Business
- CNN
Airline meals used to be plentiful and luxurious. Here’s what happened
informed Summary
- In the golden age of air travel, passengers in the 1960s would enjoy a lavish meal from the menu. These days, though, passengers in club class are lucky if they receive a free meal on international flights and for shorter flights, ttey often have to make do with complementary peanuts and water.
Business4 min read - TIME
How the Gulf is reshaping Africa
informed Summary
- More than 50 African leaders attended the first ever Saudi-Africa summit in Riyadh last year, aiming to secure a portion of the $40 billion Saudi Arabia plans to invest in Africa. The event highlighted the growing economic and political ties between the Gulf petro-states and Africa.
Business3 min read - El Pais
The Australian billionaire who is rebuilding the ‘Titanic’
informed Summary
- Australian millionaire and former MP Clive Palmer has announced plans to build an exact replica of the Titanic, with the aim of having it ready to sail in mid-2027. This is not the first time Palmer has promised to rebuild the ship; two earlier attempts fell through due to lack of funding.
Business5 min read - The Verge
Why Spotify is still fighting with Apple in Europe
informed Summary
- Spotify has been updating its app to display pricing information in-app for users in the EU. This is part of its ongoing legal battle with Apple.
Business2 min read - Sky News
Political party in Germany 'calls for kebabs to be subsidised'
informed Summary
- The German Left Party has proposed using state funds to cap the price of a kebab at €4.90 (£4.20) for adults and €2.50 for young people.
Business1 min read - AP News
The Taliban are working to woo tourists to Afghanistan
informed Summary
- The Taliban is training a cohort of men in tourism and hospitality in Kabul, Afghanistan, despite the country's struggling economy and poor infrastructure. The students, who vary in age, education level and professional experience, are eager to promote a different side of Afghanistan.
Business4 min read - Sky News
'My misery, your paradise': The problem with tourism in the Canary Islands
informed Summary
- Protests have erupted in the Canary Islands against a tourism model that locals say is damaging the environment, driving up housing costs, and forcing them into unstable work. The tourism industry accounts for 35% of the Canary Islands' GDP, and while locals acknowledge the importance of tourism for the economy, they are questioning its sustainability.
Business9 min read - CNN
Rolls-Royce is growing its factory so it can build cars more slowly
informed Summary
- Rolls-Royce is expanding its factory in Chichester, England, with the addition of five new buildings. The expansion is not aimed at producing more cars, but rather more expensive, customised vehicles.
Business3 min read - CNN
The flight attendant who became CEO hopes more women will make it to the top
informed Summary
- Mitsuko Tottori, the first female president and CEO of Japan Airlines, has called for an increase in the number of female managers in Japan. She hopes that Japan will soon become a place where "people are not surprised when a woman becomes a president.”
Business4 min read - El Pais
Levi’s tightens its belt to add flare to its jeans
informed Summary
- Pop star Katy Perry was seen at the Coachella festival wearing baggy jeans, which -- according to various fashion magazines -- are making a comeback. This trend is being capitalized on by Levi Strauss & Co., which is focusing on baggy pants and denim skirts in its efforts to retain consumers.
Business4 min read - CNBC
How climate change is beginning to be built into employee pay and benefits
informed Summary
- More employees are seeking "green" perks as part of their job benefits, with a focus on commuting as a way to reduce carbon footprints. These benefits could include facilitating eco-friendly modes of transportation, such as biking or electric vehicles.
Business5 min read - TIME
What it's like to have a four-day workweek
informed Summary
- There is a growing trend among major companies -- including Panasonic, Kickstarter, and ThredUp -- to adopt a four-day workweek. This is being advocated by groups such as 4 Day Week Global, which promotes the "100-80-100 rule": achieving 100% productivity in 80% of the time, while still earning 100% of regular pay.
Business7 min read - El Pais
A journey to the heart of China’s ‘new productive forces’
informed Summary
- iFlytek, a leading Chinese AI company, has developed a simultaneous interpretation system that can translate into more than 80 languages almost instantly. The company also launched Spark Desk, an AI tool designed to compete with ChatGPT, which can perform tasks such as generating stories, recommending travel destinations, solving mathematical problems, and managing emails.
Business7 min read - Vox
The lies that sell fast fashion
informed Summary
- The fast fashion industry is under scrutiny for its poor labor practices, environmental damage and waste production, with brands like Shein continuing to thrive despite public awareness of these issues.
Business1 min read - CNBC
Want to buy a 1-euro home in Italy? The best advice from three people who did it
informed Summary
- Sicilian towns have been selling off abandoned homes starting at 1 euro each, attracting many foreign buyers. However, the cost is largely symbolic because there are additional expenses such as realtor's fees and deed costs.
Business5 min read - CNN
What’s wrong with Tesla?
informed Summary
- Tesla's sales have declined significantly, with the company blaming a weak Chinese economy, arson at its German factory, and supply constraints caused by the to conflict in the Middle East. However, new competitors entering the market and Tesla's failure to introduce new products quickly enough are also factors.
Business4 min read - Neue Zürcher Zeitung
Can chocolate made in Africa survive the competition?
informed Summary
- Alain Porquet and Julien Marboeuf have founded a startup called Cocoaïans with the aim of turning Ivory Coast -- the world's largest cocoa producer -- into a chocolate-making nation. Currently, the country exports 70% of its cocoa harvest unprocessed as beans, with only 7% of the income from the cocoa business remaining in the country.
Business9 min read - El Pais
The music stock market: Investing in Shakira and Neil Young’s hits
informed Summary
- Hipgnosis Song Management, a British fund that owns rights to 65,000 popular songs, is facing a crisis of confidence due to financial setbacks and a drop in the value of its music assets. The company's revenue has fallen by about a fifth this year, and its stock price has declined by 50% over two years.
Business4 min read - Vox
Truth Social just made Trump billions. Will it solve his financial woes?
informed Summary
- Donald Trump's net worth has increased to around $7.5 billion since Trump Media, the parent company of his social network Truth Social, went public. His stake in the company is worth about $4.8 billion at its current stock price.
Business4 min read - TIME
How is Trump's Truth Social worth billions? Theories abound
informed Summary
- Investors approved a plan to take Donald Trump's social media platform public, increasing his net worth by billions. The company behind Trump's Truth Social started trading on the Nasdaq exchange on Tuesday.
Business3 min read
