Toyota announces Lexus EV plant in Shanghai
Japan’s Toyota said Wednesday it will build an electric vehicle plant in Shanghai for its luxury Lexus brand, at a time when many foreign car companies are struggling in China. The world’s top-selling automaker made the announcement as it hiked its annual net profit forecast to almost $30 billion as well as its revenue projection. […]
As workplaces adopt AI at varying rates, Gen Z is ahead of the curve
Artificial intelligence is transforming workplaces. After a year of rapid, innovative changes in AI technology, that’s now a given. However, for younger people—particularly those in Gen Z aged 12 to 27—generative AI’s disruptive force is particularly far-reaching. AI is not only shaping how Gen Zers work, but also changing the entire arc of their careers—starting […]
Tesla sales fall in Germany as Musk backs far right
Tesla sales plunged in Germany last month, official data showed Wednesday, after billionaire owner Elon Musk waded into the country’s election campaign by vocally backing the far right. Just 1,277 of the US firm’s electric cars were registered in Europe’s biggest auto market in January, down nearly 60 percent year-on-year, the KBA federal transport authority […]
Google halts workplace diversity push
Google parent company Alphabet has stopped making diversity and inclusion a workplace priority, according to a filing Wednesday with US regulators. The internet giant’s annual 10-K report, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), no longer contained a commitment to workplace inclusion and diversity that had been there the prior year. “At Alphabet, we […]
French parliament finally adopts 2025 budget
The French parliament on Thursday finally adopted the state’s 2025 budget following a tumultuous months-long process that saw the previous government toppled and the current administration survive multiple no confidence votes. The upper house Senate, dominated by the right and centre-right, approved the budget with 219 votes for and 107 against. Prime Minister Francois Bayrou […]
Volvo Cars anticipates bumpy 2025 as demand slows
Sweden’s Volvo Cars, owned by China’s Geely Group, said Thursday that annual profits rose in 2024 despite a final quarter slowdown but that the outlook for this year is tougher. The group turned in a 13 percent rise in net profit to 15.9 billion kronor ($1.5 billion) last year thanks to sales rising eight percent […]
North American cities decline in annual smart city rankings
The latest IMD Smart City Index has revealed that Europe has the smartest cities, holding seven out of ten positions. North American cities, once dominant in such rankings, have fallen again and they been in decline since 2021. In terms of technologies driving those areas showing a rise in smart city capability, one stand out one is […]
Shein, Temu face cost of adapting to new US customs rules
US tariffs on Chinese imports and the closing of a customs loophole will wreak disruption on the business models of e-commerce giants Shein and Temu, with consumers potentially bearing the brunt of the cost, analysts say. Boasting an enormous selection of ultra-cheap items at a time when inflation has shrunk household spending power almost everywhere, […]
South Korea ministries, police block DeepSeek access
South Korean ministries and police said Thursday they were blocking DeepSeek’s access to work computers, after the Chinese AI startup did not respond to a data watchdog request about how it manages user information. DeepSeek launched its R1 chatbot last month, claiming it matches the capacity of artificial intelligence pace-setters in the United States for […]
Asian markets advance after Wall Street gains, US Postal Service U-turn
Asian markets rose Thursday, tracking gains on Wall Street and following the US Postal Service’s U-turn on a ban on parcels from China and Hong Kong, though trade war fears continue to keep sentiment at bay. Global equites and currencies have been hit by volatility this week after US President Donald Trump announced hefty tariffs […]
