General Business
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Shares in electric and hydrogen-powered truck startup Nikola plunged on Monday after the company's founder resigned amid allegations of fraud - just two weeks after signing a $2 billion partnership with General Motors.
The company said late Sunday that Trevor Milton resigned and the departing executive chairman said he would defend himself against accusations that the company made false claims about its vehicles, allegations Nikola rejects.
Milton said in a message to Nikola employees that he was stepping aside because “the focus should be on the company and its world-changing mission, not me.”
Shares in the company based in Phoenix, Arizona, were off 30% in premarket trading. A report from Hindenburg Research from Sept. 10 said the company's success was “an intricate fraud” and based on “an ocean of lies” including a video showing a truck rolling downhill to give the impression it was cruising on a highway, and stencilling the words “hydrogen electric” on the side of a vehicle that was actually powered by natural gas.
Hindenburg said it had taken a short position in Nikola stock, which means it could profit if the stock goes down.
News reports have said that the Securities and Exchange Commission, the U.S. stock market regulator, and the U.S. Justice Department are looking into the allegations against Nikola.
Nikola issued a statement saying the Hindenburg report was “replete with misleading information and salacious accusations directed at our founder and chairman” and had hired an attorney to evaluate potential legal recourse. It has said the video did not describe the vehicle as moving under its own propulsion and that the company does have working trucks.
Under the partnership announced with GM, the Detroit-based...
NEW YORK (AP) — A judge has approved a request from a group of U.S. WeChat users to delay looming federal government restrictions that could effectively make the popular app nearly impossible to use.
In a ruling dated Saturday, Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler in California said the government's actions would affect users’ First Amendment rights, as an effective ban on the app would remove their platform for communication.
WeChat is a messaging-focused app popular with many Chinese-speaking Americans that serves as a lifeline to friends, family, customers and business contacts in China. It's owned by Chinese tech giant Tencent.
The group of WeChat users requested an injunction after the U.S. Commerce Department said Friday it would bar WeChat from U.S. app stores and keep it from accessing essential internet services in the country beginning Sunday at 11:59 p.m.
Early on Monday, WeChat was still available for download at Apple and Android app stores.
The Trump administration has targeted WeChat and another Chinese-owned app, TikTok, for national security and data privacy concerns, in the latest flashpoint amid rising tensions between Washington and Beijing. The administration contends that the data of U.S. users collected by the two apps could be shared with the Chinese government.
On Saturday, President Donald Trump said he supported a proposed deal that would have TikTok partner with Oracle and WalMart to form a U.S. company. There is still a chance that TikTok could be banned in the U.S. as of Nov. 12 if the deal isn't completed, under the restrictions put in place by the Commerce Department.
However, a restriction to bar TikTok from app stores in the U.S., similar to what WeChat faced, was pushed back a week to Sept. 27 after Trump backed the latest TikTok...
These days we are all too aware of how important it is to work in a clean office or business location. However, it’s also important that we know the cleaning company we hire is doing a good job. Now more than ever, we need the cleaning company in question to do a really good job. Not only will it help your workplace to look nicer but it could potentially save lives.
So how do you choose the right commercial cleaning during the pandemic? This article will help you decide:
Look for a Team That Has Experience
Right now, it’s more important than ever to hire a team that has a lot of experience.…
The post How to Choose the Right Commercial Cleaning During the Pandemic appeared first on SMALL BUSINESS CEO.
BRUSSELS (AP) — EU countries remained divided Monday on whether to approve a preliminary free trade deal drafted last year with South American countries because of concerns related to the Amazon deforestation and the respect of European standards.
Speaking ahead of a meeting of the 27-nation union’s trade ministers, the EU's commissioner for the internal market, Thierry Breton, said that “not everyone is aligned on this topic. And we will need definitely to have more discussions between us.”
Following two decades of negotiations, the trade pact was announced last year by the European Commission, the executive body that negotiates trade agreements on behalf of EU countries. The preliminary deal, which needs to be ratified by all EU countries, was struck with the Mercosur bloc of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
The signatories praised it as a pact that would integrate a market of some 800 million people, remove most tariffs on EU exports, ease border checks, cut red tape, and strengthen political and cultural ties.
However, the EU’s independent watchdog in July launched an inquiry into the agreement after a group of NGOs argued that the commission ignored its legal obligations to ensure that the deal would not do any social or economic or environmental harm, or lead to rights abuses.
Among those criticizing the deal, France said last week it remains opposed to the accord in its current form. German Chancellor Angela Merkel also expressed doubts this summer, citing concerns about deforestation.
The French government said the pact needs to be improved to make sure it is in line with the climate targets set by the 2015 Paris Agreement, does not contribute to further deforestation, and that imported agricultural products comply with health and...
The mystery isn’t why so many people file for bankruptcy each year. It’s why more people don’t.
Each year, only a fraction of the Americans who could benefit financially from bankruptcy actually seek relief. Economists say some don’t file because collectors aren’t aggressively pursuing them, while others may strategically delay filing because bankruptcy could benefit them more down the road.
Many bankruptcy attorneys have a much simpler explanation: Fear, a lack of information and misplaced optimism keep people from getting a fresh start.
A TEMPORARY PAUSE
About 14% of U.S. households — or roughly 17 million — owe more than they own, according to Federal Reserve Bank of New York estimates. Many of these households could benefit from having their debts wiped out, but fewer than 1% of U.S. households actually file for bankruptcy each year. Last year, there were 752,160 personal bankruptcy filings. Researchers refer to this gap as “missing bankruptcies” — the filings that could be happening, but aren’t.
Now, there’s an additional set of missing bankruptcies: the cases people normally would have filed in recent months, but haven’t. Bankruptcy filings dropped dramatically in the second quarter of this year, to about 60% of the average for the previous five years.
Courthouses were shuttered by pandemic closures, which made it harder for creditors to pursue foreclosures and wage garnishments. Those are two big drivers of consumer bankruptcy filings, says David Cox, a bankruptcy attorney in Lynchburg, Virginia, and co-author of “Consumer Bankruptcy: Fundamentals of Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.”
Borrowers have benefited from various forms of coronavirus relief, such as suspended payments on federal student loans, mortgage...
BEIJING (AP) — Global stock markets and U.S. futures tumbled Monday after Wall Street fell for a third straight week and investors were rattled by U.S.-Chinese tension over technology and security and a rise in British coronavirus infections.
London and Frankfurt opened lower and Shanghai, Hong Kong and Seoul retreated. Japanese markets were closed for a holiday.
On Friday, Wall Street's benchmark S&P 500 lost 1.1%, led by a sell-off of tech companies that led this year’s rebound. Investors worry they might have become to expensive.
Market momentum shifted after the Federal Reserve said last week the U.S. economic outlook is uncertain. Growth in some industries has slowed after additional unemployment benefits that supported consumer spending expired. Lawmakers have yet to agree on a new support package ahead of elections for president, Congress and some Senate seats.
“With 43 days to the U.S. election, fingers crossed may be what little one can do when it comes to the fiscal stimulus hopes,” said Jingyi Pan of IG in a report.
In early trading, the FTSE 100 in London tumbled 2.9% to 5,830.28. Frankfurt's DAX sank 2.6% to 12,771.63 and the CAC 40 in Paris lost 2.6% to 4,849.14.
Futures for the S&P 500 index and the Dow Jones Industrial Average were off 0.5%.
In Asia, the Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.6% to 3,316.94 and the Hang Seng in Hong Kong shed 2.1% to 23,950.69.
The Kospi in Seoul was 1% lower at 2,389.39 while Sydney’s S&P-ASX 200 declined 0.7% to 5,822.60.
India's Sensex fell 2% to 38,065.67. New Zealand and Southeast Asian markets declined.
On Friday, the White House added to tension with Beijing by announcing downloads of the popular Chinese-owned messaging app WeChat would be banned as a security risk.
A federal judge agreed...
NEW DELHI (AP) — India recorded nearly 87,000 new coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours as it edged closer to the United States in having the most reported cases in the world.
The Health Ministry also Monday reported 1,130 deaths in the past 24 hours, taking the total reported fatalities to 87,882.
India now has over 5.4 million reported cases, and the nation of 1.3 billion people is expected to become the pandemic’s worst-hit country within weeks, surpassing the United States, which has 6.8 million.
Over 60% of the active cases are concentrated in five of 28 Indian states, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh and experts are worried about surges in smaller cities and villages, where access to healthcare is patchy.
India’s economy contracted nearly 24% in the second quarter, the worst among the world’s top economies. To offset the economic crisis, the government has been relaxing virus restrictions despite the surging cases.
The 17th century, white marble Taj Mahal reopened for national and international tourists Monday after a gap of six months. Wearing masks is compulsory, and thermal screening and physical distancing are among other virus restrictions being used.
In other developments in the Asia-Pacific region:
— All remaining virus restrictions will be lifted across much of New Zealand from late Monday with the exception of the largest city, Auckland, which will continue to have some restrictions for at least another 16 days. The nation of 5 million people reimposed some restrictions last month because of the Auckland outbreak, which now appears to be under control. Under the plan, maximum gathering sizes in Auckland will be increased from 10 to 100 on Wednesday and then caps removed two weeks after that. “Whilst...
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Film agencies in Israel and the United Arab Emirates announced an agreement Monday to collaborate on television production, the latest development to follow a U.S.-brokered deal between the countries to normalize relations.
The Abu Dhabi Film Commission, an Emirati government agency, said it reached an understanding with the Israeli Film Fund and a Jerusalem film school seeking to strengthen commercial ties through training programs for film and television co-production and joint film festivals.
As part of the agreement, Emirati students will be flown to Jerusalem to study at Israel’s Sam Spiegel Film and Television School.
The film agencies hailed the agreement as a way to deepen “cultural understanding” between the countries.
The United Arab Emirates, along with Bahrain, signed historic agreements to establish full diplomatic ties with Israel at a White House ceremony last week.
The UAE's move to take long-covert economic ties with Israel public has already generated a dizzying series of commitments to cooperate in numerous fields.
The deals reflect a changing Middle East in which shared concerns about archenemy Iran have overtaken traditional Arab support for the Palestinians, who fiercely oppose normalization amid their efforts to have their own independent state.
During the casting process, materials such as molten metal is liquefied and poured into a mold before it’s hardened. Once the material is hardened it is removed from the mold before it is treated.
There are different casting processes and they are all typically used to create a range of products. Each of the processes ensures manufacturers can produce castings to their desired standard. Some of the types of casting processes in manufacturing are listed below.
Die Casting
Die casting is perhaps one of the most well-known types of casting around. During the process, the materials are molded under high pressure.…
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PRAGUE — The Czech Republic’s health minister has resigned amid a record rise of coronavirus infections.
Adam Vojtech says his move should create space for a new approach to the pandemic.
The country coped well with infections in the spring but has been facing a record surge of new confirmed cases over the past week.
On Thursday, the day-to-day increase of new cases was higher than 3,000.
It is not immediately clear who will replace Vojtech, who was under pressure from the opposition to resign.
The Czech Republic has reported a total of 49,290 infected and 503 deaths since the pandemic began, according to government figures released on Monday.
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HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK
— Analysis: U.S. to hit 200,000 dead; Trump sees no need for regret
— New Zealand to begin lifting all remaining coronavirus restrictions
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Follow AP’s pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
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HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:
LONDON — Britain’s top medical and scientific advisers are set to give a sobering assessment of the COVID-19 pandemic to the public on Monday, amid expectations the government is preparing to announce new measures to control rising infection rates.
Chief medical officer Chris Whitty and chief scientific officer Patrick Vallance are scheduled to hold a televised briefing at 11 a.m. BST (1000 GMT) during which they are expected to warn that infection rates are going in the wrong direction and the U.K. faces a challenging winter.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson huddled with ministers over the weekend to discuss the...
If you’re starting an SEO agency, you should know that the world of SEO is a dynamic and exciting one. With many changes taking place every few months, an agency has a lot to offer many industries. But why should you use white label SEO? We’re going to look at this now.
It Helps you Get Things Done
There’s no doubt about it, white label SEO helps you to get things done. A provider will give you access to a wide range of materials that you can present to all of your clients.
Your SEO partner is likely to be given a range of keywords to use in articles and blog posts.…
The post Starting an SEO Agency: Here’s Why White Label SEO Make Sense appeared first on SMALL BUSINESS CEO.
A look at some of the key business events and economic indicators upcoming this week:
WHITE HOT HOUSING MARKET
U.S. home sales have surged this summer, fueled by ultra-low mortgage rates and competition for a limited supply of properties.
Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes jumped by a record 24.7% in July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.86 million homes. That was the second straight month of accelerating home purchases. Economists expect the trend continued last month. The National Association of Realtors issues its August home sales tally Tuesday.
Existing home sales, in millions, seasonally adjusted annual rate:
March 5.27
April 4.33
May 3.91
June 4.70
July 5.86
Aug. (est.) 5.95
Source: FactSet
SPOTLIGHT ON COSTCO
Wall Street expects that Costco Wholesale’s latest quarterly report card will show solid results.
Analysts predict the membership warehouse club will report Thursday that its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings and revenue increased from a year earlier. Costco has benefited from sharp sales growth, including online sales, this year. The company has already disclosed that sales in the July-August quarter were up by double digits from a year earlier.
MANUFACTURING BELLWETHER
The Commerce Department serves up its August snapshot of U.S. durable goods orders Friday.
Orders to U.S. factories for big-ticket manufactured goods jumped 11.4% in July, the third consecutive gain after a steep two-month plunge. July’s strong advance was led by the volatile transportation sector. Excluding that category, orders would have risen by a more modest 2.4%. Economists project that durable goods orders rose only 1.5% last month.
Durable goods orders, monthly percent change, seasonally adjusted:
March -16.7
April...
BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets were mostly lower Monday after Wall Street declined for a third week and Britain reported a rise in coronavirus infections.
Benchmarks in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Sydney retreated. Japanese markets were closed for a holiday.
On Friday, Wall Street’s benchmark S&P 500 index lost 1.1%, led by a sell-off of tech companies that led this year's rebound. Investors worry they might have become to expensive.
Market momentum shifted after the Federal Reserve said last week the U.S. economic outlook is uncertain. Growth in some industries has slowed after additional unemployment benefits that supported consumer spending slowed. Congress has yet to agree on a new support package.
“With 43 days to the U.S. election, fingers crossed may be what little one can do when it comes to the fiscal stimulus hopes,” said Jingyi Pan of IG in a report.
Investors also were rattled by a rise in coronavirus cases in Britain. On Sunday, the government reported 4,422 new infections, its biggest daily rise since early May. An official estimate shows new cases and hospital admissions are doubling every week.
The Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.2% to 3,330.03 and the Hang Seng in Hong Kong shed 0.6% to 24,310.84.
The Kospi in Seoul was up less than 0.1% at 2,413.19, while Sydney’s S&P-ASX 200 sank 0.7% to 5,823.70.
New Zealand declined, while Singapore and Jakarta advanced.
Global markets have recovered most of this year’s losses, though the bulk of gains went to big tech companies and a handful of stocks, while most issues still are down.
Investors have been encouraged by central bank infusions of credit into struggling economies and hopes for a vaccine to end the coronavirus pandemic that plunged the global economy into its deepest downturn...
WELLINGTON, New Zealand: All remaining virus restrictions will be lifted across much of New Zealand from late Monday with the exception of the largest city, Auckland, which will continue to have some restrictions for at least another 16 days. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made the announcement Monday after meeting with top lawmakers. The nation of 5 million re-imposed some restrictions last month after an Auckland outbreak which now appears to be under control. Under the plan, maximum gathering sizes in Auckland will be increased from 10 to 100 on Wednesday and then caps removed two weeks after that. “Auckland needs more time,” Ardern told reporters in the city. “Whilst we have reasonable confidence we are on the right track, there is still a need in Auckland for that cautious approach.” Health authorities reported no new cases on Monday. The number of active cases is 62, with 33 from community spread and 29 among quarantined returning travelers.
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SEOUL, South Korea —- South Korea’s daily virus tally has stayed below 100 for a second consecutive day, maintaining a slowing trend in fresh infections.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said Monday the 70 new cases added in the past 24 hours took the country’s total to 23,045 with 385 deaths.
South Korea on Sunday counted 82 new cases, marking the first time for its daily jump to fall to double digits in about 40 days.
South Korea conducts fewer tests on weekends. But South Korea’s recent virus resurgence has recently been on a downward trajectory amid strong social distancing rules since its daily tally surpassed 400 in late August.
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MEXICO CITY —- Health authorities in Mexico say the coronavirus pandemic has been declining for at least three weeks in 26 of the country’s 32...
Social media advertising is becoming a trend in the business world today. Its increased popularity has been contributed by the fact that it is cheap compared to other advertising forms. Further, business owners can enjoy a real-time connection to their customers through social media advertising. It is an ideal advertising strategy for both small and large business start-ups.
If you intend to brand via social media, you should learn how to use different platforms effectively. For instance, if you are using Facebook, you should be well-versed on launching, running, and optimizing your advertising campaigns to gain a competitive advantage.
Here are various strategies you can use to promote your business through social media.…
The post How to Efficiently Market Your Business Through Social Media appeared first on SMALL BUSINESS CEO.
If you are looking for an electrical service for your small business you need to make sure you choose the right one. However, this is not always as easy as it seems. This is because there are many electrical services out there for you to choose from. The good news is that this article will help you make the right choice.
Look for Recommendations
It’s always worth your while asking colleagues, friends, and family for recommendations. This is because they’re likely to only recommend a service that you can rely on. You might also want to speak to other local businesses about who they use.…
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When opening up a bakery shop or replacing your current ovens you need to make sure that you purchase ovens that are ideal. Your new ovens should be as big as you need them to be while also offering you all the features you need. But how can you make sure you choose the right ovens?
This article can help you. Read on for more ideas as to how you can choose the right ovens for you.
How Often You will Use the Oven
If you plan to use your new oven every day or most days then you’ll obviously need a large oven.…
The post How to Choose the Right Ovens for Your Bakery Shop appeared first on SMALL BUSINESS CEO.
Without a doubt, you want your patients to have better appointments. We all want our patients to get the best out of their time with us. But what can we do to make sure that all patients get the best appointments? This article explores this matter so you can start helping your patients even more.
Consider Asking Your Patients to Schedule Their Appointments
More and more people can now schedule their own appointments. They can do this online via your website and choose the appointment that is right for them. The more choice your patients have, the happier they will be.…
The post Doctor’s Orders: How to Manage Better Appointments? appeared first on SMALL BUSINESS CEO.
The world of commercial insurance has changed. The current pandemic has meant that normal working practices have been shelved. Fewer employees are working in the office, if at all, and companies have had to think about new ways of working.
When it comes to choosing the best commercial insurance for the ‘new normal’ you’ll need to re-think. Perhaps you no longer need the same kind of commercial insurance as before. Perhaps you now need commercial insurance that covers things you never thought you’d need to worry about. This is where this article can help. It contains tips that can help to choose the best commercial insurance in the ‘new normal.…
The post How to Choose the Best Commercial Insurance in the ‘New Normal’ appeared first on SMALL BUSINESS CEO.
HELSINKI (AP) — A Baltic Sea passenger ferry with nearly 300 people aboard ran aground in the Aland Islands archipelago between Finland and Sweden without injuries Sunday, and rescuers evacuated the vessel's passengers to shore, Finnish authorities said.
The Finnish coast guard tweeted that the M/S Amorella operated by ferry company Viking Line between the Finnish western port city of Turku and Swedish capital Stockholm hit ground south of the port of Langnas in the Aland Islands near the Julgrund island
“There are no reported human casualties,” Viking Line said in a short statement adding that the situation with the vessel was “stable." The vessel had 200 passengers and a crew of 80 aboard.
The coast guard were alerted to the incident just before 1 p.m. Finnish time, and rescue boats evacuated those onboard to shore. Authorities were investigating why the ferry ran aground.
Viking Line CEO Jan Hanses told the Finnish public broadcaster YLE that the accident was caused either by technical failure or human error.
“Something has gone wrong with the ship's steering," Hanses told YLE, adding that water had leaked into one of the vessel's sections but was unable to specify how bad the leakage was.
The coast guard said it hadn't observed oil leakage in the area as a result of the grounding.
The number of passengers aboard the vessel, capable of carrying up to 2,500 people, was unusually low because of the Nordic region's coronavirus travel restrictions which have badly hit Baltic Sea ferry companies.
The Aland Islands, an autonomous Finnish territory, are midway between the two port cities and M/S Amorella was set to make a scheduled stop there en route to Stockholm.
The archipelago consists of thousands of named and unnamed islands and its shallow waters and...
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia’s second-largest city, Melbourne, has moved close to easing severe lockdown restrictions after recording only 14 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday.
It was the second day in a row new infections fell below 30, after 21 were reported on Saturday, the lowest daily number since June 19. There were also five deaths recorded Sunday.
Melbourne’s lockdown restrictions are due to be eased next weekend when child care centers will be allowed to reopen and gatherings of up to five people from two different households will be permitted. But that depends on the rolling 14-day average of new cases being below 50.
With the lower numbers this weekend, the rolling average is now 36.2.
Victoria state Health Minister Jenny Mikakos praised residents for adhering to lockdown rules.
“The huge sacrifices made by Victorians are saving many lives,” Mikakos said. “The new cases keep trending down with your efforts.
“Thank you to all Victorians. You are amazing. We can do this,” she said.
Meanwhile, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison described an unexpected fall in Australia’s unemployment rate to 9.3% — down 14 percentage points from its peak during the pandemic — as “pleasant encouragement."
The figures show about 400,000 Australians recently have returned to work.
“We just over half of the way back,” Morrison told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. “Those who had been reduced to zero hours are starting to get their hours back. There’s still a long way to go.”
In other developments in the Asia-Pacific region:
— India has registered 92,605 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours and is expected to surpass the United States as the pandemic’s worst-hit country within weeks. The Health Ministry on Sunday also reported...
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Tens of thousands of Belarusians calling for the authoritarian president to resign marched through the capital Sunday as the country’s wave of protests entered its seventh week.
Hundreds of soldiers blocked off the center of Minsk, deploying water cannons and armored personnel carriers and erecting barbed wire barriers. Protests also took place in several other cities, including Brest and Grodno.
The crowd in Minsk included about 100,000 people, said Ales Bialiatski, head of the Viasna human rights organization. He said dozens of demonstrators were arrested in Minsk and Grodno.
Protests began Aug. 9 after an election that official results say gave President Alexander Lukashenko a sixth term in office; opponents and some poll workers say the results were manipulated.
Lukashenko, who has repressed opposition and independent news media during 26 years in power, has rejected suggestions of dialogue with the protesters. Many members of the Coordination Council that was formed by the opposition to push for a transition of power have been arrested or have fled the country.
The Minsk demonstrators carried the red-and-white flags that were independent Belarus' national standard before being replaced in 1995, early in Lukashenko's tenure. Some bore placards depicting Lukashenko as a mustachioed cockroach.
Although protests have taken place daily since the election, the Sunday gatherings in Minsk have been by far the largest, attracting crowds of as many as 200,000 people.
“Every Sunday, you are showing yourselves and the world that the Belarusian people are the power,” Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who was Lukashenko's main election opponent, said in a video message from Lithuania, where she is in exile.
The marchers also carried portraits of Maria...
RENO, Nev. (AP) — State and federal authorities are investigating the mysterious loss of a significant swath of a rare desert wildflower that’s being considered for federal protection at a contentious mine site in Nevada with some of the largest untapped lithium deposits in the world.
The Australian mining company, Ioneer Ltd., and state biologists investigating the unprecedented incident believe small mammals most likely caused the damage to thousands of plants at the only place Tiehm’s buckwheat is known to exist.
Conservationists suspect a more sinister scenario: Somebody dug them up while federal wildlife officials consider listing the plant as an endangered species.
Nevada’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, U.S. Bureau of Land Management and Fish and Wildlife Service are investigating.
“While the investigation is still underway and the cause has yet to be determined, the evidence reported to us is consistent with herbivore activity,” department spokeswoman Samantha Thompson said in an email to The Associated Press.
Thompson said the agency isn’t aware of any similar instance involving Tiehm’s or related species. She said there were no reports of tool marks.
The Center for Biological Diversity, which petitioned to list the plant earlier this year, reported “mass destruction” at the site about 200 miles (320 kilometers) southeast of Reno to state and federal officials Tuesday.
It estimates as many as 17,000 plants were lost — up to 40% of the entire population.
Patrick Donnelly, the center’s Nevada director, and Naomi Fraga, director of conservation at the California Botanic Garden in Claremont, discovered and photographed the damage Sept. 13. They believe the plants were removed with small shovels or spades.
“This...
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) isn’t just being used by major corporations. Instead, companies of all sizes and scopes are finding that ERP is critical to their enterprise.
If you need to manage various assets, then ERP can be what you’re looking for. The use of ERP has done nothing but grow, and as it stands, at least half of businesses consider ERP to be one of their top investments. With ERP, you can ensure that your main business processes are integrated, managed, and even automated into a single space in real-time.
So, what is at the heart of any erp system?…
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BERLIN (AP) — Public sector workers in Germany will start staging short-term warning strikes after the latest round of wage negotiations failed to produce an agreement, their union said Sunday.
The Ver.di union, which represents around 2.3 million federal and local employees, said strikes will start Tuesday. It didn't announce where and said it would provide more information Monday.
Warning strikes are a typical tactic in German labor negotiations and typically last between several hours to a day or two. The union didn't rule out kindergarten teachers taking part, which could cause difficulties for parents.
The union is demanding a 4.8% raise, or a minimum of 150 euros ($177) per month, for its workers over the next year. Government negotiators are seeking a longer-term solution and have said the wage demands are too high with the German economy struggling amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“The employers are worsening the conflict,” said Ver.di chairman Frank Werneke. “The answer will now come from the workplaces.”
Interior Minister Horst Seehofer called the weekend talks “constructive,” but said there were still “hurdles to overcome.”
He said there are “difficult issues that we have to solve, especially for those people who we have called heroes in the past months,” and signaled a willingness to compromise.
“We must translate our words into concrete actions,” he said. “But we also can't ignore the extraordinary times and the economic consequences of the pandemic.”
The third round of negotiations is scheduled for Oct. 23 and 24.
X-ray diffraction is a powerful method to use in the lab, however, it can also be used in manufacturing. While many people associate the world of manufacturing with assembly lines and large machines, x-ray diffraction is very useful.
Let’s take a look at 5 x-ray diffract applications that are found in manufacturing.
1. Process Control
When a product is being manufactured, there’s always a change that morphological changes will take place. These changes can take place in a crystalline phase thanks to a number of stress forces being introduced.
When it comes to manufacturing medication, these changes can affect the medication’s bio-availability.…
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NEW DELHI (AP) — Amid an uproar in Parliament, Indian lawmakers on Sunday approved a pair of controversial agriculture bills that the government says will boost growth in the farming sector through private investments.
The two bills were approved even though most opposition parties and some allies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi called them anti-farmer.
The legislation is aimed at reforming India’s deeply stressed farming sector and will give farmers freedom to market their produce, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said while tabling the proposed laws in the upper house of Parliament. The bills are also aimed at removing middlemen from the farm trade and making farming market-oriented, the government has said.
The upper house passed two out of three bills, amid a war of words between ruling lawmakers and those opposing the legislation. The third bill, intended to be part of the farm liberalization plan, could not be taken up because the upper house adjourned for the day amid chaotic scenes, with opposition lawmakers tearing documents and shouting slogans against the bills.
The lower house had approved all three bills on Thursday. The passed bills will have to be signed by India’s ceremonial president, a formality before becoming law.
On Thursday, Shiromani Akali Dal party lawmaker Harsimrat Kaur resigned as minister for food processing in protest against the bills. The party is one of the Modi government’s most trusted allies.
Tomar sought to allay critics of the legislation by saying that the government’s market intervention policy to procure agriculture crops from farmers will continue. The policy insures farmers against any sharp fall in prices of their agricultural produce.
However, the opposition leaders launched scathing attacks on the...
South Korea __ South Korea’s new coronavirus tally has fallen below 100 for the first time in more than a month, as the country’s recent viral resurgence is gradually easing.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said Sunday that the newly counted 82 cases took the country’s total to 22,975 with 383 deaths.
It’s the first time for South Korea’s daily jump to fall to double digits since Aug. 13. The drop is likely partly driven by the fact that authorities conduct fewer tests on weekends than weekdays.
But even before Sunday, South Korea’s daily virus tally had been staying in the 100s for more than two weeks, after it once surpassed 400 in late August. Health officials said the downward trend was a result of stringent social distancing rules imposed on the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area. Those distancing rules were recently relaxed.
The government is urging the public not to lower their guard against the pandemic as small-scale cluster infections have been still continuously reported.
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HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK
— Police clash with anti-lockdown protesters in London
— India adds 93,337 new confirmed infections in past 24 hours
— 2 more college football games postponed because of coronavirus
— Director of the University of Colorado’s football operations cited for violating coronavirus-related public health orders after a team practice involved 108 people on a mountain hike.
— Some Romanian families protest mandatory use of masks in school. Like other countries in Europe, the number of virus cases has spiked in recent days in Romania.
— The official Oktoberfest is cancelled in Munich, so 50 of the German city’s beer halls are hosting their own, smaller parties conforming to coronavirus...
NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump said Saturday he's given his “blessing” to a proposed deal that would see the popular video-sharing app TikTok partner with Oracle and Walmart and form a U.S. company.
Trump has targeted Chinese-owned TikTok for national security and data privacy concerns in the latest flashpoint in the rising tensions between Washington and Beijing. The president's support for a deal comes just a day after the Commerce Department announced restrictions that if put in place could eventually make it nearly impossible for TikTok's legions of younger fans to use the app.
Trump said if completed the deal would create a new company likely to be based in Texas.
“I have given the deal my blessing,” he said. “If they get it done, that’s great. If they don’t, that’s OK too.”
Trump said the new company will be hiring at least 25,000 people and making a $5 billion contribution to a fund dedicated to education for Americans. “That’s their contribution that I’ve been asking for,” he said.
TikTok said Oracle and Walmart could acquire up to a cumulative 20% stake in the new company in a financing round to be held before an initial public offering of stock, which Walmart said could happen within the next year. Oracle's stake would be 12.5%, and Walmart's would be 7.5%, the companies said in separate statements.
The deal will make Oracle responsible for hosting all TikTok's U.S. user data and securing computer systems to ensure U.S. national security requirements are satisfied. Walmart said it will provide its ecommerce, fulfillment, payments and other services to the new company.
“We are pleased that the proposal by TikTok, Oracle, and Walmart will resolve the security concerns of the U.S. administration and settle questions around...
The U.S. government is cracking down on the Chinese apps TikTok and WeChat, starting by barring them from app stores on Sunday.
President Donald Trump has cited concerns about Chinese government snooping as his administration prepares to follow through on executive orders that could make it increasingly difficult, if not impossible, for Americans to use the apps.
Trump has also floated a potential way out, at least for TikTok, which on Friday he called an “amazing company” that is “very, very popular.”
Here are some questions and answers about the deal.
WHEN DO THE BANS TAKE EFFECT?
The order disallowing TikTok and WeChat from smartphone app stores takes effect Sunday, as do additional restrictions on the use of WeChat.
A broader ban on the use of TikTok will follow on Nov. 12 unless its Chinese parent company ByteDance is able to persuade U.S. officials that it can resolve national security concerns. On Saturday, Trump said he has approved “in concept” a deal that would see the popular video-sharing app partner with Oracle and Walmart to become a U.S. company. Trump said the new company “will have nothing to do with China.” But the deal still needs to be finalized.
WHAT ARE TIKTOK AND WECHAT?
TikTok is a smartphone app for making and watching short videos that's popular with teens and young adults, with typical posts centered around lip syncing, dancing or making people laugh. TikTok says it has 100 million U.S. users and hundreds of millions globally. It has its own influencer culture, enabling people to make a living by posting videos on the service, and hosts ads from major U.S. companies.
WeChat is a messaging-focused app that in the U.S. serves as a lifeline to friends, family, customers and business contacts in China. Its owner, Chinese tech...
An Arizona firm has bought the seven Bush Car Wash locations developed in the Tri-Cities by Tim Bush in honor of his late brother. Mister Car Wash, based in Tucson, Arizona, now operates 13 car washes in Washington state. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Bush Car Wash memberships will not be affected by the change, which took effect…
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Kadlec Regional Medical Center and the Tri-Cities Cancer Center have committed to maintaining the cancer center as a distinct entity following a tumultuous year that saw Lourdes and Trios withdraw as owner/partners of the cancer care center after they were acquired by a for-profit medical company.
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Ten diverse and passionate leaders have been selected as the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business’ top Young Professionals for 2020 for their professional and civic accomplishments. These business and community leaders – all under the age of 40 – stand out in their career, company or industry. All clearly love our Tri-City community as they…
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Cinthia Alvarez Lucatero High School Equivalency Program Outreach Specialist at Columbia Basin College Planner or procrastinator: Planner!!! Favorite music? Latin pop Favorite sports team? El America! (my dad will love this) Favorite thing to do in Tri-Cities? Floating down the Columbia River Age and current hometown: 29, Pasco Briefly describe your organization: The High School…
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Brian Campbell General Manager, Campbell & Company Favorite movie? “The Count of Monte Cristo” (2002, starring Jim Caviezel) Favorite music? A little of everything but mostly country Favorite sports team? Seahawks Favorite thing to do in Tri-Cities? Boating and golfing Age and current hometown: 34, Pasco Briefly describe your company: Campbell & Company is driven…
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Elizabeth McLaughlin Executive Director, Tri-Cities Cancer Center Foundation Planner or procrastinator? Procrastinator Favorite music? ’90s Rap and R&B or Yacht Rock Favorite web site or app? Target app Age and current hometown: 39, Kennewick Briefly describe your organization: The foundation is the fundraising and community relations arm of our world-class Tri-Cities Cancer Center. We connect…
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Neilan McPartland Assistant Vice President, Numerica Credit Union Favorite music? I am a big fan of reggae music Favorite sports team? I cheer for the Cougs, particularly football Favorite website or app? Dave Ramsey, popular financial advisor Age and current hometown: 40, Prosser Briefly describe your company: My company is Numerica Credit Union, a trusted…
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Francisco Mendoza Civil Engineer-in-Training, Meier Architecture Engineering Dream vacation? To travel throughout Spain, Italy and France Planner or procrastinator? A perfect balance of both Favorite TV show and movie? “Game of Thrones” and “Old School” Favorite website or app? YouTube Age and current hometown: 25, Richland Briefly describe your company: Meier Architecture Engineering specializes in…
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Shelby Moore Executive Director, Heartlinks Hospice & Palliative Care Dream vacation: Bora Bora Planner or procrastinator: Planner Favorite kind of music? Any kind of pop Favorite app? Instagram Age and current hometown: 25, Richland Briefly describe your organization: Heartlinks Hospice & Palliative Care is a nonprofit organization committed to enriching the quality of life of…
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Flavien Sawadogo Architect, MMEC Architecture & Interiors Favorite podcast or app? Podcast player app Favorite music? R&B Favorite sports team? Real Madrid Age and current hometown: 38, Kennewick Briefly describe your company: MMEC Architecture & Interiors is a firm with locations in Spokane and the Tri-Cities. We provide complete architectural design services. We offer skilled…
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