Кактус

When will the US have an Equal Rights Amendment?

It’s been 98 years since the Equal Rights Amendment [https://www.npr.org/2020/01/15/796754345/virginia-ratifies-the-equal-rights-amendment-decades-after-deadline] —which would expressly forbid any sort of discrimination on the basis of sex—was first introduced. A century of fighting later, it’s both closer than ever to being added to the US Constitution, and out of time. Amending the Constitution is a two-step process, requiring first passage by Congress, then ratification by three-fourths of t

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9 of the 10 happiest countries in the world are in Europe

An annual study of happiness around the world found that positive emotions and overall levels of satisfaction with life remained surprisingly stable across the globe, despite the Covid-19 pandemic. Researchers suggest it bodes well for humanity’s resilience. And yet happiness levels are higher on some continents than others. European nations once again dominated the list of the happiest places to be in the World Happiness Report [https://worldhappiness.report/], with Finland toping the list fo

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Saudi Aramco has lost the title of world’s most profitable company

Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil exporter, is no longer the world’s most profitable company. After a pandemic year that slashed fossil fuel prices—and drove up demand for consumer technology—that distinction now falls to Apple. The iPhone maker netted $57.4 billion in its 2020 fiscal year [https://www.apple.com/newsroom/pdfs/FY20_Q4_Consolidated_Financial_Statements.pdf] , while the oil giant recorded a (measly for Aramco) $49 billion profit. Aramco’s annual profit [https://apnews.com/ar

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South Africa is racing to head off a deadly third wave of Covid-19

South Africa is bracing for a third wave of Covid-19, expected to arrive with the start of winter this June. The predicted rise in infections could rival the deadliness of a wave that only recently subsided. Experts say the magnitude of the surge will depend on the pace of vaccinations, the willingness of the public to abide by physical distancing and other public-health measures, and the extent to which the virus creates new variants. A second wave of the pandemic that tailed off in February

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Tesla needs China, but China also needs Tesla

In China’s business circles, executives talk admiringly of a particular type of firm they refer to as a “catfish.” These companies, voracious competitors in crowded markets, force rivals to improve their performance or perish. In China’s hyper-competitive electric vehicle (EV) market, the metaphor of an aggressive fish gobbling up its lesser rivals until only the strongest remain is an apt one. China has around 450 EV manufacturers, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studie

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Tesla changed what competitive advantages mean in the EV race

In the auto industry, Jan. 8, 2021 was an earthquake. Tesla’s valuation eclipsed that of the rest of the world’s automakers combined, reaching a record $844 billion. Although the electric carmaker was responsible for selling less than 1% of the world’s vehicles, in the eyes of investors, at least, it was worth more than an entire industry that has been around since the 1880s. The future of vehicles, the market is saying, will look nothing like its past. But at present, little about Tesla’s valu

Musk

The UK’s pathway to net zero carbon emissions is about to get harder

In 1990, as UK prime minister Margaret Thatcher was about to leave office, the economy was slipping into recession and construction workers on the Channel Tunnel had just reached the shores of France. At the time, the country was emitting [https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/provisional-uk-greenhouse-gas-emissions-national-statistics] about 794 million metric tons of greenhouse gases per year. Thirty years later, emissions are less than half that level, according to a new analysis [https

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IKEA has replaced its print catalog with an audiobook

When IKEA canceled its beloved print catalog [https://qz.com/quartzy/1036380/ikea-catalogue-2017-defining-domestic-bliss-in-different-cultures/] last year, it hinted at plans to venture into new formats to better reach an increasingly internet-dependent customer base. The world’s largest furniture company bolstered its e-commerce platform, built a better mobile app, and opened a string of small retail outlets in urban areas around the world. In what may be its zaniest gambit yet, IKEA has launc

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