US fast-food workers lead day of protest for $15 per hour

  New York / AFP Workers from fast-food chains, airports and other service industries rallied in US cities as part of a nationwide day of disruption to demand union rights and a minimum wage of $15 an hour. In New York, a group of 500 that included airport and taxi workers joined a union-backed “Fight For 15” march in front ...

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Canada OKs two new crude pipelines

  Ottawa / AFP Canada approved two new pipelines including one to the Pacific coast that will allow producers to sell into new Asian markets, while rejecting a third project. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a press conference his government has agreed to tripling the capacity of Kinder Morgan’s half-century-old Trans Mountain pipeline to move crude from the Alberta oil ...

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London to phase out diesel buses from 2018

Bloomberg London Mayor Sadiq Khan pledged to stop buying double-decker buses that run purely on diesel from 2018, as part of his drive to clean up the capital’s toxic air. In addition, all new single-deck buses will be zero-emission, Khan’s office said in an e-mailed statement on Wednesday. The mayor also unveiled the world’s first double-deck hydrogen-fueled bus, manufactured by ...

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US consumer spending rises at more moderate pace

  Bloomberg Personal spending increased at a more moderate pace in October after the biggest gain in five months, while faster income growth signaled demand will be sustained. Purchases rose 0.3 percent after a 0.7 percent September advance that was stronger than first estimated, Commerce Department figures showed on Wednesday. The median forecast in a Bloomberg survey called for a ...

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Amazon to plan premium Alexa speaker with large screen

  Los Angeles / AFP Amazon.com Inc. is developing a premium Echo-like speaker with a screen, a sign the world’s largest online retailer is trying to capitalize on the surprise success of its voice-controlled home gadgets and fend off competition from Google and Apple Inc. The new device will have a touchscreen measuring about seven inches, a major departure from ...

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CNN to acquire video sharing app maker Beme

  Bloomberg Time Warner’s CNN said that it has agreed to acquire the staff and technology behind social media app Beme, created by YouTube star Casey Neistat and Matt Hackett. Financial terms weren’t disclosed. The company said its 12 employees will join CNN. Beme was created to offer a social application that allows millennials and others to share short videos ...

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‘Dronejacking’ may be next big cyber threat

  Washington / AP A big rise in drone use is likely to lead to a new wave of “dronejackings” by cybercriminals, security experts warned. A report by Intel’s McAfee Labs said hackers are expected to start targeting drones used for deliveries, law enforcement or camera crews, in addition to hobbyists. “Drones are well on the way to becoming a ...

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Facebook brings mobile games to Messenger

  AFP Facebook has unveiled “Instant Games” allowing users of the world’s biggest social network to play from its Messenger application or directly on their news feeds. The new games effort could be a step toward eventually monetizing Messenger, which now has more than one billion users. “This new games experience allows people to easily discover, share, and play games ...

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BMW boosts tech startup fund as self-driving challenge grows

  Bloomberg BMW AG plans to boost its investments in startups, as competition intensifies with new rivals including Tesla Motors Inc. over technologies that make cars smarter and more energy efficient. The luxury-vehicle maker will invest as much as 500 million euros ($533 million) through its iVentures capital fund over 10 years, Munich-based BMW said Monday in a statement. The ...

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flydubai begins Bangkok service

  DUBAI / WAM Dubai-based flydubai officially launched its Bangkok service, marking the start of its first double daily route outside of the GCC. The inaugural flight from Dubai International Terminal 2 landed at Bangkok International Airport on Tuesday, providing connecting routes for travel through Dubai. Commenting on the launch of the new route, Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO at flydubai, ...

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