Here Are the Most ‘Attractive’ Global Cities

Many major global cities saw a significant decrease in competitiveness during the COVID-19 pandemic, as governments tightened border restrictions and imposed tough social distancing restrictions, according to the 2021 Global Power City Index (GPCI).

It remains to be seen whether, in the post-pandemic world of work, these global hubs will retain their ability to attract the highest-caliber…

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Japan’s Digital Minister Is Waging War on Floppy Disks

Japan’s digital minister, who’s vowed to rid the bureaucracy of outdated tools from the hanko stamp to the fax machine, has now declared “war” on a technology many haven’t seen for decades — the floppy disk.

The hand-sized, square-shaped data storage item, along with similar devices including the CD or even lesser-known mini disk, are still required for…

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Elon Musk Reviving Vine is a Bad Idea

If there’s one thing Elon Musk should know, it’s this: Vine is dead; let it rest. On Sunday, Musk—who recently bought Twitter for $44 billion and is now the app’s owner—tweeted a poll asking if he should bring Vine back. With over four million responses, the vote resulted in 69.6% of people saying “Yes.” Popular YouTuber Mr. Beast replied to his tweet, …

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Robocalls Finally Have the U.S. Government’s Attention

Anyone with a mobile phone knows the unpleasant sensation of answering a call from an unfamiliar number only to hear a pre-recorded marketing or scam pitch from a company you have no interest in patronizing. Around 33 million robocalls are made each day to Americans, according to the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC)—more than 50 billion a year.

This is more than just an annoyance; in…

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The Tax Loophole That Helps Temu and Shein Keep Prices So Low

On Super Bowl Sunday, the e-commerce giant Temu flaunted their alluringly low prices in multiple ad spots during the game, encouraging customers to “shop like a billionaire.” Halsey Cook, the CEO of the South Carolina-based textile manufacturer Milliken & Company, was less than enthused. For the past couple years, he’s been watching as products similar to Milliken’s apparel lines ha…

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Elon Musk Takes Stand to Defend Controversial Tweets. Here’s What to Know About the Trial So Far

Elon Musk is on trial for a Twitter-related controversy dating back to 2018, and on Friday he defended his actions in a San Francisco court.

The trial revolves around Musk’s tweets from August 2018 where he claimed that he had secured financing to take Tesla private, spurring a stock frenzy that many of the automaker’s shareholders claim ruined their shares.

Musk said …

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Petrobras Head Resigns as Bolsonaro Rages About Fuel Prices

Petrobras’s chief executive officer Jose Mauro Coelho resigned following a fuel price increase that has angered President Jair Bolsonaro and prompted calls for a congressional inquiry.

Petroleo Brasileiro SA, as the company is formally known, announced his resignation in a statement on Monday. Bolsonaro had already fired Coelho in May and named a replacement, but he remained in the …

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Twitter Withdraws From EU Disinformation Code, Commissioner Says

Twitter exited the voluntary European Union’s Code of Practice on Disinformation, the bloc’s Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton said.

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Zillow Offers Free Money to Entice Buyers

With mortgage rates at 21-year highs and the number of homes sold each month hovering near their lowest point in more than a decade, mortgage brokers are going to unusual lengths to induce buyers to enter the housing market.

One of the more eye-catching gambits is from Zillow, the online real estate platform, which is offering new home buyers thousands of dollars to help them with their d…

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Your Next House Could Be Made on an Assembly Line

Walking down the assembly line as the bell dings, marking a lunch break, Ken Semler points to a man carefully sealing the frame of a house with foam as evidence that this factory can build houses faster, cheaper, and better than traditional homebuilders.

“There’s no way you can do quality work in the field to the level you can in the factory,” says Semler, a tall, chatty…

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