Author: manmadenews

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Amazon staff protest climate record and office return

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More than 1,000 staff at Amazon participated in a one-hour protest over the internet giant’s climate record and its push to bring office staff back to offices, according to organisers. The action was put together by staff advocacy groups. They said morale at the company was at an “all-time low” due to a “short-sighted decisions” by leaders. Amazon disputed the number of participants, while saying it respected workers’ rights to express opinions. It said its security team counted closer to 300 employees taking part in the protest at the company’s headquarters in Seattle and it was not aware of any … Continue reading Amazon staff protest climate record and office return

HEALTHLeave a comment

Every Canadian cigarette to carry a health warning

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Canada will soon print warning labels directly on cigarettes in a world-first, the country’s health agency announced. New packaging will feature a warning on each cigarette with phrases like: “Cigarettes cause cancer” and “Poison in every puff”. The regulation will come into effect on 1 August, Health Canada said. It is part of an effort to reduce tobacco use in Canada to less than 5% by 2035. In an announcement on Wednesday, Health Canada said the new regulations “will make it virtually impossible to avoid health warnings” on tobacco products. The health agency anticipates that by April 2025, retailers in … Continue reading Every Canadian cigarette to carry a health warning

AVIATIONLeave a comment

Air New Zealand weighing passengers before flying

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Air New Zealand is weighing passengers before they board international flights, as part of a survey to determine average passenger weight. The weight will be anonymously recorded in a database but not be visible to airline staff or other passengers, the firm said. Air New Zealand said knowing average passenger weight would improve fuel efficiency in the future. Participation in the survey is voluntary, the airline added. The airline previously weighed domestic passengers in New Zealand in 2021. “Now that international travel is back up and running, it’s time for international flyers to weigh in,” the airline said in a … Continue reading Air New Zealand weighing passengers before flying

BUSINESSLeave a comment

Diddy says Diageo neglected his tequila due to race

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Rapper Sean Combs, known as Diddy, has accused drinks giant Diageo of breaking the terms of their business partnership and neglecting the tequila brand they bought together because he is black. In a complaint filed in New York, he said the company invested in competing brands, while depriving DeLeon Tequila the same level of support. He also said Diageo limited the drinks’ distribution to “urban” neighbourhoods. Diageo denied the allegations and said it would defend itself “vigorously”. “This is a business dispute, and we are saddened that Mr Combs has chosen to recast this matter as anything other than that,” … Continue reading Diddy says Diageo neglected his tequila due to race

BUSINESSLeave a comment

New trade deal to be signed between US and Taiwan amid China tensions

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US and Taiwan are set to sign a new trade agreement on Thursday amid heightened tensions with China. It will mark the first deal under a framework for talks between Washington and Taipei called the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade. The announcement comes ahead of a high-level global security summit in Singapore this weekend. In recent years, the relationship between the US and China has become increasingly strained. Taiwan’s Office of Trade Negotiations said the agreement will be signed in Washington on Thursday morning, US time. Deputy United States Trade Representative Sarah Bianchi is expected to be at the … Continue reading New trade deal to be signed between US and Taiwan amid China tensions

HUMAN INTERESTLeave a comment

The untold tale of America’s first spelling bee victor

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In 1908, Marie C Bolden, an African American teenager, became the first-ever spelling bee champion in the US, overcoming tricky words like ‘acquiesce’, ‘descendant’ and ‘millinery’ on her way to the top. But her achievement was quickly eclipsed by racial prejudice, and her story rarely told. More than a century later, a search for her long-lost medal has been launched in an effort to shed light on Ms Bolden’s triumph and to celebrate her win. Born in Ohio, Ms Bolden, 13, was one of 15 eighth graders selected to represent the city of Cleveland in what was the first national … Continue reading The untold tale of America’s first spelling bee victor

BUSINESSLeave a comment

How a mining giant underpaid workers for 13 years

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Australian mining giant BHP says it underpaid current and former workers across the country for 13 years. Around 28,500 employees received less holiday than they were entitled to, a review conducted by the firm found. Meanwhile, 400 workers did not get additional allowances “due to an error with the employment entity.” BHP says it has reported the incident to the authorities and the errors will cost the company up to $280m before taxes. Some affected employees had their leave incorrectly deducted on Australian public holidays, the company found. As a result they were owed a total of six days of leave … Continue reading How a mining giant underpaid workers for 13 years

WOMEN'S RIGHTSLeave a comment

Argentina allows morning-after pill to be bought over counter

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Women in Argentina will no longer require a prescription to get emergency contraception. The government said making the morning-after pill more easily available removed an “important barrier” for those seeking terminations. The move was welcomed by feminist groups, who see it as a sign of progress in the Catholic-majority country. However critics said the move displayed a “failure of pregnancy prevention”. The health ministry said the measure would help avoid unintentional pregnancies by overcoming “difficulties of access to health services, contraception supplies, and education” faced by some. “This removes an important barrier to access,” Valeria Isla, director of sexual and … Continue reading Argentina allows morning-after pill to be bought over counter

TECHNOLOGYLeave a comment

Amazon to pay $30m over Alexa and Ring privacy violations

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Amazon is to pay $25 million to settle allegations that it violated children’s privacy rights with its Alexa voice assistant. The company agreed to pay the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) after it was accused of failing to delete Alexa recordings at the request of parents. It was found to have kept hold of sensitive data for years. Amazon’s doorbell camera unit Ring will also pay out after giving employees unrestricted access to customers’ data. Ring will pay $5.8 million to authorities, according to a filing in federal court in the District of Columbia. According to the FTC complaint regarding … Continue reading Amazon to pay $30m over Alexa and Ring privacy violations

CRIMELeave a comment

US actor Danny Masterson found guilty on two rape counts

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A jury in Los Angeles has found US actor Danny Masterson guilty on two out of three counts of rape. The star of That ’70s Show, a TV series, faces up to 30 years in prison. He was led from court in handcuffs. Three women, all former members of the Church of Scientology, accused the actor of sexual assault at his Hollywood home from 2001-03. Prosecutors argued Masterson had relied on his status as a prominent Scientologist to avoid accountability. The jury of seven women and five men was unable to reach a verdict on a third count after a … Continue reading US actor Danny Masterson found guilty on two rape counts

HOLLYWOODLeave a comment

Al Pacino and girlfriend Noor Alfallah are expecting a baby

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Hollywood legendary actor Al Pacino will soon officially be a dad of four children. The 82-year-old actor and his girlfriend Noor Alfallah are expecting a baby, Pacino’s rep confirmed to PEOPLE. TMZ initially broke the news. Alfallah, 29, has been linked to Pacino since April 2022. The pair first sparked romance rumors when they were pictured grabbing dinner together. Multiple sources told Page Six last year that the couple had actually been quietly dating since the pandemic. The New York native shares daughter Julie Marie, 33 with his ex-girlfriend, acting coach Jan Tarrant. He also shares 22-year-old twins Anton and Olivia with ex Beverly D’ Angelo, whom … Continue reading Al Pacino and girlfriend Noor Alfallah are expecting a baby

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Audacious: India official fined $640 for draining dam to find phone

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An Indian official who made headlines after he drained a dam to retrieve his phone has been fined by the government. Rajesh Vishwas has been ordered to pay 53,092 rupees ($642) for pumping out millions of litres of water without seeking permission from authorities. He had dropped the device while taking a selfie and claimed it needed retrieving as it contained sensitive government data. But he has been accused of misusing his position. The food inspector dropped his Samsung phone, worth about 100,000 rupees, into Kherkatta Dam in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh last week. After local divers couldn’t … Continue reading Audacious: India official fined $640 for draining dam to find phone