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Will more retailers follow Walmart and tear up paper shelf labels?
The familiar sight of brightly coloured printed prices on supermarket shelves could soon be a thing of the past as big-name retailers weigh up going digital. Not only have some Carrefour and Lidl outlets in Europe switched over to using electronic or digital labels, but across the Atlantic Ocean, Walmart, the world’s biggest retailer, is to install the technology in 2,300 of its US outlets in a move that could sway more of the industry to follow suit. Walmart’s management believes the change will not only mean "an even better shopping experience" but will reduce the need for staff "to walk around...
German coalition government moves to relax foreign employment rules
German coalition leaders have agreed to lower bureaucratic hurdles for foreign nationals seeking employment in the country. Under the terms of the preliminary 2025 national budget, which was agreed on Friday by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck and Finance Minister Christian Lindner, the powers of German immigration authorities to reject work permits are set to be limited. Habeck said foreign nationals should automatically be allowed to take up employment in Germany, unless immigration authorities object within 14 days. Integrating more refugees and prospective taxpayers into the labour market could be a "lever for more growth," Habeck emphasized. The Green politician said he often meets employers who struggle to hire qualified workers due to bureaucratic obstacles. No further details on the proposal have yet been released.
Report: WhatsApp planning to enable personalized avatars in future
WhatsApp is preparing to let users send AI-generated images of themselves within the app, according to a tech media report. Users are set to be able to put an avatar version of their faces into just about any context: "Take photos of yourself once, then imagine yourself in any setting from the forest to outer space," Meta says in pre-release screenshots shared by WhatsApp news website WABetaInfo. The feature, still under development, is not just about creating a new profile picture, but a more comprehensive photo generation tool for spontaneous photos in chat, allowing you to quickly send a version of yourself...
Germany's Scholz hopes for new alliance with new Labour premier in UK
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has welcomed the Labour Party's victory in the British general election. In response to a question as to whether he saw himself in a new alliance with the new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, The Social Democrat (SPD) leader said: "Yes." He said he was delighted about Labour's election victory. As a mainstream centre-left party, Labour occupies a similar place on the political spectrum in the UK as Scholz's SPD in Germany. Scholz said he knows Starmer personally and has met him several times, and maintained that he would be a very successful prime minister.
Former Schumacher family security guard arrested in blackmail case
German police have arrested a former security worker for the family of Formula One legend Michael Schumacher in relation to a case of attempted blackmail, prosecutors announced on Friday. The 52-year-old suspected accomplice of two men already in custody was arrested on Thursday in the town of Wülfrath near Wuppertal, in the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. A large volume of additional evidence was secured, said chief public prosecutor Wolf-Tilman Baumert. The man was described as the possible mastermind of the extortion bid. In late June, investigators arrested two suspected blackmailers, a 53-year-old and his 30-year-old son, who are already on probation...
Scholz: Hungary's Orbán not in charge of EU policy over Ukraine war
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has weighed in on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's controversial visit to Moscow on Friday, emphasizing that the European Union's foreign policy is not up to him. "These are the rules we have with each other. And that is why Hungary's presidency of the [European] Council is not the reason for this visit, but his activities as Hungarian prime minister." Hungary current holds the EU's six-month rotating presidency, and Orbán has said he wants to use the presidency to promote peace in Ukraine. Scholz added that the EU "condemns the Russian war" on Ukraine. Josep Borrell, the European Union's top diplomat, made a similar point earlier that Orbán had no EU mandate for his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
German Olympic chief hopes for peaceful Paris Olympics
German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) president Thomas Weikert has expressed hope that the upcoming Paris Games will be a peaceful event in turbulent times. "The general conditions are very difficult. I hope it remains safe and peaceful," Weickert said on Friday at a kit event for the German team. "I hope that there will be no incidents. But I have great confidence in the IOC [International Olympic Committee] that the Games will be organised well." The July 26-August 11 Games take place amid an uncertain political situation in France. France's far-right National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen, has topped the first round of voting for a new parliament. The second and decisive round is set for Sunday. Also on Friday, French police said they made several arrests in connection with terrorist threats against the Olympics. "The threat remains extremely high," Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin told broadcasters BFMTV. France has been on its highest terrorism alert level since March ahead of the Games. A terrorist plot to target an Olympic football match was foiled by investigators in May.
France reports assaults on 51 candidates and aides before election
Dozens of candidates and their associates have been attacked during the French parliamentary election campaign, according to Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin. "This election campaign is short, less than three weeks, and yet we have already counted 51 candidates, deputies or supporters who have been physically attacked," Darmanin said on the BFMTV channel on Friday. Around 30 people with diverse profiles had been arrested in connection with the incidents, the minister said. An attack on Wednesday on a team of French government spokeswoman Prisca Thevenot, who is standing for election in the Paris region, is one notable case. Thevenot's designated deputy for the parliamentary mandate and a supporter were reportedly set upon by a group of people while putting up election posters in Paris. The government spokeswoman herself remained unharmed. On Sunday, France is due to vote in run-off elections in many places to decide the composition of the future National Assembly. Just 76 of the 577 seats were allocated in the first round. According to polls, Marine Le Pen's far-right nationalist National Rally (RN) is likely to replace the centrist forces of President Emmanuel Macron as the strongest party in the lower house of parliament.
Germany's Scholz promises billions in tax deductions for businesses
German businesses are set to receive billions of euros worth of tax breaks under the terms of a preliminary 2025 budget deal reached by the coalition parties on Friday. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in Berlin that the new financial plan will allow businesses to deduct investments and research expenditure from their tax bills, while applying for subsidized loans from the state KfW investment bank to encourage economic growth. Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Robert Habeck praised the deal, speaking of a "new economic dynamism" in Germany. Scholz also highlighted reductions in bureaucracy, with further laws planned. In addition, electricity price subsidies are to be extended until 2030, while the government will undertake further measures to reduce grid costs.
EU's von der Leyen warns Orbán: 'Appeasement will not stop Putin'
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán that he cannot appease Russian President Vladimir Putin with his visit to Moscow. "Appeasement will not stop Putin. Only unity and determination will pave the path to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine," von der Leyen wrote on X. Budapest did not coordinate the visit with the EU executive arm, Eric Mamer, the commission president's chief spokesman told reporters. Mamer added that the trip "undermines the unity and determination" the European Union needs to end the war in Ukraine.
Hurricane Beryl strengthens again on way to Mexico
Hurricane Beryl has again picked up force off Mexico's Yucatán peninsula before its anticipated landfall in the popular holiday destination, with wind speeds of 185 kilometres per hour. After wreaking havoc across the Caribbean, the hurricane has reached category 3 of 5, the US National Hurricane Centre (NHC) and the Mexican weather service said on Friday. Beryl is expected to make landfall as a severe hurricane near the seaside resort of Tulum in the coming hours. Strong winds, heavy rainfall and dangerous storm surges are expected. The hurricane had weakened to level 2 before the sudden strengthening. Mexican civil defence authorities previously assumed...
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