merchants that sell a wide variety of general goods, which may include fitness or athletic apparel, sporting goods, dietary food, health food or similar supplements are not included in this category.
      • Also, certain lodging, hotel, motel, resort and central reservation services offering access to third party facilities that include fitness clubs or gyms are not included in this category unless they classify as a fitness
        club or gym membership merchant.
    • Self-Care & Spa Services 
      • This category includes self-care and spa services, such as massages, spa treatments, manicures, tanning, and barber and salon services, purchased at merchant locations that specialize in providing these services.
      • Self-Care and spa services are typically provided by licensed professionals, however, services provided by medical professionals will not qualify.
      • Purchases of self-care and spa services at merchants that classify their location in another category, for example spa services purchased in a hotel, will not be included unless the merchant classifies the
        transactions in this category.
      • Purchases of related products and services, for example hair and skincare products purchased at a salon or an overnight stay at a spa, will also not be included unless the merchant classifies the transactions in this category.

    Tip: Click this link (login required) to check how far you are along the $1,500.

    Discover – Restaurants, Drugstores

    Activation Link / Our original post

    With your Discover card, activate to earn 5% back this quarter on up to $1,500 in purchases at Restaurants and Drugstores.

    • Restaurants – always a useful category
    • Drugstores – many pharmacies sell gift cards for a wide variety of retailers which is an option for maxing this out

    Activate to earn 5% Cashback Bonus at Restaurants and Drug Stores from 1/1/24 (or the date which you activate 5%, whichever is later) through 3/31/24, on up to $1,500 in purchases. Restaurant purchases include those made at merchants classified as full-service restaurants, cafes, cafeterias, fast-food locations, and restaurant delivery services. Drug Store purchases include those made at stand-alone drug stores, pharmacies, online pharmacies, and some pharmacies located inside of retail stores.

    Tip: Login, then click this link to see you how far along the $1,500 you are.

    Citi Dividend – Amazon, Streaming

    Landing Page | Our Original Post

    With your Dividend card, activate to earn 5% back this quarter on Amazon and select streaming services. Citi is different than the other cards in that you have a $6,000 annual cap rather than a $1,500 quarterly cap. You can get 5% back on up to $6,000 in this quarter or you can save the entire amount for a different quarter, or you can use part up each quarter.

    • Amazon
    • Select Streaming Services – Includes the following cable, satellite, and streaming providers: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Music, Apple Music, Disney+, DirecTV Stream, ESPN+, fuboTV, HBO Max, NBA League Pass, Netflix, Pandora, Paramount+, Showtime, Sling TV, Spotify, Starz, SiriusXM, Vudu, YouTube Red, YouTube TV, and Tidal.

    US Bank Cash+/Elan – Select your Categories

    Activation link | Merchant List | Our Original Post

    U.S. Bank Cash+ and Elan Max offer 5% cash back in two categories, up to $2,000 combined total per quarter. Keep in mind that Car Rentals was recently replaced with TV, Internet, and Streaming Services.

    Here are the current options:

    • TV, Internet, and Streaming Services
    • Home utilities
    • Select clothing stores
    • Cell phone providers
    • Electronic Stores
    • Gyms/Fitness
    • Fast food
    • Ground Transportation
    • Sporting goods
    • Department Stores
    • Furniture Stores
    • Movie theaters

    Tip: Login here, then scroll down and click on the red “View Your Cash+ History” button.

    Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards

    Our Original Post

    The Cash Rewards card from Bank of America offers 3% back on one selected category, up to $2,500 per quarter. If you don’t select anything it defaults to gas. Once you selected a category for one quarter, that remains your category in the future unless you change it. Each calendar month you can change it if you’d like, but you’re always limited to $2,500 for the entire quarter.

    • Gas and EV charging stations (default category)
    • Online Shopping; this category also includes cable, streaming, internet, and phone plan
    • Dining
    • Travel
    • Drug Stores
    • Home Improvement/Furnishings

    This category is especially lucrative for those who have Preferred Rewards status with Bank of America which can get you 5.25% back on one of these categories at the higher relationship level.

    Lots of useful categories here. Important note: the Cash Rewards card also offers 2% back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs up to $2,500 per quarter, and that $2,500 limit combines with the Category Selection limit. After spending $2,500, you’ll earn 1% back on everything.

    Other Cards with 5% Category

    Nusenda FCU – ADD ME

    Landing Page | Our Original Post

    • Earn 5% this quarter on up to $1,500 in purchases on ADD ME

    This is on top of the regular 1% for a total earn of 6% back. (apparently no longer the case?)

    Abound CU – ADD ME

    Landing page | Our Original Post

    • Abound Credit Union Visa Platinum card offers 5% on up to $2,000 on ADD ME purchases.

    Langley FCU – Grocery, Wholesale & More

    Landing Page | Our Original Post

    • Langley Federal Credit Union offers 5% back each month in one selected category, on up to $100 cash back total ($2,000 spend).
    • The category options at time of this writing: Streaming Services, Internet, Cable, Groceries & Wholesale Clubs, Department Stores

    Vantage West [AZ] – Select your Category

    Landing Page | Our Original Post

    Get 5x points on the category of your choice, up to $1,500 per quarter. Eligible categories:

    1. Travel
    2. Restaurants
    3. Utilities [water, cell, electric, etc.]
    4. In-Store Wholesale Purchases [Costco, Sam’s Club, etc.]
    5. Department Stores
    6. Hardware & Home Improvement Stores
    7. Charitable Organizations
    8. Pharmacies & Drug Stores
    9. Amazon.com

    Safe Credit Union [CA] – ADD ME

    Landing Page | Our Original Post

    Safe Credit Union Cash Rewards Visa card offers 5% this quarter on your choice of one category each quarter (with no apparent limit). This quarter the categories are:

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    Chuck

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