Seahawks' Paul Allen is the NFL's richest team owner

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The Seattle Seahawks owner Paul Allen is by far the richest in the league. The Microsoft (MSFT, Tech30) co-founder is worth about $17 billion, according to various estimates.

The Seahawks head to the Super Bowl for the second year in a row. This year they face off against the New England Patriots which are owned by Robert Kraft, who has a net worth of $4 billion, making him the sixth richest owner in the NFL.

The two men made their money in very different ways.

Related: NFL gets billions in subsidies from taxpayers

Allen helped Bill Gates start Microsoft when both were students at Harvard, and left the company with a chunk of its then privately-held stock in 1983 which translated in to the bulk of his wealth. Allen also made about $2 billion from the appreciation in value of the Seahawks and the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers, both of which he bought decades ago.

Bob Kraft, left, and Paul Allen, right, owners of the two Super Bowl teams, made their fortunes in very different ways.

By contrast, Patriots owner Robert Kraft made most of his $4 billion fortune in football. He bought his team for a reported $172 million in 1994, and today it's worth an estimated $2.6 billion.

Related: Seahawks vs. Patriots - How do the fans measure up?

There's only one NFL team with owners that aren't worth billions. The Green Bay Packers is actually publicly owned by its fans, who hold a special issue of stock in the team that can not be sold or traded.

Related: NFL earns record profits despite ugly image

First Published: January 30, 2015: 4:05 PM ET

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January was a terrible month for stocks

Stocks have been having a pretty bad 2015 so far.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The Dow shed 3.7%, the S&P 500 has lost 3.1%, and the Nasdaq is over 2.1% lower.

Talk about a bad start to the year. A quick glance at the chart below shows what a whiplash ride 2015 has been so far with 7 days where the market swung up or down more than 200 points.

Related: Bears warn: A crisis could be near

There's an adage on Wall Street that the early days of the year are a good predictor of the full-year. Historically speaking, there's only about a 50-50 probability that the stock market will end the year on a positive note if January saw market declines, according to the Stock Trader's Almanac.

Dan Greenhaus, chief strategist at BTIG, points out that five of the last six down January's (2003, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2014) have not prevented the S&P 500 from finishing higher for the full year.

The one exception was 2008, but that was the year of the financial crisis.

But investors might take comfort that January of 2014 was even worse and stocks rebounded significantly to hit record highs in December.

"In an effort to note something positive we can say that while the [S&P 500] index is down [3]% or so this year, the index finished January 2014 down by 3.6%!" Greenhaus wrote in a recent research note.

This time last year the market was worried about an emerging markets meltdown and the impact of the Federal Reserve pullback on so-called quantitative easing (aka bond buying). Those fears are mostly gone. This January investors are worried about cheap oil and the global economic slowdown.

The energy and financial sectors were the biggest losers for the month. Energy is easy to understand. Oil fell below $50 for first time in early January and acted as a psychological trigger that spooked investors. This was followed up by earnings reports and announcements from Big Oil showing major cutbacks in spending and operations. There's little doubt that it will be a leaner year ahead in the energy sector.

Related: America's No. 2 oil company cuts spending

Financials were a bigger surprise. The big bank CEOs blamed Washington regulations for sluggish performance, but the reality is many bank's core investment banking and trading have been suffering.

There was one bright spot in January: Bonds.

As the stock market gyrates, investors have been fleeing to bonds. Several European nations even have negative yields on their bonds, a sign of just how much demand there is for a so-called safe asset.

In the U.S., the 10-year government bond yield is now down to 1.66%, the lowest point since the spring of 2013.

First Published: January 30, 2015: 3:54 PM ET

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Super Bowl tickets are most expensive ever

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The average ticket price so far is $3,554 -- about $1,000 more than last year, according to SeatGeek, which tracks online sales.

SeatGeek analyst Connor Gregoire said he does not expect the price for the few remaining tickets to come down before the Seahawks and Patriots face off on Sunday in front of 72,000 fans in Phoenix.

On Friday, the cheapest ticket was going for nearly $8,000 and the most expensive topped $24,000, according to SeatGeek.

And there are very few left -- only about 300 tickets on Friday. On the same day last year, there were about 4,000.

Related: Snickers cast Danny Trejo in Brady Bunch reboot

Getting a ticket to the Super Bowl is a tricky business. Only 1,000 are sold to fans at face value. The rest are divvied up among the league, which gives a lot to corporate sponsors, and the teams. Those tickets are either auctioned off to season tickets holders, or sold by brokers on the secondary market.

In the past few years, many buyers have held out until the last minute and, in fact, got a good deal as prices fell in the days leading to the game.

Game day is actually the busiest in the resale market, Gregoire said.

But this year prices have gone up. It's not entirely clear why. But there are fewer tickets than expected on the secondary market. That will leave some fans out of luck.

Related: Is a $45 million Super Bowl ad worth it?

First Published: January 30, 2015: 4:50 PM ET

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Shake Shack set to shake up Wall Street

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The upscale burger joint priced its initial public offering at $21 a share Thursday evening. That's above the price range Shake Shack set earlier this week, which it had already raised due to strong demand.

At $21 a share, Shake Shack is raising $105 million, making the company worth $745.5 million.

Shake Shack (SHAK) is set to debut on the New York Stock Exchange Friday morning.

To celebrate its first day as a public company, Shake Shack said it will turn the New York Stock Exchange into the New York SHACK Exchange. In other words, it plans to park a Shake Shack food truck in front of the exchange and dish up free food.

Restaurateur Danny Meyer, who is chairman of Shake Shack and founder of the Union Square Hospitality Group that started Shake Shack, owns a 21% stake in the company. His share is now worth $156.2 million.

Shake Shack, which started in 2001 as a hot dog cart in New York's Madison Square Park, has quickly become a Big Apple icon.

Expanding ... but not too quickly. The company currently operates just 63 restaurants worldwide -- but 16 of them are in the metropolitan New York City area.

And Shake Shack has already planted outposts in several global markets, such as London, Moscow, Kuwait, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

Shake Shack has said that it wants to expand relatively slowly. It is targeting 10 new locations in the U.S. a year as well as more international locations.

Related: 8 of the world's craziest fast foods

The strategy has been extremely successful so far. Shake Shack reported revenue of $83.8 million in the first three quarters of last year, an increase of more than 40% from the same period in 2013.

Shake Shack is also profitable. But net income fell in the first nine months of 2014, primarily due to higher costs for paper, food and labor as the company opened more locations.

Profiting from the problems at Mickey D's? So will the stock be a big hit? Aren't consumers backing away from unhealthy burgers and fries? McDonald's (MCD) just announced its CEO is retiring after a period of weak sales.

That's true. But Shake Shack and other gourmet burger companies appear to be doing well at the expense of McDonald's.

Related: McDead? More lousy results from McDonald's

Shake Shack bills itself as a "fine casual" dining chain, a play on the fast casual term popularized by Chipotle (CMG) and Panera (PNRA).

In addition to having the backing of star chef Meyer, Shake Shack says in its IPO filing that it prides itself on using "sustainable ingredients, such as all-natural, hormone and antibiotic-free beef."

The proof is in the prices. A typical burger at Shake Shack can cost twice as much as a Big Mac.

Related: $7.54 for a Big Mac? Only in Switzerland

Shake Shack also differentiates itself from other burger restaurants by selling hot dogs, beer, wine and -- of course -- frozen custard shakes.

And investors are clearly hungry for restaurant IPOs.

El Pollo Loco (LOCO), Potbelly (PBPB), Noodles (NDLS) and Zoe's Kitchen (ZOES) are just a few chains that have gone public in the past two years that have soared on their first day of trading.

There is a lot of competition in the burger wars. But those four stocks are now well off their highs.

So is Habit (HABT), a popular California burger chain that went public last November and more than doubled in its debut.

Habit may not be as well-known to New Yorkers as Shake Shack. But its burgers were voted best in America by readers of Consumer Reports last year.

To that end, competition could prove to be the biggest risk for Shake Shack.

Related: White Castle now serving veggie burgers

Even though its burgers are delicious, so are ones made by privately held Five Guys, Smashburger, Bareburger, In-N-Out and many other regional and national upstarts.

Heck, Sonic (SONC)is doing really well lately thanks to strong demand for its burgers.

So Shake Shack may soar on Friday like other restaurant IPOs have done lately.

But the challenge is going to be staying at those lofty levels. The company now has to satisfy the fickle tastes of Wall Street as well as the palates of hipster burger gourmands.

CNNMoney's Ben Rooney contributed to this report.

First Published: January 29, 2015: 6:29 PM ET

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The Bible proves to be a big seller for Newsweek

Newsweek's much-discussed Bible issue was its best seller of 2014.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The magazine's provocative cover story this week -- "What Silicon Valley Thinks of Women" -- has prompted an avalanche of online criticism.

Sound familiar?

Flash back to just one month ago, when the publication sparked an uproar with a critical cover story on the Christian holy text.

"The Bible," reads the cover headline. "So misunderstood it's a sin." The story, written by the journalist Kurt Eichenwald, inspired a series of rebuttals from Biblical scholars and devout Christians alike.

It turns out the bestselling book of all-time also helped the magazine sell a lot of issues.

Newsweek's editor-in-chief Jim Impoco confirmed to CNNMoney that "early" and "conservative" estimates show that the Bible issue will end up as the magazine's bestselling cover of 2014.

He said the number of copies sold compared with the number of copies distributed on the news stand has been an "astounding" 40% thus far.

That's "more than double the average," according to Impoco. For good measure, he said the story also racked up 500,000 hits online.

Striking covers like that are nothing new for Newsweek (neither are Christianity-focused covers, for that matter). They were a hallmark of Tina Brown's reign as editor, such as its 2012 cover titled "Muslim Rage."

This week's controversial cover story examines sexism in America's tech hub. The cover shows a faceless woman holding a laptop while her red skirt is lifted up by a mouse cursor.

The cover image and accompanying story has been met with considerable derision in many corners of the Internet, but the issue itself hasn't even hit newsstands. The criticism began rolling in almost immediately after the cover surfaced on Twitter this week.

Impoco said that Newsweek aims to get people talking by employing a "one-two punch with social [media] leading the way."

"There is nothing we want more than to start a national conversation about important topics," Impoco said. "The Silicon Valley and Bible covers are good examples. In the old days, Newsweek would often 'validate' the news, but that role is gone. Today, we have to create our own weather but also remain topical."

"We don't do controversy just for the sake of controversy," he added.

First Published: January 29, 2015: 5:18 PM ET

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Uber sued in U.S. over alleged India rape

HONG KONG (CNNMoney)

The lawsuit, filed in San Francisco on Thursday, claims that Uber did not adequately screen its drivers, or implement other basic safety measures that would have kept the plaintiff safe.

"Opening the Uber app and setting the pick-up location has proven to be the modern day equivalent of electronic hitchhiking," the lawsuit says. "Buyer beware -- we all know how these horror movies end."

The alleged rape, which took place in December, sparked protests in India's capital city, and calls for reforms that would safeguard women against sexual assault.

The Uber driver accused of carrying out the rape was found to have a long rap sheet, including at least four pending criminal cases in his home state. City transport officials subsequently banned the transportation app.

Uber said in a statement that its "deepest sympathies remain with the victim of this horrific crime."

"We are cooperating fully with the authorities to ensure the perpetrator is brought to justice," the company said.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages on behalf of the plaintiff, and the addition of safety measures including tamper-proof cameras and GPS tracking systems in Uber cars.

The victim, who remains anonymous, is represented by Douglas Wigdor, a high-profile attorney who previously represented the hotel maid who accused former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn of sexual assault.

Related: Uber's global ambitions hit roadblocks

Uber restarted operations in Delhi last week after applying for a local Radio Taxi license, a concession to regulators who are pushing the company to behave more like a traditional taxi service.

A license has not yet been issued. On Tuesday, Uber said it was operating as a not-for-profit in Delhi and waving all fees until "regulatory ambiguity is resolved."

Related: Uber restarts in New Delhi

Following the alleged rape, Uber has committed to adding new safety measures in Delhi, including an additional layer of screening and independent background checks on all drivers.

The company is no stranger to regulatory roadblocks. It faces legal challenges in a number of other markets around the world, a byproduct of its aggressive expansion and controversial product.

First Published: January 30, 2015: 1:16 AM ET

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Average 401(k) balance hits record $91,300

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

At Fidelity, the average 401(k) balance hit $91,300 by the end of 2014. While that's up just 2% from 2013, it's a jump of more than 30% from 2011's average balance of $69,100, Fidelity reported.

The increase was due in part to the stock market, which saw the S&P 500 climb by more than 10%-- its third year of double-digit gains. But a spike in worker contributions also played a significant role.

Workers and their employers contributed an average of $9,670 in 2014, up 4% from the year before.

"The 401(k) is the sole source [of retirement savings] for many," said Fidelity vice president Jeanne Thompson. "I think there is heightened awareness of the importance of putting money into the 401(k)."

On average, employees socked away 8.1% of their salary, the highest savings rate recorded by Fidelity since 2011. Including an employer match, workers saved around 12% of their salary, which falls within the 10% to 15% recommended by financial planners.

Thompson credited the increasing savings rate to a growing number of employers who are automatically enrolling workers into their 401(k) plans at a contribution rate of 5% or more.

Consistent savers are doing especially well. Savers in their 401(k) plan for 10 years or more had an average balance of $248,000 -- an increase of 11% from what similar savers had a year ago.

Related: My biggest retirement mistake

The bad news: most people will need far more than that for a comfortable retirement. The common 4% rule for example, dictates that $250,000 would provide only $10,000 a year in retirement income.

Of course, 401(k) balances are just a snapshot of the retirement savings landscape since savers often have multiple investments and accounts like Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) and annuities. Fidelity, for example, found IRA holders had an average balance of $92,200 in 2014.

With the stock market starting out on rocky footing this year, Fidelity urged savers to ignore the market turmoil and instead to focus on long-term savings goals.

"The typical American worker will see markets go up and down many times during their career," Jim MacDonald, president of workplace investing at Fidelity, said in a statement. "Commitment to a long-term savings and investing strategy will put individuals in the best position."

First Published: January 29, 2015: 12:56 AM ET

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Samsung needs to reinvent itself (again)

HONG KONG (CNNMoney)

The fourth quarter results are troubling, but not unexpected. Samsung's profits have now declined for three consecutive quarters, a trend that has prompted some real soul searching at the South Korean electronics giant.

There were some bright spots: The company's smartphone business showed signs of stabilization, and chip sales were strong.

Yet there is no doubt: Samsung needs to reinvent itself.

For years, the company relied on its smartphone division to deliver major profits. Samsung had a iron grip on major markets including China, and huge margins helped turn the firm into one of the world's largest and most recognizable tech brands.

Related: Samsung's latest WTF phone

But intense competition at both the high and low ends of the smartphone market have reversed Samsung's fortunes. The company is now ranked third in China, behind Apple (AAPL, Tech30) and Xiaomi (a company that is only five years old). Analysts hold little hope for a return to dominance.

In response, Samsung is working to pare down its crowded smartphone lineup. It's also making a major move into India to capture more of the low-cost phone market.

Related: Apple just posted the best quarter in corporate history

But for a real turnaround, Samsung needs to identify its next silver bullet.

"With slowing growth and a huge revenue base, Samsung is in need of a new growth engine," Bernstein Research analyst Mark Newman wrote late last year.

Chances are, this new growth engine won't be a phone. It will be come from another sector of Samsung's sprawling business empire. Newman identified medical equipment -- where Samsung is already investing heavily -- as a promising area.

The good news for Samsung fans is that the company has transformation in its genes. Newman points to the "New Management Initiative" proposed by company leadership in 1993.

Responding to the threats of globalization and digitization, the new strategy allowed Samsung to become the company it is today. Newman argues the company needs to find "another 1993 moment."

But that, he notes, is no easy task -- especially with the health of Chairman Lee Kun-hee in question.

Related: Facebook is growing -- so are its costs

First Published: January 28, 2015: 9:59 PM ET

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Zuckerberg has his Tim Cook moment

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

On a conference call with Wall Street analysts on Wednesday, Zuckerberg shot back against a question related to Facebook's efforts in poor, unconnected countries. The analyst asked why Internet.org and other Facebook initiatives to connect African countries should matter to investors.

"It matters to the kind of investors we want to have," Zuckerberg said.

The Facebook (FB, Tech30) CEO's comments are similar to remarks made by Apple (AAPL, Tech30) CEO Tim Cook at Apple's shareholder meeting in May 2014. After the National Center for Public Policy Research urged Apple to stop wasting money on green technology, Cook told them to find another company to invest in.

"If you want me to do things only for ROI reasons, you should get out of this stock, Cook said.

Related: Facebook is growing -- so are its costs

Zuckerberg echoed that sentiment Wednesday.

"If we were only focused on making money, we might put all of our energy in the U.S.," he said. "But that's not all we care about here."

Zuckerberg said connecting the unconnected could ultimately be a good investment opportunity for Facebook, though he conceded that he doesn't know when -- or if -- that would happen.

"This is why we're here," Zuckerberg said about Facebook's mission to connect everyone around the world.

In a decade, Zuckerberg said he hopes that Facebook's Internet.org division will succeed at getting millions more people online. The organization has already connected 6 million people who previously didn't have Internet access.

Facebook has also invested in drones to carry Wi-Fi signals to underserved areas, and it invested nearly $20 billion in WhatsApp to power connections to people who only have a phone connection.

First Published: January 28, 2015: 6:35 PM ET

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Did Fox and NBC get Bowe Bergdahl story wrong?

WASHINGTON (CNNMoney)

Because of an inflammatory Fox News segment and an anonymously-sourced NBC News story that sent reporters scrambling for information.

The Fox and NBC stories prompted strong denials from Pentagon officials.

"The reporting from Fox News and NBC on Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is patently false," Army Major General Ron Lewis said in a statement Tuesday.

"Let me just put a fork in this right now if I can," Rear Adm. John Kirby said at a news conference Tuesday. "No decision has been made with respect to the case of Sgt. Bergdahl. None. And there is no timeline to make that decision."

Another official called the Fox News report "speculative in nature."

But the Fox guest who originally made it a story said Tuesday night that he stands by what he said.

Bergdahl, a prisoner of the Taliban for five years, was released last summer in exchange for five Guantanamo Bay detainees. He indeed may be charged with desertion, and CNN's Barbara Starr reported on Tuesday that a decision may come very soon.

But the Fox and NBC reports explicitly said that the decision had already been reached.

And the Fox segment strongly suggested that the White House was resisting the desertion charges.

On Monday's edition of "The O'Reilly Factor," guest Tony Shaffer, a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel, said he'd been told that "the Army has decided that they want to pursue Bergdahl for this violation."

Shaffer also claimed that Bergdahl's attorney has been given a "charge sheet." Starr's reporting has directly contradicted that: "Several military sources tell CNN that as of Tuesday morning," Gen. Mark Milley, "who is reviewing the case, has not signed or forwarded a charge sheet."

Host Bill O'Reilly said Monday "we hear that the White House has been stonewalling this information," spurring Shaffer to say "Bill, this is shaping up to be Titanic struggle behind the scenes."

Shaffer has been mired in controversy before. In 2012, he claimed on Fox that President Obama was "in the White House Situation Room in real-time watching" the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya. That conspiracy theory has been thoroughly refuted.

Fox's morning show repeated Shaffer's assertions about Bergdahl on Tuesday morning. "Is the White House covering up?" co-host Steve Doocy asked guest Laura Ingraham, who answered, "Well, it certainly seems like it."

The race was on for other news organizations to confirm Shaffer's assertion.

NBC seemed to do that at 10:30 a.m.: "Bergdahl will, in fact, face charges of desertion after walking off his base," the network's veteran Pentagon correspondent Jim Miklaszewski said on MSNBC. He cited "senior defense officials."

The assertion was repeated on MSNBC right before a 2 p.m. Pentagon press conference. The channel didn't carry the press conference live, though. At the press conference, Kirby said "I think it is extraordinarily premature for anybody to say that they know" what Milley "is going to decide and when he's going to decide it."

By 6:30 p.m., the "NBC Nightly News" was sticking with "senior defense official" sources, but with a modifying word: the sources, Brian Williams said, are telling NBC that Bergdahl "likely will soon be charged with desertion."

Fox's 6 p.m. newscast "Special Report" included a story about the possibility of charges against Bergdahl and the Army's "swipe at the media," without explaining that it was "The O'Reilly Factor" that triggered that swipe.

O'Reilly returned to the story on Tuesday night. "They're calling you a liar," he said to Shaffer, who seemed to double down.

"I stand by all of those facts," Shaffer said, observing that military officials are "being very careful how they parse their words."

O'Reilly repeatedly said that he wanted to interview Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary, on air.

"From a personal viewpoint," he said to Shaffer, "I hope you're right."

O'Reilly concluded, "We're in this for the truth."

First Published: January 27, 2015: 9:43 PM ET

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5 questions to ask a financial adviser before hiring one

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

It's no secret that the financial industry has a trust problem. Money pros essentially admitted as much in a recent survey, attributing investors' distrust to a "lack of ethical culture within financial firms."

So I don't blame your husband for being wary.

But based on my 30 years of experience writing about financial issues, I also know that there are plenty of competent and honest advisers who genuinely want to help their clients.

To identify someone who's skilled and trustworthy and avoid salespeople posing as advisers or, worse yet, an outright charlatan who just wants to separate you from your money, here are five questions you and your husband can ask an adviser before you hire one.

1. What credentials do you have?

There are dozens of titles and designations floating around these days, many of them dubious. But assuming you're looking for in-depth comprehensive advice -- say, to develop an overall saving and investing strategy to put you on track for a secure retirement -- you probably want a financial planner who holds the highly regarded Certified Financial Planner (CFP) or Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFc) designation.

Related: Can I afford to retire early?

If, on the other hand you're just looking for a few fund recommendations or want to get a ballpark estimate of how much you should be saving for retirement, then a broker with an established, reputable investment firm or a representative with a mutual fund firm or discount brokerage that has a good roster of online tools and calculators for selecting investments and building a portfolio may be able to satisfy your needs.

2. Are there restrictions on the menu of products and services you can offer?

Ideally, you want an adviser who can build a diversified portfolio by picking the best options available, even if that means mixing and matching mutual funds, ETFs and other investments from a variety of firms.

In reality, though, many advisers are limited to a menu of investments and services that are sold by the company they work for or by affiliated firms.

Even if they can choose broadly in theory, some advisers may have a financial incentive to focus on the offerings of particular firms, or on specific investments (say, variable or index annuities). If, for whatever reason, an adviser is likely to steer you to a narrow roster of investments, you need to know about that beforehand so you can decide whether such strictures will interfere with you getting a portfolio that truly meets your needs.

3. How and how much will you charge?

Typically, advisers earn a living by collecting commissions on the investment products and services they sell, charging a fee for their advice or by doing both.

You can argue the pros and cons of each. But whichever method the adviser uses, he should provide a written estimate of the total fees and charges you'll pay initially and on an ongoing basis, as well as a breakdown of those costs.

Related: Sane investing in a scary market

That breakdown should include all payments going to the adviser from any source (fees, commissions, "trail" commissions paid on a yearly basis), as well as the underlying costs of the investments themselves (investment management fees, etc.). If you'll incur an exit fee or surrender charge for getting out of an investment, that should be disclosed as well.

4. How will you manage conflicts of interest?

There are any number of ways an adviser's interests may not align completely with yours.

Advisers who earn commissions may be tempted to sell you investments that give them the highest payout. Those who charge an annual fee for advice based on assets may have an incentive to let that fee automatically rise as assets do, even if the adviser's workload doesn't increase. A fee-only adviser might also be prone to avoid investments that can reduce the level of assets under management, such as immediate annuities.

For more than four years now, the Securities and Exchange Commission and Department of Labor have been working on ways to better protect investors dealing with such conflicts. It's still unclear, though, if and when they'll take action.

Related: The only funds you need in your portfolio now

In the meantime, discussing potential conflicts in advance will allow you to see possible pitfalls in your relationship with the adviser, and give the adviser the opportunity to explain what he'll do to assure you are treated fairly.

5. How will I know if your advice is working?

A good adviser should propose some way of periodically gauging whether his guidance is paying off. That might mean comparing returns of recommended mutual funds or ETFs, as well as the investment portfolio overall, to the performance of an appropriate index or benchmark. In the case of broader advice, the adviser might need to show that your financial net worth is growing or that you're making quantifiable progress toward a secure retirement or some other long-term goal.

But you and the adviser should agree on some metric beforehand, as well as on a timetable (say, quarterly or semi-annually) for assessing performance and fine-tuning if needed.

Clearly, asking these five questions can't guarantee you'll end up with a terrific adviser. But if you combine them with a thorough background check with the regulators listed in the Check Out A Broker or Adviser section of the Securities and Exchange Commission site, you'll tilt the odds in your favor.

More from RealDealRetirement.com

5 ways to tell if you're really ready to retire

The 4 biggest retirement blunders

3 simple steps to crash-proof your retirement plan

First Published: January 27, 2015: 5:43 PM ET

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China vows to end gold medal obsession

HONG KONG (CNNMoney)

Beijing will no longer reward provincial governments or officials for gold medals won by their representatives at the Asian Games and Olympics, according to a report prepared by the State General Administration of Sports.

The move away from a "gold medal fixation" is meant to satisfy regulators at the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the anti-graft watchdog that has been working to eliminate corruption as part of an campaign spearheaded by President Xi Jinping.

According to sports officials, the gold medal obsession and associated financial rewards had spurred some athletes and trainers to "unscrupulously win games, betray sportsmanship, ethics and the law." China's sprawling sports apparatus will now shift its focus to increasing public participation in sports and advancing education efforts.

China has long been fixated on capturing more gold medals in international competition. At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, the country's athletes won a total of 100 medals, 51 of which were gold. In London, Chinese athletes won gold 38 times, only eight shy of the U.S. haul.

Related: Olympics money pit scares off cities

China's success is the result of a campaign conducted over the previous two decades to lift the country from athletic obscurity (China did not win its first Olympic gold until 1984).

To improve in international competition, the state constructed a centralized athletics program similar to those of the Soviet Union and East Germany. Critics complained about the cost, but the system produced champions -- especially in individual sports like speed skating and diving.

Related: World Cup won't lift Brazil's economy

But Chinese competitors were often put under immense pressure to win. Even silver and bronze-winning performances were dismissed as inadequate. In 2012, one silver medal winner, the weightlifter Wu Jingbiao, broke down and cried on national TV.

"I shamed my country, my team and all of those who cared for me," he said.

Related: Sport in China is about more than patriotism

China is unlikely to dismantle its sports system. But by eliminating some of the performance-based incentives that led to corruption, silver and bronze might become a more palatable result.

"[Some officials had] superficially looked for results, the number of the gold medals, and neglected the education, guidance and management of athletes and trainers," the State General Administration of Sports said in its report.

-- CNN's Vivian Kam contributed reporting.

First Published: January 28, 2015: 1:43 AM ET

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Northeast blizzard: What you need to know if you're traveling

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

A potentially "historic and destructive" nor'easter is expected to plow north through New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts -- including New York City and Boston -- starting Monday and could cripple travel in the region. Over the weekend, authorities issued winter storm and blizzard watches and forecasts called for between one and two feet of snow.

A storm of that size would likely shut down arrivals and departures from important airports, causing a ripple effect. If you're traveling this week, here's what you need to know:

United Airlines (UAL): The airline plans to run a full schedule out of Washington, D.C. on Monday, but operations will be limited at New York airports. United plans to cancel all flights Tuesday at Newark, LaGuardia and JFK, as well as Boston and Philadelphia.

American Airlines (AAL) and U.S. Airways: The airlines will let customers flying to or from two dozen Northeast airports rebook reservations made for Monday and Tuesday without a fee. The cities include Albany, Baltimore, Boston, New York, Newark, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. More from American. More from U.S. Airways.

Delta Air Lines (DAL): The airline has canceled approximately 600 flights scheduled for Monday. Customers headed to or from airports along the east coast on Monday or Tuesday may rebook flights with no extra fee. More from Delta.

JetBlue (JBLU): Customers may rebook travel into or out of certain cities in the Northeast for Monday and Tuesday. More from Jet Blue.

Southwest Airlines (LUV): Customers arriving to or departing from the Washington, D.C. area on Monday may rebook without a fee. Customers in the Northeast may make similar adjustments to their travel plans on for both Monday and Tuesday. More from Southwest.

Virgin America (VA): Travelers headed into or out of Boston, New York, Newark or Washington airports on Tuesday may change their reservation without fees. More from Virgin America.

First Published: January 25, 2015: 4:14 PM ET

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When Silicon Valley takes LSD

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Herbert, who works at Cisco, has been in the tech sphere for decades. For him, geek-dom and psychedelics have intersected since the start of his adult life: The first LSD he took was created in an M.I.T. lab at and consumed at a science fiction convention.

In Silicon Valley, there is a premium on creativity, and tools thought to induce or enhance it are avidly sought. Some view psychedelics as a weapon in the arsenal, a way to approach problems differently.

There's no definitive scientific evidence that LSD or other hallucinogens improve creativity, and the DEA classifies LSD as a highly addictive, Schedule I drug. But the belief that they might work as a creative tool is enough to fuel some technologists' hope for professional epiphanies.

For people like Herbert, 51, Silicon Valley today feels a bit like the '70s all over again. Herbert drops acid three or four times a year and finds that it helps him solve work problems -- it's a way to "hack" the limits of his natural thought.

"There was a case where I had been working on a problem for over a month," Herbert said. "And I took LSD and I just realized, 'Wait, the problem is in the hardware. It's not a software issue at all.'"

Many of Herbert's colleagues are younger, and he says rising stars in the industry often share anecdotes from weekend LSD trips. CNNMoney encountered many engineers and developers who were uncomfortable sharing their habits on the record but use psychedelics both to enhance their work and as their recreational drug of choice.

More from Sex, Drugs & Silicon Valley

Tim Ferriss, a Silicon Valley investor and author of "The 4-Hour Workweek," says he knows many successful entrepreneurs who dabble in psychedelics.

"The billionaires I know, almost without exception, use hallucinogens on a regular basis," Ferriss said. "[They're] trying to be very disruptive and look at the problems in the world ... and ask completely new questions."

An employee of one of the biggest Silicon Valley companies said he recently made a pivotal career decision while under the influence of magic mushrooms -- changing course from a management track and moving into product security.

"I have a habit of boxing up difficult thoughts and emotions I'm having, and I find psychedelics good for unpacking that stuff," he said.

The phenomenon was satirized on HBO's Silicon Valley when psychedelic mushrooms guide one of the show's main characters in the hunt for a new name for their startup.

However, by all accounts, psychedelics are not treated as a simple fix-it for work conundrums. The last thing he would do, Herbert says, is take LSD and then code. It's more subtle: "if you have issues in your life or anything, you're going to think about them [while high], and think about them in a different perspective."

A recent study at Imperial College London provides a possible explanation as to why that happens. Twenty participants ingested LSD and then had their brain activity monitored in an fMRI machine. The drug broke down certain brain networks, allowing new patterns of communication to form.

"Psychedelics dismantle 'well-worn' networks, and this allows novel communication patterns to occur ... modules that don't usually talk to each other are talking to each other more," explained Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris, the researcher who conducted the study.

Psychedelics have a long history in Silicon Valley.

Daniel Kottke, a college friend and early employee of Steve Jobs', used to drop acid with him at Reed College.

"He was very forthcoming about that, about psychedelics being very helpful for getting him in touch with creativity," Kottke said of Jobs.

According to Kottke, Jobs was not interested in smoking marijuana during college because it didn't expand consciousness in the same way.

Meanwhile, in the late '90s, a former high level employee of a major software company (who asked not to be named) said he was taking psychedelics with the "specific intent of working on software problems." On one highly successful trip, he came up with design ideas, features and architectural improvements to a piece of software today used by millions.

Of course, people still like to trip for fun. Technologists flock to the annual Burning Man gathering in the Nevada desert, and many attendees say it's an experience best enjoyed on psychedelics -- no professional quandaries required.

Sex, Drugs & Silicon Valley:

I did LSD with Steve Jobs

Are smart drugs driving Silicon Valley?

I have a fiancé, a girlfriend and two boyfriends

First Published: January 25, 2015: 3:13 PM ET

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Euro slips after anti-austerity party wins Greek elections

HONG KONG (CNNMoney)

The euro hovered around $1.119 against the dollar, near the 11-year low it reached last week after the European Central Bank announced a massive stimulus program.

Syriza's victory was fueled by populist anger over severe austerity measures that critics felt prioritized payments to creditors over an economic rebound in Greece.

Greece accepted its first bailout in 2010, receiving €240 billion ($277.8 billion) in international aid to rescue its battered economy. In return, the country agreed to deep cuts in government salaries, tax hikes, a freeze on state pensions and bans on early retirement.

Nearly five years on, the overall economic picture is getting better. But life for many Greeks is much worse. Unemployment has soared and wages have fallen even as people are working longer -- all of which fueled demand for change.

Alexis Tsipras, the Syriza leader who could be the next prime minister, has pledged to roll back austerity measures. But many analysts say he won't be able to follow through.

Related: Greece elections: Have 5 years of austerity paid off?

On the campaign trail, Tsipras said he would cut taxes and force Germany and other creditors back to the bargaining table to renegotiate the terms of the bailout package. He said restructuring the debt would allow the Greek government to increase spending and boost the economy.

European leaders oppose this plan, and still maintain tremendous leverage over Greece. Athens needs an infusion of cash to make an upcoming bond payment, and the country's banks need access to cheap financing from Europe's central bank.

"Chances are that Tsipras will accept and embrace reality, quietly ditch his impossible promises and, in a Lula-style turn, keep Greece on the path of pro-growth reforms and fiscal sanity that brought the country back to growth," wrote Holger Schmieding of Berenberg Bank in a research note.

Slideshow: Greek elections: Faces of austerity

Meanwhile, Greece's debt continues to grow. Net debt was around 130% of GDP in 2010 according to the IMF -- now it's close to 170%. The economy has shrunk, so the debt ratio has increased, meaning it's only getting harder for Greece to rid itself of debt -- it may be nearly impossible.

Most Asian markets were also falling Monday morning.

Read next: 2015: The global economy's 'sink or swim' moment

First Published: January 25, 2015: 11:37 PM ET

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2015: The global economy's 'sink or swim' moment

The global economy is facing a 'sink or swim' situation now that central banks have done all they can to pump liquidity into the markets.

DAVOS, Switzerland (CNNMoney)

This week the European Central Bank unveiled a massive stimulus program -- worth $1.3 trillion -- to lift the region out of its economic malaise.

It was the latest in a long line of stimulus measures from central banks around the world. But it will only work if everybody else follows through.

European politicians and policy makers must now make decisive moves to increase productivity, investment and growth, which can involve reforming labor market rules, promoting entrepreneurship and tweaking tax codes.

"We all have a job to do," said ECB member Benoit Coeure during a panel discussion on Saturday at the World Economic Forum in Davos. "We have done our part. Others have to do their part."

The stimulus certainly buys more time for European governments to press ahead with economic reforms.

But they had better move quickly! The head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, told CNN this week that "inaction" is currently the biggest global risk.

Related: See complete coverage from Davos

But as the ECB money starts sloshing around the financial system and flowing into other parts of the world, concerns have been raised about reckless risk taking and financial instability.

Mark Carney, governor of the Bank of England, warned that markets shouldn't assume central banks will always come to the rescue when asset prices fall.

Carney also said he was expecting more market volatility and cash crunches to emerge in different markets as diverging central bank policies in Europe, Japan and the U.S. lead to unexpected shifts in the flow of money.

In short, central banks are watching out for these risks, but investors had better be careful too.

ECB member Benoit Coeure (left) with Bank of England governor Mark Carney at the World Economic Forum.

There's also the distinct possibility that the new ECB program will fuel further wealth inequality, which could lead to growing social division.

Both Carney and Coeure recognized that central bank stimulus measures tend to benefit people who already have investments and assets, while hurting everyday savers.

"Monetary policy always has distributional consequences," said Carney.

Billionaire investor George Soros also warned about the issue this week.

"My main concern is that [the ECB stimulus] will make the divergence between the rich and poor bigger," he said, during a separate Davos event.

But growing inequality isn't a sure thing.

"You can have the best of both worlds" if countries implement programs to support the unemployed and improve the labor market, said Coeure.

But then again, these financial heavyweights don't have crystal balls to see the future.

In fact, as they try to predict what to expect in 2015, they are humbled by the fact that they did not predict falling oil prices, a crisis in Ukraine, a fall-out with Russia and a rise in the extremist group ISIS in 2014.

"I hope we're going to be a little better [with our predictions] this time," said Laurence Fink, CEO of BlackRock (BLK), who moderated the Davos panel on Saturday.

When it comes to expecting the unexpected, the panelists agree that technology has the power to reshape global dynamics.

For example, fracking technology created a glut of oil supplies and drove crude prices below $50 per barrel, causing a range of knock on effects around the world that no one could have predicted.

"Technology ... is under appreciated, at least by politicians, as to how [it's] transforming their societies," said Fink.

First Published: January 24, 2015: 2:48 PM ET

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Second record weekend for 'American Sniper'

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The Oscar-nominated Iraq War movie, starring Bradley Cooper as the legendary sniper Chris Kyle, earned $18.3 million at the box office on Friday.

For perspective, the next biggest movie in the United States this weekend is "The Boy Next Door," starring Jennifer Lopez. It is on track to make $16 million for the whole weekend.

"We continue to rewrite the record books," Dan Fellman, the president of Warner Bros. domestic distribution, said Saturday.

He said he'd make a projection for the whole weekend on Sunday morning. Outside analysts are predicting a haul of $61 million to $65 million. That would give "American Sniper" one of the top ten "second weekends" in Hollywood history.

Watch: Will 'Sniper' debate affect veteran's trial?

The movie has generated new conversation -- and controversy -- about the Iraq War and about Kyle, who was killed in 2013. On Friday night Bill Maher called Kyle a "psychopath patriot."

Movies make most of their money Fridays through Sundays. In its opening weekend, including the Martin Luther King Day holiday on Monday, "Sniper" made $105 million, setting a new record for a January movie release.

The movie continued to perform well all week long, invigorating Warner Bros., the studio division of Time Warner. CNN, the parent of this web site, is also owned by Time Warner (TWX).

"It feels like summer in January," Rentrak senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian said earlier this week.

"This film is swimming in blockbuster waters and generating numbers generally reserved for super-heroes and summer movies," Dergarabedian said.

The movie may go on to beat 2004's "The Passion of the Christ," which currently ranks as the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time.

One sign of "American Sniper's" strength is the relatively small week-to-week drop-off in ticket sales. Movies like "Sniper" regularly see a 50% to 60% decline in week two. But the fall in ticket sales between the first and second Friday was only 40%.

Translation: "American Sniper' is still generating lots of interest.

Fellman said it was "the least percentage drop of any film that opened to an $85 million weekend or better."

The strong start for "American Sniper" was boosted by the Oscar nomination of star Bradley Cooper.

The movie was initially released in December to only two theaters in New York, one in Dallas, and one in Los Angeles.

The strategy, Fellman said, was to "get people to line up -- make it a hard ticket -- and have people see it in packed theaters."

The strategy worked, and there was widespread interest in the movie by the time it opened nationwide on January 16.

It wasn't a coincidence that the Academy Awards nominations were announced a day earlier. Cooper was nominated for best actor, and the movie was nominated for best picture. That gave "Sniper" even more momentum.

Controversies surrounding the movie have helped to sustain interest, even though some of the stories have been sharply negative.

Some people have celebrated the movie for its unflinching portrayal of combat in Iraq, while others have assailed it as war propaganda. The word "MURDER" was scrawled on one movie billboard near Hollywood.

Fellman, for his part, said the movie is open to interpretation: "Some people call it a war movie. Some people call it an anti-war movie."

--Molly Shiels and Frank Pallotta contributed reporting.

Related: Box office for 'Sniper' helps book sales

Related: Why it's a great time to be a filmmaker at Sundance

First Published: January 24, 2015: 2:51 PM ET

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#HeForShe campaign goes corporate

Emma Watson is a celebrity spokesperson for the HeForShe campaign.

DAVOS, Switzerland (CNNMoney)

The United Nations-backed campaign went viral last year on Twitter (TWTR, Tech30) after actress Emma Watson made an impassioned speech calling on everyday men and women to work towards a fairer society where males and females are treated as equals.

Three major companies pledged to support the movement this week at an event in Davos: Consumer goods giant Unilever (UL), Tupperware Brands (TUP) and global professional services firm PwC.

Political leaders, including the president of Sierra Leone and the prime ministers of Sweden and the Netherlands, also signed on.

The UN said it is making a point of signing up corporates and government leaders because women are underrepresented in the upper echelons of the workplace and in politics.

In her September speech, Watson noted that it is expected to take 75 years for the gender pay gap to close, unless action is taken.

Universities are also being encouraged to join the campaign.

Related: Try our Global Wage Calculator

Gender inequality was a big theme in Davos this week during the World Economic Forum, a high-brow event that's known for being overrun by political leaders and billionaires. Only 17% of attendees were female, up from 15% in the previous year, according to reports.

Facebook's (FB, Tech30) chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg was among the women who attended the World Economic Forum. During a panel discussion, Sandberg outlined the importance of providing Internet access to women in developing nations, saying it can empower them and help improve their lives.

"The benefits of getting women connected often ... outweigh the benefits of men getting connected because they will put those investments back into the education and health care of their children," she said.

According to recent statistics from McKinsey and Facebook, women are 25% less likely to be connected to the Internet than men.

Japan's top central banker, Haruhiko Kuroda, also discussed gender issues at the event.

Kuroda reported that the ratio of women participating in the Japanese labor market has hit an all-time high, though it's still well below the average for developed nations.

Japan has been encouraging female participation in the workforce in an effort to boost economic growth. While Kuroda didn't say what the new ratio was, CNNMoney has reported that Japan's female employment rate is around 60%, far below the 80% rate for men.

Japan's male-dominated corporate culture and inflexible maternity leave policies have been known to discourage educated women from pursuing jobs.

First Published: January 24, 2015: 5:55 PM ET

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Sports Illustrated lays off its staff photographers

Sports Illustrated, which boasts a long history of indelible photos, laid off all six of its staff photographers this week.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Brad Smith, director of photography for Sports Illustrated, spoke about the move Friday in a report from the National Press Photographers Association.

"There was a decision made through the company to restructure various departments, including at Sports Illustrated," Smith said. "Unfortunately economic circumstances are such that it has cut the six staff photographers."

The layoffs occurred on Thursday.

The weekly magazine, which is owned by Time Inc. (TIME), will fill the void by leaning on what spokesman Scott Novak told CNNMoney will be "a broader worldwide contributor network."

Novak stressed that Sports Illustrated has a long history of turning to freelancers -- including in the magazine's last issue. He said the magazine has long had a small photography staff, averaging fewer than six over its six decades of publication.

"This approach is neither radical nor unprecedented for Sports Illustrated," Novak.

Novak acknowledged that the decision was driven in part by financial considerations.

"As a media enterprise, it's incumbent upon us to manage our business in a way that delivers the best products to our consumers and drives the most value to the bottom line," Novak said.

Photography has long been the lifeblood for Sports Illustrated, which boasts a number of iconic covers in its archives.

The magazine will maintain a photography department with editors and personnel like Smith still in place. Novak declined to comment about the magazine's freelance budget.

Time Inc. was spun off by Time Warner (TWX), the owner of CNN and CNNMoney, last year.

First Published: January 23, 2015: 4:08 PM ET

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Friday Links

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

A weekly collection of design, data and interactive links.

Photo/Video
Fibonacci Zoetrope Sculptures | 3-D printed sculptures animate when spun under a strobe light
Woodworking | A look at Japanese joinery
Gotham 7.5K | A rare high altitude night flight above NYC
California Inspires Me | Narrated by Mike Mills
365 | One year, one film, one second a day
Lapka | Google's modular concept phone

Design/Data viz
Manuals 2 | Design and Identity Guidelines
Lilium | Kenichi Yoneda (Kynd) in collaboration with BRDG
Airbnb Map | Stylized WebGL 3d map
Ross Sonnenberg | How to make images with fireworks and photo paper
Homunculus | Innvotative portfolio site
Genetic Algorithm Walkers | Watch walking creatures evolve through genetic algorithms
See last week's links
Have a nice weekend

@dubly and @talyellin

First Published: January 23, 2015: 5:26 PM ET

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Obamacare website reins in personal data sharing

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Earlier this week, the government came under fire after the Associated Press showed that Healthcare.gov was relaying users' personal information, such as zip code, income level, pregnancy status and whether or not you are a smoker.

That information was being shared with Google (GOOG), Twitter (TWTR, Tech30), Yahoo (YHOO, Tech30) and other companies that track people online, like the advertisement display service DoubleClick.

The evidence was on the website code itself.

But on Friday, CNNMoney read the code and found that Healthcare.gov was no longer relaying personal information to DoubleClick and others.

Obama administration officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

After last week's report, Republican Senators Orrin Hatch and Chuck Grassley wrote a letter to the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services demanding answers.

Citing Healthcare.gov's many technology glitches, they wrote: "This new information is extremely concerning, not only because it violates the privacy of millions of Americans, but because it may potentially compromise their security."

To be fair, the software tools used by Healthcare.gov were popular services that help improve a website's design (CNNMoney uses them).

But health officials would not explain why DoubleClick, a company in the advertising industry that already tracks people's browsing habits, should be allowed to know whether users smoke or are pregnant.

For its part, Google told CNNMoney it doesn't desire your personal health information anyway.

"We don't want and don't use that kind of data," said Andrea Faville, a Google spokeswoman. "And we don't allow DoubleClick systems to be used to target ads based on health or medical history information."

When CNNMoney learned that the Health and Human Services Department was sending information to third parties in 2013, HHS would only assure that the data being shared with DoubleClick and others is transmitted to them securely.

That approach was criticized by privacy advocates such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Noah Lang, CEO of a health insurance startup Stride Health, said use of those tracking tools was sloppy and uncalled for.

"I don't think it's necessary to build a great user experience," he said. "Should they be sending identifying information to a third-party advertiser? The pretty clear answer there is no. It's a massive breach of personal privacy."

When CNNMoney read through the computer code on the Healthcare.gov website on Friday, certain lines of code that indicated the website was sending such personal information during the sign-up process were gone.

Cooper Quintin, a staff technologist at EFF, confirmed that the code was gone.

"That's a great first step for them to take," he said.

While Healthcare.gov is no longer relaying your personal information on the front end, there's no telling what information might get shared once it is stored in the government's computers, however.

Related: Obamacare website sends your data to private companies

Related: AT&T texts can be faked to hack you

Related: How safe are you? CNN's cybersecurity magazine

First Published: January 23, 2015: 4:48 PM ET

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World's top cities: Zurich. Paris. Hartford?

Hartford, Connecticut, left has higher GDP per capita than Paris, France.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Nope, not Paris. We're talking about Hartford, the pride of Connecticut.

The capital of the nutmeg state has more economic activity per person than Geneva, Paris and basically the rest of the world's great cities, according to a new report by the Brookings Institution.

Only Zurich, Oslo and San Jose, California beat out Hartford.

Related: Most Innovative Cities

Hartford's GDP per capita, $76,510, placed fourth among the 300 cities in the report. Geneva ($74,580), Paris ($70,760) and others placed just below the Connecticut capital in Brookings' list.

Brookings used gross domestic product, a broad measure of economic activity, divided by a city's population as a key factor when it ranks metro areas for overall economic performance. GDP per capita is often thought of as a good gauge of the standard of living in a place.

Hartford is known as the insurance capital of the world. The insurance industry generates a lot of cash and does not require many workers, creating a high GDP per capita figure. Business and financial services, a broad jobs category that includes insurance, makes up almost 20% of employment in Hartford, but nearly half of the region's economy, according to Joe Parilla, an author of the Brookings report.

Related: Stressed Out Cities

"With only the 20% of the employment base, they're generating a ton of output," says Parilla. "We knew Hartford had this insurance niche that, in a way, is similar to how these other major financial hubs are participating in the economy."

But don't think everyone in Hartford is rolling in the dough.

The city has not recovered to its pre-recession growth levels, especially in employment. Brookings gave it an overall economic performance ranking of only 239 out of the 300 global cities the report scored. Hartford's unemployment rate is 6.3%, well above the nation's 5.6%, according to the Labor Department.

Tourism takeaway: don't change those vacation plans from Paris to Hartford. Enjoy the Louvre.

First Published: January 22, 2015: 12:11 AM ET

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Macau: China's gambling mecca desperately needs to diversify

HONG KONG (CNNMoney)

The decline accelerated through the end of 2014, culminating with a 30.4% revenue drop in December compared to the previous year. Shares in the major casinos fell by 30% to 40% in just six months.

Macau, like Hong Kong, is a Special Administrative Region of China. It is also the only place in China where gambling is legal. Since 2002 its casino industry has grown into a $45 billion heavyweight, roughly seven times bigger than Las Vegas.

But now gamblers are staying away for several reasons. An intense anti-corruption campaign underway in Mainland China has made them wary about visiting casinos.

Also, visas are in short supply, and some gamblers are upset by a new ban on smoking on playing floors.

Related: Macau's gambling industry dwarfs Vegas

The unexpected decline has set off alarm bells in Macau: Despite continued warnings, the territory has failed to diversify its economy beyond gambling, putting it at risk of an industry downturn.

More than 80% of government revenue comes directly from the casinos. When the industry booms and tax revenue jumps, residents -- most of whom are employed in the business -- receive payouts from the government.

The gambling dependence has drawn attention from the highest levels of Chinese government.

During a December visit, President Xi Jinping encouraged Macanese leaders to expand beyond gambling and promote "appropriate diversification."

"This is of great importance for the interests of the people of Macau," Xi said.

As is, baccarat is the prime attraction in Macau, totaling more than 90% of casino game offerings. The average minimum bet at non-VIP tables is around $250 -- far beyond the reach of casual gamblers.

Related: Macau trumps Vegas with huge minimum bets

The obvious starting point is for Macau to boost its entertainment and leisure options, which lag far behind the glitz, glam and family fun offered in Vegas. The idea is to offer guests a more complete resort experience.

Some developers have taken note, and are planning new malls and theaters.

Wynn Macau is building a 15,000 seat arena. The neighboring island of Hengqin, which is much larger in size than Macau, has caught Beijing's attention as a prime development and diversification opportunity.

But more could be done, especially as other regional gambling destinations take aim at Macau. Casinos in Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines are all working hard to attract Chinese gamblers.

Looking ahead, analysts at CLSA expect Macau's casino revenue to stabilize in the first half of 2015, and rebound in the second half of the year. "Headwinds will persist ... but longer term investors should not abandon ship," the analysts said.

Should the good times resume, Macau would do well to invest the profits wisely.

First Published: January 21, 2015: 9:06 PM ET

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Toy story: What toy sales tell us about China's future

HONG KONG (CNNMoney)

That hasn't changed -- the country still makes around 75% of the world's toys.

But over the past five years, toy manufacturers in Mainland China have started to sell to an entirely new target demographic, much closer to home: lower-income Chinese consumers.

That's right. China itself is becoming a major consumer of toys.

Market research firm Euromonitor International says retail sales of toys and games in China have been growing about 13% each year since 2008. In 2013, total sales were just shy of $20 billion.

Euromonitor also predicts that in the next five years, China will be the fastest growing market globally for traditional toys and games. They say the market will grow 57% by 2018.

Related: Why Paul Krugman is scared of China

John Liu, the Marketing Director of Zenit, a Chinese company that sells high-quality wooden toys, said that he first realized two years ago that there was a strong opportunity to sell in China.

Zenit launched their product on the Mainland in 2013, and made $500,000 in their first year of operation. Now, China accounts for 20% of the company's export volume. Liu says it's simple: Chinese parents want higher quality, safer toys.

Shaun Rein, the author of The End of Cheap China, said that businesses should work to harness the spending power of Chinese consumers.

Many observers, he said, are "underestimating the purchasing power of low-income Chinese. And more importantly, they're underestimating how wealthy they're going to be three to five years from now."

Rein estimates there are 850 million Chinese workers earning less than $500 a month. Salaries are going up 15% a year, leaving them with more disposable income than ever before.

Rein said toy purchases allow consumers to show off some of their newly-acquired status.

"You have toys, such as Lego, that are doing very well. They're cheap enough that they're accessible for low-income Chinese. But they're expensive enough to get prestige."

"So instead of buying a Louboutin bag, people buy Lego for their family members," Rein said.

Related: China's president makes ... $22,000 a year?!

Lego is beginning to push its brand to second and third-tier Chinese cities, according to Euromonitor. The company has opened stores in 14 new cities -- including Xi'an, Dalian and Foshan. Lego has also increased investments in its education arm.

Alice Tsang, an economist with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, said the market is only going to grow as China loosens its one-child policy -- which means an extra 1-2 million babies born each year.

Utku Tansell, Head of Toys and Games Research at Euromonitor International, said that toy sales in China are ripe for more growth.

"In 2013, the average spend per child in China was just $41. Compare that to $345 in Japan" he said. "Same region, massive difference."

First Published: January 21, 2015: 9:36 PM ET

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Many spouses are cheating - financially

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

One in five Americans has hidden a purchase of $500 or more from their significant other, according to a new study from CreditCards.com. And an estimated 7.2 million Americans have a bank account or credit card that their spouse doesn't know about.

It may sound egregious, but hiding a shopping spree doesn't take much more than a little white lie. You borrowed that new sweater from your sister, shipped an online order to the office, and just never mentioned the steep bar tab you rang up with coworkers.

Men are bigger secret spenders. They're almost twice as likely as women to have hidden a purchase from their significant other. At the same time, more men also say they don't mind if their spouse hides a big purchase. Only 18% of women say they're OK with that.

Related: The ex-wife who's disappointed with $1 billion divorce

But financial secrets can be a "recipe for disaster," said Matt Schulz, a senior analyst at CreditCards.com

It's incredibly difficult to keep a household budget when you don't know how much money is coming in and out, he said. It could lead to late bill payments, which can harm your credit score.

The report is based on a survey of 1,000 adults living in the U.S.

"Honesty is generally the best policy. If you don't tell your spouse about these things and they find out, they might stat to wonder what else is being hidden," Schulz said.

Quiz: Are you financially compatible with your spouse?

First Published: January 21, 2015: 1:52 AM ET

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Obama's #SOTU press strategy: all of the above

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

For this year's State of the Union, White House press strategists tried a whole raft of new promotional techniques. Partly they were trying to drive more viewers to Tuesday's prime time address; but more broadly they were trying to reach Americans who were unlikely to tune in at all.

The effort will continue later this week when President Obama sits down for interviews with three YouTube stars, GloZell Green, Bethany Mota and Hank Green, on the White House's YouTube channel.

"We are in the middle of a revolution in how people consume information," White House senior adviser Dan Pfeiffer said in an email message during the speech. "For many, the idea of appointment television is becoming an anachronism."

What the Obama administration is doing is more of an evolution than a revolution. Every White House seeks new ways to bypass the media -- and now there are more ways than ever. For Pfeiffer and his colleagues, sites like Facebook (FB, Tech30), YouTube, Twitter (TWTR, Tech30) and Instagram are opportunities -- ones that grant them a much greater degree of control.

"The data-driven White House has seen the numbers," CNN senior White House correspondent Jim Acosta wrote last week. "More than 48 million viewers watched the President's State of the Union in 2010. Roughly 33 million people tuned in last year, a 31% decrease."

"We're programming around that fact," a White House official told Acosta.

Related: How Obama would close the 'trust fund loophole'

The White House started pushing what it called State of the Union "spoilers" as soon as the New Year started, leading up to Tuesday night's address.

A proposal for free community college was previewed in an Obama video recorded aboard Air Force One and posted to Facebook. It tallied up 7.5 million views in the first two days -- making it the White House's most popular video to date.

Then a presidential plan for broadband access was shared on YouTube and Upworthy.

And a proposed expansion of paid leave programs was publicized via LinkedIn.

White House aides were thrilled to see some of the announcements trending on Twitter.

They still sought out traditional forums -- like Sunday morning television shows -- to hammer home their messages and reach millions of people.

But they also strived to use the web whenever possible.

Related: Why Obama is concerned about middle class

When I interviewed Pfeiffer last month for CNN's "Reliable Sources," he put it this way: "We don't have an either-or strategy, we have an and-both strategy."

On Tuesday, in a remark that likely made some White House correspondents cringe, the official White House Twitter feed said "the best place to watch the State of the Union at 9pm ET" was through the government's live stream.

Deputy press secretary Eric Schultz also published a hand-written note from the president encouraging people to "tune in on Tuesday so I can share my ideas."

And the administration's YouTube channel had an elaborate live pre-game show.

The White House live-tweeted the 9 p.m. speech, complete with charts and graphics prepared ahead of time. It also released the text of the whole speech a few minutes ahead of the official start. In the past, the text has been provided to news organizations beforehand, but not to the general public.

"We want to create a multimedia experience where people can consume the State of the Union wherever whenever and however they want," Pfeiffer said in an email.

That "experience" extended to a teasing photo: the White House posted a photo of a tan suit before the speech, meant to generate enthusiasm for the speech and get people guessing whether the president might don the much-maligned suit he wore at a press conference last August.

He went with a black suit instead.

First Published: January 21, 2015: 12:27 AM ET

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New year, same old problems for Europe

DAVOS, Switzerland (CNNMoney)

First, in Frankfurt on Thursday, European central bankers will wrestle with just how far they're prepared to go to prevent the region's stagnant economy falling into a deflationary spiral.

Having cut interest rates as low as he can, and tried limited monetary stimulus, ECB President Mario Draghi is set to move the goal posts by announcing up to one trillion euros ($1.2 trillion) in full-bore quantitative easing -- buying government bonds.

Across Europe few doubt the need for urgent action -- even Germany has softened its opposition to printing money as inflation in the eurozone turned negative.

Related: All you need to know about Davos

But with the interests of 19 countries to take into account, Draghi's so-called "big bazooka" could turn into a disappointing compromise, especially if national central banks -- rather than the ECB -- end up buying the bonds, meaning any losses would not be shared across the eurozone.

With deflation now a reality across the single currency area, and the unemployment rate stuck in double figures, the region faces the real prospect of getting stuck in the kind of spiral that it took Japan 20 years to conquer.

Draghi is a regular at the World Economic Forum. In a sure sign of a big policy move to come, he's not planning to attend this year.

However, if anything, it's the second event that will provide Davos delegates with the strongest sense of deja vu.

Early elections in Greece are again worrying policymakers.

Voters will decide Sunday whether to back Syriza, a radical left-wing party that wants to reverse austerity and tear up the terms of the country's bailout programs.

Opinion: Why the new Cold War between Russia and the West matters

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and her finance minister, may well use the Davos stage to restate their opposition to renegotiating austerity programs or providing Greece with yet more debt relief.

It's the prospect of a clash between those positions that some fear could trigger a Greek default, ultimately starting a process that forces the Mediterranean nation to abandon the euro.

The idea of money printing in Europe has been floating around in Europe for a long time.

Whatever the ECB unveils on Thursday, the risk is that it is too little, too late. The world's other leading central banks -- with the exception of Japan -- are ending their QE experiments.

And Greece's future has been in doubt since 2008.

Davos this year is supposed to be discussing "The New Global Context." Europe, sadly, is still stuck in the past.

Related: Davos creates air traffic jam from private jets

First Published: January 21, 2015: 2:39 AM ET

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IMF: The world economy is worse off than we thought

HONG KONG (CNNMoney)

The world economy will grow by just 3.5% in 2015, and by 3.7% in 2016, according to the latest estimate from the International Monetary Fund. Both estimates are down 0.3 percentage points from the group's previous forecast, made in October.

One bright spot was the United States: The IMF revised its estimate for U.S. economic growth to 3.6% this year, up half a percentage point from the October forecast.

The IMF estimates underscore the difficult set of choices facing policymakers around the world.

In the wake of the global financial crisis, trillions of dollars have been pumped into the world economy in the form of cheap central bank cash, boosting stocks, bonds and real estate prices.

Yet growth remains limited. Even drastically lower oil prices will have limited impact on stimulating the overall economy.

"New factors supporting growth -- lower oil prices, but also depreciation of euro and yen -- are more than offset by persistent negative forces," said IMF chief economist Olivier Blanchard.

Related: China posts its worst growth in 24 years

Russia is expected to be among the hardest hit nations, with the IMF predicting a 3% contraction this year, followed by another 1% decline in 2016. Both figures are sharply lower than the October estimate.

China, the world's second-largest economy, will continue its slowdown, with growth hitting 6.8% this year and 6.3% next year.

The IMF said growth could be stronger than forecast if lower oil prices deliver a greater boost than assumed. Growth could take a hit if volatility spikes in emerging markets.

Related: Plunging oil prices won't solve China's problems

Related: How the 1% fly to Davos

First Published: January 19, 2015: 10:16 PM ET

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MSNBC guest won't apologize for remark about Jindal

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Arsalan Iftikhar, a human rights attorney and commentator, made the remark on MSNBC's "Now with Alex Wagner."

On Monday night he told CNN, "I will apologize to Bobby Jindal when he apologizes to seven million American Muslims for advancing the debunked 'Muslim no-go zones' myth."

Iftikhar was responding to the Republican governor's statements, during a speech in London, about supposed "no-go zones" for non-Muslims in Europe.

The idea of "no-go zones" -- where Islamic law is allegedly observed and where local police fear to operate -- has been widely circulated by right-wing media outlets, but has been contradicted by officials in France, Britain and elsewhere who say it's an exaggeration not supported by the facts.

British Prime Minister David Cameron has pushed back on the idea, saying that, "when I heard this, frankly, I choked on my porridge and I thought it must be April Fools Day."

On Saturday, Fox News apologized for a number of its recent segments about "no-go zones."

After his speech on Monday, Jindal's decision to invoke "no-go zones" was scrutinized by political analysts; some concluded that he is trying to position himself for the upcoming Republican presidential primaries by ratcheting up his rhetoric against radical Islam.

In interviews with CNN, Jindal was asked for specific examples of "no-go zones" but did not name any.

He commented to CNN's Max Foster that "the radical left absolutely wants to pretend like this problem is not here."

On MSNBC, a favorite channel of liberals, Wagner read that quote to Iftikhar. He pounced, ascribing political motivations to Jindal's stance.

"I think Governor Jindal is protesting a bit too much," he said. "He might be trying to, you know, scrub some of the brown off his skin as he runs to the right in a Republican presidential exploratory bid."

Jindal is Indian American. He was raised Hindu, and converted to Roman Catholicism as a teen.

Iftikhar added, "I think it's the worst common denominator of American politics -- to marginalize any minority demographic group. I'm pretty sure that Governor Jindal will come to his senses, hopefully in the next couple of days."

Iftikhar's comment immediately drew complaints from conservatives.

"MSNBC upped the ante in their quest to attack Republicans on Monday when a guest made a racially charged attack," wrote the Washington Free Beacon.

Web sites like The Daily Caller and The Right Scoop also picked up on Iftikhar's remark.

Iftikhar appears on MSNBC and CNN regularly; he recently garnered press attention when CNN's Don Lemon asked him if he supported the terror group ISIS.

Now he's gaining attention for a very different reason. He laid low on social media after Monday's MSNBC appearance, choosing not to respond to tweets like this one from conservative political strategist Matt Mackowiak: "Your outrageous, racist, bigoted, disgusting attack on @BobbyJindal requires an immediate, public apology."

First Published: January 20, 2015: 1:17 AM ET

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Your next bank teller could be a robot

This is Nao. He speaks 19 languages and can answer your basic banking questions.

TOKYO (CNNMoney)

Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ, one of the world's largest banks, will introduce a humanoid robot intro branches starting this spring.

The robot, named NAO, will be able to answer customers' questions about the bank's services, said spokesperson Kazunobu Takahara.

Nao's a bit smaller than your average bank teller -- he is just 23 inches tall and weighs about 9 pounds.

Nao makes up for it in linguistic aptitude. He understands 19 languages, and Mitsubishi UFJ hopes he'll help handle the influx of foreign customers for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. The bank will introduce one or two NAOs as a trial, but plans to expand its robotic staff if customers are pleased.

"We've hired NAO not to reduce the workforce at the bank, but to take advantage of the advanced technology to provide new services," said Takahara.

NAO can also analyze visitors' facial expressions and tone of voice, data the bank plans to use when designing new financial services.

The robot was developed by French company Alderbaran Robotics, which is owned by Japan's Softbank. According to Alderbaran's website, NAO was born in 2006. Since then "he has been constantly evolving to please, amuse, understand and love you," the website explains.

First Published: January 20, 2015: 1:55 AM ET

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Software can't replace mass spying

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

But that doesn't mean the mass spying should keep happening, it added.

The long-awaited report was released Thursday by the National Academy of Sciences. It came from the committee that President Obama put together after ex-NSA contractor Edward Snowden revealed the extent of U.S. government spying on the American public's phone records, email logs and more.

In response to the report, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union noted that the committee doesn't condone current mass surveillance practices. Quite the opposite, Neema Singh Guliani said.

"The report does not even attempt to provide one concrete example of a case where bulk collection was essential to a national security investigation," she said in a blog post.

This committee was made up of academics and technology professionals from Google (GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT, Tech30), Oracle (ORCL, Tech30) and elsewhere.

Its job was to figure out whether the government could ditch the current strategy of collecting lots of information on nearly everyone and manually sort through it and instead, use computer software to narrow down the spying.

However, the committee concluded, for the government to know everything, it has to collect everything.

The committee suggested putting automatic controls that limit who can access the data collected by government spies. That addresses one of the main criticisms voiced by Snowden: that lots of intelligence agents and private contractors get creepy access into our personal lives, from webcams to private chats with friends and family.

Such computer software would also make it easier for the government to catch when spies behave badly -- and make that information public.

Related: U.S. planes spy on American phones

Related: How the NSA can 'turn on' your phone remotely

First Published: January 16, 2015: 6:20 PM ET

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Where is Charlie Hebdo? My pursuit of the first copies in America

Charlie Hebdo sold out almost immediately in Paris, and millions of copies are being printed, but the once-obscure magazine was hard to find in New York despite demand for it.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The message anticipated a question that employees of the French book shop had heard hundreds of times.

Stores and newsstands throughout New York that had never sold Charlie Hebdo had been inundated with inquiries from people who have probably never read the satirical magazine.

In New York City, at least, "I am Charlie" had become "Where is Charlie?"

The answer emerged on Friday morning with the arrival of what were likely some of the first copies of the magazine's latest issue in the United States.

The magazine, the first since the attack on Charlie Hebdo's offices that left 12 dead, sold out in Paris almost immediately and as many as 5 million copies are being printed. But getting the once-obscure publication to America wasn't easy.

Some newsstand distributors tried to work directly with Charlie Hebdo's distributors -- a task that turned out to be difficult, at least initially.

But places like Albertine and Book Culture, another Manhattan shop, went a different route.

The stores made arrangements with Emmanuel Saint-Martin, the owner of a website catering to French ex-pats who has fielded "thousands" of requests for the new issue.

Saint-Martin reached out to Uni-Presse, a French government-backed organization dedicated to promoting French culture and press throughout the world.

He arranged for Air France and La Compagnie, another French airline that flies to Newark Liberty Airport in New Jersey, to get the issues across the Atlantic.

And on Friday morning, about 20 copies then arrived via FedEx to the upstate New York home of Catherine Lamy, the East Coast representative for Uni-Presse.

She and Saint-Martin hope to get as many as 1,500 copies next week to send to other American cities. The first round went to a select few in New York.

So a little before 11:30 a.m. on Friday, an employee removed the sign from Albertine's door and Lamy entered ten minutes later. She had a white envelope. Nobody needed to ask what was inside.

She gave bookstore employees two copies. They examined the cover image -- a cartoon depiction of the Prophet Mohammed -- that has spawned renewed debates over free speech.

It was decided that one copy would be laminated for posterity, and the employees placed one copy on a windowsill sandwiched between two bookshelves.

One customer wanting to buy one was invited instead to read the issue near the window. He sat in one of the store's leather chairs and scanned the cartoons and articles. When he was finished, a young woman had her turn to read the magazine.

Albertine won't have copies to sell until next week.

Albertine bookshop in Manhattan wasn't selling Charlie Hebdo at first, but it was letting customers sit and read the issue.

After an hour at Albertine, Lamy was off to her next destination: Book Culture, located on the other side of Central Park.

During the cab ride west, Lamy stressed that Uni-Presse will only provide copies to stores that pledge to make "no margin" on the transaction.

"We don't want to see this craziness you see on eBay," she said, referring to the markup on issues that have been sold on the online marketplace. "We're very clear to the stores on that."

She said Uni-Press hasn't collected any commission on Charlie Hebdo subscriptions since the attack.

We arrived at Book Culture, part of a three-store chain on Manhattan's Upper West Side. CBS News had a camera there. And a reporter for the Japanese television network TV Asahi stood outside the store.

"Are you here with the delivery?" the reporter asked Lamy.

With film crews capturing the footage, Lamy pulled a copy out of the white envelope and handed it Chris Doeblin, the store's owner.

"Beautiful," Doeblin said, holding up the Mohammed cartoon for everyone in the store to see. He plans to frame one of the copies for display. The other will be available for viewing. Doeblin hopes to get more to sell, but obtaining a mere two copies was still important to him.

For the last several days, the store's front window has displayed an enormous sign with the now-ubiqitous rallying cry, "Je suis Charlie."

Doeblin said the sign has "garnered some ill will."

He's thought about the security risk of associating with the magazine, but said he's "not that concerned about it."

Book Culture plans to frame one of the Charlie Hebdo covers for display in the store.

Book Culture employees paged through one of the copies behind the store's counter. A customer asked if any issues were for sale. John R. MacArthur, the president and publisher of Harper's Magazine, eventually strolled in and made small talk with Lamy. Harper's has a partnership with the store.

"We're not Charlie Hebdo in style, but we are in spirit," MacArthur said of his magazine.

As the news crews filed out of the store, Lamy was joined by Saint-Martin, whose website had received thousands of requests for the magazine

The two made plans to deliver the remaining issues Lamy had with her that day. One was going to a man in Brooklyn who called last week to start a subscription.

Lamy wouldn't disclose where the other dozen-plus copies were going. She said those recipients did not want to be identified.

First Published: January 17, 2015: 9:05 AM ET

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Charlie Hebdo now printing 7 million copies

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The new total reflects extraordinary demand for what has become known as the magazine's "survivors issue." It was produced in the days immediately following a terrorist attack at the magazine's office in Paris. The attackers were apparently motivated by the magazine's criticisms of Islam and depictions of the Prophet Mohammed.

The cover of the new issue has a cartoon of the prophet holding up a sign that reads "I Am Charlie" in French.

Customers at newsstands continue to seek copies of the issue -- not just in France, where there were long lines observed earlier this week, but also in Germany, where the magazine went on sale on Saturday.

There were local reports that the copies quickly sold out in cities like Berlin and Hamburg.

"We could have ordered 500 copies -- they would have sold out," a vendor at the main train station in Stuttgart told DPA, Germany's main news agency.

Customers in Germany lined up on Saturday to buy the new edition of Charlie Hebdo.

For some, buying a copy is a way to show solidarity with the magazine and support freedom of expression.

The magazine's French distributor, MLP, has been trying -- mostly unsuccessfully -- to keep pace with demand.

Roughly one million copies each were distributed on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Technical problems limited the number of copies available in France over the weekend, so it'll take several days to reach the 5 million mark.

On Saturday, MLP boosted the planned total to 7 million.

The French newspaper Le Figaro called it "a record in the history of the French press."

Michel Salion, a spokesman for MLP, told CNN it is "too early" to say how much money has been made through the sales.

A small number of copies began to reach the United States on Friday, and more are expected to go on sale in the coming days.

To put the 7 million figure in perspective, only a small number of U.S. magazines print that many copies -- AARP The Magazine, Better Homes and Gardens, and Game Informer Magazine.

"Nothing in the United States compares to the Charlie Hebdo print run," said Sid Holt, chief executive of the American Society of Magazine Editors.

He said Charlie Hebdo's past 60,000 circulation "is small even by French standards. Paris Match, by comparison, has a circulation of 600,000."

"But the equivalent of going from 60,000 to 6 million would be as if a magazine in the United States sold 30 million copies -- 30 times what People sells on the newsstand every week," Hold said.

Related: Where is Charlie Hebdo? My pursuit of the first copies in America

While support for the new issue has been widespread, opposition to the Mohammed drawing on the cover has been expressed by Islamic leaders and government officials in a number of countries in the Middle East and Africa.

The cover has been described as insulting to Muslims and needlessly provocative.

Protests against the new cover were reported in Pakistan, Jordan, Algeria, Niger, Mali, Somalia, Senegal, and Mauritania.

In Karachi, Pakistan on Friday, one protest turned violent, and a photographer working for the Paris-based news agency was injured by gunfire.

In Niger, a number of churches were set on fire and several people were killed. The French embassy in Niamey advised its citizens to be vigilant and avoid going outdoors.

Related: Charlie Hebdo co-founder: Prophet cartoons went too far

Publishers in some parts of the world have declined to reprint the cover. A new issue of The Economist magazine includes a small picture of the cover, but it's just a blank spot in the edition printed in Singapore. The Economist included a note explaining the missing content to readers, and referred them to a web page where they could see the cover.

A wide array of other news outlets, including CNN, have opted not to show the cover.

Meanwhile, the surviving editors of the magazine have said little about their plans for future issues, but they have vowed to keep publishing.

Laurent Joffrin, the editor of the French paper Liberation, said the staffers could continue to borrow its office space -- "As long as they want to stay, they can stay, there's no problem."

Joffrin told CNN, "They have many new friends and new subscribers, and they have money, investment, so they can go on."

--Claire Calzonetti contributed reporting.

First Published: January 17, 2015: 1:05 PM ET

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